S. Paule say that for as muche as he had setled his glory in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ he had quite forsaken and giuen ouer the worlde Nowe by the worlde he meaneth all that is delightsome to the fleshe as when men think neyther vpon God nor vpon the lyfe of heauen so as one is giuen to couetousnesse another to ambition and euery man is driuen by his owne naturall sway and there is not any that passeth further than this world VVhen men followe their owne swinge and God hath not yet touched them with his holy spirite to draw them too him surely although they doo all fling ouer the feelds and runne astray yet is there great diuersitie in their affections so that if the matter come to triall one drawes one way and another another way cleane contrarie and to be short men seeme to differ quite cleane one from another But yet they be all alike in one thing that 〈◊〉 wit that they would aduaunce thēselues to the worldwarde that they be giuen to their owne priuate profite or pleasures At a worde they be so intangled here that they could find in their harts too be separated from God But S. Paule sayth that when wee shall haue set all our glory in our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that by the meanes of his Crosse he hath dedicated vs vnto his father and purchaced vs the kingdome of heauen then it will be easie for vs to withdraw our selues from the world and to be as it were cut off from it And why For it is certayne that whosoeuer hath bin touched and wounded to the quicke with the feeling of his sinnes will so pursue the grace that hath bin giuen him in our lord Iesus Christ as the world shall be nothing with him And in good sooth wee shew that al the spirituall benefites which God offreth vs whervnto the calleth vs are as things of nothing vnto vs in that wee esteeme them not in comparison of the trumperie and inticements of Satan VVhat is this world if a man view it in it selfe There is no man but he seeth howe frayle our life is and howe it is but as a smoke that passeth and vanisheth away and yet wee see men frye still in their affections and howe they bee vtterly caried away and rauished with them God on his side crieth out Ye wretched folk ye be more destitute of wit than little children For ye buzie your heads about mooneshine in the water and about pelting trifles wherein there is nothing but foolishnesse ye be wholly wedded vnto thē and yet in the meane season whē I offer you perfect happinesse ye make none account of it all is one to you Yee see then that the cause why we be so cold negligent now a dayes in receiuing the benefites which God offreth vs by his Gospel is for that the world hath gotten the possession of vs aforehand and on the other part we also do set too much store by the world And why do we so Bicause we know not the inestimable benefites that God offereth vs. Therefore let vs ioyne these two togither that is to wit that we be crucified to the world and the world to vs bicause we haue our glory in our Lord Iesus Christ crucified But this is easier to be sayd than to be doone and therfore euery man must strayne himselfe in his owne behalfe when he vnderstādeth this lesson he must put it in practise For if we couet to be taken auowed for Christians before God his Anger 's we must be conformabl◠〈◊〉 the holy Ghost in the thing that he setteth down here And in very deede if we were not too farre ouerseene wee haue occasion of it inough as hath bin said afore For they that doo but only enter into themselues to consider what they be and what their state is so long as they be separated frō Iesus Christ must needs be scared with the feling of gods wrath which they haue deserued whē they perceiue thēselues to be plūged in such cursednesse that it were much better for thē if the earth had swallowed thē vp a hundred times than to haue liued in that plight but one day being in the meane while enimies to their God frō whose hands they can not scape Therefore let vs lerne to looke to our selues Such as intend to deck thēselues to the worldward specially women will looke in a glasse that shal be done with as much curiositie warenesse as may be But in the meane while we looke not vpō our selues to spie our own wāts and filthinesse to the end we might humble our selues truly before God seeke our glory where it is to be had Now it is certen that he which knoweth his own reproch shame wil seeke to come to the remedie of it at leastwise of Gods spirite worke liuely in vs that we be not sotted by Satā as I haue said afore Let vs lerne let vs lerne to looke vpō ourselues both without feining without flattery And whē we shall haue knowē our own wāts miseries let vs resort to our lord Iesus Christ And forasmuch as al loftinesse statelinesse vaunting must be beaten down by meanes of the Crosse Let vs be truly crucified to the world and let the world also be nothing vnto vs. Now whereas S. Paule sayth that the world was crucified to him he to the world it is true that he meeneth another thing than playn crucifying For therby he intended to shew yet more strongly how we may renounce the world and be separated frō it namely by beeing crucified to ourselues as in respect of the world that is to say by mortifying al the lusts that fight one against another within vs haue too much force inflame vs al wholly like a burning fire cast vs heere there bicause wee see that the son of God was fayne to suffer so reprochful a death for vs. VVho would now make his triumphes braueries in the world when he seeth that he which is the head of the Angels vnto whō belōg all maiestie glory dominiō 〈◊〉 hāged vpō tree made accursed abhominable for vs Thus ye see by what meanes al our lusts may be mortified and the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ worke so in our hearts as our lusts may be no more so ticklishe as they haue bin And that is for one poynt Agayne the world must be crucified vnto vs. As howe By esteeming all worldly thinges as chaffe and corruption according as in very deede there is not any thing in them whiche is not corruptible in comparison of the spirituall benefites whiche Iesus Christe hathe brought vs and whiche wee inioy by this meanes For in very deede all worldly things are corruptible And moreouer what else are all the things whiche men couet so sore and so vehemently that they bee vtterly intangled in them but snares
themselues froÌ„ al corruptions of the flesh and on the other side be led to our Lord Iesus Christ to repose their trust in him to rest wholly there So then as touching those that would haue the ceremonies of the Law kept as if it were of necessitie that meÌ„ should be precisely bound to theÌ„ vpon paine of deadly sinne as they terme it it is certayne that their meening was to set vp a seruis of God contrarie too his will and meening and that they were as good as Cousiners for why they peruerted the naturall meening of the Law Marke that for one schoole poynt Another is that they taught men to set vp their bristles to glory in theÌ„selues that was an abolishing of Gods glory for we caÌ„not chaleÌ„dge aught be it neuer so little to ourselues but we rob and rende away that which belongeth vnto him Ye see then how it is a diuelish trayterousnesse when men presume vpon their owne power as though they had any sparke of righteousnesse in themselues And besydes that it is an entering into the gulfe of hell when we weene to get saluation by our owne workes For we renounce the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste where we should seeke all our righteousnesse Agayne the Diuell maketh vs to beleeue wonders â–ª howbeit it is but to make vs to fall into destruction VVherefore let vs marke well that S. Paule treateth heere of the manner of iustification before God that is to say of the meane whereby we bee brought into his fauour bycause it is the principall poynt whiche we ought to learne and without that all the religion or deuotion that can be named is but smoke and leazings And it is not for naught that Sainct Paule entereth into that question For manye men make this allegation â–ª How now The cace concerned the Ceremonies of the law and why then doth Sainct Paule as ye would saye fling himselfe ouerthwart the feelds VVhy speaketh hee of righteousnesse of mans saluation of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and fynally of all the whole lawe Nowe on the one part it behoued hym too deale wyth all those thynges â–ª as for example when we in these dayes teache that men must not keepe the superstitions of the Papists nor any of the thyngs that haue bin so deuised by the witte of man wee shall not only debate whither fleshe may be eaten vppon frydayes or whyther suche a wake vigil or Sainctes euen bee too be kept or whyther thys thyng or that thing be to be done but we shall treate generally whither it bee lawfull for a mortall man to make lawes to bring mennes consciences into tyrannicall bondage For God hathe reserued to himselfe alone the authoritie and prerogatiue to be called the lawmaker to the intent that no man should vsurp any such preheminence in the Church Then seeing that the spirituall gouernement of our soules ought to be taken out of Gods pure word we may coÌ„clude that nother Pope nor any other man of what calling soeuer he be hath power to burthen vs with any lawes or ought to attempt any thing that is against the doctrine whiche we haue of God Then may we well enter into that generall discourse and that is bycause the reason of them is alike in all points If we should dispute onely about the eating of fish or flesh it would be but a fond disputation For euery man must eate according as is for his health or as hee can get and therefore such disputation shoulde not concerne the health of mens soules or the matter that were requisite for them to rest their conscience vpon But when we take in hand too shewe that it is not for any liuing creature to aduance himselfe so hygh as to lay lawes vppon mennes necks the other disputation is fully resolued and dispatched Againe when as men say that in babbling paternosters to buy out their sinnes and in gadding on pilgrimage to get there the things which in poperie are tearmed the workes of supererogation that is to saye workes of ouerplus that men do more than God commaundeth them they raunsome theÌ„selues and make him some recompence for the faultes that they haue committed If we speake simply of pilgrimages and go not to the ground and welspring of the matter it will be a cold and sleÌ„der discourse But if we declare how all our satisfaction is in the things that are purchaced for vs by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ and therewithall that God vtterly misliketh all that is of our owne inuention and that he will be serued with obedience then do we lay foorthe the cace as it ought to be and may bring it to a sure and certaine conclusion After that manner did S. Paule For he regarded not only what the Iewes sayd how it behoued them to forbeare the eating of swines flesh and to keepe suche a feast or such a feast and all the residue of the Ceremonies but he marked to what end they said it namely how they went about too shew that the keeping of the law was of necessitie of saluation and that was a yoke of bondage vpon mens consciences that could not be borne Againe he saw how the libertie that was purchaced vs by our Lord Iesus Christ was taken away and that was another point that compelled him to enter into that discourse But the cheefe point that he treateth of heere is that such as would haue had men to keepe the Ceremonies had a secret meening that the same was an acceptable seruis vnto God and of such importance as meÌ„ shuld purchace righteousnesse and soulehealth by it and to be short that it was a meritorious thing But S. Paule sheweth that it is impossible for meÌ„ to purchace righteousnesse before God by their works Now therefore we see for what cause S. Paule treated generally of our iustification when as notwithstaâ—ding hys aduersaries pretended no more but the keeping of the Ceremoniall lawe and the continuing thereof still as before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as men should still offer sacrifise and do the rest of the shadowes and auncient figures And heereby we see also what a follie it is for the Papists to thinke themselues escaped in saying that S. Paule speaketh heere but of the works of the law and not of the morall works True it is that they be not the first founders of that dotage For the Diuell hath always had his ministers to cousin the people But we must not rest vpon the authoritie of men specially of such as haue nother religioÌ„ nor feare of God in them Although that many of the Monkes haue bin reported to be men of greate skill yet notwithstanding they haue bin but fantasticall fellowes and neuer had any tast of the feare of God Euen those that were called the auncient doctors haue peruerted the kindly sense of the holy scripture and were as vtterly bewitched by Satan and yet the wretched
things contrary S. Paule vpbraideth the Corinthians that hee was driuen too giue them milke as to little babes bicause they were not yet able to brucke stroÌ„g meate he maketh them ashamed of their dulnesse of their weltring in their vntoward afectioÌ„s for that they had not profited in the faith as the time required Therfore it was a kind of childishnesse for them to be always new to begin Yea we see how the Prophet Esay condemneth the Iewes yet more roughly wheÌ„ he saith that they were little childreÌ„ to whom meÌ„ say A A B B so as they be still new to begin agein looke what they learne to day they forget to morrow so that they neuer go forward but with great hardnesse This is a vice that is too coÌ„mon in the world Moreouer S. Paule in the fourth to the Ephesians doth generally exhort al the faithful al such as are well strengthned able to be teachers of other meÌ„ which be as it were antesigne bearers to shew the way of saluatioÌ„ I say he exhorteth theÌ„ to grow stil til they be come to the ful age of manhood It shuld seme at the first blush that there is some contrarietie For hee sayth here that al those whome God hath receiued into his Church made them of the houshold of faith are already come to ful age yea euen the veriest idiots that scarsly vnderstand three wordes of faith so they haue the principles and as yee would say the grosse fuÌ„me of the power of our Lord Iesus Christ S. Paul sayth that they be already as good as men growen that God wil not hold them any loÌ„ger as children vnder a maister or as vnder tutors gouerners And in another 〈◊〉 he saith that not only suche as are weake and ignorant but eueÌ„ the excelleÌ„test sort which ought to carie the torch before others to giue them light must grow still And how long Not for a yeere or two but al their life time so that as long as they liue in this world they must dayly acknowledge theÌ„selues to be weake still that they haue neede to inforce and streine themselues to go forwarder and forwarder But al this agreeth very well togither For if euery man examin himselfe what he is surely euen the forwardest of all shall finde theÌ„selues to be stil as little children For although we indeuer to come vnto God yet we drag our legs after vs and howsoeuer we bee disposed of ourselues a number of hinderaÌ„ces step before vs euery little straw stoppeth vs or else if a flie do but crosse our eyes byandby we bee ready to turne away And although wee had neuer so great courage in vs yet haue wee many vices to fight against our knowledge is not suche but wee haue neede to pray God dayly to increace our faythe and correct the remnant of vnbeleefe that is in vs. Thus ye see what euery man shal find on his owne behalfe But if we looke vpon the fashion that God keepeth in guiding gouerning his Church it is certaine that we be fully men growen And why For we be no more hilde in so streight subiection of the law as the fathers were but for asmuche as we haue our Lord Iesus Christ we resort vnto him wheÌ„ we haue sinned VVe see welynough how we be berayed with spots blots before God but yet is our washing ready at haÌ„d in somuch that by being dipped in the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ by faith throgh the working of the holy Ghost we become pure cleane God accepteth vs into fauour Againe we be bound to euerlasting death by reason of the faultes that we coÌ„mit dayly against him but yet the amends for theÌ„ is to be found in our Lord Iesus Christ for he is ordeined the ransome to discharge vs. Ye see then that we be no more vnder the bridle wherto the fathers were subiect namely in respect of God and of his gouerning of vs. Therfore although we feele our owne infirmities yet doth not that barre vs froÌ„ being men growen that is to say it is not let but that God giueth vs greater libertie and priuiledge than he did to such as liued vnder the law Thus in effect that question is assoyled And it serueth to bring vs backe too that which I haue touched already 〈◊〉 that we must magnifye Gods grace towards vs for aduauncing of vs to such dignitie But therwithall we see also that it is not lawful for men to deuise a new gouernment at their owne pleasure vnder pretence that folke are raw or that many are not yet fit to be led and guided after a higher and wiser fashion And it behoueth vs to marke that wel For when the superstitions that reigne nowadayes in poperie did firste enter into the world they began not with suche diuelish blasphemie as they bee now mainteined with For looke how many Ceremonies there are in the popedome tearmed by the name of Gods seruis so many be their Idolatries and the Illusions of Satan and to be short all is abhominable before God VVhy so For they imagin them to be things necessary to saluation that by the meanes of them they be able to raunsome themselues and too get forgiuenesse of theyr sinnes Moreouer they deface our Lord Iesus Christ and the grace that is brought vs by him bycause they hope too raunsome themselues by their owne satisfactions and by that meanes vsurp and plucke to themselues the thing that beloÌ„geth to the sonne of God Thus ye see that they be cursed villaines Neuerthelesse wheÌ„ al their gewgawes were first brought into the Churche they were not yet ful of so grosse dotages but they crept in vnder a somewhat more fauorable preteÌ„ce that is to wit that men were rude dul vnable to compreheÌ„d the secrets of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ if they had not bin haÌ„dled dandled after the maner of little childreÌ„ Now as I haue touched alredy it is true that euery maÌ„ ought to huÌ„ble himself wheÌ„ he knowes his owne infirmitie but yet doth it not therfore follow that we shuld bring vp new fashioÌ„s after our owne fancies VVe must be coÌ„teÌ„ted with that which God hath ordeined A yong child must not choose his tutor of his own head no he should not be suffered to do so But his father will apoint him one True it is that there are other meanes stablished by lawes but heere S. Paule hath taken a similitude agreable to the matter that he deales with Then if an earthly father haue authoritie to apoint Tutors to hys children why should not God haue the same power A childe shall not be licenced nor suffered to choose a Tutor to his owne liking Sith it is so by what right or title will wee deuise this or that too saye wee bee yong â—â—yldren and therefore we must haue a fashion meete and agreable to our slendernesse Yea and God hath prouided one for
why For he beareth with vs as a father with his childrē That therfore is the freedom wherein we must stand except we wil be separated frō our lord Iesus Christ For as I haue sayd alreadie if we beleeue not assuredly that God loueth vs though we be vnworthie of it and that his louing of vs is bycause our sinnes are buryed by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ what will become of vs what shal Iesus Christe boote vs Ageyn if we be in doubt and vnquietnesse not knowing whether God accept our seruice or no and therwithall be bounde to the keeping of this or that at mennes appoyntment the intangling of our selues in so many debatyngs will neuer suffer vs too haue any rest Neyther is it without cause that Saint Paule hauing exhorted the faythfull to continue in the freedome that was purchased them so dearly addeth that Iesus Christe shall not profite them at all vnlesse they know the thing that he hath purchased for them and suffer not themselues to be in any wise bereft of it by men Nowe we see heere that the freedome which Sainct Paule speaketh of is not to giue vs leaue to doo what we our selues thinke good as though he layd the reynes of the brydle vpon our necke and that will he also protest in place conuenient Then intendeth he none other thing than that we might serue God quietly without greef of mind without constreint and without any continuall tormenting of our selues with diuersitie of debatings doubtfull scruples as wee see the vnbeleeuers do namely such as haue not their trust wholly settled vpon our Lord Iesus Christ Therfore besides that which hath bin sayd alredie we haue to mark further that the end of that freedome is too bee able too carie a cheerfull and quiet minde before God For without that wee shall neuer haue the hart to obey him but wee shall alwayes bee in trouble and not bee able too call vppon hym which is the cheefe seruice that he demaundeth and alloweth of VVe see thē that this matter concerneth the cheef point of oure welfare if it bee well vnderstoode VVhen wee speake now a dayes of Christen libertie the Papistes say wee go aboute too abolishe all the ordinances and traditions of the Churche and that we passe not what commeth 〈◊〉 so euery man may liue as he listeth to eate flesh on all dayes alike without let and to despise all other such ordinances But their saying so is bycause they neuer knew that it is no obeying of God vnlesse it be done with an vnconstreyned will For let the Papistes be throughly sifted all the packe of them yea euen the deuoutest of them and it is certayne that they chafe vppon the bitte when they tyre and ouerlabour themselues most to serue God For all that euer they do is but vnwillingly and if they could plucke their heads out of the collar they would full fayne do it Furthermore when they haue toyled after that fashion in their fond deuotions they beare themselues in hand that God ought to like well of it And if a man tell them that they cannot do any thyng that God shoulde accept and furthermore that although their works were good yet they deserue not aught before hym ye shall see them spew out their poyson as they do and fall to blaspheming of God vnlesse yee beleeue them that they be able to worke wonders by their owne merites Howsoeuer the cace stand they are neuer able to know and to tast what it is to obey God For why they vnderstand not what it is too bee quiet namely that it is an vnconstreyned offering of their dooings vnto God with a free hart and an assuring of themselues that he accepteth the same euen bycause he handleth them gently and beareth with them as with his children The Papists know not this and therefore it is not too be wondered at though they thinke it straunge that we should striue for that freedome for they wote not what it meeneth But yet doth not Sainct Paule speake it without cause and by those words we see how precious that libertie is and that it is not a thing to be despised For Iesus Christ did not iest in hys death and passion when he offered vp himselfe vnto God hys father but wrought a worke that in excellencie and worthinesse passeth the creation of heauen and earth Now if Sainct Paule bring in this libertie for an excellent frute purchaced to vs by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it must needes followe that it is a high and precious thyng And to the intent wee may conceyue what the nature and power of it is wee must learne too gather in ourselues vnto God when wee bee spoken to of it As for example if we be commanded or enioyned of necessitie too do such a thing or such a thing very well the doing thereof too the worldward hindereth not our freedome before God for the thynges that concerne common policie may bee bidden or forbidden bycause that otherwise they might turne too the hurt of the common weale or else such things may be expedient and thē must one of vs serue anothers turne in common Therefore let vs haue a regard of the things that concerne the policie bycause it behoueth vs to be knit and vnited togither and to haue suche an onement among vs that euery of vs serue his neighbours turne and none of vs be addicted to himselfe But when the cace concerneth the spirituall libertie then must euery of vs draw home into himselfe too consider the nature and propertie thereof Euery of vs say I must draw home himselfe as it were before God For our account is too be made to the heauenly iudge and therefore it behoueth vs too enter into ourselues to say thus How may I present my self before Gods iudgement seate If my life come to be tried by the lawe wo worth me For I am giltie after so many sorts yea euen withoute number that if I should suffer a Million of deaths it were too little for the offences that I haue committed Neuerthelesse God will be fauourable to me and take me to mercy for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and when I resort to him I may come with my head bolt vpright as hauing my quits est and cleere discharge which was gyuen me in the sacrifise that he offered vp for vs bycause that therein hee hath made full satisfaction for me and set me at full libertie Marke this for one point that I must serue God and it is good reason that I should dedicate my life vnto him But at which end shall I begin I cannot bring such perfection as is requisite no nor the hundreth part of it Yet for all that God beareth with me and ceasseth not to take the things in good worth which are vnperfect and weake yea sinful too And why doth he so Bycause he admitteth me as one of his children for our Lord
downe into the worlde nor what grace he imparteth vnto vs by his Gospell they knowe not neyther what fayth nor what prayer is and yet for all that they will needes haue leaue to doo what they liste and that folke should lay the bridle looce in their necke Of these wylde Christians there are tootoo many nowe a dayes In the meane while the doctrine of God is blamed by their meanes For the enimies of the truthe vpbrayde vs with all suche as are loose liuers now a dayes and say that the same springeth of our preaching For this cause S. Paule hath answered his aduersaries and also armed and fenced vs to answere them to the ende to stoppe the mouthes of all raylers and of all suche as doo falsly slander the doctrine of the Gospell First of all therfore when the wicked sort say that we giue an inordinate libertie to all suche as seeke nothing but to doo lewdly Let vs looke backe to S. Paule who telleth them that the libertie which we speake of serueth for none but such as are a law to them selues namely through the working of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ But yet notwithstanding this ought to serue for a warning to all suche as imagine a libertie after their owne liking Therefore let them vnderstande that first of all it behoueth them to become members of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVil we then eate quietly without making any 〈…〉 VVill wee bee exempted from all 〈…〉 whiche doo nowe a dayes vexe the simple and ignorant sorte in the Papacie Let vs vnderstande what Iesus Christ is and let vs bee throughly his Let him gouerne vs and let his death and passion shewe their power and effectualnesse in our whole life Thus yee see what we haue to beare in binde in this text And heere S. Paule sheweth agayne that the true perfection of Gods children consisteth in abacing themselues so as they followe not the rule of their owne brayne and affections for wee bee vtterly corrupted Then can wee not bee but rebels agaynst God all the time of our life till wee haue kylled all the sinfulnesse of oure owne nature Marke this for one poynt that our lyfe shall neuer bee framed to the will of God excepte wee bee vtterly chaunged bothe in our thoughts and in our affections Secondly S. Paule sheweth that that can not be done but by communicating with our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is not without cause that he vseth this worde Crucified For thereby he declareth that so long as wee bee separated from our Lorde Iesus Christ and cast off from him and not knit vnto him by fayth our nature will alwayes bring foorth hir owne frutes that is to say nothing but all maner of naughtinesse and vice Thus ye see that first of all Freewill is beaten downe Secondly it is shewed vs that wee can not be partakers of any of Gods giftes nor of his holy spirite but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ according as I haue tolde you alreadie that wee must all drawe of his fulnesse for he is the onely fountayne that is able too suffice vs. And if wee seeke neuer so farre aboute elsewhere wee shall finde nothing but drythe and wee shall continue a thirst styll and if wee thinke too fill our selues it will bee but wyndinesse and misweening wherewith wee shall burste and yet not gather any good nourishment or substance Nowe heerevppon Sainct Paule concludeth that if wee liue after the spirite wee shoulde also walke after the spirite And it is a more easie declaration of the thing that I haue touched alreadie It had beene inough too haue auouched that wee can not bee set free but by crucifying all oure wicked lustes howe bee it for as 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Hypocrisie is so great that they doo alwayes finde â—â—aâ—ting holes and 〈…〉 man would bee esteemed as an Angell though his life bee out of order therefore Sainct Paule intended for a confirmation too adde this saying â–ª that if wee liue after the spirite wee must therewithall walke after the spirite As if hee should say that it is not inough for men too protest them selues to haue Gods spirite dwelling in their heart but they muste shewe that he is there for he is not idle Therfore if a man will discerne whether Gods spirit dwell in vs or no he must come to our works and to our life and according as our conuersation is so may he see what we be and what is within vs and giue iudgement by our outwarde workes that are apparant As for example if one would beare mee in hande that a blocke were a liuing a man too see too It stirreth neyther head nor foote thrust at it and shoue at it and yet there appeareth no lyfe in it and shall he then make mee beleeue that a peece of stone remoueth from place too place or hath any power in it or is a creature that hath a soule Euen so is it with those that boast them selues to be spirituall For although the vnbeleeuers and enimies of God be aliue as in respect of the body yet are they dead in respect of the heauenly life bicause their soule is vtterly corrupted but wee liue to Godwarde through the grace of his holy spirite And if this grace be in vs it can not bee idle as I sayde afore And that is the cause why S. Paul sayth that our conuersation will shewe whether we liue in the spirite or no. The worde walke is very rife in the holy scripture when the whole ordering of our life is mentioned neuerthelesse heere is not onely walking The worde that S. Paul vseth importeth more that is to wit too walke orderly as if he should say that we must frame our selues to the thing that is conformable too the will of God and of his holy spirite and that our life must bee so well ruled as it maye bee knowen that God gouerneth vs in deede and that our Lorde Iesus Christ holdeth vs too him selfe as the members of his body and that he hath truly witnessed that he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirite Therefore at a worde this thing muste needes bee knowen Nowe to bee shorte S. Paule ment heere to bewray the hypocrisie of all suche as make fayre protestation with their mouthe and woulde haue men to beleeue wonderous well of their zeale and yet in all their whole lyfe doo shew 〈…〉 at all too come neere God nor any 〈◊〉 of hys worde All such folke then are heere condemned of lying and vnfaythfulnesse And therefore that wee may discerne which are Gods children let vs come to the examining of our liues True it is as I haue touched heeretofore that sometimes the ignorant wretches and suche as neuer had any instruction in the Lawe shall haue some apparance of vertue But if a man sounde them throughly he shall finde it is but a shadowe and that they bee not well bent eyther too loue their neibours or to walke