such lyke things after that Winter hath put all out of fashioâ— Agein how can fruits Corne and wyne nurrish men seing they haue no lyfe of themselues Then if wee fall too seeking out the grouâ—d of Gods woorks it is as I sayd a bottomlesse pit and wee 〈…〉 fayne too confesse that God hath in himselfe an infinite wisdome wheruntoo wee cannot atteyne Howbeeit Gods 〈…〉 now and then 〈◊〉 more wonderfull vntoo vs when we fynd the cause of them 〈◊〉 to our naturall wit vnderstanding As for example wheras it is sayd that it was Gods will that the Gospell should bee preached vppon the soodein through the whole world it was too see too a verye mad kynd of dealing if wee iudge of it after our owne imagination For some man will demaund why God bethought him 〈…〉 to the hope of saluation sith he had shet them out from 〈…〉 Behold the world which had continewed so long tyme afore â–ª was renewes agein at the flud And wee see how God suffereth the heathen folk too walk in destruction When all maner of wickednesse was come to his ful heigth and ouerflowed the world as a horrible flud then suddeinly God showed him self And is not that a secret too astonish men withall Now lyke as the wicked and al such as despyze God and al worldlings are dazeled at these things and so farre out of conceyt with the straungenesse of them that they could fynd in theyr harts too go too Lawe with God so the faythfull are taught too knoâ— that Gods wisdome is incomprehensible Agein S. Paule speaking hereof in the fourth Chapter of the second too the Corinthians sendeth vs backe too the Creation of the world saying that if wee thinke it straunge that God should inlighten blynde wretches and that such as were but wandring beasts afore should bee brought intoo the way of saluation by the doctrine of the Gospell Wee should consider how the light was created at the beginning What was there in the confuzed lump whereof it is sayd that God created the Heauen and the earth There was nother beautie nor order nor aught else â–ª darkenesse couered all as it is sayd in Moyses But God commaunded that light should bee made and so he drewe light out of darkenesse Therefore sayeth S. Paule although the world was in iâ—ksome darkenesse that the Gentiles had their eyes as good as stopt vp so as there was not any knowledge of saluation at all Yit God at the comming of his onely sonne shewed how his promising by his Prophets that he would gather the world too him was not for naught And so yee see how he bringeth light out of darkenesse new agein Howsoeuer the cace stand wee must alwayes come backe too this poynt that the drawing of the Gentiles too the hope of saluation by the doctrine of the Gospell was a secret of god And he speaketh of the communicating therof vntoo them bycause God had kept it secret too himself and therefore he addeth that it had bin vnknowne in al tymes and all ages And how so For God kept it secret too himself Wee bee warned new agein in this Text too reuerence Gods incomprehensible ordinaunce when we heare speaking of our saluation and too consider that it is a worke which passeth all our capacitie and that if wee mind too haue such knowledge of it as is good and profâ—table too glorifie God withall Wee must be as it were at our 〈◊〉 end too say it is a thing that I cannot vnderstand aright Trew it is that wee ought too set our whole studie theruppon and it behoueth vs too exercise our selues in it all the tyme of our lyfe as wee see in the other Text. But howsoeuer wee deale yit must the finall knitting vp of it alwayes bee that God hath not compassed the worke of our saluation according to our slender capacitie and weakenesse but ment too humble vs too the end wee should bee abashed in our selues And when we haue reuerenced his euerlasting ordinaÌ„ce which is hid from vs let vs imploye all the power and abilitie which wee haue too the praysing of his holy name This is the thing that wee haue to beare in mynd and looke what is spoken too all men generally that must euery of vs applyâ— particularly too himselfe For S. Paule treateth here of the comming of the Gospell vntoo vs which come of the race of the Gentiles and sayeth that the same is a secret of god Now if euery of vs looke intoo himself and demaunde this question of himself how comes it too passe that I am made partaker of the Gospel how haue I bin brought intoo the Churche I say it wee consider well these things wee shall all of vs from the greatest to the least confesse that our Lord hath wrought after an vnaccustomed fashion For it is not of the order of nature that God hath so reformed vs and created vs the second time too the end we should be his children and beare his image but it is a very Miracle which ought too rauishe vs and amaze vs as I haue sayd alreadye Let that serue for one poynt And besides that forasmuch as I must bee fayne too reserue that which followeth till another time let vs note for a conclusion that wheÌ„ there is any speaking of Gods secrets it is good reason that we should bee sober and suffer our selues too bee ignorant in the things that God hath not reueled vntoo vs. That is the thing which wee haue too consider vpon the woord Communicate For euen very experience sheweth what the end of them is which giue head too their owne curiositie and will needes knowe all things and serch out all Gods secretes by percell meale They that mount vp intoo such ouerweening shall in the end be confounded And the hygher that they clymb the more horrible shall their fall bee and God must needes cast them downe vtterly Therfore let vs learne too knowe no more than God disclozeth vntoo vs for it is meete for him for too shew vs so much of his power and purpose as he thinketh good When it pleaseth him too open vntoo vs the things that were straunge afore then let vs learne them of him and not say this is too darke but let vs pray him too giue vs such vnderstanding by his holy Ghost as wee may perceyue whatsoeuer he sheweth vs by his woord Yee see then how wee ought to bee diligent and heedfull in receyuing the things that God hath voutsafed too teach vs in his holy Scripture and the things that are preached too vs in his name But therwithall let vs also tarry till he impart vntoo vs what he thinkes good and let vs not thrust in our selues at al aduenture too knowe more than is lawfull for vs but let vs bee contented with that which God sheweth vs assuring our selues that it is not for any enuy that he suffereth vs to knowe no more but for that he hath regard
aduyzed is not too make our owne profit after the manner of the world which counteth the wylyest folke wyzest but too get vs spirituall discretion too know what things God alloweth and too followe the same Now heeruppon he addeth also that wee must not haue too doo with the fruitelesse woorks of darknesse but rather rebuke them This is not added without greate reason For although we bee well dispozed too frame our lyfe according too Gods woord yit shall wee bee shouldered from it if wee learne not too resist all temptations Truely although wee sawe no vyces about vs too withdrawe our obedience from God yit haue we such store of vyces alredie in vs that we must needs haue profited very well in Gods schoole beefore wee can bee disposed too submit our selues in true obedience and to say Lord reigne thou ouer vs and let thyne only will bee our rule But yit let vs put the cace that wee were come so farre foorth as too feele no resistence nor geynsaying in our selues but that wee could so subdew all our affections that they myght after a sort bee ruly yit notwithstanding the diuell neuer ceasseth too assayle vs on all syds one whyle by lyght biekerings another by vndermyning and another whyle by giuing alarums open assaults so as he wil soone ouerwhelm vs except we be well fortifyed God haue giuen vs inuincible power to withstand all his pollicies That is the cause why Saint Paule addeth that wee should not haue too doo with the vnfruteful woorks of darknesse As if he should say my freends I knowe well that the vneazinesse of going vntoo God in this world wil be as a blocke too keepe you backe from dooing of your dewtie And although yee knowe that God ought too haue the maystrie and that wee ought too bee vnder his subiection yit notwithstanding when yee bee conuersant with the despyzers of God and with vnholie persons it is very hard for you too walk vncorruptly For looke how many vyces reigne so many infections are there too atteynt you and it is very hard for you too scape vnperuerted lyke as it cannot bee but that wee must feele some prickings wheÌ„ we walk among thornes Forasmuch theÌ„ as there is such abundance of corruptions through the whole world as a man can scarsly remoue one foote but he shall stumble vppon some euill or other It standeth vs on hand too haue greate strength too maynteyne vs vnimpeached in the seruing of God or else we must be vtterly â—urned away fron his obedience But what for that There is no excuce for vs sayeth Saint Paule It wil not boote vs too alledge Alas what shall I doo I that am a poore frayle creature If God had set mee alone by my self I could serue him the better but I am heere among so many vyces that I must needs doo as other men doo for some pill and some poll some are whoremongers some are drunkards and some swearers and finally I see so much wickednesse that it maketh my hart too quake and seeing I am hemmed in with all these things what can I doo in such extremitie Wee will alledge all this geere say I but it is in vayne Wherfore let vs learne too prepare our selues in such wyse too the seruing of God as wee may stand obediently in battell ray too resist all temptations It is trew that wee shall haue much adoo too bring it too passe â–ª but yit will God bee strongest so wee pray him too gouerne vs with his holy spirit And that gouernment serueth not only to subdew vs too his dominion but also too giue vs victorie ageinst all the things that Satan practizeth too ouerthrowe vs Yee see then that if wee call vppon God and put our selues to his guyding it is certein that wee shall haue ynough too make vs keepe on our way notwithstanding that this world be ful of wicked stoppes too thrust vs out of the way The thing then which we haue too remeÌ„ber vpon this streyne is that besyds the good mynd which wee must haue too submit our selues vntoo God and besyds the lowlinesse too accept and receyue whatsoeuer God commaundeth vs too frame our whole lyfe therafter wee must also be armed to fyght ageinst all the assaults that Satan maketh ageinst vs and though we see the whole world set vppon naughtinesse wee must not think that that may serue too diminish our fault before God but consider that it is his will too exercyze vs after that fashyon Yit notwithstanding if wee call vppon him and put our whole trust in the working of his holy spirit surely wee shall obteyne victorie ageinst all that euer Satan can trump in our wayes And so yee see how wee may ouercome all things that hinder our seruing of God. Finally S. Paule following still the â—imilitude which he brought in afore telleth vs that wee must not haue too doo with the woorks of darknesse As if he should say that wee must bee separted from the vnbeleeuers and that when wee liue at aladuenture as though God had not wrought in vs as though his word had done vs no good at al it is as much as if we traÌ„pled Iesus Christ vnder our feete abolished the frute of his death passioÌ„ defyled his blud which is the fountaine of all holinesse Siâ—h it is so let vs looke too retyre out of darkenesse and not too haue to doo with it in any wyse And his calling of them by the name of frutelesse woorks is too shewe vs that when wee bee so mingled with the vnbeleeuers worldlinges and despyzers of God wee shall receyue but a poore reward which shall yeeld vs no fruite at all What gayne wee then by taking leaue too doo euill vnder colour that the most part of the world is giuen too wickednesse nothing for all of them must reape the reward of euerlasting death for follow one another after that fashyon Now then let vs looke neerlyer too our selues for when men pardon them selues so lyghtly that they seeke nothing else but too keepe themselues fast fettered vnder the subiection their father Satan and too cast themselues as it were intoo the bottom of hell Alas is it not a wretched libertie Saint Paule therfore telleth vs expresly that wee ought so little too intermeddle our selues with the corruptions of the world that wee should rather indeuer too amend those which take such libertie too doo euill that they vtterly ouerthrowe themselues and that both wee and they ought too bee so hild in obedience to our God as his woord and holy spirit may serue vs as an inuincible power too fyght ageinst all assaults and that wee may bee so armed and furnished therwith as it may bee vntoo vs bothe a helmet and a brestplate and a harnesse and a swoord as wee shall see heerafter And let vs beware too walk so in this world as wee may serue our God with trew constancie and not bee turned from him
hauing borne out the brunt of all wyndes and weathers continueth vnblowen downe through the violence of tempests haue shaken off all the leaues broken off some braunches sliuered dyuers bowghes riuen the bark yea and inforced the top of it too stoope now and then too the ground euen so that fayth or beleefe is too bee counted stedfast and well settled which continueth vnuanquished too the end though in the meane time it haue bin neuer so sore shaken and battered with the assaultes of temptations aduersities and crosses both of body and mynd They therfore which haue atteyned to this grounded growth in Iesus Christ may safely and comfortably deale with the doctrine of Election and Predestination without guyde such may haue neede of exhortation admonition warning and incoragement by reason of the naturall fraytlie which alwayes followeth and oftentimes ouertaketh eueÌ„ the strongest but not of instruction otherwise than by the woord it selfe for as sayeth S. Iohn the inward anoynting that is to wit the inlightening of the holy Ghost teacheth them all things But as for the other sort which are yit but as new borne infantes in Christ whether it bee in respect of â—yme or in respect of knowledge or in respect of both forasmuch as this doctrine is of such nature as it cannot bee learned by any preceptes or perswasions of wisdome vntill the knâ—wledge and loue of God in Iesus Christ be first well felt and throughly digested by fayth in the bowels of mens hartes they haue neede too bee both cherished and trayned foorth by degrees and as it were by parcelmeale too the right conceyuing and vnderstanding of so great a mysterie For although Gods free Election and Predestination according too the purpose of his owne good will euen before all time bee in very deede the first cause and onely originall welspring of our saluation or endlesse welfare and of all the things that further or accompanie the same yit is it not the first poynt in doctrine wherby too bring men to saluation nor the first Loadestarre that men must looke at as soone as they bee entered intoo the way of saluation Which thing appeereth sufficiently by the continuall order of teaching vsed throughout the whole holy scripture where both the Prophets and Apostles and Christ himselfe doo alwayes begin the ministration of saluation at the preaching of repentance and so proceeding too fayth and free forgiuenesse of sinnes too newnesse of lyfe and the right vse of Sacramentes too the rizing agein of the dead and the euerlasting iudgment doo finally deliuer foorth the doctrine of Election and Predestination as a sheeld ageinst all assaultes to make meâ— perseuer and hold out to the end in the way of saluation through all aduersities tormentes and temptations as shall appeare more plainly hereafter This doctrine then is as yee would say the roofe of Christianirie which beyng orderly substancially and workemanly reered vppon the rest of the building is as a couering and safegard too the whole defending it froÌ„ all iniuries anoyances of wynd weather and giuing it continuance with perpetuitie so that whatsoeuer is added afterward may well make too the adorning and beautifying of it but not to the safetie and strength of it â–ª And therefore if it bee set vppon a false or ouerfeeble foundation or while the building is yit greene and vnperfected bâ—fore the stones bee well clozed settled and dry the weyght of it beareth downe the whole house to the ground to the great losse and but if the more grace of God bee too the vtter and vnrecouerable vndoyng both of the buylder and of the building What then will some man say Is it not too bee taught Is it not to bee learned Yis verily and that with all earnestnesse and indeuer of mynd howbeeit not at al aduenture not in haste not rashly not presumptuously but with singular circumspection reuerence warenesse and humilitie as al the godly haue vsed to doo least whyle wee take vppon vs too swim without a bladder before wee haue learned too beare our bodyes vppon the water wee bee caryed away with the violence of the streame or sink for fayntnesse ere wee can recouer too land agein or least which worse is whyle wee bee ouercurious in medling with the secretes of Gods Maiestie wee bee ouerwhelmed of his glory How then may wee wade safely in it too our benefite Euen by seeking of our selues in Iesus Christ. Let vs see if wee can fynd our selues there For the scripture assureth vs that there is no saluation but onely in Christ Iesus nor no damnation to them that are in him Now therefore like as too knowe the originall cause of our death and damnation wee must not raundge beyond the fall of our first father Adam bycause that by him sinne entered into the world and by sinne death so to fynd our recouerie and saluation wee must not seeke elswhere than in Iesus Christ bycause he is ordeyned to bee the onely propitiation and attonement for our sinnes and there is not any other name that is to say any other person or meane giuen vs wherby to bee saued than the onely name of Iesus For he is the way the the truth and the lyfe He is the lyght of the world He is the resurrection and the lyfe God is in him reconcyling the world vnto himselfe In him dwelleth the whole fulnesse of the Godhead bodily God hath made him our Wisedome Rightuousnesse Holinesse and Redemption And he through his once offering vp of himselfe vppon the Crosse hath perfected them for euer which are to bee sanctifyed and is become the author of euerlasting saluation too as many as obey him Inasmuch then as Iesus Christ is both God and man and hath all power both in heauen and earth and all knees must bow before him whosoeuer seeketh saluation out of Iesus Christ dooth but wander away after his owne deceytfull imaginations neuer to fynd the thing that he seeketh bycause that as sayeth Saint Iohn he that hath not the sonne hath not the father and he that hath not the father is a straunger too the couenauntes and promises of saluation without hope and without God in the world and so consequently in stead of the substance he ketcheth but a shadowe or a dreame or rather nothing at all Nay rather he ketcheth euerlasting damnation according to this saying He that beleeueth not in the sonne shall not see light but the wrath of God abydeth vppon him And agein this is damnation that is to say the cause of damnation that wheras light is come into the world which lyght is Christ men haue loued darknesse better than lyght that is to say they haue loued the blynd imaginations and inuentions of their owne ignorant mynds better than the lightsome truth of Christes Gospell Wherefore putting away all flatterie and soothing of our selues and taking to vs
when we consider that he calleth himselfe the father of him that is our head wee knowe that he also must needs auow vs for his children bycause he hath bought vs. Furthermore although S. Paule doo set downe heere but the one woord of Spirituall blissinges yit notwithstanding he sheweth that God hath shewed himselfe bountifull towardes vs mo wayes than one And therof he will make a more large declaration hereafter by laying foorth the benefites particularly which wee obteyne by the Gospell For all this chapter is full of them But howsoeuer the eace standeth yit dooth he giue vs too vnderstand in this streyne that Gods giuing of his gracious gyfts vnto vs is not by patches and parcells and that his making of vs too taste them is not with a wet finger and away as they say but that he hath giuen vs them so diuersly and fully that wee haue cause too magnifie him in all respectes Therfore let vs vnderstand that seyng that Iesus Christ is so giuen vntoo vs in him wee obteyne all that is auaylable too our saluation and too make vs happie according also as Paule speaketh of it in the eyght to the Romanes For if the onely sonne bee giuen vntoo vs how should not all the benefites which he hath in him bee communicated too vs with him and by his meanes But howsoeuer wee fare let vs learne too fauour Gods spirituall giftes in such wise as all our wittes may bee gathered home to make much of them And for the bringing therof too passe let vs beware that wee haue not our myndes too much wedded too the world For the verie cause that draweth vs away so as we perceyue not the hundredth part of the good that God hath doone vs nor can apply his benefites too our profit is our owne vanitie bycause euery of vs begulleth himselfe with his owne fond and wandering lustes Therfore let vs learne too shake off the things that stop vs from comming too our Lord Iesus Christ. And although our naughtie nature prouoke vs too seeke the transitorie things of this world yit let vs doo our indeuer to withdrawe from them so as wee may yeeld our selues with a free hart vntoo God and bee earnestly mynded too obey him and too giue our selves wholly vntoo him for so is it his will too haue vs ioyned vnto him This is the thing which wee haue too marke vppon S. Paule when hauing spoken of the spirituall blissings he addeth immediatly in heauenly places or thinges whereby he ment too shewe that wee bee not 〈…〉 receiue the gracious giftes which are communicated too vs in 〈…〉 Iesus Christ and which God would haue vs too possesse till 〈…〉 howe there is not any thing in this world that ought too 〈…〉 Wherefore when wee once knowe that wee bee not 〈…〉 and made too dwell alwayes in this world but that wee must 〈…〉 as wayfarers in it and that our euerlasting heritage and 〈…〉 in heauen let vs thereuppon make thitherwarde and 〈◊〉 our selues too it more and more And although wee bee feeble 〈◊〉 not faynt but plucke vp a good hart and pray God too giue 〈◊〉 Moreouer yee see that the cause why S. Paule setteth downe 〈◊〉 Blissings is too doo vs too wit that wheras the diuell 〈…〉 any traynes too thrust out of the way God will prouide 〈…〉 them all And why For he hath such store of blissings that he 〈…〉 and destroy all that euer may bee ageinst our 〈…〉 But now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God 〈…〉 of our faultes praying him to touche vs more 〈…〉 with them that wee may bee brought to trew repentance so 〈…〉 may condemne our selues and seeke to our Lord Iesus Christ 〈…〉 that wee want and that not for one day or at a brayd but 〈…〉 and stedfastly too our lyues end and that whatsoeuer befall vs 〈…〉 alwayes assure our selues that we haue cause too praise our 〈…〉 and that if wee be poore and miserable in this world the 〈…〉 is ynough too quiet vs to sweeten all our afflictions and 〈◊〉 and too giue vs such contentation as wee may neuerthelesse 〈◊〉 mouthes open too blisse God for shewing himselfe so kynd 〈◊〉 and liberall towards vs as euen too adopt vs too his children 〈…〉 shewe vs that the heritage which hath bin purchaced for vs by 〈…〉 of his only sonne is redie for vs and wee can not misse of it 〈…〉 go too it with trew and inuincible constancie of fayth That it 〈…〉 please him too graunt this grace not only too vs but also too all 〈…〉 c. ¶ The second Sermon vppon the first Chapter 3. Blissed bee the God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blissed vs with all spirituall blissing in heauenly things in Christ 4. According too his choozing of vs in him before the foundation of the world too the end wee should bee holy and vnblamable before him in charitie WEe haue seene heeretofore how S. Paule exhorted vs too praise and blisse God bycause he hath blissed vs and that not after an earthly maner but after a spirituall maner too the end wee should learne too holde our selues contented with Gods shewing of his fatherly goodnesse and loue towards vs in opening the gate of the kingdome of heauen vnto vs by hope in so much that although wee bee subiect too much miserie in this world yit it is good reason that wee should content our selues with Gods choozing of vs after that fashion and with his calling of vs too him according as it is witnessed too vs by the Gospell that he is our father namely in as much as he hath knit vs too our Lord Iesus Christ as members too their head And now S. Paule bringeth vs too the originall welspring or rather too the principall cause thaâ— caused God too take vs into his fauour For it is not ynough that God hath vttered the â—reasures of his goodnesse and mercy vppon vs too drawe vs too the hope of the heauenly lyfe by the Gospell and yit is that very much For had not S. Paule added that which wee see presently it myght haue bin 〈◊〉 that Gods grace is common too al men and that he offereth it too all without exception and consequenâ—ly that it is in euery mans 〈…〉 too receyue it through his owne freewill by meanes whereof theâ—e should bee some deseruing in vs For if there were no 〈…〉 men but that some receyue Gods grace and 〈…〉 what myght bee sayd but that God hath shewed 〈…〉 to all mankynd But they that are parttakers of the 〈…〉 Lord Iesus Christ atteyne too it by fayth And so yee see what might bee deemed of it But S. Paule too exclude all deseruing 〈◊〉 behalfe and too shew that all commeth of Gods onely free 〈◊〉 goodnesse sayth that he hath blissed vs according too his 〈◊〉 of vs aforehand As if he should say that too exalt Gods 〈…〉 as becommeth vs wee must looke vppon the
Paule spake that of the Lawe and the Prophets Therfore mee also may conclude that there is no superfluitie in the Gospell nor any thing which serueth not too good purpose and whereby wee may 〈◊〉 bee edifyed both in faith and in the feare of god But this doctrine 〈…〉 conteyned there and the holy Ghost speaketh it lowd and shirle 〈◊〉 Therefore they must needes bee Manichies which intend too nip and 〈…〉 the Gospell For looke what lyketh not them they did set it aside 〈…〉 forged a Gospell of diuerse peeces allowing nothing but that 〈◊〉 they themselues thought good of Now if such maner of 〈…〉 haue shewed a diuelish stubbornnesse ageinst God in separating 〈…〉 things which ought too go toogither in vnseparable bond then are they malicious and froward also which would now a dayes haue the doctrine of election kept in silence For they woulde ouerrule God if it were possible stop his mouth as oft as he vttereth any thing that lyketh not them Agein a man may euidently see their beastlynesse in that S. Paule had not a better proofe whereby too magnifie Gods goodnesse than this Then if there were none other reason yit were it better that the whole world should go too confuzion than that this doctrine should bee suppressed with silence For is it reason that God should set the infinite treasures of his mercies before our eyes and yit that they should not be spoken of but bee thrust vnder foote But there are yit twoo reasons mo which shewe that this doctrine is most needefull too bee preached and that wee reape so great profit by it as it had bin much better that wee had neuer bin borne than too bee ignorant of the thing that S. Paule sheweth heere For there are twoo thinges wherat wee must chiefly ame and whereuntoo it behoueth vs too apply all our wittes and indeuers and they bee the very summe of all the thinges which God teacheth vs by the holy scripture The one is the magnifying of God as he deserueth and the other is the assurednesse of our saluation that wee may call vppon him as our father with full libertie If wee haue not these twoo thinges wo woorth vs for there is nother fayth nor religion in vs Well may wee talke of God but it shal bee but a leazing As touching the first poynt I haue tolde you alreadie that Gods grace is not sufficiently knowen but by seâ—ting Gods election as it were before our eyes For put the cace that God drawe all men alyke and that such as intend too obteyne saluation must come of their owne free will and selfmouing if it be so then is it certeine that wee deserue too bee receyued at Gods hand and that he should handle euery man according too his worthinesse But wherin shall Gods goodnesse bee magnifyed Euen in this that he preuenteth vs of his owne mere free good wil and loueth vs neuerthelesse without fynding any thing eyther in vs or in our woorkes why he should loue vs If this bee trew then must there needes bee election so as God must take the one sort bycause he thinketh it good so to doo leaue the other Thus ye see it is a most assured point that Gods glory doth not appeere shyne foorth as were requisite except it be knowen that he sheddeth foorth his goodnesse and loue where it pleaseth him I sayd euen now that the preaching of his word is a singuler benefyte too vs And that is the cause why it is sayd so often in the Lawe 〈…〉 that God hath not delt so with any other nation as he 〈…〉 the linage of AbrahaÌ„ in that he voutsafâ—d too chooze adopt 〈…〉 the lawe was a sure record So then the children of 〈…〉 exhorted too prayse God bycause he had voâ—safed to gyue 〈…〉 law and in the meane whyle had let the poore â—entyles 〈…〉 folk that perteyned not too him at all But it is yit a farre 〈…〉 specialler priuiledge when he maketh vs too fare the better 〈…〉 woord For it is certeyne that our eares myght bee beaten 〈…〉 with the things that should bee told vs and wee bee neuer the 〈…〉 for it vntill God speake to vs by his holy spirit within vs Then 〈…〉 matter God sheweth a dubble grace The one is when he 〈…〉 vp men to preache the Gospell too vs for no man is meete 〈…〉 too doo it of himselfe Needes therefore must they bee of Gods 〈…〉 which doo call vs too him and offer vs the hope of saluation But yit for all that let vs marke well that wee cannot beleeue except 〈◊〉 himself too vs by his holy spirit and speake too our hartes 〈…〉 holy Ghost as well as he hath spoken too our eares by the 〈…〉 of man. And that is the cause why the Prophet Esay sayeth 〈…〉 beleeued our doctrine or too whom is the arme of the Lord 〈…〉 He sheweth that there is no fayth in the world till God haue 〈…〉 in mennes myndes and hartes by the power of his holy 〈…〉 And for the very same cause also dooth our Lord Iesus say that 〈…〉 commeth too him except he bee drawen by the father but 〈…〉 hath learned of my father sayeth he the same submitteth 〈…〉 mee Too be short wee see manifestly that God sheweth 〈…〉 too vs when he voutsafeth too inlyghten vs by his holy 〈◊〉 too the end wee should bee drawen too the fayth of his Gospell If the same were doone commonly and indifferently too all men yit 〈◊〉 wee haue cause too magnify god But now when wee see that 〈◊〉 are hardened and othersome vnconstant and that some go their 〈…〉 without taking any profit by the things that they haue heard 〈◊〉 othersome bee altoogither blockishe it is certaine that the same 〈…〉 God 's grace more apparant too vs according as S. Luke 〈…〉 that at S. Paules preaching as many beleeued as were 〈…〉 too saluation Uerily the number of people was great that 〈◊〉 S. Paules Sermon and out of all doubt he on his side had so 〈◊〉 grace as ought to haue moued euen the very stones And yit 〈◊〉 a great sort continued in their vnbeleefe and stubbornnesse and othersome beleeued Now S. Luke sayeth playnly that the cause therof was not for that the one sort were more forewarde folke than the other or for that there was any towardnesse of vertue more in the one than in the other but for that God had foreordeyned them too saluation Therefore at one woord wee see that all mannes deseruing must ceasse and be layd vnder foote or else God shall not haue his deserued praise Yea and wee must vnderstand that fayth commeth not of our selues for if it did then should there be some woorthinesse in our woorkes Trew it is that by fayth wee confesse that there is nothing but wretchednesse in vs that wee bee damned and accursed and that wee bring not aught with vs but onely an acknowledgement of our
heere for it is no darke doctrine when he sayeth that God hath blissed vs. Uerily inasmuch as he hath inlyghtened vs with the fayth of the Gospell by his holy spirit and made vs parteners of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ euen therby sayeth he hath he shewed that he had choozen vs 〈…〉 making of the world And therefore let vs vnderstand that 〈…〉 God 's grace aryght wee must as I sayd afore come too 〈…〉 and originall cause that is too wit vntoo Election 〈◊〉 have wee too passe further for too the iâ—tent the better too 〈…〉 respects and woorthynesse which men myght pretend 〈…〉 wee bee inclyned too chalendge alwayes somwhat too our 〈◊〉 and cannot abyde too bee brought to nothing he sayeth before 〈…〉 of the world So then forasmuchas through such 〈…〉 wee think our selues too haue that which wee haue not it was 〈◊〉 that S. Paule should heere beate downe all such fantasticall 〈…〉 And for that cause he sayeth wee could put our selues 〈…〉 when wee were not yet borne Nay verily God choze vs before 〈◊〉 taking of the world and what could wee then bring vntoo him In 〈◊〉 the Papists haue a suttle shift in this behalfe for they say that God chaze such vntoo saluation as had not yet deserued it but yit he 〈◊〉 such as he foresawe shoulde deserue it Thus confesse they 〈…〉 â—eseruing at all went before election eyther in order or in 〈…〉 but that God as too whom all thinges are open knewe who 〈…〉 bee worthie of it After that maner doo the Papists speake of it 〈◊〉 they deny not Gods election And soothly to shewe that these 〈…〉 which nowadayes cannot abyde too haue it spoken of 〈…〉 diuells incarnate and maynteyne a more outrageous and 〈…〉 wickednesse than the Papists do wee must note that the 〈…〉 God to haue chozen and predestinated whom he thought 〈…〉 before the making of the world They stand vntoo that 〈…〉 thing these diuells deny and would haue Gods maiestie vtterly 〈…〉 by ouerthyowing his ordinaunce after that maner The 〈…〉 leastwyze such of them as haue walked vprightest I speake 〈◊〉 of the very Monks and Freers which are called schoole diuines 〈…〉 yit further that this election of Gods is free and that he choze 〈…〉 man for any other respect than for that it pleased himselfe but 〈…〉 and by after they mingle and turmoyle al for they say that wheÌ„ 〈…〉 choze whom he listed he did it too make them deserue it And 〈…〉 doo they ground all their merites insomuch as they 〈…〉 that men may win the kingdome of heauen by their owne 〈…〉 They graunt in deede that as touching election it is a free gift 〈…〉 â—lwayes they returne too their fantasticall surmyze that God 〈…〉 who should doo good But how should he foresee that which could not bee For wee knowe that all Adams ofspring is corrupted that wee haue not the skill too thinke one good thought of doyng well and much lesse therefore are able too doo well in deede Although God should tarie for vs a hundred thousand yeers if wee could continew so long in the world yit is it certeine that wee should neuer come vntoo him nor doo any thing else than increase the mischiefe continually too our owne condemnation Too bee short the longer that men â—yue in the world the deeper doo they plundge themselues in their damnation And therefore God could not foresee the thing which was not in vs before he himselfe did put it intoo vs How then come wee vntoo God How obey wee him How haue we a quiet mynd that yeeldeth it selfe according too his fayth All these things come of him And so it followeth that he is fayne too doo all himselfe Wherfore let vs consider that in saying that God choze vs before the creation of the world S. Paule presuppozeth the thing that is trew namely that God could not see any thing in vs saue the euill that was there for there was not one droppe of goodnesse for him too fynd So then seying he hath chozen vs yee see it is a very manifest record of his free goodnesse And for the same cause in the nynth too the Romanes where he speaketh of the twoo twinnes Iacob and Esawe at such time as they were yit in their moothers womb before they had done eyther good or euill too the intent that all shoulde come onely of the caller and not of the worker it is sayd that the elder should serue the yonger Wee see then how S. Paule declareth there more at large the thing that he toucheth heere briefly that is too wit that whereas God choze vs before the creation of the world therein he sheweth sufficiently that one man is not more woorthie or excellent than another that he had not respect too any deseruing Therefore seyng that the putting of difference betweene Iacob and Esawe was before they had doone eyther good or euill it came not of the woorkes but of the caller Then must all praise bee yeelded vntoo God and nothing at all bee reserued too man And so yee see yit once ageine what wee haue too marke heere when as S. Paule sayeth that wee were chozen before the makyng of the world He confirmeth the thing yit better in that he sayeth that the same vvas doone in Iesus Christ. If wee had bin chozen in our selues it myght be sayd that God had found in vs some secret vertue vnknowen too men But seyng that he hath chozen vs that is too saye 〈◊〉 〈…〉 our selues what shall wee reply too that If I doo a man 〈…〉 bycause I loue him And if the cause of my loue bee sought 〈…〉 bee for that wee bee lyke of conditions or else for some 〈…〉 But wee must not imagine any lykelinesse in God and 〈…〉 vs expressly heere for S. Paule sayeth that wee were 〈…〉 Christ. Had God then an eye vntoo vs when he voutsafed 〈…〉 No for then should he haue vtterly abhorred vs It is 〈…〉 in respect of our miseries he had pitie and compassion vppon 〈…〉 vs but that was bycause he had loued vs already in our 〈…〉 Christ. Then must God needes haue had his patterne 〈…〉 glasse before him wherin too behold vs that is too say he 〈…〉 haue looked vppon our Lord Iesus Christ before he could 〈…〉 vs and call vs And so too bee short after S. Paule hath 〈…〉 wee could not bring any thing vntoo God but that he 〈…〉 of his owne free goodnesse in choozing vs before the creation of 〈…〉 he addeth yit a more certeiner proofe namely that he did 〈…〉 â—ord Iesus Christ who is as it were the trew booke of 〈…〉 God 's voutsafyng to chooze vs that is to wit his voutsafyng 〈…〉 it before all euerlastingnesse was as it were a registring of vs 〈…〉 of Record And the holy scripture calleth Gods election 〈…〉 of Lyfe As I sayd afore Iesus Christ serueth for a register 〈…〉 whom wee bee ingraued and in whom God
so should God bee diminished and abridged of so much of his ryght Too bee short wee see well ynough how it is sayd heere that men must bee vtterly abaced too the end that God may haue his right and no man bee made copartener with him but all men confesse that he is both the beginner and the accomplisher of our saluation Also wee must marke well how S. Paule addeth that of his owne grace he hath accepted vs in his vvelbeloued By this he vttereth yit much better why our saluation is grounded vppon Gods mere election and free bestowed goodnesse For men will neuer giue ouer their foolishe ouerweening if they bee not so vanguished as they haue not one woorde more too reply S. Paule therefore too bring vs too such reason telleth vs that wee bee damned lost in our selues Now when such a thunder bolt lighteth vppon our heades it is not for vs too stand checking any more Then if men will bee so foolishe as still too hunt about with wyndlasses too haue somewhat alwayes belonging and reserued too themselues besides the onely grace of God there needeth no more but this saying too turne them from it namely that 〈…〉 not in Gods fauour till wee were in Iesus Christ bycause 〈…〉 damned and accursed in our owne selues This matter 〈…〉 declared already if wee were not ouerâ—â—owe in 〈…〉 thing that is so needefull and which ought too be so cleere 〈…〉 And in good sooth euen experience ought too teache vs in 〈…〉 And surely if hipocrisie blynded vs not too much 〈…〉 well perceyue that there is nothing but wickednesse 〈…〉 God 's wrath would strike vs in such feare that wee shoulde 〈…〉 wittes end with it But God must bee fayne too compell vs 〈…〉 by strong hand or else wee cannot fynd in our hartes too 〈…〉 all praise vntoo him Therefore let vs marke well what is 〈…〉 this speeche where it is sayd that wee were taken too fauour 〈…〉 Christ bycause he is the welbeloued And why is Iesus 〈…〉 God 's welbeloued according as he is termed in the xvii 〈…〉 and in other places and also is shewed too bee so in the 〈…〉 Thereby it is shewed vs that God dooth iustly hate 〈…〉 vs so long as wee abyde in our owne naturall plyght For 〈…〉 were not peculiar too Iesus Christ then was it sayd in 〈…〉 is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased But 〈…〉 too Iesus Christ then can none other creature claime 〈…〉 that although God loue his Angels yit can they not bee 〈◊〉 beloued of him but by the meanes of Iesus christ And as 〈…〉 is a farre other respect For as I haue sayd alredy wee 〈◊〉 and Iesus Christ is the mediator or spokesman too set 〈…〉 at one with God insomuch that there should bee no 〈…〉 constancie in them if they were not vphild by him And 〈…〉 their rightuousnesse should not bee perfect but that they 〈…〉 and chozen in him Let that serue for one poynt 〈◊〉 for vs seyng wee bee estraunged from God through sinne he 〈…〉 take vs as his enemyes and be an aduersarie too vs 〈…〉 therefore is the onely welbeloued among men and as for 〈…〉 of vs God vtterly misâ—yketh and disclaymeth vs yea euen 〈…〉 that he sayeth he repenteth him that he made man Which 〈…〉 of his importeth that wee bee not woorthie too bee of the 〈…〉 Asses Dogges and other beastes For they continue still Gods 〈◊〉 in the same plyght that he made them but we bee so leawd 〈…〉 that wee deserue too bee razed out and too haue our 〈…〉 cursed and hatefull before god Nowe let vs go brag and boast and seeke armes too innoble our selues for wee see how the holy Ghost disgradeth all such as thinke themselues too bee aught woorth Wherfore let vs consider that if wee bee enemies vntoo God wee bee in woorser taking than if wee had neuer bin created Heeruppon S. Paule telleth vs that God hath accepted vs in his welbeloued Seing then that our Lord Iesus Christ is receyued of God his father too bee the beloued not only in his owne person but also in respect of the loue that is extended too all the members of his bodie by that meanes wee bee called home agein and God imbraceth vs for his children wheras erst wee were his enemyes and vtterly hated of him But howsoeuer the world go wee must alwayes come backe too the election that wee haue spoken of before For the grace that is communicated too vs by our Lord Iesus Christ dothe issewe lykewyse out of the same spring Theruppon going foreward with the matter that I haue touched alredie he sheweth vs howe greate neede wee haue too bee welbeloued in Iesus Christ. For if it were not proued too our faces wee woold neuer graunt I meane vnfeynedly that wee bee beholden too God for all things For wee bee alwayes laboring too aduaunce our selues some way or other and euery of vs seeketh how he may reserue somewhat too himself though it bee but the mountenance of a pinnes poynt But contrariwyze S. Paule telleth vs that God must be fayne too loue vs out of our selues and that if he lyke well of vs it must not bee in respect of our owne selues And why For wee be prisoners and bondsâ—aues of sin wee bee hild downe vnder the yoke and tyrannie of Satan and finally wee bee shet vp in the bondage of death till wee bee raunsomed by our Lord Iesus Christ. Now then wee see that the summe of this lesson is that men are admonished too depart out of themselâ—es and too seeke their saluation in Gods only goodnesse euen by holding the meane that is shewed vs heere which is too resort too our Lord Iesus christ For there are two euill extremities wherof wee must beware The one is that in comming too our Lord Iesus Christ wee must not imagin that there is anie woorthynesse in vs why he should make vs partakers of his benefytes And how may that vyce bee corrected Euen by being led too Gods free election For the verye cause why men presume so much vppon their owne free will and the very ground also wheron they build the opinion which they haue conceyued of their owne deserts and woorthinesse is that they know not how they bee nothing in any other respect than for that God hath accepted them of his owne mere free goodnesse bycause he had chozen them alredie in his owne euerlasting purpose Therfore wee cannot by any meanes father the beginning of our saluation vppon God except wee confesse that which is shewed vs heere namely that wee were vtterly damned and accursed at such tyme as he adopted vs that the verie originall cause of his adopting of vs is for that he had predestinated vs before hand yea euen before the making of the world Marke that for one poynt The other euill extremitie whereof wee must likewyze beware is speculation Many fantasticall folke will say As
wyttier thynges in theyr owne dreames and dotages than all the doctrine is that concerneth Iesus Christe But such folke are vnworthy to taste of the thyng that is shewed vs heere for theyr pride dooth vtterly blynde them and make them starke doltes Notwithstandyng how sâ—euer they fare yit the faythfull perceyue fâ—ll wel that there is a diuine maiestie in the doctrine of â—he Gospell And for that cause S. Paule doeth giue vs to wyt in this same text that our commyng thyther must not bee to learne any common thyng but too lyft vp our selues aboue the world For we shall neuer bee good scollers to Godward nor neuer be in any towardnesse to proâ—it in his schoole except we mount aboue the world and reuerence the things that God speaketh with his owne holy mouth To be short the beginnyng and entrance of our fayth is lowlynesse But how can men wel humble theÌ„selues vnlesse they know that the thinges which God telleth them doo farre surmount theyr owne wyt and capacitie Ye see then that the thyng whereat S. Paul amed is that wee should reuerence the Gospell assuring our selues that it is not for vs to iudge whether God haue spoken well or yll For it becommeth vs too be fully resolued that all that euer commeth from hym is infinite wisedome yea and such wisedome as is vtterly faultlesse To the end therfore that all glorying may be beaten downe in our selues wee learne to reuerence soberly and modestly the doctrine that is preached too vs in Gods name S. Paule hath purposely set downe this secret And too the end wee should knowe how much wee be bounde vntoo God he repeteth this woord According to his good pleasure which he had set downe before And that is doone too put awaye and too shet out all opinion which men might conceiue of their owne woorthinesse For Gods good pleasure can haue no place vnlesse men be barred from al deseruyng and repayre to hym vtterly empty For so soone as wee presume too bring any thyng at all vntoo God surely it is an aduauncyng of our selues too the defacing of Gods grace so as it may haue no more beautie nor preheminence among vs as it ought too haue Too the end therfore that men should forbeare such presumptuousnesse S. Paule sendeth vs styll backe too Gods good pleasure as if he should say that there was none other cause of the preaching of the Gospell too the world than the only franke and free goodnesse of god Yit notwithstanding too represse all ouerboldnesse of men he addeth that God had purposed the said ordinaunce and the said high incomprehensible determination of his wyll aforehand in hymselfe For what is the cause that men take so great libertie of questionyng disputing and going to lawe with God but for that to their seemyng they treate of matters which ought to be open manifest vntoo them So then S. Paule perceiuyng vs too bee so foolishe and rashe as to presume ouer boldly to be inquisitiue of Gods purpose saith it is a sealed letter and that God hath his purpose in hymselfe and that it is not lawfull for creatures too mount so high and that if they doo so it is the next way too cast them downe and too breake their neckes Trewe it is that wee may well apply our whole indeuer too knowe Gods wyll howbeit that must bee no further than he hath vttered in his woord for his woord is our light But if God doo once holde his peace he will haue vs too brydle and as it were too imprison our selues and not too start out any further for if wee woulde needes knowe more than is graunted vs that is too say more than wee ought too know more than is imparted too vs by his woord it were but an entering further and further intoo a maze or rather intoo the bottome of hell Therfore let vs marke well howe S. Paules meaning in this text is that wheÌ„soeuer God keepeth his purpose to himself it becommeth vs to stoope and too holde our selues contented too bee ignorant of it For it is a cursed wisdome and such a wisdome as sendeth vs too the pit of hell when wee take leaue too knowe more than God hath taught vs And contrariwise wee bee wyzer in our ignorance than all the wyze men of the world when wee take not vppon vs too knowe any thing further than Gods woord guydeth and gouerneth vs Trew it is that there is not any mo than onely one single will in god Neuerthelesse he vttereth the same vntoo vs according too our capacitie and so farre foorth as is expedient and profitable for vs As for example wee haue seene that the forgiuenesse of sinnes is a poynt that wee cannot ouerpasse nor forbeare and therefore zacharie calles it the knowledge of saluation Agein it standeth vs on hand too knowe where the forgiuenesse of our sinnes is too bee sought for For if wee haue not Iesus Christ wee continue still enemyes vntoo God wee haue no agreement nor rest in our selues and Gods iustice must needes pursue vs but Iesus Christ is our peace Furthermore wheÌ„ we know the things that are witnessed to vs by Gods woord wee must therwithall reuerence the misteries that are hidden from vs as hath bin sayd alredy and must hereafter be said agein when wee come too Gods election And S. Paule dooth yit agein set downe heere the woord of foreordeyning or forepurpozing to â—hewe that God had predestinated vs before the making of the world and yit that the same was hidden Yea verily but nowe is the same discouered vntoo vs sayeth he Thus yee see in effect that the thing which wee haue too beare in mynde is that wee bee not called too the knowledge of the Gospell by our owne towardnesse nor for that any of vs putteth foorth himself too it of his owne accord nor for that wee haue bound God vntoo vs by any vertue of ours but for that God of his owne infinite goodnesse listed too inlyghten vs And he hath not doone it bycause it came sodeinly in his mynde too doo it as men are woont too doo who are caryed with sodeine braydes but bycause he had determined the same in his owne purpose euen from before all tyme And if our wittes bee ticklish and prouoke vs too bee inquisitiue and too say How so Had God chozen vs aforehand And why then did he not vtter it vntoo vs sooner How happeneth it that it was not perceyued ere this too the ende wee should not so ouershoote our selues S. Paule sayeth that this purpose was after a sort locked vp in God till it was vttered vntoo vs And so too bee short it is not lawfull for vs too knowe any more than is vttered vntoo vs in the Gospell and looke what is shewed vs there it behoueth vs too reuerence it And for the same cause it is added that his so dooyng vvas too set foorth the same in the fulnesse of tyme. Now heerin
he liketh well of And what is the cause of it Wee are all of vs the chyldren of Adam and we are all of one mould Why then inlighteneth hee the one sort and letteth the other alone in their blyndnesse There is none other cause but his owne choyse So then although we can not conceyue nother by wyt nor by reason howe God hath chozen vs before the making of the world yit wee know it by his shewing of it vntoo vs and experience it selfe auoucheth it sufficiently in asmuch as we be inlightened by faith What is the cause that I receyue the Gospell and sticke to it and in the meane whyle others abyde styl in their beastly blockishnesse or rather beare a spiteful rancour ageynst the doctrine of saluation If I imagine that it commeth of myne owne towardnesse I am a traytour too god For wee must alwayes come backe to that which wee haue seene alredy and say Who is hee that hath made thee to excel others S. Paule then dooth in that saying pull downe all loftinesse of man to the end that no man should aduance hymselfe nor alledge that he hath â—ught of his owne Wee must not thinke saith he that wee haue any woorthynesse of our selues but that euery whit of it commeth of god Therfore in this Text S. Paule sheweth by experience howe the Eâ—â—esians had byn chozen of God that it behoued them to haue their â—â—ole faith grounded thereupon that is to wyt vpon Gods free goodâ—â—sse And for proofe thereof saith he ye haue heard the doctrine of 〈◊〉 Gospell and beleeued it But how commes that to passe He sheâ—â—th that it must needes bee that they were confirmed by the holy Ghost Now if they were confirmed it was of necessitie that the holy ghost must needes haue wrought beforehand And so it is to no purpose to enter intoo so deepe a maze as Gods euerlasting ordinaunce For he sheweth vs as it were with his finger how he hath chozen vs at least wise if we play not the churles with hym but acknowledge the good that he hath done vs and bee fully perswaded and resolued in our selues that there is none other cause of it than for that hee had giuen vs his marke from before all euerlastingnesse that is too say for that he had reserued vs too hym selfe as his owne chyldren Nowe then wee see S. Paules meanyng and therfore let vs learne too leaue making of long raunges when the cace concerneth our imputyng of all things to Gods onely mere mercy For the faith that we haue dooth shew it wel ynough â–ª bycause that as I haâ—e sayd afore the same commeth not from our owne moother witte but as a gifte that commeth from aboue such a one as God communicateth not too all men without exception but onely so such as he lysteth Furthermore heere are many woords well worth the weying For on the one syde S. Paule intendeth too magnifie the grace of the holy Ghost by shewing that wee can haue no part nor portion in our Lord Iesus Christ nor in any of all the benefites that he hath purchased for vs except God put vs in possession of our saluation by his holie spirit That therfore is one poynt And yit notwithstanding S. Paule fayleth not too shew therwithall the ineâ—timable benyfite that wee haue by the Gospell in that he termeth it the woord of truth and the glad â—ydings of saluation For first of all he ment too assure vs too the inâ—ent wee myght haue an infallible warrant too call vppon God without doubting or grudge of conscience For so long as wee bee in doubt whether God loue vs or hat vs it is vnpossible for vs too praye truly vntoo him And so by that meanes yee see how our saluation is vtterly defeated according too that which is sayd by the Prophet Ioell And it is a common doctrine in the holy scripture that wee cannot obteyne saluation but by fleeing vntoo Gyd with prayer and supplication But wee should be shet out from that if wee had not the sayd warrant as wee shall see more fully in the third chapter Therfore it stands vs 〈◊〉 too be throughly assured that God is our father and that he accepteth vs for his children And how shall wee bee warranted that vnlesse the doctrine of the Gospell bee so certeyne in all poynts as it bee not lawfull for vs to bring it in question That therfore is the cause why S. Paule sayeth that it is the word of truth No doubt but there are other truthes also for euen when God threatneth vs he dooth it not in â—est nor yit in vayne for as well his threatninges as his promises haue their execution sure and certeyne Howbeeit forasmuch as the present cace concerned the correcting of al distrust in vs as wherunto we be to much inclined S. Paule hath termed the Gospell the doctrine of truth as if he should say my frendes God is a faithfull witnesse vntoo you of his owne wyll for the Gospell is as much as if he laid forth his hart vntoo you and therefore settle your selues vppon it Moreouer also he saith that our saluation lyeth inclosed in the Gospell and that it is too make vs too looue it and esteeme it For should we be so wirlesse or rather starke mad as to holde scorne of our owne welfare But yit notwithstandyng he saith that al this commeth of Gods mere mercy and of his euerlasting electioÌ„ which as in respect of our selues is farre of and vnknowen too vs but we haue knowledge of it by the Gospell which is the meanes and instrument therof For too what purpose were it that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath offered hym felfe in sacrifice too reconcile the worlde to God his father vnlesse wee were made partakers of it by faith Now faith is not an opinion of mans conceyuyng in his owne brayne but a setled beleefe that God cannot lye nor deceyue vs and that it is not to be feared that our hope shall not come too good end if wee wayt vpon hym So then too be short S. Paules intent was to shewe that if we haue the skyll to make our profit of the doctrine of the gospell wee shall no longer stand in a mamering and perplexitie but shal be able to call vppon God with open mouth acknowledgyng our selues so bound and wholly indetted vntoo hym in all things as wee feare not but that he auoweth vs for his children and are accepted at his hande and that hee heareth vs in all the prayers that wee make vntoo hym Thus much concernyng the first poynt Therfore according to S. Paules exhortation â–ª let vs learne to rest in suche wise vppon the doctrine of the gospell that it may bee as much too vs as if God shewed hymselfe visibly vntoo vs and that the heauens were opened vntoo vs and let vs alwayes beare in mynde howe it is anouched by the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ hymselfe that when
he sheweth that we bee neuerthelesse sure of it for all that and that nothing but our owne vnthankfulnesse letteth vs too glory fuâ—ly in God and too say with full mouth that wee doubt not of our comming too the heauenly lyfe forasmuch as wee haue an earnest penny therof by the holy Ghoste and are so knyt too our Lord Iesus Christ that all the goodes which he hath doo belong vntoo vs and are made common to vs by fayth Therfore let vs mark well what is conteyned in these words of S. Paules He sayeth that the holy ghost is our earnest penny Seing it is so wee must needs be sure of our redemption wherof we shall haue the possession at the last day yea euen to the full that doth the thing of it sâ—lf shew sufficiently For we be but sillie wormes of the earth wee bee compassed aboute with rottennesse and corruption wee bee beset with so many miseries as is pitie to see the world rayleth vpon vs and mocketh vs and our simplicitie we bee fayne too indure hunger and thirst it seemeth often tymes that God hath forsaken vs and after a sort cut vs of yea and that he vouâ—safeth not too pitie vs as the most despyzed creatures of the worlde Lo at what poynt wee bee too outward appeerance And therefore it standeth vs on hand too haue a remedie too warrant our selues withall in the middes of so many perplexities and hartgriefes That is the cause why S. Paule sayeth purposely that the holy Ghost is our earnest penny Although then that the world haue the brydle looce to trample vs vnder his feete as they say although our Lord keepe vs occupyed with many temptations although he humble vs in such wyse as it may seeme that wee bee as sheepe appoynted too the slaughter so as death bee continually betweene our teeth yit are wee not vnpurueyed of good remedie For why Seyng that the holy Ghost reygneth in our hartes wee haue whereof too boast euen in the middes of all our temptations according as it is sayd in the viii too the Romanes that being once assured that God taketh vs for his children wee may not only call vppon him but also although wee bee afflicted and tormented yit wee ceasse not too bee alwayes fully and infallibly resolued that he is our father too leade vs too the glory of heauen for euen that also is 〈◊〉 meane whereby our hope is tryed Furthermore wee bee warned also too walk in pacience and that seing God hath giuen vs his holie spirit for an earnest pennye wee must not bee so hastie and impaciente as wee haue bin woont too bee For if God handle vs roughly by and by wee fall too grudging and are very loth too suffer any thing for wee see how tender and nyce we bee of nature But wee must indure paciently bycause God will not haue vs too come too his kingdome at one leape as they say but will haue vs too passe by this world through the midds of thornes and breers so as wee shall haue much a doo to get through and wee shal bee in greate distresse Seing that he will haue vs led such a way and yit notwitstanding giueth vs so good a remedie as ought to suffyze vs which is that he strengtheneth vs in inuincible constancie by his holie spirit let vs stand in a redinesse too fyght till the tyme of victorie bee fully come It is trew that our fayth doth euen now alredy get the vpper hand but wee receyue not yit the fruiteâ— of it nother doo wee fully inioy it Therfore wee must determine with our selues too sygh and grone continually and yit therwithall too reioyce also For why too reioyce in our hartes and also too cry with S. Paule alas wretched wyght that I am who shal deliuer me from this prison of my bodie are things that may match verye well toogither Therfore let euery of vs moorne yea and bee greeued at the hart for that wee bee still so much giuen too our wicked lusts and too the number of vices that are in vs And yit notwithstanding let vs ceasse also â—oo say that wee thank God and too bee contented with his giuing of such portion vâ—to vs as ought too suffyze vs and too tary his leyzure till he accomplish and performe the thing that he hath begunne seing wee haue his holie spirit so dwelling in vs with a promis that wee shall neuer bee destitute of him vntoo the end Thus yee see how wee bee heere incoraged too take hart of grace and too walk in such constancie as all the miseries of the world may not stop vs of 〈◊〉 till wee bee â—â—me to our races end And that is the cause why S. Paule speaketh purposely of redemption It is trew that wee bee redeemed by our Lord Iesus Christ and he is giuen vs for our redemption or raunsome as is sayd in another text yit notwithstanding wee haue not the effect and full fruition of it as yit Then is there a dubble redemption one which was accomplished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ and anoother which wee wayte for and which shal bee shewed vppon vs at his comming ageine According wheruntoo S. Paule sayth in the viii too the Romanes that although wee grone and bee hild downe in anguish yit wee must not bee dismayed at it nor think it straunge bycause all creatures sayth he doo beare vs companie yea and bee as a woman that trauelleth of child For wee see that all the world is subiect too corruption through the sin of Adam Seing then it is so let vs not quayle in our gronings but let vs so measure our affections as too hold vs contented in that we haue our redemption purchaced in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ and thereuppon trust that he will accomplishe the same thing in vs and in our persons which he hath brought vs in his owne The thing therefore that S. Paule ment too say is that Gods spirit is our earnest penny duryng the tyme that wee wayte too be taken out of this transitorie lyfe and too bee set free from all miseries specially from the bondage of sinne which is the heauyest burthen that can bee Untill such tyme then as wee bee deliuered from all those thinges wee must rest vppon this that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs. And as touching the redemption of purchace it may well bee taken for purchaced redemption for it is a very ryfe maner of speech lyke as when it is sayd the spirit of promis it is ment the spirit that assureth or warranteth al the promises The spirit of the feare of God bycause it is he that maketh vs obedient too his rightuousnesse So lykewise when he speaketh of the Redemption of purchace it may well bee sayd that it is the redemption which was purchaced for vs too shewe that if wee feele the effect of it in our selues so as wee be out of all doubt of the things
vs acknowledge the infinite goodnesse of our God in that he hath separated vs from the companye Wherefore when wee see one sort sotted in their vnbeleefe and an other sort full of pryde bitternesse and stubbornnesse ageinst the Gospell let vs vnderstand that wee our selues should bee lyke them but that God hath reached foorth his arme vppon vs. But now let vs marke well the woordes that S. Paule vseth heerein saying the excellent greatnesse of his mâ—ghtinesse according to the effectuall vvoorking of the povver of his strength It should seeme that the holie Ghost ment too thunder downe vppon this diuelish opinion wherwith the world hath at all tymes bin besotted â–ª that is too wit of freewill For the heathen men presumed so farre as too say that God had in deede created them too bee in the world and that it was in his power too giue theÌ„ good or bad fortune as they termed it but that it was in euerye mans owne power and freechoyce too follow vertew and too behaue himself in such wyse as no fault myght bee founde in him Loe how the heathen men parted the stake betweene God and themselues The lesser matter which is the setting of vs heere beneath too crawle heere lyke frogges they left vntoo God but the greater matter namely our atteyning vntoo heauen and the ruling of our selues in all vertew that sayd they was in mans owne abilltie and belonged only too himself The Iewes and Papists haue not bin altoogither of this mynd for as I haue touched alredye they confesse that we haue neede of Gods helpe But yit for all that they will haue vs too mingle some peece of our owne holinesse with Gods grace and too bee able too woorke ioyntly with it as they say insomuch that when it commeth too the reckening the cheef part shall alwayes bee found in our selues But let vs see how the holy Ghost speaketh of it Too what end vseth he all these terme of hyghnesse power strengh effectual vvorking and myghtinesse wherfore heapeth he vp all these toogither but too shewe that men bee mad when they will take more vpon them than becoÌ„meth them Ther is not that woord heere which serueth not to abate our cackling if wee boast of neuer so little a drop of goodnesse For if men say I haue yit some good mouing in mee I haue some peece of vertew behold S. Paule speaketh of Hyghnesse as if he ment to shew that all the goodnesse which we haue is aboue the world and hath not his roote nor spring in our selues but coÌ„meth from aboue as S. Iames sayeth Agein if men say wee haue some power too withstand our owne vyces and to fyght ageinst temptations S. Paul sayeth heere that our strength our power and our myght commeth of God and that he must bee fayne to vestowe it vppon vs and we to receyue it of him If men say still yit by streyning our selues we may be able too doo somewhat S. Paule telleth vs ther is no effectuall working ther is no bringing of the thing to passe vnlesse God giue it vs according too his speaking of it in the second to the Philipians where he sayeth that it standeth vs on hand too walke in feare and warinesse bycause it is God which giueth both the will the abilitie to performe the will according too his owne good pleasure that is too say he beginneth the woorke and bringeth it too the end and knitting vp Too bee short let vs marke that looke how many woordes there are heere so many great thunderclappes and lyghteninges are there too beate downe and too sinke all the pryde of man too the intent that being confounded in our selues wee myght giue God the glory which he deserueth and with all lowlinesse frankly and freely yeeld our selues giltie acknowledging that al goodnesse commeth of him that we be beholden to him only for it Thus yee see how the effect of the matter which wee haue too marke vppon this streyne is too imbace our selues in such wyze as wee myght haue no desyre too part halues with God too saye that he dooth but helpe vs and that there is some portion of his grace and holy spirit in our owne freewill but too yeeld him purely and simply the whole prayse of our saluation Furthermore let it also make vs too despyze the world that wee may content our selues with the hope of the euerlasting lyfe which is purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus christ For wee knowe that although men bee generally subiect too many afflictions and that this lyfe of ours bee notwithout cause termed a vale of wretchednesse yit god exercizeth his owne childreÌ„ with greater abundaÌ„ce of aduersities than he dooth the other sorte for they also haue neede too bee alwayes put in mind to renounce the world If wee should liue heere to much at our â—ase and pleasure what woold become of vs seeing wee misse not too fall a sleepe heere notwithstanding that God doo pricke vs and quicken vs vp so many wayes to passe hence in poste without â—esting heere bylowe yee see then in fewe woordes howe God will exercyze vs many wayes after he hath called vs too the fayth of the Gospell for else wee would bee weery of seruing him and it would seeme too vs that his loue were but a very slender thing if wee should not learne to giue ouer all other things as little or nothing woorth and too imbrace Iesus Christ. Therefore let vs learne that S. Paules intent heere is too drawe vs in such wyse vntoo God as nothing may let vs too walke in our calling and that if wee haue not all thinges to our lyking in this world wee may lerne too esteeme the inestimable benyfites of our God better than wee haue doone that wee may say with Dauid as he speaketh in his sixtenth Psalme I haue myne heritage which suffizeth me seeing that God hath giuen himself too mee I haue so excellent a portion that I passe not for going through all the afflictions of the world Pouertie sickenesse reproche feare threatinings all these thinges shal bee sweete too mee so I possesse my God and he make mee to feele that he hath chozen mee and reserued mee too himselfe and is mynded too haue mee partaker of all his goodes Thus you see in effect that by this text wee may bee hartened and strengthened vntoo pacience too beare myldly all the afflictions and aduersities of the worlde and not too bee greeued or out of conceyt and that although God make vs now and then too drinke of a bitter cup and giue vs cause too sigh and lament yit wee must not fall too repyning and grudging but assure our selues that God hath giuen vs a good comfort in that he hath called vs too bee parttakers of his kingdome and so vttered his power already in vs as wee ought as it were too aduaunce our selues aboue all earthly thinges and too looke downe at them as at our feete
too make vs vnderstand that they bee aboue our heads If wee haue an enemy wee will see if we can ouerthrowe him But if he haue his foote vppon our throte alreadye if he treade vppon our bellyes if he bee already gotten vppon vs what remedie is there then None at all on our part That is the cause why S. Paule speaketh here expresly of the ayre as if he should say that men may well brag and lifte vp their nebbes and bee brazenfaste in auauncing themselues but yit is the diuell aboue them with all that he can make Too bee short he sheweth that wee bee vtterly giuen vp too that cursed bondage And to make the matter the playner he addeth according too the spirit For what is the cause that wee perceyue not the state which he speaketh of but bycause wee be fleshely â–ª If there reygned a tyran ouer vs that would lay a subsidie vppon vs too day and a tax to morrow and sacke mens houses the next day cut this mans and that mans throte and rauish mens wyues and commit other enormities and outrages wee would well ynough perceyue it And why Bycause wee be quicke of feeling in the things that touche our fleshe and so earthly as wee cannot perceyue any thing except it concerne this present lyfe That is the cause why wee perceyue not our owne miseries for they bee inuisible Wee thinke not that the diuell is such a Tyran nor so horrible as he is bycause wee see him not But S. Paule telleth vs that we must looke higher then this world and that wee must haue other eyes than those that beehold visible things and that it standeth vs on hand too looke vppon the diuell though he bee ghostly that although he haue nother armes too strike vs with nor legges too go with nor any such other things yit he fayleth not too be the woorst tyran that can bee deuized in the whole woorld And why so For he entreth vnseene If there were a man that could enter into other mens heads and harts yea and intoo their thoughts and affections without swoord or staffe without venim or poyson without threatening or any thing else or if he had an hundreth deathes in his hand and could make them enter without feeling how I pray you were not such an enemy much more too bee feared than such as come furnished with great force and make a great noize Yis surely Now S. Paule telleth vs that the diuell is such a one for he is a spirite sayeth he So then let vs not to be so fleshely as we haue bin wont too bee nother let vs iudge according too our owne rude and fond fancye when the sayd spirituall enemye is spoken of But let vs assure our selues that he is able too doo vs much more mischiefe without al comparison then if wee could see how he came towards vs and how he entered intoo vs So then forasmuch as he is a spirit let vs bee so much the more afrayd of him And too the intent the faythfull should bee the better dispozed too come too this foresayde poynt that is too say too know their owne confuzion till God haue prouided for it S. Paule addeth yit one confirmation more of his saying For as soone as wee haue receyued the fayth and bee inlightened by Gods holy spirit if wee haue any desire too doo well wee shall by and by indeuer too serue our god And it will seeme that that were inough But if a faythfull man looke intoo himselfe he shall finde ynough to mislike and too sighe and groone for according as I haue tolde you before that euen S. Paule confesseth himselfe too haue bin vnhappy and crieth out who shall set mee free from this prison of death The faythfull then shall alwayes fynd ynough in themselues wherfore too morne before god Yit notwithstaÌ„ding forasmuch as God hath put some goodnesse some wel meaning and some good intent intoo vs the same doth halfe couer the leawdnesse of our nature so as wee knowe not a long time after that it were requisite howe wretched our state is so long as wee thinke but vppon our selues I say vppon our selues such as wee bee after that God hath partly reformed vs by his holy spirit That is the cause why S. Paule sendeth vs too behold what the vnbeleeuers are If wee looke vppon the worlde wee shall see some giuen too couetousnesse and some too pilling and poulling and not onely the little theeues that are whipped and hanged euen such as are robbers I say not in woods and forests but in houses in markets and in places of iustice Wee shall see that there is nother fayth nor loyaltie among most men but that all men are giuen too pilling and pouling without any respect of equitie or vprightnesse Wee shall see some rushe out intoo whoredome and dishonestie some intoo drunkennesse and some intoo other leawdnesse and looce behauiour Wee shall see men rap out othes periuries and other cursed things Agein wee shall see secret conueyances impoysonings spytings malicings treasons and wicked practizes Too bee short wee shall see some so diuelish that they fling them selues headlong altoogither as though they ment too make warre wilfully ageinst god These are things that may astonish vs And although wee bee dull yet ought wee too haue some remors when we see things so farre out of order in the world Neuerthelesse S. Paule sayeth that if we consider what is doone and how all thinges are turned topsiteruie and what libertie the world taketh too withstand God it behoueth vs too apply the same too our selues and too conclude thus the same should betyde mee yea and euen as much as I see in them that are moste wretched For when wee looke vppon the diseases that are abrode how some are eaten with cankers and other filthie diseases and othersome haue as terrible sicknesses as can be we must prie vpon them and say as ill yea worse to should lyght vpon me if God pitied me not For all of vs doo carye the seede of them about vs that not only in our bodyes but also in our soules for there may be some diuersitie of coÌ„plexions so as some shal be stronger and lusâ—yer than other some but the soule of man is vtterly corrupted and marred So then the sinnes that reigne in vs are all of them warnings to make vs cast downe our eyes and too be ashamed before God and his Angells yea and too make vs hate and vtterly abhorre our selues Thus yee see why S. Paule hath added here that the diuell woorketh now still He vseth the woord Now as if he should say my frendes if in looking vppon your present state you fynd any thing well and that the same keepeth you from humbling of your selues throughly and from feeling how miserable yee shoulde haue bin if God had not shewed pitie and mercie towards you see what is doone about you see how the vnbeleueres behaue themselues and
you bee saued 6. And rayzed vs vvith him and made vs sit vvith him in heauenly places in Iesus Christ. I Began this morning too shewe you how S. Paule ment too stretch out Gods goodnesse vntoo all men too the intent that none should haue cause too boast of himselfe as though he had any woorthinesse alone by himself And truly if euer there were any nation in the world aduaunced aboue others it was the Iewes forsomuchas God had accepted them for his owne houshold and called them a holie linage and his owne inheritaunce In that respect therfore the Iewes seemed well woorthie too haue preheminence aboue others Howbeit too the end that none should darken the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ he sayeth that euer they also were the children of wrath so as it stoode theÌ„ on hand â—o lie drawen out of the dungeon of confuzion wherof I spake this morning Too bee short S. Paule sheweth heere that euen those whom men woold deeme too bee the excellentest can bring nothing wherof too brag or too purchace themselues estimation before God but are all receyued too grace too bee made heires of the heauenly lyfe by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now heere myght a question be demaunded why S. Paule setteth the heathen men on euen ground with the Iewes seing that God had set such oddes betwixt them For it myght seeme that all the promises were disanulled and that were a dooing of wrong vntoo God rather than vntoo men If wee graunt as of necessitie and reason wee needs must that Gods choozing of Abrahams ofspring was not in vayne and that his telling of them that he accepted them too bee of his houshold Church was not too deceyue them they must needes be neerer more familiar vntoo God and they must needes haue some marke wherby too bee gathered vntoo him It seemeth then that S. Paule should not haue abaced the Iewes after that sort But in another place he sheweth that all this geere agrees full well if wee consider the Iewes on the one syde in the state of Gods chozen and peculiar people and on the other syde what they bee of themselues and what they haue deserued before god For in the Epistle too the Romans after that S. Paule hath giuen sentence vppon the whole world shewing that there is not any one which is not damned and forlorne he moueth this question Seing then that God gathered Abrahams linage and dedicated it wholly too himself what shall become of them Shall there bee no holinesse in them For it seeemeth else that God had but dalyed and that his saying in the holie scriptures that he had not delt so with any other nation was nothing woorth But S. Paule sayeth that of a truth men ought too commend the grace that God voutsafed too shewe foorth vppon his people and so consequently that they are too bee preferred before all the whole world so farre foorth as they be indewed with the benefytes which they had by Gods promises Hewbeit he addeth foorthwith that in asmuch as they bee descended of Adams race and are sinners as well as all other men and there is nothing in our whole nature but corruption and frowardnesse all men must bee fayne too stoope and all of vs must needes acknowledg that one of vs cannot bee sholed out fâ—om another according as wee haue seene heeâ—toofore in the second chapter too the Galathians where S. Paule told S. Peter thus Yea wee bee Iewes by nature and it seemeth that wee ought too go alone by our selues seing that God is our King and hath sanctifyed vs and voutsafeth too dwel among vs Well then it seemeth at the first blush that wee should shake of the Gentyles as vncleane persons and such as haue none acquaintance with god But let vs come too account sayeth he aâ—â— there is none of vs all but he is indaungered vntoo God must needes perceyue himselfe too bee a wretched sinner Sith it is so God must bee the iudge of all men and we must needes sinke before his maiestie till wee bee reconcyled vntoo him by our Lord Iesus Christ. Too bee short S. Paules meaning in this text is not too deface Gods grace but too shewe that the Iewes had not any other meane in themselues whereby too obteyne the saluation and heritage of heauen than onely by beyng members of our Lord Iesus Christ and that they must alwayes bee fayne too take themselues first for cursed and damned For the woorthinesse which they haue is but as a wyndfall they be borne in sinne and subiect too cursednesse no lesse than all other men and Gods accepting and choozing of them too himself was a speciall and as they saye a supernaturall gift Yee see then that by nature the Iewes are forlorne as well as the rest of the whole world and yit neuerthelesse that God hath also receiued them too mercy By the way wee must marke that vnder the word Nature Saynt Paule sheweth not only that wee bee sinners by custome so as euery of vs thrusteth his fellowe out of the way and wee bee too much inclyned too followe the euill rather than the good but also that there is a further matter in it which is that euery of vs bringeth sinne with him euen from his birth Too eate and too drinke are things that accompany vs but yit is sinne more rooted in vs than all the things that belong too this lyfe Truely the heathen men will thinke it straunge that the young babes which are not able too discerne betweene good and euill nor haue any discrecion or will should alreadie bee sinners and damned before God according too S. Paules saying who calleth them the children of wrath but yit must wee needes yeelde our selues too condemnation whether we wil or no. As soone as babes bee able too make any signe it is certeyne that they will shewe inough and too much that they bee froward and naughtie and that there is a secrete poyson lurking in them â–ª And that although they cast it not out at the first yit they bee as a broode of serpentes Sith it is so let vs vnderstand that Saint Paule dooth not without cause call vs the children of wrath as well as the Iewes not excepting the very infantes out of the number whom men terme innocents and take them so to bee For wee must not regarde our owne opinion nor the things that wee see before our eyes but wee must giue glory vntoo God who is the competeent iudge thereof although wee finde it incomprehensible How soeuer the world go wee must alwayes come backe too that which is sayd in the one and fiftith Psalme namely that wee not onely offend God dayly in diuerse manners but also are lothsome too hym before-hand yea euen before wee haue eyther done or thought any thing bycause wee were begotten in sinne and cursednesse And by that word Children of wrath S. Paule meaneth
then let vs assure our selues that not only all our miseries shall turne too our benefyte by our Lord Iesus Christ but also that he will giue vs such strength as wee may well glorie in our state and although wee bee driuen too fyght ageinst manie temptations and that wee bee frayle on our owne behalf yit neuerthelesse wee shall ouercome them in such wyse as wee shall haue cause too yeeld God thankes by our Lord Iesus Christ insomuch as being ioyned vntoo him wee cannot fayle too come too the full perfection of all good things Now let vs cast our selues downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknoweledgement of our faults praying him too make vs so too feele them as it make vs not onely too confesse three or foure of them but also too go vp euen too our birth and too acknowledge that â—here is nothing but sinne in vs and that there is no way for vs too bee reconciled to our God but by the blood death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. And therefore as oft as wee feele any hartbytings too â—urne vs aside from the grace of God too cite vs too his iudgement sâ—ate let vs haue none other refuge than too the sacrifize wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath made attonement betweene God and vs And wâ—ensoeuer wee bee weake let vs desire him too remedie it by his holy spiriâ— which is the meanes that he hath ordeyned too make vs parâ—â—kers of all his gracious giftes by and let vs so continue in the same as wee may bee an example vntoo others and labour too drawe them 〈◊〉 vs too the fayâ—h and vnitie of the doctrine and by our life and good conuersation shewe that wee haue not gone too schoole in vayne in so good a schoole as the schoole of the Sonne of god That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people c. The eleuenth Sermon which is the third vppon the second Chapter 8. Surely you bee saued by grace through fayth and that not of your selues it is the gift of God 9. Not by woorkes least any man myght boast 10. For wee bee his vvoorkmanship created in Iesus Christ too good workes which God hath prepared for vs too walke in SSaint Paule hath shewed heeretoofore that our saluatioÌ„ is the true looking glasse wherein too behold the infinite glorye of God for it is his will too be knowne by his goodnesse aboue all things And for that cause also hath he shewed that God choze vs before the making of the world howbeeit not in respect of any thing that could bee found in vs but too content his owne onely mercie Here therefore he concludeth that matter and sheweth what he ment when he told vs that our adoption hangeth and proceedeth of Gods chozing of vs in his owne euerlasting purpose that is too wit too the intent wee should be as it were cleane defaced and confesse that whatsoeuer wee bee and whatsoeuer goodnesse wee haue wee hold it all wholly of God and of his onely free goodnesse That is the cause why he sayeth that wee bee saued by grace not of our selues but by Gods gift and not by works It had bin ynough â—â—o haue excluded all the goodnesse and vertue that man could imagin But for asmuch as it is hard to beate downe the pride wherto wee bee too much giuen S. Paule reherceth this matter agein too the end it might bee the better vnderstoode and confirmed more at large And therwithall wee haue too mark how he matcheth fayth ageinst it as well too shewe the meane wherby too come too saluation as also too more therfore doth it stand vs on hand too marke well the thing that is sayd in this streyne which is that wee bee saued by grace and that wee doo nothing at all too it but that God giueth vs all that euer belongeth too our saluation And why Bycause wee can doo nothing at all we haue nother good workes nor deserâ—es too alledge for our selues Furthermore this speech is well worth the weying when he saith least any man myght boast For theruppon wee haue too gather that it is not ynough for vs too father some part of our saluation vpon God but that we must come to that poynt yeeld so farre as not too make any countenance too it at all but abyde too haue all our owne glory so abaced as only God may haue all preheminence as wee haue seene in other textes and specially in the place of Ieremie where it was alledged that God is not glorified as he ought too bee nother is it possible for vs to glorie in him till all that euer wee think our selues too haue of our owne bee cast downe and doone away For nother the vertue nor the wisdome nor the abilitie nor the ryghtuousnesse of man muâ—t bee put foorth if wee intende that God should keepe still that which is his owne and which he reserueth too himself Now therfore wee see that all the partnershippes which the world woold make with God are but fond dotages yea and illusions of Satan who laboreth too make vs beleeue that wee are able too doo somewhat of our selues too the intent too plucke vs therby quyte and cleane from ouâ— god For so long as a man imagineth himselfe to haue any one drop of goodnesse of his owne he will neuer giue ouer himself vntoo God but bee puffed vp with vayne presumption and rest vppon himself Satan therfore hath wonne much at our handes when he hath once perswaded vs that wee bee able too doo any thing of our selues or that wee can make any meanes to atteyne too saluation for his drift is too make vs leaue seeking of the thinges in God which God offereth vs And by that meanes wee abyde emptie still according too the virgin Maries song where it is sayd that such as are so filled with ouerweening shall abyde still hungrie and God will laugh their vayne presumption too scorne Then can wee not bee fed with Gods grace except wee long for it and feele our owne lacke according too this saying of the Psalme Open thy mouth and I will fill it So then let vs marke well that men shall then bee dispozed to receyue at Gods hand all that is requisite for their saluation when they reserue nothing too themselues but acknowledge that all self boasting must bee put away And as I sayd afore by that meanes the partnershippes which the world pretendeth too make with God doo fall too the ground For the Papists are driuen too confesse that without Gods helpe they can doo nothing and that they bee too weake too withstand Satan if they bee not strengthened by the holy Ghost They can fynd in their hartes too graunt that they cannot deserue aught at all except God supply their wantes and also that they haue neede of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes But yit for all that they cannot abyde too giue
not the sonne hath not the father Then lyke as I haue told you that bycause God reueleth himselfe in this woorde it behoueth vs too seeke him there so also forasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ is his liuely image let vs not enter intoo ouer hygh speculations to knowe what God is but let vs repayre too Iesus Christ acknowledging that it is his office too bring vs too God his father and that it is he by whome wee must bee guyded and so shall wee bee sure that wee shall not bee without God in this world Now if they that take so much peyne and trott vp and downe too serue God bee condenmed heere too bee without God bycause they haue not hild the trew rule but haue bin beguyled in their superstitions what shall become of the dogges and swyne that haue no awe at all of God specially sith they bereue themselues of all knowledge and degenerate intoo beastes after they haue had some vnderstanding of the truth by hauing their eares beaten with the holy Scripture Of which sort wee see a great number nowe adayes who too take the aduauntage of the tyme and too make good cheere at their pleasure could fynd in their hartes too quench or too darken the lyght that God had caused too shyne vppon them yea euen too the vtter defying of Gods maieâ—tie as though there were no more instruction at all Wee see how this cursed â—eede is dispersed abrode at this day through all the whole world But as I sayd afore if the poore ignorant sort which neuer had any certeyne way but haue bin as blynde wretches wandering heere and there too seeke God and yit he hath not sâ—ewed himselfe vntoo them haue none excuce at all but are condemned at Gods hand bycause they had not a trew roote what shall becoâ—e of the vnhappie wretches that despyze God in that wyse and 〈◊〉 ageinst him saying wee knowe no more what the trew doctrine and Religion meane So much the more then ought wee too humble our selues and too knowe that sith God hath reueled himselfe vnto vs now that he is ioyned too vs with an insepaâ—able bond and hath shewed himselfe a father too vs and hath voutsafed too make vs members of the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ and made vs one with him with condition that whatsoeuer he hath belongeth now vnto vs we ought too lerne too magnifie that grace and too acknowledge what we haue bin and what wee should bee still if God had not shewed himself mercifull towardes vs. Heruppon a man myght demaund what S. Paule ment by the woord VVorld for it should seeme that out of the world they were not without god Howbeeit that was too aggrauate the matter so much the more by saying that the Ephesians had inioyed the lyght of the Sunne all the Elementes had serued them they had receyued so manie commodities of Gods gift in all his creatures and yit had not knowen him For what else is the world but an open stage wheron God will haue his maiestie seene Let vs lift vp our eyes doo not the Sunne the Moone and the Starres leade vs too him that gaue them the vertewes which wee perceyue in them For behold the sonne is farre of from vs and yit he giueth vs lyght Agein he causeth the earth too bring foorth frutes also wee see the dubble course that he keepeth and although he wander now on the one side and now on the other yit notwithstanding he keepeth his compas continually and neuer fogetteth how farre he ought to go on the one side or on the other as huge a masse as he is If a Ball or a Boule were too bee hild vp it woold neede some help but behold the Sunne hath nothing to hold it vp but the secret power of God and yit notwithstanding he is so huge and infinite a masse as exceedeth all the whole earth Mount he vp or go he lowe turne he or returne he on the one side or on the other yit keepeth he his course stil euery day through the whole world euery yere also on the contrary part and yit for all this he misseth not in any of all those thinges Too bee short when wee behold the skyes wee ought too bee rauished with desyre to go vnto god Agein when we behold the thinges that are neerer vs namely the varietie of the good things that God bestoweth vppon vs wee haue cause too doo the lyke Finally without going any further let vs but enter intoo our selues If a man looke but vppon one of his fyngers what workmanship and what goodnesse of God is there Wee then are in the worlde where God vttereth such abundance of myracles wherby it is his meaning too bee knowen and worshipped and yit notwithstanding wee play the beastes and go on lyke blockeheades without any vnderstanding not knowing the God that made vs and fashyoned vs euen him that vttereth and sheweth himselfe in all his creatures both aboue and beneath Is not this ynough then too bereeue them of all excuâ—e which play the beastes in their ignorance lyuing heere but only too deuoure Gods benefytes and in the meane whyle repayre not too him too doo him honour or to offer him their seruice Then is it not without cause that Saint Paule addeeth yit further this saying that such as were so destitute of the knowledge of the Gospell were without God in the world Now thereuppon on the other side he setteth downe the grace of God which they had receyued too the ende they should knowe that it was not of their owne purchace nor obteyned by their owne pollicy and abilitie but that they ought too consider well how greatly they bee bound vntoo God for rayzing them vp too heauen from the deepe dungeons of hell If God had but lent vs his hand to lift vs vp when wee were falne but too the ground and so let vs alone in our owne state wee should be beholden to him for it For when we bee falne and some body helpes too lift vs vp agein wee will cun him thanke so ought we too doo Behold now God hath not only lift vs vp from the ground but also drawen vs out of the gulf of hell And his so dooing is not too make vs crepe here beneath vpon the earth or to make vs too inioye the benefits that he offereth vs here presently but too aduaunce vs too the kingdome of heauen as wee haue seene heretofore how wee bee put in possession of it alredy by fayth and are set in the person of Iesus Christ in the glory that he hath purchaced for vs for he is entred into it in our behalf The seeing it is so haue we not cause too magnifie Gods grace so much the more So haue yee Saint Paules meaning in that he sayth that novv by Iesus Christ you be come nere vntoo God euen you sayeth he vvhich vvere farre of before Therefore at a word forasmuch as the whole cannot
that 〈◊〉 too declare that the Ceremonyes and figures are abolished so as there is now â—o let but that wee may bee knit together in concord and brotherly loue And anon after he compareth the Ceremonies of the â—aâ—e too 〈◊〉 emnitie For lyke as we now 〈◊〉 dayes haue Baptim which separateth vs from the heatheÌ„ so when God choze the Iewes he gaue them Circumcision Now then when we bee one 〈◊〉 baptized we beare the marke wherby God will haue vs knowen too bee of his Church and of the flocke of his sonne Iesus Christ. The lyke be 〈…〉 and vse had Circumcision in the tyme of the lame The Sacrifizes witnessed 〈◊〉 them that God forgaue them their sinnes Forasmuch 〈◊〉 vs 〈◊〉 priuiledge was not giuen too any 〈◊〉 to Abrahams linage 〈◊〉 sayth it was as a wall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyke as if some ground were paled about too keepe sheepe in or as if some stable were made to kepe cattell in Euen so was it then For God as is shewed in the song of Noyses had stretched out his lines too hold the linage of Abraham separated from the rest of the world There â—â—en was Gods pathe and the Ceremonies were as walles or pa 〈…〉 s too hold in that people vnder the keping and the protection of god And what were the â—e 〈…〉 â—yles They went on at aduenture yea and euen in destruction according as it is sayd that God had not voutsafed them the fa 〈…〉 too manifest his rightuousnesse vntoo them And S. Paule also sheweth 〈◊〉 pre 〈…〉 y that God had suffered them too walke on in the 〈◊〉 and that they had bin as wretched beasts in taht behalf Now wee 〈◊〉 S. Paules meaÌ„ing when he speaketh of the Ceremonies how they were as a wa 〈…〉 too deuyde the Iewes from the Gentiles But now are they all broken downe bycause that Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 is the trueth verie substance of them is come too put away all those shaddowes For the giuing of the ceremonial la 〈…〉 was not to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people shouuld 〈◊〉 themselues wholly about that and put their 〈◊〉 in it as hypocrits doo which peruert Gods meaning that â—oo the intent they should â—pply the absence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ as S. Paul speaketh of them in the second too the Colossians The Iewes had not yit the pledge that is giuen vs in our Lord Iesus Christ and therefore it was needefull that they should bee vphild in good hope till he were shewed to the world Wherefore not without cause were all those things cast downe by his comming for he is now vntoo vs as the day sonne of rightuousnesse And therefore it is no reason that wee should â—ee led any more as it were by darke shaddowes For by that meanes the emnitie is done away bycause that at this day we bee ioyned too that linage which God had dedicated too himself and there is no more diuersitie at all Forasmuch then as wee bee made the children of Abraham by fayth there is but one spirituall kiâ—red among vs. But let vs marke that Baptim and the Lords Supper which are the Sacraments that Christ hath ordeyned are not a diuision lyke too the figures of the lawe For although wee bee separated from the vnbeleeâ—â—â—s and from such as neuer came yit within in Gods Church yit is there not any one certeyne nation of the world which 〈◊〉 accepteth peculiarly by it self but he will haue his grace spred 〈◊〉 ouer all There is not then any such distinâ—â—ion as there was before that it can bee sayd wee come of the linage of Abraham wee bee they whom God voutsafed too adopt None can say so for there is now nother Iewe nor Gentill any more as it is sayd in many places of the scirpture Therefore whosoeuer calleth vppon Gods name purely of what nation so euer he bee the same is well lyked and accepted of him as sayeth S. Peter in the sixtenth of the Acts and also in his first Epistle And Baptim and the Lords Supper serue now a dayes too vnite the whole world For let the barbarousest sort that can be come and God will receyue them Baptim shal bee ministred vntoo them bycause it belongeth to all such as are kniâ— togither intoo the body of the onely sonne of God. Now herewithall let vs looke too applye this Text too our â—difâ—cation And first of all let vs vnderstand that the abolishing of the Ceremonies namely as touching the vsing of them was the very key to open vs the kingdome of heauen For the accomplishment of them was fully shewed in our Lord Iesus Christ so as it is knowen better than euer it was that they were no trifles nor vnprofitable 〈◊〉 but yit for all that it is not for vs to vse them seeing wee haue the full perfection of them all in Iesus Christ. And by that meanes wee see how God hath powred out his goodnesse vppon those whom he had shaken of afore That is the meanes whereby we belong too him at this day In that respect is the Gospell published indifferently too all the world so as our forefâ—thers which were heathen men were receyued intoo the Churche and wee bee succeeded in their roomes For although it bee seene that the world hath bin vtterly forlorne and that there hath bin an horrible desolation in it Yit hath God made the thing effectuall which is spoken in his Lawe namely that he contineweth his mercy too a thousand generations Thus yee see what wee haue too remember in the first place Secondly although baptim serue not peculiarly for any one people Citie or Countrie yit are wee as yee would say marked out by God when he giueth vs the vse of his Sacraments to assure vs of his adoption and too nurrish the hope that he hathe giuen vs by his Gospell It is trew that they which shrink away from our Lord Iesus Christ doo after a sort make theyr baptim vayne but that shall cost them ryght deere because the pledge and earnestpenny which God giâ—eth vs too shewe that wee bee ioyned too our Lord Iesus Christ and are clothed with him as it is sayd in the xii Chapter of the first too the Corinthians is too precious a thing too bee so misused And therfore all they that inhonour themselues with the name of the Church and yit notwithstanding are disordered and dissolute persons shall one day feele what a trayter â—â—â—nesse it is too haue so vnhallowed their baptim which God had ordeyned for their saluation But let vs on our syde â—ake heede that wee walk as folks sholed out from the filth of the world for as sayeth S. Peter the verye cause why our Lord Iesus Christ hath gathered vs vntoo him is that wee should glorifye him for deliuering of vs out of the darknesse of this world and of the diuell intoo his owne lyght And wee haue seene heertoofore in the Epistle too the Galathians how Iesus Christ will haue his death serue
Saint Paule sheweth that there is very good agreement betweene the Lawe the Prophetes and the Gospell In deede wee haue seene heretofore that the vse of the ceremonies is at an ende but yit for all that the substance of them continueth still And when God caused the Gospell too bee preached openly too the woorld it was not for that he was vnconstant nor for that he intended too teache men after a new and straunge fashion wherwith the Lawe was nothing acquaynted for the Lawe and the Prophetes bare witnesse continually too our Lord Iesus Christ. And therby also are wee put in mynd too further our selues by all the things that are conteyned in Moyses and in the rest of the Prophetes For now adayes there are some fantasticall folk which think that for all doctrine wee ought too haue no more but the new Testament and that all the rest is superfluous It is trew indeede that al perfection of wisdome is throughly conteyned in the Gospell but yit dooth it not therfore followe that wee ought not too bee edifyed by the Lawe and the Prophetes for wee see that the Apostles themselues confirmed their doctrine by their testimonies And heere when S. Paule sayeth that wee must bee builded vppon their foundation he sheweth sufficiently that whatsoeuer things our Lord betooke vntoo them in old tyme is profitable for vs at this day and wee must practize it and put it in vre Lykewyse S. Peter sayeth that they serued not only for their owne tyme but also for ours Trew it is that they gaue some tast of our Lord Iesus Christ and of the good things that are imparted to vs by his meanes but yit it is wee that are come too the fulnesse of the tyme â–ª as sayeth S. Paule in another place And the same is also a verifying of S. Peters saying that is too wit that the doctrine of the Prophetes poynteth at vs and wee haue more ful fruition and greater fruite of it than they that heard it spoken For wee haue so great a lyght in Iesus Christ that the things which were then darke are now manifestly open and knowen vntoo vs So then let vs studie the Lawe and the Prophetes knowing wel that they leade vs to our Lord Iesus christ For he is the marke that is set before vs and wherat wee leuell at this day accordingly as it is said that Iesus Christ is the end of the Law and also the patterne that Moyses sawe on the mountain It is sayd that the Lawe and the Prophetes beare witnesse of him and euen our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe vpbraydeth the Iewes telling them that forasmuch as they boasted of the Lawe they were so much the more blame woorthie and lesse too bee excuzed afore God and their offence was so much the more heynous and vnreasonable bycause they reiected him to whom the Lawe sendeth vs and too whom the Lawe would holde vs backe So then hereuppon wee haue too gather that too profite well in the holy scripture wee must alwayes resort to our Lord Iesus Christ and cast our eyes vppon him without turning away thence at any time Yee shall see a number of folk that Martir themselues exceedingly in reading the holy scriptures they doo nothing else but turne ouer the leaues of it and yit at the end of halfe a score yeares they are as wel seene in it as if they had neuer read line of it And why Bycause they doo but roue vp downe aâ—e not at any certeyn end yea and euen in worldly learning yee shall see a great sort that take paine ynough and yit all is to no purpose bycause they kepe nother order nor measure nor doo aught else then make a raking toogither on all sides By meanes wherof they bee euer new too seeke and can neuer bring any thing too perfection and although they haue gathered togither a number of sentences of al sorts yit is there no hold at all in theÌ„ Euen so is it with them that labour in reading the holy scripture and know not which is the poynt that they ought to rest vpon namely how it is our Lord Iesus christ For lyke as it is sayd that all our perfection is in the Gospell so on the other side it is said that our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen vs too bee the wisedome of God his father as sayth S. Paule in the first too the Corinthians And lyke as it is sayd of the Lawe This is the waye walke yee therein so also it is sayd of our Lord Iesus Christ that he is the trew way Agein as it is sayd Lord thy word is a Lanterne too guide my steppes by so our Lord Iesus Christ sayeth I am the light of the world he that walketh in mee cannot go amisse We see then that all that euer is treated of in the holy scripture is now verified of our Lord Iesus Christ to shew vs how that he is the onely thing that wee haue too take hold of And in very deede it is not for nought that he is called the lyuely image of God his father For although there bee nothing but light in God yit shall wee neuer bee able too come too that light till our Lord Iesus Christ come downe too lift vs vp thither and giue vs enteraunce intoo the place that was shet fast ageinst vs afore Yee see then that the thing which wee haue too gather vppon those words of S. Paule is that the Prophets Apostles were chozen and ordeined to bring vs to God by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ who is his very image and therefore that the onely thing wheron we must settle all our senses and myndes is too bee edified in the holy scripture And on the contrary part alos let vs conclude that all such as giue themselues too vayne curiosities and will needes bee wyser than God gyues them leaue too bee must abyde still in confuzion and in steed of goyng foreward go more and more backeward whereof wee see many examples as I sayd â—fore and it standeth vs in hand too profit our selues by them For what is the cause of all the corruptions in the world what is the cause of the great number of errours of the great abundance of vngodlynesse of the great store of superstitions which raygne euery where but for that men are ticklish in their owne foolish luâ—tes and fleshly lykinges and can neuer bee contented with the simplenesse of Iesus Christ as it is set downe in the Gospell So much the more therefore ought wee too beare well in mynd the thing that is tolde vs heere which is that wee must alwayes set our Lord Iesus Christ before our eyes and in our sight if wee purpose too haue an infallible resting stocke in the holy scripture and too further our selues in it And heerewithall wee see also that we neede not too seeke heere and there for Gods woord for wee bee sent
too the Prophetes and the Apostles as if it were told vs that they bee our 〈◊〉 within the which wee must keepe vs and that our fayth hath no leaue too start out on the one side or on the other but must bee hilde brydled vnder the obedience of Gods woord as it is conteyned in the holy scripture Now had this text bin well vnderstoode surely the wretched world should not bee in such disorder as wee see it is For what is the cause thâ—â— men haue deuized so manie wayes of saluation but for that they haue not knowen the power of our Lord Iesus Christ as it is shewed vs heere And in good sooth let a man looke vppon all the inuentions of the Papistes and he shall fynd that there is no end of their superstitiousnesse and yit in the meane whyle they haue as good as forgotten Iesus Christ or rather buried him in such sort as they haue had no regard of him And was it not a corrupting and falsifying of Gods truthe when men knew not whertoo it tended nor too what end it was giuen namely how it was giuen too keepe vs wholly too our Lord Iesus Christ that wee myght cleaue to him and fynd rest too our soules as he himselfe sayeth Agein on the other syde whereuppon doo the Papistes ground themselues at this day Euen vppon their Councels vppon their decrees vppon the things that men haue inuented of their owne brayne and yit they would needes beare vs on hand that all perfection is too bee had there For as for the things that Iesus Christ and his Apostles haue taught they be but enterances saye they yea and they bee not ashamed too say that those things are but as an Apâ—ie and that Iesus Christ forbare too speake of the things that were more hygh and excellent so as the holy scripture is but as a Catechisme for little children and that too atteyne too the age of perfection wee must haue holy Councels wherin God reueleth the mystiries that were vnknowen afore Now seing that the diuell hath so vtterly bewitched and blynded them that they haue labored too thrust Gods woord vnder foote too the end wee should stray and wander heere and there without any good direction wee haue so much the more cause too beare in mynde the thing that S. Paule telleth vs heere which is that wee must mislyke whatsoeuer is added too the holy scripture assuring our selues that God hath giuen such charge too his Prophetes and Apostles as he forgat not any thing that was profitable or expedient for our saluation and that if wee desyre too profit in his schoole we must not puttoo any morsels or coluppes of our owne nor fall too borrowing of things heere and there that are contrarie too that pure doctrine but must vtterly mislyke all such dealing yea and abhorre all maner of patching as leuen that sowreth and marreth the whole batch of dowe bycause God condemneth whatsoeuer men take vppon them too adde vntoo the Lawe and the Gospell from the which wee must not in any wyse turne away for it is not without cause sayd This is the way walke in it And wheras Iesus Christ sayeth he is the way and the lyght of the world it is too the end that wee should abyde in him without swaruing asyde in any wyse eyther too the ryght hand or too the left Another thing which wee haue further too consider vppon this text where Gods doctrine is spoken of and the Prophetes and Apostles are named the Messengers of it is this that wee knowing what their office is should not consent too bee taught by such as God neuer made priuie of his wyll and whom he disauoweth when they go about too adde any one â—illable too the things which he will haue too bee noted and hild without geynsaying Trew it is that the Church cannot indure without the dayly preaching of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles in it and that all they which are ordeyned too teache are called Masons Carpenters and builders of Gods house Therefore in that they bee buylders of the Churche they bee all one with the Prophets and Apostles Yit notwithstanding it followeth not therefore that they may take what they list of the Lawe or take libertie too preache their owne inuentions but they must drawe their matter out of the pure fountaine that is offered vs in the holy Scripture that wee may bee hilde continually too the simplicitie of the Lawe and the Gospell and not bee atteynted with any wandering opinions in sted of the obedience of fayth which contenteth it selfe with the meane that God hath set Agein wheras S. Paule sayeth that Iesus Christ is the foundation and the head corner stone it is not ment that it is lawful too mingle any thing with Iesus Christ as though he shoulde but make some one peece of the buylding and the rest bee supplyed by others but it serues too shewe that wee must bee buylded vppon him according as Saint Paule exhorteth vs in the thirde Chapter of the first Epistle too the Corinthians where he sayeth that no man can lay any other foundation than that which is layd already that is too wit than Iesus christ Heereby S. Paule dooeth vs too vnderstand that men cannot set forth any thing wheron too ground and settle their saluation there is sayth he none other foundation but Iesus Christ. Agein wee know his dominion extendeth euery where and therefore all of vs from the most too the least must yeeld vntoo him and not forsake the great number of benefytes which he offereth vs and which wee possesse by his meanes But yit shall wee neuer vnderstand how Iesus Christ is our only foundation except wee knowe too what end he was sent according too the forealleged text where S. Paule sayeth that he was giuen vs too bee our wisdome And not only that but also he addeth further that he was giuen vs too be our rightuousenesse redemption and holinesse As if he should say that Iesus Christ is our wisdome wheruntoo wee muâ—t wholy hold our selues bycause wee may there see that he is the welspring of all welfare hath in him whatsoeuer is requisite to our saluation Then if we once know to what end Iesus Christ was giuen and the infinite benefites wherof he will make vs partakers wee will forsake all other foode that is to say all that euer man setteth afore vs shal bee too vs but as vanitie yea and euen as dung and filth bycause wee shal bee fully satisfied with our Lord Iesus Christ. Now then that wee may conceyue how he is the foundation of the Church and that wee ought too bee settled vppon him let vs marke that it is bycause God hath reueled himself fully vntoo vs by his only sonne and put all thinges intoo his hand which are requisite too our saluation or worthie to be desired to the end that wee myght drawe of his fulnesse as is sayd
Godhead dwelleth Now wee bee yit farre of from such perfection Howbeit forasmuch as wee bee grounded vpon our Lord Iesus Christ wee haue a steadynesse that continueth all our life So then let vs marke that Saint Paule exhorteth vs here too true stedfastnesse too the intent we should neuer bee weery of wel doing though wee haue neuer so many occasions too thrust vs aside For euen such as are best mynded too see too doo neuerthelesse take pritch at it when men shewe themselues vnkind towardes them and when they consider that for their well dooing men wyll requite them with all euyll they bee sore greeued at it and become quite out of hart And that is a cause why so fewe continue in the feare of God and walke as they ought too doo for it seemeth too them that they haue lost their labour in doing well Agein there foloweth this inconuenience also that the wicked take occasion too rush out so much more intoo all maner of harmfulnesse so that if a man liue in simplicitie and beare the wrongs paciently that are doone vntoo hym all men wyll bee dooing with him and euery man would eate hym vp as if he were a sheepe among an hundred Woolues Such as are easily intreated too giue of their goodes too their neighbours seeme too bee set out too the spoyle and euery man wyll bee catching al that euer he can from them When men see so leaâ—de dealings in thâ— world it maketh euery man too take out his owne share as men say But contrariwise it is told vs heere that if wee bee rooted and grounded in charitie although men thrust vs aside and discorage vs by their vnthankfulnesse yit wyll wee not ceasse too hold out in well dooing bicause wee haue a good and deepe roote And S. Paule hauing spoken so of the good will that wee ought 〈◊〉 beare towardes our neyghbours returneth too his matter of fayth And surely the cheef poynt for vs is too knowe that God auoweth vs for his children and that our sinnes are forgiuen vs so as he taketh vs for ryghtuous If wee haue not that how can we fynd any sweetnesse in seruing and honoring of him And how or with what corage can we pray to him What prayse can wee offer to him Too bee short it standeth vs on hand too bee certified of the infinite good that is doone vs by our Lord Iesus Christ too the end wee may bee rauished in loue with our God and inflamed with a ryght zeale to obey him and holde our selues short vnder his awe too honor him with all our thoughtes with all our affections and with all our hartes The cause then why S. Paule contineweth this matter is to prynt it in the myndes of the faythfull where their saluation lyeth and how they may bee sure of it And so much the more doo wee see what the wretchednesse of the world is For there is none other assurance than the calling vppon God on this groundworke so as a man bee lifted vp by fayth too offer himself into his presence But on the contrary part we see how men haue gone too worke And in deede they haue not bin ashamed in the popedome too say that wee ought too bee alwayes doubtfull of our saluation and that wee cannot haue a sure beleefe of it And it is not the ignorant sort which say so but all the doctors of their Sinagoges hold it for an article of their fayth that wee ought too bee alwayes in a mamering and doubtfull And that is euen as much as too cast men vp at aduenture vntoo Satan So much the more therfore behoueth it vs too beare well in mynd the doctrine that is conteyned heere that is to wit that when wee once knowe the loue that God beareth vs in our Lord Iesus Christ and in such wyse as he hath witnessed it too vs by his death and passion and dooth still dayly warrant it by his Gospell wee haue the perfect knowledge and such as shall giue vs full happinesse And that is the cause why he sayeth too the end yee may learne with all the Sayncts what his heyght depth and wydnesse and thicknesse is that yee may knowe all this sayeth he How now Ment S. Paule too make vs Carpenters or Masons that he speaketh heere as of the heygth of a buylding Intendes he to teach vs thâ— science of Masourie that he speaketh thus of wydenesse No but he openeth his owne meaning by by saying It is the Loue that hath bin shevved vs in Iesus Christ. Therfore when wee once knowe how well God loueth vs and how inestimable the mercie is wherof he hath giuen vs so good a pledge in the person of his only sonne wee haue all that can bee sayeth he Let vs inforce all our wittes both vpward and downeward let vs stye aboue the cloudes let vs pierce too the Centre of the earth let vs go downe too the bottoms of the deepes and let vs rake ouer sea and land yit shall there bee nothing but vanitie and leazing When wee haue ended all our wyndlasses surely weee may peraduenture discourse lyke folk that are verie suttle haue learned the vnderstanding of manie things but yit shall there bee no substance in vs But when wee once knowe that God is our father in Iesus Christ and how that commeth too passe and by what meanes wee obteyne so greate a benefyte that is the thing sayeth he whertoo wee must hold vs For it is the trew measure of our fayth they bee the bondes of it and whosoeuer couers too knowe more dooth but go astray as though he would wilfully enter intoo a maze wheroutof he could neuer wynd himself agein Wherfore let vs hold our selues contented with Iesus Christ as he is and as he vttereth himself by his Gospell and then shall wee bee filled full sayeth S. Paule With what filling Euen with the fulnesse of God sayeth he As if he should say Wretched folke as wee bee there is none of vs but he coueteth knowledge and it is a naturall desyre which burneth all men Insomuch that wee shall see many which consume all their goods and spare nother their bodyes nor their lyues And what too doo Too get knowledge Wee shall see othersome trot from place too place And what too doo Too get knowledge All men then haue that desyre some more and some lesse and there is not so ignorant a person which would not faine come too knowledge Now then seeyng wee bee all inclyned thertoo of nature let vs learne which is the trew knowledge In deede there are sciences which are behoofefull too passe this world withall and requisite it is that men should haue artes and trades and also the liberall sciences as they be termed All these are good if they bee referred too their dew endes But yit notwithstanding wee must come too the Science of Sciences for that is it which will neuer fayle For when a man shall haue trotted
assuring our selues that if Gods sonne had not come downe vntoo vs there had bin no meane for vs too haue come vntoo God his father For besyds that wee bee plundged heere in myre and haue nothings in vs but vtter frayltie it is certeyne that we beare as good as a hell about vs bycause the diuell is not without cause called the prince of this world So then seeing wee bee vnder the tyrannie of Satan and of sinne how could wee mount vpward if Iesus Christ drew vs not But first it behoued Christ too come downe hither And therby are wee taught to woorship our Lord Iesus Christ alwayes in the person which he hath taken of the mediatour and wheras the vnbeleuers and vnholie folk take occasion too despyze him bycause he was crucifyed let vs honour him still as he deserueth For wheras his greatnesse and maiestie were after a sort darkened for a tyme that was too giue the greater beautie too his mercy and louing kindnesse which selfsame woord S. Paule vseth when he purposeth too expresse well what earnestnesse of mynd and care God had too raunsome vs from the dungeons of death And so yee see in effect what we haue too consider vppon the Apostles woords where he sayth that Iesus Christ was so abaced And wheras he addeth that he went vp aboue all the heauens I haue told you alredye in one woord that it is all one as if he ment too exempt him from the aray of creatures knowing that as now hee is not subiect too any chaunge And for the same cause is it sayd in the sixt too the Romans that he suffered once in dying for our sinnes but yit for all that dyed not for euer bycause he is entred into the lyfe of God that is to say he is made parttaker of the immortall glorie so as wee haue iust cause to cast downe our eyes And bycause wee conceyue not this so hygh souereintie which was giuen him let vs honour it seing that euen the Angels of heauen do beare vs companie therin For it is not for nought sayd in the Psalm that all the Angels of God worshipped him when he shewed him self too the world which text the Apostle also applyeth to his person in the first chapter too the Hebrews Herewithall let vs mark that although Iesus Christ be not shet vp in anie place certayne yit he ceasseth not too keepe still the trew nature of his bodie For the Papists haue imagined that although he bee in heauen yit he is euerywhere else as well as there yea and therwithall they haue their speculations too shewe how it is no inconuenience at all that God should haue his beeing aboue and therewithall also bee beneathe â—eere with vs And theruppon they imagin themselues too haue the bodie of Iesus Christ in Almbrye by reason whereof they beare it abrode in the streates and cause all men too woorship it and yit in the meane whyle men knowe it is but a morsell of bread Yis say they it is god But that is an vtter adâ—ichilating of the trwe nature of our Lord Iesus christ In defence therof they alledge that if it had the propertie of a bodie it must needs bee in one place certeine But aboue the heaueus there is no place too speake after the maner of the philoâ—ophers it is sayd that Iesus Christ is there ergo say they his bodie hath not the properties of a bodie Yis and wee knowe that the Angels haue no bodies and yit are they not euerywhere for they be faine to go whether soeuer God appointeth them Now seeing that the Angels are not tyed too any place notwithstanding that their essence is not infinite but comprehended within a certeine measure though they haue no proportion of members why should not Iesus Christ bee aboue all the elements of this world yea and aboue all the heauens and yit not ceasse too bee very man Not that he can dye anie more or bee subiect too anie of our passions and infirmities as hee was heertoofore when he listed too bee conuersant in the world for as now he is quyte rid of all those things but that howsoeuer the cace stand he holdeth stil his trewe nature of man And although he bee aboue the heauens yit let vs assure our selues that that distance hindereth not his preseâ—tnesse with vs and in vs As how Wee must mark what hath bin touched afore It is sayd that he filleth all things yea but that is with the power of his spirit Yee see then that the filling wherof Saint Paule speaketh is that wee should haue our fill of the benefyts of our Lord Iesus Christ and that when wee bee graffed intoo his bodie and made one with him by beleef of the Gospell then may we assure our selues that he is the fountayne which neuer dryeth nor can neuer bee emptyed with drawing and that in him wee haue all varietie of good thinges and all perfection Now then if Saint Paule had ment as the papists haue forged and as is maynteyned now adayes of manie ignorant and wilfull persons namely that Iesus Christ filleth all things with his humane nature surely hee would not haue forgotten it but he letteth it alone as an absurditie Wherfore let vs mark well the the twoo sayings that are set downe heere that is too wit on the one syde that Iesus Christ is gone vp aboue all the heauens and yit notwithstanding that he ceasseth not too fyll all things It is sayd that he is gone vp aboue the heauens euen to the end that we should not be tyed too this world and too our fleshly fancies when we intend too resort too Iesus Christ but that wee should lift vp our mynds on hygh and seeke him there by fayth Insomuch that when the holie scripture sayeth that God is in heauen it intendeth not too assigne him some peculiar place The respect is farre differing and altoogither vnlyke betweene God in his spirituall essence and Iesus Christ in respect of the bodie and humane nature which he tooke of vs For when we speake of God we must alwayes lay this ground that he hath an infinite essence which filleth al things so that heauen is as his royal throne the earth is his footestoole Not that he hath any feete nor any seate to sit on but it serues to shewe that there is no distance so farre or wyde that can conteyne the maiestie of God which is infinite as I sayd That is a thing which wee must beare in mynd when God is spoken of vntoo vs And why then is it sayd that God is aboue al the heauens and why dooth Saint Paul speake after the same maner here of Iesus Christ It is bycause that wee bee dull and earthly that if God should not tell vs that he hath his temple palace in heauen we would tye him too euery pyller to euery stone too euery waterspring too euery tree too bee short too
Gospell were receyued with such reuerence and earnestnesse as it deserueth God also would bee more bountifull on his syde Wheras wee see now so fewe good Preachers yea that there step vp a sort of dirt-daubers woorse than naught and farre leauder than the Moonkes in the poppedome which are as redie to preache Mahomets Alcoran as Christes Gospell so they may keepe their liuings styll and when besydes those wee see also a sort of drunkardes that haue no more zeale than Swyne but are as mastiues that barke not ne neuer open their lipes but too confound lyght and darknesse toogither that all things myght be put out of order Let vs vnderstand that God executeth iust vengeance vppon the despyzing of his Gospell For let vs see a little what the humilitie and submission is which men yeeld vntoo God for all their hearing of the sound of this doctrine and for all his setting vp of the scepter of his Gospell to shew that he is mynded too reigne ouer vs Wee see that most men could fynd in their hartes to haue no religion at al. Agein they that make fayrest countenance would yit full fayne that the Gospell were styll but a shadowing place of Ceremonies And howsoeuer the world go they bee loth too beare anie yoke they cannot abyde too bee rebuked for their vyces but they would haue a beastly licenciousnesse condicionally that they myght doo what they list they would bee contented that the Gospell should bee preached as who should say they would graunt it vntoo Iesus Christ by composition and couenant But in the meane whyle all is but hipocrisie and they cannot so conceale their counterfetting but that the world dooth well see that they bee as shamelesse as harlots For doubtlesse a man shall find more religion and feare of God in the popedome than among those that are in the places where the Gospell is preached But the mischeef of all mischeeues is that a sort of these naughtipackes step vp intoo the chayre of truth of whom some are drunkardes some whoremongers and some blasphemers and too bee short there is such wickednesse among them as is horrible to see ▪ Sith wee knowe this let vs cast downe our eyes and condemne the vnthankfulnesse and rebelliousnesse that is in vs as the cause of all the disorder that wee see But howsoeuer the world go with vs yit if our Lord bee so benificiall too vs still as too haue his doctrine preached too vs therin wee haue a sure and infallible token that he is neere at hand with vs and that he seeketh our saluation by calling vs vnto him as though he spake with open mouth and that wee sawe him personally before vs Then can we not fayle nor bee deceyued in assuring our selues that Iesus Christ calleth vs too him and that he holdeth out his armes open too receyue vs as oft as the Gospell is preached vntoo vs And wee neede not too seeke reuelations from heauen nor too wander abroade for seeing that the woord is in our harte and mouth what would wee more Who shall flye vp aboue the cloudes Who shall go down into the deepes let vs assure our selues that God offereth himself vntoo vs in the person of his only sonne when he sendeth vs preachers and teachers And herwithall let vs still haue an eye too that which I sayd afore which is that they too whom God giueth most of his grace must consider that by that meanes they be the more bound to imploy them selues in the place that our Lord hath assigned them too and wheruntoo it is his pleasure too appropriate them He then that hath knowledge must not exalt himself for it but consider that he is a better too the whole bodie and theruppon examin well how he may serue too the glory of God with the things that he hath put him in trust withall and make the gift which he hath receyued profitable assuring him self that the vse therof is common too all men and that although God haue committed it too his custody and will haue him too bee the keeper of it yit must he not hold it as a treasure locked vp in a hutch but impart it abroade to such as want it and haue neede of it Herwithal also let vs keepe vs frō enuying of those whom it is Gods will to honour after that fashion that there bee no spytefulnesse in vs too say Why and is it meete that such a one should bee preferred before mee For in so dooing wee spyte god And therfore let euery of vs knowe his owne state and degree and not stand in contention with our God assuring our selues that the thyngs which he hath ordeyned in his Churhe are doone by vnreuocable iudgment Wherfore let vs abhorre these madbraynes that would take away the order which wee see too bee grounded vppon the authoritie of the sonne of god There are that thinke the preaching of the Gospell too bee a needelesse thing and that it serueth as it were but for little children and that they them selues haue the holy Ghoste at commaundement too reuele things too them from heauen euery minute of an houre But it is certeyne that the Diuell blyndeth them in that ouerweening and men knowe that he had wonne the goale if the meane of our saluation were abolished and taken away For lyke as S. Paule sayeth that the preaching of the Gospell must serue too make the Church perfect that wee may bee brought too the kingdome of heauen so on the contrary part when there is no more any doctrine or Shepherd the diuell must needes so ouermayster vs as wee shal bee scattered asunder and nothing shall remayne but ruine and destruction Seeing then that this order is not of men let vs learne too submit our selues vntoo it and let all of vs both great and small without geynsaying suffer God too guyde vs 〈◊〉 that meane seeing it hath pleased him too appoynt it Also wee see how Gods children are called the children of the Church And S. Paule sheweth that our Lord Iesus will reigne ouer vs with condition that his woord bee alwayes in mens mouthes He sayeth not that the Angels shall come to reuele vntoo vs the things that God will haue vs too knowe but he sayth that wee must vnderstand Gods will by their meanes which haue the charge and office too tell it vs For lyke as in the tyme of the Lawe it was sayd that the Priestes were Gods Angels and that men ought too inquyre at their mouth so now also God will not haue vs too flitter in the ayre after our owne fancies but too go too the fountayne which is open for vs when wee list too drinke If a man would go seeke the head and welspring of a fountayne I meane as it is hidden in the earth and would hold scorne too drinke vntill he had found it would not men take him for stark mad and besyde him self Yis that would they But
Christ were the bond of our concord and that God alloweth it bycause it is grounded vpon his woord Saynt Paule then ment heere too put a difference betwixt vs and the heathen and vnbeleeuers For all men will graunt well ynough that there can be nothing but hauocke among men when they bee lyke too Dogges and Cattes and it hath bin knowen for a grounded principle in all ages in all Countries and among all people insomuch that euen the heathen folke and such as knew not what trewe religion meaneth haue simply commended and esteemed the benefyte of concord and agreement toogither But yit they buylded without foundation And therefore Saynt Paule beginneth at Gods truth As if he should saye wee must not only linke in one among our selues but God must also go before vs and wee must obey him so as wee must bee gathered toogither vnder him and he sit ouer vs and wee must leuer chooze too bee at defyance with the whole world than too slip away from him Thus yee see that the thing which wee haue too marke vppon this text is that God will not haue vs too bee knit toogither without knowing how or why but he will haue vs too agree too woorship and serue him and too put our whole trust in his infinite goodnes so as Iesus Christ be our head and we all members of his bodie through the power of fayth And agein that when wee once knowe how wee haue a father in heauen which hath adopted vs too bee his children and that Iesus Christ hath voutsafed too take our flesh and substance vppon him too the intent that wee should bee flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone the same should moue vs too loue one another too bee carefull ech for others saluation and too helpe one another according too the abilitie that God gyueth vs According wheruntoo it is sayd in the Psalme that the freendship of brothers is a leeuesome thing And afterward the Prophet bringeth vs too the oyntment that was powred vpon the Priests as if he should say that men hauing no more but euen their moother wit may perceyue that there is not a more leeuesome thing in the world than too liue in peace and amitie Howbeit therewithall he declareth the order of it after the same maner that it is shewed vs heere by S. Paule and â—ayth that the sayd brotherhood must bee conâ—crated and dedicated to the name of god For the annoynting of Aaron and his successors was in such sort as the oyntment did sheade downe vppon the whole body and vppon the garment of them Now therefore let vs marke that if wee intend too linke toogither well wee must drawe vntoo God and our linking must bee allowed of him Otherwyse wee may well haue fellowship toogither but it shal bee but a cursed felowship and the end of it can neuer bee but vtter confuzion Wherefore that wee may rule our lyfe well let the end that wee begin at bee too cleaue vntoo the truth Ryght necessarie is this warning for vs now adayes For the Papistes accuse vs that wee haue trubbled the world that the debates that are now adayes doo spring of our fault inasmuch as heretoofore all was deade euery man sayd Amen too them and there was no disputing In deede there was no great trauell spent in seeking God or the saluation of men Now then too cast the Diuell out of the possession that he had gotten it behoued vs too vse great vehemencie according as it is sayd that he will neuer giue ouer his place except he bee inforced Therefore it stoode vs on hand as yee would say too thunder and lighten too waken the world that was so falne asleepe and after a sort bewitched For inasmuch as the vnbeleeuers are extremely stubborne in stryuing ageinst God and cannot abyde that the truth should take place but vpholde theyr lyes with diuelishe wilfulnesse that is the very cause why there is so much trubble and warre in the world now adayes I meane for Religion Now the Papistes would laye the blame in our neckes but let vs see who is in the fault For wee desyre that euery man should doo homage vntoo God and that both great and small should submit themselues too his woorde and that there should bee one trew vnitie of fayth so the simplicitie of the Gospell go before it and guyde it These are the things that wee seeke and the Papists fynd fault with it Yit notwithstanding there is none other thing too bee found in our doctrine but that wee would fayne that there should bee a melodie betweene men and Angels too woorship the trew God and too follow his wâ—ord which is our trew rule to the end there should be no corruption in his seruis On the contrarie part the Papistes would maynteyne all their abhominations and errours and cannot indure that Iesus Christ should haue his preheminence For they haue bereft him of all his offices and made as it it were a bootie of them They haue an infinite warrein of Hee sayncts and Shee sayncts too whom they giue the tytle of their Aduocats saying that by their merits they obtein fauour at Gods hand for such as pray vntoo them Moreouer in all the rest of their doctrine there is nothing but it is peruerted yea and falsifyed And besydes these errours and superstitions the Papists are also so spytefull as too bend themselues euen ageinst God to spit out their madnesse yea and to indeueâ— too wype away the rememberance of Iesus Christ by fyre and swoord What should wee doo in this cace There is no compounding with them but by renouncing of Gods truth But wee know what order is taught vs heere by the holie Ghoste For Saint Paule could well haue sayd io one woord Agree my freends But he sawe well hee should haue spoken but one half and that his doctrine also should haue bin misconstrewed and therfore he sayth Let vs bee knit toogither in the truthe and let vs rather gyue ouer all the frendship of the worlde and procure the anger of all vnbeleeuers and of all such as rebell ageinst God than swarâ—e one whit from it But if wee seeke too bee at good agreement in the truthe and none of bs bee wedded too himself but rather euery of vs procure the welfare and saluation of his neyghbours that is the concord which ought to be among vs. The thing then which wee haue in effect too remember vppon this streyne is that on the one syde we must beware of confederating with Gods enemyes that wee stryke not sayle as they say too please them For although it behoue vs too seeke too haue peace and vnitie with all men as neere as wee can yit is Gods truthe alwayes excepted and wee must make more account of that than of all the world And in deede they that will needs gartify creatures and in the meane season turne away from Gods truth as much as they can
slip whatsoeuer is sayd too them looke what comes in at the one eare goes out agein at the other Howsoeuer the cace stand nother the one nor the other doo giue glory vntoo God in receyuing his woord with such humilitie as they ought too doo Therefore let vs acknowledge our owne naughtinesse and bee sorie for it seeyng wee prouoke Gods displeasure in not yeelding him the honour of thinking him too bee soothfast and trew In deede wee wil not say in open speeche that his word is vayne wee will not accuze him of leasing and deceyt but yit dooth he protest that wee doo him as much wrong as that commes too if wee credit not his sayings How long will this people slaunder mee sayeth he and rob mee of myne honour It is a complaynt which he maketh there by Moyses and in many other places of the scripture And surely if Saint Iohns saying bee trew namely that when wee beleeue God we set to our seales that he is trew that is too say wee vphold him to be faythfull then contrariwyse if we haue not that sure groundwoorke in our fayth that Gods word win not so much at our handes as too make vs too betake our selues wholly vntoo it without any gaynsaying it is all one as if wee counted God a lyer insomuch that although wee would hate and abhorre too vtter any such blasphemie yit dooth he complaine that wee haue doone him the like reproch and not without cause And therfore wee see what frowardnesse there is in our nature vntill God remedie it Furthermore wheras he sayeth that the holy Ghoste sealeth his promises after that fashyon in our harts let vs vnderstand that that is bycause he hath voutsafed too chooze vs Wee haue seene alredy heertoofore how he calleth vs too him and inlyghteneth vs with the truthe of his Gospell according too his choozing of vs before wee were borne yea and before the making of the world Therfore let vs vnderstand that Gods spirit is a speciall gift which is not bestowed vppon all men indifferently but is reserued as a treasure for his children whom he hath chozen And for that cause wee ought too beare well in mynd the foretouched tytle that he is the spirit of adoption Also the vnbeleef which is throughout the whole worlde giueth an euident proof of our Gods goodnesse in that it hath pleazed him too ingraue his woord in our harts For it is certeyne that in all such as fyght ageinst God or which bee as brute beasts and so carelesse that his woord dooth no whit moue them wee see what wee bee of nature and what wee should bee still if our Lord for his mercies sake had not touched vs with his holy spirit And so yee see what wee haue too beare in mynd Wherfore whensoeuer the doctrine of our saluation is talked of let vs beeware that wee presume not any thing vppon our owne wit and policie but let vs bee small and lowely that our Lord may inlyghten vs by his his holie spirit And when wee perceyue that wee haue receyued such grace alredy let vs not burye it but let vs giue the prayse of it too him that deserueth it And on the contrarie part sith wee feele many perplexities douts and vnquietnesse and that sometymes we bee tossed lyke a ship that is redie too topple ouer and too be sunk in the bottom of the the sea sith we perceyue our selues too bee so trubbled let vs consider our owne fraylty that although wee haue bin trayned vp in Gods woord yit will there bee no stedfastnesse in our harts except God woork it there and theruppon let vs runne too the remedy and pray God too keepe the seede that he hath sowen in vs from choking and the assurednesse of our heritage from euer wearing out that although Satan streyne him self too the vttermoste too destroy that which God hath put intoo vs yit it may bee strengthened in vs from day to day as is needfull for vs And so yee see what wee haue to beare in mynd in this that Saint Paule sayeth that wee be sealed and marked by Gods spirit And now he warneth vs that it is too heynous a cryme too greeue him yea to intollerable a trecherie I haue told you alredy that this similitude intendeth not to impute any excessiue passioÌ„ to Gods spirit but too put vs too shame and too make the heare too stand vp vpon our heads Behold sayeth Saint Paule Gods spirit hath chozen his dwelling place in vs according as it is sayd in another place that not only our soules but also our bodyes are the temples of the holy Ghoste and he is glad too bee in vs and too abyde there and too make it his continuall home nowe then if wee fall too spyting of him as though wee mynded too chace him and banish him from vs is it not too diuelish a dealing And yit notwithstanding when wee seeke allurements of vnthriftinesse when wee take leaue too corrupt our selues by leaud and loose talk and when wee labour too haue other naughtie meanes too turne vs awaye from the feare of God and too bring our consciences asleepe it is all one as if wee indeuered of set purpose too chace away and too banish Gods spirit from vs and too say wee will haue no more acquayntance with him Must wee not needs be moste miserable and cursed creatures when wee ouershoote our selues so farre That then is the thyng that S. Paule had an eye vnto Therefore whensoeuer wee bee tempted vntoo euill and the diuell laboreth to make vs take pleasure in it that all remorse of conscience maye bee put away let vs call too mynd the things that are spoken heere and say How now Thou reioycest And wherin In the seruing of Satan and on the other syde thou lettest him go that is thy lyfe the earnestpenny of thy saluation and the foundation of the felicitie which hath bin purchaced so deerly for thee by our Lord Iesus Christ. Let vs thinke aduyzedly vpon this And moreouer it is certein that euery faythfull man ought too feele the thing that is declared heere For if our Lord haue touched vs and giuen vs the sealing that is spoken of heere it will bee a greef vntoo vs when wee bee tempted vntoo â—uill And so the thing that holdeth vs in awe is the spirit which watcheth and wardeth too withstand the enemie And if wee go aboue too kill this benefyte that is too say this inwoorking that God giueth vs it is al one as if wee greeued the holy Ghost This then is a most certein experience and such a one as sheweth vs that the thing which the holy Ghost hath put intoo vs is vtterly ageinst all euill and that there must needes bee a battell and stryfe betwixt them insomnch that none of Gods children can sin but he shall by and by bee stirred vp too feare and too say in himself Alas where shall I become In
must bee fayne too make his sonne shyne that is too saye lyke as he hath commaunded and ordeyned his woord too bee preached vntoo vs so also must he giue vs eyes too inioy the same lyght For though the sunne shyne neuer so bright in the skye yit should wee fynd nother frute nor profit by it vnlesse wee haue eyes which are as instruments to receyue the lyght that commes from aboue So must God bee fayne too giue vs spirituall eyesyght to conceyue the things that are taught vs by his woord Yee see then that the meane how wee become lyght in the Lord is that on the one syde God sheweth vs the way of saluation by the preaching of his woord vntoo vs and therwithall giueth vs a new spirit or mind too the intent wee should not abyde in the ignorance wherin all of vs are by nature And Saint Paule vttereth his meaning yit better when he addeth that vvee should vvalke as children of lyght Nowe wee see that heere he not onely prayzeth and commendeth Gods grace too stirre vs vp too gloryfye him for it as wee bee bound too doo but also therewithall sheweth the vse of it As if he should say beware in any wyse that yee thrust not Gods grace vnder foote ne make it vnauaylable vntoo you For his calling of you too the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ was too the intent yee should bee wholly chaunged tod bee brought vntoo this lyght For if wee would haue the sunne but onely too stande ydly gazing vppon it lyke folke out of their wittes what a thing were that Wee were better too haue continuall nyght But the Sunne must serue vs to apply our selues too the buzinesse which we haue too doo and too labour in getting of our liuing euery man according too his charge office and calling Yee see then that wee should abuze the sunne which bringeth vs so great benefyte if we should not euery of vs occupie our selues in the things that wee knowe too bee our dewtie Now Saint Paule applyeth this similitude too the spirituall daysonne that is too wit too the doctrine of the Gospell saying that it shyneth howbeeit not for vs too giue our selues too ydle speculations but too the end wee should set our hand too the plough and euery of vs looke wherwith he can and ought too doo seruice and theruppon make the lyght auaylable that is offered him Furthermore Saint Paule in one place calleth vs Lyght and by and by he addeth Chyldren of light Both of them come too one end But yit is it not for nought that he termeth vs Lyght For it serueth too expresse the better that Gods grace is not only offered vs but also imprinted in vs so as wee bee after a sort new shaped by it And it is not only heere that he dooth it but also in the Epistle too the Philippians Now wee haue too marke first of all that that tytle belongeth properly too none but too our Lord Iesus Christ according as he himself sayeth I am the lyght of the world he that walketh in mee shall neuer stray Yee see then that our Lorde Iesus Christ is sufficient of himself alone too giue vs lyght and that if wee keepe our selues aloofe from him we shall fynd nothing but darknesse nother in heauen nor in earth nor in any creature else For if wee speake of Gods maiestie it is aboue all the heauens yea and the very Angels haue no lyght but that which they borrowe of our Lord Iesus Christ. And that is the cause why Saint Iohn Baptist is excluded from that honour when he sayth that he was not the lyght but that that dignitie belongeth peculiarly to the sonne of God who inlyghteneth all men that come intoo the world Agein the Apostles and all such as preache Gods truthe are also termed lyght in their degree when as it is sayd yee bee the lyght of the world Not that that belongeth properly vntoo them but bycause God serueth his own turne by them when he deliuereth them his word to guyde others by and to shew them the way of saluation Now if he that beareth the Candle too lyght other men doo reele and stumble and stray heere and there what a thing is it Therefore in asmuch as God hath giuen vs the charge too preache his woord wee bee warned too walke in such wyse as euery man may bee edifyed by our lyfe And yit in the meane whyle this is no derogation at all too the honour of our Lord Iesus Christ for they that are inlyghtened by him must not thrust forth themselues to be fellow and fellow lyke with him but he alone must continewe the lyâ—ht still and wee inlyghten one another according too Saint Paules saying in the text that I alledged afore where he sayeth thus too all the faythfull You bee as Lampes burning in this world euen by hauing the woord of god The lyght then which the Scripture allotteth as well too the teachers as too them that are taught is that all of vs must haue Gods woord which must bee as a candle set vp aloft and our lyues must so ruled thereby as the vnbeeleeuers may bee drawen too the fayth and reformed or else confounded and put too shame when they see that our Lordes calling of vs too profit in his scoole is not in vayne And so yee see in what sense S. Paule sayeth that wee bee lyght in the Lord namely bycause Gods woord ought too bee as a burning Lampe vntoo vs not only too guyde our selues by but also too shewe the way too all such as otherwyse should go astray Hereunto he addeth that vvee bee children of lyght to doo vs to vnderstand that our lyght commeth from elsewhere than of our selues and that wee borrowe it of him that is the lyght of the world as I haue alledged before According whereuntoo it is sayd that God is the father of lyght and so also dooth the Scripture name him Agein our Lord Iesus Christ is the trew lyght wherby God appeered vntoo vs and whereby it is his wyll too inlyghten vs Therefore are wee the children of lyght that is too say wee bee so iâ—â—yghtened that Gods lyght is in vs namely bycause wee bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ as I sayde afore and communicate with him and he guydeth vs by the lyght of his Gospell and inlyghteneth vs also by his holy spirit And forasmuch as our Lord woorketh in vs by fayth he dreepeth it intoo vs by measure as he himselfe thinketh good as we haue seene in the fourth Chapter Howsoeuer the cace stand let vs esteeme Gods grace as it is woorthy and as it deserueth and theruppon turne it too our owne benefyte that it be not disappoynted through our rechlesnesse but that wee may walke that is too saye consider whertoo God hath called vs and euery of vs imploy and inforce himselfe theruntoo Now hereuppon Saint Paule giues a warning that the frute of
this lyght is Goodnesse Ryghtuousnessr and Truthe As if he should say that he speakes not here after the common fashyon of men â–ª but intendeth too bring vs vntoo God and too shewe vs too what purpose it serueth vs to be Christians which is the trew vse of the learning that wee haue by the Gospell and also how the power of the holy Ghoste ought too shewe it self in vs that is too wit in the well ordering of our lyfe For by these three woords Goodnesse Ryghtuousnesse and Holinesse he meaneth that wee should not doo any body wrong but indeuer too liue vpryghtly and faythfully with our neyghbours and also bee kynd harted in hauing compassion one of another too beare paciently one with another and too succour one another as neede shall requyre Trew it is that there are other things requisyte in a Christen mans lyfe but heere Saint Paule comprehendeth all vnder one kynd As if he should say my freends God is singularly gracious vntoo vs in gathering vs vntoo him wheras wee were strayed away intoo destruction and that wheras wee were hild in thraldome vnder the tyrannie of the prince of the world which is the diuell he hath set vs free and made vs members of his only sonne our Lord Iesus Christ. Lo heere an inestimable benefyte And now must wee shewe too what end our Lord hath vsed so greate mercie towards vs That sayeth he must bee knowen by our lyfe euen by walking one with another in all goodnesse that is too say that wee be not cruell as dogges and Cattes nor giuen too guyle craft and malice too deceyue and wynd one about another but go on soundly and roundly in all things deale so vpryghtly as euery of vs indeuer to yeeld his neyghbour that which is his dew so as no man be wedded to his owne profit to greeue others WheÌ„ our life is once ordered after this maner then shall men perceyâ—e that we beare frute in the lyght that the light also beareth fruit in vs that is to say that the light which God hath giuen vs is not ydle but that lyke as God hath inlyghtened vs so wee apply our selues too doo the things that he commaundeth and appoynteth That is the cause why Saint Paule speaketh of the frute of Ryghtuousnesse according too my former saying where I told you that the sunne giueth not lyght to the world too the intent that euery man should sit still with his armes folded one within another or too the intent wee should bee as the foules that flye in the ayre but too serue our turne by guyding vs in all our dooings That is the frute and vse of the Sunne Therfore the Gospell is not a frutelesse thing the woorking of it must shewe it self in our lyfe that is too wit by being ryghtuous kynd harted and faythfull Now vnder those woords Saint Paule hath compryzed all things belonging too the twoo tables of the law For as I told you afore Charitie serues not too make vs forget what belongs too Gods seruis as though that were a thing of small weyght but it is the maner of the scripture too send vs backe too our neyghbours when it speaketh of the seruing of god For it is certein that if wee loue our neyghbours as wee ought too doo and liue with them according too Gods law God shall alwayes haue his cheef ryght For vntill wee bee ruled vnder his awe euery of vs will loue himselfe too much and desire too drawe too himselfe and too glorie in himselfe and too bee short there will bee nothing in vs but Pryde Uaynglory Couetousnesse Crueltie and al maner of Deceyt vntyll our Lord hath brought vs vnder his yoke and wee bowed our selues vntoo his obeysance too honour him and serue him and to blisse his holy name And this shal bee doone when we yeeld men their dewtie for that is a trew tryall and record that wee feare God. And now too shewe vs how wee should liue in the world S. Paule setteth downe these three things namely Goodnesse that is too say kynd hartednesse in hauing pitie and compassion vppon such as are in distresse too releeue their neede and too beare paciently with their infirmities Thus much concerning the woord Goodnesse Next that is Ryghtuousnesse which signifyeth vpright dealing so as wee take away no mans goods nor go about too aduauntage our selues by the hinderance of our neyghbours nor bee giuen too pilling and polling but too bee short be contented with whatsoeuer God giueth vs without raking of other mens goods or possessions vntoo vs Last of all is added Truth which is contrary too all craftie packing and too all leaud practyzes whereby wee labour too draw other mens goods too vs Then haue wee once these three things it is certein that Charitie reigneth fully and perfectly in vs These are the things that we haue too remember vppon this streyne Wyll wee then shewe that our trayning vp in the Gospell hath not bin in vayne and that wee haue not forsaken the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs liue vprightly and euenly among men and agein let vs be kynd harted both in bearing one with anothers infirmities and also in succoring them at their neede and finally let vs bee faythfull that is too say let vs vse no craft nor suttletie but let vs bee soothfast and wherin so euer we haue too deale with others let them not fynd vs dubble The thing therfore in effect which wee haue too beare in mynd is that Gods inlightening of vs is to the end we should no more plundge our selues in darknesse but that when wee haue once taken lyght of him wee also should indeuer too giue light too wretched vnbeleeuers which wander and reele and stumble and are lyke too breake their neckes bycause they bee as silly beasts and no maruell at all for they haue no lyght too guyde themselues by Trew it is that that shall not excuze them but that they shall alwayes bee giltie before God for their ignorance is matched with malice But what shall wee on our syde haue too lay for our selues when wee stray so away seeyng that God hath inlyghtened vs by his woord and holy spirit and knit vs too our Lord Iesus Christ who is the daysunne of ryghtuousnesse as I haue declared alredie Now hereupon S. Paule telleth vs that we must trye and examin what things please god And this reacheth further than that which he hath sayd for it sheweth vs which is the trew rule which if wee followe wee cannot doo amisse namely too frame our selues according too Gods will. And truely we know that the feare of him is not without cause called the trew wisedome For wherof commeth it that men ouershoote themselues intoo all euill but bycause they forget God and bury the rememberance of his name and maiestie For they that haue God in their myndes shall euer bee restreyned as it were with a brydle Although their
for any trubbles impediments lettes or stoppes that can bee layd in our way Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too touche vs with such repentance as wee may bee sorie for them and rid them away more and more too the strengthening of vs in his feare and in the keeping of his holy commaundementes and the meane season he beare wyth our infyrmities vntill wee bee quyte and cleane rid of them and make vs too profit from day too day in the doctrine that is too wit in the remission of our sinnes vntyll wee come too the perfection of his rightuousnesse and glory And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father The .xxxvi. Sermon which is the fourth vppon the fifth Chapter 11. Haue not too doo vvith the fruitlesse vvoorkes of darkenesse but rather rebuke them 12. For as for the things vvhich they doo in secret it is a shame euen too name them 13. But all thinges are layd open vvhen they bee rebuked by the lyght for the lyght is it that layes all things open 14. VVherfore he sayth awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ vvillinlyghten thee WEe haue seene this morning that although there bee many things in the world too turne vs away from the seruing of God yit must we not therfore swarue as though that myght serue vs for an excuce For there haue bin stumbling blockes in the world at all tymes but the remedie for them is this doctrine that is too wit that Gods children must stande vppon their gard that they corrupt not themselues by companying with the vâ—beleeuers bycause God hath sholed them asunder And it is not ynough for vs not too bee drunkardes whoremongers theeues or murtherers but wee must also shun all manner of euill wheresoeuer it bee In deede wee ought too begin alwayes at our selues for hipocrites will alwayes spye a mote in their neyghbours eye and yit beare a great stone in their owne without feeling it But if wee will bee ryght and sound Iudges let euery man examine himself and begin there in condemning vyces Let vs consider well whether wee our selues bee faultie or no that wee may first and formest make our owne indytement before God by hating the euyll that is in our selues Howbeeit wee must also shewe therwithall that wee loue God better than the world and not maynteyne our selues in fauour and freendship of the wicked by foading them in their faultes and by flattering them And for that cause S. Paule addeth that wee must rather euen rebuke the woorkes which can bring nothing but vtter cursednesse And this serueth not onely too shewe the zeale which wee haue that God should bee honored but also too withdrawe sillie soules that are in the way too destruction and too bring them backe agein intoo the way of saluation Lo heere twoo causes which ought too moue vs too reproue euill The one is that it must irke vs too see God offended and men prouoke his wrath by ouerthrowing the order that he hath set Seeyng then that God is by that meane despyzed and his woord troden vnder foote it ought too greeue vs according too the Psalme where it is sayd that wee ought too receyue too our selues the reproches that are offered too god Also we ought of dewtie too haue a care of those that are redeemed with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. If wee see the soules go too damnation which did cost God so deere and make no reckening of it it is a scorning of the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And euen for that cause also dooth S. Paule tell vs that inasmuch as wee bee separated from euill too the intent wee should not be companions of such as despyze God nor in any wise bee lyke them wee must too the vttermost of our power shew that we hate them to the end that they beyng by that meanes ashamed of their leaudnesse may bee touched with repentance If wee haue once profited so farre it shall bee a great gayne too haue drawen backe a wretched soule that was in the way too destruction And after the same maner speaketh Saint Iames of it exhorting vs too doo it saying The thing that you shall gayne by it is that you shall saue a soule from loozing And although men bee hardened in their sinnes yit is it too great purpose for vs too shew the zeale that we haue of honoring God and that his woord should not bee so impeached nor the order broken which he hath set without declaring that the same displeazeth vs For if a man will bee knowen too bee a good and faythfull subiect he will not suffer any man too speake euill of his Prince without setting of himselfe ageinst him Lykewise that chylde shall bee taken for vnkynd and vnhonest which heareth his father wrougfully â—lamed and defaced and maynteyneth not his honour or honestie Now is not God our souerein prince Yis and although wee bee but wretched woormes of the earth and vyle caryons yit dooeth he the honour vntoo vs too adopt vs for his children Now then if wicked and heathenish folk deface his maiestie and darken his ryghtuousnesse yea and indeuer too plucke his dominion from him and wee dissemble at it is it not too excessiue and intollerable a leaudnesse Therfore let vs mark well what is told vs heere For it standeth vs so much the more on hand too mark this text bycause this vyce hath reigned in the world in all ages namely that according as euery man is more or lesse desyrous too be flatttered so dothe he the easâ—yer beare with other men not after the maner which wee haue seene heertofore which is that wee ought too haue compassion of such as are weake and too vse pacience towards them but cleane contrariwyse that is too wit that wee bee contented too feede the euill and too enter continually into a willing confederacie toogither and too the intent that other men should not sift vs too narrowly in our vyces but let vs alone too doo what wee list wee giue euery man leaue too take lyke libertie too him self And that is the cause why all things are out of order now adayes in the world Agein wee bee loth too prouoke any mans displeazure ageinst vs insomuch that we had leuer betray God and too betray our neyghbours bothe bodie and soule than too vse the libertie that Gods spirit commaundeth vs Wee see a wretched man play the naughtipacke let him follow his owne swindge say wee it maks no matter too vs And why for wee wil not discontent him Agein we see othersome peruert all order of Iustice and infect the whole people and countrie And wee passe it ouer easly without speaking ageinst it And why O I will not bring my self in displeasure with a man of authoritie Let some other bodie leade the daunce and I will willingly say Amen too it And if
vs and yit notwithstanding wee suffer his name too bee blasphemed his maiestie to be bereft and spoyled of al reuerence his woord too bee torne in peeces all order that he hath commaunded too bee broken the Church which is his wyfe too bee corrupted and misuzed and his children too bee intyced too naughtinesse and in the meane whyle wee play mum bowget I would fayne knowe of you whether such silence doo not sufficiently shew that wee bee not woorthie too eate one bit of bread nor too bee counted in the number of earth woormes Lyce Cimies and other of the vylest and filthyest things of the world Therefore let vs thinke well vppon it that wee shal bee found giltie of the despyzing of Gods maiestie as wee see bycause wee rebuke not mens vyces That is a cause why the wicked and heathenish sort waxe the bolder and thinke the world to runne on wheeles on their syde and tryumph in their despyzing of God after that fashyon it commeth partly of our silence And that is the thing which S. Paule ment too shewe vs heere It followeth moreouer that the wretched soules whom our Lord Iesus Christ hath bought so deerly that he spared not himself to haue saued them doo perish and are giuen intoo Satans possession through our sufferance and in the meane whyle wee make none account at all of it Now then doo wee not therein bewray that wee haue not so much as one drop of charitie in vs Yis and that is the cause why I sayde that in so dooing wee bee traytours too God and too our neyghbours For when wee haue no better zeale towards Gods name nor better care of our neyghbours welfare doth not the world see euery way that wee bee full of crueltie and vnkyndnesse Of crueltie I meane towardes men in that wee suffer them too perish euen knowing it and looking vppon it and of vnkyndnesse towardes God bycause wee yeeld him not such honour as he deserueth when wee haue not the corage too shewe that at leastwyse wee mislyke that men should so derogate Gods authortie and the reuerence which they owe too him Therefore whensoeuer wee bee afrayd too prouoke mens displeazure or too purchace their ill will let vs thinke vppon the thing that is told vs heere namely that wee ought at leastwyse too feare the Lord whose wee bee and that seeyng wee bee fed at his cost wee must not abyde too see such leaudnesse committed ageinst him without shewing as much as is possible and too the vttermost of our power and abilitie that wee doo vtterly abhorre such things I say as farre as wee can for some tymes our mouthes shall bee so shet as wee shall bee able too doo no more but sigh and lament at such vtter disorder when men become lyke diuels that are let looce in flinging out intoo furiousnesse ageinst God and they that beare the swoord seeke nothing but too make a confuzed medly too the intent that all goodnesse may be forgottē For then as I sayd we haue none other remedie but too bee sorie for it according as it is sayd of Loth that it greeued his hart too bee in Sodome Therefore let vs not forbeare but let euery of vs prouoke himselfe too greefe and sorowe when wee see things so out of order and let vs gyue recorde of it as farre as it may doo good Agein if there be any hope for vs to win those that are so vnruly let vs continually assay too draw them too repentance yea let vs streyne our selues too it For many men alledge this prouerbe too lyghtly that a man must not cast perles among swyne And they beare them selues on hand that men are swyne before they haue tryed what they bee Though they haue bin of lyght behauiour yea or euen looce and lawlesse so as the diuell hath after a sort caryed them away yit must wee labour too win them agein and haue good hope of it according too Saint Paules saying that Charitie hopeth well of all things So then vntill such tyme as men shewe themselues vtterly wilfull in euil and that their diseases appeere too bee vtterly vncurable let vs indeuer too bee good Phisitions too them by the aduyzements that God shall put intoo our mouth And so yee see what S. Paule intended in saying that the vnbeleeuers thinke themselues too bee hidden when they bee not perceyued nor rebuked and that when they bee let go at rouers they bee as it were in the darke and theruppon conceyue the more boldnesse too doo wickedly But wee bee partly the cause of it and we cannot wash our handes of it for God setteth vs in his roome in that behalfe and giueth vs his woord which hath authoritie too condemne euyll and yit notwithstanding all is suppressed and thrust vnder foote Marke that for one poynt But on the contrarie part when the wickeddest men in the world bee rebuked then perceyue they their shame whereas before they discerned not whyte from blacke And why For if a man bee in the darke he seeth nothing at all but staggereth and stumbleth and though he bee neuer so much berayed yit he perceyueth it not Therfore when Gods woord is set afore men and we shewe offenders their faultes with such libertie as is requisite it is as much as if wee shewed them a glasse and sayd too them See what thou art thou art as fowle and filthie as may bee art thou not ashamed too see thy selfe go washe thy muzzle So then warnings will alwayes win thus much howbeeit not alyke with all men for as I sayde afore many are hardened so as Satan possesseth them and God hath giuen them vp too such a wilfull stubborne mynd that they bee past all shame Neuerthelesse whensoeuer any faythfull man dooth his dewtie it wyll alwayes doo good and some profit will come of it insomuch that they which were erst as wood beastes or as wyld bullockes will returne and a man shall see some honestie in them Therefore let vs win that poynt if it bee possible for vs or at leastwyse let vs streyne our selues too win it And so yee see what we haue too gather vpon those wordes of Saint Paule Now as touching the woord Rebuke it signifyeth properly too discouer the thing that was hyd And he allotteth this office vntoo preaching according wheruntoo he taunteth the vaynglorie that reigned in the Churche of Corinth for their speaking with straunge tungs too the intent too bee commended and that men myght say of him This man is a greate Clerk this man can speake all languages and yit in the meane whyle there was no edifying at all Lykewyse in these dayes in the popedome the Organes are pyping at one syde and there is chaunting of fower parts on the other syde and there is such store of gewgawes that the simyle people are rauished but neuer a whit edifyed But Saint Paule sayeth that when wee bee come togither in the name of God wee must
trew schollers wee may distrust our selues and not go seeke fyue feete in one sheepe as they say but handle the holy scriptures with such reuerence as God may guyde vs too the trew vnderstanding of it by his holy spirit But now let vs come too Saint Paules intent It is certeine that he alledgeth the record of Moyses too shewe that the 〈…〉 beare with his wyfe as with a portion of his owne boâ—ie and the one half of his owne person 〈…〉 them The cause then why Eue was shaped of one of Adams ribbes is that God ment to stablish such a concord betweene man and wyfe by that meane as there should bee no bond in the world so streyt as that For the chyld ought in deede too honour his father for he is his seede and he is his blud but yit is the bond of wedlocke preferred before it And by whom It commeth not of mens lyking but according as Adam had spoken and as God had pronounced the sentence so is it an inuiolable order that man should bee knit vntoo his wyfe yea and that in such wyse that if he should needs forsake the one or the other his father should not bee so neere him as his wyfe Yit is not this as much too say as that God ment too breake that yoke and too giue children leaue too bee stubborne ageinst their fathers and moothers when they bee once maryed God chaungeth not any whit of the things that he hath ordeyned Therfore he that hath a father or moother alyue ought too bee still subiect too them without ceassing of from dooing his dewtie according as the scripture sheweth and as nature also teacheth euery man too doo For wee haue it ingrauen in vs and wee cannot wype it out Thus yee see that maryed folks ceasse not too bee alwayes subiect too their fathers and moothers But heere the cace standeth vppon the comparing of the one with the other as if he should say If a yong man should forsake his father haue him in any contempt or disâ—eine or be stubborne ageinst him or yeeld him no reuerence would not the world say hee were a monster Now if God haue commaunded in his lawe that stubborne and disobedient children should bee stoned and that men should roote such villanie out of the world what a thing is it when a man shall forsake his wyfe or the wyfe hir husband Surely it is an outrageous cryme Then if it be intollerable that the chyld should ryze vp ageinst his father No doubt but the bond of wedlocke is yiâ— much holyer and more expresly commended too vs of god Seeing it is so it standeth euery man on hand too looke that he discharge his dewtie For if a woman haue a froward head of hir owne so as shee must bee brawling euery minute of an houre and wil not be subiect to hir husband also if the husband be churlish cruell so as he disdeyneth his wyfe it is not a doing of wrong to a humane creature but to God who is the author of mariage hath ordeined it with such condition as we heare of here And so ye see what we haue to remember vpoÌ„ the first part of this text But this extendeth yit further that is too wit that euery man should loue those that are alyed too him by meanes of god As for example a man hauing no more but his wyfe is bound notwithstanding too acknowledge that God hath vnited vs all toogither And when he created Eue the moother of all men out of Adams syde it was too the end that the same should extend euerywhere and that wee should knowe that he will haue vs to liue in such concord as none of vs should for all that separate our selues from other No man then ought too bee so cruell as too say Tush shee is not my wyfe But wee must consider that forasmuch as it is our Lords will that there should bee a generall concord among all men and that euery man should think him self bound too his neyghbours it is as though mankynd were compounded of twoo sortes so as there were both malekynd and femalekynd Then are wee all bound one too another Trew it is that matrimony as I sayd is reserued by it self but yit for all that men are bound towards women too succour them seeing that our Lord hath shewed it by deede euen in the first creation And women also must behaue themselues soberly among men although they bee not their husbands Also there is further that they shal bee twoo in one flesh Heerby our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth vs that the man which is maryed ought too hold him self contented with his owne wyfe and the woman lykewyse rest wholly vppon hir husband so as they let not their lusts raundge abrode nor giue themselues the brydle to chaunge any thing in the order which our Lord hath set and will haue too stand in force to the worlds end Men haue so passed their bounds in all ages that they haue forgotten both kynd and all kyndnesse And they haue not onely despyzed God and his woorde but also forgotten with what condition they were created in the worlde and they knewe not euen that which naturall reason could haue shewed them And they had not come too that poynt if they had not bin doted in their lusts lyke woode beasts And surely there is no such rage as the reigning of inordinate lusts in our flesh when they bee not repressed by the feare of god Thereof it came that in many countries it was lawfull for men too haue three or foure wyues a peece as it is permitted still at this day among the Turks The Iewes also notwithstanding that they had the Lawe of Moyses did put away their wyues for euery small occasioâ— that came in their heades If a woman were not fayre ynough or if shee were not rich ynough by and by shee was diuorced Trew it is that our Lord had prouyded for it howbeeit but halfe And in deede our Lord Iesus Christ declareth that God had a regard of the hard hartednesse of that people which was past amendment or taming Therefore when any of them listed too put away his wyfe he was bound too giue hir a Testimoniall that shee was no harlot but that shee lyked him not and he choze rather too susteyn that shame than to keepe the fayth of mariage For in putting away his wyfe after he had plyghted hir his fayth too liue and dye with hir he shewed himselfe forsworne and vnfaythfull Therefore it was a reproch too them too put away theyr wyues after that sort But yit for all that diuorces were common And our Lord Iesus sayth that in so dooyng the Iewes were backestyders from the lawe of God and therfore he telleth them it was not so from the beginning They tooke that libertie on that it was sayd that he which found not himselfe well at ease with his wyfe should giue hir leaue too depart But
before God bycause all things that beare a great glosse and countenance too the world doo vanish away when they come before the souerein iudge On the other syde also heere followeth that which is sayd in another text namely that they which are faynt harted must bee comforted for else they myght quayle bycause it would seeme too them that God regardeth them not I speake of such as are despyzed too the worldward Therefore it must bee told them that God hath not forgotten them though it bee his will too keepe them lowe for aâ—yme It behoueth euery of vs too apply this too his owne vse according too the state that God shall haue set vs in For when wee bee trubbled wrongfully when men make none account of vs when men shake vs of if wee imagin that God hath giuen vs ouer too wee cannot call vppon him And on the other syde also wee cannot serue him with a free hart bycause wee thinke it is but labour lost too no purpose Therfore when we be assayled with such temptation let vs call this lesson too rememberance which is that though wee bee now afflicted in this world and men laugh vs too scorne and spit in our faces and too bee short though wee indure all the reproche that can bee yit wee fayle not for all that too bee in the safe keeping of our God bycause he esteemeth vs setteth store by vs and will in the end shewe that he dooth so insomuch that although wee linger and pyne away and he withhold himselfe as it were hidden from vs and a man myght deeme according too naturall vnderstanding that wee bee as yee would say razed out of his rememberance yit neuerthelesse after he hath hild vs vnder for a whyle and tryed our humilitie obedience wee shall fynd that our walking faythfully and vncorruptly in his feare shal bee admitted in our account in the end and that we haue not labored for mooneshyne of the water as they say That is the thing in effect which we must beare in mynd when the great personages of the world exalt themselues in their pryde and are able to trample vs vnder their feete Howbeeit let all such as haue superioritie ouer others aduyze themselues well and consider that God hath not giuen them the brydle without reseruing his owne ryght too himselfe but that both great and small must bee fayne too appeere before his iudgment seate and there there wil be no accepting of persons Wherfore let such as are riche let such as are in authoritie let such as haue any aduantage aboue their neyghbours remember wel this saying that there is no accepting of persons before God but that although that in this world one man goes before another followes after yit when the Trumpet soundeth so as wee must all come before the great Iudge then there shal bee no more any such difference And for the same cause are euen Kings and Princes brought too that poynt and too that consideration in the Psalme where it is sayd Yee bee Gods and yee bee children of the hyghest which is bycause God hath ordeyned theÌ„ to be as his leeutenants and set them in hygh degree Trew it is that this must stand in force for a tyme but yit shall yee dye as men sayeth he and as any one of the common people and then shall yee bee driuen too knowe that yee were but mortall men For all these great and gay shewes shall then bee layd awater And of a truth the setting downe of the woord Person ought too put vs well in mynd that they bee but temporall things and that wee cannot bring any of them with vs before God as though they were our owne Trew it is thaâ— in our common speech we take the woord Person it another sense for we call a man or a woman a person But when the Scripture speakes of it it meaneth all things that are without vs as riches states offices nobilitie great birth and all things that men possesse in this world and whereof they may also bee bereft Therefore when it is sayd that there is no accepting of persons before God it is as much too saye as he will iudge vs simply as mortall men and as brittle and frayle creatures and that wee cannot sheeld our selues with one thing or other insomuch that the richest cannot bring their treasures landes and possessions with them to aduaunce themselues with them aboue others They that haue bin in any great dignitie shall not say how so Euery man trembled vnder mee Such geere shall bee nothing woorth afore god All the greatnesse and all the authoritie of the world will serue too no purpose but euery man shall be taken as a chyld of Adam So then let such as haue any occasion too exalt themselues beare well in mynd that all the thinges which haue any gloriousnesse too the worldward and are esteemed and had in reputation shall fade away lyke smoke and bee consumed too nothing when wee come too bee iudged of our god And therefore let all men both great and small lyue in humblenesse and trust And that is the câ—â—se why Saint Iames sayth let him that is small glory in his hyghnesse Why so Bycause God hath adopted vs too his children and although wee bee but poore earthwoormes and euen men themselues account vs as filth and dung yit hath God voutsafed too print his marke in vs that wee myght bee knowen too be his children and that he hath giuen vs leaue to call vpon him as our father with full mouth Therefore wee haue iust cause too glory notwithstanding that wee be of lowe degree For wee haue a hyghnesse whereby God exalteth vs aboue all the world And on the contrary part Saint Iames sayeth that he which is great must glory in his lowenesse For wheras the vnbeleeuers are so bewitched with pryde that they despyze God and as I sayd afore doo beare themselues on hand that they bee exempted from all lawe and that their state is set alone by it selfe from all the rest of the world the beleeuers must vnderstand that all the dignitie and excellencie in the world serueth but for a tyme and passeth away and that when wee come before God wee shall haue nother one thing nor other to clothe our selues withall Too bee short the things which the scripture calleth Persons are as apparels and clothings Let vs take this similitude If he that is richly apparelled thinke too scape from God vnder colour that he gazeth at his owne gay fethers and that the world woondereth too beholde him he deceyueth himself very much For all those things must bee layd asyde when God calleth vs too iudgement Agein the poore folke that scarsely haue wherwith too couer halfe their body yea and that but with a fewe ragges and torne cloutes must not thinke themselues the lesse esteemed of God for all that For there shall bee no more persons that is too say
doone this or that And in deede wee bee not as timber logs and therfore wee doo good Yea but yit must wee vnderstand that this woorking commeth from elswhere than of our selues and there lyeth the knot of the cace Then if it bee demaunded whether men can doo good or no yea but not of themselues nor of their owne selfmouing or of their owne kynd but only bycause they bee guyded by the holie Ghoste If it bee demaunded whethr men can doo euill yea they bee giuen wholy too it it is their common byasse So then men doo euill of themselues and the roote of it remayneth in them and the blame of it is ryghtly imputed vntoo them and they must not fetch wyndlasses aboue nor beneath too fynd tryflyng shiftes Whosoeuer hath doone euill shall abyde alwayes in his condemnation but let vs consider well that God woorketh in vs when wee doo good and the prayse thereof ought of ryght too bee giuen too him Howbeeit although there bee nothing in vs nor on our syde when wee serue God yit notwithstanding S. Paule exhorteth vs not in vayne in saying that wee must bee strengthened in God. For wee must not bee lazie as he speaketh of it in another place where he sayth woorke your saluation in feare and trembling for it is God that giueth both wyll and the abilitie too performe it and all according too his good pleasure freely and of his owne mercy This saying seemeth straunge at the first blush when S. Paule wylleth vs too woorke our saluation For is that in vs No But he correcteth that which myght bee conceyued through presumption and ouerweening by saying that it must bee done with trembling and that wee must walke in feare that is too say wee must distrust our selues yea and bee vtterly abashed assuring our selues that wee cannot stirre one of our little â—â—ngers no nor thinke one good thought as he sayeth in another place except God giue it vs from aboue And afterward which confirmeth this matter yit better he addeth for a conclusion that God giueth both the wyll and the performance of the wyll Then is it God that dooeth all and yit ceasse not wee too doo also yea but that is by him and of him as I haue declared already Too bee short the holy Scripture sayeth not that God doth renew vs and that when wee bee begotten agein by his holy spirit wee begin too haue a good mynd and too bee well inclyned too the intent wee should bee slothfull and ydle but too the intent that God should bee glorifyed and wee not imagin our selues too bee the woorkers of our owne saluation but yeeld him the honour of all the good that he hath put intoo vs Howsoeuer the world go yit must wee bee watchfull that is too saye wee must keepe good watch ageinst the diuell and indeuer too giue our selues too goodnesse so as euery of vs inforce our selues for wee must imprizon our owne wit and wicked will too make them obedient too God but yit must all bee acknowledged too bee of him His adding of these woordes of the myghtye povver of God is too make vs ouercome all distrust for wee see wee bee geuen too bee out of hart insomuch that if wee cannot compasse the thinges as wee would which he commaundeth vs wee conclude that in the end wee must needes quayle But contrarywyse Saint Paule sayeth that God will vtter a myghty and victorious power according as it is sayd that he which is on our syde is stronger than all the world Seeing then that God taketh our part and vpholdeth vs with his power let vs not feare too bee surpryzed by Satan and all that euer hee can deuyze ageinst vs but that whatsoeuer distresses betyde vs in the end wee shall ouercome all euen by resting vppon Gods inuincible power And of a truth God perfecteth his power in our weaknesse that is too say he woorketh not in such wyse but that in the meane 〈◊〉 go limping and are plukt backe and stumble and step manâ—â—â—â— pace awry and now and then start out of the way Yee see then that our Lordes assisting of vs with his holy spirit is in such wyse as he holdeth vs styll in awe too giue vs occasiâ—n too humble our selues Our weaknesse therfore is mingled with the strength of Gods assistence and that is too the end wee should knowe what neede wee haue too call vppon him and too flee too him for refuge For wee bee redye ynough of our selues too barken Gods glory And therefore God is fayne too waken vs and too say vntoo vs wretched Creatures should yee not bee forlorne a hundred thousand tymes if I hild yee not by the hand â–ª Now then our Lordes leaniâ—g of infirmities in vs is too drawe vs too him and too subdew vs too meeknesse that wee may haue matter too prayse him for in that he suffereth not our falles too bee deadly and agein that wee should seeke him euery minute of an houre knowing that if he helped vs not vp agein and hild vs on our feete wee should perish without any mercye That then is the cause why that vntoo Paules former saying wee must also ioyne this sentence that God doth in deede leaue some weaknesse in vs as long as wee lyue in this world but yit ceasseth not too vtter his inuincible power in making vs too get the vpper hand and that wee must dwell vppon this concluzion that when Satan hath wrought the vttermost that he can yit must wee marche on neuerthelesse and keepe our way too our iournyes end And why â–ª For it is not onely sayd that God will humble vs and that he will haue pitye vppon vs but also that his power shal shewe it selfe in succoring vs and that not with a single and common operation but with a myghtye power that is too say with a power that shall ouercome all the lettes of the world Now then wee see what diuersitie there is betweene the doctrine of the Papistes and the doctrine that we follow which is grounded vppon the holy Scripture For these blynd wretches say they can woorke woonders by their freewill In deede they will giue some little snippet vntoo God saying that he supplyeth their wantes bycause they bee inclined too euill and too vyce but that they bee restreyned by him God therefore is as a pretie fellowe too help them at a dead lift but in the meane whyle it is their owne freewill and their naturall power that beares all the sway But when they haue made the vttermost of their owne strength yit doo men dwell alwayes in doubt if they happeÌ„ to hold their own one houre by and by they slumble and can neuer get vp agein But contrariwyse wee hold opinion that man must bee vtterly beaten downe as wee bee taught by the holy Ghost so as wee may not haue one drop of power resident in our selues but bee vtterly emptied Are wee once at that poynt Our Lord
sheweth vs the remedye If wee repayre too him and acknowledge our wantes and bee redy too beg so as wee haue our mouthes open and bee not puâ—t vp with mynd but rather vtterly emptye then dooth our Lord assure vs that he will not fayle vs and wee shall haue whereof too presume howbeeit not after the manner of the Papistes who make their bragsâ— and aferwarde come short of theyr reckening and are put too vtter shame On our part when wee haue acknowledged that nothing wee bee nor nothing can doo wee resort vntoo God too glory ageinst Satan and ageinst all the assaultes that he giueth vppon vs and ageinst all the munitions of hel and ageinst all the impedimentes and temptations in the worlde Thus yee see how wee ought too put this lesson of Saint Paules in vre After he hath spoken so of the myghtye power of God now he addeth that vvee must arme our selues vvith his complet Harnesse As if he should say that it is long of none but our selues that wee bee not wel armed and weaponed too ouercome all Satans assaultes and that our owne negligence is the cause that wee bee so often vanquished aâ—d foyled And why For God not only promiseth to succour vs by his power and that in such measure as wee shall get the vpper hand but also putteth meanes intoo our handes and armeth vs and yit notwithstanding wee hang vp our armour vppon the wall And is it any maruell if wee bee taken vnwares or bee vnable too resist at the pinch when wee hold scorne too vse the meanes that God offereth vs and are so neere our hand Now what is this armour Saint Paule will shewe it in dew place as now let it suffize vs too knowe his intent Then whereas it is sayd that wee must bee armed with Gods complet harnesse it is too rebuke and quicken vp our rechlesnesse in letting the things alone which he offereth vs In deede wee will lyke well if a man tell vs that God is redye and foreward too succour vs and that we neede not too doubt of victorie ageinst all our enemies so long as he is on our syde we accept this geere willingly but in the meane whyle wee bee contented too sit styll and it is not for vs too incounter our enemie for he is farre too strong for vs But yit must wee in this cace incounter hand too hand and wee would that Gods armours should lye styll and bee prepared for vs without vsing of them For this cause are wee commaunded too put them on that is too say too apylye them too our vse sith our staâ—e is such as wee must maynteyne battell and it pleaseth God that wee should bee so armed and that the diuell should not come vppon vs vnprouded And Saint Paule not onely vseth the woord Armor or Harnesse but also addeth all the furniture as if he should say wee must bee armed from top too toe And that shal be set foorth particularly yit better heerafter Howbeeit his meaning in this text is that our vnthankfulnesse is knowen so much the more in that God armeth vs at all poyntes so as nothing is missing except the fault bee in our selues In deede wee will not sticke too put on some part of the armour that God giueth vs howbeeit it is but as if one man should clap on his Morion for a countenance take nother Target nor Corselet nor any thing else and another catch vp his swoord and the third his halberd in the meane whyle euery of them want many other things that they should haue neede of So wee perhaps apply some part of Gods armour too our vse that is too say wee will not vtterly reiect or refuze all the grace that he offereth vs But there is none of vs all that armeth himselfe as he should doo that is too say which is fenced with all the vertues that God giueth him For it is certein that both from the ryght hand and from the left from aboue and from beneathe God ordeyneth meanes for vs too fyght withall which are sufficient so wee despyze them not but vpon knowledge of our want receiue the things which he giueth vs so liberally And too the intent wee should bee the more prouoked too arme our selues and too receyue the helpes that God giueth vs S. Paule addeth That yee may vvithstand all the assaultes of the Dâ—uell Heere he confirmeth the matter that I spake of afore that is too wit that wee cannot serue God at our owne ease as though there were nothing too let vs as a man may go too his woorke all day long and it shall go foreward quietly bycause he is not distrubbled But it is not so in the obedience which the faythfull should yeeld too their god And why The diuell ceasseth not too trubble them and too woorke them a thousand spytes and incomberances Therefore if wee desyre too walke in the feare of our God wee must bee armed that â—ee may bee ready too battell for our enemye wyll neuer let vs rest And for that cause Saint Paule setteth downe many assaultes of Satan As if he should say Satans assayling of vs too bring vs too wickednesse is not for once or twyce and away but he maynteyneth a continuall battell and when he hath giuen vs oâ—e alarum on the one syde he commes about agein on the other insomuch that besydes our owne inforcing and strengthening of our selues wee haue neede of armour too repulse our enemy on which syde soeuer he assayle vs. And agein he amplyfyeth it yit better saying that our fyghting is not only ageinst flesh and blud but also ageinst the powers and principalâ—ties of the aire ageinst the Lords of the world and ageinst wicked Spirits which fyght from heauen ageinst vs Commonly when wee haue too doo with an enemy that is not greatly able too anoy vs so as wee feare not that he can doo vs any harme wee despyze him and that is oftentymes a cause that such as yee would esteeme too bee the valeantest in the world doo come short home And why Bycause they despyzed their enemye But Saint Paule telleth vs we haue to do with other maner of wyghts than mortall men and yit wee feare them not If a man hate vs although he bee not of any great abilitie Yit haue wee a flea in our eare as they say and wee think it wisdome too preuent the things that our enemie can practyze ageinst vs But specially if our enemyes be myghtie and strong and wee vnable too stand ageinst them and too repulse them then are wee as much amazed as may be yit they be but mortall men as wee be Howbeit S. Paul tels vs we haue not to fyght ageinst mortal meÌ„ but ageinst enemies that doo farre passe theÌ„ And for that cause doth he cal them powers and principalities giuing them authoritie as though they had the ouer hand of vs alredye If wee were too fyght with an enemye that were
them all And that is the cause why he sayeth that our fyghting is not ageinst flesh and blud By these woordes he dooth vs too vnderstand that wee haue not too stand ageinst mortall men onely It is trewe that men shall oftentymes bid vs battell yea and they shal bee Satans vnderlings too torment vs But that is not the thing that we must sticke at For the diuel serues his turne by them too driue vs too despayre or too prouoke vs too reuengment and too make vs grudge ageinst god Howsoeuer the cace stand the wicked doo neuer trubble vs but they bee egged too it by another that is too say by Satan who ruleth them and is their head and setteth them a woorke too the endes aforesayd Therefore if wee sticke vppon men wee forget the principall after the manner of Dogges who if a man doo cast a stone at them fall too byting of the stone too wreake themselues and regard not the hand that threw it Euen so are wee vnpurueyed of wit when wee thinke our stryuing is but only with men and in the meane whyle thinke not vppon our inuisible enemye Wherfore let vs bethinke vs well of the thing that Saint Paule telles vs heere namely that Satan is the cheef enemye that wee haue yea and that it is he whom we must withstand and although he use diuerse meanes to vexe vs and to turne vs away froÌ„ the feare of God yit must wee alwayes haue our eye vppon him that we may beware of him Agein a man myght thinke it straunge that Saint Paule should say that the diuelles are the principalities of the aire the lordshippes and powers of heauen and the princes of the world for a man would deeme that he matcheth them ageinst god Now although some Heretikes in olde tyme haue abuzed this place intending too haue made as it were twoo beginnings so as God should bee letted too maynteyne himselfe ageinst Satan and too defend those whom be hath taken intoo his protection yit notwithstanding if wee haue an eye too Saint Paules intent this question wil bee easly resolued And why For heere is no talke of any power that the diuell should haue as it were in despyte of God too aduaunce himselfe ageinst him for wee must rather stand fully resolued of this poynt that the diuell is the executer of Gods iudgmentes and cannot attempt any thing more then is graunted and permitted him If there were no more but this text of the first chapter of Iob where the diuell appeered with the Angelles who are named there the children of God to get leaue too doo mischeef it ought too satisfie vs throughly Trew it is that he seeketh nothing else but too peruert and confound all things But yit for all that God holdeth him brydled and executeth what he thinks good by his meanes insomuch that when the diuelles haue deuyzed what they caÌ„ yit can they not attempt any thing without Gods leaue yea and except he haue ordeyned it and giuen them expresse charge to doo this or that Yit notwithstanding it is not for nought that S. Paule nameth them the powers and principalities of the aire for all this dependeth vppon the things that he will speake anon concerning the darkenesse of the world But that the diuelles should haue superioritie ouer mankynd which is shaped after the image of God were ageinst all reason yea if wee had continued in our soundnesse Had wee hild out in the state wherein God created our father Adam it is certeyne that the diuell should not haue had any aduauntage ouer vs But forasmuch as wee bee now ouerwhelmed with darkenesse and become thralles of our owne nature therefore the diuell is named the Prince of the world Wherfore let vs marke well that Saint Paule hauing so aduaunced the power of the diuell sheweth vs from whence all of it proceedeth and what is the welspring of it too the intent wee should not thinke that the diuell hath the reynes of the brydle looce on his necke so as hee should bee able too doo what he listeth and God vnable too let him Too the intent then that wee should not imagin that Gods souerein dominion is abated by any power of the diuelles Saint Paule sayth that their power proceedeth of this that this world is in darkenesse Trew it is that the Sunne shyneth vppon vs and the Moone also but yit for all that wee ceasse not too bee plunged in the dungeon of death and too bee blynd wretches bycause wee bee banished from the lyght of lyfe which is in god Inasmuch then as wee bee destitute of the knowledge of him that made and fashyoned all things and haue our wittes intangled in all naughâ—inesse and our reason is vtterly peruerted therefore dooth Satan reigne ouer vs And so the question is dissolued which myght haue bin demaunded namely how the diuelles are named the princes of the aire and haue such scope in this world which God hath created That commeth not of the originall order of nature as I haue declared alredye but of the corruption that is happened through the fall of man Howsoeuer the cace stand the diuels haue such power ouer vs as wee could not tel how to withstand them vnlesse God were both our sheeld and our wal and serued our turne at al assayes yea and fought for vs at such tyme as wee can doo nothing at all I say wee must mark well that and also beate downe the foolishe presumption which is so rooted in our harts as it is ryght hard for vs too weede it out For wee see how men doo alwayes vaunt themselues and woulde make themselues as Idols But how speaks the scripture of them It calleth them the diuells slaues So long then as wee haue not Iesus Christ for our king and his seate is vnset vp among vs by reason of Adams fall the diuell must needes bee our Prince and haue all authoritie ouer vs and wee bee subiect vntoo him Now let men make as greate brauerie as they list and chalendge this and that too themselues and yit notwithstanding the thing that the holie Ghost hath spoken must continew soothfast For vnrepealable is the definitiue sentence that is giuen heere that is too wit that the diuel is our prince and wee his subiects hild downe vnder his thraldome vntill wee bee set free by our Lord Iesus Christ according too this saying in the eyght of Saint Iohn that it is he which maketh vs free too the ende wee shoulde depart out of the cursed tyrannie and bondage of Satan Now seeing wee bee as wretched folk ouerthrowen and the diuell is ouer our heads and hath gotten the vpper hand of vs alredye if wee bee not reskewed after a woonderfull maner there is good cause why wee should stoope as I declared alredye this morning and distrust the strength that wee surmyze our selues too haue of our owne for it is nothing else than deceytfulnesse Also there is wherwith too quicken
our Lord Iesus Christ and our lampes bee burning in our hands that wee may see the way by the lyght that is giuen vs in our Lord Iesus Christ who not without cause is named the lyght of the world Agein let vs withdrawe our selues from this spirituall drunkennes which turneth the vnbeleeuers away from the kingdome of heauen and holdeth them downe heere beneath vntill they bee come vntoo finall destruction Therfore let vs mark wel that wee cannot profit well by the Gospell vntill wee bee put in redinesse that is too say vntill as neede is we be weeded out from all these things here belowe and our Lord haue so dispozed vs too him self as our only trauell may bee too come alwayes forewarder and neerer vntoo him vntill wee bee gone out of this world and bee also quyte rid and set looce from all the bonds of Satan and from all the meanes that he hath too hinder vs If wee knowe this once wee shall haue profited well for one day But Saint Paule addeth one other tytle too the Gospell which serueth too make vs the more in loue with it saying that it is the Gospell of peace And therby he giueth vs corage to fyght as if he should say my freends it is trew that your enemies are myghtie and will giue you hard skirmishes insomuch that yee should not bee able too withstand them but yee should bee ouerthrowen a hundred thousand tymes in an houre if God ayded you not Neuerthelesse if yee refuze not the succour that God giueth you but rather make it effectuall by inforcing your selues to withstand all euill yee shall haue peace in the middes of warre And why For the Gospell bringeth alwayes that benefyte with it Now it is much when wee can fyght without being afrayd For wee see in what taking they bee from tyme to time which are out of quiet there is nother counsell nor aduyce in them they bee quyte out of hart and too bee short the trubble dooth alwayes dismay them But yit is it trew that we must haue a care with vs as hath bin sayd afore For if wee bee rechelesse we shal bee ouerraught by and by Howbeeit this Care is no let or impediment but that we may enter intoo the battell freely with a stedie and well settled mynd forasmuch as God is on our syde and will vtter his myghtie power in our defence This is the thing that ought too make vs quiet so as no such feare attache vs as may make vs too turne head or disfurnish vs of aduyce but that the more wee bee pinched the more we may flee vntoo God praying him too succour vs and too prouyde for all our needs which he knoweth much better than wee our selues doo Now then wee see what Saint Paules meaning is when he wil haue vs too bee shod with the Gospell It is not too holde vs in this world but rather that wee should bee in a redinesse too trauell freely towards the kingdome of heauen and moreouer haue a quiet mynd too serue God trusting assuredly that notwithstaÌ„ding all the trubbles which we haue too indure yit wee shal not perish For he assureth vs not only too succour vs in some one assault but too continew with vs vntoo the end euen till he haue deliuered vs from al the greefs and trubbles which wee susteyne at this day There is further that vvee must aboue all things take the Sheeld or Buckler of fayth and the spirituall Svvoord vvhich is Gods vvoord As touching this Sheeld he setteth downe that by meanes thereof wee may beate backe the burning or fyrie dartes which the enemye whoorleth at vs It should seeme that Saint Paule vseth here a needlesse speech in putting Gods woord and fayth asunder and that he should not set downe twoo things which are but one For fayth is nothing of it selfe furtherfoorth than it is grounded vpon Gods woord and Gods woord also aduauntageth vs not except wee receyue it by fayth But his distinguishing of these twoo things which notwithstanding go ioyntly toogither was for the easyer declaring of them And he setteth fayth for the buckler too the end sayeth he that wee should therewith ward all the dartes of our enemye Yit agein he sheweth vs that of our owne power wee bee not able too warde the blowes that Satan can giue vs but that they would be deadly For he thinkes it not ynough too say simply too ward the blowes or assaultes but he sayth the dartes Now men see that one shall sooner â—ee hit vnwares with dartes than with speares or swoordes lyke as now adayes a man shall sooner bee hit with a Hargabusse or with a dubble Canon than with a swoord that is swindged before ones face and which he may more easly shun Saint Paule therefore setteth downe the diuelles dartes lyke as he had erst set downe his wyles Now then let vs marke that Satan not onely vseth force but also myght wound vs too death by suttle meanes if wee were not fenced by fayth For as is sayd elsewhere it behoueth vs too knowe his whyles and without wee doo so wee can neuer withstand him He is the father of lying and besydes that hath such store of wyles as none can haue more too beguyle vs and too intrappe vs Therefore let vs receyue these warnings that wee may bee the more waking too apply the promises too our behoof which are giuen vs in Gods woord And he setteth downe Fyrie Dartes too shewe that his woundes should be deadly As I sayd afore if God did not set his power afore vs and defend vs and preserue vs therby Now wee see what the force of fayth is Now looke how much is attributed too fayth so much is taken away from men For fayth borroweth all things of Gods mere grace and liberalitie Therfore let vs marke that in this text Saint Paule ment too humble vs and too shewe vs that God must bee fayne too prouyde vs of all things belonging and requysyte too our victorye And therefore whosoeuer make themselues sheeldes of any of all the other bulwarkes that can be deuyzed too repulse Satan withall they shall haue but a spyders web as they say and Satan will but sport him at their presumption insomuch that when they weene they haue all the mountaynes of the world too fortifye them it shall profit them nothing at all at their neede Wherfore let vs learne too make fayth our bucklar that is too say when wee mynd too enter intoo the battell and too hold out in it let vs consider that God is our father bycause he hath elected and chozen vs for his children of his owne infinite goodnesse Seeing he hath assured vs that he will alwayes be on our syde and that he is greater than all the world and that he hath put vs in good and safe keeping by ordeyning our Lord Iesus Christ too bee our Shepherd let vs gather all those promises toogither and make a sheeld of
towardes vs if wee herken too his voyce and rest wholly vppon him not doubting but that he will preserue vs so as wee shall bee safe vnder his protection as he himself protesteth saying that he will receyue all that are giuen him of God his father and so keepe them when he hath receyued them as none of them shall perish but he will rayze him vp agein at the last day Now let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs perceiue them more and more that our miseries may driue vs to seeke the good things that he offereth vs euen with trew singlenesse of fayth and that we may not wander here there in our owne fond speculations and gazes but abyde so settled vppon his word as it may bee our only leaning stocke and take such roote in our hartes as it may not only make vs too walke in all purenesse before him and too â—eeke his mercie in the person of his only sonne but also make vs to liue vprightly and indifferently one with another and that we may so profit therin as wee may abhorre al the abuses of the world assuring our selues that seeing wee haue Iesus Christ for our guyde wee cannot fayle to come thither as he is ascended alredy in our behalf that is too wit too the euerlasting heritage which he hath purchased for vs according as it is his will that wee beeing made his fellowheires should in the end come too the same perfection wherintoo he is gone afore vs That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also to all people c. The .xxi. Sermon which is the sixth vppon the third Chapter and the first vppon the fourth 20. Novv vntoo him that is able too doo most abundantly aboue all things that wee aske or thinke according too the power that vvorketh in vs 21. Bee prayse in the Church through Iesus Christ throughout all generations for euer more Amen The fourth Chapter 1. I therefore vvhich am a prisoner in our Lord vvarne you too vvalkeas becommeth you in the calling vvhervvith yee be called 2. VVith all lovvelinesse and meekenesse vvith pacience c. WHen God hath doone vs neuer so much good although wee feele our selues beholden vntoo him and bound too yeelde him his dew praise yit can wee not discharge our selues of our dewtie with a free hart except wee hope that he will holde on still hereafter and shewe himselfe the same too the ende which wee haue knowen him too bee heretoofore Now without fayth we cannot hope and so is it vnpossible that God should haue his dew praise at mens handes Put the cace wee had found Gods helpe at our neede and whatsoeuer wee could wishe and in the meane whyle wee thinke it was but a sodein brayd which is vanished away out of hand and that hensfoorth wee may looke for no more at his hand and that it shal bee in vayne for vs too requyre it it is certeyne that wee would come no more at him bycause wee should bee pinched and pressed with heauinesse and griefe Therefore that wee may holde out in praysing Gods name wee must cupple these twoo things toogither that is too wit that on the one syde wee bethinke vs of the good that wee haue receyued of him and that on the other syde wee hope still that he will alwayes bee stedfast and constant in his purpose vntoo the end and neuer ceasse to doo vs good And that is the order which S. Paule keepeth heere saying Prayse and glory be yeelded vntoo God. And how vntoo him sayeth he vvhich is able too doo all things beyond our asking yea and beyond our thinking too Now it is certein that heere Saint Paule had an eye backe too that which wee haue seene before which is that God did then vtter the infinite riches of his goodnesse when he voutsafed too haue the Gospell which is the message of saluation published throughout the world Neuerthelesse he quickeneth vp the faythful to discharge themselues cheerefully by telling them that they must not mistrust that God will withdrawe his hand as though his shewing of himselfe liberall towardes them had bin but for once and away His meaning then is that God will go through with his woorke and therefore that wee may giue our selues too the praysing of his name without any stop as well in respect of the good that wee haue receyued already as vppon beleefe that he will holde on without euer fayling vs That is the effect of the matter which wee haue too gather vppon this streyne Now his saying is Let glory bee yeelded to God in the Church wherby he sheweth that it is not ynough that euery of vs doo priuately acknowledge the benefites that God hath bestowed vppon him but that wee must also ioyne toogither in that mynd For if the body bee well at ease surely no member will bee so addicted too it selfe but that it will haue regard of all the rest Now then when as God hath made his Church too prosper so as the number thereof is multiplyed and it is also increaced in spirituall giftes not onely they that haue receyued those benefites must inforce themselues too praise God but also all the rest of the body for so much as it becommeth vs too bee knit togither with the holy bond whereof S. Paule will speake heereafter That then is the cause why he speaketh purposely of the Church as if he should say that seeyng God dooth so vtter his goodnesse euery man ought too bee inflamed too glorify him bycause that looke whatsoeuer he dooeth too our neyghbours wee ought too take it as doone too our selues And verily he had an eye heere too that which myght hinder the praysing of God with one trew consent For the Iewes had alwayes a certeine disdeyne ageinst the Gentiles bycause they thought it was meete that themselues should keepe stil the birthryght and that they had wrong if any of those were made equall with them which had bin vtterly shaken of afore And likewyse the Gentyles perceyuing the Iewes too bee giuen too foolish bragging of the lawe which had taken an end myght haue despyzed them on the other syde Saint Paule therefore telleth them here that inasmuch as God had called them as brethren too the heritaunce of saluation it became them too agree in such wise in the praysing of him as his prayse myght sound euerywhere And he sayeth Let prayze bee yelded too God yea euen for euermore from world too world and by Iesus Christ. Forsomuch as Saint Paule hath treated hertoofore of the grace that serued to guyde the faythfull too the kingdome of heauen therfore dooth he of good ryght say that men must not only prayse God for once and away but also that there is cause too continewe the same not the lyfe of one man but throughout all ages Yea and moreouer S. Paule ment to doo vs
too vnderstand that the Churche should bee preserued forâ— euer and that there should alwayes remayne some seede of it in the world so as the record of sauation should neuer bee frutelesse but there should bee some people still too bee gathered toogither which should bee a looking glasse wherin too behold the inestimable mercie which our God sheweth vs in our Lord Iesus Christ. So then wee see Saynt Pauls meaning wherby wee ought too bee assured that although Satan practyze all that is possible too wype away the remembering of God and too make hauocke in the Church as the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ may bee as good as defaced yit will God ouercome all by his power so as the Church shall continew still and the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ shall bee auaylable notwithstanding the crueltie of Tyrantes and the practyzes of houshold enemyes and of such as would ouerthrowe the whole buylding And that also is the cause why Saynt Paule setteth vs downe the name of Iesus Christ. It is trew that wee cannot yeeld God thankes but by that meane for it is certeyne that wee should not bee meete too receyue one drop of good but by the meane of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause wee bee enemyes too God by nature Insomuch that although he bee freeharted euen too the vnbeleeuers yit shall the same turne too their greater condemnation so that they bee dubble accursed in beeing partakers of Gods blissynges for too hym that is vncleane all thyngs are vncleane as sayth Saint Paule in an other place And therefore wee can neuer giue God thankes but in the name of Iesus Christ by whom wee rereyue all good things Howbeit Saint Paules meanyng was too doo vs too vnderstand in this Text that Gods once shewing of hym selfe too bee a father too all men in the person of his onely sonne by ordeinyng hym too make the attonement was too last for euer and too continue world without end insomuch that wee must assure our selues as I sayd afore that God will mainteyne his truth in this world and by that meanes haue alwayes some flocke gathered vnto him among whom his name shal bee called vppon But let vs come now too the second part He sheweth that it is not ynough for vs too haue knowne Gods goodnesse by experience for the tyme past vnlesse we be strengthened in such hope by it as we doubt not but that God will shewe himself mercifull toowards vs euer after And that is the cause why he sayeth Too him that is able too doo al things exceeding abundantly aboue our asking or thinking Now wee see heere how S. Paule warneth vs that if God haue vsed great mercifulnesse towards vs heeretoofore wee must not doubt of his continuing of the same bycause he is not lyke mortal men which be fickle mynded nother must wee bee afrayd that his fountayne will drye when he shal haue bestowed great benefits vppon vs already Why so for he hath such store of them that the more wee take to our contentation the greater abundaunce hath he still Wee see then the meane too dispoze our selues too acknowledge the good that God hath done vs at leastwyse too honour him for them is too bee alwayes fully resolued and perswaded that wee shall euer fynd him a father bycause he hath promised so too bee And wheras he speaketh of Gods power or myght wee must not imagin it too bee an ydle power as the worldlings doo They will graunt well ynough that God is almyghtie but yit in the meane whyle they trust neuer the more in him Too their seeming he takes his rest in heauen or else he dispozeth not things in this world but at starts when he bethinks himself of them But contrariwyse when God speaks vntoo vs of his power it is too the end wee should make it our sheeld ageinst al the distresses hinderances and lets which the diuell casteth before our eyes too make vs distrust Gods promises Lyke as when it is sayd that Abraham beleued that God is almightie it was not generally and confuzedly but with an applying of Gods infinite power too the thing that had bin promised him which was that in his seede all the nations of the earth should bee blissed Abraham looking vppon himself sawe he was a man as fast decaying as myght bee He drooped and as yee would say dragged his wings after him too bee short he was hard at deathes doore His wyfe had bin barrein all hir lyfe long she was past the age of teeming anie more insomuch that the thing which was told him by Gods own mouth seemed vtterly vnpossible And why is it that Abraham dooth neuerthelesse beleeue assuredly that God will keepe promis with him It is bycause he had an eye too his infinite power which is able too ouercome all lets and hinderances Wee see then how Abraham applyed Gods power too his owne behoof assuring himself that Gods truthe and his power are things inseparable After that maner also dooth S. Paule say that he whom he hath put in trust with his gage is myghtie For he sawe himself too bee a poore and frayle creature he sawe how hee was hunted at all hands he sawe that he was shaken of and despyzed he sawe how the doctrine that he bare abrode was hated and abhorred he sawe how his lyfe hung as by a threede and he had such a number of trubbles as were able too ouerwhelm him yea and finally too confound him and dispatch him quyte And how ouercame he all this abode inuincible yea euen tryumphed ouer them being in prison seing himself at deathes doore How could he haue such victory ageinst so manie temptations and incounters It was by knowing that God was the keper of his soule whervpon he conceyued his infinite power which is able too performe all that he appoynteth Yee see then that Saint Paule imagined not a power in the aire but knew that God wrought so in him as he should neuer fall but vppon his feete as men say And why For he had promis of it Wherfore let vs learne to put this lesson as well in vre as it is common in the scripture The repeting therof so oft is not for nought For wee see the frowardnesse that is in our selues insomuch that although God haue promised too keepe vs yit if neuer so little a blast of wynd come vppon vs wee bee dismayed by and by And howso Surely if wee yeelded God the honour that hee deserueth and acknowledge him too bee almightie in deede we should boldly defye all that seemeth too bee ageinst vs And why For if God bee on our syde who shal bee ageinst vs sayeth Saint Paule And wee see also how Dauid defyeth both all his enemyes and also death saying though I should walk in the shadowe of death within the graue yit should I be safe bycause God is my shepherd and hathe his sheephooke too