we must doe good workes nowe they teach this particular worke to be done an other time an other worke as offer so much sacrifice at this altar get thee into this or that Monasterie runne vnto this Sainct here erect a chappell to the honour of such a Sainct in an other place founde a Masse light tapers eate fishe buy indulgences c. Which being done they by and by bringe an other worke and forthwith after that an other So they know not how to instruct any after a constant certayn maner of teaching much lesse can they say this is or in this doth the summe of Christian life consist c. And yet in the meane season those thinges must be counted very excellent that they teach so much doe they boast and promise almost golden mountaynes as though they alone were Doctors that might not be gainsayd and controulers and Maisters of all other But he is to be counted an excellent Maister and highly to be esteemed which teacheth the chiefe point and whole summe of doctrine to wit how the hart and conscience yea and the whole man must liue They know nothing of that thing although they be very full of wordes but doe altogither erre from the summe principall point of the lawe In the meane season they intangle the mindes of the hearers with such a confused company of words that they know neither how to make a beginning nor end of speaking and it is vncertaine whereunto that disordered companie of wordes doth serue whereby no man can be made better much lesse can he confirme his conscience thereby as we hitherto haue enough and too much seene and tried in the Papacie amonge our Preachers of dreames What therefore is the summe of that doctrine which is to be taught to the people Sainct Paule aunswereth The ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure hart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfeyned This is that Helen The summe of Christian life here thou hast the summe of Christian life most excellently and fully comprehended compendiously and briefly vttered and which may be not vnfitly printed in thy memorie Thou must endeuour if thou wilt not erre from the lawe but attaine to the chiefe point therof that thou mayst know what is to be done and what to be left vndone to haue loue proceeding out of a pure hart from a good conscience and faith vnfeyned If thy loue be of this sort thē is it right otherwise thou errest from the meaning of the whole law Now these wordes are profound and comprehend muche matter in them Wherefore we must partly expound them that they may be the better vnderstoode that we may accustom our selues to Pauls maner of speech First he attributeth to loue the summe of the whole lawe wherein it wholly consisteth What it is loue And to loue is nothing els as I thinke it is knowne to all but to fauour and embrace one from the hart and to shewe and performe vnto him all the duties of friendship and good will Nowe those iangling Doctors also vse such wordes preaching and boasting many thinges of loue but all by peece-meale and particularly applyed to their owne trifles and follies Euen as heretikes wicked men and vngracious wretches haue loue also but that which consisteth onely amonge them selues them that are of the same sorte with them in the meane season they hate and persecute all good Christians whom they would willingly accuse of murder if they could c. But this doth not yet deserue to be called true loue if I choose one or two whose conditions like please me whom I do friendly louingly embrace no man beside them It is called a particular loue which proceedeth not out of a pure hart Loue flowing out of a pure hart but from an infected and filthie hart For true loue floweth out of a pure hart when I endeuour as God hath commaunded me to poure forth my loue toward my neighbour and to fauour all without difference whether they be friendes or enemies euen as our heauenly father him selfe doth who suffereth his Sunne to arise on the good and euill and sendeth his raine to the thankfull and vnthankfull maketh the earth to bring forth many good thinges giueth money riches fruites cattell and many times especially vnto them that are the worst of all other But from whence commeth that doing of these things truely from pure loue whereof his hart is most ful This he poureth forth abundantly vpon all omitting no man whether he be good or euil worthy or vnworthy And this is called true diuine entire and perfect loue which loueth no one neglecting the rest neither cutteth or diuideth it selfe but imbraceth all indifferently Loue that proceedeth not from a pure hart of what sort it is The other is loue of theeues and Publicanes if I loue him which is for my turne and may doe me a pleasure and which esteemeth well of me and despise him that contemneth me and which is not on my side For that doth not proceede from the hart which ought wholy to be good and pure indifferently toward al but he that is endued with such loue seeketh his owne thinges is full of loue of him selfe and not of loue toward others Neither doth he loue any man but for his owne commodities sake regarding onely that which may serue for his owne vse seeking his owne profit by euery man and not the profit of his neighbour If he be praysed and honoured he laugheth but being looked vpon with sower countenaunce or an vnthankfull word being spoken vnto him he stomacketh curseth findeth fault so that all friendship forthwith ceasseth Contrariwise he that hath a pure hart must be so affected according to the worde of God and his example that he fauour euery one and bestow liberall and friendly benefits vpon them euen as God hath fauoured him and of his diuine loue hath bestowed benefits vpon him But some man will say he is myne enemie We must not therefore abstaine frō doing well to any because he is our enemie or euill and doth euill vnto me Surely he is an enemie also to God vnto whom he doth many moe thinges displeasant vnto him then he can doe either to me or thee But therefore my loue ought not to be extinguished or ceasse because he is euill and altogither vnworthy thereof If he be euill he shall at the last suffer punishment according to his deedes but his wickednes must not ouercome me But if I can through loue rebuke and admonish him or pray for him that he may amend and escape punishment I must do it readily I must not be an enemie vnto him or doe euill vnto him in any wise For what profit should redound vnto me thereby neither am I made better thereby and I make him so much the worse This therefore ought to delight me if I shall fauour him and bestowe benefits vpon him if so
him albeit he hath deserued his wrath diuers wayes he doth all thinges with a glad and cherefull minde Moreouer he liueth so also toward men that he is louing and beneficiall toward all although they be not worthie of loue He is quiet toward God through Christ the Mediatour who will not throw him downe hedlong into hell but doth louingly fauour him and lifteth him vp into heauē And this is the chiefe quietnes and principall point and foundation of our saluation Afterwardes he doth in his life shew himselfe dutyfull also toward his neighbour doing all the best thinges he is able vnto him what soeuer his state or dutie commaundeth or requireth And when he doth lesse then is meete he asketh pardon of his negligence before God and men so that there is left occasion neither to him nor to the world afterward to rebuke him power also to deuoure him is taken from hell to teare him in peeces from the deuell Thus a man is saide to be in all things perfect How we become perfect toward men by loue and toward God not by the lawe but by Christ whom he apprehendeth by his faith as the mercy seat Which gageth his holines for the beleeuers or rather giueth it to them so that in him they haue all thinges that are necessary to saluation Now this is right and pure doctrine which should be exercised and taught vnto men distinctly that they might know how they may be able to stand both before God and men that faith and loue be not mingled togither or life referred both to God and men This ought to haue bin perfourmed of those glorious and arrogant teachers seeing that they wil be counted maisters of the law that the difference of the law and faith might be well knowen vnto all Very hard to learne the true doctrine of faith For although it be taught and repeted with neuer so great diligence yet notwithstanding it is very hard to be wel and throughly learned especially to vs which haue bin instructed and trained vp in the doctrine of workes and led onely to the lawe and our owne workes To these may be added our nature also verie prone and ready by it selfe hereunto and now brought into a custome whereby it is confirmed and in continuaunce of time turneth the heart also into exercise and vse so that we can not abstaine nor thinke otherwise but that God wil be fauourable vnto vs which haue done so great workes and haue led our life so without blame or fault Therefore we must striue against both our nature custome For surely it is a very hard thing to thinke or be perswaded otherwise and so purely to put a difference betweene faith and loue the filth still hanging vpon vs and cleauing vnto vs albeit we be now in faith so that our heart can scarce rule it selfe that it say not so long time haue I taught the Gospell so haue I liued such great workes haue I done c. And we would very willingly haue God to regard our life and turne his mercy seat for our cause into a iudgement seat Thou mayst vse this boasting toward men I haue done well to all as I haue bin able and if any thing be wanting I as yet wil endeuour to make a recompense But if thou be minded to go vnto God I aduise thee to ceasse from such arrogant boasting and thinke to appeale from iudgement to grace Let who will begin and proue this thing he shall at length see and trie A hard thing to trust nothing to our owne workes and holines how grieuous and heard it is for a man that hath bin occupied all his life time in the workes of his owne holines to escape out and with all his heart by faith to cleaue to this one Mediatour I my selfe haue now preached the Gospell almost twentie yeares and haue bin exercised in the same daily by reading writing so that I may wel seeme to be ryd of this wicked opinion Notwithstanding I yet now and then feele the same old filth to cleaue to my heart whereby it commeth to passe that I would willingly so haue to do with God that I might bring some thing with my selfe because of which he should for my holines sake giue me his grace And I can scarce be brought to commit my selfe with all confidence to meere grace which I should doe for we ought to flie onely to the mercie seate forasmuch as God hath set it before vs for a sanctuarie which must be the refuge of all them that shal be saued Wherefore it is not to be merueled at if it be grieuous vnto others so purely to apprehend and lay holde of faith but especially to such as be yet hindered and entangled of deuelish preachers of whom Paul speaketh which crie out against the doctrine of faith and in these wordes vrge the workes of the Lawe Doe this and thou shalt liue Also if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements c. Which in deede are true and right if thou didst also rightly vnderstand them Declare vnto me the true meaning of these wordes otherwise I know sufficiently already that I ought to be righteous and keepe the commaundements But how must I attaine hereunto or what is it to be righteous If thou saiest that it is to haue a good conscience and a pure heart and to doe all thinges that God hath commaunded Well be it so but heare ye then goe to performe me that or at least shew one that dareth say that he hath perfourmed it For thou shalt not yet so purifie my heart and conscience with thy doctrine that God can not accuse and condemne me But now the Lawe as it hath bin sufficiently declared requireth such a heart as hath a good conscience before God How therefore do we obtaine such a conscience This is the question and the cause whereof the controuersie is Truly it commeth not hereof How we obtaine a good conscience because thou teachest the iudgement seate that is the Lawe but from hence for that we haue a pure and vnfained faith which layeth holde of Christ in whom it most fully obtaineth all thinges which the Lawe requireth So at length all thinges are brought to passe in me hauing a good conscience inasmuch as I am now made righteous and iustified before God For although that many things be as yet found wanting in me yet he standeth on my side who hath so much righteousnes as wherewith he is able to supplie both mine and all mens defects Thus we shew the way whereby we are made righteous before God when as they when they teach best of all Teachers vrgers of the Lawe shew onely the waye to attaine to honestie and righteousnes which is of force and value before men contending that it ought to be of force before God also mingling together all thinges in one inasmuch as they haue no certaine knowledge thereof vnderstanding not what
they say or what they affirme For to what ende tendeth this thy immoderate cry He that will enter into life let him keepe the commaundements c. in which wordes thou shalt not shew the way to attaine righteousnes for descend a litle into thy selfe and examine thy selfe diligently then shalt thou fynde thy selfe to haue bin in time past conceiued and borne in synnes and to liue in the same nowe and not to be able to performe that which the lawe requireth Why therefore doest thou seduce other with vaine wordes saying be thou righteous and thou shalt be saued which is to no purpose neither foloweth there any frute thereof the waye being not shewed by which we attaine to iustification I heare the wordes well what things the lawe requireth but how shall we attaine vnto abilitie to fulfill them Then speakest thou to me againe and saiest thou must doe good workes But how shall I stand before the iudgement of God if I haue long and much wrought good workes and am righteous before men as thou teachest me howe shall I be certaine that I seeme such a one to God also For here my hearte and conscience be ready to witnes the contrarie against me True doctrin concerning Christian righteousnes Howbeit I should haue bin thus taught of thee as Paul commonly teacheth that righteousnes must proceede from faith vnfayned and before all thinges the mercy seate must be layd hold of from whence all thinges that are wanting in vs are to be taken And so in deede these wordes keepe the commaundements of God are rightly vnderstood For the lawe requireth perfect righteousnes in thee being of force as well before God as before men thou hauing obtained this goe forth into the companie and assembly of men and exercise loue and doe good workes By this order and meanes something is brought to passe and such sayinges of the Scripture are fulfilled For so man doth that which the lawe requireth first before God not by his owne strength or vertues How a Christian is perfectly righteous but by Christ without whom we can doe nothing before God and secondly by his owne endeuour before men And he is now perfectly righteous inwardly by faith in Christ and outwardly also by his workes yet so that there is place amōg men for mutuall pardoning of offences Therefore the righteousnes of Christians doth much more consist in forgiueing then in their owne workes Those vaine praters doe peruert the order of this doctrine and without preaching of forgiuenes doe teache that workes onely are to be vrged Loe thus Sainct Paul reprehendeth the errour and ignoraunce of them which speake much of the lawe and repete it in daily sermons Vaine teachers and yet they themselues doe not vnderstand or shew the waye how the lawe must be fulfilled knowing nothing so wel as to babble forth and often to repete these wordes that the lawe the commaundements are to be kept if thou wilt be saued good workes must be done c. As they do at this daye fill all bookes with such confusion of wordes and in all their sermons vtter nothing els then such vaine babbling which they themselues vnderstand not But they neuer saye worde of those thinges whereof Paul here speaketh namely of the summe of Christian doctrine how loue must flowe out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfayned they say no more but keepe the commaundements They leueling at the true marke do neuer hit it therefore they corrupt and fulsifie all thinges loue the heart the conscience c. For the head of the fountaine is wanting that is syncere fayth which if it be not right and sound all thinges must needes be corrupt which shall flow and proceede from it And what soeuer they teach it is a conceit of their owne imagination and like to delusions not vnlike also to those thinges that are seene through a lattis or glasse which resemble the colour of the cleere glasse and yet in deede are not of that colour They thinke that God will regard them when they liue so before men as it seemeth good to their obscure opinion But if God were of that opinion he might then haue well kept still Christ and the Gospell For what neede or necessitie should moue him to send Christ from heauen who should purchase that vnto vs with his precious blood which we our selues haue before with vs He surely should be the foolishest of all men which would poure forth a precious treasure which no man needeth Thus thou seest how these men teach their owne dreames whereof they themselues know or haue tried no certainty neither doe any thing els but fill men with errours being not able to declare how that which they teach is to be attained vnto They draw men vnto workes whereby they confirme them in their olde nature and custome out of which they were to be drawen These truly are grieuous and odious men and not vnworthely verie sharpely accused and reprehended of Paul and it appeareth that they were of no small authoritie and estimation seeing that he pronounceth of them that they were called and would be counted doctours of the Lawe and farre greater and worthier then the Apostles themselues Wherefore we must endeuour to lay vp and print this text euen in the bottom of our heart for it is excellently well ordered and is pure and perfect doctrine teaching how we must be righteous before God and men as the Lawe requireth that these three maye be as it were conioine in vs namely a pure heart a good conscience and fayth vnfayned and that our life may flow out of all these and be occupied and led in them then haue we attained and fulfilled the meaning of the Lawe Howbeit we must most diligently take heede and endeuour to draw Christ vnto the Lawe who is the ende and fullfilling of the Lawe and our righteousnes and fulnes before God which we fynde not in our selues and without fayth shall neuer fynde albeit the Lawe be taught and often repeted without vnderstanding and knowledge And these thinges maye suffize to haue bin spoken at this present for the exposition of this place ⸪⸪⸪ ⸪ A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE QVESTION OF THE PHARISEES AND aunswere of Christ concerning giuing tribute to Cesar Matth. 22. Verse 15. THen went the Pharisees tooke counsell howe they might tangle him in talke 16. And they sent vnto him their disciples with the Herodians saying Maister we know that thou art true and teachest the waye of God truly neither carest for any man for thou considerest not the persone of men 17. Tell vs therefore how thinkest thou Is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Cesar or not 18. But Iesus perceyued their wickednes and said Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites 19. Shew me the tribute mony And they brought him a penie 20. And he said vnto them Whose is this image and superscription 21. They said vnto him Cesars Then
so exercise and shew his loue that no man can worthely complaine any whit of him whereby he shal trouble or dismay his conscience but that all that wil confes the truth may be enforced to say that he hath so liued that he hath bin an example to euery man of liuing wel which will onely but follow him And this is called a good cōscience before men or against the cōplaints and reprehensions of men And albeit such a conscience is not able to stand before the iudgement of God no nor any purenes of the hart in the outward life and works of loue we continuing in sinning often times before God yet we must attaine vnto such a hart that we may comfort our selues before him also and say this God hath bidden and commaunded to be done therfore I do it with a pure hart and a good conscience neither would I willingly doe otherwise neither of purpose hurt or trouble any man but whatsoeuer I say and doe that is willed and commaunded of God Let no Christian suffer such a confidēce to be wrested from him that he may boast him selfe by the worde of God against the whole world For he that hath no regard how he leadeth his life that he may stoppe the mouthes of all blamers and accusers and cleare him selfe before all and testifie that he hath liued spoken and done well he I say is not yet a Christian hauing not in him selfe a pure hart and loue For we wil not presume of the doctrine of faith as though that being had euery man may doe what he list whether it be profitable or vnprofitable to his neighbour that we must in no case doe Otherwise that doctrine should haue the name to giue licence and free libertie for euery one to doe what he will But we must so behaue our selues that we may obtaine loue out of a pure hart and a good conscience that no man may accuse vs of any crime And although these thinges be spoken of our life and works and a Christian is an other maner of man before God as we shall heare yet we must earnestly endeuour our selues in this also that we may be without blame before God And when we shall not attayne thereunto we must flie to prayer and say before God and men forgiue vs our trespasses c that at the least wise our life may remayne without blame What we must doe when we fayle in our dutie toward our neighbour and we may obtaine a good conscience before mē And if this can not be brought to passe by perfect loue and purenes of the hart yet let it be done by humilitie that we may praye for and desire of all men pardon of our offences when as we haue not purely and perfectly done our dutie or are not able to doe it so that thy neighbour may be enforced to say albeit thou hast greatly hurt me or hast not done thy dutie toward me as it was meete yet forasmuch as thou humblest thy selfe I will willingly forgiue thee and take it in the best parte And for this humilities sake I say that thou art a good man which doost not stande obstinatly as though thou wouldest aduisedly and of purpose offende against me but doost turne thy selfe vnto loue Therefore that life is as yet sayde to be without blame which albeit it was subiect to reprehension is with humilitie couered and reformed that no man can worthely complayne thereof Thus the lawe should be expounded and handeled that both loue toward euery man may rightly proceede out of a pure hart for God his sake and the conscience may stande before the world And this ought to haue bene practised of those vayne talkers in their Sermons their colde trifles and vaine follies being neglected and left of But that all these thinges may stande and be of force before God also there yet remaineth one thinge which pertayneth hereunto which is that that followeth And of faith vnfeyned For as I haue sayde albeit I haue a good conscience before men Our olde Adam doth hinder vs that we can not attaine to perfect puritie and holines and doe exercise loue out of a pure hart yet the olde Adam that is flesh and blood remaine in me subiect to sinnes whereby it commeth to passe that I am not altogither holy and pure And as Paule sayth Gal. 5 The flesh lusteth against the spirit c. And Rom. 7. he affirmeth that he must fight a daily fight against him self because he can not do that which is good yet he would willingly do it The spirit in deed would very willingly liue purely perfectly according to the worde of God but the rebellious flesh resisteth the desire thereof assailing vs with many and great tentations that we should seeke honour wealth riches pleasure should become slothful negligent in our state duty So there remaineth a continual fight in vs because of the vnpurenes of our person Although we haue a good conscience and do exercise loue out of a pure hart before men yet the same can not stand before God wherein there is not yet sincere purenes nor a good conscience perfect loue vnles there be perhaps somewhat before men But before God many thinges are found lacking in vs many things are worthy of blame although all things be perfect before men For examples sake although Dauid can obtayne that confidence before men that he can be reprehended of no man and the holy Prophets Esay Ieremie c do glory are sure whatsoeuer they haue done according to their dutie is right and well done seeing it is the word and commaundement of God wherein they haue exercised them selues with a pure hart a good conscience yet can they not stande by this confidence before the iudgement of God but are compelled to say if we should striue with thee in iudgement then no man shall haue so good a conscience or so pure a hart which doth not dread thy iudgement and acknowledge him selfe to be worthy of reprehension and blame For God hath reserued that prerogatiue vnto him selfe that he may contend in iudgement with euery one albeit he be holy and accuse him of deadly sinne neither is there any so holy whom he may not iudge and condemne as worthy of destruction Wherefore although both the hart be pure the conscience good before men yet must thou endeuour to attaine vnto this also that the same may be likewise good before God that he may not find fault with them but that they may be safe and quiet from his iudgement as they are before men Hereunto now pertayneth the thirde parte that is faith The third part And this is the principall part and chiefe precept contayning all the rest in it that we may knowe that where loue is not yet perfect the hart not sufficiently pure and the conscience not quiet and God doth yet finde some thinge which is worthy blame where the worlde can
finde fault with nothinge faith must moreouer come and such a faith which is not fayned and defiled with confidence of a mans owne holines For wheresoeuer this is not there the hart is neuer purified before God neither shall the conscience be able to stande if they be examined by seuere iudgement and exact censure Men in deede shall not iustly blame me albeit I glory that I haue serued them by preaching helping gouerning and by doing the dutie of an ouerseer or ruler c with all faithfulnes And if I haue done any thing more or lesse then I ought I am sorie at my hart for I would very willingly haue done all thinges that I ought Wherefore I am quiet already excused neither haue they any more which they may rightly require of me but are enforced to acquite and discharge me But here I must attayne vnto this also that my hart be so pure and my conscience so good before God that he may not by any meanes accuse and condemne me Howbeit we finde not this in ourselues We can not of our selues attaine to a pure hart a good conscience before God although we may glorie somewhat thereof before the world I must therefore obtayne some other thing whereunto I may trust if I shall come into perill and within the throwing of the dart as it is commonly sayd and I must say to my feareful and terrified conscience I haue done that which I haue bene able and who knoweth how often I haue done lesse then I ought for I coulde not see and marke all thinges as Dauid also sayth Psal 19 VVho can vnderstand his faltes Therefore I can lay no foundation of trust vpon my owne holines and purenes Wel I haue the word so liue loue and haue a good conscience which is pure and holy But this I want that I can not conclude that that is in my hart neither doe I finde so good a conscience in me as the lawe requireth of me For there is no man liuing in the earth which can say this truely I knowe that I haue done all thinges and that I doe owe nothinge before God But the most holy ones must say thus I haue done surely according to my abilitie that which I haue bene able but I haue offended muche oftner then I knowe Wherefore our owne conscience doth witnes against vs accusing and conuincing vs although before the worlde we are most free from reprehension or blame For it must followe the worde which sayth this thou shouldest haue done this thou shouldest haue left vndone It can not auoyde the iudgement of this nor aunswere to the accusation thereof but is at the least wise enforced to stande in an vncertaintie being wholy wrapped in douting But if it dout then is it by and by conuinced for it standeth not before God but flieth and trembleth By what meanes we attaine to such purenes and a good conscience as can stand before God Wherefore the principal part of our doctrine must here helpe vs to wit that our Lord Iesus Christ being sent of the father did come into the world and hath suffered and died for vs. Whereby he hath reconciled the good will and fauour of the father to vs his wrath being appeased and doth nowe sitte at the right hande of the father hauing regarde of vs as our Sauiour and as a continuall Mediatour and Intercessour for vs making intercession for vs as for them which can not haue and obtayne of them selues such purenes and a good conscience Therefore by his helpe and benefite we may saye before God although I am not pure neyther haue a good conscience yet I cleaue to him by faith which hath perfect purenes and a good conscience which he gageth for me or rather which he giueth vnto me For he alone is he of whome we reade written as Peter and Esaie chapt 53 saye vvho did no sinne neyther vvas there guile founde in his mouthe And this prayse belongeth onely vnto him neyther hath he any neede to praye forgiue vs our dettes neither of that article of the Creede I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes c but he is free and quiet in perpetuall pure and perfect righteousnes and purenes vnto whose charge none can lay any thing nor accuse his conscience of any crime not man not the deuell no not God himselfe for he himselfe is God who himselfe can not accuse himselfe And this is called faith neither coloured nor fained which the conscience striuing and trembling dareth come forth in the sight of God and say Almightie God I am innocent before the world and quiet in minde so that noe man can lay any thing to my charge or fynde fault with me For albeit I haue not done all things yet I aske pardoÌ„ of euerie one that he will forgiue me for God his sake eueÌ„ as I againe forgiue all By this meanes I haue cut of the complaints of all who haue no more which they may rightly lay against me But before thee I must lay aside this trust and confidence and must wholy acknowledge the guiltines of innumerable synnes and say as Dauid sayd Psal 143 Lord enter not into iudgemeÌ„t with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Wherefore I can not contend with thee if thou requirest an account of my life We must appeale froÌ„ the iudgement seat to the mercy seat But I appeale from the iudgemeÌ„t seat to the mercy seat I do easily suffer that I be dealt with according to law right before the iudgemeÌ„t seat of the world and I will willingly aunswere and will do what I am able Howbeit before thee I will not come into iudgement but I desire grace which I take holde of on euerie side The iudgement seat For thus the Scripture teacheth me that God hath set two seates before men the one a iudgement seat for them which are yet secure and vntractable acknowledge not their sinnes neither wil confesse and acknowledge them the other a mercy seate The mercy seat for miserable fearfull consciences which feele their sinnes dread the iudgement of God and do earnestly make request for grace And this mercy seat is Christ himselfe as Paul witnesseth Rom. 3. whom God hath set forth vnto vs that we might haue refuge vnto him being not able to stand before God by our owne power Vnto him I wil applie my selfe if I haue done or do lesse theÌ„ is meete and how great purenes and goodnes soeuer my heart and conscience haue before men I will haue it here to be altogither nothing and hidden and couered as it were with a â—ant yea with a fayre heauen which may mightely defend it which is called grace and remissioÌ„ of synnes Vnder the defence thereof my heart and conscience must creepe and remayne safe and quiet For so he commaunded his Apostles to preach publish that through his name all that beleeue in him shal receiue remisson of
to come Now it is not giuen vnto them in this earth to goe so farre that they may say We are subiect to no vices we are cleane from all sinne if they shall goe so farre it is Satan that deceiueth them Notwithstanding they are sorie for their sinnes and doe lament them yea it grieueth them to the hart that they must beare the miserable burden of this flesh and they crie out together with S. Paule Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death This shrite crie all the faithfull doe giue for that feeling sinne they doe most earnestly desire to be deliuered from it And in this feeling knowledge of sinne the kingdom of Christ consisteth so that euen in sinne there is no sinne That is albeit I doe both acknowledge and feele sinne Though the godly haue sinne in thē and feele the grieuousnes thereof yet it doth not hurt them yet saluation and the kingdom doe so firmely abide in my conscience that God sayth vnto me I will forgiue thee thy sinne for that thou hast faith and beleeuest in Christ my especially beloued sonne who was deliuered to death for thee neither shall thy sinnes hurt thee Others which feele not their sinnes but trust in their workes and complaine nothing of their faultes and offences thinking them selues cleane such are giuen to Satan not receiued or admitted into the kingdom of Christ for they which are partakers of this kingdom can not be without conflicts and tribulation Death Satan and the world doe somewhat trouble the godly but the godly at the last ouercome them Psal 118.18 And that I may speake more plainly recken I pray thee any of the Sainctes whom death doth not trouble yea I know thou shalt not finde one which is not afraid and trembleth not at the horrible sight of death But the conscience taketh comfort here by the Prophet Dauid who sayth The Lorde hath chastened and corrected me but he hath not giuen me ouer vnto death it fighteth against vs in deede but it preuaileth not Thus a Christian wrapped in sinnes is both vnder sinnes and aboue sinnes at the last notwithstanding obtaineth the victorie After the same sort also must he haue to doe with Satan with whom he must wrastle all his life and at the last ouercome him So in the world also he must suffer many conflicts and troubles and yet at length become victor For although it be a kingdom of saluation which hath neither rest nor quietnes but suffreth the force of hel death the deuill sinne and all maner of aduersitie and tribulation yet they which be in it doe with an inuincible courage endure and at length ouercome all euills But God therefore permitteth these thinges that our faith may be exercised and shew forth it selfe Moreouer that is a pleasure to the conscience and bringeth vnto it comfort and ioye that it hath such a kingdom that it may say Blessed be the Lord God who hath visited and redeemed vs and hath raised vp a kingdom in the house of Dauid That is for that he visiteth vs by his word deliuereth vs from sinnes and maketh vs conquerours ouer death and Satan Thus he haue heard both that a kingdom is raysed vp in the house of Dauid and also that a Christian is both dead and yet aliue is innocent in the middes of sinnes and although he be subiect to Satan yet notwithstanding hath dominion ouer Satan For both are true for that sinne death hell doe assaile the flesh but doe not ouercome forasmuch as this kingdom of saluation triumpheth ouer them all Wherefore as it were with a certaine great boldnes or confidence he calleth it a horne that is a stronge and puissant kingdom Which hath no rest or truce but being assailed of many and stronge enemies is alwayes diligently occupied in defence of it selfe and doth notably repell the force of the enemie So a Christian laying hold on this horne ouerthroweth sinne death and Satan Neither consisteth this horne in our strength neither are we makers thereof for God hath made and raysed it vp by the ministerie of his word whereby we are saued Wherefore Zacharias so singeth that his songe hath respect not to his own sonne but to Christ Yea he celebrateth this kingdom as pertaining to the Iewes onely and declareth that it shall be glorious and maketh no mention of the Gentiles how they also should come vnto it as beside others Simeon in his song the beginning whereof is Lorde nowe lettest thou c. did prophecie that we Gentiles also are chosen into that kingdom But here he foretelleth of a kingdom raysed vp of God to the Iewes euen a kingdom of saluation and blessednes and that in the house of his seruaunt Dauid Wherefore he sayth moreouer Verse 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue bene since the world began Therefore he hath raised vp this kingdom that he might confirme his promise whereby he had foretold that he would sometime rayse vp a kingdom c. And now that time is come wherein he will fulfill that his promise So Zacharias reduceth the horne of saluation the kingdom of Christ to the olde Testament that out of it he may bring witnesses of so strong and puissant a kingdom The Prophets foretold of the kingdom that should be raysed vp in the house of Dauid For the Prophets from the time of Dauid did all prophesie that the seede of Dauid should haue a kingdom in the earth yet a spirituall kingdom and aboue the rest Esai and Ieremie foretold that it should be such a kingdom that the gouernment thereof should consist in the spirit worde to these especially Zacharias hath here respect The other as Osee Micheas and the rest doe speake of the same kingdom but not so manifestly Verse 71. That he would deliuer vs from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs. The Euangelist hath hitherto generally rehearsed what that kingdom of Christ is whereof the Prophets prophesied Wherein this kingdom of saluation consisteth Nowe he speaketh of it also but particularly declaring wherein it consisteth First in this that he deliuereth vs from the handes of our enemies yea and from all them that hate vs. Ye see here and vnderstand most dearely beloued that this verse doth witnes most plainely declare that we which are his people and kingdom doe liue amongst enemies and that no other is to be looked for of vs but to be hated of them That also the force qualitie and nature of this kingdom consisteth in this that it deliuereth vs out of the handes of all them that hate vs as the Prophet Dauid sayth Psal 110. The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion be thou ruler in the middes of thine enemies And Psal 45. Thine arrowes are very sharpe euen in the middes of the Kings enemies It is a delight vnto Christ
and good pleasure But that this may be the better perceiued we wil now intreat of our text wherein Christ first sayth I am the good shepeherd And what is a good shepeheard A good shepeherd sayth Christ giueth his life for his sheepe And I leaue my life for my sheepe Here the Lord declareth what his kingdom is bringing a goodly parable of the sheepe Ye knowe that it is a beast of all liuing creatures most foolish and most simple so that thereupon it is commonly spoken as a prouerb if we haue to speake of a simple one He is a sheepe Neuertheles it is of that nature more then other liuing creatures that it quickly knoweth the voyce of his shepeheard neither followeth it any beside his owne shepeheard being alwaies of that qualitie that it cleaueth to him and seeketh for helpe of him alone being not able to helpe it selfe neither to feede it selfe neither to heale it selfe nor keepe it selfe from the wolues but doth wholy consist in the helpe of an other Christ therefore bringeth the qualitie and nature of the sheepe in maner of a parable and transformeth him selfe into a sheepeheard whereby he doth very well shewe what his kingdome is and wherein it consisteth and his meaning is this My kingdom is nothing els but that I may feede sheepe that is miserable needy and wretched men in the earth which doe well perceiue and feele that they haue no helpe or counsell any other where but in me alone But that we may declare this more plainely we will adde hereunto a place out of Ezechiel chap. 34. which speaketh of euill shepeheards that doe contrary vnto Christ sayth Ought not the flockes suffer them selues to be fed of the shepeheards VVhy therefore doe you feede yourselues Euill shepeheards how they behaue them selues and gouerne their flocke Ye haue eaten the milke of the sheepe ye haue clothed your selues with the woll the best fed ye haue slaine but my flocke haue ye not fed The weake haue ye not strengthned the sicke haue ye not healed the broken haue ye not bound together the driuen away haue ye not brought againe the lost haue ye not sought but with force and crueltie haue ye ruled them And now my sheepe are scattered for that they are destitute of shepeheards yea all the beastes of the field deuour them and they are dispersed ouer all mountaines and ouer the whole earth That which he here sayth is well to be marked his very meaning in this place is that he will haue the weake sicke broken abiects and lost to be strengthned healed cured sought not spoyled and destroyed These thinges ye ought to doe sayth he to the shepeheards but ye haue doâ—â— none of them Wherefore I my selfe as he afterward sayth will deale thus with my sheepe That which is lost will I seeke againe that which is driuen away will I bringe againe and to that which is not well will I giue a remedie and heale it Here thou seest that the kingdom of Christ is such as hath to doe with those that be weake diseased and broken hath care of them to helpe them The preaching whereof in deede is very full of comfort but this is wanting in vs that we doe not throughly feele our miserie and weakenes which if we felt we would forthwith runne vnto him But how did those shepeheards behaue them selues They ruled in rigour and straightly exacted obedience of the lawe Moreouer they added their owne traditions as they doe also at this day which if they be not kept they cry out and condemne him that transgresseth them so that they doe nothing else but vrge more and more and commaund their owne inuentions But this is not to feede wel or to gouerne a soule as Christ sayth who him self is not such a shepeheard for by such maner of feeding none is holpen but the sheepe are vtterly lost as we shall vnderstand Now we will handle the place of the Prophet in order First he sayth that the weake sheepe are to be strengthned Weake consciences how they must be handled that is the consciences which are weake in faith and haue a sorrowfull spirit and are of a faint courage are not to be enforced that it should be sayd vnto them This thou must doe thou must be strong For if thou be so weake thou art ordayned to eternall punishment This is not to strengthen the weake Thus saith Paule Rom. 14 Him that is weake in the faith receiue vnto you entangle not consciences And by by after he addeth Rom. 15 VVe which are stronge ought to beare the infirmities of the weake Wherfore they are not to be seuerely compelled but to be comforted that although they be weake they may not therefore despeire for afterâ—ards they shall become stronger Esaias the Prophet did thus forespeake of Christ cap. 42 A broosed reede shall he not breake the smoking flax shall he not quenche The broosed reede signifieth miserable weake and broosed consciences which are easily so shaken that they tremble and lose hope and trust in God With these God doth not forthwith deale rigorously and after a violent maner but he dealeth gentely with them lest he breake them Moreouer the smoking flax which doth as yet burne a litle nourisheth more smoke then fire â—â—e the same consciences which ought not againe to despeire for he wil not vtterly extinguish them but alwayes kindle them and more and more strengthen them Which truely to him that knoweth it is a great comfort Wherefore he which doth not gentlely handle weake consciences after this sort doth not without dout execute the office of a true shepeheard Afterward the Prophet sayth That which was diseased ye ought to haue succoured Who are those diseased ones They which in their maner of liuing and in their outward works haue certain diseases and vices The first pertaineth to the conscience when as it is weake the other to the maners or conditions of life when as any being caried with a wilfull mind and wayward braine doth offend here and there to wit by wrath other foolish doings as euen the Apostles fel sometimes grieuously Such as are so vitious in the sight of men that they are an offence to others and are iudged obstinate and wayward God will not haue to be reiected and despeired of For his kingdom is not ordered after such a maner that the stronge and whole onely should liue therein which pertaineth to the life to come but Christ is therfore set in it that he may haue a care of such helpe them Wherfore albeit we are so weake and sicke notwithstanding we must not so despeire that we should say that we are not in the kingdom of Christ but the more we feele our disease The more we feele our selues diseased the greater cause we haue to flie vnto Christ so much the more we must come vnto him for he therefore is at hande that he may remedie and
doe not exact any thinge of it or reprehend it in any thing but it is compelled to be captiue therein as in a perpetuall prison and the longer it striueth and fighteth with the lawe into so much worse case doth it alwayes come vntill at the last it be wholy subdued What therfore must I do What a Christian must do when the law vrgeth his conscience the law assailing vrging my conscience especially when I perceiue my selfe not to do that which it requireth I aunswere euen that which Christ doth here who admitteth or acknowledgeth no law although brought out of the law of God So learne thou also to doe that thou mayest boldely say to the lawe leaue of lawe to dispute with me I haue nothing to doe with thee And for that very same cause for which thou commest to dispute with me and to enquire of me how good and righteous I am I will not heare thee For it here maketh no matter what I am or what I ought to doe and what not to doe but what Christ him selfe is ought to doe and doeth For nowe we are in the bridechamber where onely the bridegrome and the bride must haue to doe and it behoueth not thee to come thither nor to intermeddle any thing there But neuertheles it now and then knocketh and sayth in the meane season notwithstanding good workes must be done of thee the commaundements of God must be kept How we must aūswere the law whē it is instant vpon vs. if thou wilt obtaine saluation Aunswere againe but thou hearest that it is not nowe tyme to speake of them for now I haue obtayned my righteousnes and the summe of all my saluation without my workes in Christ my Lorde and am already saued before thou camest therefore I haue no neede of thy presence For as I haue sayd where workes preuayle nothing neyther is the law there of any importance or weight and where there is no law neither is there any sinne The bride therefore alone all the rest beinge excluded must reigne in the bridechamber with Christ in whom shee hath all thinges at once neyther needeth shee any thinge more which is necessary to saluation Wherefore the lawe must be excluded and vtterly reiected yea and cast of as often as it will inuade and set vpon the conscience For surely it ought not to medle therewith neither commeth it in tyme when it will haue muche to doe there where it ought to haue nothing to doe and whither it ought in no wise to come For the conscience resteth in this article of our Christian faith I beleue in Iesus Christ my Lord which suffered died was buried for me c. vnto whom both Moses law Cesars diuine lawes ought to giue place All that therfore is boldly to be chased from me whatsoeuer will dispute with me of sinnes righteousnes and such like thinges Beholde Christ would in this place resemble this libertie vnto vs that as Christians we suffer no maister in our conscience trusting most constantly to this one thinge that we are baptised and called vnto Christ and by him iustified and sanctified whereupon we may say He is my righteousnes my treasure my worke and in a summe what not against sinne and vnrighteousnes whereof the lawe indeuoureth to accuse me If it please you to haue other righteousnes workes lawe c. then may ye take them from whence ye will surely ye shall finde no place for them in me Thus may a man defend him self and stande against the suggestions and tentations of the Deuill and of sinnes either past or present Wherefore Moses and Christ are farre to be separated asunder as also workes and faith the conscience and the outward life so that if the lawe will sette vpon me and make my hart afrayde then is it tyme to sende it away and if it will not giue place to thrust it out by force and to say I will willingly doe good workes and will goe forward as much as I am able for that time that I liue amonge men but here I wil know nothing at al of them in my cōscience therefore let me alone prate nothing of them For here I will vouchsafe to heare neither Moses nor the Pharisees but Christ alone doth obtaine place to reigne here I will like vnto Marie sit at his feete to heare his worde but let Martha cary abroade and busie her selfe in the kitchin and about the houshold affayres And in a summe I will not trouble the quietnes of my conscience But what shall I say An obiection whereas in the meane season I doe daily sinne which surely is euill I aunswere in deede it is true The aunswer I am a sinner and I do vniustly but I must not therefore despeire as though I were subiect to condemnation yea or tremble because of the rigour of the lawe For by faith I apprehend him which hath apprehended me and apply my selfe vnto him which hath embraced me in baptisme and hath put me in his bosom and by the preaching of the Gospell hath called me to the communion of all his good thinges bidding me to beleeue in him Nowe when as I haue apprehended him by faith then may I be bold to bid the Pharisees and Moses with his tables all Lawyers with their bookes all men with their workes holde their peace and giue place No law hath then any power to conuince or accuse me for in this Christ I haue all thinges aboundantly whatsoeuer can be required in me This I say is the doctrine and arte of Christians the scope and ende whereof is this euen to reigne with Christ But blockish men doe not vnderstand it taking hereupon occasion to liue more freely as they list saying what neede is there that I should do good works forasmuch as Christ hath abrogated the law c. Albeit we be free from the law we must neuertheles doe good workes after the example of Christ There foolish babbling is in no wise to be borne for Christ is on the other part also to be considered of thee and thou must marke what he doth more For here he him selfe sayth that he is that man which seeketh the miserable and lost sheepe which also he witnesseth by his present deede by receiuing sinners and Publicanes and by preaching vnto them Whereby thou seest that he doth fulfill much more then the law commaundeth to be done and teacheth thee to doe the same by his example He is of such an heroicall stomacke that he will not be vnder the lawe yet doth he of his owne accorde moe thinges then the law requireth Doe thou so also neither looke when thou shalt be forced and driuen on by the lawe but without the lawe and of thine owne accorde doe that which is needefull to be done as Peter 1. Pet. 2 admonisheth saying as free and not as hauing the libertie for a cloke of malitiousnes but as the seruaunts of God And
take away from the conscience her ioy and comfort whereby he may drawe man into desperation that he may not be able cheerefully to lift vppe his hart and heade before God For this is the arte of Christians whom it behoueth to knowe and learne moe thinges Christians must knowe how to fight against the deuill and to beare his assaults then that prophane and blockishe common sorte knoweth and vnderstandeth that we may knowe well the maner how to fight with the deuill and to beare his assault as often as he shall set vpon vs dispute with vs out of Moses With whome when he goeth about such things we must not dispute in many wordes but must forthwith appeale from Moses to Christ and cleaue to him For all his trauaills deceits tend vnto this end that he may craftely plucke vs from Christ and draw vs vnto Moses For he knoweth full well the matter being brought to that point the victorie shal be on his side Wherefore thou must againe and againe take heede that thou suffer not thy selfe to be plucked out of this hauen We must take most diligent heede that the deuell plucke vs not from Christ to Moses neither to be entised out of this circle And although he shall lay many things against thee out of the lawe euen inasmuch as it is the word of God whereunto it is meete that thou do obey yet maist thou aunswere him and say doest thou not heare that I will now know or heare nothing concerning the lawe for we are now in that circle and hauen wherein it is not enquired what I must do or leaue vndone but by what means we obtaine to haue God gentle and fauourable vnto vs and how we get remission of sinnes Here I will abide in the armes of Christ cleauing vnseparably about his necke and creeping into his bosome whatsoeuer the lawe shall say and my heart shall feele neuertheles so that we keepe the principall part of our faith syncere and the chiefe point safe outwardly I will willingly do and suffer what burden soeuer it shall lay vpon me Beholde he that vnderstood this art well should be a right and perfect man as Christ was so farre aboue all lawes that he might be bold to call Peter Satan and the Pharisees fooles and leaders of the blynde and put Moses himselfe to silence and so liue altogether without the lawe and yet in the meane season fulfill all lawes furthermore be obstinate and stout against all that will enforce and constraine him and yet notwithstanding of his owne accord profite and obey all But truly herein consisteth all the defect that we do neuer fully and perfectly learne this arte the deuell so letting and hindering vs that we go preposterously to worke being too ready and willing to heare all things whatsoeuer the lawe sayth At whose threatnings also we are not a litle astonied which it had bin better for vs not to haue heard Againe in outward things also we giue our selues to libertie more then is conuenient whereas the body should be kept vnder bridled with workes whereby it might be compelled to beare what soeuer should be grieuous vnto it when as yet it oftentimes sinneth yet so that sinne abide without where it must abide haue his Moses who alwaies may be nere vnto it with his exactiōs Howbeit inwardly let no sinne or law beare rule or reigne but let Christ alone rule and reigne by mere grace ioy and comfort So all thinges should be done rightly and man should be apt and fit to all good thinges both to do and also to suffer with a glad and obedient heart by faith not feyned in the grace of God through Christ Wherefore let the conscience beare rule ouer all lawes let the flesh be subiect to euerie law Now he that is skilfull of this arte let him giue thankes to God and take heede that he be not too wise in it and that he conceiue not a false persuasion of knowledge For I and my like do not yet vnderstand it as we ought to vnderstand it although we be most expert of all and haue bin longest exercised therein For as I haue said it is such an art as no man knoweth but they which are Christians to the learning wherof notwithstāding they are compelled to be scholers all there life longe Wherefore most farre of from the knowing hereof are those secure spirits who alone know all things but who in very deed beside that false perswasiō of knowledge know nothing at all and by this verie perswasion they are farthest of all drawne from this art and from the whole Gospell Neither is there any thing more grieuous no nor a greater hurt can be brought vnto Christianitie then by these pettie doctours and maisters which seeme vnto themselues to haue some wisedome For they fill all corners of the world with sects and factions being such men as serue neither God nor men heare neither the lawe nor the Gospell but contemne the lawe with a secure mynde and loath the Gospell with hearing it alwayes seeking after new doctrine But truly we teach nothing for their sakes inasmuch as they are not worthie of our doctrine and are so punished of God that they can neuer learne it bring forth any frute thereby although they heare it Therefore let vs only keepe it whereof they do take away nothing at all from vs but that they heare a vaine noyse and sounde of it And thus much for the first part of this sermō in which Christ teacheth by his owne example how euery man ought to keepe his conscience free from all disputation of the lawe and terrour of the wrath of God and of sinnes Nowe consequently I thinke it good diligently to consider this excellent and goodly parable of Christ Luke 15.3 where he beginneth and sayth What man of you hauing an hūdreth sheepe if he lose one of them doeth not leaue ninetie and nine in the wildernes and go after that which is lost vntill he find it Christ is not onely of a stout mynde who will not follow the wordes and maistership of them but he bringeth probable causes also of his stoutnes with great cunning refelling their obiections and stopping their mouthes so that they can murmure nothing against him Moreouer he conuinceth them by their owne example and deede and concludeth that they ought for good cause to be vtterly ashamed being bold to speake vnto him reprehēd that in him in so great a matter which they themselues do in a much lesse For by what meanes could he better and more readily aunswere them then if he should say How Christ aunswered the Scribes and Pharisees when they murmured for that he receiued sinners vnto him Will you O excellent and most wise maisters commaund this thing and teache me to driue away and alienate from me miserable sinners which long after me and come to heare me when as there is nothing that you your selues
be borne or had but that onely shepeheard Christ who neither vrgeth it with the lawe nor is eger vpon it but most sweetely and gently handleth it and layeth the miserable and sinfull sheepe vpon his shoulders doing that of his owne accord which was to be done of the sheepe as we shall heare by and by more at large But surely in this place the doctrine of both as is before also sayde at large or the voice of Moses and of Christ must be well discerned The differēce betwene the doctrine of Moses and of Christ must be throughly knowne of Christians For Moses ought to haue no entraunce to the lost sheepe no nor by any meanes is to be admitted to it although he preach best of all other For if confounding these we will comfort and erect the troubled conscience by the lawe after this sort be of a good cheere for thou hast not committed homicide neither hast thou defiled thy selfe with adulterie neither hast thou perpetrated any other haynous offence or done it with a good will c. This also is a comfort but which can endure a verie small time neither can it sustaine the assaults and violence of the enemie neither bringeth it or containeth any thing els but confidence of it selfe wherewith the miserable sheepe is holpen nothing For it remayneth as much wandring and lost as before neither can it helpe it selfe or come to his owne shepeheard But if we will helpe succour it we must shew vnto it the true shepeheard who commeth to seeke it that hauing found it he may bring it home againe and exhibit his voice vnto it to be heard Hereby it may obtaine true and effectuall consolation and be bold to aunswere Moses and say Now truely I haue not any care either of thy comfort or terrour and if it please thee amplifie my synnes as much as possibly thou canst make me a man-slayer and parricide or the worst man of all men For now I will neither heare thee with an astonied minde nor follow thee But this is the summe of my comfort and saluation whereunto also I do confidently trust that I haue such a shepeheard as seeketh me of his owne accord and hauing layd me on his shoulders carieth me Let vs enter disputation hereof if thou art so disposed not how righteous or vnrighteous I am but how I haue come vnto Christ Wherefore we must alwayes preach according to the capacitie and qualitie of the hearers For I haue sayd that this doctrine is not fit for a blockish and vntractable man As it is not meete that a laborious thresher should be fed with delicates wherewith the sicke are to be strengthened and refreshed but the hyreling is to be fed with broune bread and chese with water The other dainty meates and easy of digestion thou must reserue for the sicke or children which are able to digest no grosse meat Vnto whom Moses lawe must be preached So in this thing also thou must obserue the same differēce that thou do rightly distribute these things and giue vnto euerie one his portiō as a prudēt householder For thou must keepe the doctrine of Moses and of the Lawe vntill thou light vpon vnruly hardened and vntractable men which lead their life securely and without feare set before these onely strong and common meates of threshers to be eaten that is offer angrie Moses vnto them to be heard who lighteneth and thundreth from the mount Sina who terrifieth the people of Israel bringeth them into the desert and drowneth king Pharao in the red sea How weake and afflicted consciences must be preached vnto But when thou shalt light vpon troubled hearts and weake and afflicted consciences which are now become lost sheepe then speake not a word concerning Moses and all the workes of God done in the lawe but let thy talke be only of the workes done by Christ in the time of grace well and diligently repeate to the miserable conscience how he sheweth himselfe toward the lost shepe to wit that he is the gētle good shepeheard which is exceeding careful for the lost shepe so that leauing all the rest he traueleth to fynde that one and to bring it againe into the way neither doth he leaue of till he hath brought it home For it is a verie great griefe vnto him that any man should be in synne and therefore be troubled and feare neither would he that any should remaine therein and so perish Wherefore he doth most louingly allure prouoke thee by his sweete Gospell to come vnto him suffer thy selfe to be layd vpō his shoulders and caried and to be called his welbeloued sheepe As for them that liue securely and pleasauntly haue no regard whether God be angrie or pleased they are not to be called lost sheepe The lost sheepe but rather wilde goats which suffer not themselues either to be fed or ruled But he to whom his synnes are a burden who fighteth in the fight of faith where he is not in daūger to lose Moses but Christ himselfe and the principall article that is where the conscience is in anguish and feare whether it hath God gentle and fauourable this is that verie man who with groning and sighes seeketh out and crieth for his shepeheard desireth to be holpē as Dauid doth Psal 119. I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost oh seeke thy seruaunt c. In the mouth of these this suger these pleasaunt delicates haue a good tast with which the heart is refreshed that it fall not into desperation but being againe recreated with such a consolation is lifted vp not by Moses but by Christ Not that it hath Moses a freind or is able to pacifie him but because it hath God fauourable through Christ wheresoeuer Moses remayneth with his comfort Although it be very well as also it is meete that we do not cōtrary to the lawe practize theuerie that we steale not that we commit not homicide or otherwise do iniurie and hurt to our neighbour Howbeit that is not the right comfort of the heart No true comfort of conscience to be had by the lawe but onely a momentane tickling of the vtmost skinne not during pearsing For the deuell comming setting vpon the heart all comfort is vtterly taken away And although in some point thou hast done well and rightly he neuertheles againe bringeth ten fold more wherein thou hast done amisse yea euen in the most pure workes he can finde much impuritie and turne all into sinne Wherefore we must in no wise trust vnto such comfort We must not trust to the comfort of the law but must resort and cleaue fast vnto Christ but must rather refuse it and say whether I be good or euell at this present I do not dispute but wil reserue it rather vnto that place where it shal be taught and entreated concerning workes But in this circle wherein I
now stand there is no place to entreat of workes and integrity of life but of Christ and his workes which he dooth toward me a lost sheepe Wherefore if thou demaund whether I be good or honest I aunswere plainly no but if thou demaund whether Christ be good and righteous that vndoutedly I am able to confirme and him I set for my goodnes and righteousnes vnto whom also alone I couragiously appeale For in his name I am baptized of which thing I haue a seale and testimonie to wit that I am his shepe that he is that good shepeheard seeking his lost shepe dealing with me without all lawe exacting nothing of me neither as Moses vrgeth troubleth and forceth me but sheweth vnto me his meere most sweete grace while he submitteth himselfe to me layeth me on his shoulders and carieth me Why therefore should I feare the thundrings of Moses and of the deuell whē as I rest in his safe custody which hath giuen vnto me his righteousnes and all other things which holdeth and carieth me so that there is now no more daunger lest I perish I remaining a sheepe and denying not my shepeheard but reposing my selfe wholy in him Thus hast thou Christ most louingly set forth vnto thee Now onely faith is required whereof there is great neede A hard thing to feele true comfort of conscience For this doctrine is excellent replenished with most sweete consolation and comfort but this is wanting that the vse thereof is not felt where it ought to be felt For when the shepe goeth astray that is when a man feeleth himselfe grieued with his synnes and can not tell where to abyde and is cast of the deuell into a great feare of minde then he alwayes runneth vnto the contrary neither can he comprehend or conceyue in minde that this is true all things falling out of his minde which he heard here because of the present feeling and feare For the deuell hath daseled his eyes neither can he perceiue any thing els but the wrath and indignation of God Wherewith his heart is so burdened that he is not able to raise vp himselfe in minde and to turne his eyes any other where Nay he lyeth so drowned in it that Christ appeareth no otherwise vnto him but as an angrie iudge as he hath hitherto beene painted out and is so beaten into the hearts of all by the wicked Papists sitting on the rayne bowe with a sword comming out of his mouth For this is one of the most decietfull crafts of the deuell yea and of his mischiefes which he practizeth against the miserable shepe to dasle his eyes that he may not know any more his owne shepeheard vnder a pretence of Christ to leade a man to Moses disputing as much of Christ as he had accustomed to do before of Moses Wherefore we haue neede of a strong firme faith that we may beleeue these things to be true when a man himselfe must dispute euen against himselfe For the sense is vehemēt of it selfe whereunto the deuil also commeth maruelously amplifying synne terrour the greatnes and anguish whereof is able to consume euen the marrow in the bones yea and the heart in the body It can not therefore be perfectly learned so soone as some thinke In prosperitie it is easilie beleeued that Christ is sweete and amiable but anguish and terrour comming vpon ouer whelming the minde man is blinde and without good vnderstanding and will iudge only according to the sense and vnderstanding of his owne heart which he followeth and confirmeth himselfe in his owne errour For he is taken therein and can thinke no otherwise but that it is true and neuertheles it is not true Now it were a point of this art for a man thus to say vnto his heart How a Christian must speake vnto his owne heart if thou confes thy selfe to be a lost sheepe thou sayest right but that thou wilt therefore runne from Christ and so thinke of him in thy minde as though he were a man which would chase and terrifie thee it is a suggestion and tentation of the deuel For if thou didst rightly consider him and confes him as thy true shepeheard then wouldest thou not flie from his sight neither wouldest conceiue terrour in thy minde but with all cheerefulnes and boldnes wouldest runne vnto him For surely he is not therefore ready at hand that he may condemne thee but he commeth to thee seeking thee that hauing layde thee on his shoulders he may carie thee and exempt deliuer thee from sinnes errours the deuill and his power yea and from all perill Thou perceiuest therefore that thou art a sinner and hast deserued indignatiō so much more earnestly is that shepeheard to be sought and called for of thee that he may deliuer thee from it of whom consider no otherwise in thy minde then the shepe doth of his owne shepeheard whome it can not feare but seing and hearing him becommeth glad and cheereful although it hath runne from him so that for this deede it hath a sufficient cause to feare The whole matter therefore consisteth onely in this that thou do perfectly learne Christ aright We must cōsider Christ according to the word of God cōsider him according to the word of God and not according to the proper cogitatiōs of thy minde and thine owne senses For the cogitations of men are false and lying but his wordes are true and can not deceiue Wherefore the worde alone is to be engrauen in our heart and we must cleaue vnto it with a constant mynde whereby we may reproue our owne heart of lying For it alone must be true and all things els that are contrarie to it false and vaine But truly this is an arte whereof I am ignoraunt but much more those other light spirites who boaste many thinges of it as they that know all things when as they haue euen once heard any thing thereof and neuertheles they do not a litle perceiue or trie so much as any whit of it For it is an easie thing to speake and preach of it but how hard a thing it is to proue it in deede they onely haue experience who earnestly make triall thereof This is a most amiable demonstration of our Christ described by himselfe in this Gospell wherein he hath most aboundantly poured forth the flames of his most feruent heart and affection toward vs shewing that he hath exceeding great care and regard to recouer his shepe which alone leauing ninety and nine he seeketh and enquireth diligently for not to terrifie it and beate it but that he may helpe it and hauing found it may bring it home and with his louing and sweete voice and speaking vnto it may chere it being miserable and afflicted in conscience By all which thou seest how acceptable a thing thou shalt do vnto him if thou truste and cleaue vnto him with thy whole heart and promise to
maketh vs also good Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father yet neuertheles he reigneth in the hartes and consciences of the faithfull so that they loue feare reuerence and diligently obey him no otherwise then obedient subiects doe their King and in all their doinges are made like to him euen as he him selfe sayth Matth. 5 Be ye perfect as your Father vvhich is in heauen is perfect Now God is perfect in this that he taketh away and pardoneth our wickednes defect sinne and imperfection that we also may doe the like to our brethren But when as we shall not doe the like we are driuen out of his kingdom are made subiect to the kingdom of sinne death and the deuill as disloyall and disobedient inhabitants of some countrie are thrust out Which God of his mercy turne from vs Amen All these thinges may be comprehended in the principall poyntes follovving 1 Christ reigneth when by faith of the Gospell he worketh the goodnes and grace of God in our hartes and maketh them like vnto God 2 In such a kingdom the conscience enioyeth peace consolation and rest when it vnderstandeth and knoweth that God is mercifull vnto it and imputeth not sinnes 3 Therefore man beareth all kind of tribulation and affliction by which sinne is scoured and the force thereof abated He also endeuoureth to be beneficiall vnto other as he him selfe hath bene as it were ouerwhelmed of the benefits of God 4 And so the Lord reigneth after two sortes First for that he maketh the faithfull certaine of the grace of God and remission of sinnes Secondly for that he layeth the crosse vpon them that the body of sinne may be weakened and they brought to amendement 5 He that forgiueth his detters pertaineth to the kingdom of God but he that doth not forgiue them remaineth vnder the kingdom of sinne These things I thought good to speake in this present place concerning the kingdom of heauen the kingdom of God or the kingdom of Christ which is the same to wit that it is nothing else but a kingdom in which thou shalt finde nothing but forgiuenes of sinnes Which kingdom is preached and offered vnto vs by the Gospell God graunt that we may so receiue it Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF PRAYER THat prayer may be good in deede and may also be heard we must first consider that two thinges are necessarie thereunto one The promise of God is first to be considered of in prayer that we first meditate vpon the promise of God and doe as it were aduertize God thereof and trusting vnto it be emboldned and made cheerefull to pray for vnles God had commaunded vs to pray and had promised also that he will heare vs euen all creatures could not obtayne so much as a grayne by their petitions Whereupon it followeth that no man doth obtayne any thinge of God for his owne worthines or the worthines of his prayer but by the onely goodnes of God who preuenting all our petitions and desires prouoketh vs to pray and desire of him by his gentle and bounteous promise and commaundement that we may learne howe great care he hath ouer vs and is ready to giue vs moe thinges then we durst enterprise to aske and that we may also learne to pray boldely inasmuch as he giueth vs all thinges euen in more ample maner then we doe aske them We must no thing doute of the promise of God in prayer It is necessarie that we doe no whit doute of the promise of the true and faythfull God for therefore he hath promised that he will heare vs yea and hath commaunded vs to pray that we might haue a sure and stronge fayth that our prayer shall be so heard as he sayth Matth. 21. and Marke 11 VVhatsoeuer ye shall aske in prayer if ye beleeue ye shall receyue it And in Luke chapt 11 And I say vnto you Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For euery one that asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened If a sonne shall aske bread of any of you that is a father will ye giue him a stone or if he aske a fish will ye for a fish giue him a serpent or if he aske an egge will ye giue him a scorpion If ye then vvhich are euill can giue good giftes vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to them that desire him We must boldly trust to these and such like promises and commaundements and pray with true confidence He that douteth of the promises of God in praier committeth a double sinne If one so prayeth that he dout whether God heare him and maketh his prayer onely at aduenture caring not greatly whether it be hearde or not hearde he committeth a double offence One for that he him selfe maketh his praier frustrate and laboureth in vaine For so Iames sayth chap. 1 He that vvill aske of the Lord let him aske in faith and vvauer not for he that vvauereth is like a vvaue of the sea tost of the vvinde and caried avvay let not that man thinke that he shall receiue any thinge of the Lord. Such a mans hart is not quiet setled wherefore God can giue him nothing But faith maketh the hart quiet and capable of the gifts of God The other offence is that he counteth the most faithfull and true God as a lying vaine and vnconstant man as he which neither is able neither will fulfill his promises so by his douting he robbeth God of his honour name of faithfulnes and truth Whereby it is so grieuously offended that euen that offence being committed a Christian is plainly chaunged into an Heathen and denieth and loseth his true God so that if he continue therein he is damned for euer without all comfort And if any thing be giuen vnto him which he asketh it is giuen him not to good but to euill as well temporall as eternall not for his prayers sake but from the wrath of God that he may recompense those goodly wordes which are vttered in sinnes vnbeleefe and to the dishonour of God We must not therefore dout in our prayers for that we be vnworthy Some say I would trust in deede that my prayers should be heard if I were worthy or if I could pray well Then say I if thou wilt not pray before thou shalt knowe and finde thy selfe fit to pray that thou shalt neuer pray For as it is before sayde our prayer must not rest vpon our worthines or the worthines of it selfe or be grounded thereon but vpon the immutable truth of the promise of God If so be that it trust to it selfe or any other thing and ground it selfe thereon it is false and deceiueth thee albeit thy hart should euen be burst by reason of the ardent affection of godlines and thou shouldest weepe
holde no water An other for that thou darest say I am without sinne and giltles tush his wrath can not come vpon me behold I will reason with thee because thou darest say I haue not offended First he sayth that his spouse is turned into an harlot and hath estraunged her selfe from God the fountaine of life from whom life saluation euery good thing floweth him they haue forsaken Secondly they set vp their owne traditions and digge vnto them selues a fountaine of their owne which can holde no water So our Papistes trust to their owne inuentions to their founding of Masses to their fastinges prayers and such like things Which appeare to be as a fountaine out of which they would draw life and blessednes or saluation when as notwithstanding it is able to hold no water they forsake God the fountaine of life Afterward he sayth they dare rise against me that I should not be angrie with them alleging that their workes be iust and they will goe to law with me Beholde this is an other sinne that they goe about to defende their workes Whereupon God also sayth I wil cōtend with thee in iudgment wil shew how thou gaddest hither and thither to change thy wayes So faith pertaineth to God alone Faith obtaineth all good thinges of God whereunto it belongeth to obtaine all whatsoeuer thinges are necessary as well temporall thinges as eternall and so to obtaine them that it thinke not that it hath merited in any thing Also it must againe apply it self downward toward our neighbour with out looking for any recompense not that blessednes consisteth in that deriuing of faith to wit charity for neither doth God require that who will haue the conscience to rest onely in him euen as the spouse must cleaue onely to her husbande and to no other so also God requireth of vs that we trust in him alone These things Christ declareth when he saith Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull Wherefore I must so order my conscience toward God that I vndoutedly beleeue that I haue him a bountifull and mercifull father as I will afterward declare and that I also do shew mercy toward my neighbour Which faith must be inward and caried vpward vnto God but workes must be without and deriued downward to our neighbour After this sort Abraham did when at the mountaine in the countrie of Moria he ascended to God he left his seruaunts and asses below at the bottome of the mountaine taking onely Isaac with him The same must be done of vs if we will ascend vnto God that we may come to him with Isaac onely that is with faith seruaunts and asses that is workes are to be left below Thus much for the entraunce of this text concerning faith and workes to wit that faith must pearce inward and vpward but workes must go without and downeward whereby at the length it commeth to passe that we are righteous before God and men for that we giue due honour vnto God and beleeue according to his word and satisfie our neighbour in the dutie of loue Nowe let vs see the very wordes of the text in order Be ye mercifull as your Father is mercifull How our heauenly Father is mercifull toward vs. How therefore is our heauenly father mercifull after that sort that he giueth vs all good thinges corporall and spiritual transitorie and eternall freely and of his mercy For if he should giue vnto vs according to our desert he should giue vnto vs nothing but hell fire and eternall damnation What soeuer therefore good thinges he bestoweth vpon vs he bestoweth them of his meere mercy He seeth vs sticke fast in death therefore he hath mercy vpon vs and giueth vs life he seeth vs to be the children of hell therefore he taking pitie vpon vs giueth vnto vs heauen He seeth vs to be miserable and naked hungerie and thirsty it pitying him hereof he clotheth vs and refresheth vs with meat drinke maketh vs full of all good things So what soeuer we haue either in body or in spirit he giueth it vs of his meere mercy without any merit or desert of ours Whereupon Christ here saith Imitate your father be ye mercifull like vnto him This is not simple mercy What kinde of mercy reason teacheth vs to vse such as reason teacheth for that is greedy of her owne commoditie which giueth onely to great and learned men and to them that deserue it it loueth them that be fayre and beautifull it giueth vnto them of whom it looketh for profit and commoditie againe which is a mercy diuided begging and as it were torne and broken in peeces For if I shall giue to him that hath deserued or if I shall regard fayrenes or friendship it is a bargaine or det and not mercy Hereof Christ speaketh in the same chapter before this text in this wise Luke 6. If ye loue them which loue you what thanke shall ye haue and if ye do good for them which do good for you what thanke shall ye haue for euen the synners do the same and if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receiue what thanke shall ye haue for euen the synners lend to synners to receiue the like But the mercy of Christians must not seeke her owne but so behaue it selfe that it be indifferent that it regard all alike with open eyes both freinds and foes euen as our heauenly father doth Where true mercy is not neither is there any true faith And where soeuer this mercy is not neither is there faith also For thy heart being setled in faith so that thou knowest God to haue shewed himselfe thy God so gentle and bountifull without thy desert and of mere grace when thou wast as yet his enemie and the childe of euerlasting malediction thy heart I say being setled in this faith thou canst not containe thy selfe but that thou shew thy selfe againe so to thy neighbour that wholy for the loue of God and for thy neighbours commodities sake Take heede therefore what difference thou make betweene a friend and an enemie betweene the worthy and vnworthy for ye see all which are in this text rehearsed to haue otherwise deserued of vs then that we should loue them or do well vnto them And the same thing the Lord meaneth when he sayeth Luke 6 But loue your enemies do well vnto them lend looking for nothing againe and your reward shal be great and ye shal be the children of the most High for he is kinde vnto the vnkinde and to the euell An obiectiō But how commeth it to passe that a certain contrarie thing to that which we haue taught seemeth to appeare in this text where he saith Be ye merciful as your heauēly Father is merciful againe Iudge not and ye shal not be iudged condemne not ye shall not be condemned forgiue and it shal be forgiuen you All which authorities sound so that
guide other whē thou thy selfe art blinder thē a moule so that he which foloweth thee doth fall with thee into the ditch Of such as iudge themselues to excell others thinke themselues to be followed more thē the word of God S. Paul speaketh Rom. 2 Behold saith he thou art called a Iew restest in the law gloriest in God knowest his will and triest the thinges that dissent from it in that thou art instructed by the law perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darknes an instructer of them which lacke discretiō a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest A mā should not steale doest thou steale thou that sayest A man should not cōmit adulterie doest thou cōmit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols cōmittest thou sacrilege thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the law dishonourest thou God Whereupō he also sayth in the beginning of the same chapter to hypocrites Therefore thou art inexcusable O man who soeuer thou art that cōdemnest for in that that thou condemnest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condemnest doest the same thinges But we know that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O thou man that cōdemnest thē which do such things doest the same that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Loe this is to speake the truth to hypocrites who go about to shew the way to other which they themselues know not leading so other mē into the ditch with thē Therfore the Lord saith The disciple is not aboue his maister but who soeuer wil be a perfect disciple shal be as his maister This is a common prouerbe I can learne no more of my maister then he knoweth himselfe Wherefore doth the Lord speake this prouerbe because of two sortes of maisters the one is blynde whom if I shall follow I also my selfe shall become blynde he himselfe falleth into the ditch and I follow The other maister is the mercifull father of whom we must learne mercy whom if we follow we also do become mercifull like as he is if we were mercifull daily we should also become perfect as he is perfect but that commeth not to passe as long as we are in this life The second part of mercy is The second part of mercy to forgiue that we forgiue them which haue endamaged vs or hurt vs by any meanes A Christian can neuer be so hurt but he ought to forgiue not onely seuen times but seuenty times seuen times as the Lord sayd vnto Peter Matth. 18. Wherefore God forgiueth a Christian his synne or infirmitie that he also may forgiue other their infirmitie which Christ setteth forth els where in a most goodly parable which he cōcludeth in these wordes Matth. 18.35 So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts ech one to his brother their trespasses And so we praye daily in the Lords prayer with an addition saying forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Is this a hard matter if I a wretched synner do forgiue my neighbour his trespasses and his infirmitie whereas the Lord will forgiue me my synnes and my infirmities If one had killed my father what were this being compared to my synne wherewith I haue offended God and prouoked him to anger The third part of mercy is The third part of mercy to giue to the poore needy that we giue to them that be in miserie and neede and that we helpe them Whereof Iohn speaketh thus 1. Iohn 3 VVhosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him For where the loue of God is it is moued to shew it selfe euē in outward works Hereunto also pertaineth the saying of Christ Matth. 5 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Wherefore the Lord addeth a promise in the Gospell saying Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken togither running ouer shall men giue into your bosome And continuing on his speech he sayth For with what measure ye meat with the same shall men meat to you againe Thus much shall suffice concerning the partes of mercy which we ought to shew to our neighbours Matth. 7.12 Vnto which the speciall wordes of Christ ought to exhort vs who when in the Gospell of Matthew he had spoken much of a Christian life and of loue to be shewed to our brethren thus concludeth saying VVhat soeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Now euerie one is so affected that being cast downe and in distres he would wish all the world to helpe him If I be a miserable sinner drowned in sinnes bearing a burdened and troubled conscience I would that the whole world should comfort me should helpe and succour me should couer my sinne and shame So I also ought to behaue my selfe toward my neighbour not to iudge him not to condemne him but to forgiue him his offences to helpe him to prouide for him to lend vnto him giue him euen as I would wish to be done vnto my selfe if I were driuen into distres necessitie exile or pouerty And herein truly Christians are knowne if they loue one an other if one do such workes of mercy vnto an other as Christ sayd vnto his disciples at his last Supper I giue you a new commaundement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you By this shal all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other Thus ye haue the meaning of this text it remaineth that we call vpon God for grace A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE SVMME OF CHRISTIAN LIFE 1. Tim. 1. Verse 5. THE ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfeined 6. From the which thinges some haue erred and haue turned vnto vaine iangling 7. They would be doctours of the Lawe and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme IT is well knowne vnto you dearely beloued brethren Gods worde must be heard and learned with how great seueritie God hath commaunded his worde to be heard and learned For he most highly esteemeth it and hath bestowed much labour in defending it and publishing it to the world He hath suffred all the Prophets to come into perils and daungers at the last also he sent his owne sonne because of his worde whom he suffered to die euen the death of the crosse And what persecutions haue not the Apostles themselues abode for the wordes sake what afflictions haue
synnes Againe He that shall beleeue and be baptized shal be saued And Ioh. 3. he saith God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that who soeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Therefore God hath set forth the mercy seat vnto vs whereunto he leadeth vs from the iudgement seat Let vs leaue other before the iudgemeÌ„t seat namely those proud holy ones contemners and persecuters of the word of God where they shall heare sentence according to their deedes We will suffer these to abyde in their circle vntill they haue humbled themselues but we will not abyde in this circle but will depart from it as farre as we shal be able into the circle of the mercy feat vnto which we do appeale Neither haue we inuented this of our owne braine but it is the word of God himselfe which threatneth horrible iudgement to them which come with their owne holines and trusting thereunto do hope that they shal be able to stand before God the iudge neglecting the mercy seat of Christ For the sentence standeth that they shal be set before the iudgement seat as Christ sayth Ioh. 3 He that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he hath not beleeued in the name of that onely begotten Sonne of God He that beleeueth in him is not condemned that is shall not come to the iudgement seat but to the mercy seat where there is no wrath or rigour but grace forgiuenes of synnes all thinges being remitted which be not pure yea being blotted out and so consumed as a droppe of water is consumed of the heat of the sunne For where the mercy seat reigneth there is nothing els but meere forgeuenes and remission of synnes This therefore being knowne we must exactly vnderstaÌ„d the difference betweene the Lawe and the Gospel whereof we often teach The office of the Lawe The lawe draweth vs to the iudgement seat requiring of vs integritie of life loue out of a pure heart a good conscience it maketh vs also to exercise our selues therein and must goe no further But when it shall come and accuse thee and will reason with thee and haue those things to be performed which it requireth then shalt thou be greatly troubled For albeit thou hast done them yet art thou not able to staÌ„d before God before whose iudgement seat many thinges are yet found wanting in thee which should haue bin done of thee and thou hast left them vndone neither are they knowne vnto thy selfe The Law wil driue vs vnto desperation vnlâ—â—s we can appeale froÌ„ the iudgement seate to the mercy seate Whither then wilt thou turne thee Here the Lawe vrgeth thee by all meanes and thine owne conscience being witnes accuseth thee requiring the sentence of the iudge against thee Then must thou despeire there is no counsell or helpe to be had except thou knowest to flie from the iudgemeÌ„t seat to the mercy seat as for example Admit some Bishop die in his owne holines who while he liued was as it seemed of a good life and acknowledged Christ no otherwise then a cruell iudge as it hath bin hitherto preached of him neither hath he bin otherwise set forth as he is also wont to be vnto such not of his owne nature for in deede he is most gracious and comfortable but because they esteeme him for no other in their heart behold this man is a hinderaunce vnto himselfe that he can not obtaine any grace For he knoweth no difference of the iudgement seat and the mercy seat yea he is altogether ignoraunt whether there be a mercy seat from which he so erreth and must be bound to the iudgement seate But we teach thus How Christ must be learned and considered of that Christ is so to be learned and considered that we be most certainly perswaded that he sitteth before miserable and trembling consciences that beleeue in him not as an angrie iudge which commaundeth forthwith to carie violently them that be giltie vnto punishment but as a gentle louing and comfortable Mediatour betweene my fearefull conscience and God which sayth vnto me If thou be a sinner and astonied and the deuell laboureth to drawe thee to the iudgement seat then see that thou flie vnto me and feare no wrath or anger Wherefore Euen because I sit here that if thou beleeue in me I may make intercession for thee to my father that no anger and seueritie may hurt thee for all anger and punishment shal be sooner layde vpon me then be borne of thee Howbeit that can not be for he is the onely beloued sonne in whom all grace and fauour dwelleth whom as often as the father doth behold he can not but replenish both heauen and earth with grace and fauour and forget all wrath and displeasure And what soeuer he shall aske of his father that he shall forthwith obtaine with out all repulse or deniall So by faith we are made wholy blessed and safe subiect no more to any damnation yet not for our owne holines and purenes but for Christes sake to whom we cleaue by faith as to our mercy seate being assuredly perswaded that with him there remaineth no anger but meere loue and pardon and forgiuenes of synnes Thus the heart is purified before God and the conscience made good and quiet not in respect had of mine owne purenes of life led before the world but by trust and confidence of that excellent treasure which my heart apprehendeth which is vnto me in steede of a pledge and fulnes when as before God I am not able to paye We must especially take heede that our faith be not false or feyned But herein the whole force of the matter consisteth that we do againe and againe take heede that our faith be not false or as Paul speaketh fained For if this erre and deceiue vs all things deceiue vs. For there haue bin many in all ages as there be also at this day which can speake many thinges of faith and wil be maisters not onely of the law but euen of the Gospell also Who say the same that we do that faith performeth doth all things but that the Law and good workes are also to be ioyned vnto it and that otherwise if these be not added faith auaileth nothing In which words they mixe mingle togither our life workes and Christ But this is not purely and syncerely to haue taught faith but to haue coloured defiled and corrupted faith so that it can no more be called faith but a feined colour counterfecting of faith the trust and confidence of the heart standing not purely toward Christ as the onely mercy seate but being grounded vpon our one holines as being able to stand before the iudgemeÌ„t seat Wherefore doing thus we are most rightly cast of before God and condemned vnto destruction whereof we are most worthie For if faith must be pure and voyd of all counterfecting and faining
then these two thinges Christ and my workes must be rightly discerned and seuered one from the other For this is plaine euen to him that is blinde that Christ and his workes are not my life and my workes but are separated from the Law and from the workes of all men yea and that by a greater distaunce then man is vnlike or differeth from man For neither can I say that I and Cesar or the Bishop of Rome are the same thing yet I am much neerer and liker vnto either of them then a mortall man and a sinner is vnto Christ the Lord whoe is not onely a pure and holy man free from all spot and blot but is moreouer God also Therefore let the Lawe and the purenes of thy heart yea and thy good conscience auaile in earth onely toward men But where the mercy seat is to wit at the right hand of the father and the Mediatour betweene thee God thither no mans workes merits ought to haue accesse much lesse be they there of any force or value Wherefore Christ is purely to be separated from all my life deedes and workes and we must without exception conclude that he is an other thing then our life led before men with a pure heart and a good conscience albeit it be led euen perfectly and without blame For it being presented before God and by the lawe brought to the iudgement seat I am condemned and lost But Christ is the mercy seat and all that cleaue vnto him by faith can not be condemned and iudged So the iudgement seat togither with the lawe and all my life goe into one part but my faith must flie and lep farre vnto an other part and ioyne it selfe vnto him which is pure and hath no synne of whom the Scripture speaketh he that beleeueth in him shal not be confounded Because he is present in the sight of the father and maketh intercession for me Moreouer he giueth me his owne purenes and holines that being clothed and adorned therewith I may be able to stand before God and all wrath and displeasure may be taken away in steede whereof I may enioy meere loue and fauour Loe thus faith remaineth pure and free from counterfecting for it resteth not vpon my workes that because of them it should behoue God to be gentle and fauourable vnto me as a false and fained faith doth which mingleth togither mans merits and the grace of God and although it hold the words of Christ yet hath it the confidence and trust of the heart reposed in it selfe so A fained faith is no sure foundation but faileth theÌ„ that trust vnto it that it is certaine that it is onely a colour which can not long continue For the matter commeth at the last to this point that beleeuing that God is fauourable vnto thee because of thy life led without fault or blame thou must despeire and say who knoweth what I haue done whereby am I certaine that I haue neglected nothing through careleâ—nes or that nothing is wanting in me In this doutfulnes of minde the foundation faileth slideing away vnder thee like vnto sand moued or stirred and so faith is of no force or value at all Wherefore it is not vnfitly called fained and painted faith through which one seeth as it were through a lattis or painted glasse through which the thinge that is seene representeth the colour of the glasse and yet is not in deede of that colour So they also beleeue that that affection is in God that he vouchsaueth to regard our workes and merits Which they paint forth according to their owne opinion and dreames which are vtterly false rash and vnaduised And so iudgeing God all things according to them they see only as it were through a lattis or painted glasse But so onely thou shalt behold him with pure and cleere eyes if thou do wel separate the iudgement seat and the mercy seat one from the other that heauen with the starres thereof may remaine pure to grace remission of synnes obtained by the Mediatour where Christ reigneth with his workes and the earth also with her trees and herbes whither we must be referred with our workes The matter I say must be brought of vs to that passe if we will stand with a right and an vnfained faith before God that we do purely distinguish and seuer our selues our life and Christ or the mercy seat and he that will not do this but presenteth himselfe before the iudgement seat with a bold courage shall feele the reward of his rashnes I my selfe haue bin in that daunger and as it were a mouse hauing tasted pitch haue runne away reioysing greatly that libertie was giuen me to attaine to the mercy seat and now I am enforced to say that albeit I haue liued very well before men yet all things coÌ„mitted of me contrariwise do remaine beneath vnder the iudgement seat to be punished according to the sentence and iudgement of God Only Christ is our coÌ„fort and meanes whereby we attaine saluation Now I haue no other comfort nor no other helpe and counsell of my saluation then that Christ is my mercy seat who hath neuer offended hath defiled himselfe with no synne who died and rose againe for me and sitteth now at the right hand of the father defendeth me vnder his shadow and protection that I neede not doute that I am by his benefite and intercession safe before God from all wrath and terrour of iudgement Thus faith remaineth in all thinges pure setting no other thing before it selfe whereunto it may boldly trust but Christ alone Now he that knew this well should be a man of a resolute minde For all other haue to do with a fained faith boasting many thinges of faith but mingling all thinges together like as vintners mixe wine with water by this that they say if thou liue thus God wil be fauourable vnto thee and they make the iudgement seat of the mercy seat and the mercy seat of the iudgement seat which by no meanes can be for the iudgement seat shall remaine c. Wherefore separate these two one from the other as farre as thou shalt be able that they come not togither namely thy life and holines togither with the iudgement seat into one place which may driue enforce thee to haue a good conscience and to lead an vpright life before men But offer thy synnes to the mercy seate to be transferred into an other place where God louingly receiuing thee will embrace thee as a beloued sonne and will neuer remember more any wrath or synnes If such doctrine of faith were set forth vnto men then should it be excellently well done and all other thinges should follow of their owne accord as purenes of heart and goodnes of conscience through right and perfect loue For who soeuer is by faith quiet in his heart and assured that he hath God fauourable vnto him who is not angry with
wherefore forasmuch as they bringe no commoditie at all neither is there any neede of them and they are cause of greater hinderance to a Christian common weale then can be thought and can not by any meanes be reformed what can be more profitable then that they be vtterly ouerthrowne and abolished Moreouer that we may admonish here concerning the ciuill Magistrate when he commaundeth or requireth any thing Obedience to the ciuill Magistrate doth not hinder Christian libertie yea if he compel thereunto we must obey for there commeth no losse of Christian libertie or of faith hereby forasmuch as they doe not contend that those thinges are necessary to saluation which they do ordaine or require but onely to maintaine outward rule publike tranquillitie and gouernment so the conscience remaineth free Wherefore forasmuch as it doth nothing hinder faith to do those things which the ciuill Magistrate commaundeth but doth also profit the common weale it shall be without dout a point of Christian obedience to endeuour to do them with a willing mind that we may be such as are pliant agreeable to all men willing to doe all things ready to deserue well of euery one to gratifie all Howbeit if any should contend that those commaundements of the ciuill Magistrate be necessary to saluation then as it is sayd of the traditions of the Papistes the contrary rather were to be done or at the lest it were to be witnessed that thou doost them onely for the common weales sake because so it is profitable to others and not that thou mayst obtaine saluation by them which we haue gotten by Christ Iesus alone as many of vs as beleeue in him According to this doctrine the examples before mentioned euery one ought to behaue him selfe in euery thinge toward all men as Paule here teacheth that he sticke not to his owne iudgement or right but that he shew him selfe pliant vnto others and haue regard of those thinges which he shall knowe will be acceptable and profitable to his neighbours When therefore it doth nothing hinder thy faith and profiteth thy neighbour to yeeld somewhat of thine owne right if thou doe it not thou art without charitie neglectest that Christian softnes patient mind that Paule here speaketh of Yea if thou hast regard hereof as he that truly beleeueth in Christ ought to haue thou must take it patiently euen when any man doth iniurie vnto thee or endamage thee and so interprete it in the better part and alwaies think on that A most worthy saying of a right Christian Martyr which that Martyr when all his substance was taken from him sayd But they shall not take away Christ from me So whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto thee say thou I haue as yet suffered no losse of my faith why shoulde I not take it in good parte which my neighbour hath done why should I not yeeld vnto him and apply my selfe to his will Thou canst scarce find a more manifest example hereof An example which Christians ought to follow in behauing them selues toward their neighbours then betwene two vnfeyned friendes for as they behaue them selues one toward an other so ought a Christian to behaue him selfe toward euery one Either of them endeuoreth to gratifie other either of them giueth place to other suffereth doth and omitteth whatsoeuer he seeth to be for the profite and commoditie of the other that freely without all constraint Either of them doth diligently apply him selfe to the will of the other neither of them compelleth other to follow his mind if one should vse the goods of an other that other would not be offended but would take it in good part and would not grudge rather to giue more and that I may speake briefly betweene such there is no exaction of lawe no grudging no constraint no necessitie but libertie fauour and good will Contrariwise such as be impatient and obstinate which take nothing in good part of any man but go about to make all things subiect to their owne will and to order all thinges according to their owne iudgement The impatient obstinate are cause of much euill such I say trouble the world and are the cause of all discordes contentions warres whatsoeuer discommoditie there is they say afterward that they did those thinges for the loue of iustice and for that they endeuoured to defend that which is right So that that heathen man sayd not amisse Extreme rigour is extreme iniurie And Salomon also sayth Eccles 7. Be thou neither too righteous nor ouer wise For as extreme rigour is extreme iniurie so too great wisedom is extreme folly Which also is meant by this common saying when wise men dote they dote beyond measure Surely if God should deale with vs according to right we should perish in a moment wherefore as Paule prayseth in him this moderation of right and incomparable patience and gentlenes saying 2. Cor. 10 I beseech you by the meekenes and gentlenes of Christ so is it also meete that we doe obserue a measure of our iudgement right wisedom prudence and in all thinges apply our selues to the profit commoditie of others But let vs weie the wordes of the Apostle for they are placed not without a spirituall skilfulnes he sayth Let your patient minde or softnes be knowne vnto all men Where thou must not thinke that he commaundeth thee to be made knowne vnto all men How our patient minde must be made knowē vnto all men or that thou oughtest to tell thy patient mind or softnes before all men For he sayth not tell it forth but let it be knowne that is endeuour to practize it toward men I doe not commaund that ye shoulde thinke or speake of it but that ye labour that it may be knowne in deede while all men doe trie and feele it that no man may say any other thing of you then that ye be of a patient minde and pliant applying your selues to all men being enforced so to say euen by manifest experience So that if any man were neuer so much bent to speake otherwise of you his mouth might be stopped by that testimonie of all other witnessing of your patient mind and meekenes So sayth Christ Matth. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And Peter sayth 1. Pet. 2. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation It is not surely in our power that our patient mind should be knowne and acknowledged of all men but it shal be sufficient for vs if we endeuour that all men may haue triall thereof in vs and that no man may finde it wanting in our life Moreouer all men is not so to be taken that thou shouldest vnderstand thereby all men
of fasting it teacheth by the example of Christ Two sorts of fasting which are allowable to be commended The Scripture commeÌ„deth vnto vs two sorts of fasting which are laudable one which is taken vpon vs of our owne accord to tame the flesh whereof the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 6. where he exhorteth vs to behaue our selues as the ministers of God by labours watchings fastings among the rest An other which in deede is not taken vpon vs willingly yet is willingly borne of vs when by reason of neede and pouertie we haue not whereon to feede Whereof Paule speaketh also in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter Vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst And Christ Matth. 9 VVhen the bridegrome shal be taken from them then shall they fast This fasting Christ teacheth vs by his present example who being alone in the desert and hauing no meat did suffer that neede and hunger patiently The first of these two fastes may when we please be left and broken with eating of meat but this last must be suffred vntill the Lord ende and breake it Now the cause why the Euangelist did so diligently first declare that Iesus was led aside of the spirit into the wildernes that he should there fast and be tempted is this lest that any taking vpon him to fast of his owne mynde and for his owne commodities sake should in vaine endeuour to follow this example of Christ For he must looke for the leading asyde of the spirite he will cause fasting and tentation enough We must not procure tentation to our selues but patiently suffer it when it pleaseth the Lord to send it for he that without the leading asyde of the spirit should voluntarily bring himselfe into daunger of hunger or any other tentation when by the blessing of God he hath what to eate and drinke and whereby to liue quietly he I saye should plainly tempt the Lord. We must not procure to our selues pouertie and tentation they will come soone enough of themselues onely when they are sent of the Lord we must endeuour to beare them patiently Iesus as the Euangelist writeth was led aside of the spirite into the wildernes he did not choose to himselfe the wildernes They are led with the Spirite of God which are the sonnes of God Romans 8. The good thinges which the Lorde giueth he giueth for this that we maye enioye them with thankes giuing not that we should neglect them tempting him Moreouer this history is written vnto vs both to instruct The historie of Christes tentation coÌ„taineth both instruction exhortation and also to exhort To instruct that we may learne hereby that Christ by this his fasting hunger tentation and victorie against Satan did serue vs furthered our saluation that whosoeuer beleeueth in him may neuer neede or be hurt by any tentation but rather shall abound with good thinges in the middes of pouertie and be safe in the middes of tentation for that his head and Lord Christ hath ouercome all these thinges for him whereof by fayth he is most certain according as the Lord himselfe sayth Ioh. 16 Be ye of good comfort I haue ouercome the world And if God could without meat nourish his Christ fortie dayes so many nights so he câ—â— also Christians We are exhorted also here that according to this example of Christ we suffer hunger tentation and other necessities wheÌ„ they come and when the case so requireth to the glorie of God profit of our neighbours And surely if we do earnestly confesse and sticke to the word of God these thinges will vndoutedly come vnto vs. The present text therefore containeth a meruelous consolation and strengthening of faith against the filthie and incredulous bellie which being diligeÌ„tly and faithfully weyed our conscience shal be verie much comforted and streÌ„gthened that we may not be carefull for liuing but trust with a full confidence that God will giue vs plentifully those thinges that be necessarie Now that this tentation also is incident vnto vs it is manifest For as Christ was led aside into the wildernes that is was left alone of God Angels men and all creatures which might helpe him How we are sometime led aside into the wildernes so also falleth it out with vs. We are led aside into the wildernes we are forsaken and left alone And this in deede is it which especially grieueth vs to feele or perceiue nothing whereunto we may trust or from whence we may looke for helpe As when it lyeth vpon me to prepare sustenance for me and mine and I haue nothing at all of my selfe neither perceiue any helpe comming from any man neither know where to looke for any This is to be led aside into the desert and to be left alone I being in this case am in the true exercise of faith then I learne how I my selfe am nothing howe weake my faith is how great and rare a thing sounde faith is and howe deepe abominable incredulitie is setled in the harts of all But he that hath as yet a purse heauie with money a seller ful of wine a garnar replenished with graine he is not yet led aside into the wildernes or left alone and therefore can not feele tentation while these thinges remaine Satan tempteth Christ with care for the belly and diffidence of Gods goodnes Secondly Satan commeth and tempteth Christ with this care for the bellie and diffidence of the goodnes of God saying If thou be the Sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread As if he should say according to the Dutch prouerbe Trust in God and in the meane season neglect to bake bread Tarie till a rosted chicken flie into thy mouth Go now and say that thou hast a God who is carefull for thee Where is now that thy heauenly Father who hath so great a care of thee Hath he not goodlily forsaken thee Eate now and drinke of thy faith and let vs see how thou shal be suffised it were well wiâ—â— thee if thou couldest feede on stones What a goodly sonne of God art thou How fatherly doth he behaue himselfe toward thee He sendeth thee not so much as a peece of breade but suffreth thee here to be pined with hunger Go now and beleeue yet that thou art the sonne of God and he thy Father Surely with these and such like cogitations he tempteth all the children of God which Christ also vndoutedly felt for he was not a blocke or stone but verie man although pure from synne as he also continued which is not giuen vnto vs. Now that the Deuel tempted Christ with care of the bellie diffidence and wicked desire the aunswere of Christ doth sufficiently declare Man liueth not by breade alone Which is as much as if he had said Thou wilt haue me haue regard to bread alone thou dealest with me as though I ought to haue no other care but of meate and foode
And when consciences were vrged in confession they would not sticke to say Whatsoeuer was enioined vs we haue omitted nothing of it yea we haue giuen more then we were commaunded Miserable men reioyced that by this meanes they might prouide for them selues and therefore they pyned and afflicted them selues that they might be vnburdened of their sinnes yet did it preuaile them nothing For the conscience remained in dout as before that it knewe not how it stoode before God But if it were secure and quiet it fell into that which is worse to thinke that God hath respect vnto workes neither can reason doe any other but depend of works The Lord therfore is touched with affection of mercy toward that misery wherew t the seruaunt so entangled snared with sinnes is holden taking pitie vpon him doth forgiue and dimisse him Here is now set forth vnto vs what is the special office qualitie of the gospel how God dealeth with vs. When thou art so drowned in sinnes weariest thy self that thou mayst deliuer thy selfe from them the Gospell commeth to thee The preaching of the Gospell sayth Doe not so deare brother it preuaileth nothing although thou afflict and torment thy selfe euen til thou be mad thy works do not profit but the mercy of God shall deliuer thee who is touched with thy miserie for he seeth thee wrapped in calamitie wearying thy self that thou mayst deliuer thy selfe out of the myre yet art not able he I say hath regard vnto this that thou art not able to pay wherupon he forgiueth thee all and that of his meere mercie For he doth not forgiue thee the dette eyther for thy workes or merits but for that he taketh pittie vppon thy crie complainte and mourning and thy falling downe before his knees that is God hath respect to an humbled hart as the Prophet sayth Psal 51 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken contrite hart O God shalt thou not despise Such a hart he saith as is broken and humbled which is not able to helpe it selfe but craueth the helpe of God and reioyceth in it such a heart is an acceptable sacrifice to God and he that hath it is in the right way to heauen Now God hauing shewed this mercy vnto him and taken pitie on his miserie ceasseth to followe his right and abrogateth it and sayth no more Sell whatsoeuer thou hast and pay the dette although he might go forward and say Thou must paye for this my lawe requireth which I will not haue abrogated for thy sake yet will he not deale with him by the lawe but chaungeth the lawe into grace and fauour taketh pittie on him and dimisseth him with his wife children and all his substance and doth also forgiue him the dette This is that which God suffereth to be preached by the Gospell vnto him that beleeueth is remitted not onely the fault but also the punishment and that of meere mercy not for any works sake For he that preacheth that by workes the fault and the punishment may be put awaie hath euen then denied the Gospell Mercy and merit cā not agree togither forasmuch as these two can not agree togither that God hath mercy on thee and yet that thou doest merit some thinge For if it be grace it is not merit but if it be merit then shall it not be grace but dette for if thou pay thy dette he sheweth thee no mercy but if he sheweth thee mercy thou doest not make payment Wherefore we must needes acknowledge his mercie toward vs we must receiue of him and beleeue in him which the Gospel here requireth After therefore that this seruaunt is thus humbled with the knowledge of his synne the word is exceeding comfortable vnto him wherein the Lord pronounceth him free and forgiueth him both the fault and the punishment Whom the preaching of the Gospell profiteth Whereby is also declared that it toucheth not sluggish hearts that feele no synne neither those that are caried with rashnes but onely such afflicted consciences as are pressed with the heauie burden of their synnes which do greatly desire to be deliuered from them of them God hath mercy and forgiueth them all Wherefore it behoued this seruaunt to receiue the word for vnles he had receiued it forgiuenes had profited nothing nay there had bene no forgiuenes at all It is not therefore enough that God suffereth remission of synnes and a golden yeare full of grace to be preached vnto vs but it is necessarie that we receiue and beleeue it in heart If thou beleeue thou art free from synnes This is the first part of a Christian life which both this place and diuers other in the Gospels do teach vs which consisteth properly in faith which alone hath to do before God whereby also is shewed that the Gospell can not be receiued but of a troubled and miserable conscience Herupon now may be inferred that they are plaine delusions whatsoeuer thinges are any otherwise taught concerning our workes and free will to wit that they put away sinnes and obtaine grace For the diuine maiestie alone beholding our miserie hath pittie vpon vs for the text sheweth manifestly that God pardoneth and forgiueth them that haue nothing and concludeth that we haue nothing left wherewith we may pay God Howsoeuer therefore thou hast free will in temporall matters yet thou hearest here that it is nothing before God Wherefore if thou desire to be deliuered from thy synnes thou must ceasse to trust in any of thy workes and must plainly despeire concerning them and flie vnto Christ pray vnto God for grace finally receiue the Gospell by faith Now followeth the other part wherein the felow seruaunt also is delt with This seruaunt now hath enough he saueth his body goods wife children c. and hath his Lord fauourable vnto him Wherfore he should surely be very foolish if he should now depart and do what he is able for the reconciliation of his Lord for his Lord might worthely say that he is mocked of him He hath neede therefore of no worke but that he receiue such grace fauour as is offered him so may he be of a good cheere giuing thankes to his Lord and dealing so with others as his Lord hath delt with him After the same sort is it with vs for when we beleeue we haue God fauourable mercifull vnto vs neither do we neede any thing more We must endeuour by our workes to profit our neighbour not seeke to obtaine Gods fauour but now it were time that we should forthwith die Notwithstanding if we must as yet liue still in the earth our life ought to be ordered so that we seeke not to obtaine the fauour of God by workes For he that doth this doth mocke dishonour God as it hath bin hitherto taught that God is to be sollicited so song by good workes prayers fastings such like vntill we obtaine
comfort these weake dismayed and troubled consciences sayth Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you What soeuer burden we are laden with we may finde ease comfort in christ if we flie to him for succour Here are we called vnto comfort Here forget all thy merit and worthines for that he plainly sayth ye that are wearie and laden to wit with the burden of the lawe the anguishe and affliction of synne and wherewithall soeuer the conscience maye be troubled Therefore he dothe not expresse it by name for he saythe not ye that are troubled with this or that calamitie but simplie ye that are wearie and laden Neither will he haue any here excluded forasmuch as he saythe All which is a singular and speciall comfort if any thinge trouble vs what kynde of tentation soeuer it be Who soeuer therefore is striken with the feelinge of his synne and knoweth his one weakenes to fulfill the lawe of God let him come hither with a cheerefull and bold corage and he shall certainly receiue comfort I will refresh you sayth Christ as those that are pressed and burdened with sore labour and griefe Let this onely be thy care that thou beleeue such a louing bidding and promise After this sorte Christ cryed in the temple at Hierusalem at a certaine feast If any man thirst Ioh. 7.37.38.39 let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleeueth in me as sayth the Scripture out of his bellie shall flow riuers of water of life This spake he of the Spirit which they that beleeued in him should receiue Which so commeth to passe He causeth the Gospel to be preached vnto vs which he that beleeueth is endued with the holy Ghost and obtaineth pardon of all his synnes This is truly to refresh him whose conscience is troubled to wit when he feeleth that his synnes be forgiuen and that he is become heire of the kingdome of God Neither doth he refresh vs onely in the anguish and tentation of synne but he will also be present with vs in other calamities and miseries in famine warre dearth of victuals and whatsoeuer such like can come in all these he will not leaue vs destitute of his helpe as he cared for the Patriarke Ioseph euen in a straunge countrie with whom he was continually present as well in prosperitie as in aduersitie Nowe synne is a grieuous burden whereof no man is eased but he whom Christ the sonne of God deliuereth and that by the holy Ghost whom he hath merited for vs of the Father which maketh our hearts cheerefull and readie to do all thinges which God requireth of vs. But what is this that he sayth Take my yoke on you Is this to refresh if I take one burden from one and lay vpon him an other The yoke of Christ why so called This is that whereof we haue oftentimes spoken the Gospell doth first make astonied and discourage and is grieuous to the flesh for it telleth vs that all our owne thinges are nothing that our owne holines and righteousnes are of no importaunce that all thinges which are in vs are damned that we are the children of wrath and indignation This is verie hard and an intolerable burden to the fleshe and therefore he calleth it a burden or yoke But lest he should terrifie or make afrayde any for that he is of great authoritie high and mightie and therefore can not suffer synneful and wretched men or for that he may seeme to be tyrannicall and vngentle he before cutting of this suspicion sayth Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Christ will here louingly allure vs to his doctrine for he had spoken before of the knowledge of the Father as if he would saye fleshe and a fearfull nature compteth me for an austere seuere and rigorous man but I am not of such a nature yea I am humble and meeke in heart Christ humble meeke I do not terrifie men as Moses dothe I doe not preach doe this or that but I preach forgiuenes of synnes neither doe I preach that they should giue any thinge but rather that they may receiue There is not in me ambition and loftines as is in the Pharises which desire to be magnified but I am altogither gentle and lowly in heart ready to receiue synners If so be that they fall againe into synnes notwithstanding I doe not yet cast them from me if they flie vnto me for succour and doe with a sure confidence looke for comfort and helpe of me I doe not curse men as the Pharises doe which curse them euen for their owne ordinaunces and for mens deuises and will sooner suffer all the commaundements of God to be neglected then one of their decrees and ordinaunces not to be obserued As we see in the Papacie where it is counted a greater offence to eate flesh on the frydaye or for a sacrificing Priest to marie them to commit twentie adulteries or ten homicides But here thou seest that God doth abrogate euen his owne lawe that he may so much the sooner procure synners vnto him Christ in a singular signification sayth here that he is meeke as if he saide I knowe how synners are to be handled I haue tryed what a fearefull and an afflicted conscience is as the Epistle to the Hebreues chapter 5. witnesseth that he was in all thinges tempted in like sort except synne Wherefore let no man be afrayd of me I will handle all easily and gently I will saye nothinge with a sowre contenaunce I make no man afrayde so as they come boldly vnto me they shall fynde rest to their soules with me To their soules he sayth They that beleeue in Christ finde rest to their soules though in their bodies they suffer affliction as if he would saye outwardly in the bodie there maye be affliction and trouble and calamities may ouerwhelme you but ye ought to beare all these thinges lightely as he also sayth to his disciples in the Gospell of Iohn In me ye shall haue peace but in the world ye shall haue affliction Wherefore although outwardly all thinges fall out against vs as though they would suppresse and deuour vs yet are they nothinge to be esteemed of For we haue the feelinge of peace inwardly in our conscience And this is the first frute of fayth as Paule saythe Rom. 5 Therefore being iustified by fayth we haue peace toward God through our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe when our conscience is quieted and we haue peace with God nothinge is able to moue vs no nothing shall hurt vs albeit it be euell and against vs. Let no man thinke thus and saye this is not to amend ones state or case if I take one burden from his necke and laye on an other as it is before sayd For Christ sayth My yoke is easie and my burden is light as if he would saye the yoke of the law vnder which ye liued before was