desireth to be done vnto himselfe And all this proceedeth from hence for that the bountifullnes and goodnes of Christ hath replenished his heart with sweetnes and loue that it is a pleasure and ioy vnto him to do good to his neighbour yea and he is grieued if there be none toward whom he may be seruiceable And beside all this he is tractable and lowly towardes all men he doth not esteeme the temporall pleasure and pride of life he iudgeth no man he defameeh no man he interpreteth all thinges in the better part WheÌ„ as he seeth that the matter goeth not well with his neighbour as that he fainteth in faith waxeth colde in loue and that his life is not on euerie side approueable he prayeth for him and is sore grieued if any commit any thinge against God and his neighbour In a summe the roote and sappe are sound for they are in a flourishing vine to wit Christ and therefore such frutes come forth But if any be voide of faith and not taught of God such a one doth not feede on this heaueÌ„ly bread neither bringeth forth these frutes For where a right faith is not there such frutes are alwayes wanting And therefore S. Peter teacheth vs to make our calling vnto saluation sure by good workes where he speaketh properly of the workes of loue namely that we do good to our neighbour and be affected toward him as toward our owne flesh and blood Thus much shall suffize concerning this text Let vs call to God for his grace A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING GOOD WORKES THE FRVTES OF FAITH Rom. 13. Verse 11. THis also we know the season how that it is time that we should now arise from sleepe for now is our saluation nerer then when we beleeued 12. The night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast awaye the workes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light 13. Let vs walke honestly as in the daye not in gluttonie and dronkennes neither in chambering and wantonnes nor in strife and enuiyng 14. But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfil the lustes of it Whereof the present text intreateth THE Apostle in this text teacheth not of faith but of workes the frutes of faith shewing how the life of a Christian ought to be ordered and framed according to the flesh outwardly among men For how we must liue in the spirit and before God faith doth teach whereof Paul a litle before this place hath at large and euen apostolikely entreated Yea if we consider this text well it doth not so much teach as prouoke exhort moue and stirre vp them which are already taught what they must do The office of preaching diâ—â—dâ—d into partes For Paul diuideth the office of preaching into two parts into doctrine and exhortation Rom. 12. Doctrine is wheÌ„ one teacheth that which was not knowne before whereby men are instructed come to vnderstanding Exhortation is when the preacher moueth prouoketh vnto that which is already knowne Either is necessarie to be done of him who will christianly perfourme the duty of preaching wherefore Paul doth verie earnestly apply himselfe to both and that his exhortation may be more effectuall may more acceptably enter into the mindes of them whom he hath purposed to exhort he vseth certaine elegant and figuratiue speches and doth with an adorned maner of speaking allure their mindes vnto him For the wordes sleepe darknes light waking armour workes the day the night which he here vseth are all spoken figuratiuely by which other thinges are signified then their nature and proprietie doe beare for he speaketh not of the naturall night daye darkenes armour waking sleepe c but he resembleth by these naturall thinges a certaine likenes to our mynde whereby he may more forcibly prouoke and bring vs to those spirituall thinges As if he saide ye see how men to get the riches of the present time which do soone perish rise early and laying asyde the workes of darkenes applie themselues to the workes of the day after the night is passed and the day is come with how much greater diligence ought we shaking of our sleepe to rise early and casting awaye the workes which we did while it was yet darke to applie our selues now to those workes which are agreable to our light forasmuch as the night is now passed and the daye of our saluation hath appeared By sleepe he signifieth euel workes which are voide of faith What the Apostle meaneth by the words slepe to rise c. for sleepe is a worke properly meete for the night and that he meaneth thus he sufficiently declareth when he by and by after addeth Let vs cast awaye the workes of darkenes So contrariwise to wake and to rise signifie good workes which come of faith For as sleepe pertaineth properly to the night so to rise is properly agreable to the morning and daye Whereupon it is sayd 1. Thess 5 Beloued brethren ye are not in darkenes but ye are all the children of light and of the daye we are not of the night neither of darkenes wherefore let vs not sleepe as do other but let vs watch and be sober For they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that be dronken are dronken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the brest plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet For God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ which died for vs that whether we wake or sleepe we should liue togither with him It is sufficiently manifest that the Apostle doth not in these wordes forbid vs the sleepe of nature neuertheles he draweth a similitude from naturall sleepe and waking to spirituall that is to a good and euell life And to be briefe to rise out of sleepe is here the very same thing that the Apostle writeth Tit. 2 That grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlynes worldly lustes and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of that mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ For that which he calleth in these wordes to deny vngodlines and worldly lustes he calleth in the text which we haue in hand to arise from sleepe and that which he termeth to liue soberly and righteously and godly that he calleth in our present text to watch and to put on the armour of light and whereas he sayth the grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared that he calleth here the day and light of which we wil hereafter speake more at large Naturall and spiritual slepe coÌ„pared togither Now let vs see what likenes there is betweene naturall and spirituall sleepe
thing euerie man is ready to hurt and endamage them Neither do they possesse any thinge for although all thinges be not taken from them at once yet are they in that state that they daily looke for it Against these aduersities as enemies assailing vs on the left hād it is needfull that we be fortified fensed with the armour of God lest that we either despeire or faint The armour of God Now this armour is a sure and inuincible faith continuall consolation and exhortation of the word of God and a liuely hope and vndouted expectation of the helpe of God When being furnished with these we suffer all thinges patiently standing stedfast in our dutie we declare our selues the syncere ministers of God which the false Apostles and hypocrites can neuer do although they faine that they serue God On the right hand he setteth glorie praises Where against Christiās must be defēded with spirituall armour on the right hand that we are counted true knowne do liue are not killed do reioyce enriching many possessing all thinges For it alwayes falleth out that there be some which make account of Christians and reuerence them among whom they are well reported of and counted true in doctrine wherefore some are not wanting which ioyne themselues vnto them and do openly pretend friendship with them freely pronouncing them to be the ministers of God Neither do they die so oft as they are brought into daunger and being chastened are not alwayes killed Finally it commeth to passe by the consolation of the spirit that they do then most of all reioyce when they are in greatest affliction For their heart reioyceth in God which ioy bursteth forth and vttereth it selfe in wordes workes and gestures And albeit they be poore in corporall substaunce yet are they neuer famished with hunger but with the word of God do enrich verie many in spirit stand not in neede of any thing although they haue nothing for all thinges are in their handes for that all creatures must serue the beleeuers as Christ sayth To him that beleeueth all thinges are possible These things albeit they be the excellent giftes of God notwithstanding if the feare of God should be absent euen they should be turned into enemies vnto vs and therefore is it needefull that we be strongly fensed against them with the armour of God lest that they make vs waxe proud or insolently puffe vs vp A Christian man therefore is meruelously free and addicted to nothing but to God alone he setteth God onely before his eyes he endeuoureth to come straight vnto him by the midle and hie waye betweene those thinges which assaile on the right hand and on the left so that he is neither throwen downe by aduersitie nor puffed vp by prosperity but vseth both most rightly both to the glorie of God and profit of his neighbours We must sayth the Apostle liue such a life while it is the time of grace and of the liuely light of the Gospell lest that while this daye shineth we worke not and that shall haue shined vnto vs in vaine This is the true ministerie of God which onely he alloweth wherein he graunt that we may serue him and that most dutifully Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING TENTATION Matth. 4. Verse 1. THen was Iesus led aside of the spirit into the wildernes to be tempted of the Deuell 2. And whē he had fasted forty daies and fortie nights he was afterward hungrie 3. Then came to him the tempter said if thou be the sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread 4. But he aunswering said it is written Man shall not liue by bread only but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God 5. Then the Deuell tooke him vp into the holy Citie and set him on a pinacle of the temple 6. And said vnto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy self down for it is written that he will giue his Angels charge ouer thee with their hāds they shal lift thee vp lest at any time thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone 7. Iesus said vnto him it is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 8. Again the Deuell tooke him vp into an exceeding hie mountain shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them 9. And said to him All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me 10. Thē said Iesus vnto him Auoid Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue 11. Then the Deuel left him and behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him THis text hath therefore bin appointed to be redde in the beginning of the solemne fast which hath hitherto bin commaunded for fortie dayes that the example of Christ being commēded to Christians they might thereby be prouoked to keepe that fast so much more religiously which surely was nothing but a vaine trifle First for that no mā is able to follow the example of Christ who liued without any meat fortie dayes and so many nights Christ rather followed the example of Moses herein then gaue vnto vs any example to follow Moses receiuing the Lawe was fortie dayes fortie nights in the mount Sinai without meat so lōg time would Christ also fast cōming to bring publish a new law Againe this fasting is a peruerse thing inasmuch as it was ordained of men For albeit Christ fasted fortie dayes yet haue we no word of his whereby he hath commaunded vs also to do the same He did many other thinges beside notwithstanding he will not haue vs also to do them those thinges that he hath commaunded vs to do those thinges I say we must endeuour to do that thereby we may obey his wil. A most wicked abuse of fasting But the most pestilent thing of all herein was that we tooke vpon vs and vsed fasting as a good and meritorious worke not to tame the flesh thereby but to satisfie for synnes and to procure the fauour of God vnto our selues Which wicked opiniō made our fasting so foule filthie and abominable before God that no feastings bankets gluttonie and dronkennes are so filthie and detestable before him it were better to drinke and bibbe daye night then so to fast And although this vngodly wicked intent had not defiled our fasting but that it had bin ordained for chastising that body Fasting must be left free neuertheles forasmuch as it was not left free that euerie one might haue taken it vpon him of his owne accord but was enforced by the lawes of man so that most which fasted fasted against their willes and with a grudging mynde it could not be but vaine and vnacceptable to God I speake not what other hurt it did in women with child in yong children in the weake and aged Wherefore we will more rightly consider this text and see what maner
on the crosse leapt at one leap two and forty degrees and came sodainely to Christ So did many Martyrs also and other holy men Notwithstanding none can goe so great a iorney with small griefe vnlesse he be caried with a great winde that is by the holy Ghost We must goe fayre and softly from Abraham to Isaac from Isaac to Iacob and so forth But we must begin at Abraham that we may be found endued with like faith as he was and obtaine the blessing promised vnto him then we shall more easily and cheerefully goe from one Patriarch to an other That is we shal passe ouer one affliction after an other vntill we be called out of this trauell and iorney vnto our rest Why the godly must suffer afflictions in this world For a man must be so long exercised with afflictions and so oft renounce his owne will vntill at the last he be brought vnder and his flesh by this meanes be subdued that it may obey the spirit and walke ioyfully in the will and obedience of God Wherefore let no man purpose with him selfe to come vnto heauen by leading a quiet life Luk. 18.25 and following pleasure thus Christ sayth in Luke It is easier for a camell to goe through a needles eye Act. 14.22 then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God And in the Actes of the Apostles Paule teacheth that we must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God Againe Luk. 16.25 in Luke Abraham sayd to the rich glutton Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines nowe therefore he is comforted and thou art tormented So it behoued Christ also to suffer by the crosse to enter into his glorie 2. Tim. 3.12 And S. Paule sayth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Hereupon we may learne that all that is poyson which is according to the lust of the flesh Rom. 8.13 Wherfore Paule sayth to the Rom. If ye liue after the flesh ye shal die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodye by the spirite ye shall liue The flesh striueth against the spirit The spirit which is of God is ready to suffer but the flesh resisteth This Iesus signified by his aunswer vnto Peter when he shewed vnto his Disciples that he must goe vnto Ierusalem Matth. 16.21 and suffer many thinges of the Iewes and be slayne also Peter tooke him aside and sayd vnto him Maister pitie thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee But Christ turned him backe and sayd vnto Peter Get thee behind me Satan for thou sauerest not the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men Here it is manifest that the reason of man doth flatly striue against the will of God God will haue vs enter into glory by the crosse and persecution but the flesh resisteth and is troubled in afflictions Moreouer they that are endued with the spirit of God doe reioyce if they be afflicted for God his sake Act. 5.41 as it is writtē of the Apostles They departed as Luke sayth from the councell reioycing that they were coūted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name Iam. 1.2 Wherefore Iames sayth in his Epistle My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse tentations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect worke that ye may be perfect and entier lacking nothing O how necessary is patience for a Christian man that we may possesse our soules by patience Luk. 21.19 as Christ sayth in Luke otherwise we shall lose them Wherefore we must enter into a new kinde of life and if at any time calamitie commeth we must not by and by burst forth into euill speeches take it vnpatiently but we must alwayes lift vp our hart to God and beare his will with a patient minde he will well deliuer vs in his time when it seemeth good to him God euen when he chasteneth and correcteth vs doth loue vs and care for vs. Heb. 12.5 and we must alwayes thinke that he beareth a fatherly affection toward vs euen when he sendeth persecutions anguishes afflictions and aduersities as the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth Ye haue forgotten the exhortation which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth him selfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for vvhat sonne is it vvhom the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be vvithout correction vvhereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes God giue vs his diuine grace that we may courageously passe these two and forty degrees with the Lord Christ be regenerate into a new life Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE HYMNE OF ZACHARIAS COMMONLY CALLED BENEDICTVS Luke 1. Verse 68. BLessed be the Lord God of Israell because he hath visited and redeemed his people THat godly man Zacharias speaketh here of things as already done when he sayth he hath visited and redeemed his people c. For he was certaine of them now the childe Iohn was come being about to begin to preach of our redemption as the Angell had foretold of him that he should goe before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hartes of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedom of the iust men to make ready a people prepared for the Lorde this promise he knew should assuredly come to passe Wherin this redemption consisteth I thinke it is already sufficiently knowne vnto you namely in this that God visiteth and deliuereth vs. Which visitation and deliuerance is accomplished neither by sworde nor violence but by the worde alone wherein consisteth more then in the blood and death on the crosse * That the word promises of God might be accomplished and fulfilled For because of the worde Christ shed his blood on the crosse It was the word that Iohn preached when he shewed the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde that is when he declared our visitation and redemption which Christ hath purchased with his blood This Iohn was the first Messenger which preached the Gospel Wherefore to vs to whom the Gospel was not before preached it is as if Iohn him selfe did nowe preach it for now is first set forth vnto vs redemption sweete consolation deliuerance from sinnes death hell and all euill To visit is nothing else then to come vnto vs to bring and declare vnto vs the word of saluation by which we are saued Zacharias conceiued so great ioy and pleasure in his hart that he could not cōtaine him selfe but he must needes burst forth into those words which in this Hymne he vttereth not onely because of the
mercie and truth alone not by our strength and industrie forasmuch as our wayes being ordered hereby are nothing but vanitie before God and do deserue his wrath According to that which the Lord sayth Esai 55 As farre as the heauen is higher then the earth so farre do my waies exceede yours As if he should say Your righteousnes is earthly and of no value wherefore ye must bid it farewell and walke in myne if ye hope for saluation But according to his mercie he saued vs. It is maruell how the credit of these wordes can stand wherein the Apostle affirmeth that we are alreadie saued although liuing yet in earth and therefore in continuall miserie But he did so speake that he might more fully expresse the power of the diuine grace and the nature of faith against hypocrites who as though saluatiō were yet farre of do in vaine endeuour to get and obtaine it by their workes We are already saued by Christ For Christ hath already saued vs he hath perfourmed all things which are required hereunto that we may be saued he hath ouercome and subdued synne death hell c. so that he hath left nothing for any man to care for he hath also giuen all these things vnto vs in Baptisme that who soeuer beleueth in Christ that he hath perfourmed them hath them togither in the same moment so that he hath neede of nothing more vnto saluation but faith alone that he may firmely beleeue that these things are so perfourmed But marke how incōparable riches of his grace God hath poured vpon vs in Baptisme who hath deliuered vs euen from those workes whereby those foolish holy ones go about to merit heauen and to be saued For we must haue heauen and be saued before we can do any good workes for that workes can not merit heauen but heauen being before giuen of meere grace causeth vs to do good workes and that for no hope of merit or reward but onely to the commoditie of our neighbours and the glorie of God vntill this bodie also be deliuered from sinne and death What the life of a Christiā is after baptisme Wherefore all the life of a Christian after Baptisme is nothing els but an expectation of saluation and felicity to be reuealed which they that beleeue in Christ do now possesse although hidden They haue all thinges nowe certainly but they are yet hid in faith which when as it is chaunged knowledge being reuealed all things as they now haue them shall appeare which shall come to passe when pleasaunt and wished death commeth 1. Ioh. 3.2 according to that saying of Iohn Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what we shall be But we know that when he shall appeare we shal be like him And euerie man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure Wherefore suffer not thy selfe to be deceiued and to be seduced from this truth by those hypocrites which contemning faith do falsely affirme that saluation is farre from thee and teach thee to endeuour in vaine to attaine vnto it by thy workes It is in thy selfe if thou beleeue that all things are perfourmed by Christ euen as he himselfe witnesseth The kingdome of God is within you Luke 17. So that all our life after Baptisme ought to be nothing els but an expectation that that should be reuealed which is already in vs and that we may comprehend as we are comprehended as Paul sayth Philip. 3. I follow if that I may comprehend that for whose sake also I am comprehended of Christ that is that I may at length see those things which are giuen me being as yet in the shut closet of faith He coueteth and burneth with desire to see the treasure which by faith he receiued both giuen and sealed in Baptisme Whereupon he addeth in the same place Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ who shall chaunge our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Herewith also agreeth that which he saith Gal. 4 Ye know God and by and by he doth as it were correct that which he had sayd Yea sayth he rather are ye knowen both which are true although not after the like sort We are now knowen of God so that he comprehendeth vs and we in deede know God but we do not yet comprehend for that our knowledge is as yet hidden and closed vp in fayth He sayth moreouer Rom. 8 We are saued by hope that is we are saued although we yet see it not for that which one seeth he hopeth not for but if we hope for those thinges which we see not we do with patience abide for them Christ confirmeth this Luke 12 Let your loines be gird about and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto men that wait for their maister when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediatly In which words he onely biddeth them that be his to be ready to looke for him the bridegrome as which are already saued being admitted into the number of his ministers Hereunto also pertaineth that which the Apostle sayth Tit. 2 Let vs liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of that mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ In these and such like places whereof thou maist reade many here and there in the holy Scriptures he witnesseth that we are already saued and that it doth not behoue that a Christian man should first seeke to attaine to saluation by his workes This opinion and deuelish doctrine blyndeth the eyes of Christiās extinguisheth the knowledge of faith and carieth men from the waye of truth and saluation We must cleaue vnto that which the Apostle here saith He hath saued vs according to his mercie and that which he addeth in the ende of this text that we are heires according to the hope of eternall life We are now heires but that is hidden in fayth Why God will haue vs to looke for the reuelatiō of our inheritaunce a certain time but we looke with a certaine hope that hereafter it shal be reuealed And God will haue vs so to looke for the reuelation of this inheritance and to liue a certaine time after Baptisme that he may chastise our body by our ministery and declare the power of his grace in fight against the flesh the world and the deuil but especially for this cause that by vs he may helpe our neighbours and both by doctrine and also by our life which he liueth in vs may bring them to the communion of fayth And albeit he can do this by Angels yet it pleaseth him rather that it should be done by vs men that both the maner of fayth may be the better knowen and that all things may be done sweetely and louingly For if
certaine that my hart is not pure and yet in the meane season I doe the works of a ruler so that the world can not complaine of me neither Cesar or the Lawyers can blame or finde fault with me by their lawes Euen as neither a seruant seruing onely for wages can be reprehended of the world whether he seeketh his owne thinges or not Surely the worde of God is not regarded in the office of a ruler that doth so but his owne idoll his owne glorie money and power c. But if this affection be in his hart How the hart of a godly Magistrate ought to be affected because I am occupied in this office wherein God hath placed me and the word commaundeth him that beareth rule to be carefull it is meete that I doe execute the same with all faithfulnes and diligence to the praise and glory of my God The execution of the office of such a ruler endued with such a mind commeth out of a pure and sincere hart wherewith both God and good men are delighted There is moreouer in him loue which doth not cleaue to the person or outward things but beginneth in the hart which the worde of God maketh manifest which forasmuch as it is pure cleane doth also purifie the hart And so his gouernment and works are the meere seruices of God most acceptable sacrifices vnto him seeing that they are done onely according to the word of God and for God his sake But our talkers can not teach this neither are able to iudge of it only crying out when they teach best of all that we must be honest They bring a certaine iuridiciall sermon out of the lawes of men as Cesar and his Clerkes teach But how the hart is purified they haue neuer so much as vnderstoode or thought any thing thereof or how loue is to be deriued to all states and conditions of men according to the word of God Thus must thou say moreouer euen in spiritual offices states also If I or any other shall preache to get some good benefice whereas otherwise I would easily ceasse from doing this office I may preache the Gospell but my hart is not pure but most plainly polluted Therefore although I doe longe and much affirme that it is a good worke and a weighty office yet doe I not performe it aright forasmuch as I doe it not from the hart How the hart of a true Preacher Minister ought to be affected But then onely it is rightly done when the hart hath this affection albeit I must get my liuing thereby yet this ought not to be the chiefe ende thereof but because God hath called me vnto it and hath committed it vnto me diligently to be done it remaineth that I doe with all diligence labour therein to the glory of God and saluation of soules which I doe otherwise also for the loue of the word willingly and from my hart Hereby I seeke neyther loue or friendship nor honours nor thankefulnes of men but my workes come from the hart which I first doe before I obtayne any honour glorie rewarde money or fauour although if those come and followe I may haue and receiue them without sinne Lo thus the word is the cause foundation ground fountayne and springe of loue comming out of the hart of all good works that please God which he can by no meanes away with God requireth the hart if the hart be not pure before for neither are workes acceptable to men which are done without the hart by dissimulation Nowe it Cesar and men require the hart although they can not see it of howe muche greater estimation is that hart before God which doeth all thinges for the wordes sake Therefore he also suffereth his word to be preached that we may order all our life according to the prescription thereof And let not vs suffer our selues to be hindered frayed from it or discouraged with the let or hinderance of any thinge although for it we shall suffer all kinde of losses vnthankefulnes contempt c but let vs breake and goe through all brunts with a boulde and manly courage and say thus we beganne nothinge for any mans sake neither will we leaue of any thinge because of any man but that we may doe that which is acceptable to God we will goe on stil howsoeuer thinges fall out with vs. They which doe thus become men excellent and most highly to be esteemed who are ready to doe all duties and serue God with all readines of minde and loue not feyned For the fountaine and springe is good not deriued and brought in from without These thinges I thought good briefly to speake of the first part howe the hart is purified by the worde alone and not as the Munkes haue dreamed by a fight taken vpon them against euill cogitations by feyning of good thoughts For what thoughts soeuer thou shalt feyne the hart shal remain vncleane if the word of God be not in it although it pretende a great shewe of a godly life as Paule witnesseth But this purenes wherof he speaketh doth extend farther then outward corporal purenes doth which the Iewes did vse eating drinking their hands being oftenwashed which our religious men also vse in their fasting diuersitie of apparel orders and rites c for this is called purenes of the spirit which we then haue when being instructed by the word of God we know thereby how he is to be serued in euery state calling and endeuour to frame our liues according thereunto The second part Nowe followeth the seconde parte concerning a good conscience whereof also we must intreate to wit that loue must come from such a hart as hath a ioyful quiet conscience both toward God A good and quiet conscience toward men and also toward men Toward men so as Paule glorieth of him selfe that he liued so that he offended no man troubled no man was an euill example and burden to no man but all that did see and heare him must needes witnes that he indifferently serued all helped all counselled all delt friendly and gently with all Such a conscience Moses also glorieth of against the seditious Numb 16 Thou knowest that I haue not taken so much as an asse from them neither haue I hurt any of them And Ieremie chap. 18 Remember O Lorde how that I stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them Likewise doth Samuel 1. King 12 I haue walked before you from my childhood vnto this day beholde here I am beare record of me before the Lord before his anointed whose oxe haue I taken or whose asse haue I taken whome haue I done wrong to whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any brybe and so forth as followeth in the same place Such boasting glory euery Christian must attaine vnto that he do so liue toward euery man and
morning and the daye of the power of Christ wherein we are conceiued and borne the children of God as deaw to wit without the labour of men by the onely grace of the holy Ghost from heauen The most pleasaunt and comfortable sunne Iesus Christ maketh this daye whom the Scripture hereupon calleth the sunne of righteousnes Christ the sunne of righteousnes God sayth Mala. 4 To you that feare my name shall that sunne of righteousnes arise and helth shal be vnder this winges For as many as beleeue in Christ do receiue of him the beames of his grace and righteousnes and doe obtaine saluation vnder his winges Whereupon it is saide Psal 118 This is the daye which the Lord hath made we will reioyce and be glad in it as though he saide This corporall sunne maketh the corporall daye but God himselfe maketh this daye euen he is that sunne from whence those beames and that daye come wherewith the whole world is enlightned Finally hereupon he calleth himselfe the light of the world Ioh. 9. And Psal 19 The heauens declare the glorie of God that is euen as these bodily heauens do bring the sunne and the day and the sunne is caried in them so the Apostles haue in themselues and bring by preaching the true sunne which is Christ c Whereupon it followeth In the heauens he hath set a tabernacle for the sunne which commeth forth as a bridegrome out of his chamber and reioiceth as a giant to runne his course His setting forth is from the vtmost part of heauen and his circuit vnto the vtmost part thereof and there is nothing hid from his heat All this is said of the exceeding pleasaunt beginning or rising of this day that is of the Gospel which the Scripture euery where meruelously setteth forth For it is a word which quickneth maketh glad willing cheerefull and ready to do good workes and finally it bringeth with it all good thinges Wherefore it is called the Gospell or glad tydinges for that it is a pleasaunt and prosperous message of the grace of God and of all good thinges The Gospell reuealeth vnto vs all thinges that are needfull for vs to know But who is able to rehearse all those thinges which this day reuealeth maketh manifest vnto vs For it teacheth all things what God is what we are whatsoeuer is past and to come of heauen hell the earth Angels and Deuels By this lampe is shewed vnto vs how we ought to behaue our selues in all these thinges and toward all from whence we are and whither we go Yet neuertheles Satan hath deceiued vs miserable creatures that neglecting such a day whereby all thinges might be cleere and manifest vnto vs we seeke the truth of Philosophers and heathen men who haue not so much as by a dreame knowne any whit of these thinges and so we haue suffered our selues to be blynded with mens traditions and to be thrust backe againe into the night For it is not light whatsoeuer is not this day otherwise Paul and the whole Scripture should in vaine extoll this day alone and call all other beside it the night Surely the burden of Gods displeasure must needes be most grieuous for that contrarie to so plaine and manifest places of Scripture we haue sought an other light although the Lord himselfe calleth himselfe the light and sunne of the worlde And if other proofes were wantinge this one is sufficient that vniuersities doe so impudently both set vp and glorie of Aristotle as a light vnto them in whom they exercise themselues much more then in Christ yea nothing in Christ but altogither in Aristotle Let vs therefore cast awaye the workes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light As Christ is the sunne By light is here signified and ment faith and the Gospell the daye so fayth is the light whereby to see and watch in this daye For it would not profit albeit the sunne did shine and make the day if the eyes did not perceiue the light Wherefore although the Gospell be begon and preached in the whole world yet none are lightened but they that receiue it and by fayth being made capable of the light doe arise out of sleepe But to them that as yet sleepe this sunne and daye bring no profite of which they receiue no light no more then if no sunne or daye had shined And this is that season and hower whereof he speaketh VVelbeloued brethren forasmuch as we know this that it is now time that vve should arise out of sleepe c. It is a spirituall time and season although begun in this outward time as it doth daily also come wherein we ought to arise out of sleepe and lay aside the workes of darkenes Whereby Paule sheweth that he doth not speake to them which are yet voide of fayth for as it is saide he teacheth not faith here but the workes and frutes of fayth when as he saith We know that the time is come and that the night being passed the daye is at hand they which beleeue not can not know these thinges Now if thou obiect and saye what reason or cause is there that he should write these thinges to the faithfull inasmuch as they know that it is time c. Thou must call to mynde that in the beginning of the exposition of this text of the Apostle we haue saide that the office of preaching is of two sortes one of teaching We haue neede of cōtinuall exhortation an other of exhorting and mouing Now a man can not attaine vnto that knowledge that it should not be needefull that he be alwayes moued and kept in a continuall and fresh meditation of those thinges which he hath learned least the deuell the world and the fleshe which are enemies that neuer graunt truce neither slacke their assault doe make him wearie and slouthfull that he maye at the last sleepe and become altogither negligent in good thinges For the deuell sayth Peter is such an enemie as goeth about continually like a roring Lion seeking whom he maye deuoure Wherefore he sayth VVatch and be sober Paule also will haue vs doe the same thinge here For seeinge that the Deuell the fleshe and the worlde keepe no meane nor make no ende of fightinge against vs neither must there be any meane kept or ende made of exhortinge prouokinge and mouinge vs to watche and worke Hereupon the holie Ghost is called an exhorter inasmuch as he inuiteth and moueth vs vnto good Paule calleth the workes of light armour and why For the same cause Paul also vseth here chosen wordes the workes of darkenes he calleth not armour but the workes of light he calleth armour not workes vndoutedly that he might shewe that there is a fight that labour and trauell is required and that it can not be obtained without perill to watche and liue well forasmuch as so mightie enemies the deuell the flesh and the world do without ceassing
this knowledge of them selues which he lawe bringeth brought euen vnto nothing in their owne eyes Then by and by commeth the Gospel and lifteth them vp being humbled whereby the Lord giueth his grace vnto them thus casting downe them selues and endueth them with faith Hereby they receiue that couenant of the eternall blessing and the holy Ghost which renueth their hart that nowe it is delighted with the lawe hateth sinne and is willing and ready to doe those thinges that are good ▪ And here nowe thou maist see not the workes but the hart of the law And this is the very time appointed to the heire of the Father when he must be no lenger a seruaunt but a sonne and doth now begin to be led by a free spirit being no more kept in subiection vnder Tuters and Gouerners after the maner of a seruaunt Which is euen that that Paul teacheth in the wordes following Verse 3. Euen so we when we were children were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world What is to be vnderstood by this word rudiments By the worde rudiments thou mayst vnderstand here the first principles or lawe written which are as it were the first exercises and instructions of holy erudition whereof it is spoken also Heb. 5 As concerning the time ye ought to be teachers yet haue ye neede againe that we teach you what are the first principles or rudiments of the word of God And Colos 2 Beware least there be any that spoyle you through philosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world Again Gal. 4. How turne ye againe vnto impotent beggerly rudiments whereunto as from the beginning ye wil be in bondage againe ye obserue dayes moneths c. Here as it were in contempt he calleth the lawe rudiments he addeth also The law called beggerly rudiments and why impotent beggerly both because it is not able to perform that righteousnes which it requireth and also for that it maketh men in deede poore impotent For whereas it earnestly requireth a hart and mind giuen to godlines and nature is not able to satisfie it herein it plainly maketh man to feele his pouertie and to acknowledge his infirmitie that that is by right required of him which he not only hath not but also is not able to haue ▪ Hereunto pertaineth that which Paul hath left written 2. Cor. 3 The letter killeth but the spirit giueth life Moreouer Paule calleth them the rudiments of the world The rudiments of the world why so called for that all that obseruing of the lawe which men not yet renued by the spirit doe performe doth consist in worldly thinges to wit in places times apparell persons vessells and such like But faith resteth in no worldly thinge but in the onely grace worde and mercy of God neither doth it make a man righteous and safe by any outward thing but onely by the inuisible and eternall grace of God Wherefore it counteth a like dayes meates persons apparell and all thinges of this worlde For none of these by it selfe doth eyther further or hinder godlines saluation as it doth the righteousnes of those of Cains brood which is as it were tyed to these outward thinges Faith therefore deserueth nothing lesse then to be called the rudiments of the worlde by which we obtayne the fulnes of heauenly good thinges and albeit it be occupied also in outward thinges yet is it addicted to no outward thinge but doth freely in all thinges that which it seeth may be done to the glorie of God and profit of our neighbours alwayes continuing free and the same and yet is made all thinges to all men that so the conuersation thereof may want all peculiar respecte and difference With those of Cains brood it agreeth neyther in name nor in any thinge one of them eateth flesh an other abstayneth from it one weareth blacke apparell an other white one keepeth this day holy an other that euery one hath his rudiments vnder which he is in bondage all of them are addicted to the thinges of the world which are frayle and perish in an houre Wherefore they are no other but seruaunts of the rudiments of the worlde which they call holy orders godly ordinaunces and wayes to goe to heauen Against these Paule speaketh Colos 2 VVherefore if ye be deade with Christ from the rudiments of the worlde why as though ye liued in the worlde are ye burdened with traditions As Touch not Tast not Handle not which all perish with the vsing and are after the commaundements and doctrines of men VVhich thinges haue in deede a shewe of godlines when as they are meere superstition whereby the mind is in vayne pressed downe to these outward thinges c. By this and other places aboue mentioned it is playne that all Monasteries and Colleges whereby we measure the state of spirituall men as we call them doe plainly disagree with the Gospel and Christian libertie and that therefore it is much more daungerous to liue in these kindes of life then among most prophane men For all their things are nothing but rudiments ordinaunces of the world consisting in the difference and vse of apparell places times and other present thinges whereunto seeing they are so addicted that they hope by them to attaine righteousnes saluation faith is made no account of amongest them neither are they Christians but in name wherefore all their life and holines is meere sinne and most detestable hypocrisie They that are vnder the rudimēts of the world ought most diligently to looke to them selues It is needeful therefore that they that are occupied in such ordinaunces should aboue all other men most diligently looke vnto them selues that they trust not to these ordinaunces that they be not too much addicted vnto them but that they doe perseuer in a free faith which is tyed to none of those outward thinges but resteth in the onely grace of God For the fayre shewe of life fayned holines which is in those ordinaunces doth with a meruelous and secret force withdraw from faith more then those manifest and grosse sinnes wherof open sinners are gilty and doth easily make men such as Paule here speaketh of VVhen we were children ▪ we were in bondage vnder the rudimēts of the world that is when we were as yet ignorant of faith and were exercised onely with the workes of the law we did those outward works of the law cōsisting in worldly things but with an vnwilling mind and with no faith hoping that by these rudiments of the worlde we should obtaine saluation wherfore we were no other then seruaunts Nowe this false and seruile opinion faith alone taketh away and teacheth vs to trust vnto and rest vpon the onely grace of God whereby at once is giuen freely that which is needefull to worke all thinges For these workes of the lawe if that false opinion were away were not ill
of fasting it teacheth by the example of Christ Two sorts of fasting which are allowable to be commended The Scripture commeÌ„deth vnto vs two sorts of fasting which are laudable one which is taken vpon vs of our owne accord to tame the flesh whereof the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 6. where he exhorteth vs to behaue our selues as the ministers of God by labours watchings fastings among the rest An other which in deede is not taken vpon vs willingly yet is willingly borne of vs when by reason of neede and pouertie we haue not whereon to feede Whereof Paule speaketh also in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter Vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst And Christ Matth. 9 VVhen the bridegrome shal be taken from them then shall they fast This fasting Christ teacheth vs by his present example who being alone in the desert and hauing no meat did suffer that neede and hunger patiently The first of these two fastes may when we please be left and broken with eating of meat but this last must be suffred vntill the Lord ende and breake it Now the cause why the Euangelist did so diligently first declare that Iesus was led aside of the spirit into the wildernes that he should there fast and be tempted is this lest that any taking vpon him to fast of his owne mynde and for his owne commodities sake should in vaine endeuour to follow this example of Christ For he must looke for the leading asyde of the spirite he will cause fasting and tentation enough We must not procure tentation to our selues but patiently suffer it when it pleaseth the Lord to send it for he that without the leading asyde of the spirit should voluntarily bring himselfe into daunger of hunger or any other tentation when by the blessing of God he hath what to eate and drinke and whereby to liue quietly he I saye should plainly tempt the Lord. We must not procure to our selues pouertie and tentation they will come soone enough of themselues onely when they are sent of the Lord we must endeuour to beare them patiently Iesus as the Euangelist writeth was led aside of the spirite into the wildernes he did not choose to himselfe the wildernes They are led with the Spirite of God which are the sonnes of God Romans 8. The good thinges which the Lorde giueth he giueth for this that we maye enioye them with thankes giuing not that we should neglect them tempting him Moreouer this history is written vnto vs both to instruct The historie of Christes tentation coÌ„taineth both instruction exhortation and also to exhort To instruct that we may learne hereby that Christ by this his fasting hunger tentation and victorie against Satan did serue vs furthered our saluation that whosoeuer beleeueth in him may neuer neede or be hurt by any tentation but rather shall abound with good thinges in the middes of pouertie and be safe in the middes of tentation for that his head and Lord Christ hath ouercome all these thinges for him whereof by fayth he is most certain according as the Lord himselfe sayth Ioh. 16 Be ye of good comfort I haue ouercome the world And if God could without meat nourish his Christ fortie dayes so many nights so he câ—â— also Christians We are exhorted also here that according to this example of Christ we suffer hunger tentation and other necessities wheÌ„ they come and when the case so requireth to the glorie of God profit of our neighbours And surely if we do earnestly confesse and sticke to the word of God these thinges will vndoutedly come vnto vs. The present text therefore containeth a meruelous consolation and strengthening of faith against the filthie and incredulous bellie which being diligeÌ„tly and faithfully weyed our conscience shal be verie much comforted and streÌ„gthened that we may not be carefull for liuing but trust with a full confidence that God will giue vs plentifully those thinges that be necessarie Now that this tentation also is incident vnto vs it is manifest For as Christ was led aside into the wildernes that is was left alone of God Angels men and all creatures which might helpe him How we are sometime led aside into the wildernes so also falleth it out with vs. We are led aside into the wildernes we are forsaken and left alone And this in deede is it which especially grieueth vs to feele or perceiue nothing whereunto we may trust or from whence we may looke for helpe As when it lyeth vpon me to prepare sustenance for me and mine and I haue nothing at all of my selfe neither perceiue any helpe comming from any man neither know where to looke for any This is to be led aside into the desert and to be left alone I being in this case am in the true exercise of faith then I learne how I my selfe am nothing howe weake my faith is how great and rare a thing sounde faith is and howe deepe abominable incredulitie is setled in the harts of all But he that hath as yet a purse heauie with money a seller ful of wine a garnar replenished with graine he is not yet led aside into the wildernes or left alone and therefore can not feele tentation while these thinges remaine Satan tempteth Christ with care for the belly and diffidence of Gods goodnes Secondly Satan commeth and tempteth Christ with this care for the bellie and diffidence of the goodnes of God saying If thou be the Sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread As if he should say according to the Dutch prouerbe Trust in God and in the meane season neglect to bake bread Tarie till a rosted chicken flie into thy mouth Go now and say that thou hast a God who is carefull for thee Where is now that thy heauenly Father who hath so great a care of thee Hath he not goodlily forsaken thee Eate now and drinke of thy faith and let vs see how thou shal be suffised it were well wiâ—â— thee if thou couldest feede on stones What a goodly sonne of God art thou How fatherly doth he behaue himselfe toward thee He sendeth thee not so much as a peece of breade but suffreth thee here to be pined with hunger Go now and beleeue yet that thou art the sonne of God and he thy Father Surely with these and such like cogitations he tempteth all the children of God which Christ also vndoutedly felt for he was not a blocke or stone but verie man although pure from synne as he also continued which is not giuen vnto vs. Now that the Deuel tempted Christ with care of the bellie diffidence and wicked desire the aunswere of Christ doth sufficiently declare Man liueth not by breade alone Which is as much as if he had said Thou wilt haue me haue regard to bread alone thou dealest with me as though I ought to haue no other care but of meate and foode
But this tentation doth not easily happen in these outward thinges as are bread apparell houses c. Thou mayst finde in deed some rash heads which for no cause do put their life goods good name in great daunger as they doe which goe on warfare of their owne accord which leape rashly into most deepe waters or goe voluntarily into other no small daungers Of whom Iesus the sonne of Syrach sayth Eccle. 3.27 He that loueth perill shall perish in it Whereof the Germanes haue a prouerbe Selfe do self haue what euery one followeth that he commeth vnto So is it almost vsuall that none are oftner drowned then they that are most exercised in swimming and none fal more perilously then they which vse to attempt hie matters We are seldō brought to tēpt God by not taking the vse of outward things which he hath giuen vs. But he shall be hardly founde which hauing a false and ouermuch confidence in God attempteth any such thing or vseth not the thinges present as bread apparell house and such like loking with perill while God prouide otherwise for him by miracle We read of a certaine Heremite who because he had vowed to take bread of no men brought him selfe into perill by hunger and so perished and vndoutedly went strait vnto hell because of that false faith and tempting of God which he learned no other where but of that deuill so that his madnes was altogither like that whereunto Satan here persuadeth Christ to wit that he shoulde cast him selfe downe from a pinnacle of the temple Howbeit thou shalt finde very few which doe follow this Heremite and doe differre to enioy corporall thinges present for that they hope that God will giue them other from heauen But in spirituall things which concerne the nourishment We are easily and often by the tentation of Satan brought to refuse the true spiritual foode of our soules and to seeke other contrary to the will and word of God not of the body but of the soule this tentation is wont to be both mighty and often In these God hath appoynted a certayne maner wherby the soule may be fedde nourished and strengthened both most commodiously and also most blessedly so that no good thing at all can be wanting vnto it This nourishment this strength this saluation is Christ our Sauiour in whom the Father hath most abundantly offered and giuen all good thinges But there are very few which desire him the moste parte seeke some other where whereby their soules may liue obtaine saluation Such are all they which seeke saluation by their works These are they whom Satan hauing sette on a pinnacle of the temple biddeth them cast them selues downe and they obey him They descende where as is no way that is they beleeue and trust in God yet so as they trust also in their owne works in which is no place at all for faith and trust no way or path vnto God wherefore throwing them selues downe headlong they breake their necke falling into vtter desperation Now Satan persuadeth miserable men vnto this madnes as also he persuaded Christ to cast him selfe downe from a pinnacle of the temple by places of Scripture peruerted and misapplied wherein workes are commaunded whereby he maketh them beleeue that the Angells shall keepe them that is that they shall be approued of God when as in deede they can by nothing so offend him as by that madde trust and confidence in workes For they acknowledge not that the Scripture doth no where require works without faith or that it doth euery where require a sound liuely faith from which works proceede We haue at large declared who are such namely incredulous hypocrites which are giuen to workes without faith which falsely boast of the name of Christians chalenging to them selues to be chiefe in the flock of Christ For this tentation must be in the holy citie Now these two tentations and the causes of them doe greatly differ In the former the cause why men doe not beleeue is neede and hunger for they are thereby moued to distrust God and despeire of his goodnes In the latter the cause why they doe not beleeue is ouermuch abundance for that miserable men are full of most plentifull and abundant treasure so that they loath it coueting to haue some other speciall thinge whereby they may procure the saluation of their soules So our case standeth ill in both respects If we haue nothinge we despeire and distrust God If we haue plentie of thinges we loath them and require other being then also voyde of faith Concerning the first we flie and hate scarsitie and seeke plentie concerning the latter we seeke scarsitie and flie plentie Howsoeuer God dealeth with vs we are not content our incredulitie is a bottomles pit of malice and vngodlines Againe the deuil tooke him vp into an exceeding high moūtaine Tentation by vaine glory pleasures and delights of the world Here he tempteth with vaine glorie power of the world as by the wordes of the deuil doth plainly appeare who shewing Christ the kingdoms of the world offered them to him if he would worship him By this tentation they are ouercome which reuolt from faith that they may enioy glorie and power here or at least doe so temper their faith that they lose not these thinges In the number of these are all heretikes and troublers of the Church which do therfore either leaue or oppugne the sinceritie of faith that being exempted out of the common number they may be extolled on hie So we may place this tentation on the right hand as the first assaileth vs on the left For as the first tentation is of aduersitie whereby we are moued to indignation impatiencie diffidence so this third tentation is of prosperitie whereby we are prouoked to delights glory pleasures and whatsoeuer is excellent and delectable in the world The second tentation is altogither spirituall whereby Satan by deceit and meruelous secret suttlery goeth about to withdraw man from faith For whom he can not ouercome with pouertie scarsitie necessitie misery them he tēpteth with riches fauour glorie delights power c so he assayleth vs on either side yea when he preuaileth by neither way he goeth about as Peter saith attēpteth all meanes that whom he can ouercome neither by aduersitie that is by the first tentation nor by prosperitie that is by the thirde tentation he may ouercome either by errour blindnes or false vnderstanding of the Scripture that is by the second tentation which is spirituall and therefore most hurtfull By which if he preuaile against any they are also ouercome both on the left side and on the right For whether they suffer such pouertie or enioy plenty of thinges whether they contend or yeelde vnto all thinges both is nothing while they are in errour either patience in aduersitie or constancie in prosperitie can be of no importance For in both euen heretikes
often tymes doe notably excell and it is a practize of the deuill eftsoones to fayne him selfe ouercome in the first and third tentation that he may reigne victour by the second He can be content that they that be his doe often tymes suffer pouertie patiently and doe also contemne the world although they do neither of both with a simple hart and sincere faith Euery one therfore of these three tentations is grieuous and very hard but the middle one is most perilous of all for it assayleth the doctrine of faith and is spirituall and wont to deceiue in spirituall thinges The other two also doe assayle faith howebeit in these outward thinges as aduersitie prosperitie although they doe also vrge vs very sore For it can not be a litle grieuous to suffer pouerty to want bread and such other thinges necessary Agayne it is no lesse grieuous to neglect wholy to denye fauour glory riches friendes companions and other commodities which we haue But an entire and sound faith in the worde of God can performe both notably and if it be a strong faith An entire sound faith can both patiently beare aduersitie contemne the vaine glory delights of the world they seeme very easie and delectable vnto it We can not certainly know the order of these tentations which happened to Christ for that the Euangelists haue not described them after one order For Luke hath set that last which Matthew hath set in the middes that which Matthew hath set last Luke hath placed in the middes But there doth not so much consist in the order Notwithstanding when any wil teach the people concerning these tentations it were better to follow the order of Luke For he may fitly say and thus rehearse that Satan doth first tempt vs with pouertie and aduersitie wherby if he preuaile not that he tempteth vs with prosperity and glory which if he do in vaine that he assaileth vs with all his might and tempteth vs with errour lyes delusion and other spiritual suttleties Yet neither is this order alwayes obserued of Satan but he tempteth Christians sometime with the first sometime with the third tentation as he hath and seeth occasion Matthew was not careful to rehearse them in that order which they haue almost by their own nature and which may be commodious for him that shall teach of them Yea it may be that they happened not vnto Christ by any certain order but that he was assailed of Satan one day with this an other day with that during the space of those forty daies as Satan thought it most conuenient and meete for his purpose And behold the Angells came ministred vnto him This I thinke was done corporally that they hauing taken bodies appeared and ministred vnto him meate and drinke as his seruiters at the table and Ministers of all other thinges necessary for his life Yea and I thinke that the deuill also appeared vnto him in a corporall forme perhaps as an Angell For in that he tooke Christ and set him on a pinnacle of the temple also wheras in a moment he shewed him all the kingdoms of the world he sufficiently declared that he was more then a man such a one surely he shewed him selfe openly when he offered that he would giue vnto him those kingdoms and required that he would worship him And vndoutedly he did not appeare like a deuill when he did these thinges for he loueth to appeare after a fayre sort especially when he will lie and deceiue 1. Cor. 11.14 for then he transformeth him selfe into an Angell of light as Paule witnesseth Now this is written chiefly for our consolation In the time of tentation we must nothing dout of Gods help and deliuerance that we may not dout that many Angells shall minister vnto vs when one deuill tempteth vs if we fight valiantly For if we stand fast in faith it is so farre of that God will suffer vs to be troubled and pinched with pouertie more then is meete that he will sooner send his Angells to minister vnto vs to be our Butlers our Cookes and to helpe vs with their ministerie in all necessitie Neither are these thinges written for Christes cause whome they can not profit but they are written for vs that we may learne to beleeue that if the Angells ministred vnto him they shall also when the case so requireth minister vnto vs his brethren and members The Lord giue vs faith to beleeue this A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THE LEADING OF A GODLY LIFE Ephes 5. Verse 1. BE ye therfore followers of God as deare children 2. And walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen him selfe for vs to be an offering a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God 3. But fornication all vncleannes or couetousnes let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Sainctes 4. Neither filthines neither foolish talking neither iesting which are things not comely but rather giuing of thankes 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger neyther vncleane person nor couetous person which is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience 7. Be not therefore companions with them 8. For ye were once darkenes but are now light in the Lord walke as children of light 9. For the frute of the Spirit is in all goodnes and righteousnes and truth THis text is exhortatorie wherein Paule according to his maner and accustomed care for the brethren exhorteth Christians not to leaue or slack the study and care of godlines and giue them selues to slothfulnes but to declare by their worke the word that they haue learned of him that is to shew it forth by the frutes of faith and make it plausible and honorable to the edifying of the Heathen lest that by the vices of them which professe the doctrine of the Gospell they take occasion to hate that doctrine and so be offended by them whom it did behoue to winne them vnto Christ Be ye therfore followers of God as deare children First therfore he exhorteth vs forasmuch as we are by Christ made the sonnes of God to imitate such a father as deare children Meruelous gently alluringly he speaketh vnto vs calling vs deare children that by the loue of God our father toward vs he may prouoke vs to loue him again and them whom he commaundeth vs to loue The loue of God toward vs. euen as he hath loued vs first But howe hath he loued vs Surely not after that common sort alone wherby in this life he nourisheth and sustaineth vs being vnworthy togither with al the vngodly making his sunne to arise on the good and on the euil and sending rayne on the iust and vniust wherof Christ speaketh Matth. 5 Be ye perfect as your Father is perfect
word we shall be stronge enough for the deuill for we glory of the word albeit we be but weake Vnto Satan who is able euen in one houre to ouerthrow vs all all men should be euen as a fether which he would be able to remoue away how and when he will yea euen with his breath but if we beleeue that fether is made more heauy vnto him then the hill Olympus For a Christian beareth Christ in him selfe and Christ is heauier then heauen and earth Thus much may suffize concerning this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING FREE REMISSION OF SINNES TO THE CONTRITE AND BROKEN IN hart and terrible iudgement to the indurate and obstinate Matth. 18. Verse 23. IEsus sayd vnto Peter to the rest of the Disciples The kingdom of heauen is likened vnto a certaine King which would take an accoūt of his seruaunts 24. And when he had begon to recken one was brought vnto him which owed him ten thousand talents 25. And because he had nothing to pay his Lord commaunded him to be solde and his wife his children and all that he had and the dette to be payed 26. The seruaunt therefore fell downe and worshipped him saying Lorde refraine thine anger toward me and I will pay thee all 27. Then that seruaunts Lord had compassion loosed him and forgaue him the dette 28. But the same seruant went out found one of his fellow seruaunts which owed him an hundred pence and he layed handes on him and thratled him saying Pay me that thou owest 29. Then his fellow seruaunt fel down at his feete and besought him saying Refraine thine anger towards me and I will pay thee all 30. Yet he would not but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the dette 31. And when his other fellow seruants saw what was done they were very sory and came and declared vnto their Lord all that was done 32. Then his Lord called him vnto him and sayd to him O euill seruaunt I forgaue thee all that dette because thou prayedst me 33. Oughtest not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow seruant euen as I had pittie on thee 34. So his Lord was wrath and deliuered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him 35. So likewise shall myne heauenly Father doe vnto you except ye forgiue from your hartes eche one to his brother their trespasses CHrist brought forth this parable vnto that aunswere which he had made to Sainct Peter vnto whom he had before committed the keies of binding and loosing For when S. Peter asked him howe oft he should forgiue his brother his offence whether it were enough to forgiue him seuen times he aunswered not seuen times but seuentie times seuen times he then added this similitude by which he inferreth that his heauenly father will do likewise vnto vs if we do not forgiue our neighbour euen as the King did here vnto the seruaunt which would not forgiue his fellow seruaunt a smal det when as his Lord had forgiuē him so much We haue often times taught that the kingdom of God wherein he reigneth by the Gospell is nothing els but such a state or gouernment wherin is meere forgiuenes of sinnes so that where such a gouernment is not wherin sinne is pardooned neither is there the Gospell nor kingdome Wherefore those two kingdoms are to be separated one wherin sinnes are punished an other wherin they are forgiuē or wherin the law is exacted wherein that which is due by the lawe is remitted The kingdō of grace In the kingdom of God where he reigneth by the Gospell there is no exacting of the lawe neither any dealing by the law but onely remission and forgiuenes neither wrath nor punishing but brotherly seruice and well doing one to an other Notwithstanding the ciuill law or Magistrate is not taken away for this parable speaketh not any thing of worldly gouernment but of the kingdom of God only Wherefore he that is yet gouerned onely by the regiment of the world is yet farre of from the kingdom of heauen for worldly gouernment pertaineth wholy to inferiour thinges As if a Prince gouerne his people so that he suffer iniurie to be done to none punishing offenders he doth wel is therfore cōmended For in that gouernment this sentence flourisheth Ciuill gouernment Pay that thou owest which if thou doe not thou shalt be cast into prisō Such gouernmēt we must haue howbeit we come not to heauen by it neither is the world therefore saued but this gouernment is therefore necessary that the world do not become worse For it is only a defence fortification against wickednes which if it were not one would deuoure an other neither could any man keepe in safetie his owne life wife goods children c. That therfore all things should not fal come to ruine and perish God hath appointed the sword of the Magistrate whereby wickednes may be partly repressed peace and quietnes among men maintained one may not doe an other iniurie wherefore this is in any wise to be kept But as I sayd it is not ordained for them that are in the kingdom of grace but therefore onely that men be not more deepely plunged in wickednes and become worse Wherefore no man that is onely vnder the regiment of the world ought to glory that he doth therefore well before God before whom all is yet vnrighteous For thou must come so farre that thou do resigne that which is iust before the world yeeld of thine owne right This the Gospell doth here require As the Lord forgiueth vs so must we also forgiue our neighbour which on either side setteth forth vnto vs onely forgiuenes First the Lord forgiueth the seruaunt all the dette then he requireth of him that he forgiue his fellow seruaunt his and remit his offence These thinges God requireth and so must his kingdom be ordered that no man be so wicked neither suffer him selfe so to be moued that he can not forgiue his neighbour And as it is a litle before this text taught in the Gospel if he should prouoke thee to anger euen seuenty times seuen times that is as oftē as he can offend against thee thou must yeeld of thine owne right and cheerefully forgiue him all thinges Why so because Christ did the same For he set vp erected such a kingdome as wherein is onely grace which must at no time ceasse so that if thou repent all things may wholy be forgiuen thee as often as thou shalt offend forasmuch as he hath ordained the Gospell that it might preach no punishment but onely grace forgiuenes of sinnes This kingdom standing thou mayst alwaies rise again how deepely soeuer thou fallest so often as thou fallest so as thou repent For albeit thou fallest yet this Gospell mercie seate alwaies continueth As soone as therfore thou hast risen againe returned thou
soone as we are forsaken of God byandby Satan commeth and erecteth his kingdome in vs wherein nothing els but such wickednesses are committed which notwithstanding are so craftely coloured and commēded with such a pretence of honestie that it seemeth to be a most holy yea and an angelike life What I pray you can mans strength do here whereby some go about to bring to passe many thinges sweetely perswading themselues that they shall ascend vp into heauen thereby But thou hearest here that Christ affirmeth that the Father doth reueale these thinges also that it is the good pleasure of the Father that it should be so Whereby truly he taketh away all the merits of man here no satisfactions profit here is no respect of workes it is done by the wil and good pleasure of the Father For he respecteth not the person as it appeareth before the world He doth not contemne and reiect the synner albeit he come laden with sinnes After the same sort Christ saith to his disciples Luke 12 Feare not litle flocke for it is the Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome This the hypocrites and iustitiaries can not abyde yea they are driuen vnto furie senssesnes and madnes when they see simple receiuers of custome and verie publicans to go before them into the kingdome of heauen they themselues with their holines goodly and plausible workes to the world being excluded whom would not this driue vnto madnes who would not take it grieuously that he himselfe and his thinges should be in such a case and nothing at all counted of But what shouldest thou do or what shouldest thou murmur The good pleasure of God is such to whom he vouchsaueth to open to him they shal be opened and from whom he hideth from him they are hidden which compt as vndoutedly true And marke well that Christ sayth here It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such thy good pleasure I say before the world was made as S. Paule sayth Ephes 1 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were layd that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Here all merit is excluded wherefore let it not come into thy mynde that thou shalt obtaine any thing here by thy deserts neither let thy workes wisedome and merits puffe thee vp Here all reioycing is taken away that he that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lord as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 1. It followeth moreouer in the Gospell Ver. 27. All things are giuē vnto me of my Father no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any mā the Father but the Sōne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him Here thou seest the safetie which is in the kingdome of Christ by whom we haue knowledge and light If therefore Christ holdeth all thinges in his hand and hath power ouer all thinges as the Father hath no man can plucke any thing out of his handes which he himselfe also witnesseth in Iohn Ioh. 10.28 I giue eternall life to my sheepe and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand my Father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one Christians haue cause to reioyce although they be diuers wayes assailed of Satan for that they be vnder the tuition of Christ who will defend and preserue them Wherefore euery Christian when he hath receiued the Gospell may worthely reioyce that he is now vnder the tuition of Christ and is not any thing troubled because of his synnes If he hath embraced the Gospell Christ vnder whom he fighteth will guide the matter excellently well Satan in deede will tempt him with this and that vice as with adulterie whoredome theft slaughter enuie hatred wrath and other like synnes But let him not therefore be discouraged he hath a king that is strong mightie enough of whom he shal be easily defended Notwithstanding it wil be verie hard to stand strongly and nothing to yeelde wherefore prayer in this case is verie needefull others also may by their prayers intreat for thee that a stout corage and manly heart may be giuen vnto thee to withstand Satan But it is certaine that thou shalt not be destitute Christ will easily preserue thee be not disquieted in mynde let it onely be thy care that thou fallest not from his kingdome Moreouer in this Gospell thou seest that Christ is both God man Man inasmuch as he prayseth God and giueth him thankes God inasmuch as all thinges are giuen vnto him of the Father Which ought to be great comfort vnto vs in all things that do trouble and afflict vs. Whereas he saith No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him he in these wordes ouerthroweth free will which will know God and Christ when and how it pleaseth it Here thou hast plainly from whence the knowledge of God and of Christ is the Father saith he knoweth the Sonne and the Sonne the Father but how do we know by this or that preacher no truly these are onely certaine midle instruments but he onely knoweth to whom the Sonne will reueale A litle before he saide that the Father doth reueale or open here he attributeth the same to the Sonne Surely both the Father and the Sonne do reueale and as the Father reuealeth so also doth the Sonne and Christ also sayth in Iohn chap. 14 The holy Ghost shall teach you all thinges Wherefore as the Father teacheth so teacheth the Sonne likewise also teacheth the holy Ghost And where God the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost do not teach there all thinges remaine voide of knowledge It followeth moreouer in the Gospell Verse 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you Verse 29. Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Verse 30. For my yoke is easie and my burden is light Hitherto we haue heard how the Lord dealeth with the wise and prudent namely that he blyndeth them and hideth the Gospell from them Likewise how he is delighted in children and simple ones to wit that he endueth them with right knowledge of himselfe and openeth the Gospell vnto them But some man may here say and complaine If the matter be so surely my conscience shal be in great daunger before I heare and know that the Gospell dothe pertaine vnto me I am a wretched synner and perhaps the Gospell pertaineth not vnto me what if I be vnworthie Christ that he may