turne away our fayth from his bludshed Ment he that baptim should take the roome of his death and passion to performe the office of our saluatioÌ„ No surely For Baptim is but on Incum and an appendant too the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and if it did not direct vs thither certeynely it were but a tryfling Ceremony As much is too bee fayd of the Lords Supper When wee câ—me too 〈◊〉 the bread and wyne which are the pledges of the body and bluâ— of our Lord Iesus Christ although that in that supper wee bee truly fed with the meate and drink wherof mention is 〈◊〉 in the sixth of Saint Iohn that is to wit that our Lord Iesus Chriâ—â— maketh vs partakers of the truthe of his owne substance too the end that his lyfe should bee common vntoo vs yit notwithstanding if the supper should bee separated from the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it were a thing of nothing And in deede wee see also what the promis conteyneth This is my bodie sayeth he which is giuen for you Trew it is that is sheweth well what our ordinarie foode is but therwithall he sendeth vs also too his death and passion For had he not made satisfaction for our sinnes and shed his blud to wash away our spots what should it boote vs now too haue baptim and his supper ministred and giuen vntoo vs Wee see then that too vse baptim well and according too the institution of the sonne of God we must not set our mâ—nds vppon the corruptible and transitorie element For what is the water If it stand but one day it will corruâ—pt and how then can it clenze our soules for euer and get vs a purenesse that shall continew after death though wee our selues doo turne too rottennesse If this power cannot bee in the water wee must of necessitie repayre too the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. And in dede the water also is a figure of his blud and of his holy spirit Then let vs mark that our Lord Iesus did then wash vs when he shed his blud wherby he clenzed vs That is the meane wherby wee may resort vntoo God with full trust that wee shal bee receyâ—ed as ryghtuous and perfect bycause he layeth not our sinnes too our charge Mark that for one poynt Now as Saint Peter sayeth in his first Epistle wee be wasâ—hed with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ by the holy Ghost Wee see then that wee haue the substance and truthe of our saluation in the person of the sonne of god And moreouer wee haue too note also that he communicateth him self vntoo vs and therby putteth vs in possession and fruition of all his goods through the power of the holy Ghost And how happeneth it then that Saint Paule hath made no mention heere of the blud that clenzeth vs and of the woorking of the holy Ghost It seemeth that hee hath forgotten the cheef thing and buzieth him self about a thing that is very small I haue told you alredye that he ment not too abridge any thing that belonged too the sonne of God that wee should not seeke the whole fulnes of our saluation in him alone and settle our fayth alonly vppon him nother ment he too dispossesse the holy Ghost of his office but he had respect of our infirmitie And that is the cause why he set downe the signe wherby the thing that of it self is too hygh and too farre hidden from our vnderstanding is set before our eyes That is the piâ—h of the thing which we haue too beare in mynd Now of this declaration wee may receyue a very profitable lesson in generall that is too wit that the trew and lawfull vse of Sacraments is too leade vs directly too our Lord Iesus Christ and that otherwyse wee make them but as Idols And therfore in poperie Baptim is but as a Charme bycause they think there is no saluation but by the water I let passe the things that they haue puâ— to it of their owne deuyzing For they haue corrupted and mard the very institution of Iesus Christ by mingling baptim with the superstitions that are knowen of But let vs put the cace they vsed nothing else but the pure water yit is it diuelish opinion that Baptim is able of it self to saue vs For by that meanes our Lord Iesus Christ is as good as thrust away so as they make none account of him For they stand poring vppon the visible signe and are as yee would say vtterly doted vppon it In lyke cace are they with all the rest of their Ceremonies So much the more therefore dooth it stand vs on hand too beare this lesson in mynd That too apply the Sacraments too a ryght vse and too such vse as God alloweth and ordeyneth they must guyde vs too our Lord Iesus Christ Lyke as in Baptim wee see but the water but therby we must be lifted vp hygher to the blud of the sonne of God assuring our selues that it is not the water that maketh vs cleane but that it is only a warrant of the washing that was gotten for vs when our Lord Iesus Christ was crucifyed for vs In the Supper wee haue bread and wyne Now to hold our selues to that which is set before out eyes were a withdrawing of our selues from Iesus Christ. Our fayth therfore must bee lifted vp and conueyed too him in whom all the partes of our saluation are inclozed Forasmuch then as wee haue the whole perfection and fulnesse of all good things in the onely Sonne of God it is thither that wee must looke vp and labour too atteyne when the Sacramentes are set afore vs for that is the very office of them or else wee peâ—uert all and it is as yee would saye an vnhallowing of the thing that God hath halowed too our benefyte if our Lord Iesus Christ bee separated from the visible signes Wee haue also too note that wee communicate not with Iesus Christ but by the grace of the holy Ghost Yit notwithstanding let vs not hold scorne of the helpes that our Lord hath ordeyned for vs bycause he knewe them too bee requisite for our infirmities sake Why be we not taught simply that if wee runne too our Lord Iesus Christ in him wee shall fynde our washing and clenzing It seemeth that that ought too suffyze vs and that the water of Baptim is but a vayle too keepe vs from comming vntoo Iesus Christ. Yea but let vs see a little what our owne â—udenesse is If wee had the myndes of Angels wee should no more neede this outward Baptim than the Angels do But forasmuch as wee bee earthly and it is hard for vs too atteyne vntoo God and the secretes of his heauenly kingdome it is for our behoofe too bee helped after that fashion And it is a wonderfull gracious goodnesse of God that he stoopeth so too our infirmitie and supplyeth it with meeâ—e and conuenient
let vs consider that wee bee his enemyes till he haue pardoned all our sinnes of his owne free goodnesse and yit notwithstanding that our Lord Iesus Christ must bee fayne too step in betweene him and vs For the sacrifyze of his death serueth too purchase vs an euerlasting attonement so as wee must alwayes flee thither for refuge Trew it is that the whole lyfe but of Lord Iesus Christ is become our raunsome â–ª for the obedience which he yeelded too God his father in this world was too make amends for Adams offence and for all the iniquities wherthrough wee bee ronne in arrerages Howbeit S. Paule speaketh heere purposely of his blud bycause it behoueth vs too resort too his death and passion as too the sacrifyze which is of power too blot out all our sinnes And for that cause hath God represented in figures vnder the lawe that men could not bee reconcyled vntoo him but only by that meane Now it is trew that Iesus Christ did not only shed his blud namely at his death but also feele the feare and terrour which ought too haue lyghted vpon vs But S. Paule dooth heere vnder one parrell comprehend the whole after the ordinarie maner of the holy scripture Too bee short let vs repose all our rightâ—â—usnesse in Gods shewing of himselfe mercifull towardes vs of his owne free goodnesse and let vs not presume too face him with any vertew of our owne thereby too bynd him vntoo vs but let it suffize vs that he receyueth vs intoo his fauour freely without any desert of ours onely bycause the rememberance of our sinnes is buryed out of his sight And agein let vs vnderstand that the same canno bee doone but by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and that that is the thing wheruppon wee must wholly rest Heeruppon S. Paule addeth that all is done according too the richesse of Gods grace Noâ— without cause dooth he heere magnifye Gods mercie which he vttereth in receyuing vs too fauour For wee see on the one syde how men doo wilfully ouershoote themselues through their foolish ouerweening For most men haue alwayes imagined that they myght make their attonement with God by their owne satisfactions and I wote not what shiftes besydes Seeing then that men are so farre ouerseene in their owne imaginations S. Paule too exclude all such dealing sayth that wee must bee rauished in loue with the richenesse of Gods goodnesse He could haue sayd simply that God dooth all according too his grace but he setteh downe heere his greate treasures too the intent that men should not bee so fond as too bring as it were but a farthing for the discharge of ten hundred thousand crownes And truly when the Papists prattle of their satisfactions they say not that they bee able too doo it throughly in all poyntes but they are of opinion that with the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ they also are able too bring somewhat of their owne and too doo so much by patches and peeces that God shal bee satisfied and contented Thus yee see what a diuelish opinion reigneth in papistrie for they will needes found masses they will needs bable many prayers they will needs gad on pilgrimage they will needs keepe this feast and that feast they will needs performe I wot not what deuotioÌ„s they wil needs weare sack cloth next their skin and all too help foorth the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ as who should say it were not sufficieÌ„t ynough of it self But S. Paule telleth vs that Gods goodnesse as it is shewed vs in Iesus Christ is so greate a treasure that all other things must needs giue ouer and be thrust vnder foâ—te And seing that God vseth so greate bountifulnesse as wee ought too bee wholy rauished at it is it not too outrageouse a presumptuousnesse when wee will needs bring our owne pelting trash as though our going on pilgrimage our dooing of some other deuotions were of any valew or estimation Is it not al one as though the blud of Iesus Christ were not a sufficient pryce I say a sufficient pryce and raunsome for our saluation Yee see then on the one syde how S. Paule ment heere too cut of all occasions of the fond imaginations that men conceyue in surmizing themselues able too pacifye Gods wrath by their owne satisfactions and paymentes and on the other syde how he purpozed too succour our feeblenesse For although wee bee giuen too beleeue wonderous well of our owne vertuosusnesse and too beare ourselues in hand that God is greatly beholden vntoo vs yit notwithstanding when it commeth too the calling vppon God in good earnest and too the putting of our trust in him then if Satan egge vs too despayre and that wee bee tossed with trubbles and temptations we be so dismayed that all the promises of the holy scripture and all that is said vntoo vs of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ cannot make vs too haue any hope S. Paule therfore too remedie this vyce of vnbeleefe which is too deepely rooted in vs doth heere set before vs the greate treasures of Gods goodnesse too the end that all the distruste which wee can conceyue may bee as it were swallowed vp seing that God voutsafeth too vse so greate bounteousnes towards vs. And heeruppon he addeth that he hath made the same grace too abound towards vs in all wisdom and vnderstanding By these â—ords he doth vs too wit by what meanes wee come by the thing that he had specifyed afore Behold all our happinesse and all our souerein velfare consisteth in being at one with God so as he may take vs for hâ—s children and it may bee lawfull for vs too call vppon him as our father with full libertie But how shall wee obteyne that thing from which we be so farre wyde It is sayde that although wee bee naught wâ—orth ne naught can doo yit wee shall finde all thinges in Iesus Christ which are wanting in our selues and that his death passion will bee a sufficient sacrifyze too put away the rememberance of all our misdeedes Howbeit dooth it followe therefore that all men are parttakers of this benefite which is purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ No for the vnbeleeuers haue nother part nor portion in it Then is it a speciall priuiledge for those whom God gathereth too himselfe Also S. Paule sheweth that eyther wee must haue fayth or else Christ shall not boote vs at all Although then that Christ bee generally the redeemer of the whole world yit dooth his death and passion aduauntage none but such as receiue the thing that S. Paule sheweth heere And so wee see that when wee once know the benefites that are brought vs by Christ and which he offereth vs dayly by his Gospell we muste also bee knyt vntoo hym by faith For the Turkes Iewes and Papistes and all other lyke are cut of and estranged from Christ
which he treated of continually was that wee cannot sufficiently exalt our God considering the mercie that he vseth towardes vs And now too expresse the same yit the better and to touch vs the more to the quicke with it he sheweth vs as in a picture or in a glasse what men are til God haue preuented them with his grace and called them backe too himselfe Therfore he sheweth that wee be pluâ—dged in so horrible a dungeon that the very thinking of it ought to abash vs and make the heares stand vp vpon our heades for it cannot bee but that theruppon wee must needes bee moued and inflamed too blisse Gods name for that he hath sought vs so in in the bottome of Hell too drawe vs vp too the kingdome of heauen And our Lord Iesus Christ too shew in what cace he findeth vs sayeth that he is come to the end that the deade should ryze at his voyce Yee see thâ—n that the office which the sonne of God taketh vppon him is too draw vs from death too lyfe by the doctrine of his Gospel According wherunto he addeth that such as beleue in him are passed from death wherin they were hild downe and are entred into the heauenly lyfe Not that the faythfull doo inioy it heere alredy but bycause they possesse it in such wyse by hope as they be throughly assured of it Now wheras our Lord Iesus Christ sayeth that his voyce hath power too rayze the dead he taketh it by a similitude For what lyfe soeuer wee suâ—myze oâ—r selues too haue yit notwithstanding if we be separated from God wee l bee in a spirituall death howsoeuer the vnbeleeuers imagin themselues too be more than alyue in their owne wisdome and vertue And therein doo they harden themselues and make their brags of it too the vttermost But let vs see where the welspring of lyfe is It is in God and they bee alienated from him Also let vs see what is the trew lyfe of man It is not that he should bee sâ—ttle and fine witted and bee able too compasse his matters well in this world by his owne cunning and pollicie or too purchace himselfe renoune or too bee wittie and well aduized too giue counsell too all other men it is not that he should excell in all humane sciences and in all arts nother is it that he should bee esteemed and renouned as a maâ— of noble corage or as one that hath the other vertues that are commendable among men but it is a hygher thing that wee must begin at namely to knowe that God is our father that wee bee defended and preserued by the light of his word inlightened by fayth too knowe the way of saluation and too assure our selues that our whole welfare lyeth in him so as wee seeke it there with al lowelynesse and also too knowe the meane whereby too atteyne too it that is too wit by hauing our Lord Iesus Christ in whom the whole fulnesse of grace is offered vs. Thus you see what the spirituall lyfe of man is and where it lyeth that is too wit in the lyght of Gods woord and in the woorking of his holie spirit so as wee be new fashyoned agein according too the image that was lost and vtterly defaced in vs by Adams sin And is that too bee found among worldly men Yea euen among those that are most honored No surely Then is it not without cause that our Lord Iesus vseth this similitude saying that wee bee raysed from death by meanes of the Gospell For florish wee neuer so much beare wee neuer so fayer a glosse before men and seeme wee too haue neuer so much wherfore too bee had in estimation yit are wee but wretched carions there is nothing but rottennesse and filthinesse in vs God lotheth vs wee bee damned and forlorne before him the Angells abhorre vs all creatures curse and ban vs and all things aske vengeance vppon vs bycause wee defyle them For there is such corruption in man that heauen and earth must bee infected with it vntill God haue chaunged them The thing then which our Lord Iesus Christs saying importeth is that vntill wee bee renewed by the Gospell through the fayth that proceedeth of it wee bee but as dead men there is not one drop of lyfe in vs that deserueth the name of lyfe And too bee short wee bee as good as buryed in our graues and must bee fayne to go out of them agein whereby wee bee doone too vnderstand that wee bee cut of from Gods kingdome and consequently that there is nothing but filth in vs and yit notwithstanding that God voutsafeth too bee knit and vnited vntoo such as put their trust in him and in his goodnesse That say I is our rysing agein Too bee short wee must alwayes consider that man bringeth death with him euen with his birth not only bycause he is mortall but also bycause he is separated from god We bee mortall wyghtes and it were but in respect that wee must needes passe through this world and depart thence whensoeuer it pleaseth God but wee bee also dead afore hand And how is that Bycause our soules are altoogither sinfull There is nother thought nor affection in vs which tendeth not too euil all is repugnant or rebellious ageinst God and ageinst the rule of his ryghtuousnesse When wee imagin eyther one thing or other wee can neuer deuyse any thing in our myndes but sin and vnryghtuousnesse according as it is sayd in Genesis that God knew that all that euer man had in his thought and imagination was sin Now sith it is so let vs vnderstand that although wee had knowledge of good and euill and that wee had farre greater skill and discretion than wee haue yit are wee so marred that all our desires and lustes rebell ageinst God as it were too make warre ageinst him Seyng then that we be so corrupted in our soules and that there is nother thought nor affection which is not vtterly naught let vs not thinke it straunge that God with his owne mouth auoweth vs too bee dead notwithstanding that through our owne fond ouerweening wee imagin that there is some lyfe in vs And that is the very thing which S. Paule treateth of as now in saying that the Ephesians were parttakers of the aboue mentioned grace though they were deade through their owne sinnes and iniquities As if he should saye Too the intent yee may the better esteeme the valew of Gods grace and what it bringeth with it thinke not only vppon your present state but consider that if God had left you such as you were of your selues and had not succored you at all but had let you followe your owne swindge you had bin vndoone Consider what your nature is for yee were dead and there was no hope that euer you should bee quickened agein bicause it is not in the power of mans owne free-will too giue himselfe lyfe agein when he is
Began this morning too expound the text of the Psalme alledged heere by S. Paul shewing that all the things which are spoken there agree too the person of the onely sonne of god For although he say oftentymes by way of similitude that God goeth vp when he sheweth himselfe iudge of the world and defender of his Church yit notwithstanding inasmuch as when our Lord Iesus Christ was come downe he was abaced as one that was beneath all men and afterward was exalted by the power of God his father therin we see most fully how God voutsafed too bee abaced for a tyme in the person of his sonne and too bee in a state despyzed before men and afterward would bee crowned agein with glory and honour as the Apostle sayeth of him in the Epistle too the Hebrewes and that is the cause why S. Paule sayth here that it behoued him first too descend too bee so exalted But before wee goo any further wee must marke that heere S. Paule hath chaunged the word For wheras Dauid sayeth that God Receyued giftes and presentes that is too say tribute and homage of those whom he had subdewed too his maiestie S. Paule in stead thereof sayeth that he gaue And so this is not rehearced as it lyeth in the Psalme but the Apostle ment too shew that the tryumph which our Lord Iesus Christ made when he rose from death surmounted all Dauids victories and all that euer had bin doone in shadowes and figures vnder the lawe For it is much more too giue than too take Also wheras it is sayd in the Psalme that God receyued that was not for himself nor too his owne vse for wee knowe he hath no neede of any thing but his receyuing was too inriche his Churche And that is the cause why it is sayd that the women which neuer stepped out of their doores shall haue their part of the pray or bootie There therfore Dauid sheweth that God was not glorifyed for any profit or aduauntage that he pretended on his owne behalfe accordingly as it is sayd that he is contented with his owne perfection for he can nother increace nor diminishe but all redounded too the welfare of his Church For Gods shewing of himselfe too bee riche is not by keeping of his treasures vnder dubble lockes as men say but by setting them foorth for all commers at leastwyse if wee seeke them with trew fayth And forasmuch as his riches diminish not nor yit his liberalitie which he vseth towardes vs thereby wee knowe that he passeth all the men in the world Then if wee will defyne in one woord how God is riche it is in beyng liberall vntoo vs vsing bountifulnesse and by alluring vs too him too succour vs in all our needes and wantes according too this saying of his by his Prophet Come all yee that are thirstie and drinke your fyll yee shall haue your fyll not onely of water but also of wyne and mylk Too bee short he sheweth that they can want nothing which wayt vppon him and put their trust in him Therfore it is sayd in the Psalme that all shall haue their part of the spoyle not onely the men of warre for they myght hap too boast that they had gotten the whole pray by their owne manhood and pollicie but that the women which neuer stird out of the house and which did nothing but spin vppon their distaues shall haue part of the bootie as though they had gotten the victory Hereby I say he sheweth that Gods receyuing of tributes and taxes of such as he had subdewed too his dominion was not too increace himselfe withall but too make vs parttakers of all the benefytes that belong too our saluation And herewithall let vs marke well how it is alledged that when God giueth vs his giftes it is not to the intent that wee myght father any thing vppon our owne vertue or prowesse but that wee should thinke our selues beholden too his mere free goodnesse for all things And so must all things bee referred too his glory For the more that he bestoweth vppon vs the more ought wee too bee forward and ready too confesse how much wee bee bound vntoo him But the chiefe poynt is that wee indeuer too make the giftes that wee haue receyued auaylable too the common edifying of the Church that is too say that God may still bee more and more exalted and the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ increaced and augmented among men And so the condition say I wheruppon our Lord distributeth too euery of vs the things that belong too him and are his owne and which he could keepe styll too himselfe is that wee should doo him homage for them both in woord and deede But now let vs come to that whch Saint Paule addeth He sayth that it behoued Iesus Christ to descend according also as he descended intoo the lovve partes of the earth and that therupon he vvas exalted Manie haue made ouer violent glozes vpon this place saying that Iesus Christ went downe not only into the graue but also euen intoo Limbo a place forged of their owne brayne But Saint Paule speakes simply namely as it is sayd in the second too the Philippians that bycause Iesus Christ was abaced therfore God his father exalted him too his ryght hand and gaue him a souerein dominion too the end that all knees should thensfoorthe bowe before him Therfore wheras S. Paule saith that Iesus Christ was abaced he meaneth it of his clothing of himself with our nature wherein he became despyzed without any dignitie and without any reputation too the worldward According wheruntoo it is sayd in the Psalme that he was counted as a woorme of the earth and not as a man insomuch that men tooke scorne too looke vppon him as sayeth the Prophet Esay and there was nothing in him that men could lyke of Yee see then that Iesus Christ did so submit himself to all reproch that he was disfigured and men did spit at him and mocke him and doo him all the wrongs that they could and afterward he was exalted And no dubt but Saint Paule hath touched the thing heere which he discourseth more at the length in the forealledged place which is that the example of the sonne of God ought too teache vs lowelinesse and too make vs walke playnly without taking any thing vppon vs aboue other men For who are wee What is our state When euery of vs hath sifted himself throughly what shall he fynd in him too boast of Wee haue many things too thanke God for but too take vppon vs that which is his were a villanous trecherie So is there nothing for vs too doo but too cast downe our eyes For behold the sonne of God could haue shewed himself in his heauenly glory and maiestie so as he could haue made all the world too quake and yit wee see that being borne in a stable
he walked all his lyfe tyme as one vnknowen and vnesteemed and in the end was put too death and that not a common death but a death that was so reprochfull yea and cursed of Gods owne mouth that he was hild for accursed before God and his Angelles too the intent that wee myght be blissed for his sake and by his meanes Seeing then that Gods sonne was so abaced haue not wee good cause too stoope lowe For God requyreth not that wee should forgo anie thing of our owne when he exhorteth vs too lowlinesse And why for if wee knew what wee bee wee would stoope lowe ynough Our head was not in lyke plyght when he came downe hither For why As it is sayd in the .xvii. of Saint Iohn he possessed his diuine glorie and maiestie before the making of the world And yit for all that he voutsafed too abace himself in such wyze as in the syght and opinion of men that too outward apperance he seemed too haue vtterly giuen ouer his maiestie It is trew that he continued styll in his perfect state but that appeered not And that is the cause why Saint Paule vseth the woord Figure or Shape he appeered sayeth he in the shape of man For he meaneth that our Lord Iesus Christes clothing of himself with our flesh and his being despyzed and reiected were no derogation at all too his diuine essence And why for it was but an outward shape Then did he continue alwayes vnappayred and yit neuerthelesse he was seene too bee vnder all men Who wyll then refuze the same state that wee should not bee lowly after his example The fathers that liued vnder the Lawe perceyued alredye â—hat it behoued them too bee fashyoned lyke vntoo the image and patterne of our Lord Iesus Christ who was their head and yit they had but verie darke figures Now then seeing that Iesus Christ sheweth vs the way so as he is entered intoo the kingdome of heauen through many tribulations and intoo lyfe by death and is exalted on hygh after abacing lowe what excuce shall wee haue if wee seeing those things bee styll puffed vp with pryde and cannot fynd in our hartes too walke in meeknesse considering that wee bee nothing So then wheras Saint Paule speaketh of the lowe places of the earth he meaneth the humane nature which our Lord Iesus tooke vppon him for our saluation yea euen with addition of all the things that I haue toâ—ched For he shewed not himself as a great prince nother vsed he anie pompe or traynes of men too make himself dread in the world but as it is sayd in the two and fortith of Esay he brake not the broozed reede he quenched not the smoking flax nother was his voyce or crye hearde in the streetes Agein besydes this wee see how he suffered reproche and how he abode it paciently when he came too his death all men seemed too haue conspyred ageinst him Therfore wee must adde all these qualities too knowe how Iesus Christ descended into the lowe partes of the earth Howbeit if we compare his diuine maiestie with our nature wee may well call all the earth the lowe places although Iesus Christ had possessed the whole world yit had it bin nothing in comparison of his heauenly glorie For what are they which are in hyghest state of dignitie They doo but craule heere lyke Frogges or leape lyke Gressehoppers as sayth the Prophet Esay No maruell than though the whole earth bee termed a lowe and bace place in respect of heauen Howbeeit Saint Paules intent here was too note breefly that Iesus Christ voutsafed too stoope so lowe as too become a mocking stocke too the vnbeleeuers yea and euen too bee condemned and esteemed as a man accursed and forsaken of God all which things he indured for our saluation It is good reason therfore that wee should myldly and without geynsaying receyue Gods humbling of vs and beare in our selues the image of our Lord Iesus Christ by being shaken of despyzed and mocked for our simplicitie and that no man should â—â—ke vppon him or chalendge too himself the things that are none of his That is the effecte of Saynt Paules meaning Now he sayeth that he is gone vp aboue all heauens Wherin we see that the sonne of God hath not as now the lordship of this world For Saint Paules declaring that he is aboue all the heauens is too shewe that the dominion which he hath is heauenly and diuine and euerlasting For the heauens themselues shall passe away and they must needs vanish as Iesus Christ auoweth with his owne mouth Now if the heaues bee snbiect too chaunging and must bee doone away too be renewed agein if Iesus Christ dwelt in heauen he should bee subiect too the same state that is too say he should bee frayle and transitorie Then is he aboue all the heauens in his infinite glorie wherin there is nother chaunge nor turning about And theruppon he addeth that it is too fyll all things By this woord Fyll he meaneth that Iesus Christ is not so locked vp in anie one place but that wee may feele him present and that he dwelleth in vs and that he filleth all things But surely that is not with his bodie as some haue grossely imagined but it is with his power and with his spirituall benefyts and gifts Yit neuerthelesse Saint Paules intent heere is too betoken a presence of Christ too the end that wee may knowe that we haue not lost anie thing by his absenting of himself from the earth so as he dwelleth heere no more after a visible fashyon And why For he ceasseth not for all that too execute his power euery where and to fyll all things insomuch that wee haue all things of him which are requisite for our saluation That is in effect the verye meaning of S. Paule Wherfore let vs heere put in practize the exhortation that hath bin touched afore which is that wee cannot bee taken for Gods children except wee become lyke too him that hath the ryght of the first borne Sith it is so let vs willingly suffer our selues too be abaced that God may exalt vs for by that meane did our Lord Iesus come too his glorie Agein let vs apply all our senses to tast throughly what the mercie of God is in that it hath pleased him that his sonne which was his image should bee so abaced Let vs consider how greate the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ is in that he voutsafed to hide his diuine essence for a tyme and tooke not vppon him as belonged vntoo him but did as it were stoope downe too the syght of the world Sith wee see this let vs consider first of all how precious 〈◊〉 soules were too the sonne of God seeing he voutsafed too stoope so lowe for our saks and let vs esteeme of the Gospell wherby so greate a benefyte is communicated vntoo vs
before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs feele them more and more that wee may bee sorie for them and so streyne our selues too followe his seruice as wee may shewe by our deedes all our lyfe long that he hath not redeemed vs in vayne from the tyrannye of Satan and set vs at libertie euen too serue him with a free will and too giue our selues wholly too the glorifying of his holy name And therwithall let vs beseeche him also too graunt vs the grace so too taste the benefytes which he bestoweth vppon vs as they may prouoke vs more and more too glorify him and that it may bee our continuall exercyze and study too sing and preach his prayses alwayes and too acknowledge how greatly wee bee bound and iâ—detted vntoo him that by that meanes our Lord Iesus may so reigne ouer vs as wee may bee linked too him in vnseparable 〈◊〉 vntyll wee come too the ringdome that he hath bought so deerly for vs That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people c. The .xli. Sermon which is the nyenth vppon the fifth Chapter 28. Men ought so too loue their vvyues as their ovvne bodyes He that loueth his vvyfe loueth himselfe 29. For no man euer yit hated his ovvne fleshe but rather he nurrisheth and cherisheth it as the Lord also dooth the Churche 30. For vvee bee members of his body of his fleshe and of his bones SEeing that the holy scripture exhorteth vs to be kynd harted meeke and patient one too another and setteth vs downe the example of God who is reconcyled too vs in the person of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and sheweth vs therewithall that Iesus Christ spared not himself but shewed the loue that he bare vs and the care that he had of our saluation in that he gaue himselfe too so hard and bitter a death it must needes bee that our hartes are harder than steele if they bee not meekened by it And yit notwithstanding all these exhortations cannot suffyze vs by reason of our wylfulnesse and corruption God therfore too put vs too the greater shame sendeth vs backe too the order of nature as if it were sayd that although we had neuer heard any word of Gods mouth nor neuer had had any teaching by holy Scripture yit ought euery of vs too enter intoo himselfe and too consider his own state for that wyll be ynough too hold vs conuicted without any other witnesse And that could the heathen men tell vs full well who hauing nother beleefe in God nor any Religion could notwithstanding well skill too saye that the wyld beastes make not warre one ageinst another For one Woolfe eateth not another the Beares and Lyons that lyue abrode in the wyld woods haue a certein thing that holdeth them in order so as they hurt not one another And yit haue they no discretion as is among men but they haue as it were a naturall â—â—â—ouing which driueth them too loue one another so as euery of them lyueth quietly with his fellowe â–ª Now then must it not needes bee that men are altoogither out of square and doo despyze God and nature seeing they lyue like Dogges and Cattes as they say and euery man is as a Woolfe or a Foxe too his neyghbour so as there is nothing but craftinesse and malice or else vtter crueltie That is the cause why God telleth vs that wee bee all of one fleshe and of one kynd And Esay vseth the same reason too perswade vs too succour our neyghbours and too haue pitie and compassion of them they stand in any neede Thou shalt not despyze thine owne fleshe sayeth he For the furthest straunger in the world is neuer the more separated from vs for all that but both he and wee spring both out of one fountayne and wee ought too acknowledge him too bee our image Therefore whosoeuer disdeyneth any man surely he foregetteth himselfe too much and he knoweth not what he is nother is woorthy of the honorable degree wherin God hath set him And why Bycause he peruerteth all order Now if this reason ought too take place in generall much more ought men too bee touched too the quicke when it is told them what they bee specially seeing they bee linked toogither in a much streyter bond As if a man should saye too a father How now If thou bee so farre out of loue with thy sonne that thou art vnwylling too see him and disdeynest too talke with him and he can fynd no meanes too come too attonement with thee what a crueltie is that For he is thy fleshe and thy blud And how then canst thou bee so blynded in thyne excessiue moode as not too consider that God hath giuen him thee as though he had come out of thyne owne person And too a sonne it will bee sayde lykewyse How now Is it meete that thou shouldest bee borne intoo the world and haue roome and place among Gods children and in the meane whyle forget thy father that begate thee and by whose meanes God sent thee intoo the world Now the holyest band that God hath set among vs is the bond betweene man and wyfe That is the cause why Saint Paule sayth that a man cannot loue his wyfe but he must loue him self and contrariwyse that if he despyze his wyfe or hate hir it is all one as if he fall at oddes with him self And is that possible Heretoofore he had exhorted husbands too doo their duetyes by hauing an eye too the example of our Lord Iesus Christ. And he had alledged that the sonne of God had giuen him self too the death too wash his Churche so that although it was poore and miserable and ful of filth and vncleannesse 〈…〉 suffered that which was needefull for ouâ— saluation he lefte vs moreouer a record of the grace which he hath purchaced â—or vs Insomuch that in Bâ—btim wee haue a visible token that the bluâ— of our Lord Iesus Christ is our washing and cleâ—zing Can we think vppon all these things and not bee moued too some gentlnesse Yea if wee consider first of all that wee â—ee but wrâ—tched woormes of the earth and too be short that there is nothing in vs but vtter miserie so as wee may well â—ee called vermin and caryons full of all corruption and lothsomnesse and afterward compare our selues with the sonne of God ought there too bee any such pryde in vs as too esteeme and commend our selues and too â—read others vnder our feete Now if this bee generall too all men as I sayd what shall it bee betweene man and wyfe For the knot that God hath knit betwixt them is such that the husband is as yee would say but half him self may no more separate him selfe froÌ„ his wyfe thaÌ„ the wyfe may separate hir selfe froÌ„ hir husband but eche of them must haue regard too their owne state
as shal bee declared in the end and hath bin partly declared alredie The husband is in deede the head but the woman is the bodie And wheras the head hath preheminence and souereintie ouer the bodie it dooth not therefore follow that he should hold scorne of it or bee glad too haue it shamed or reproched for dooth not the honour of the head extend too the whole body But now forasmuch as husbands are not sufficiently moued with the reason that is taken of our Lord Iesus Christ Saint Paule bringeth them backe too their originall And for asmuch as the heathen folk and vnbeleeuers were acquaynted with mariage and had giuen indgment of it therfore wee neede no holy scripture sayeth he too teache vs in this behalf for the ignorant soules which had but natural vnderstanding and walked as their moother wit directed them knew that the wyfe is a peece of the husband and that there goeth an inseparable bond betwixt them and that the one ought not too forsake the other vnlesse they will teare themselues in peeces Seeing that the blynd wretches perceyued this what a shame is it for such as are inlyghtened by Gods woord and haue bin taught familiarly as household folk euen as a father hath his eye vppon his children too bee ignoraut of it Seeing say I that God speaketh so familiarly too vs and as it weere month too mouth so as he sheweth vs his will and telleth vs our deutie must it not needs bee that we are woorse than the Iâ—fidels and much more greeuously too bee condemned than they if wee continew hard harâ—â—d or stop our eares least wee myght receyue the aduyce that he giueth vs Then let vs marke well that seeing Saint Paule hath set vs foorth our Lord Iesus Christ for an example and told vs that he is so giuen vs it is good reason considering how wee bee linked vntoo him that wee should shewe our selues willing too follow him and fashyon our selues lyke vnto him by pitying such as are in distresse by bearing paciently with the vyces and infirmities of our neyghbours and by releeuing such as haue neede of vs if wee may conueniently and haue wherwithall Let vs think well vppon that Agein forasmuch as heere is mention made of man and wyfe let them that are maryed consider what damnation is prepared for them if they bee not moued and touched too the quicke by the things that are told them heere namely that on the one syde the heathen folk shall ryze vp to giue witnesse ageinst them at the latter day and that on the other syde the order of nature teacheth them what they haue to doo so that if they liue not in concord and freendship as is shewed them here they doo as it were wilfully withstand God yea and vtterly forget themselues and become woorse than brute beastes And furthermore let them knowe also that forasmuch as mariage is a figure of the holy vnion that is betweene the some of God and al the faythfull the same ought also too hold them in the greater reuerence and although there happen many contentions yit ought they too subdew them and too let them lye as dead and too consider that sith our Lord Iesus sitteth ouer them it is too shewe that wedlocke was blissed in such wyse by God his father at the first that he himselfe also hath ratifyed the same blissing by his death and passion yea and reconcyled vs too God in such wyse as the husband may perceyue as it were in a lyuely picture that he is all one with his wyfe howbeeit in such wyse vnder the obedience of God as both twayne of them ought too serue him with one accord euen vntyll they bee so farre foorth as they bee come too hym too cleaue too him throughly in all perfection Now although such warnings ought too bee of great force among vs yit are very fewe touched with them accordingâ—y And the world sees it For let a man looke intoo all housholdes one after another and where shall he fynd such freendship as may resemble Iesus Christ and his Church Nowhere But the man and his wyfe are rather euer iarring and disagreeing And if there happen too bee some fond 〈◊〉 yit is there no feare of God and the least occasion in the world wyll bee ynough too set them at oddes so as they shall forget all that is conteyned heere Or too say the truth they neuer once thinke of it The loue that is betwixt them is led and prouoked by their lustes and not grounded vpon any knowledge that they haue of the discharging of their dewtie that the husband considereth how he ought too beare with his wyfe how he ought too guyde hir in the feare of God and how he ought too loue hir as a helper allotted vntoo him for his ease that he myght walke as hee ought too doo Nor that the wyfe humbleth hir selfe too hir husband or bendeth hir wittes too please him bycause shee perceyueth that shee is expressely giuen vntoo him too bee a furtherance and not a hinderance vntoo him There is no talke nor inckling of al this but if all bee well considered I say the common and most ordinarie state is that in euery house a man shall fynde diuelishnesse cursyng banning blasphemie swearing spytefulnesse and harming And although some wâ—man bee a feend towardes hir neyghbours as well as shee is towardes hir husband yit if hir husband had any wealth or goods by hir he must take hir part without discretion and maynteyne hir quarrell be it good or bad I say a man may see that this peruersenesse reygneth welneere euerywhere Agein euery man complaynes of his wyfe saying I cannot liue with hir it is a mad beast there is nothing in hir but pryde and peeuishnesse and there is nothing in hir but froward stubbornnesse I cannot speake a woord too hir but shee payes mee agein with foure for it Now surely such as men make their wyues such haue they of them For were there no more but this that I spake of namely that men doo as it were in spyte of God maynteyne their wyues wrongfull quarelles ought not God too yeeld them their deserued hyre and too make it rebound backe vppon their owne pates Whatsoeuer I say if a man marke well eâ—ery mans ordinarie trade of lyfe he shall fynde that there may bee a sorte of fond loues and a forte of excessiue affections but as for well ordered frendship such as dependeth vppon God and is grounded on his woord hardly shal he among a hundred houses fynd one where the husband and the wyfe are so well qualifyed Yit notwithstanding wee bee vnexcuzable if wee profit not in this doctrine So then euery of vs must fyght ageinst his vnruly affections if a man haue not such a wyfe as he could wish let him vnderstaÌ„d that God intendeth to try his pacience by that meanes and let him consider wel that he behaueth himselfe woorse towardes our Lord
care that euery of vs hath had of himselfe in that wee haue bin myndfull of our owne welfare and labored earnestly for it and in the meane whyle broken the bond that our Lord had set among vs and euery of vs drawen alone by himself and forgotten all duetie of louing kyndnesse insomuch that wee would if wee had could haue made euery of vs a new world Truly there is no man of that abilitie that he can forbeare the helpe of his neyghbours and yit are wee loth that our neyghbours should dwel with vs yea or that they should bee counted in the number of men there is not that man which would not reigne alone lyke a lord But this vnkyndnesse and leaudnesse are sufficient too shewe that wee bee not woorthie too inioy the benefytes which God dealeth too vs in this transitory lyfe For sith wee bee too much wedded vntoo it and mynd it more carefully than wee should do wee bee so giltie as there is not that man which may open his mouth too reply or too alledge any excuce for himselfe And Saint Paule hauing told vs what wee ought too knowe yea and too iudge of our owne nature returneth agein too that which hee had touched afore that is too wit that such as professe themselues too bee members of the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to bee perswaded by his example too liue quietly freendly and agreeingly with their wyues No man sayeth he loueth him self but he loueth his wyfe also Uerely God hath ordeyned wedlocke in such wyse as the wyfe must bee as the bodie of hir husband Therfore if a man loue him self his wyfe must bee matched with him or else it shal bee a monstruous loue It is a thing that men ought most too abhorre that the thing which is most holy in mans lyfe should bee vtterly abaced Seeing it is so he that loueth him self will loue his wyfe For wee bee of his flesh wee bee of his bones Heere he toucheth a thing that hee spake not of before For when he did set downe the example of our Lord Iesus Christ it was in alledging that he spared not him self but did shead his blud to wash vs from our filthinesse and vncleannesse We then were defyled stayned before God our Lord Iesus Christ found the meanes too bring vs in his fauour agein And how Euen by his owne bludshed But heere hee alledgeth another reason too confirme the matter yit better which is that wee bee bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh In so saying he dooth vs too vnderstand that when men doo theyr duetie it is too theyr owne benefyte For therby they may taste the inestimable and infinite grace of God in that euery man accordyng too his degree dooth in his mariage represent the vnion that is betweene them selues and our Lorde Iesus Christ. The thing therfore which Saint Paule intendeth is yit agayne to remoue the haâ—dnesse of our hartes by shewing vs that wee cannot inioy the grace that is purchaced vs by our Lord Iesus Christ vnlesse wee lyue in freendshyp togither accordyng to the image therof which wee haue in the loue that he bare vs in his death and passion whiche surmoâ—nteth all the loue that wee can haue one too another Howbeeit before wee goe any further let vs see why and in what sense Saint Paule saith that wee bee of the bones of our Lord Iesus Christ and of his flesh and members of his body For he is descended of Adams linage and is called the seede of Dauid And although he was conceyued after a woonderful maner in the wombe of the Uirgin yit tooke he mans fleshe vpon hym and became very man Howbeit he saith that he is the sonne of Man too shewe that he hath taken a nature that is common too vs wherein he hath made hym selfe familiar with vs. And in deede as saith the Apostle in the Epistle too the Hebrewes he is not ashamed too call vs brothers But now let vs come too that which is sayd heere It seemeth that Saint Paule would make Iesus Christ as it were the roote of mankynd so as wee should descend of him for he calleth vs his ofspring But wee haue too marke that for asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ was shaped of the seede of Abraham too performe the thyngs that were promised yea and that he could not bee the Mediator betweene God and vs except he had byn of our nature for he could not haue amended our misdoinges wherthrough wee were bounde too endlesse damnation vnlesse he had clothed hym selfe with our body and had also a soule too the end too present hym self in the person of al men and so it behoued our Lord Iesus Christ too bee our flesh in our body wee may say that he is of our bones and of our flesh And why He is descended of Adams race as I sayd afore But howsoeuer the cace stand he was conceyued maruelously by the holy Ghoste Howbeeit there is another respect For yit for all this he ceasseth not too bee the second Adam as Saint Paule termeth him in making comparison betweene the grace wherethrough wee were set agein and the deadly fall wherthrough wee were all forlorne He sayeth that the first Adam did by his transgression make vs enemies too God so as wee haue no accesse to him but should be thrust back if we preaced to him and that iustly For where sin reigneth there must needes bee as it were vnrecoucylable diuision God being the fountayne of all ryghtuousnesse cannot match with our iniquities and corruptions Then is there also a second Adam which coÌ„meth to remedie al that is to wit our Lord Iesus Christ. And how is he the second Adam For as I told you afore it is not ment that wee should bee so bold as too think too preace vntoo Iesus Christ as though wee were linked too him of our owne nature but that is done in the power of his holy spirit not in the substance of his body Behold then Iesus Christ is become very man and hath takeÌ„ vpon him the selfsame humane nature that ours is but yit is it not of nature that wee bee his flesh and his bones for wee bee not descended of him as touching our own substance but it is of his diuine power Then must wee come too this poynt that wee bee bone of the bones of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause wee bee restored in him and haue in him as it were a new and second creation And Saint Paule as wee shall see heerafter hath an eye too the originall of Eue for shee was taken out of Adams substance and shaped of one of his ribbes Now then are wee restored by our Lord Iesus Christ If wee consider our first birth wherby wee bee brought intoo this world too bee mortall men wee cannot say such is our flesh vnlesse wee bee of the seede of them that were afore vs but whatsoeuer wee bee in that
too prouoke Gods wrath dayly by our wicked dooynges as folke that doo in deede fyght ageinst him God then must bee fayne too looke vppon vs in the person of his onely sonne or else he must needes hate vs and abhorre vs. Too bee short our sinnes doo set God and vs so farre at oddes that wee cannot so soone come towardes him but by and by wee feele his maiestie vtterly ageinst vs and as it were armed too put vs too vtter confuzion But now remayneth too see how God receyueth vs intoo his fauour by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. That is the thing which Saint Paule meaneth in adding that in him vvee haue redemption through his blud that is too vvit forgiuenesse of our sinnes according too the riches of Gods grace Heere wee bee first of all doone too vnderstand that the enmitie which God beareth vs is not in respect of our nature but in respect of our corruption I say it is not in respect of nature for as in respect that God hath creased vs it is certeine that he cannot hate vs But inasmuch as mankynd is vtterly marred and gyuen ouer too all naughtinessâ— God must needes bee as a mortall enemie too vs and as an aduersarie ageinst vs till the rememberance of our sinnes bee buryed out of his sight For wee bee subiect too euerlasting death till wee bee restored agein by reason whereof God being the fountaine of all iustice and rightâ—ousnesse dooth vtteâ—ly hate and abhorre the euill that he seeth in vs Therefore vntill such tyme as our sinnes bee blotted out it is vnpossible for vs too hope that God should eyther fauour or loue vs But let vs marke heere how S. Paule vseth twoo woordes too expresse how wee bee reconcyled too God First he setteth downe the Raunsom or Redemption which is all 〈◊〉 and afterward the forgiuenesse of sinnes Howe commeth it â—â—en too passe that Gods wrath is pacifyed that wee bee made at one â—ith him yea and that he accepteth and auâ—weth vs for his children â—t is by the pardoning of our â—umes sayeth S. Paule And furtherâ—ore bycause redemption is requisite thereuntoo he matcheth that â—ith it also Trew it is that as in respect of vs God wypeth away our â—â—mes of his owne free goodnesse and sheweth himseâ—fe altoogither â—â—untifull of himselfe without respect of any recompence for it at our â—â—ndes And in good soothe what man were able too make amendes 〈◊〉 the least fault he hath committed Then if euery of vs should imâ—loy his whole lyfe in making satisfaction for any one fault alone and 〈◊〉 that meanes seeke too winne fauour at Gods hande it is certeine â—â—at the same dooth farre surmount all our abilities And therfore God â—ust bee fayne too receyue vs too mercy without looking for any reâ—ompence or amendes at our handes But yit for all this the attoneâ—ent which is freely bestowed as in respect of vs did cost the sonne of God very deere For he found none other payment than the sheading â—f his owne blud insomuch that he made himselfe our borrowe both in ody and soule and answered for vs before Gods iudgement too get 〈◊〉 our discharge Our Lord Iesus Christ say I imployed himselfe holly both body and soule For it had not bin ynough for him to haue â—â—ffered so cruell and slaunderous a death in the syght of men but it â—houed him also too abyde such horrible anguishe in himselfe as iâ— God had bin become a iudge too him for he came too that poynt that 〈◊〉 susteyned the person of all sinners too make full amendes for them 〈◊〉 And so yee see why S. Paule hath matched those twoo woordes â—ogither in this streyne Therefore wee haue too marke first of all that wee can obteyne no 〈◊〉 at Gods hand nor be receyued of him till our sinnes bee â—â—yped 〈◊〉 and the rememberance of them cleane put away The reason â—hereof is as I sayd afore that God must needes hate sinne wherâ—â—euer he seeze it So then as long as he considereth vs as sinners he â—ust needes abhorre vs for there is not any thing in our selues nor in 〈◊〉 owne nature but al maner of naughtinesse confuzion Then are 〈◊〉 enemies and aduersaryes vntoo him till wee come too the remeâ—ie that S. Paule sheweth vs heere which is too haue our sinnes forgiuen Heereby wee see that no man can bee loued of God for any â—oorthinesse that is in himselfe For wherein lyeth the loue that God beareth vs I haue tolde you already that he must bee fayne too cast his eye vpon out Lord Iesus Christ not too looke a whit at vs But yit therewithall it is declared further that God dooth neuer lyke well of vs till he haue released vs oâ—r dettes and adopted vs too bee his children notwithstanding that wee bee woorthy of death before him Thus yee see that the assurance of our saluation as is sayd in the song of zacharie is that God bee mercifull too vs and forgiue vs our sinnes whereby wee were become his enemies Howbeit let vs also beare in mynd that the cleere release of our sinnes through Gods free goodnesse is not doone without the raunsome that was payd by our Lord Iesus Christ not in golde nor siluer as sayeth S. Peter in his first Epistle but in such wyse that he which was the vnspotted Lambe was fayne too serue that turne his owne selfe Wherefore whensoeuer wee intend too seeke Gods fauour and mercy let vs fasten all our wittes vpon the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ that we may there fynd wherwith too appease Gods wrath And furthermore seyng that our sinnes are done away by such payment and satisfaction let vs vnderstand that wee cannot bring aught of our owne for the which wee should bee reconcyled vntoo god Wherin wee see how the diuell hath by his sâ—yghtes cut of all hope of saluation from the world by bearing men in hand that they must euery man raunsome himself and make his owne attonement with god And that is the very thing which men â—all good woorkes merites and vertewes in Papistrie For too what ende tend all the inuentions which they haue forged Why martir they themselues after so many fashions so as men neuer make an end day nor night but are euer still making of new wyndlasses and courses The marke that all these things ame at is too pacifie god And so all the good woorkes which are so counted in Papistrie are nothing else but meanes whereby too make amendes for sinne Howbeit that is but a defacing of the raunsome whereof S. Paule speaketh heere For there is as yee would say an inseparable bond betweene these twoo things namely that God putteth our sinnes out of his rememberance and drowneth them in the bottom of the sea and moreouer receiueth the payment that was offered him in the person of his only sonne Therefore wee cannot atteyne the one without the other Wherforeif wee intend too haue Gods fauour
he sheweth that we bee neuerthelesse sure of it for all that and that nothing but our owne vnthankfulnesse letteth vs too glory fuâ—ly in God and too say with full mouth that wee doubt not of our comming too the heauenly lyfe forasmuch as wee haue an earnest penny therof by the holy Ghoste and are so knyt too our Lord Iesus Christ that all the goodes which he hath doo belong vntoo vs and are made common to vs by fayth Therfore let vs mark well what is conteyned in these words of S. Paules He sayeth that the holy ghost is our earnest penny Seing it is so wee must needs be sure of our redemption wherof we shall haue the possession at the last day yea euen to the full that doth the thing of it sâ—lf shew sufficiently For we be but sillie wormes of the earth wee bee compassed aboute with rottennesse and corruption wee bee beset with so many miseries as is pitie to see the world rayleth vpon vs and mocketh vs and our simplicitie we bee fayne too indure hunger and thirst it seemeth often tymes that God hath forsaken vs and after a sort cut vs of yea and that he vouâ—safeth not too pitie vs as the most despyzed creatures of the worlde Lo at what poynt wee bee too outward appeerance And therefore it standeth vs on hand too haue a remedie too warrant our selues withall in the middes of so many perplexities and hartgriefes That is the cause why S. Paule sayeth purposely that the holy Ghost is our earnest penny Although then that the world haue the brydle looce to trample vs vnder his feete as they say although our Lord keepe vs occupyed with many temptations although he humble vs in such wyse as it may seeme that wee bee as sheepe appoynted too the slaughter so as death bee continually betweene our teeth yit are wee not vnpurueyed of good remedie For why Seyng that the holy Ghost reygneth in our hartes wee haue whereof too boast euen in the middes of all our temptations according as it is sayd in the viii too the Romanes that being once assured that God taketh vs for his children wee may not only call vppon him but also although wee bee afflicted and tormented yit wee ceasse not too bee alwayes fully and infallibly resolued that he is our father too leade vs too the glory of heauen for euen that also is 〈◊〉 meane whereby our hope is tryed Furthermore wee bee warned also too walk in pacience and that seing God hath giuen vs his holie spirit for an earnest pennye wee must not bee so hastie and impaciente as wee haue bin woont too bee For if God handle vs roughly by and by wee fall too grudging and are very loth too suffer any thing for wee see how tender and nyce we bee of nature But wee must indure paciently bycause God will not haue vs too come too his kingdome at one leape as they say but will haue vs too passe by this world through the midds of thornes and breers so as wee shall haue much a doo to get through and wee shal bee in greate distresse Seing that he will haue vs led such a way and yit notwitstanding giueth vs so good a remedie as ought to suffyze vs which is that he strengtheneth vs in inuincible constancie by his holie spirit let vs stand in a redinesse too fyght till the tyme of victorie bee fully come It is trew that our fayth doth euen now alredy get the vpper hand but wee receyue not yit the fruiteâ— of it nother doo wee fully inioy it Therfore wee must determine with our selues too sygh and grone continually and yit therwithall too reioyce also For why too reioyce in our hartes and also too cry with S. Paule alas wretched wyght that I am who shal deliuer me from this prison of my bodie are things that may match verye well toogither Therfore let euery of vs moorne yea and bee greeued at the hart for that wee bee still so much giuen too our wicked lusts and too the number of vices that are in vs And yit notwithstanding let vs ceasse also â—oo say that wee thank God and too bee contented with his giuing of such portion vâ—to vs as ought too suffyze vs and too tary his leyzure till he accomplish and performe the thing that he hath begunne seing wee haue his holie spirit so dwelling in vs with a promis that wee shall neuer bee destitute of him vntoo the end Thus yee see how wee bee heere incoraged too take hart of grace and too walk in such constancie as all the miseries of the world may not stop vs of 〈◊〉 till wee bee â—â—me to our races end And that is the cause why S. Paule speaketh purposely of redemption It is trew that wee bee redeemed by our Lord Iesus Christ and he is giuen vs for our redemption or raunsome as is sayd in another text yit notwithstanding wee haue not the effect and full fruition of it as yit Then is there a dubble redemption one which was accomplished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ and anoother which wee wayte for and which shal bee shewed vppon vs at his comming ageine According wheruntoo S. Paule sayth in the viii too the Romanes that although wee grone and bee hild downe in anguish yit wee must not bee dismayed at it nor think it straunge bycause all creatures sayth he doo beare vs companie yea and bee as a woman that trauelleth of child For wee see that all the world is subiect too corruption through the sin of Adam Seing then it is so let vs not quayle in our gronings but let vs so measure our affections as too hold vs contented in that we haue our redemption purchaced in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ and thereuppon trust that he will accomplishe the same thing in vs and in our persons which he hath brought vs in his owne The thing therefore that S. Paule ment too say is that Gods spirit is our earnest penny duryng the tyme that wee wayte too be taken out of this transitorie lyfe and too bee set free from all miseries specially from the bondage of sinne which is the heauyest burthen that can bee Untill such tyme then as wee bee deliuered from all those thinges wee must rest vppon this that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs. And as touching the redemption of purchace it may well bee taken for purchaced redemption for it is a very ryfe maner of speech lyke as when it is sayd the spirit of promis it is ment the spirit that assureth or warranteth al the promises The spirit of the feare of God bycause it is he that maketh vs obedient too his rightuousnesse So lykewise when he speaketh of the Redemption of purchace it may well bee sayd that it is the redemption which was purchaced for vs too shewe that if wee feele the effect of it in our selues so as wee be out of all doubt of the things
And for as much as wee doo not yit perceyue such fulnesse of Gods grace as were to be wished therfore S. Paule sendeth vs to the person of our Lord Iesus Christ. And surely if he had not added that God hath vttered his power in his only sonne after such maner as we haue herd it what a thing were it For we myght alledge in way of reply howso where are these riches of God For we be not only bereft of the goods of this world but also we be as a dry barrein groÌ„ud in respect of the grace of Gods holy spirit If there bee any portion of it in vs it is so smal as wee ought too bee ashamed of it and yit for all this wee bee moreouer plundged in our infirmities If yee speake of Gods power it ought too get the vpper hand of all sinne in vs But wee bee so weake that wee bee as good as beaten downe Agein it were meete that Gods image should shyne foorth in vs and wee beare such store of fylthinesse and such blemishes about vs as is pitie too see Wee should bee wholly consecrated too God but the worlde holdes vs backe and wee bee as it were snarled in it Loe how the faythfull myght bee abasshed when any talke were ministered concerning Gods grace if they stayed there and were not led foorth too Iesus Christ. Not without cause therfore doth S. Paule adde here that God did then vtter the excellencie of his power when he rayzed our Lord Iesus Christ from death And he speaketh purposely of his resurrection bycause that in his death wee see nothing but astonishment For there appeered nothing but weaknesse but by his vanquishing of death he shewed himself too bee the sonne of God yea and the Lord of glorie and lyfe who â—ad all power in himself And that also is the cause why S. Paule sayth that God did set him at his ryght hand For it had not bin ynough for Iesus Christ to haue bin rayzed agein except he had a continuall and abyding dominion Trew it is that euen in his only resurrection wee haue a record that he is the sonne of God but yit for all that wee must passe one step further namely that he had not a blast of power and away but that by his ryzing agein he atteined such superioritie that all the world is gouerned by him and he is now set downe at the right hand of God his father to maynteyne and preserue his seruantes that call vppon him and put them selues intoo his keeping and hath sufficient power to ouercome Satan and al the world and all our enemyes Now then wee see S. Paules meaning that forasmuch as wee myght bee cast downe and our fayth at least wyse sore shaken if wee should looke no further than too our selues therefore he setteth Iesus Christ before vs as the trew patterne wherin wee may see the thing that as yit is vnseene in our selues that is too wit Gods inestimable power which surmounteth the whole world For first he is rayzed from death and secondly he is set at the ryght hand of his father Now the speaking of Gods ryght hand is a resemblance taken of men It is certeyne that God hath nother ryght hande nor lefte for he is infinite and fylleth both heauen and earth and agein he hath no body but is a spirituall beyng Therefore wee must not imagin any place certeine when Gods ryght hande is spoken of And wehn as it is sayd that Iesus Christ sitteth there it is too shewe that he filleth all the world with his power Trew it is that as in respect of his manhood he is in heauen and it is one of the Articles of our fayth that he is ascended into heauen But yit notwithstanding although he bee absent from vs in his body and that there is a great distaunce betwixt vs it is no let but that he filleth all things with his holy spirit and dwelleth in vs himselfe and that wee bee nourished by his owne substaunce according to this saying that his flesh is our meate his blud our drinke Yee see then how that Gods right hand is not some certeyn place for Christ to sit in but the souereinty which he hath obteyned too gouerne the whole world And as I sayd afore it is a similitude borowed of men as when a prince maketh his vicegerent he setteth him at his right side as who should say Loe here the second person of my Realme whom I will haue men too obey God then in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ ment too shewe that he is our father Trew it is that the whole fulnesse of the Godhead is in Iesus Christ. Howbeit forasmuch as wee bee heauie and sothfull and vnable too atteyne too the maiestie of God therefore it is sayde that Iesus Christ hath obteyned all souereintie so as wee bee sure that he hath vs in his protection that being vnder his hand wee be safe and all the diuels of hell doo what they can cannot preuayle at al ageinst vs For who is it that hath al power It is eueÌ„ our head Although theÌ„ that we which are his members be weak yit is there strength ynough in the head which is the chiefe part of the body And so ye see for what cause it is sayd that Iesus Christ is set at the right hand of God his father namely too shewe vs that wee neede not too seeke farre for his help seeing he gouerneth all things both aboue and beneath and wee â—ee committed too his charge here He sayeth that God hath vttered his high and infinite power in vs Howebeeit forasmuch as that suffizeth not by reason of the infirmities which wee feele for that there is so much amisse in vs still and wee bee not yit come too the full measure no nor too the hundreth part of it therefore too the intent we may bee the better assured of all the things that wee want wee must consider them in Iesus Christ Are wee then subiect yit still vntoo death Behold Iesus Christ is receyued vp intoo euerlasting life for the very cause why he became a mortall man as wee bee was that the life which he hath might belong vnto vs Doth sinne dwell still in vs Behold Iesus Christ hath no spot nor blemish in him Are wee weake He is the power of God his father and looke whatsoeuer he receyued in his manhod which he tooke of vs was for our sakes and too our behoofe Too bee short looke whatsoeuer wee want and whatsoeuer may comfort or quicken vs we shall fynd it in our Lord Iesus Christ bycause wee should not bee in care and perplexitie as though we were excluded from the benefites that S. Paule hath made mention of heretoofore Finally wee should neuer haue any settled trust except wee knew that the things which are wanting in our selues are in our head For the measure of Gods gracious giftes is very fimall yea euen in the
once dead Knowe yee therfore that God did draw you out of the dungeon of all destruction yea rather out of the bottom of hell when he voutsafed too adopt you too bee his children and too call you too the knowledge of his Gospell Wee see that this saying of Saint Paules is conformable too the doctrine and recorde of our Lorde Iesus Christ. So then let vs alwayes runne backe to the welles head whensoeuer we be tempted too glory in our owne vertewes and imagin our selues too haue I wote not what too aduaunce vs withall let vs resort too our naturall state let vs consider that wee had bin vndoone and that wee were vndoone yit still at this day if God of his infinite mercy had not drawen vs out of the confuzion wherin wee were and deliuered vs from it by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. And it is purposely sayd in offences and sinnes too stoppe all mennes mouthes that no man myght make profer too withdrawe himselfe from the common araye nor think that any thing is so greeuous as the corruption of our nature which cannot bee stayed but by death It S. Paule had set downe but one of the words eyther offences or sinnes by and by there woold haue bin answearing and replying For some woold haue thought themselues too haue bin of the common aray And other some would haue said Uery wel though there bee some synne in vs though there bee some fault in vs it doth not therfore folowe that wee bee vtterly condemned and cursed of God for wyl he vse suche rigour and extremitie ageinst vs But S. Paule hath ioyned both the woordes toogither too shew that there is nothing in our nature but all wickednes and sinne and at a woord that there is not one drop of life too bee found in it Therfore it is al one as though he ment too aggrauate or make the thing heynous which men on their part would make light For if wee haue neuer so smal a portion of vertue yea or but a shadow of it wee wyll needes exalt it aboue all the mountaines of the worlde But if there bee any vices in vs though they bee neuer so grosse and apparant yit wee make but very light faultes of them Therefore it stood S. Paule on hand too beate downe this fond presumptuousnesse of men and too shew them that they bee wholly saped in sinne For although he speake heere too the Ephesians yit speaketh he generally too all men And in good sooth he expresseth it yit better in saying that vvee vvalked according too the trade of the vvorld for the euyll lurketh vnespied tyll it bewray it selfe by his fruites And the cause why men cannot humble themselues before God as were requisite is that they flatter themselues till they bee conuicted and bee compelled 〈◊〉 stoope and too hold downe their heades spyt of their teethe For wee see what hipocrisie is in vs insomuch that wee woold beare our selues in hand that blacke were whyte and neuer fynd our selues faultie so long as our misdeedes could not bee layd open too our faces nor any man stop our mouthes by witnessing them too our heads Too haue many wicked thoughtes or too bee tempted too doo this or that euyll wee thinke it no sinne at al. Too bee short S. Paule hath iustly set downe that the Ephesians walked in their sinnes too the intent too shewe that he speaketh not of a thing which ought too bee vnknowen too them For in beholding their owne lyues and in beholding what they had bin and what trace they had followed they should be driuen too confesse that they were vtterly forlorne cursed afore god Therfore when soeuer our hypocrisie hindereth vs from submitting our selues vnto God and from beating of our selues downâ— by acknowledging of our synnes let vs learne too looke intoo our life Truely although wee perceyued a whole million of faultes which wee haue coÌ„mitted yit is it nothing in comparison of that whiche God knoweth Yit notwithstanding too waken vs the better that wee may not be deceiued by our owne selfe soothing as wee haue bin woont too bee let vs alwayes iudge of the roote by the fruites of it Seeing then that wee bee gilty of offending God so many wayes let vs conclude thereupon that there is nothing but frowardnesse in our nature And too shewe the better that he speaketh not here of any one sort of men but of al mankind S. Paule addeth that it vvas according too the trade of the vvorld The woorde that he vseth here betokeneth the course of tyme As if he should say Euen as wee see the Sunne dooth dayly ryse and go downe and as wee see Winter and Sommer followe one another so is it an ordinarie custome yea and euen the nature of man too bee vtterly froward spytefull and rebellious ageinst God and there is nothing in him but all maner of leawdnesse and corruption It is not for men too say â—ush euill custome hath gotten the vpper hande and agein this serueth for some men but all doo not so there are some nations more sinfull than othersome and there are some meÌ„ more stubborne and malicious than others but yet there will alwayes some vertew bee found in some other men Nay sayeth S. Paule for it is the common course of the worlde As if he should saye it is so naturall too all men as there is no disputing whether one man bee bad aâ—d another good For like as fishe is made too suck vp water so arâ— we suckled or rather made starke drunken withall maner of iniquities and sinnes Wee be so filled and stuffed with them that we burst agein Thus yee see how S. Paule ment heere not too rebuke some one sort of men but too shewe all men without exception what their state is till God haue redressed it Therefore let vs open our eyes and looke intoo the thing that S. Paule sayeth and wee shall perceyue that all our woorthinesse and noblenesse is decyphred vntoo vs heere heere are our armes blazed that is too wit that wee bee but dead men till God quicken vs by his mere grace Agein too the end wee should knowe that this death proceedeth not from elswhere than of our owne sinnes it is sayd that wee bee all corrupted that there is nothing in vs but faultes sinnes and offences and that all our whole lyfe beareth record thereof so as the fruite sheweth what the roote is And on the other syde that our starting aside is not for once and no more but that wee tend wholly thither that is too say too euill wee bee inclyned thereuntoo nay rather wee bee caryed headlong thereuntoo yea and wee bee driuen with such a rage that wee neuer ceasse stryuing ageinst God tyll he haue broughte vs in subiection too him by his holye spirit And S. Paule thinkes it not ynough to saye so but addeth things which ought to make vs too tremble yet more saying that it is according
Gospell Yee see then that the thing which wee haue too marke in the first place is that by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause he hath reconcyled vs too God his father by his death wee bee now come neere too the kingdome of heauen from whence wee were farre of yea and without hope too haue any accesse or enterance thither And although S. Paule haue spoken but too one nation yit is his matter generall And so the holie Ghoste exhorteth vs at this day by the same doctrine too consider our owne miserie that wee may be abashed in our selues and receyue the inestimable benefyte that is offered vs by the Gospell in the person of Christ. Hereuppon he addeth that hee is our peace making both one yea euen those that were farre of as well as them that were neere Lyke as in the forerehearced sentence S. Paule ment too humble the Gentiles and shewed howe muche they were indetted vntoo God so heere he addeth a warning for the Iewes to pull downe their pryde that they myght not think themselues too bee better than other men bicause God had chozen them For acording as men are alwayes giuen to auaunce themselus beyond measure that people abused Gods grace and bare theÌ„selues in hand that the linage of Abraham was as a linage of Angels Too bee short when it was told them that the Church should bee vnited togither both of Iewes and Gentyles without exception they thought that God did them great wrong and iniurie In somuch that it was oftentymes told them that Gods choozing of them was nother for their vertue nor for their nobilitie nor for any thing else that he found in their persons but bicause he had loued their fathers without any desert of theirs Often tymes therfore were they warned by Moyses and the Prophets too chalenge nothing at al too them selues but too goe too Gods free goodnesse too spye out them selues there too the ende they myght confesse that if they had any prerogatiue aboue others that was not of themselues nor for their own sakes but bicause it was Gods good pleasure too keepe them to himself for his owne heritage And yit for all that S. Paule sheweth heere that the Iewes renounce their own saluation if they match not with the Gentiles in true brotherhood For why Although the Iewes were neere God alredye and had witnesse that he hild them for his children yit notwithstanding the matter hung in suspence til the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Then behoued it them too bee knit to God by the mediator or else they should haue had no peace in their consciences For when men examin themselues they must needs conclude by and by that God is iustly their enemye And for proof therof what haue wee in our thoughts in our lusts in our soules and in our bodies but vtter corruption Therfore it ought to make vs to quake as oft as wee thinke what wee bee But the Iewes had the Ceremonies and shadowes of the Law which were assurances of Gods grace vntoo them Yea but if they had stayed there what a thing had that bin For the blud of brute beasts could not scoure away their spottes nor set them in Gods fauour Therefore it stoode them on hand too resort too Iesus christ And that is the cause why S. Paule sheweth that the Iewes ought not too too bee so puffed vp with pryde as too shet the heathen out of the doores as though they were not woorthie too bee of Gods Church For Iesus Christ is the mediator as well of the one as of the other vntoo God his father In so much that without him all of vs are shet out from the hope of saluation No man then ought too despyze his neyghbour in this cace nor too looke ouer the shoulder at him as the prouerb sayeth But wee ought too imbrace one another in â—rew vnitie of fayth and loue knowyng that euerychone of vs from the greatest too the least should ryghtfully bee cutte of from Gods Church but that he of his owne mere goodnesse gathereth vs too him After the same maner dooth S. Iames exhort the great men of this world too glory in their smalnesse bycause God hath taken away the blyndfolding that letted them too know their owne wretchednesse For wee knowe that men doo wilfully abuse their greatnesse and beleeue them selues too bee marueylous wyghtes tyll they come too knowe god Therefore the great men of this worlde haue their eyes blyndfolded and that deceyueth them and maketh them too take leaue too doo what they liste Now Saint Iames sayeth that they haue cause too glorye of their smalnesse for that our Lorde discouereth them too bee creatures out of all hope as of themselues and yit neuerthelesse taketh them intoo his fauour of his owne mercy And let the little ones sayeth he reioyce in their nobilitie bycause God hath exalted them in somuch that whereas they were but as wretched woormes and had nothing but reproche in them God hath taken them vp and made them new creatures Yee see then that the meanes too vnite vs as wee ought too bee is that euerye of vs in his degree acknowledge himselfe too bee in a wretched and miserable plyght anâ— that when he hath yeelded all too Gods mere mercy he acknowledge that the same is spred ouer all at this day and that it is not for vs too stint or too brydle him but in asmuch as he hath chozen vs it is our dewâ—ie too receyue those intoo our fellowship whom he hath set in the same aray and company with vs That say I is the thing that Saint Paule amed at in saying that our Lord Iesus Christ is the peace of all men yea euen as well of them that were mere afore as of them that were yit farre of But yit as I tolde yee afore he had an eye too the foolishe ouerweening of the Iewes which woulde haue driuen away the Gâ—ntyles from the kingdome of god And he telleth vs that if wee mynd too haue Iesus Christ too bee our mediator too giue vs enterance too God his father and too guyde vs thither and that all this should bee grounded vppon Gods mere mercy let vs not bee so folish as too clayme aught too our selues as who should say wee were better than other men or ought too bee preferred before them but let euery of vs acknowledge that all of vs had neede of Gods infinite mercye bycause all of vs were shet vp vnder sinne as S. Paule sayeth in another place Now must we apply this well too our owne behoofe For some thinke that men are aduaunced the rather bycause some of them haue bin of an honest and vnblamable conuersation to the worldward some borne of honorable houses and othersome indewed with exâ—â—llent vertewes or with some skill and cunning Too be short euery man sercheth and seeketh as much as is possible too alledge some thing why God hath accepted him rather than
his neyghbours But let vs lerne that although wee were neere God in outward appeerance yit notwithstanding the only way too bee in his fauour and too bee able too call vppn him and too hope that he will hold vs in his fatherly loue euen too the end is that Iesus Christ bee our head And how may that bee It is certeyne that he is come to saue that which was lost And agein as it is sayd in another place it is a sure and infallible saying that our Lord Iesus Christ came too call agein too saluation the sinners that were in damnation Sith it is so let vs learne too humble our selues with all modestie and not only too shrinke in our hornes but also too bee vtterly abaced and brought vnder foote that God may bee glorified as he is worthie and that one of vs perke not aboue another but make all one bodie for that is the condicion wherâ—ppon wee bee called Furthermore the tytle that S. Paule giueth vntoo our Lord Iesus Christ namely that he is our peace ought too bee well considered for without that wee should alwayes be as a straught or as blocks for they that haue any feeling of theyr sinnes cannot bee in rest without feeling of sore â—orinentes but are so out of quyet as it were better for them too bee sunken vnder the earth than to see theÌ„selues so cyted before Gods iudgment seate euery minute of an houre and too bee distressed in such sorte Then if wee haue not Iesus Christ for our peace surely the â—â—kening vp of our consciences must needes daunt vs and hold vs as it were vppon the Racke by making vs too â—eele that God settes himself ageinst vs as an enemy or else it mâ—st needes vtterly 〈◊〉 vs and make vs brute beastes so as we shal not only fal◠〈…〉 but also bee so bewitched by the diuell as wee shall feele no more greâ—f nor remorse for them And so this lesson where it is sayd that Iesus Christ is our peace cannot bee 〈…〉 For first it warneth vs to bee touched to the quicke with out 〈◊〉 so 〈…〉 sory for them considering that Gods 〈…〉 accordingly as he calleth none vnto him but such as are 〈…〉 â— tyred Agein when we once know that wee may ouerleape all distrust doubting bycause that wheras we haue prouoked Gods wrath iâ— is appeased ageyn by our Lord Iesus Christ wheras we haue 〈◊〉 with God and kept continuall warre agâ—â—ynâ—â— him Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 made agreement betwixt vs and wher as God 〈◊〉 vs for our sinnes and for our naughty and froward nature Iesus Christ putteth all that away too the ende that God may take vs not onely as his creatures fashyoned after his owne image but also as his deere children whom he hath adopted too bee heires of his kingdome And so yee see what wee haue too gather vppon that 〈…〉 And were this poynt throughly 〈…〉 worlde should not flote so continually nor 〈◊〉 so as it dooth 〈◊〉 most men now adayes are caryed est one est another doo nothing else but wander The Papistes on the one syde haue their pryde too keepe them from contining ryghtfoorth vntoo God they will 〈◊〉 haue their freewill and their 〈…〉 what the grace of Iesus Christ 〈…〉 themselues froÌ„ it as much as they ran And God in the meane season payeth then as they bee woorthie For as for theÌ„ that are so fore possessed with that diuelish selfmeening that they can dispose their lyfe in such wyse as too bee able and came vnto God and too deserue somewhat at his hand and again haue their 〈…〉 with him when they haue done 〈◊〉 when they haue such things too themselues all slippeth away lyke wynd they 〈◊〉 vnto the other extremitie saying show shall wee bee 〈…〉 if wee haue not 〈…〉 And so are they 〈…〉 wherof Iesus Christ is all the whyle vnregarded they make them by-wayes and go not too Iesus Christ who is the trew way For asmuch then as they leaue the ryght way which cannot misleaâ—e them they must neâ—des wander now 〈…〉 one syde and now on the other and after long tyring of themselues breake both their armes and leggs and in the end fynd that the further they proceede the further they go back from god So much the more therfore dooth it stand vs on hand too wey these woordes of S. Paule where wee bee warranted that wee shal bee receyued louingly at the hand of our God if wee haue Iesus Christ for our peace and rest wholly theruppon And for the same cause 〈◊〉 ioyne thertoo the 〈◊〉 of the text by mee alredie alledged namely you shall fynde rest too your foules Wherby our Lord Iesus Christ dooth vs too vnderstand that all such as separate themselues from him and are not contented too haue hiâ— for theyr mediator shall euer beâ—â—nquieâ— and although they assure themseâ—â—es and beare themselues in hand with this and that yit neuerthelesse they are afterward afrayd and find no resting place too stay their foote on nother haue they any safe harborough wherin too eschew the storme Therfore it standeth vs vppon too go too our Lord Iesus Christ and too hee throughly resolued that he is our peace if we intend too cal vppon God freely and without anie doubting Finally all men 〈◊〉 exception must come thither as wel they that are neere God as those that are farre of If there bee any that think there is any valour or worthinesse in themselues surely they will neuer repayre too our Lord Iesus Christ till they haue layde that imagination vnder foote Agein on the other â—yde though wee bee a thousand tymes past hope in outward apperance yit let vs assure our selues that our Lord Iesus Christ is of sufficient abilâ—tie too wype away the rememberance of all our iniquities so as God shal receyue vs into his fauour â–ª accordingly as S. Paule hauing sayd that Iesus Christ came too saue wretched sinners addeth that he himself is an example therof in somuch that â—e which had bin a persecuter of the Church an enemy of the 〈◊〉 yea and a sheader of giltlesse blud was neuerthelesse receyued not only intoo the common aray but for an Apostle too beare abrode and too publishe through the whole world the message of saluation from the which he had erst bin out of Seeyng then that God hath vttered foorth the treasures of his goodnesse vppon him wee may well assure our selues that if wee trust in our Lord Iesus Christ and seeke too bee at one with God his father by â—eaâ—es of his death and passion 〈◊〉 wee were in teh bottom of hell yit should wee bee or aswen from thence and Jesus Christ would shew in deed 〈◊〉 that that â—yâ—le was not 〈◊〉 him by imagination And so yee see what wee has too gather more vppon chose wordes of S. Paule Now he â—â—â—eth that Iesus Christ hath broken dovvne the vvall that vvas betvveene them And he vseth
that 〈◊〉 too declare that the Ceremonyes and figures are abolished so as there is now â—o let but that wee may bee knit together in concord and brotherly loue And anon after he compareth the Ceremonies of the â—aâ—e too 〈◊〉 emnitie For lyke as we now 〈◊〉 dayes haue Baptim which separateth vs from the heatheÌ„ so when God choze the Iewes he gaue them Circumcision Now then when we bee one 〈◊〉 baptized we beare the marke wherby God will haue vs knowen too bee of his Church and of the flocke of his sonne Iesus Christ. The lyke be 〈…〉 and vse had Circumcision in the tyme of the lame The Sacrifizes witnessed 〈◊〉 them that God forgaue them their sinnes Forasmuch 〈◊〉 vs 〈◊〉 priuiledge was not giuen too any 〈◊〉 to Abrahams linage 〈◊〉 sayth it was as a wall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyke as if some ground were paled about too keepe sheepe in or as if some stable were made to kepe cattell in Euen so was it then For God as is shewed in the song of Noyses had stretched out his lines too hold the linage of Abraham separated from the rest of the world There â—â—en was Gods pathe and the Ceremonies were as walles or pa 〈…〉 s too hold in that people vnder the keping and the protection of god And what were the â—e 〈…〉 â—yles They went on at aduenture yea and euen in destruction according as it is sayd that God had not voutsafed them the fa 〈…〉 too manifest his rightuousnesse vntoo them And S. Paule also sheweth 〈◊〉 pre 〈…〉 y that God had suffered them too walke on in the 〈◊〉 and that they had bin as wretched beasts in taht behalf Now wee 〈◊〉 S. Paules meaÌ„ing when he speaketh of the Ceremonies how they were as a wa 〈…〉 too deuyde the Iewes from the Gentiles But now are they all broken downe bycause that Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 is the trueth verie substance of them is come too put away all those shaddowes For the giuing of the ceremonial la 〈…〉 was not to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people shouuld 〈◊〉 themselues wholly about that and put their 〈◊〉 in it as hypocrits doo which peruert Gods meaning that â—oo the intent they should â—pply the absence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ as S. Paul speaketh of them in the second too the Colossians The Iewes had not yit the pledge that is giuen vs in our Lord Iesus Christ and therefore it was needefull that they should bee vphild in good hope till he were shewed to the world Wherefore not without cause were all those things cast downe by his comming for he is now vntoo vs as the day sonne of rightuousnesse And therefore it is no reason that wee should â—ee led any more as it were by darke shaddowes For by that meanes the emnitie is done away bycause that at this day we bee ioyned too that linage which God had dedicated too himself and there is no more diuersitie at all Forasmuch then as wee bee made the children of Abraham by fayth there is but one spirituall kiâ—red among vs. But let vs marke that Baptim and the Lords Supper which are the Sacraments that Christ hath ordeyned are not a diuision lyke too the figures of the lawe For although wee bee separated from the vnbeleeâ—â—â—s and from such as neuer came yit within in Gods Church yit is there not any one certeyne nation of the world which 〈◊〉 accepteth peculiarly by it self but he will haue his grace spred 〈◊〉 ouer all There is not then any such distinâ—â—ion as there was before that it can bee sayd wee come of the linage of Abraham wee bee they whom God voutsafed too adopt None can say so for there is now nother Iewe nor Gentill any more as it is sayd in many places of the scirpture Therefore whosoeuer calleth vppon Gods name purely of what nation so euer he bee the same is well lyked and accepted of him as sayeth S. Peter in the sixtenth of the Acts and also in his first Epistle And Baptim and the Lords Supper serue now a dayes too vnite the whole world For let the barbarousest sort that can be come and God will receyue them Baptim shal bee ministred vntoo them bycause it belongeth to all such as are kniâ— togither intoo the body of the onely sonne of God. Now herewithall let vs looke too applye this Text too our â—difâ—cation And first of all let vs vnderstand that the abolishing of the Ceremonies namely as touching the vsing of them was the very key to open vs the kingdome of heauen For the accomplishment of them was fully shewed in our Lord Iesus Christ so as it is knowen better than euer it was that they were no trifles nor vnprofitable 〈◊〉 but yit for all that it is not for vs to vse them seeing wee haue the full perfection of them all in Iesus Christ. And by that meanes wee see how God hath powred out his goodnesse vppon those whom he had shaken of afore That is the meanes whereby we belong too him at this day In that respect is the Gospell published indifferently too all the world so as our forefâ—thers which were heathen men were receyued intoo the Churche and wee bee succeeded in their roomes For although it bee seene that the world hath bin vtterly forlorne and that there hath bin an horrible desolation in it Yit hath God made the thing effectuall which is spoken in his Lawe namely that he contineweth his mercy too a thousand generations Thus yee see what wee haue too remember in the first place Secondly although baptim serue not peculiarly for any one people Citie or Countrie yit are wee as yee would say marked out by God when he giueth vs the vse of his Sacraments to assure vs of his adoption and too nurrish the hope that he hathe giuen vs by his Gospell It is trew that they which shrink away from our Lord Iesus Christ doo after a sort make theyr baptim vayne but that shall cost them ryght deere because the pledge and earnestpenny which God giâ—eth vs too shewe that wee bee ioyned too our Lord Iesus Christ and are clothed with him as it is sayd in the xii Chapter of the first too the Corinthians is too precious a thing too bee so misused And therfore all they that inhonour themselues with the name of the Church and yit notwithstanding are disordered and dissolute persons shall one day feele what a trayter â—â—â—nesse it is too haue so vnhallowed their baptim which God had ordeyned for their saluation But let vs on our syde â—ake heede that wee walk as folks sholed out from the filth of the world for as sayeth S. Peter the verye cause why our Lord Iesus Christ hath gathered vs vntoo him is that wee should glorifye him for deliuering of vs out of the darknesse of this world and of the diuell intoo his owne lyght And wee haue seene heertoofore in the Epistle too the Galathians how Iesus Christ will haue his death serue
too drawe vs from all the vnclennesse and filthinesse of the world Lykewyse in the first too the Thessalonians S. Paule sayeth that wee bee not called too vnclennesse but that wee ought too bee pure and too dedicate our selues too our God in purenesse so as wee may shewe in deede that wee intende too honour him with all that euer he hath giuen vs The thing then which wee haue to gather vppon those words of S. Paule is that wee must not runne astray lyke wyld and mad beasts nor yit kicke ageinst him but quietly beare the yoke of our God and approch vnto him with true obedience and moreouer 〈◊〉 our owne wandering lusts too the end wee may walk lyke holie people lyke people that are dedicated too God finally as his heritage Thus yee see how this text is too bee pracâ—â—sed of vs at this day Now he addeth purposely that Iesus Christ hath doone it in the flesh meaning in our nature too the end that wee myght bee sure that in his personne wee bee aâ—owed too bee Gods children For lyke as in Adam wee bee all lost so by our Lord Iesus Christ the second Adam wee bee restored too the hope of saluation And in deede after the self-same maner dooth the Apostle shewe vs that wee may boldly trust that God will alwayes bee oâ—r father for his fake For he hath not taken on him the nature of the Angells sayeth he but the seede of Abraham And although Mathew in the Genealogie of Iesus Christ beging at the person of Abraham as at the welspring roote yit doth S. Luke leade vs further and telleth vs that Iesus Christ appeared not alonly for the Iewes Truely S. Mathew dooth it vppon very good reason namely too shewe that Iesus Christ came specially too performe the promises that had bin made of old tyme But S. Luke sheweth the same thing that S. Paule declareth heere namely that when wee haue gone vp as farre as to â—ur first father Adam wee shall fynd that our Lord Iesus Christ was yit stil before him Trew it is that he was conceyued by the secret and woonderfull power of the holye Ghoste in the womb of his mother but yit for all that he ceassed not too bee the trew linage of Abraham and of Dauid and also of Adam and there is no doubt but that wee bee ioyned too God by 〈◊〉 meane seing he is our trew brother and wee neede not to seeke farre bycause wee bee bone of his bone and flesh of his fleshe as wee shall see hereafter in the fift Chapter Thus yee see in effect what S. Paule ment by adding this saying that the fulfilling or performing of all these things was doone in the flesh of Iesus christ For if wee should consider nothing else in Iesus Christ but his heauenâ—ly glorie and diuine maiestie what would come of it Wee would bee abasshed and wee myght say he were too farre of for vs too come vntoo him But now seeing he hathe of the same flesh that wee haue and is become very man lyke vntoo vs in all things sauing only sin so as he vndertâ—â—ke our passions or sufferings and our wants and wretcheâ—nesse 〈◊〉 haue pitie of vs as the Apostle sayth wee may assure our selues thâ—â— when wee offer our selues vntoo God wee shal bee ioyned vntoo him in the person of his only sonne For lyke as he is verye God so on the other syde he is a kin too vs bycause hee came downe hither refuzed not too bee in this state of bondage too the intent that wee myght bee glorified by his meanes for lyke as he not only abaced him self 〈◊〉 also emptyed himself vtterly so will he also lift vs vp intoo his heauenly glorie And for that cause also is he called our brother This only one saying ought too breake off all distrust when wee bee in dout and perplexitie whether God will accept vs or no. For seeing wee haue this record that Iesus Christ is our brother what would wee haue more So then wee may wel conceyue out of what filth and defylements yea and out of what a gulf God hath drawen vs seing he hathe assured vs of his fatherly loue wheruppon our saluation is grounded yea and that in the person of Iesus christ For wee see how the wretched papists wote not too which Saint too vow themselues yea and too barre themselues of all excuce so as there may neede none other processe too condeÌ„mne them they make a common proueth of it For euen in that one saying that they wote not too which Saint too bow themselues they shewe themselues too bee faythlesse and destitute of all aduyce and stay of themselues and too bee as stray beastes For they haue such a multitude of theyr Sainctes that they haue made whole warreines of them It is trew that all of them haue the Uirgin Mary for their aduocate they catch holde of Saint Michaell or of Saint Peter for their patrone or of some other Saint after as their superstitious mynd leades them heere and there Howbeeit all that they doo is with vnquietnesse of mynd and they shall neuer fynde rest bycause they haue no woord of God too stay vppon And when they fynde themselues hampered in any perplexitie they bee lyke wretched forlorne caytifes that are vtterly at their wittes end bycause they see well ynough that they fynde no ease at all when they haue â—ossed and turmoyled neuer so much But now seeyng that wee bee sure of the hope which wee ought too haue bycause 〈◊〉 Lord Iesus Christ is our yeare and is 〈…〉 vs too vnite vs too God his father let vs vnder stande that the same is an inestimable benefyte for the which wee ought not too bee afrayd too suffer ten hundred thousand deathes if neede were And S. Paule saith consequently that the Law consisted in ordinaunces and Decrees too shewe that God abolished not the lawe of good and holy conuersation when he mynded too call the Gentyles â—oo saluation but that he 〈◊〉 away only the ceremonies that serued peculiarly for the present tyme and were not giuen but only too the linage of Abraham Yee see then what was abolished And therefore let vs leaue the figures of the Lawe as Circumcizion Sacrifizing feastfull dayes as they were kept then the difference of meates Lyghtes Perfumes and all that is set downe in wryting by Moyses for all those thinges must bee vanished away at the comming of Christ and yit for all that let vs hold still the Lawe that God hath giuen vs which is inuiolable that is too wit let vs woorship him purely let vs call vpoÌ„ him let vs put our trust in him let vs do him homage for all the benefites that he hath bestowed vppon vs and let vs hallowe his name Agein let vs aduyze our selues too walke in purenesse of lyfe and with such conscience towardes our neyghbours as we may doo no man wrong or harme and finally let vs
vndertooke the condemnation that belonged too vs They shal rather bee hild dubble giltie bycause that by their vnthankfulnesse they bereeue themselues of the benefyte wherof they myght haue bin parttakers if they had receyued the promises of the Gospell by fayth But the Iewes on the one syde blaspheme our Lord Iesus Christ the Turks on the other syde laughe him too scorne and count him but as a night ghost And the Papists labour with tooth and nayle to deface his power and too rob him of the greatest part of his graces These therfore shall fynde that the death which the sonne God hath suffered serueth too increace their cursednesse and too kindle Gods wrath so much the more ageinst them Yea and euen they also which neuer heard of the Gospell are vtterly excluded from this treasure And for that cause S. Paule addeth that Iesus Christ hath preached peace to them that vvere neere and too them that vvere farre of Wherby he sheweth that wheÌ„ the Gospel is preached we be dayly put in possession of the saluation which was purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ at â—eastwyse if wee lay holde on him by trew fayth that hath taken lyuely roote in our hartes too bring foorth good fruite Therefore there are twoo things requyred The one is that wee know how that the matter and substance of our saluation is in Iesus Christ and the other is that the same bee declared too vs by the Gospell And too the intent wee may bee the surer of this doctrine S. Paule sayeth not that Christ hath sent his Apostles or set vp a great sort of 〈◊〉 too bring vs such message but that Christ himselfe is come too bryng tydings of peace too all men Nowe it is certeyne that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not executed the office of preaching since his Reâ—urrection sauing onely among his Disciples that they myght bee furnished aforehand too preache euery where the doctrine that was committed vntoo them But S. Paule sayeth that he preached too such as had erst bin farre of from god He did not this in his owne person Then is it certeyne that S. Paule speaketh of that preaching of the Gospell which was doone by the Ministers that were appoynted by God and by our Lord Iesus Christ. And yit notwithstanding he sayeth that it was Christ himself that preached namely too the end wee should yeeld the greater reuerence too the Gospell and hold it as the truthe authorized by God and euerye of vs submit himself too it without any geynsaying or replying For if wee haue any doubt of it let vs not thinke that Iesus Christ shall boote vs any thing at all Therfore wee must assure our selues of it yea and as wee haue seene in the first Chapter Gods promises must bee sealed in our harts by the holie Ghost who for the same cause is called the earnestpennye of the lyfe that wee hope for and the verye signe manuell or seale that God printeth in vs too the end that our fayth should bee in full certeintie Wee see then wherat S. Paule amed in this text in saying that Iesus Christ being rayzed from the dead and hauing performed the charge that was inioyned him by God his father was our Redeemer and also the bringer of the same meâ—sage vntoo vs not for once and away but by continuall preaching of it insomuch that he will haue his mouth still open euen too the end too witnesse vnto vs that in him wee shall assuredly fynd all that wee can wish too bring vs too the heauenly lyfe Now then must wee not bee very blocks if we be not touched too the quicke at the hearing of these woords It is trew that the sonne of God fleeteth not from place too place nor is conuersant heere beneath among vs in visible fashion nother were that requisite But yit for all that the doctrine which wee preache in his name ought too haue lyke anthoritie as if hee spake to vs himselfe mouth to mouth And for the same cause also dooth hee say Hee that heareth you heareth mee and he that receyueth you receyueth mee and likewyse he that reiecteth you reiecteth mee And agein by this meanes is God my father honored euen by your beeleeuing of the Gospel And contrariwise he hath great wrong and reproch doone vnto him when the things are douted of that are so wel certifyed there The Pope al the rabble of his Clergie alledge this for the mayntenance of their tyrannie But our Lord Iesus Christes meaning was too warrant vs the message that concerneth the forgiuenesse of our sinnes wherwith our eares are beaten continually For wee shall alwayes hang in a mamering and doubt if wee bee not throughly perswaded and resolued that all thinges conteyned in the Gospell are hild of Iesus Christ who is the infallible truth it self For if wee haue an eye too men wee shall bee euer wauering and doubtfull And for proofe thereof what can they bring vs of their owne growing but vtter vanitie and leazing So then although our Lord Iesus Christ abyde still in his heauenly glory and wee bee absent from him in body yea and that it bee a straunge thing to vs too say that he dwelleth in vs and that wheresoeuer twoo or three bee gathered toogither in his name he is in the middes of them yit notwithstanding wee must bee fully assured of this poynt that when the pure doctrine of the Gospell is preached it is all one as if he himselfe spake vntoo vs and were familiarly conuersant heere among vs Then too bee short our fayth must ame at him as at the very marke or butte of it and we must rest vppon him And seeyng that God his father hath sent him too bee a faythfull witnesse looke whatsoeuer is â—old vs truly in his name wee must receyue it without any geynsaying Furthermore as wee haue heere wherwith too strengthen vs in trew constancie of fayth and too arme vs ageinst all the assaultes and alarumes that Satan can giue vs so it is a great shame for vs when wee bee deafe at the hearing of the Gospell or let it alone as a thing hanging in the aire taking it too bee but as a fable or a thing of no valew And yit for all that most men now adayes doo eyther despyze the Gospell or else are so besotted that they discant of it as of a tryfle or else make but a mocke of it Some hauing heard Sermons or hauing bin taught at some Lecture or by some other meanes will perchaunce say it is possible that this may bee trew and as for mee I wil not say nay to it but forasmuch as I am no clerk nor diuine it is al one too mee I will let it alone still in his ordinarie course Some other will say Tush I will hold mee too the fayth of my forefathers For it is too daungerous a matter to chaunge Some agein say thus How so It is a new doctrine
wil fynd matter ynough heere to iangle at so doo they in deede For they would needes haue God bound to call all the world alyke without exception But that will he not doo Agâ—in is the Lawe giuen Then passeth there a long tyme before Iesus Christ come intoo the world Too bee short for the space of almost foure thousand yeeres there passed an infinite number of people wandering heere and there lyke blynd wretches and walking in the shadowe of death and God did let them still alone as it is sayd iâ— the seuenteenth of the Actes Sodeinly the Trumpet 〈◊〉 and the wall was broken downâ— and God gathered toogither 〈…〉 eâ—st strayed from him and had despyzed his name He receyâ—â—â— them too fauour by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ in whose person the souerein dominioÌ„ of God is extended ouer al the world These then are things that could not enter into our conceyt as I said afore Therefore it is not without cause that S. Paule nameth that order of dealing a mysterie that had bin vnknowen to al ages was reueled in his time But first and formest wee must resolue a question that myght bee put heere bycause the Patriarkes were not vtterly ignorant what should insew and the prophets bare record of it For when there is any speaking that the Gentyles should bee matched with the people whom God had chozen and adopted before it is said that Moyses foretold and vttered and that all the Prophets sayd that the straungers should come too woorship God and too honour his maiestie Then was it not a thing vtterly vnknowen at that tyme as Saint Paule speaketh of it but yit let vs marke that all those prophesies ceassed not too bee darke bycause the meanes were hidden It is true that the hope of the faythfull was that God woulde one day gather toogither the world that was scattered after so horrible manner as we haue seene but as touching the knowledge of the tyme that Circumcision and the figures of the Lawe should bee abolished that God should bee serued after another better knowen fashyon that Iesus Christ should bee as the daysimne of ryghtuousenesse that men should content themselues with him that there should be no mo visible signes but Baptim and the Lords Supper too confirme vs withall in all the ghostly gifts which wee obteyne at this day all this say I was vnknowen Yea euen the very Apostles theÌ„selues continued still in that grosse ignorance notwithstaÌ„ding that our Lord Iesus Christ warned theÌ„ of the things that were at hand In deede wheÌ„ he sent them abrode into the Country of Iewrye he sayd vnto them Speake not yit too the Gentiles But that was bycause the coÌ„uenient tyme was not yit come When he drew towards his death I haue other sheepe sayd he that are not of this fold which must bee gathered toogither Therâ— he sheweth that manie were chozen of God his father who neuerthelesse were not compryzed in the nation of the Iewes And when he was rizen agein from the dead he sayd Go preache the Gospell too all creatuâ—es Heere then is commaundement first gyuen them too preache the hope of saluation too such as were vtter straungers too it before Now when S. Peter was aduertized that God would send him too a heathen man he was so amazed at it that the heares stoode vp vppon his head And how is that possible God was fayne tâ—o send him a vision from heauen too make him go too a man whom he tooke too bee vncleane So then it is not without cause that S. Paule speakyng heere of so high and great a secret saith it was vnknowen too the Patriarkes and Prophetes They had in deede some incklyng of it howebeit that was but accordyng too theyr measure and vnder shadowes and figures There was not then any certayne knowledge tyll God had vttered the thing in effect which he had kept in his owne determination And soothly S. Paule thought it good too repeate the woord Mysterie or Secrete too the intent that one of vs should not prouoke another too bee wylful in opinion as we bee woont too bee For if a thing bee hard one wyll say this passes myne vnderstandyng and another makes none account at all of it And by that meanes men turne away from obeying God and cast as it were a stumbling blocke in folkes wayes so as their way and passage is stopped vp and none comes neere Gods truth which would be euident ynough so men woulde giue eare vntoo it But wee bee forepossessed with this opinion that it is too hygh and profound a matter and theruppon it seemes too vs that God speakes it not for vs And that is a cause which maketh vs too hold scorne of his woord to let it alone as a thing that belongs not at all vntoo vs yea and the boldnesse and lewdnesse of men is such that they condemne all things that mislike them Here S. Paule too amend that fault sayth that the thing which is vnknowen to vs is neuerthelesse full of Maiestie before god For shall wee take vppon vs to measure Gods secrets by our imagination What a presumptuousnesse were that It is sayd that his iudgements and dooings are so deepe a gulf as is able too swallowe vs vp a hundred thousand times Therfore let vs learne so to magnifie Gods wisdome as though his meaning bee darksome vntoo vs yiâ— wee may not therfore shake it of but honour it with all humilitie Trewly euen the things thaâ— seeme most common ought too bee â—eceyued in such wise of vs as too vnderstand that God giueth vs but a taste of them and that wee haue not the perfect knowledge of them I meane the whole docâ—rine of the Gospell There is not any poynt there which seemeth to bee of so small importaunce which passeth not all our vnderstanding And there are some other matters wherein God reserueth the reason to himself meaning therby too hold vs short too make vs confesse that all his dooings are rightfull although wee cannot agree too it of our owne naturall wit nor conceyue in our minde the reason why it should bee so Now if euer this doctrine were too bee put in vre it hath neede too bee put in vre nowe a dayes For wee see how the wretched vnbeleeuers doo generally shet them selues out of doores from comming vntoo god What is the cause that the wretched scules in the popedome doo welter in their owne ignoraunce and for any thing that is told them do shewe still that they be as it were bewitched by Satan They say that Gods word is too high a thing Yea but dooth it followe therefore that wee haue iust cause too reiect it Wee should rather consider how it is sayd that Gods wisdome is comprehended alonly by humilitie And seeyng that God voutsafeth too teache the lowely and little ones all pryde ought too bee beaten downe in vs and then should wee
is any speache of our calling that is too say of the mercie that God hath shewed vs in forgetting what wee were and in fashioning vs anew after his owne image insomuch that wheras we were lost and forlorne yea and vtterly drowned in the bottome of hell by Adam he hath set vs vp ageyn and taken vs vp too the kingdome of heauen and is not contented too shewe vs his bounteousenesse in this world only but also intendeth too make vs partakers of his endlesse glory and too giue vs the crowne of lyfe in his kingdome it is a thing for vs too lerne too woonder at too the end wee may receyue so great so hygh so excellent and so worthie benefites with such reuerence as they deserue And Saint Paule not onely heere but also in other places calleth the Angels Principalities too shewe vs that wee cannot deuyze any thing so hygh and noble which is not inferiour too Iesus Christ as is declared more fully in the first too the Colossians For in asmuch as many men did euen at that tyme magnifye the Angels too deface the maiestie of our Lord Iesus Christ S. Paule sheweth that although the Angels bee as it were Gods powers or vertewes and his armes wherwith he executeth his woorkes and although they bee dominions and powers yit notwithstanding Iesus Christ ceasseth not too haue all preheminence and authoritie ouer them but lyke as the sunne darkeneth the lyght of the Starres so must all the dignitie of the Angels bee layd downe that it hinder not Iesus Christ too bee looked at of all men and to bee the onely Loadestar and too bee knowen that it is only he in whom lyeth the fulnesse of all good things and so is he in deede as is sayd in the same text And it is a poynt well woorthie too bee marked still For wee see how it is ynough now adayes among the Papistes too alledge the vertewes of the Apostles or of the Uirgin Marie or of the Sayntes too make ydols of them And it seemeth too them on the contrarie part also that if men doo not woorship them and pray vntoo them and yeeld them the seruis which belongeth alonly vntoo God they bee vtterly vndoone For thus doo they alledge How now Why should not the Uirgâ—â— Marie bee our aduocate seing shee liued so holy a lyfe that shee was as a mirrour of all perfection and so hyghly in Gods fauour Ueâ—ily as who should say that the excellencie which God hath put intoo his creatures should serue too bereeue Iesus Christ in such wyse that he should bee put backe therfore So then let vs vnderstand that whatsoeuer can bee sayd or preached of the vertewes and woorthinesse of the Uirgin Marie of the Apostles and of all othe men yea and of the Angells of heauen serueth not too diminish the maiestie of our Lord Iesus Christ nor too turne vs away from him nor too cause his offices too bee delt away too this man and too that man Wheretoo then Too doo vs too wit that vertewes are so distributed to al Gods children as there is none other fountayne of all goodnesse but Iesus Christ who is the only party too whom wee must resort and that the creatures are neuer the more impayred though Iesus Christ ouer-peere them as their head That then is in effect the thing which wee haue too marke vppon Saint Paules woordes where he taunteeh such as would needs exalt the Angels without end or ceassing For he sayth very wel I graunt they be powers vertues principalities but yit is our Lord Iesus Christ still their head and they bee so grounded vppon him that they fare the better by our saluation Now then what an vngraciousnesse were it if wee should leaue Iesus Christ and go seeke too the Angels seeing that euen they doo woonder at the riches which God hath vttered in knitting vs intoo the bodie of his sonne and consequently in calling vs too him too bee his owne children by that meanes Thus yee see how the woondering of the Angells at our saluation ought too frame vs the better too our Lord Iesus Christ make vs to sticke fast vnto him without swarâ—ing from him any manner of way And for that cause is it added in the end that by him vvee haue boldnesse and enteraunce in hope through the beleefe vvhich is in him Heere S. Paule ment shortly to blame the vnthankfulnesse of such as are not contented with the hauing of Iesus Christ but thinke that he should haue some helpes added too him Therefore he sayeth what desire wee more than too bee knit vntoo God Is not our full happinesse there Now it is so that by beeleeuing in Iesus Christ we hauâ— confidence that wee may â—reace vntoo God the accesse is giuen 〈◊〉 And whereas trust or confidence is not ynough wee haue also bolâ—â—nesse too come vntoo him with our heads vpright not as preâ—uming any whit of our selues nor yit too come thither rechlesly but we must alwayes practize this saying of the Psalme that although we rest vppon Gods goodnesse yit must we euermore worship him with feare Notwithstanding we may alwayes come boldly vntoo Gods throne assuring our selues that his Maiestie shall no more bee terrible to vs seeing he sheweth himself a father toowards vs in the person of his onely sonne Wee see then how S. Paules meaning is too hold vs fast too Iesus christ And therein wee see also what our frowardnes is For it is certeyn that the care and zeale which S. Paule had too make vs cleaue fast too the sonne of God came of the wisdome of the holy Ghost who knew our frailtie and vnstedfastnesse Had we as yee would say but one drop of settled wit it were ynough too doo vs too vnderstand that by the Gospell we may possesse Gods sonne who giueth himself vntoo vs and that hauing him we haue all that euer we can wish It were ynough too haue spoken this in one word as S. Paule hath shewed already but wee see how he dubbleth and confirmeth his saying as though it were a hard thing too bee beleeued And of a truth it is verye hard bycause wee bee too much giuen too distrust and vnbeleefe Agein too beleeue for one day is not all that wee haue too doo it is required that wee should hold on still which is a verye rare thing too bee found in this world bycause wee bee alwayes â—isking By meanes whereof men doo as it were wylfully bereue themselues of the thing that was giuen them Furtheâ—more forasmuch as all the world is at the poynt and wee cannot bee wonne or perswaded but with great peyne too come too our Lord Iesus Christ and too rest vppon him let vs vse the remedie that Saint Paule setteth vs downe heere And first of all wee must marke well that Iesus Christ is the doore too open heauen vntoo vs for wee knowe that at his death the vâ—yle of the Temple
head but follow his ordinaunce insomuch that it was forbidden them too take straunge fyre too vse vppon the aulter whereby it was ment in a figure that men should vtterly forbeare all their owne deuotions when they intend too offer any thing vntoo god Likewyse they were forbydden too offer sacrifyze without salt thereby too shewe that wee ought too haue a sure instruction so as all the offerings which wee offer vp too God bee sauced or poudered with his woord for without that there will bee nother taste nor sauour in them But seeyng that wee now adayes haue the substance and truth of the figures of the Lawe whensoeuer wee offer our prayers and supplications vntoo God or yeeld him prayse and thankes let vs doo all by our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle too the Hebrewes exhorteth vs This serueth too finish vp the matter that was begunne this morning And wee must call to mynd what S. Paule told vs this morning namely that in praying vntoo God wee must not bee giuen too our wordly affections but seeke that God may bee glorified and that the residue may bee but as an appurtenaunce too it That is the cause why he spake purposely of the inward man For if God should giue vs the brydle too aske whatsoeuer came in our head or if wee on our side should take such libertie what a thing were it If he should giue vs al our owne asking it would turne to our ruine and confuzion For we haue our lusts further out of square than litle children or sick folks And all of vs generally doo by experyence find in our selues that wee bee fast settled heere bylowe and would fayne bee hild continually in this world wee hang our heads groueling downeward and cannot lift them vp So much the more therefore doth it stand vs on hand to mark wel the thing that S. Paule sheweth vs in this sentence namely that wee ought too pray God to renew vs and too strengthen vs by his holy spirit and too increace his giftes in vs more and more that in passing through this world we may alwayes ame at that mark and bee heere but as wayfarers too the end that our Lord may auowe vs for his children and the heritage be kept for vs which he hath promised vs and bought so deerely for vs by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now heereuppon S. Paule inferreth that Iesus Christ may dwel in our harts by fayth Wherby he sheweth that without Christ wee shall neuer bee made partakers of any one drop of Gods grace It is trew that God hath the whole fulnesse of life light rightuousnesse and all goodnesse in himself But where is the head welspring It is vtterly hidden we shall neuer be able too come at it of our selues And if wee think too doo any good by our owne inuentions it is but a deceyuing of our selues wee shall but dig pits continually yea euen such pits as are full of holes and haue no springs of water in them Behold the thing that men gayne by following their own inuentions is that they make much trotting vp and downe and are neuer the neerer But our Lord Iesus Christ is a fountayne wherout we may well drawe ouâ— fill yea and wee neede too make no long windlasses too come vnto him bycause he offereth himself saying All you that are a thirst come vnto me drink for whosoeuer drinketh of the liuing water that I giue him shall haue ynough both for himselfe and also too make it flowe 〈…〉 his neighbours Now then for as much as our Lorde Iesus Christ doâ—th so 〈…〉 and bountifully offer vs the benefits which wee receyue of God his father therfore S. Paule sayth that he must bee fayne too dwell in our harts that wee may bee reformed by Gods spirit And let vs mark that Iesus Christ hath the full perfection of all goodnesse in him not onely in respect that he is the euerlasting sonne of God but also euen in his humane nature which he tooke of vs and wherein he became our brother hath he also receyued all fulnesse according too this saying of the Prophet Esay that vppon him shall rest the spirit of wisedome the spirit of vnderstanding the spirit of the feare of God the spirit of rightuousnesse and the spirit of strength And too what end Is it for his own vse He had no neede of it but as it is sayd in another Text it was to the end that he should distribute it vntoo all his members and wee all of vs from the most too the least drawe of his fulnesse not fearing that fountayne can dry vp Seeing then that our Lord Iesus Christ dooth by the Gospell dayly communicate and offer vntoo vs the things that wee want and are needefull for our saluation it is not for nought that S. Paule hauing shewed that wee can do nothing furtherfoorth than wee bee vphild by Gods grace addeth that God must bee fayne too dwell in our harts Now vppon these words wee haue too gather first of all that God thinking it not ynough too remedie all our defaultes and misdooyngs and all our wantes hath voutsafed too giue himselfe too vs in the person of his onely sonne If it were told vs that wee bee restored too the former state from whence our father Adam fell that were very much and therein wee should haue an excellent record of the goodnesse of our God but he hath not onely giuen vs both heauen and earth that is too say all things that are fit for vs both in respect of this flyghtfull lyfe and of the euerlasting saluation of our foules but also he hath giuen himselfe vntoo vs And how is that Euen by giuing vs our Lord Iesus Christ as is sayd of him in the nyenth of the Prophet Esay And all the Scripture also leadeth vs thither when it sheweth vs how God giueth himselfe vntoo vs and how wee possesse him and haue full fruition of him And theruppon wee must conclude with that which S. Paule sayeth in the eyght too the Romanes namely that inasmuch as Gods sonne who hath all excellence and dignitie in him is giuen vnto vs shal any thing else be withhild froÌ„ vs Seeing that God hath graunted himselfe so fâ—rfoorth vntoo vs as too haue his sonne to dwell in vs shloud we now doubt of the obteyning of the things which â—ee knoweth to be for our profite and behoof Thinke we that â–ª they shal be denyed vs Yee see then that the thing which we haue to remember in the first place is that God hath shewed himself so bountifull toowards vs that he hath not thought it ynough too put vs in possession of all his goods but hath voutsafed too become our portion and cup himself as the scripture sayeth which vseth such similitudes to shew that as a man seeketh his ordinary repast and is well appayd when he hath meate and drinke bycause he is
Godhead dwelleth Now wee bee yit farre of from such perfection Howbeit forasmuch as wee bee grounded vpon our Lord Iesus Christ wee haue a steadynesse that continueth all our life So then let vs marke that Saint Paule exhorteth vs here too true stedfastnesse too the intent we should neuer bee weery of wel doing though wee haue neuer so many occasions too thrust vs aside For euen such as are best mynded too see too doo neuerthelesse take pritch at it when men shewe themselues vnkind towardes them and when they consider that for their well dooing men wyll requite them with all euyll they bee sore greeued at it and become quite out of hart And that is a cause why so fewe continue in the feare of God and walke as they ought too doo for it seemeth too them that they haue lost their labour in doing well Agein there foloweth this inconuenience also that the wicked take occasion too rush out so much more intoo all maner of harmfulnesse so that if a man liue in simplicitie and beare the wrongs paciently that are doone vntoo hym all men wyll bee dooing with him and euery man would eate hym vp as if he were a sheepe among an hundred Woolues Such as are easily intreated too giue of their goodes too their neighbours seeme too bee set out too the spoyle and euery man wyll bee catching al that euer he can from them When men see so leaâ—de dealings in thâ— world it maketh euery man too take out his owne share as men say But contrariwise it is told vs heere that if wee bee rooted and grounded in charitie although men thrust vs aside and discorage vs by their vnthankfulnesse yit wyll wee not ceasse too hold out in well dooing bicause wee haue a good and deepe roote And S. Paule hauing spoken so of the good will that wee ought 〈◊〉 beare towardes our neyghbours returneth too his matter of fayth And surely the cheef poynt for vs is too knowe that God auoweth vs for his children and that our sinnes are forgiuen vs so as he taketh vs for ryghtuous If wee haue not that how can we fynd any sweetnesse in seruing and honoring of him And how or with what corage can we pray to him What prayse can wee offer to him Too bee short it standeth vs on hand too bee certified of the infinite good that is doone vs by our Lord Iesus Christ too the end wee may bee rauished in loue with our God and inflamed with a ryght zeale to obey him and holde our selues short vnder his awe too honor him with all our thoughtes with all our affections and with all our hartes The cause then why S. Paule contineweth this matter is to prynt it in the myndes of the faythfull where their saluation lyeth and how they may bee sure of it And so much the more doo wee see what the wretchednesse of the world is For there is none other assurance than the calling vppon God on this groundworke so as a man bee lifted vp by fayth too offer himself into his presence But on the contrary part we see how men haue gone too worke And in deede they haue not bin ashamed in the popedome too say that wee ought too bee alwayes doubtfull of our saluation and that wee cannot haue a sure beleefe of it And it is not the ignorant sort which say so but all the doctors of their Sinagoges hold it for an article of their fayth that wee ought too bee alwayes in a mamering and doubtfull And that is euen as much as too cast men vp at aduenture vntoo Satan So much the more therfore behoueth it vs too beare well in mynd the doctrine that is conteyned heere that is to wit that when wee once knowe the loue that God beareth vs in our Lord Iesus Christ and in such wyse as he hath witnessed it too vs by his death and passion and dooth still dayly warrant it by his Gospell wee haue the perfect knowledge and such as shall giue vs full happinesse And that is the cause why he sayeth too the end yee may learne with all the Sayncts what his heyght depth and wydnesse and thicknesse is that yee may knowe all this sayeth he How now Ment S. Paule too make vs Carpenters or Masons that he speaketh heere as of the heygth of a buylding Intendes he to teach vs thâ— science of Masourie that he speaketh thus of wydenesse No but he openeth his owne meaning by by saying It is the Loue that hath bin shevved vs in Iesus Christ. Therfore when wee once knowe how well God loueth vs and how inestimable the mercie is wherof he hath giuen vs so good a pledge in the person of his only sonne wee haue all that can bee sayeth he Let vs inforce all our wittes both vpward and downeward let vs stye aboue the cloudes let vs pierce too the Centre of the earth let vs go downe too the bottoms of the deepes and let vs rake ouer sea and land yit shall there bee nothing but vanitie and leazing When wee haue ended all our wyndlasses surely weee may peraduenture discourse lyke folk that are verie suttle haue learned the vnderstanding of manie things but yit shall there bee no substance in vs But when wee once knowe that God is our father in Iesus Christ and how that commeth too passe and by what meanes wee obteyne so greate a benefyte that is the thing sayeth he whertoo wee must hold vs For it is the trew measure of our fayth they bee the bondes of it and whosoeuer couers too knowe more dooth but go astray as though he would wilfully enter intoo a maze wheroutof he could neuer wynd himself agein Wherfore let vs hold our selues contented with Iesus Christ as he is and as he vttereth himself by his Gospell and then shall wee bee filled full sayeth S. Paule With what filling Euen with the fulnesse of God sayeth he As if he should say Wretched folke as wee bee there is none of vs but he coueteth knowledge and it is a naturall desyre which burneth all men Insomuch that wee shall see many which consume all their goods and spare nother their bodyes nor their lyues And what too doo Too get knowledge Wee shall see othersome trot from place too place And what too doo Too get knowledge All men then haue that desyre some more and some lesse and there is not so ignorant a person which would not faine come too knowledge Now then seeyng wee bee all inclyned thertoo of nature let vs learne which is the trew knowledge In deede there are sciences which are behoofefull too passe this world withall and requisite it is that men should haue artes and trades and also the liberall sciences as they be termed All these are good if they bee referred too their dew endes But yit notwithstanding wee must come too the Science of Sciences for that is it which will neuer fayle For when a man shall haue trotted
too vnderstand that the Churche should bee preserued forâ— euer and that there should alwayes remayne some seede of it in the world so as the record of sauation should neuer bee frutelesse but there should bee some people still too bee gathered toogither which should bee a looking glasse wherin too behold the inestimable mercie which our God sheweth vs in our Lord Iesus Christ. So then wee see Saynt Pauls meaning wherby wee ought too bee assured that although Satan practyze all that is possible too wype away the remembering of God and too make hauocke in the Church as the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ may bee as good as defaced yit will God ouercome all by his power so as the Church shall continew still and the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ shall bee auaylable notwithstanding the crueltie of Tyrantes and the practyzes of houshold enemyes and of such as would ouerthrowe the whole buylding And that also is the cause why Saynt Paule setteth vs downe the name of Iesus Christ. It is trew that wee cannot yeeld God thankes but by that meane for it is certeyne that wee should not bee meete too receyue one drop of good but by the meane of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause wee bee enemyes too God by nature Insomuch that although he bee freeharted euen too the vnbeleeuers yit shall the same turne too their greater condemnation so that they bee dubble accursed in beeing partakers of Gods blissynges for too hym that is vncleane all thyngs are vncleane as sayth Saint Paule in an other place And therefore wee can neuer giue God thankes but in the name of Iesus Christ by whom wee rereyue all good things Howbeit Saint Paules meanyng was too doo vs too vnderstand in this Text that Gods once shewing of hym selfe too bee a father too all men in the person of his onely sonne by ordeinyng hym too make the attonement was too last for euer and too continue world without end insomuch that wee must assure our selues as I sayd afore that God will mainteyne his truth in this world and by that meanes haue alwayes some flocke gathered vnto him among whom his name shal bee called vppon But let vs come now too the second part He sheweth that it is not ynough for vs too haue knowne Gods goodnesse by experience for the tyme past vnlesse we be strengthened in such hope by it as we doubt not but that God will shewe himself mercifull toowards vs euer after And that is the cause why he sayeth Too him that is able too doo al things exceeding abundantly aboue our asking or thinking Now wee see heere how S. Paule warneth vs that if God haue vsed great mercifulnesse towards vs heeretoofore wee must not doubt of his continuing of the same bycause he is not lyke mortal men which be fickle mynded nother must wee bee afrayd that his fountayne will drye when he shal haue bestowed great benefits vppon vs already Why so for he hath such store of them that the more wee take to our contentation the greater abundaunce hath he still Wee see then the meane too dispoze our selues too acknowledge the good that God hath done vs at leastwyse too honour him for them is too bee alwayes fully resolued and perswaded that wee shall euer fynd him a father bycause he hath promised so too bee And wheras he speaketh of Gods power or myght wee must not imagin it too bee an ydle power as the worldlings doo They will graunt well ynough that God is almyghtie but yit in the meane whyle they trust neuer the more in him Too their seeming he takes his rest in heauen or else he dispozeth not things in this world but at starts when he bethinks himself of them But contrariwyse when God speaks vntoo vs of his power it is too the end wee should make it our sheeld ageinst al the distresses hinderances and lets which the diuell casteth before our eyes too make vs distrust Gods promises Lyke as when it is sayd that Abraham beleued that God is almightie it was not generally and confuzedly but with an applying of Gods infinite power too the thing that had bin promised him which was that in his seede all the nations of the earth should bee blissed Abraham looking vppon himself sawe he was a man as fast decaying as myght bee He drooped and as yee would say dragged his wings after him too bee short he was hard at deathes doore His wyfe had bin barrein all hir lyfe long she was past the age of teeming anie more insomuch that the thing which was told him by Gods own mouth seemed vtterly vnpossible And why is it that Abraham dooth neuerthelesse beleeue assuredly that God will keepe promis with him It is bycause he had an eye too his infinite power which is able too ouercome all lets and hinderances Wee see then how Abraham applyed Gods power too his owne behoof assuring himself that Gods truthe and his power are things inseparable After that maner also dooth S. Paule say that he whom he hath put in trust with his gage is myghtie For he sawe himself too bee a poore and frayle creature he sawe how hee was hunted at all hands he sawe that he was shaken of and despyzed he sawe how the doctrine that he bare abrode was hated and abhorred he sawe how his lyfe hung as by a threede and he had such a number of trubbles as were able too ouerwhelm him yea and finally too confound him and dispatch him quyte And how ouercame he all this abode inuincible yea euen tryumphed ouer them being in prison seing himself at deathes doore How could he haue such victory ageinst so manie temptations and incounters It was by knowing that God was the keper of his soule whervpon he conceyued his infinite power which is able too performe all that he appoynteth Yee see then that Saint Paule imagined not a power in the aire but knew that God wrought so in him as he should neuer fall but vppon his feete as men say And why For he had promis of it Wherfore let vs learne to put this lesson as well in vre as it is common in the scripture The repeting therof so oft is not for nought For wee see the frowardnesse that is in our selues insomuch that although God haue promised too keepe vs yit if neuer so little a blast of wynd come vppon vs wee bee dismayed by and by And howso Surely if wee yeelded God the honour that hee deserueth and acknowledge him too bee almightie in deede we should boldly defye all that seemeth too bee ageinst vs And why For if God bee on our syde who shal bee ageinst vs sayeth Saint Paule And wee see also how Dauid defyeth both all his enemyes and also death saying though I should walk in the shadowe of death within the graue yit should I be safe bycause God is my shepherd and hathe his sheephooke too
all the disposition of our nature are inclyned vnto euill doo both draw vs back and driue vs farre of from the obedience which wee ought too yeeld vntoo our maker I say too correct all this throughly and too come vntoo God we must learne to lift vp onr senses too the infinite grace that God hath shewed vs in making vs parttakers of the spirituall goods of our Lord Iesus Christ by voutsafing too hane vs too bee members of his bodie and too adopt vs too bee his children and heires Furthermore let vs consider the end whereat he amed too the intent God complayne not of vs as he doth of the Israelites by his Prophet Esay bycause of the vnthankfulnesse which they had shewed towardes him He sayeth that he had taken them as his Uyneyard or as a costly heritage And he telleth them that for all his manuring of them they had brought him foorth nothing but wyld Grapes and bitter frute Let vs beware say I that God haue not iust cause too blame vs now adayes as well as he did them For if the people of Israell receyued excellent giftes much more are wee bound vntoo God now adayes since the comming of our Lord Iesus christ For loke what he gaue too the Fathers of olde tyme in figures and shadowes that haue wee at these dayes in truth and substance wee bee in the ful tyme wherin it was Gods will too powre out al his benefites vppon vs too the full Sith it is so wee shal bee the lesse excusable if wee bee vnthankefull and acknowledge not the good that God hath doone vs That is the thyng which wee haue too beare in mynde And moreouer let vs consider that as sayeth Saint Peter our Lord hath drawen vs out and reskewed vs from the tyrannye of death and called vs too his kingdome of lyght too the intent that wee should blaze abrode his vertewes and bestowe our whole lyfe in magnifying him too the vttermost according too this present text where it is sayd that wee must walke according too the vocation that God hath called vs vntoo Now this importeth a gathering and drawing of vs out by our selues as though God ment too make a new world of vs And in verye deede the thing whertoo the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ tendeth is that we should bee sholed out from the vnclenenesse of the world Seeing then that wee bee as it were sorted out by our selues and God hath dedicated vs too himself intending too haue vs for his inheritance let vs learne not too disappoynt him of his purpose And if wee bee the children of lyght as he sayth in another place let vs walke no more in darknesse as the vnbeleeuers doo but let vs make the grace effectuall which wee haue receyued That is it in effect which we haue to remember concerning the woord Uocation or Calling Too bee short we shal bee much more blame-woorthie than the sisâ—ie ignorant and blynd soules if we indeuer not too hold our selues as it were locked vp vnder Gods hand and vnder his guyding Truth it is that at this day there is no corner of the world but it is so corrupted as is horrible too see insomuch that euen they that haue had no tast at all of the Gospell but haue bin nuzzeled and imbrewed continually with superstition shal not fayle to be iustly condemned at Gods hand And as for vs it is certeyne that wee shall haue a much harder account too make for that God inlyghtneth vs with his woord and wheras other folkes stray and wander in destruction he sheweth vs the way of saluation calling and alluring vs daylye vntoo him Seeing then that wee haue such a priuiledge wee ought too bethinke our selues well that wee quench not the lyght by thrusting it vnderfoote and so put away the speciall grace that was graunted vs and which God voutsafed too direct vntoo vs too the end wee should bee the more prouoked too serue him But by the way wee must marke well how S. Paule sayeth that this must bee doone with all submission and lowelinesse with pacience and meeknesse Hereby he ment too expresse that it is not ynough for euery man too imploye himself too the dooing of his dewtie but that we must also reach out our hands eche one too his neyghbour and brother so as God may bee serued with one common consent among vs Let vs marke well therfore forasmuch as the residue cannot bee dispatched at this tyme that S. Paul speakes not heere too euery man seuerally but that he comprehendeth al the whole bodie and companie of the Churche As if he should say my frends it is not ynough for euery of vs too withdrawe himself and too abstein from all euill and too shewe himself well mynded and zealous too liue in the feare of God and in all vprightnesse but wee must also haue a mutuall care one of another and bee fully resolued that it is no seruing of God if we indeuer not by all the meanes wee can that others may doo the lyke And so wee see heere how it is the rule of all the faithful first that euery man looke too himself and though all the world bee mad in doing euill yit notwithstanding that he which is taught in Gods schoole doo hold himself in awe and vnder subiection and consider whertoo he is called and therwithall that if there bee many of vs and God haue shed out his grace so as he hath gotten himself a Churche wee must to the vttermost of our power seeke to ioyne with them whom God calleth as well as vs so that he which goeth formest reache his hand too him that is next him and say let vs goe altogither and one of vs incorage another that he which goes faintly and hath infirmities in him bee taryed for by those that go swifter and bee borne vp also if neede beâ— so as wee may all bee drawen vntoo god And this must not onely bee doone in euery towne and village but also wee must looke yit further of and consider that they whom we knowe not are neuerthelater of the body of our Lord Iesus Christ and therfore wee must serue them for looking glasses and examples and confirme them so much the more too leade a godly conuersation by shewing them the way that they may followe vs And let vs also profite our selues so as if wee see any other men more vertuous zealous and constant than wee bee euery of vs may bee ashamed of it and saye thus too our selues How now Is it meete that thou shouldest lag behynd when other folkes marche on so fast afore and runne so cheerefully toowards God Yee see then that the thing in effect which wee haue too beare away heere is that inasmuch as God hath not called vs eft one man alone and eft another as though he ment too sette vs a sunder but directeth his voyce too all and will haue it serue for a holy
vs by his meanes let vs learne to humble our selues not to clymb in such wise as he should be defrauded of his honor but confesse simply and without feyning that looke whatsoeuer is giuen vs through his free goodnesse he mainteyneth preserueth it moreouer increaceth and stablisheth it in vs more and more Furthermore let vs marke that wee cannot possesse the goods of our Lord Iesus Christ to take any profit by theÌ„ except we first inioy him And that is the cause why he giueth himself vnto vs And thinkes it not ynough to giue vs some part and portion of his rightuousnesse of his desertes by the sacrifyce of his death and passion of the obedience that he yeelded vnto God his father of all the giftes which he receiued fully of God his father I say he thinkes it not ynough to giue vs some part and portion of them in his Sacraments but he sayth I am yours possesse yee mee Then is it not ynough for vs too go seeke our wants at his hand that he may impart them to vs but wee must also consider first of all how he offereth himself vntoo vs and sayeth Lo heere my body which is deliuered for you lo heere my blud which shal be shed for the remission of your sinnes And this is doone too the ende that wee should know that he dwelleth in vs truly by his holy spirit that wee liue by his owne substance that it is not sayd heere without cause that the knitting of the bodye commeth of hym and that he is the furniture thereof and that forasmuch as wee want the grace and giftes that belong too our spirituall lyfe wee must drawe them out of that fountayne And if we resort to him with perseuerance in the fayth of the Gospell wee shall feele our selues more and more strengthened and stablished in all grace euen till he haue rid vs of all our imperfections infirmities too make vs inioy his heauenly glory with him Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs so too feele them as wee may be sory for them and therwithall too worke so in vs hereafter as wee may from day too day bee clenzed of all our imperfections and vyces more and more and that our Lord Iesus Christ who is the welspring of all purenesse may so shed foorth the grace of his holy spirit as wee may bee made newe creatures therby too doo our souerein king the honour that belongeth too him And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father â–ª c. The .xxviii. Sermon which is the eyght vppon the fourth Chapter 17. This I say therefore and adiure you by the Lord that hensfoorth yee vvalke not as the rest of the Gentyles which walke in vanitie of their mynd 18. Hauing their vnderstanding ouercast vvith darknesse and being straungers too the lyfe of God by reason of the ignorance that is in them and through the blyndnesse of their hart 19. VVho vvithout remorse of conscience haue giuen themselues ouer too leaudnesse too commit all vnclenenesse euen with inordinate greedinesse COnsidering howe corrupt wee bee by nature it is not ynough for vs too haue â—he good shewed vntoo vs vnlesse the vyâ—â—s that are rooted in vs bee also corrected lyke as it woulde smally boote too sowe corne in a ground that were ouergrowen with nettles shrewd weedes rushes and thornes And therefore notwithstanding that Saint Paule haue heretofore shewed the trew rule of godly lyfe yit he addeth as neede is that it standeth euery man on hand too bethinke himselfe too chaunge quyte and cleane and too become a newe man bycause that vntill God haue clenzed vs both in mynde and haâ—â— and in all partes of our soule there will neuer bee any thing but tilthinesse So then the doctrine that wee haue herd heretoofore should not boote vs if that which wee heare now presently had not bin added For weâ— knowe that the Ephesians too whom Saint Paule speaketh before they were conuerted too the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ had liued a certeine tyme in ignorance and bin giuen too all naughtinesse and leaud lyfe euen too the vttermost Yit notwithstanding Saint Paul setteth it downe heere in generall that all they which haue not bin â—aught in Gods schoole are blynd wretches vnable too discrene betweene good and euill yea and staâ—ke beastes insomuch that euen with the very roote that commeth with them from their moothers womb euery man hardeneth more and more tyll they fall intoo such excesse that they become as monsters and appeare no more too bee creatures fashyoned after the image of god Yee see then that in effect Saint Paules intent is that after he hath declared Gods stablishing of his gouernment ouer vs Now too the end that our walking in this world should bee too go vnto God and too the heauenly lyfe wheruntoo he calleth vs he sheweth that wee shall neuer obey him nor bow our necke too receyue his yoke vntyll wee haue chaunged both our disposition and mynd and forsaken our selues by cause wee be vtterly corrupted And so there are twoo parts in the instruction that is giuen vs The one sheweth vs wheruntoo God calleth vs and the other that wee must fyght ageinst our owne sinfulnesse and vtterly imprison our selues that wee may become teachable too receyue the doctrine that God setteth out for vs Howbeeit for asmuch as that is hard too doo Saint Paule thinks it not ynough too giue vs single warning but also cyteth vs and after a sort setteth him in seat of Iustice before whom wee must yeeld an account too the intent too moue them and quicken them the more too whom he speaketh For it is no small thing to make men to renounce theÌ„selues considering how euery man sootheth himself and beleeueth that he is able to woork wonders Although he bee saped in naughtinesse yit thinks he that he hath some vertues in him Yea and although wee haue our faults proued too our faces yit will wee labour too cloke them through hipocrisie and too set some fayre colour and glosse vpon them or else we will maynteyne them wilfully and neuer yeeld our selues giltie though our shame lye open to the whole world To be short it is a very hard incounter when a maÌ„ must as well lay down all the wisdome which he weened himself â—oo haue in gouerning himself after his owne fancie as also tame his affections that he may bee subiect vntoo God and haue nothing in him self that shall stryue ageinst him For our flesh is too too stout in that behalf and wee heare how it is sayd in another text that all a mans thoughts and all that euer he can conceyue is emnitie ageinst god Lykewyse also it is sayd in Genesis yea euen at the tyme that the world had the greatest soundnesse that euer it had that whatsoeuer can come out of the warehouse of
what plyght haue I brought my self what shall I doo And that is the sorrow that Saint Paule speaketh of which wee must not shun But if wee neuerthelesse go on still in euill it is all one as if wee tooke pleasure in dryuing and chacing away of Gods spirit The Prophet Esay sayeth wee prouoke Gods spirit too bitternesse when wee refuze the good doctrine that he setteth afore vs But S. Paule passeth yit further heere For in deede it is a kynd of prouoking God too wrath when wee yeeld not too his doctrine which is a sure record of the care which he hath of our saluation and of the loue that he beareth vs But wee must come too the considering of euery of vs by himself God hath voutsafed to ingraue the beleefe of his Gospell in my hart too the intent I should bee sure of my saluation And how dooth he that By voutsafing to chooze mee for his house and too dwell in mee by his holy spirit Now then if I blot out this grace it is asmuch as if I ment to estraunge my self from God wilifully And therefore let vs beware of such extemitie and let vs hold our selues in awe And therewithall let vs marke also how Saint Paule addeth for the last woord that Gods sealing and marking of vs after that manner by his holy Ghost is ageinst the day of our redemption Hereby he sheweth vs that if wee will well ouercome Satans allurementes and the lustes of our flesh and all the temptations of the world wee must alwayes mynd the heauenly lyfe that is promysed vs and wheruntoo wee ought too trauell Now then Gods spirit sayth S. Paule is not giuen vs too bee withdrawen from vs agein when wee haue once felt his grace and power but too the intent that the seale and print of him should abyde with vs euen vntoo the day of our redemption that is too say tyll wee bee delyuered from this transitorie lyfe and from all the miseries wherwith wee bee beseeged Now therfore seeyng that God hath giuen vs his holy spirit too guyde and gouerne vs both in lyfe and death and with intent that wee should neuer bee depryued and destitute of him Let vs looke well too it that he may alwayes keepe the possession that he hath taken in vs and wee also inioy that inestimable benefite of his continuing with vs for euer that he may guide vs and hold vs alwayes vp by strong hand duryng all the course of our life The cause then why Saint Paule doth purposely call vs backe too the last day is too make vs lyue soberly knowing that like as wee haue neede too bee guided throughout by the power of Gods spirit so if wee bee depriued of it and estraunged from hym and left destitute of his grace it is too bee feared that wee shall fall intoo a reprobate mynd As touching the day of our redemption S. Paule by that woord vnderstoode the happinesse which wee hope for and which is hidden from vs as yit It is trew that wee were redeemed in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ but wee inioy not that benefyte as yit Wee may well say Iesus Christ is our Redeemer that is to say he hath deliuered vs and set vs free from the bondage and subiection of death sinne wherin wee were by paying our raunsome and by makyng our attonement Ye see then that wee bee redeemed as in respect of the sonne of God for he hath performed all that was requisite for our deliuerance and saluation as he hym selfe auoweth with his own mouth But when wee come too our selues wee fynde not thys redemption there And for that cause as well in thys place as in the eyght too the Romanes Saint Paule sayth that the last day wherin Iesus Christ will appeere is the day of our saluatioâ— and deliueraunce And why Wee see what a number of miseries beset vs round about yea wee carye them with vs and they bee inclozed in our bodyes and in our soules It behoueth vs therfore too seeke a better state than that which we see heere And for the same cause is it sayd that our saluation lyeth in hope and that wee hope not for the thing that wee see but that God intendeth too feede our hope And wheras he sheweth not the things too our eyes which he promiseth and which it behoueth vs too wayt for at his hand it is too the end that although wee bee forlorne wretches in this world yit wee should not ceasse too reioyce in him knowing that wee shal not bee disappoynted in wayting for the heritage which he hath purchaced for vs And so yee see what is ment by the woord Redemption which is set downe heere Wherefore let vs learne too bee so armed and fenced with Gods spirit too fyght ageinst all Satans temptations as he may neuer fynde vs vnprouided nor out of order And that that may bee doone let vs pray God so too ingraue his truth in vs by the same spirit as wee may get victorie by it and ouercome all that is ageinst our saluation and that we continuing in our vocation that God calleth vs too may take corage and bee pacient vntyll our Lord Iesus Christ who is our lyfe doo appeare that our lyfe and our full happinesse may also bee manifested in him at his comming And now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him too take vs too mercy and not too impute the great number of our sinnes vntoo vs whereby wee bee blame woorthy before him but rather too beare with our infirmities and too clenze vs of them from day too day that wee may growe and increace in all his gracious gifâ—es and put farre from vs all euill that may seduce vs and thrust vs out of the way and that by that meane wee may draw neerer and neerer vntoo him vntyll wee bee fully knit vntoo him at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .xxxiii. Sermon which is the thirteenth vppon the fourth Chapter and the first vppon the fifth Chapter 31. Let all bitternesse and hastinesse and wrath and roring and iniurie bee put from you with all spytefulnesse 32. And bee yee gentle one too another and kynd harted forgiuing one another euen as God though Christ forgaue you The fifth Chapter 1. Bee yee therfore folowers of God as deere children 2. And vvalke in loue euen as Christ loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs an offering and sacrifice vnto God for a sent of good sauour WEe knowe that all Gods children not only should bee peaceable themselues but also procure peace too the vttermost of their power and make attonement whereas was disagreement and stryfe forasmuch as it is the marke that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen vs Now if we ought too
hypocrisie but also vtterly past shame when wee fashion not our selues lyke vntoo God and yit will needes bee hild and taken for his children Trew it is that too bee so fashyoned lyke vntoo God and too resemble him so fully as one man commeth neere vntoo another is vnpossible but yit must wee not bee out of hart for all that And soothly wee must call too mynd how the scripture sayeth that if wee go on too Godward although wee bee farre of from the marke that wee ame at yit dooth he accept that willingnesse of ours when wee keepe our way and indeuer continually too go on forwarde styll Although wee bee slowe and weake and although wee trip and stumble yit God imputeth none of those faultes vntoo vs when wee bee desyrous too fashyon our selues lyke too him When wee shoote at that marke although wee bee farre short or wyde of it yit dooth God take it in good woorth as I sayd And that ought too giue vs corage For if wee should bee dryuen too fashyon our selues lyke vntoo God poynt by poynt in all respectes alas how could it bee doone For euen the very Angels notwithstanding that there bee nothing but holinesse in them and that Gods glorie shyne foorth in them are yit farre short from the perfection that is in god Aâ—d what are wee then which bee so corrupted and marred which haue such abundance of naughtinesse and which are so plucked back and turned away by so many vyces and temptations which Satan trumpeth in our way yit haue wee this too reioyce of that our Lord beareth with vs and accepteth all our dooings in good part so wee keepe on toowardes him That is the manner of following him which is commaunded vs heere Trew it is that wee must not in the meane whyle fall asleepe and say as many doo I would fayne be lyke vntoo God and then doo but wring their mouth at it but wee must consider euery day and euery houre that wee haue ill profited in the trew rule of fashyoning our selues lyke vntoo God and theruppon condemne our selues for it and thinke thus I had some good will yisterday how is it increaced since nothing at all but rather to my seeming it is become colder After that maner must we quickeÌ„ vp our selues fyght ageinst the things that hinder vs that wee may indeuer too go styll foreward and too come neerer and neerer too our marke from whence wee bee yit so farre of But howsoeuer wee fare yit wil not our Lord fayle too esteeme vs alwayes too bee lyke him and too bee trew followers of him if wee willingly and without hipocrisy forgiue them that haue offended ageinst vs at leastwyse after his example who hath giuen vs a pardon that is farre greater than all the pardons that can bee gotten at our handes so as wee beare with the vyces and infirmities of our neyghbours as wee see that he hath borne with vs For he myght iustly sinke vs downe too the bottom of hell and yit he forbeareth not too adopt vs for his children Seeing then that he loueth vs after such a sort notwithstanding all the vnworthinesse that is in vs It is good reason that wee should resemble him in so dooing And although wee had no better prerogatiue than our naturall birth yit ought wee too knowe that God hath not separated vs asunder Euen the wretched Paynims had some vnderstanding heereof For they sayd that mans lyfe is too tend vnto God and too bee fashyoned lyke vntoo his image and that the same is also the full perfection of all happinesse And agein they added that wee cannot resemble God better in any thing than in vsing gentlenesse one towardes another and in dooing good and in being pitifull So then let vs consider that in asmuch as God hath made vs his welbeloued children vs I say which were his enemyes and had nothing but filthinesse in vs and were clogged with so many vyces that we were woorthie too bee lothed of him and yit he hath not letted too loue vs it is good reason that wee should winke at manie things that myght offende vs and hinder our louing of our neyghbours and our holding with them And now Saint Paule hauing spoken of God addeth also the example of our Lord Iesus Christ. The heauenly father loued the world so well that he spared not his only sonne but deliuered him to the death for vs And what did Iesus Christ He forgate himself he regarded not his owne person he that was the Lord of all glorie submitted him self too all reproche He that was the lyfe from the beginnig made him self mortall He that was the power of God the father made him self weake for loue of vs He that had all things in his hand became poore to inriche vs He by whom all things are blissed became subiect too cursing Seing then that oâ—r Lord Iesus Christ abaced him self after that fashyon as Saint Paule also sayeth in another place where he setteth him foorth as an example for vs and in sted of his glorie tooke vppon him al shame and in sted of his ryghtuousnesse became sin not that he offended or had any blemishe or spot in him but as bearing the punishment of our sumes in which respect also the scripture termeth him by the name of sin and agein in sted of lyfe tooke death and voutsafed too bee cursed of God in this world that wee myght haue blissednesse by his meanes when wee think vppon al this ought not all pryde all presumption al feercenesse all scornfulnesse and all bitternesse too be layd away considering the meane wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath reconcyled vs too God his father So then let vs thinke wel vppon all those things And furthermore too pull vs the more downe and too breake the hard hartednesse whertoo wee bee too much inclyned Saint Paule sayth that he offered a sacrifyze of good sauour vntoo God his father As if he should say my freends had you once well weyed the grace and fauour that is purchaced you by our Lord Iesus Christ you would soone beate backe all the wicked affections which make you to stomack things and yee would fyght ageinst them vntill yee had ouercome them And therfore bee kynd harted in bearing one with another and seeing it hath pleased God too gather vs as it were intoo one flocke and that our Lord Iesus Christ dooeth the dewtie of a shepherd too leade vs toogither shewe your selues too bee as a flocke of sheepe and not as rauening wooles For somuch then as our Lord Iesus disdeyneth vs not in any thing insomuch that he hath made an offering and sacrifyze of his owne person vntoo God his father wherby he hath wyped out all our sinnes let it moue vs and rauish all our wyts to glorifie God and too doo homage too our Lord Iesus Christ as oft as wee thinke vpon it And whereas he sayth that the sacrifize which
indeuer too fare the better by it And how may that bee It is sâ—yeth he when good men and such as are alredy inured too feare serue God are edifyed by his woord And not only that but also if an vnbeleeuer comes in which was erst a mocker and neuer had any remorse of conscience and heare what is vttered in the name of God that is too wit that wee cannot scape Gods hand but must needs come before the iudgment seate of our Lord Iesus Christ and how deerly Iesus Christ hath payed for vs and what a trayterousnesse it is for vs too make the sacrifyze of his death and passion vnauaylable I say when an vnbeleeur heares all this and that wee bee exhorted too feare God and stirred vp too loue him for the infinite grace which he vttereth towards vs Although he were erst as a brute beast sayth S. Paul yit shal he enter into himself bee rebuked For he vseth there the same woord which he vseth heere the meaning wherof is that wheras his coÌ„science was as good as dead afore and he in maner brutish he was inforced too enter into examination of him self and too bee ashamed so as he could not but giue glorie vntoo god Not that this befalleth too all indifferently but wee see that a number of folk which were gone astray and had forgotten God and had no regard at all of their owne soule helth shal bee so touched at one sermon that they appeere too bee chaunged all their lyfe after Now looke what is doone in common assembly the same ought euery man too practyze by him self For we bee not heere too the intent that euery man should profit him self only but too the intent wee should also teache one another with mutuall instruction After that maner must wee rebuke offenders too the end they may take no more libertie too mocke God after that fashyon nor to shake of his yoke and to wander into all naughtinesse And that is in effect the thing that Saint Paule intended too shewe vs heere Now too confirme this doctrine the better he addeth yit one other reason It is the lyght sayeth he that layeth all things open Heretoofore he tolde vs that when wee bee once inlyghtened by Gods spirit and Gospell wee must bee as lampes too giue lyght intoo the world For wee haue the woord of lyfe which serueth not only too guyde vs but also too drawe them intoo the ryght way which haue gone astray Going forward herewithall he sayth that it is the nature and propertie of lyght too discouer And therfore when wee suffer naughtinesse to nestle and to grow still deeper and deeper in huththermuthther we shew well that we be nother lyght nor children of the lyght that is too say that wee belong not awhit â–ª nother too God nor too Iesus Christ. Too be short Saint Paule meaneth that wee cannot giue any proof of our christianitie nor of our fayth but by hating and abhorring of euill as much as is possible that it may not haue his full course and sway But now let vs think vppon our selues agein For as I sayd there is none of vs all which is not faultie in fearing men more than God and in winking at others to the end that they shoulde wink at vs and not bee inquisityue of our dooings Lo how wee betray one another by our silence But there is yit another vyce that is woorse and further cut of dsquare namely that besyos our dissembling wee doo also help too feede the euill And so by that meanes whoredome hath his ful scope bycause euery man and woman playes the baude Wheras I say euery one I meane that most men women now adayes doo wink at al maner of leaudnesse and misorder and stoppe their eares at the things which they myght well heare and euery man seeks too conceale his fellowes leaudnesse men of mens and women of womens They myght remedie a greate sort of enormities that are committed but they will rather go and â—eray their Gownes and Cotes with other folkes dung and filthinesse than discouer their vyces Too bee short euery body playes the bawd in effect by concealing his neyghbours vyce too the end that the other shoulde doo as much for him In lyke cace is it with all other sinnes Yit notwithstanding as I sayd afore God hath not spoken this in vaine but wee shall one day feele the execution of the sentence which he speaketh heere by his Apostle and then will it bee too late too forethinke vs of that which wee will not knowe now But let such as feare God learne and remember how it is sayd heere that Gods inlyghtening of vs is too the end that euery of vs should examine himselfe and not bee as blynd wretches groping in the dark which stuÌ„ble on the one syde runne ageinst things on the other but that we should know the way of saluation and moreouer teache other men also by discouering the euyll that lay hidden too the end that such as haue turned their backes vppon God and were well appayd too haue bin in darkenesse styll may vnderstand that they must bee fayne too come too the lyght whatsoeuer come of it The very way therefore for vs too shewe in deede and in good earnest that wee belong too God and are inlyghtened by his holy spirit and by his woord is too discouer thinges which should else as it were lye lurking a long tyme if wee drew them not forth intoo the lyght Trew it is that Charitie couereth a multitude of sinnes as sayeth Salomon and that it behoueth vs too bee pacient and too beare with many infirmities For it is not meete that wee should diffame one another as diuerse do who in stead of warning those whom they see too offend fall too sowing abrode of newes so as the streetes and the market places are all full of them yea and they do so inhaunce the matter that of small scapes they make deadly crymes Therefore when Saint Paule biddeth vs discouer men it is not ment that wee should defame one another after that manner but that the wretched man which had his eyes blyndfolded by Satan should bee made too perceyue his owne miserie and naughtinesse that he myght bee ashamed of it and that the woman which had giuen ouer hir self too all vnchastitie myght bee made too recouer some honestie and too returne agein intoo the ryght way by being put too shame in hauing hir faultes and vyces layd afore hir The manner then of discouering is not too backebyte one another or too taunt and vpbrayd one another by this and that and too play the hipocrytes who will streyne at a gnat and swallowe vp and Oxe or a Sheepe at a morsell that is too say which will make conscience in very small and lyght matters and not see a number of great enormities which they suffer too passe hard by their nozes without beeing any whit offended at them
Wee must not doo so but when wee see the mischeef fed and increaced by our vnfaythfulnesse let vs prouyde for it and let euery man bee compelled too thinke better vppon himself and vppon his vyces that he may amend them This in effect is the carefullnesse which Saint Paule inioyneth vs heere and it is the very meane to rid away the plagues that Satan would haue maynteyned still by silence and dissimulation Therefore whensoeuer wee perceiue any impostume lying hid let vs beware that the matter settle not so long within till the disease become vncurable but let vs purge it out of hand and let admonitions serue as it were for launcers and letting of blud and for such other meanes and helpes too take away the rotten matter that myght marre and infect the whole bodye And so yee see in effect how wee ought too put this doctrine in vre Now heeruppon Saint Paule inferreth that Therfore our Lord Iesus Christ in all the doctrine of the Gospell speaketh too them that are falne aslepe in their sinnes to such as are as good as dead too the intent they should vvake and ryze vp and so shall wee beee inlyghtened by him Now wee haue heere too remember first of all that Iesus Christ dooth then rayse vs from the deade when he calleth vs too the fayth and bringeth vs intoo the hope of saluation And that is too the intent wee should perceyue our state the better For wee see how men sooth and glorifye themselues Although there bee nothing in them but vtter confuzion yit notwithstanding they will needes put out their horâ—es lyke Suayles too vaunt themselues as it were in despyte of God and nature Now the Scripture sayeth wee bee dead Wee may well haue some resemblance of lyfe before wee bee conuerted too the fayth of Iesus Christ Howbeit that lyfe is but death before god And that is the cause why it is sayd in Saint Iohn The houre is come that all they which heare the voyce of the sonne of man shall liue though they bee dead and shall passe from death too lyfe Iesus Christ speakes not there of the visible death nor of the resurrection which we hope for at the latter day But he sheweth vs how wee haue alredy a preparatyue of the second rising agein when God reneweth vs and giueth vs a spirituall lyfe For wee can doo nothing but euill as hath bin declared heertoofore And Saint Paule also vseth the same phraze of speeche namely that wee bee dead too Godward Following the same matter heere he sheweth vs that the whole drift of the Gospell is that we should ryze from the dead For as long as wee bee straungers too God who is the welspring of lyfe where are wee but in such a dungeon as it had bin better for vs neuer too haue bin borne But wee must wake for one part of our death is this blockishnesse wherin wee bee according as I declared heeretoofore that wee bee so corrupted afore hand euen from our moothers womb as wee can fynd no sauour in well dooing and that wee bee starke blynded in our wicked lustes the diuell dryueth vs and thrusteth vs foreward in such wyze that as long as God giueth vs the brydle wee can doo nothing but grub downe too the bottom of hell too sinke our selues the deeper in it Now bee wee once come too that poynt there is no more sorinesse as S. Paule sayd afore there is nothing but such stubbornnesse as God is nothing with vs nother haue wee any more feeling or perceyuerance of our sinnes That is the cause why he sayeth heere that wee must wake bycause wee be in a deadly sleepe vntyll God stirre vs vp and make vs perceyue what wee bee that wee may abhorre our sinnes and returne vntoo him So then the enterance of lyfe and saluation is that God visiteth vs with his grace wheras wee were as dead wretches and had nothing in vs but vtter corruption Mark that for one poynt Secondly let vs marke that besydes the naughtinesse which is in vs there is also so great a hardnesse and wilfulnesse as God must bee fayne too wake vs as it were by force that wee may haue some feeling of our vyces too mislyke them Trew it is that this is doone cheefely when God calleth vs and pulleth vs out of the confuzion wherin wee were But yit must euery Christian continew therin all the tyme of his lyfe For wee shall neuer bee so throughly awake but that wee shall haue neede of Gods stirring vp of vs still according as yee shall see some folke so heauie asleepe that euen when their clothes are on and when they bee vp vppon their feete they go reeling styll and bee as it were halfe in a slumber vâ—tyll they stretch foorth themselues and set their handes too some buzinesse and they bee so heauie and dumpishe that they still slumber euen waking Euen so is it with vs for although our Lord Iesus Christ haue doone vs the grace too draw vs backe from death and too quicken vs by his holy spirit and by his woord yit shall wee still feele our selues slothfull and sluggish so as he must bee fayne too waken vs styll And therefore wee haue neede too bee exhorted euery day yea and too haue our eares beaten early and late as though Iesus Christ cryed out shrill and loud vntoo vs what doo yee yee wretched soules Wherat looke yee Though wee heard such warnings without ceassing yit should wee not bee so throughly awake as were needefull Now then wee see what S. Paule ment to declare in this streyne namely that looke what wee feele through Gods goodnesse in our selues wee should put the same in vre towards our neyghbours Now our Lord Iesus Christ hath rayzed vs from the dead and he wakeneth vs dayly from the dead sleepe wherthrough wee bee so drowzie and that is too the end that wee should afterward wake vp others that one asleepe and indeuer too drawe those too lyfe which are as poore dead men Furthermore wheras he sayeth And Iesus Christ will inlyghten thee It is not ment that wee can ryze vp and awake of our owne power that our Lord Iesus Christ dooth afterward adde his grace Hee meaneth nothing so But the effect of his intent is that wee shal bee inlyghtened by Iesus Christ. And after what maner Not only as though we were but in some dark place sayth S. Paul had neede of a Candle as in the nyght time For though a maÌ„ see not very cleere yit if he haue but some glimring of lyght whether it bee of moone or of starres or of any thing else he will haue an ame too say heere is such a doore or gate and heere is such a path or way And a mans eyes are not vtterly vnprofitable when he goes by nyght how dark so euer it bee But our Lorde Iesus Christe inlyghteneth vs after a muche more woonderous maner For wee bee
Saint Paule hauing sayd that wee must yâ—eld thankes vâ—to God in and for al things bycause he is our father dooth iustly adde that that is doone by our Lord Iesus Christ. Then let vs vnderstand that all they which are afrayd of Gods maiestie and cannot trust him nor rest vppon the promises of his fauour too call vppon him as their father can neuer prayse him In deede they may well vse some Ceremonies but all shal bee but leazing Therefore whensoeuer wee wil pray vnto God and yeeld him prayse and thankes fayth must leade the way Marke that for one poynt Howbeeit as I sayd afore it is vnpossible for vs too bee grounded in any certeintie of fayth too take God for our father vntyll wee knowe that wee bee made one in our Lord Iesus Christ and that forasmuch as wee bee members of his bodie we bee also parttakers of the benefytes that he hathe purchaced so as his death and passion are our ryghtuousnesse his holinesse our clenzing from all our own defylementes and the sacrifyze which he hath offered dooth set vs cleere and drawe vs out of the damnation wherin wee were and finally hath set vs free from the bondage of sin and purchaced vs full ryghtuousnesse Forasmuch as wee haue all these things in our Lord Iesus Christ therefore ought wee also too geue thankes vntoo God by his meanes And that is the cause why the Papistes cannot frame so much as one request that God alloweth Yea and in very deede they bee as good as dumb For though a man may heare Hymnes and Canticles ynow as they terme them among them yit cannot God bee praysed at their handes For although they wynd vp all things with this saying By our Lord Iesus Christ yit doo they not beleeue that God is mercifull too them nother are they woorthie of it bycause they disclayme our Lord Iesus Christ and doo so intangle him with patrons and aduocates of their owne forging as a man cannot discerne him from others insomuch that they coope him vp in a corner or else set him behynd in the reerward whyle in the meane tyme there is hunting after the merites and intercessions of Saintes and that is their trust that is the moother of their diuelish presumpâ—ion namely that they can make amendes for their sinnes and redeeme themselues But as for vs when as it is told vs that wee must thanke God in all things it is too the end that wee should alwayes abace our selues And for that cause did I say that fayth openeth vs the way as wel too pray vntoo God as also too giue him thankes for the benefites that wee haue receyued at his hand Now heerupon Saint Paule addeth that wee must bee subiect one too another in the feare of Christ or in the feare of God for any of bothe will fit the text wellynough In saying that wee must bee subiect he sheweth that lyke as God will haue his children too exercyze themselues in his prayzes so also he wil noâ— haue them too bee vnprofitable heere beneathe but too serue one anothers turne For inasmuch as wee bee not able too doo God eyther good or harme therfore is he contented that wee doo but prayse his name For though we imploy all our abilitie what is there in vs wherwith too inriche God or too aduauntage him For the giueth vs all things and needeth nothing him self Therfore is it an inestimable goodnesse in that he quitteth vs of all that wee can owe him so wee protest our selues too bee so greatly beholden and bound vntoo him as wee cannot discharge our selues of it Then if wee come with all humilitie and confesse the bond wherin wee stand bound vntoo God it is the payment that he requyreth of vs and for his owne part hee seeks no more But yit he will haue vs seruisable one too another and not too seeke our priuate profit in such wyse as too forget that wee bee knit toogither in one mutuall bond of charitie That is the thing wheruntoo he intendeth to bring vs now in this text Now a man myght think it straunge at the first blush that he should say wee ought too bee subiect one too another For it seemeth not meete that the father should bee subiect too his children the husband too his wyfe or the magistrate too the people whom he gouerneth yea or that euen they also which bee equal in degree should bee subiect one too another But if wee looke well vppon all things wee shall fynd that Saint Paule hath not without cause put all Christians vnder this subiection For why The magistrats which are aduaunced in authoritie and glorie aboue other men are bound neuerthelesse too those whom they gouerne for they bee not ordeyned rulers for theyr owne saks but for the common welthes sake For Gods ordeyning of Principalities kingdomes and States was not to the end that some should haue preheminence aboue others but for that it is for our behoof too haue some brydle too hold vs in obedienâ—e vnder lawes and too haue some power and authoritie ouer vs and to stand in feare and awe of magistrats bycause wee cannot forbeare such a remedie Seeing then that God hath set magistrates in such state it is certein that they be therfore subiect too those whom they ought too serue in reigning ouer them As much is too bee sayd of fathers It is trew that the father ought too bee honored of his children Yit notwithstanding forasmuch as it is an honorable tytle it shal cost them ryght deere if they gouerne not their housholds discreetly And in that gouernment there is also subiection Lykewyse is it betweene the husband and the wyfe For is it not a subiection that the husband beareth with the frayltie of his wyfe and hath the discretion too forbeare rigour towards hir holding hir as his companion and taking vppon him a part of hir burthen both in sicknesse and in helth Is not that a subiection yis Not without cause then dooth Saint Paule pronounce heere generally that all they which will proue themselues faythfull must bee subiect one to another namely euery man in his state and degree Let them that are hyghly aduaunced consider well that Gods aduauncing of them is too the end they should the willinglyer submit themselues too beare the paynes and cares that belong too their office and let such as are inferiours vnderstande that they ought much rather too humble themselues and too beare the yoke that is layd vppon their necke And let such as are equals and fellowes vnlesse they will needs bee as wood beasts and are loth too maynteyn any câ—urtisie among them consider neuerthelesse that euery maÌ„ ought to beare with his neyghbors And is not this a subiection Wee cannot liue one with another without forbearing Now surely al forbearing importeth boâ—dage therfore must we be serued for necessities sake According wherunto it is said in another place that wee must owe nothing but that which charitie
of his heauenly glory and maiestie too the end too abace himselfe in such wyse for our sakes So then it is ynough too meeken the hartes both of the one partie and of the other if there be not too beastly leaudnesse or rather stark diuelishnesse as wel in the husbands as in the wyues For considering that our Lord Iesus Christ dyd so abace himselfe for the loue that he bare vnto vs which are but carions and nothing woorth and also hath told vs that there is nothing better than for the wyues too bee subiect too their husbandes and the husbande 's too beare with their wyues if that moue them not it is a signe that they bee too beastly hygh mynded or rather that there is nother wit nor reason in them For were there but one drop surely the thing that Saint Paul telleth vs ought too make vs amend all things that myght hinder the doing of our dewties as well on the one syde as on the other And were this well regarded doubtlesse men shoulde see much more quietnesse in their houses then they doo and man and wyfe should not bee as Cattes and Dogges in snatching and byting one at another But the very mischeefe is that a man can see no feare of God among them For ought not men too call too mynd both euening and morning the grace that is shewed vntoo vs by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And when all toogither had well thought on it and set their myndes too it the maryed men ought also too thinke particularly with themselues to what end hath God shewed himselfe so louing so kynd and so pitifull towardes mee Seeyng he hath aduaunced mee too such dignitie it is good reason that I should fashion my selfe lyke vntoo him Now he will haue mee too behaue my selfe towardes my wyfe as Iesus Christ hath behaued himselfe towardes mee Is not this ynough too breake the hartes that were as hard as stone yea or as steele Yis surely Likewise if the women on their syde were myndfull of their redemption and saluation then should their hard hartes needes bee softened and they would not harden themselâ—es any more too such stubbornnesse as they doo but they would submit themselues too the yoke of our Lord Iesus Christ that they myght bee parttakers of the benefyte which he hath purchaced for them by his death and passion Wee see then that when the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ is preached too vs indifferently most men gayne nothing by it for they forsake it in all their lyfe And by the way wee haue too marke further that although husbandes bee froward and wyues vntoward too bee ruled yea and vtterly vncorrigible yit is that no release too them that eyther of them both should not doo their duetie As for example It may bee that if a husband had a gentle and tractable wyfe as I touched afore he on his syde could beare with hir and there should bee a maruelous good lyking and lyfe betwixt them But peraduenture one man will say he hath a drunkard or a glutton another that his wyfe is giuen too garishnesse and ouer much brauery so as all that shee can rap and rend is too little too trim hir and decke hir withall and another that his wyfe is an ydle huzwyfe and will doo nothing Well these things may haue some colour before men yea and as I sayd afore if the matter concerned but the parties themselues euery of them myght haue their defence at hand to cast of all yoke But the husband must thinke in that cace I haue an ill dispozed woman or a sot or one that hath nother manners nor good behaueour nor any care at all of hir houshold but how doo I also behaue my selfe not only in these worldly affayres but also towardes God Now when the husband shall haue bethought himselfe well and examined his owne faultes throughly he will hold his peace paciently beare with his wyfes faultes vntyll God giue her the grace too amend them And in the meane whyle howsoeuer the world go let him not ceasse too play the good husband in applying himselfe too his wyfe too win hir vntoo god For he is not set in degree of superioritie but for the benefyte and welfare of his yoke fellowe And forasmuch as it is an inuiolable law the same reason also must perswade the women Insomuch that if a woman haue a drunkard or haunter of Tauernes and Tippling houses or a Gamester or a Spendall or an vnthrift and a ryotter or a Churle that is neuer in quyet with her so that do what shee can too obey him and to please him shee can neuer haue any peace or good wyll at his hand let hir consider Alas it is Gods squoorge vppon mee for I haue not bin as I ought too bee in obeying my God and in submitting my selfe to his wyll For how haue I applyed my selfe too serue and honour him How haue I quitte my selfe of the charge that he hath committed too mee Let the wyfe thinke vppon those things and then let hir conclude that howsoeuer shee fare yit is it not for mortall creatures too breake the bond wherin God will haue vs bound for that were a stryuing ageinst him And therfore must I submit my selfe too him that is my head and although he bee terrible yit becommeth it mee too bee subiect too my God who hath my husbandes hart in his hand and can alter it when he listeth And I must not prouoke him too win mee with strokes of the Cudgell for in so dooyng God would bee discontented both with him and mee So then the faultes of the wyfe cannot discharge the husband from keeping the lawe vnbroken which God hath ordeyned that is too wit from lyuing toogither both in one accord Lykewise the vyces of the husband shall noâ— excuze the wyfe from yeelding subiection obedience in all things on Gods behalfe as is sayd of it heere Now Saint Paule too confirme this exhortation the better declareth how our Lord Iesus Christ is the Sauyour of the body namely bycause he gaue himselfe for the Church too Sanctifie it or to make it holy In deede the whole doctrine hereof cannot bee dispatched as now Yit notwiâ—hstanding wee haue too marke 〈…〉 that heere S. Paule sheweth more at large the thing that he had 〈◊〉 in one woord afore which is that both the husband and wyfe may brydle their wicked affections and that when they bee tempted too go 〈◊〉 or too fall out one with another the very meane too 〈◊〉 all wicked passions is too haue an eye too the pledge of the spirituall vnion betweene our Lord Iesus Christ and vs whereof wee will speake more fully hereafter For heere first of all it is sayd that we must consider that our Lord Iesus Christ gaue himselfe for vs wherein he beginneth at our redemption And therefore wee must marke that word for an end as yit tarying tyll after dinner for the
dispatch of the rest for vnder that woord it is shewed vs first that our Lord Iesus Christ was after a sort myndlesse of himselfe and regarded not his owne person when he went about our saluation Trew it is that he was giuen vs of God who as it is sayd in the third of Saint Iohn dyd loue the world so well that he spared not his onely sonne but gaue him too the death for our sakes Yit notwithstanding our Lord Iesus Christ also did gyue himself No man taketh my lyfe from mee sayth he but I lay it downe For it was requisite that the sacrifyzce which he offered for the remission of our sinnes should bee willing Yee see then that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe too the death and if wee deâ—aund the cause surely it was first too fulfill the will and euerlasting deteâ—â—ination of God his father Neuerthelesse lyke as God the father inteâ—ded the saluation of mankynd so Iesus Christ shewed how deere wee were too him and how precious our soules are in his syght sith he voutsafed too giue himselfe after that fashyon Now then on the one syde the husbandes must consider well heere what they owe too their wyues that is too wit that they should bee as â—eere too them as their owne lyues at the least And though they doo so yit shall they not come too the perfection of our Lord Iesus Christ but followe him a great way behynde And the wyues also on their syde must beare well in mynd that forasmuch as it is Gods â—ill that 〈◊〉 wedlocke there should bee as it were a figure of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ they bee too farre 〈◊〉 if they submit not themselues where God calleth them too it And by the way let vs knowe also that Saint Paule ment too magnify Gods goodnesse towardes vs and the loue that Iesus Christ beareth vs in saying that hâ— gaue himself for vs And therefore let vs acknowledge that it came of the free mercie of God his father and also that our Lord Iesus Christ respected nothing but our miseries when he shewed himselfe so pitifull too succour vs If wee mynd these things on the one syde wee shal bee moued too our dewtie without geynsaying and on the othersyde inflamed too glorify our God and acknowledge both with our mouthes and also by our whole lyfe how much wee bee beholden too him seeyng he hath powred out the treasures of his mercy vppon vs in so much that he hath not onely discharged vs of the condemnation wherin we were and drawen vs out of death but also hath voutsafed too giue vs his welbeeloued sonne for a pledge of his loue and Iesus Christ hath taken vppon him the office too bee the borrowe and raunsome for vs too the end too set vs cleere before God that the diuel also myght not haue any more ageinst vs notwithstanding that he bee our aduersary we bee subiect vnto him tyll we be set free from that bondage by meanes of the sayd Redeemer Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to make vs so to knowe them as wee may aske him forgiuenesse of them and reforme our selues more and more by amending them and so profit in the doctrine of saluation as our lyfe may alwayes bee fashyoned after his law according to the meazure of the grace which wee haue receyued of him And so let vs all say Almyghtye God heauenlye father c. The .xl. Sermon which is the eyght vppon the fifth Chapter 25. Yee husbandes loue your vvyues as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it 26. Too sanctify it clenzing it in the vvashing of vvater through the vvoord 27. Too make it too himselfe a glorious Church vvithout spot or vvrincle or any thing elâ—e but that it myght bee holy and vnblamable WEe haue seene this morning how large matter of glorifying the infinite goodnesse of our God wee haue if wee consider by what meanes he hathe drawen vs from death and taken vs for his children notwithstanding that wee were cursed afore in Adam And now Saint Paule setteth foorth how wee bee made parttakers of the grace that is purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ namely by being wafshed and clenzed from our spottes too the end too bee dedicated too his seruice in all holynesse Also he addeth the wasshing of water bycause Baptim is a visible figure and record vntoo vs according too our rudenesse and infirmitie too make vs the better too perceyue the grace of our God which passeth all vnderstanding of man Now first of al there is the woord Sanctify which importeth that we should bee separated from the world too bee knit vntoo the sonne of god And this doctrine is such as wee can neuer knowe it ynough For as I haue sayd afore wee must alwayes compare the state wherein God fyndeth vs with the state wheretoo he calleth vs For from our moothers womb wee 〈◊〉 nothing but vtter wretchednesse wee bee cursed and detestablâ—â—â—fore god Therefore he draweth vs out of the dungeon of death from thence dooth he gather vs vp too himselfe And by the woord Sanctifie S. Paule meaneth the chaunge which ought as it were too rauish and too astonish vs as oft as wee consider what wee were and what wee should bee styll if God pitied vs not But let vs come too the meane that I spake of He sayeth that our Lord Iesus Christ hath washed vs. No dout but this is too bee referred too his death and passion For how could wee appeere before God as it were with our countenances vpryght but that our sinnes are done away by the sacrifyze that was offered too set vs at one with god Then vntill wee bee wasshed and scoured cleane by the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ wee bee fowler before God than any leapar wee bee full of all maner of filth and infection and too bee short all that wee can bring shall but prouoke Gods wrath and the vertewes that men esteeme greatest shal bee but lothsomnesse Therfore wee must imbrace the sacrifyce wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath reconcyled vs too God his father and his blud must flowe downe vppon our soules too clenze vs from our filthinesse and spots Neuerthelesse it is not without cause that Saint Paule sets vs downe baptim heere not that wee bee made cleane by that nother was it his meaning too turne vs asyde from the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. But forasmuch as wee bee dust and grosse and vnderstand not the spirituall benefyts so well as were requisyte therfore Saint Paule conforming him self too our rudenesse and infirmitie hath shewed vs here our wasshing by a visible signe That wee may the better profit our selues by this maner of speeche let vs consider too what end baptim was ordeyned and whertoo it serueth When our Lord Iesus Christ commaunded vs too bee baptyzed in his name ment he too
Saint Paule too redresse it sayth that wee haue our washing warranted in Baptim vnder the figure of water Yea but yit must wee haue an eye too the woord sayeth he For if there were no teaching too shewe vs that wee fynd the things in our Lord Iesus Christ which are represented too vs in Baptim and that it is in his person that wee haue the full performance and assurednesse of them certeinly Baptim would turne vs away from God and it were better too haue none at all For it were an euill thing if wee should bee withdrawen from the sonne of God too giue our selues too the corruptible world Therefore let vs bee well ware that wee separate not the Sacramentes from the word at any tyme And hereby wee see what Christianitie there is in a number of folke For all is well with them if they bee Baptyzed nother consider they that the hauing of the signe without the promise added too it is but a deceyuable vnprofitable thing Wherto serueth a seale when it is set but too a peece of Lether or too bare parchment paper or cloth Surely it were too no purpose for it ought too confirme and ratifye some Euidence whether it bee of gift or otherwyse So is it with the Sacramentes when they bee not matched with the woord A man shall see a seale there howbeeit too no purpose for he shall see no benefyte come of it And surely they that continew still doted in their ignorance bycause they were Baptyzed as soone as they came intoo the world doo shewe therin too leaud an vnthankfulnesse for they falsifye Gods truth as much as they can If a man should counterfet a Seale it were felonie though it were but in a cace of fyue shillings But they that are so drowned in their ignorance as they cannot abyde to bee drawen out of it are falsifyers and forgers in a thing that is more worth than al the world For heere the cace concerneth the ratifying of the things that haue bin purchaced vs by the death and passion of the sonne of God as hath bin declared alredy Furthermore let vs marke also that Saint Paule speaketh of the woord that is full of instruction and edifyeth our fayth For the pronâ—uncing of some woordes is not ynough as if a man should say I Baptize thee in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost and thinke that the vertue and power of Baptim were inclozed in those woordes it were an abuse and truly it could not serue vs but for a charme and inchauntment But the woord is the promise wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath told vs that he is verily giuen vs too bee our ryghtuousnesse too the end that all our sinnes should bee couered and buried in his obedience and all our spottes washt away by his cleannesse Therefore when wee once haue this promisse and knowe what things are brought vs by the only sonne of God then is the water matched with the woord And wee ought so much the more too note this bycause wee see how Saint Paule sayeth in another place too Timothie that not euen our meate and drinke can bee sanctified but by the woord Trew it is that bread wyne water and al other things are pure in respect of their creation by God howbeeit wee cannot vse them without turning them too vncleannesse and without committing of felonie ageinst God but by his woord sayth he whereby all things are made holy vntoo vs And how is that By teaching vs that God sheweth himselfe too bee our father in hauing a care of vs too maynteyne vs and feede vs and also by telling vs that all these things are giuen vs too the intent that by vsing his liberalitie first wee should bee prouoked too serue and honour him and too bee rauished in loue of him and secondly bee confirmed in the hope of the heritage that is promised vs For seeing he makes vs feele his gooddesse aforehand in this world it is certein that when wee come too the glorye whereuntoo he calleth vs wee shall then haue our fill of the good things whereof there is but some little tast shewed vs as yit Yee see then that all the beâ—efytes which wee receyue for the body are made holy by the woord And what shal bee done then in things concerning the euerlasting saluation of our soules Is it not much more reason that they should bee sanctifyed by the same woord Now then too bee short wee see that the Papistes are destitute of the power of the Sacramentes through their owne misbeleef bycause they haue robbed our Lord Iesus Christ of his power and vertew and conuayed ouer his prerogatiue vntoo corruption and dead things And therefore God hath so blynded them through his ryghtfull vengeance that they thinke themselues too haue the Sacraments styll but yit notwithstanding without the woord As for example in deede in Baptyzing they mumble ynough and they make theyr coniurations and charmes and all in an vnknowen language but yit is their speaking rather too the diuel than too the Godfathers and Godmoothers that are there too answer for the teaching of the child and for the common instruction of the whole Church Too bee short in Popish Baptim there is not the woord and therefore as much as in them lyeâ—h they haue abolished Baptim Yit notwithstanding God hath not suffered the rememberance of his goodnesse too bee vtterly put away lyke as in the tyme of the lawe although the priestes were Ioolaters and had preached false doctrine and had imbrewed the simple people with many errours falsâ— opinioÌ„s yit notwithstanding Circumcision was not chaunged in the tymes of Ezechias and Iosâ—as when things were redressed and Gods seruice set in his ryght state And why Bycause it had bin ordeyned of God and it was not lawfull too haue taken the signe of his couenant vtterly away But it behoued them too forsake all the incomes that had bin put too by Sataâ—s policie Euen so say I now that in the Popedome there is not the woord of God â–ª as in respect of those that pretend too minister the Sacramentes and yit that wee sticke not too receyue the thing that is witnessed vntoo vs in Baptim though weâ— were infected with much â—â—â—thinesse But wee must renounce the Creame that was ministred vntoo vs and all the other wicked trash and reteyne the pure institution of our Lord Iesus Christ. And furthermore let vs vnderstand that our Baptim as wee receyued it then had bin vnauaylable nay rather it had bin a cursed treacherie if wee had gone no further than so And why For wee had bin peruerted and wee had falsifyed the ordinance of our Lord Iesus Christ. In lyke cace is it with the Supper Of a truth there is no supper remayning now adayes in poperie For that which they call Gods Table is a flat mockage and reproche too the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause it is knit