guide other whē thou thy selfe art blinder thē a moule so that he which foloweth thee doth fall with thee into the ditch Of such as iudge themselues to excell others thinke themselues to be followed more thē the word of God S. Paul speaketh Rom. 2 Behold saith he thou art called a Iew restest in the law gloriest in God knowest his will and triest the thinges that dissent from it in that thou art instructed by the law perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darknes an instructer of them which lacke discretiō a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest A mā should not steale doest thou steale thou that sayest A man should not cōmit adulterie doest thou cōmit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols cōmittest thou sacrilege thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the law dishonourest thou God Whereupō he also sayth in the beginning of the same chapter to hypocrites Therefore thou art inexcusable O man who soeuer thou art that cōdemnest for in that that thou condemnest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condemnest doest the same thinges But we know that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O thou man that cōdemnest thē which do such things doest the same that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Loe this is to speake the truth to hypocrites who go about to shew the way to other which they themselues know not leading so other mē into the ditch with thē Therfore the Lord saith The disciple is not aboue his maister but who soeuer wil be a perfect disciple shal be as his maister This is a common prouerbe I can learne no more of my maister then he knoweth himselfe Wherefore doth the Lord speake this prouerbe because of two sortes of maisters the one is blynde whom if I shall follow I also my selfe shall become blynde he himselfe falleth into the ditch and I follow The other maister is the mercifull father of whom we must learne mercy whom if we follow we also do become mercifull like as he is if we were mercifull daily we should also become perfect as he is perfect but that commeth not to passe as long as we are in this life The second part of mercy is The second part of mercy to forgiue that we forgiue them which haue endamaged vs or hurt vs by any meanes A Christian can neuer be so hurt but he ought to forgiue not onely seuen times but seuenty times seuen times as the Lord sayd vnto Peter Matth. 18. Wherefore God forgiueth a Christian his synne or infirmitie that he also may forgiue other their infirmitie which Christ setteth forth els where in a most goodly parable which he cōcludeth in these wordes Matth. 18.35 So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts ech one to his brother their trespasses And so we praye daily in the Lords prayer with an addition saying forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Is this a hard matter if I a wretched synner do forgiue my neighbour his trespasses and his infirmitie whereas the Lord will forgiue me my synnes and my infirmities If one had killed my father what were this being compared to my synne wherewith I haue offended God and prouoked him to anger The third part of mercy is The third part of mercy to giue to the poore needy that we giue to them that be in miserie and neede and that we helpe them Whereof Iohn speaketh thus 1. Iohn 3 VVhosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him For where the loue of God is it is moued to shew it selfe euē in outward works Hereunto also pertaineth the saying of Christ Matth. 5 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Wherefore the Lord addeth a promise in the Gospell saying Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken togither running ouer shall men giue into your bosome And continuing on his speech he sayth For with what measure ye meat with the same shall men meat to you againe Thus much shall suffice concerning the partes of mercy which we ought to shew to our neighbours Matth. 7.12 Vnto which the speciall wordes of Christ ought to exhort vs who when in the Gospell of Matthew he had spoken much of a Christian life and of loue to be shewed to our brethren thus concludeth saying VVhat soeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Now euerie one is so affected that being cast downe and in distres he would wish all the world to helpe him If I be a miserable sinner drowned in sinnes bearing a burdened and troubled conscience I would that the whole world should comfort me should helpe and succour me should couer my sinne and shame So I also ought to behaue my selfe toward my neighbour not to iudge him not to condemne him but to forgiue him his offences to helpe him to prouide for him to lend vnto him giue him euen as I would wish to be done vnto my selfe if I were driuen into distres necessitie exile or pouerty And herein truly Christians are knowne if they loue one an other if one do such workes of mercy vnto an other as Christ sayd vnto his disciples at his last Supper I giue you a new commaundement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you By this shal all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other Thus ye haue the meaning of this text it remaineth that we call vpon God for grace A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE SVMME OF CHRISTIAN LIFE 1. Tim. 1. Verse 5. THE ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfeined 6. From the which thinges some haue erred and haue turned vnto vaine iangling 7. They would be doctours of the Lawe and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme IT is well knowne vnto you dearely beloued brethren Gods worde must be heard and learned with how great seueritie God hath commaunded his worde to be heard and learned For he most highly esteemeth it and hath bestowed much labour in defending it and publishing it to the world He hath suffred all the Prophets to come into perils and daungers at the last also he sent his owne sonne because of his worde whom he suffered to die euen the death of the crosse And what persecutions haue not the Apostles themselues abode for the wordes sake what afflictions haue
him albeit he hath deserued his wrath diuers wayes he doth all thinges with a glad and cherefull minde Moreouer he liueth so also toward men that he is louing and beneficiall toward all although they be not worthie of loue He is quiet toward God through Christ the Mediatour who will not throw him downe hedlong into hell but doth louingly fauour him and lifteth him vp into heauē And this is the chiefe quietnes and principall point and foundation of our saluation Afterwardes he doth in his life shew himselfe dutyfull also toward his neighbour doing all the best thinges he is able vnto him what soeuer his state or dutie commaundeth or requireth And when he doth lesse then is meete he asketh pardon of his negligence before God and men so that there is left occasion neither to him nor to the world afterward to rebuke him power also to deuoure him is taken from hell to teare him in peeces from the deuell Thus a man is saide to be in all things perfect How we become perfect toward men by loue and toward God not by the lawe but by Christ whom he apprehendeth by his faith as the mercy seat Which gageth his holines for the beleeuers or rather giueth it to them so that in him they haue all thinges that are necessary to saluation Now this is right and pure doctrine which should be exercised and taught vnto men distinctly that they might know how they may be able to stand both before God and men that faith and loue be not mingled togither or life referred both to God and men This ought to haue bin perfourmed of those glorious and arrogant teachers seeing that they wil be counted maisters of the law that the difference of the law and faith might be well knowen vnto all Very hard to learne the true doctrine of faith For although it be taught and repeted with neuer so great diligence yet notwithstanding it is very hard to be wel and throughly learned especially to vs which haue bin instructed and trained vp in the doctrine of workes and led onely to the lawe and our owne workes To these may be added our nature also verie prone and ready by it selfe hereunto and now brought into a custome whereby it is confirmed and in continuaunce of time turneth the heart also into exercise and vse so that we can not abstaine nor thinke otherwise but that God wil be fauourable vnto vs which haue done so great workes and haue led our life so without blame or fault Therefore we must striue against both our nature custome For surely it is a very hard thing to thinke or be perswaded otherwise and so purely to put a difference betweene faith and loue the filth still hanging vpon vs and cleauing vnto vs albeit we be now in faith so that our heart can scarce rule it selfe that it say not so long time haue I taught the Gospell so haue I liued such great workes haue I done c. And we would very willingly haue God to regard our life and turne his mercy seat for our cause into a iudgement seat Thou mayst vse this boasting toward men I haue done well to all as I haue bin able and if any thing be wanting I as yet wil endeuour to make a recompense But if thou be minded to go vnto God I aduise thee to ceasse from such arrogant boasting and thinke to appeale from iudgement to grace Let who will begin and proue this thing he shall at length see and trie A hard thing to trust nothing to our owne workes and holines how grieuous and heard it is for a man that hath bin occupied all his life time in the workes of his owne holines to escape out and with all his heart by faith to cleaue to this one Mediatour I my selfe haue now preached the Gospell almost twentie yeares and haue bin exercised in the same daily by reading writing so that I may wel seeme to be ryd of this wicked opinion Notwithstanding I yet now and then feele the same old filth to cleaue to my heart whereby it commeth to passe that I would willingly so haue to do with God that I might bring some thing with my selfe because of which he should for my holines sake giue me his grace And I can scarce be brought to commit my selfe with all confidence to meere grace which I should doe for we ought to flie onely to the mercie seate forasmuch as God hath set it before vs for a sanctuarie which must be the refuge of all them that shal be saued Wherefore it is not to be merueled at if it be grieuous vnto others so purely to apprehend and lay holde of faith but especially to such as be yet hindered and entangled of deuelish preachers of whom Paul speaketh which crie out against the doctrine of faith and in these wordes vrge the workes of the Lawe Doe this and thou shalt liue Also if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements c. Which in deede are true and right if thou didst also rightly vnderstand them Declare vnto me the true meaning of these wordes otherwise I know sufficiently already that I ought to be righteous and keepe the commaundements But how must I attaine hereunto or what is it to be righteous If thou saiest that it is to haue a good conscience and a pure heart and to doe all thinges that God hath commaunded Well be it so but heare ye then goe to performe me that or at least shew one that dareth say that he hath perfourmed it For thou shalt not yet so purifie my heart and conscience with thy doctrine that God can not accuse and condemne me But now the Lawe as it hath bin sufficiently declared requireth such a heart as hath a good conscience before God How therefore do we obtaine such a conscience This is the question and the cause whereof the controuersie is Truly it commeth not hereof How we obtaine a good conscience because thou teachest the iudgement seate that is the Lawe but from hence for that we haue a pure and vnfained faith which layeth holde of Christ in whom it most fully obtaineth all thinges which the Lawe requireth So at length all thinges are brought to passe in me hauing a good conscience inasmuch as I am now made righteous and iustified before God For although that many things be as yet found wanting in me yet he standeth on my side who hath so much righteousnes as wherewith he is able to supplie both mine and all mens defects Thus we shew the way whereby we are made righteous before God when as they when they teach best of all Teachers vrgers of the Lawe shew onely the waye to attaine to honestie and righteousnes which is of force and value before men contending that it ought to be of force before God also mingling together all thinges in one inasmuch as they haue no certaine knowledge thereof vnderstanding not what
they say or what they affirme For to what ende tendeth this thy immoderate cry He that will enter into life let him keepe the commaundements c. in which wordes thou shalt not shew the way to attaine righteousnes for descend a litle into thy selfe and examine thy selfe diligently then shalt thou fynde thy selfe to haue bin in time past conceiued and borne in synnes and to liue in the same nowe and not to be able to performe that which the lawe requireth Why therefore doest thou seduce other with vaine wordes saying be thou righteous and thou shalt be saued which is to no purpose neither foloweth there any frute thereof the waye being not shewed by which we attaine to iustification I heare the wordes well what things the lawe requireth but how shall we attaine vnto abilitie to fulfill them Then speakest thou to me againe and saiest thou must doe good workes But how shall I stand before the iudgement of God if I haue long and much wrought good workes and am righteous before men as thou teachest me howe shall I be certaine that I seeme such a one to God also For here my hearte and conscience be ready to witnes the contrarie against me True doctrin concerning Christian righteousnes Howbeit I should haue bin thus taught of thee as Paul commonly teacheth that righteousnes must proceede from faith vnfayned and before all thinges the mercy seate must be layd hold of from whence all thinges that are wanting in vs are to be taken And so in deede these wordes keepe the commaundements of God are rightly vnderstood For the lawe requireth perfect righteousnes in thee being of force as well before God as before men thou hauing obtained this goe forth into the companie and assembly of men and exercise loue and doe good workes By this order and meanes something is brought to passe and such sayinges of the Scripture are fulfilled For so man doth that which the lawe requireth first before God not by his owne strength or vertues How a Christian is perfectly righteous but by Christ without whom we can doe nothing before God and secondly by his owne endeuour before men And he is now perfectly righteous inwardly by faith in Christ and outwardly also by his workes yet so that there is place amōg men for mutuall pardoning of offences Therefore the righteousnes of Christians doth much more consist in forgiueing then in their owne workes Those vaine praters doe peruert the order of this doctrine and without preaching of forgiuenes doe teache that workes onely are to be vrged Loe thus Sainct Paul reprehendeth the errour and ignoraunce of them which speake much of the lawe and repete it in daily sermons Vaine teachers and yet they themselues doe not vnderstand or shew the waye how the lawe must be fulfilled knowing nothing so wel as to babble forth and often to repete these wordes that the lawe the commaundements are to be kept if thou wilt be saued good workes must be done c. As they do at this daye fill all bookes with such confusion of wordes and in all their sermons vtter nothing els then such vaine babbling which they themselues vnderstand not But they neuer saye worde of those thinges whereof Paul here speaketh namely of the summe of Christian doctrine how loue must flowe out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfayned they say no more but keepe the commaundements They leueling at the true marke do neuer hit it therefore they corrupt and fulsifie all thinges loue the heart the conscience c. For the head of the fountaine is wanting that is syncere fayth which if it be not right and sound all thinges must needes be corrupt which shall flow and proceede from it And what soeuer they teach it is a conceit of their owne imagination and like to delusions not vnlike also to those thinges that are seene through a lattis or glasse which resemble the colour of the cleere glasse and yet in deede are not of that colour They thinke that God will regard them when they liue so before men as it seemeth good to their obscure opinion But if God were of that opinion he might then haue well kept still Christ and the Gospell For what neede or necessitie should moue him to send Christ from heauen who should purchase that vnto vs with his precious blood which we our selues haue before with vs He surely should be the foolishest of all men which would poure forth a precious treasure which no man needeth Thus thou seest how these men teach their owne dreames whereof they themselues know or haue tried no certainty neither doe any thing els but fill men with errours being not able to declare how that which they teach is to be attained vnto They draw men vnto workes whereby they confirme them in their olde nature and custome out of which they were to be drawen These truly are grieuous and odious men and not vnworthely verie sharpely accused and reprehended of Paul and it appeareth that they were of no small authoritie and estimation seeing that he pronounceth of them that they were called and would be counted doctours of the Lawe and farre greater and worthier then the Apostles themselues Wherefore we must endeuour to lay vp and print this text euen in the bottom of our heart for it is excellently well ordered and is pure and perfect doctrine teaching how we must be righteous before God and men as the Lawe requireth that these three maye be as it were conioine in vs namely a pure heart a good conscience and fayth vnfayned and that our life may flow out of all these and be occupied and led in them then haue we attained and fulfilled the meaning of the Lawe Howbeit we must most diligently take heede and endeuour to draw Christ vnto the Lawe who is the ende and fullfilling of the Lawe and our righteousnes and fulnes before God which we fynde not in our selues and without fayth shall neuer fynde albeit the Lawe be taught and often repeted without vnderstanding and knowledge And these thinges maye suffize to haue bin spoken at this present for the exposition of this place ⸪⸪⸪ ⸪ A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE QVESTION OF THE PHARISEES AND aunswere of Christ concerning giuing tribute to Cesar Matth. 22. Verse 15. THen went the Pharisees tooke counsell howe they might tangle him in talke 16. And they sent vnto him their disciples with the Herodians saying Maister we know that thou art true and teachest the waye of God truly neither carest for any man for thou considerest not the persone of men 17. Tell vs therefore how thinkest thou Is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Cesar or not 18. But Iesus perceyued their wickednes and said Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites 19. Shew me the tribute mony And they brought him a penie 20. And he said vnto them Whose is this image and superscription 21. They said vnto him Cesars Then
then these two thinges Christ and my workes must be rightly discerned and seuered one from the other For this is plaine euen to him that is blinde that Christ and his workes are not my life and my workes but are separated from the Law and from the workes of all men yea and that by a greater distaunce then man is vnlike or differeth from man For neither can I say that I and Cesar or the Bishop of Rome are the same thing yet I am much neerer and liker vnto either of them then a mortall man and a sinner is vnto Christ the Lord whoe is not onely a pure and holy man free from all spot and blot but is moreouer God also Therefore let the Lawe and the purenes of thy heart yea and thy good conscience auaile in earth onely toward men But where the mercy seat is to wit at the right hand of the father and the Mediatour betweene thee God thither no mans workes merits ought to haue accesse much lesse be they there of any force or value Wherefore Christ is purely to be separated from all my life deedes and workes and we must without exception conclude that he is an other thing then our life led before men with a pure heart and a good conscience albeit it be led euen perfectly and without blame For it being presented before God and by the lawe brought to the iudgement seat I am condemned and lost But Christ is the mercy seat and all that cleaue vnto him by faith can not be condemned and iudged So the iudgement seat togither with the lawe and all my life goe into one part but my faith must flie and lep farre vnto an other part and ioyne it selfe vnto him which is pure and hath no synne of whom the Scripture speaketh he that beleeueth in him shal not be confounded Because he is present in the sight of the father and maketh intercession for me Moreouer he giueth me his owne purenes and holines that being clothed and adorned therewith I may be able to stand before God and all wrath and displeasure may be taken away in steede whereof I may enioy meere loue and fauour Loe thus faith remaineth pure and free from counterfecting for it resteth not vpon my workes that because of them it should behoue God to be gentle and fauourable vnto me as a false and fained faith doth which mingleth togither mans merits and the grace of God and although it hold the words of Christ yet hath it the confidence and trust of the heart reposed in it selfe so A fained faith is no sure foundation but faileth theÌ„ that trust vnto it that it is certaine that it is onely a colour which can not long continue For the matter commeth at the last to this point that beleeuing that God is fauourable vnto thee because of thy life led without fault or blame thou must despeire and say who knoweth what I haue done whereby am I certaine that I haue neglected nothing through careleâ—nes or that nothing is wanting in me In this doutfulnes of minde the foundation faileth slideing away vnder thee like vnto sand moued or stirred and so faith is of no force or value at all Wherefore it is not vnfitly called fained and painted faith through which one seeth as it were through a lattis or painted glasse through which the thinge that is seene representeth the colour of the glasse and yet is not in deede of that colour So they also beleeue that that affection is in God that he vouchsaueth to regard our workes and merits Which they paint forth according to their owne opinion and dreames which are vtterly false rash and vnaduised And so iudgeing God all things according to them they see only as it were through a lattis or painted glasse But so onely thou shalt behold him with pure and cleere eyes if thou do wel separate the iudgement seat and the mercy seat one from the other that heauen with the starres thereof may remaine pure to grace remission of synnes obtained by the Mediatour where Christ reigneth with his workes and the earth also with her trees and herbes whither we must be referred with our workes The matter I say must be brought of vs to that passe if we will stand with a right and an vnfained faith before God that we do purely distinguish and seuer our selues our life and Christ or the mercy seat and he that will not do this but presenteth himselfe before the iudgement seat with a bold courage shall feele the reward of his rashnes I my selfe haue bin in that daunger and as it were a mouse hauing tasted pitch haue runne away reioysing greatly that libertie was giuen me to attaine to the mercy seat and now I am enforced to say that albeit I haue liued very well before men yet all things coÌ„mitted of me contrariwise do remaine beneath vnder the iudgement seat to be punished according to the sentence and iudgement of God Only Christ is our coÌ„fort and meanes whereby we attaine saluation Now I haue no other comfort nor no other helpe and counsell of my saluation then that Christ is my mercy seat who hath neuer offended hath defiled himselfe with no synne who died and rose againe for me and sitteth now at the right hand of the father defendeth me vnder his shadow and protection that I neede not doute that I am by his benefite and intercession safe before God from all wrath and terrour of iudgement Thus faith remaineth in all thinges pure setting no other thing before it selfe whereunto it may boldly trust but Christ alone Now he that knew this well should be a man of a resolute minde For all other haue to do with a fained faith boasting many thinges of faith but mingling all thinges together like as vintners mixe wine with water by this that they say if thou liue thus God wil be fauourable vnto thee and they make the iudgement seat of the mercy seat and the mercy seat of the iudgement seat which by no meanes can be for the iudgement seat shall remaine c. Wherefore separate these two one from the other as farre as thou shalt be able that they come not togither namely thy life and holines togither with the iudgement seat into one place which may driue enforce thee to haue a good conscience and to lead an vpright life before men But offer thy synnes to the mercy seate to be transferred into an other place where God louingly receiuing thee will embrace thee as a beloued sonne and will neuer remember more any wrath or synnes If such doctrine of faith were set forth vnto men then should it be excellently well done and all other thinges should follow of their owne accord as purenes of heart and goodnes of conscience through right and perfect loue For who soeuer is by faith quiet in his heart and assured that he hath God fauourable vnto him who is not angry with
in daunger by too much honger and watching or the true puritie of life by ouermuch abstinence from matrimoniall companie but we must vse these thinges with knowledge that is with conuenient wisedome and discretion that they may not any whit hurt but alwayes edifie Whereupon Paule 1. Cor. 7. expressely admonisheth maried folkes that they abstaine not ouermuch from mutuall companie lest that they be tempted of Satan In all these therefore in fastings watchings labours chastitie c the Apostle would prescribe and appoint no rule lawe or measure which the councels of the Pope and Monkes do but the meane or measure to be obserued in them he left free to euerie mans knowledge and discretion that euerie one may consider with himselfe how much or long he must labour fast watch or abstaine to this ende that the flesh may be camed and made obedient to the spirit In long suffering in kindnes in the holy Spirit What the two former are the Apostle hath at large sufficiently declared Rom. 2. Gal. 5. But whereas he saith In the holy Spirit it may be vnderstood after two sorts either that he speaketh of the holy Ghost God himselfe or that he meaneth by the holy spirit the true force and maner of a spirituall life as though he would admonish in this maner Beware of an hypocriticall spirit which wil be counted for a holy spirit through a meruelous shew and craftie counterfaiting of spirituall thinges when it is in deede an vncleane prophane and an euell spirit and bringeth in nothing but sects and heresies A true spirituall life But liue ye in the true holy spirit which is giuen of God which giueth and maintaineth vnitie one mynde heart and affection whereof he speaketh also Eph. 4 Endeuour to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace They therefore which perseuer in the same true faith mynde and sentence behaue themselues as the ministers of God in the holy spirit being truly spirituall and liuing a spirituall life For a syncere spirituall life which is led by the assistaunce of the holy spirit of God is also led in the vnitie of myndes the hearts by faith being affected after the same sort In loue vnfained in the word of truth As he set the holy spirit against heretikes and false Prophets so he setteth vnfained loue against slouthfull and sluggish Christians who albeit they haue the same meaning and mynde in the true spirituall life as concerning opinions of doctrine yet are they remisse colde and faint in loue So he setteth the word of truth against them which abuse the word of God and interpret it according to their owne affectiōs that thereby they may get them a name and profit For as false spirits do contemne the word of the Scripture and preferre themselues before it so these do in deede boast of the word and wil be counted maisters of the Scripture but by their interpretations do peruert the sense and meaning thereof Against these Peter speaketh If any man speake let him speake as the wordes of God that is let him take heede that he be certaine that those wordes which he speaketh be the wordes of God and not his owne vaine imagination Now Paule calleth that here the word of truth which that is syncere word of God The word of truth not which is vnsyncere fained which forasmuch as it is ours is falsly called the word of God For that which we call the true right word the Hebrewes call the word of truth In the power of God In spirituall functions matters of saluation we must do nothing but that which we are certain that God worketh by vs. Of this power Peter also speaketh 1. Pet. 1. If any man minister let him do it as of the abilitie which God ministreth And Paule Coloss 1 Whereunto I also labour and striue according to his working which worketh in me mightely Againe Rom. 15 I dare not speake of anything which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient c. Christians must be certaine that they are the kingdome of God and do nothing at all especially in spirituall functions and those thinges that pertaine to the saluation of soules whereof they are not certaine that it is not they which worke but God that worketh by them For in the kingdome of God it is meete that God alone do speake commaund do dispose and worke all thinges This Christ ment wen he said Matth. 5 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen as the author of them which doth them and not you By the armour of righteousnes on the right hand and on the left by honour and dishonour c. This armour he describeth more at large in the Epistle to the Ephesians Thessalonians He rehearseth there the girdle of veritie The spiritual armour of a Christian the brest plate of righteousnes the shoes of preparation to preach the Gospell the shield of faith the helmet of saluation c. This armour of righteousnes he calleth in his Epistle to the Ephesians the armour of God both are to this ende that he may turne Christians from corporall and prophane armour and admonish them that they are a spirituall people and therefore must be furnished with spirituall armour wherewith they must alwayes fight a spirituall fight with spirituall enemies which here he rehearseth and sheweth that they do assaile vs both on the right hand and on the left The enemies of Christians which assaile them on the left hand On the left hand he setteth dishonour euell report and that we are counted as deceiuers vnknowen dying chastened sorrowing poore hauing nothing For all these thinges come vnto Christians they are openly defamed being reproched to their face and by infamie falsly accused and railed on counted as deceiuers and followers of most wicked trades They are as vnknowne although noble all refusing to be friends with them because of the perilous confession of the name of Christ yea it manie times commeth to passe that they that were their most familiar friends are ashamed of them for that they haue so euell a report and are verie ill spoken of among the chiefe richest wisest and mightiest of the world They are dying that is as sheepe appointed to the slaughter they looke for death euery moment by reason of the great hatred and enuie which the euell beare toward them being alwayes persecuted of the chiefe of the world They are chastened for it often times falleth out that they are striken and beaten and do by other discommodities trie how they are enuied of the world and how great indignation the mightie of the world beare against them They are as sorrowing for all outward thinges are against them and the whole world giueth many causes of griefes vnto them They are as poore for there is no man of the world which will giue them any
thinges surely I ought to glory of if I be a true Christian But this seemeth difficult and hard God admitteth no sinne my fearefull and weake conscience is against me How am I his seruaunt when as notwithstanding I feele in my selfe that I serue the deuill and doe not knowe that I am holy I speake not here of the common sort of Christians such as I and such like are but of sincere Christians which haue a good conscience and in whose hartes the spirit of God abideth whose conscience albeit it be frayle and weake and they feele their sinnes yet they are enforced to say Howsoeuer sinne is yet I know no sinne by my selfe neither am I subiect to death and hell and for this cause they striue and at the last ouercome that therefore they would euen die in that confidence But I finde it farre otherwise if I set my life before my sight Here life and the word must be separated farre asunder If thou wilt consider life I will set also before thee the liues of S. Peter Paule or Iohn thou shalt finde euen them not to haue liued without sinne When thou desirest to be holy before God We must trust not to our life and workes but to the mere mercy and grace of God trust not to thy life vnlesse thou wilt perish for euer For thou must trust to onely mercy and grace and not to life or workes otherwise thy case will be very ill Wherefore our hart must be so affected that it say Lorde if thou shouldest call me to an account I should not be able either by life or workes to stande in thy sight no although I were euen Iohn the Baptist Neuertheles therefore I glory that I am godly thy seruaunt for that thou doest giue vnto me continually and also for that as thou hast promised to Abraham thou doest for thy Christs sake vouchsafe to shew thy mercy vnto me if so be that I of my selfe be not godly and righteous yet he is godly and righteous for me If I be prophane he is holy if I be not the seruaunt of God he is the seruaunt of God if I be not without feare and carefulnes yet he is voyd of all feare and carefulnes that so I may as it were transferre my selfe from my selfe and perse into him glory that in Christ by Christ I am good Thus he will haue vs to glory that we are godly and holy but not by our owne merit for we must glory of our selues as of most desperate wretches And that this may be plaine marke our life consider our good conuersation and maners weye how foolishly men apply them selues to the Gospell that I am almost in dout whether I should preach any more or no. For as soone as these thinges are taught in a sermon that saluation consisteth not in our works or life but in the giftes of God euery one is slow to doe good no man will liue an honest life and be any more obedient they falsly affirme euery where that good workes are inhibited Neuertheles God requireth of vs that we lead an honest life outwardly and he that doth not so shall at length finde his due punishment Nowe if it happen that we liue godlily and honestly outwardly Satan by and by frameth his wickednes Neither doe I know at this day how to order my selfe in this matter not because of my owne person but because of life For if we preach of an honest and godly life the worlde by by furiously attempteth without iudgement * They endeuour by their good works to attayne to saluation We must neither presume of good workes nor neglect to leade a godly life to build ladders to heauen which God neither can neither wil by any meanes suffer Againe a dishonest and ignominious life doth not become Christians neither doth a delicate life become them What therefore must we then doe They which haue respect onely to an honest and fayre life it were better for them to be adulterers and adulteresses and altogether to wallow in the myre And yet notwithstanding God will not haue vs to lead our life filthily and dishonestly For neither can he suffer that adiudging thee euen vnto hell therefore if thou so doe And if thou lead an honest life thou wilt sticke in it and arrogate vnto thy selfe which againe he can not suffer Thou must therefore so prouide that thou remaine in the middle pathe declining neither to the right hand nor to the left and that thou lead a quiet fayre and amiable life in the sight of the world which also may be acceptable before God and yet that thou doe not therefore so greatly esteeme it nor count so of it as though thou doest merit any thing of God thereby Thus a Christian continueth the holy seruaunt of God without feare not by his good workes and holy life but by the grace of Christ Blasphemous to affirme our selues holy by our works But he that affirmeth that he is holy by his workes is blasphemous against God robbeth God of his honour and denieth Christ for whom it were better that he were ten times an homicide or an adulterer then that he should thereby affirme him selfe to be a Christian yea godly and holy for he doth plainly dishonour Christ and it is as much as to affirme that there is no Christ for he is therefore called Christ for that he is our grace mercy redemption and holines If I should not attribute to the diuine mercy that God him selfe doth saue me what should this be else but to say that he is neither holy nor blessed Wherefore if I be a Christian I must confesse that I am holy and a Christian for this cause for that Christ him selfe is holy And albeit my conscience doth reproue me of sinne yet I must still perseuer in this that his holines is greater then my sinnes Thus I must liue honestly outwardly but inwardly rest and trust in him alone It followeth moreouer how Zacharias turneth his speech to the child and sayth Verse 76. And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the most High for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes This shall be thy office Thou shalt be the first and shalt first begin that is thou shalt be the Prophet of the most High But what maner of prophecie shall that be how shall it be done After this sort Iohn the forerunner of Christ Thou shalt be the forerunner of the Lorde shalt prepare his wayes When any Prince commeth certaine goe before him to prepare way and place for him and say Giue place depart out of the way Iohn doing the like runneth before and crieth vnto the people Goe aside turne out of the waye giue place the Lorde him selfe commeth Such a seruaunt is Iohn whom the Lord by and by followeth Such thinges no Prophet at any time hath spokē but they haue prophesied of these things that a Prophet
be borne or had but that onely shepeheard Christ who neither vrgeth it with the lawe nor is eger vpon it but most sweetely and gently handleth it and layeth the miserable and sinfull sheepe vpon his shoulders doing that of his owne accord which was to be done of the sheepe as we shall heare by and by more at large But surely in this place the doctrine of both as is before also sayde at large or the voice of Moses and of Christ must be well discerned The differēce betwene the doctrine of Moses and of Christ must be throughly knowne of Christians For Moses ought to haue no entraunce to the lost sheepe no nor by any meanes is to be admitted to it although he preach best of all other For if confounding these we will comfort and erect the troubled conscience by the lawe after this sort be of a good cheere for thou hast not committed homicide neither hast thou defiled thy selfe with adulterie neither hast thou perpetrated any other haynous offence or done it with a good will c. This also is a comfort but which can endure a verie small time neither can it sustaine the assaults and violence of the enemie neither bringeth it or containeth any thing els but confidence of it selfe wherewith the miserable sheepe is holpen nothing For it remayneth as much wandring and lost as before neither can it helpe it selfe or come to his owne shepeheard But if we will helpe succour it we must shew vnto it the true shepeheard who commeth to seeke it that hauing found it he may bring it home againe and exhibit his voice vnto it to be heard Hereby it may obtaine true and effectuall consolation and be bold to aunswere Moses and say Now truely I haue not any care either of thy comfort or terrour and if it please thee amplifie my synnes as much as possibly thou canst make me a man-slayer and parricide or the worst man of all men For now I will neither heare thee with an astonied minde nor follow thee But this is the summe of my comfort and saluation whereunto also I do confidently trust that I haue such a shepeheard as seeketh me of his owne accord and hauing layd me on his shoulders carieth me Let vs enter disputation hereof if thou art so disposed not how righteous or vnrighteous I am but how I haue come vnto Christ Wherefore we must alwayes preach according to the capacitie and qualitie of the hearers For I haue sayd that this doctrine is not fit for a blockish and vntractable man As it is not meete that a laborious thresher should be fed with delicates wherewith the sicke are to be strengthened and refreshed but the hyreling is to be fed with broune bread and chese with water The other dainty meates and easy of digestion thou must reserue for the sicke or children which are able to digest no grosse meat Vnto whom Moses lawe must be preached So in this thing also thou must obserue the same differēce that thou do rightly distribute these things and giue vnto euerie one his portiō as a prudēt householder For thou must keepe the doctrine of Moses and of the Lawe vntill thou light vpon vnruly hardened and vntractable men which lead their life securely and without feare set before these onely strong and common meates of threshers to be eaten that is offer angrie Moses vnto them to be heard who lighteneth and thundreth from the mount Sina who terrifieth the people of Israel bringeth them into the desert and drowneth king Pharao in the red sea How weake and afflicted consciences must be preached vnto But when thou shalt light vpon troubled hearts and weake and afflicted consciences which are now become lost sheepe then speake not a word concerning Moses and all the workes of God done in the lawe but let thy talke be only of the workes done by Christ in the time of grace well and diligently repeate to the miserable conscience how he sheweth himselfe toward the lost shepe to wit that he is the gētle good shepeheard which is exceeding careful for the lost shepe so that leauing all the rest he traueleth to fynde that one and to bring it againe into the way neither doth he leaue of till he hath brought it home For it is a verie great griefe vnto him that any man should be in synne and therefore be troubled and feare neither would he that any should remaine therein and so perish Wherefore he doth most louingly allure prouoke thee by his sweete Gospell to come vnto him suffer thy selfe to be layd vpō his shoulders and caried and to be called his welbeloued sheepe As for them that liue securely and pleasauntly haue no regard whether God be angrie or pleased they are not to be called lost sheepe The lost sheepe but rather wilde goats which suffer not themselues either to be fed or ruled But he to whom his synnes are a burden who fighteth in the fight of faith where he is not in daūger to lose Moses but Christ himselfe and the principall article that is where the conscience is in anguish and feare whether it hath God gentle and fauourable this is that verie man who with groning and sighes seeketh out and crieth for his shepeheard desireth to be holpē as Dauid doth Psal 119. I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost oh seeke thy seruaunt c. In the mouth of these this suger these pleasaunt delicates haue a good tast with which the heart is refreshed that it fall not into desperation but being againe recreated with such a consolation is lifted vp not by Moses but by Christ Not that it hath Moses a freind or is able to pacifie him but because it hath God fauourable through Christ wheresoeuer Moses remayneth with his comfort Although it be very well as also it is meete that we do not cōtrary to the lawe practize theuerie that we steale not that we commit not homicide or otherwise do iniurie and hurt to our neighbour Howbeit that is not the right comfort of the heart No true comfort of conscience to be had by the lawe but onely a momentane tickling of the vtmost skinne not during pearsing For the deuell comming setting vpon the heart all comfort is vtterly taken away And although in some point thou hast done well and rightly he neuertheles againe bringeth ten fold more wherein thou hast done amisse yea euen in the most pure workes he can finde much impuritie and turne all into sinne Wherefore we must in no wise trust vnto such comfort We must not trust to the comfort of the law but must resort and cleaue fast vnto Christ but must rather refuse it and say whether I be good or euell at this present I do not dispute but wil reserue it rather vnto that place where it shal be taught and entreated concerning workes But in this circle wherein I
now stand there is no place to entreat of workes and integrity of life but of Christ and his workes which he dooth toward me a lost sheepe Wherefore if thou demaund whether I be good or honest I aunswere plainly no but if thou demaund whether Christ be good and righteous that vndoutedly I am able to confirme and him I set for my goodnes and righteousnes vnto whom also alone I couragiously appeale For in his name I am baptized of which thing I haue a seale and testimonie to wit that I am his shepe that he is that good shepeheard seeking his lost shepe dealing with me without all lawe exacting nothing of me neither as Moses vrgeth troubleth and forceth me but sheweth vnto me his meere most sweete grace while he submitteth himselfe to me layeth me on his shoulders and carieth me Why therefore should I feare the thundrings of Moses and of the deuell whē as I rest in his safe custody which hath giuen vnto me his righteousnes and all other things which holdeth and carieth me so that there is now no more daunger lest I perish I remaining a sheepe and denying not my shepeheard but reposing my selfe wholy in him Thus hast thou Christ most louingly set forth vnto thee Now onely faith is required whereof there is great neede A hard thing to feele true comfort of conscience For this doctrine is excellent replenished with most sweete consolation and comfort but this is wanting that the vse thereof is not felt where it ought to be felt For when the shepe goeth astray that is when a man feeleth himselfe grieued with his synnes and can not tell where to abyde and is cast of the deuell into a great feare of minde then he alwayes runneth vnto the contrary neither can he comprehend or conceyue in minde that this is true all things falling out of his minde which he heard here because of the present feeling and feare For the deuell hath daseled his eyes neither can he perceiue any thing els but the wrath and indignation of God Wherewith his heart is so burdened that he is not able to raise vp himselfe in minde and to turne his eyes any other where Nay he lyeth so drowned in it that Christ appeareth no otherwise vnto him but as an angrie iudge as he hath hitherto beene painted out and is so beaten into the hearts of all by the wicked Papists sitting on the rayne bowe with a sword comming out of his mouth For this is one of the most decietfull crafts of the deuell yea and of his mischiefes which he practizeth against the miserable shepe to dasle his eyes that he may not know any more his owne shepeheard vnder a pretence of Christ to leade a man to Moses disputing as much of Christ as he had accustomed to do before of Moses Wherefore we haue neede of a strong firme faith that we may beleeue these things to be true when a man himselfe must dispute euen against himselfe For the sense is vehemēt of it selfe whereunto the deuil also commeth maruelously amplifying synne terrour the greatnes and anguish whereof is able to consume euen the marrow in the bones yea and the heart in the body It can not therefore be perfectly learned so soone as some thinke In prosperitie it is easilie beleeued that Christ is sweete and amiable but anguish and terrour comming vpon ouer whelming the minde man is blinde and without good vnderstanding and will iudge only according to the sense and vnderstanding of his owne heart which he followeth and confirmeth himselfe in his owne errour For he is taken therein and can thinke no otherwise but that it is true and neuertheles it is not true Now it were a point of this art for a man thus to say vnto his heart How a Christian must speake vnto his owne heart if thou confes thy selfe to be a lost sheepe thou sayest right but that thou wilt therefore runne from Christ and so thinke of him in thy minde as though he were a man which would chase and terrifie thee it is a suggestion and tentation of the deuel For if thou didst rightly consider him and confes him as thy true shepeheard then wouldest thou not flie from his sight neither wouldest conceiue terrour in thy minde but with all cheerefulnes and boldnes wouldest runne vnto him For surely he is not therefore ready at hand that he may condemne thee but he commeth to thee seeking thee that hauing layde thee on his shoulders he may carie thee and exempt deliuer thee from sinnes errours the deuill and his power yea and from all perill Thou perceiuest therefore that thou art a sinner and hast deserued indignatiō so much more earnestly is that shepeheard to be sought and called for of thee that he may deliuer thee from it of whom consider no otherwise in thy minde then the shepe doth of his owne shepeheard whome it can not feare but seing and hearing him becommeth glad and cheereful although it hath runne from him so that for this deede it hath a sufficient cause to feare The whole matter therefore consisteth onely in this that thou do perfectly learne Christ aright We must cōsider Christ according to the word of God cōsider him according to the word of God and not according to the proper cogitatiōs of thy minde and thine owne senses For the cogitations of men are false and lying but his wordes are true and can not deceiue Wherefore the worde alone is to be engrauen in our heart and we must cleaue vnto it with a constant mynde whereby we may reproue our owne heart of lying For it alone must be true and all things els that are contrarie to it false and vaine But truly this is an arte whereof I am ignoraunt but much more those other light spirites who boaste many thinges of it as they that know all things when as they haue euen once heard any thing thereof and neuertheles they do not a litle perceiue or trie so much as any whit of it For it is an easie thing to speake and preach of it but how hard a thing it is to proue it in deede they onely haue experience who earnestly make triall thereof This is a most amiable demonstration of our Christ described by himselfe in this Gospell wherein he hath most aboundantly poured forth the flames of his most feruent heart and affection toward vs shewing that he hath exceeding great care and regard to recouer his shepe which alone leauing ninety and nine he seeketh and enquireth diligently for not to terrifie it and beate it but that he may helpe it and hauing found it may bring it home and with his louing and sweete voice and speaking vnto it may chere it being miserable and afflicted in conscience By all which thou seest how acceptable a thing thou shalt do vnto him if thou truste and cleaue vnto him with thy whole heart and promise to
quietnes comfort and peace of the hart or attaine vnto the kingdom of God by any law And they which prescribe many lawes doe withdraw men from the kingdom of God to the kingdom of sinne wherein is nothing els but vnquietnes anguish affliction aduersitie and all kind of euills tormenting the conscience Like as on the contrary in the kingdom and knowledge of God there is meere ioy peace and consolation of harts How Christ reigneth in the kingdō of God Secondly In this kingdom of God the Lord Christ reigneth no otherwise then as a Maister of an Hospitall among the sicke poore and diseased For vnto this kingdome none pertaine but sinnefull and miserable men vnto whome their sinnes are forgiuen Hereupon Christ sayth in the Gospell Luke 6 VVo be to you that are riche which haue receiued your consolation But contrariwise the poore miserable and succourles receiue comfort and ioy by the Gospel for Christ came to call sinners onely and not the righteous that all glory may be referred to God alone Christ putteth away sinne after two sortes for that he forgiueth sinnes of his grace and meere mercy Such abolishing or putting away of sinne wherein Christ reigneth as King of the kingdome of God is done of him after two sortes first thus in that he remitteth pardoneth and couereth sinnes so that God will not regard remember or reuenge them although they be in a man As it is in the 32 Psalme Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord wil not impute sinne in whose spirit there is no guile And in Esay cap. 43 God sayth I am euen I am he that for myne owne selfs sake do away thine offences and forget thy sinnes so that I vvill neuer thinke vpon them Secondely thus in that he purgeth or rather scoureth sinnes by diuers crosses and afflictions For they are two things to remit sinnes and to weaken the body of sinne that it may not reigne in vs. If a man beleeue and is baptized then all his sinnes are forgiuen him But afterwarde sinne must be scoured or abated by manifold affliction and mortification as long as he shall liue Sinne sticketh in vs as long as the mortal body remaineth but for Christes sake it is not imputed in the wrath of God but freely remitted True Christians reioyce in affliction and the force thereof diminished by his fatherly chastisement In such chastisement for their amendement true Christians haue had great comfort peace and ioye as Paule sayth Rom. 5 Then being iustified by faith vve haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ by vvhō also through faith vve haue had this accesse into this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Neither that onely but also vve reioyce in tribulations knovving that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience experience hope And hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our harts by the holy Ghost vvhich is giuen vnto vs. So thou hast two thinges to be considered The first that in this kingdom of God we are iustified The seconde that by tribulation and affliction we are glorified without which we can not attaine vnto glory Thirdly good Christians are not knowen by this when any suffer manifold tribulation chastisement that the body of sinne may be weakened and they brought to amendement For herein they doe altogither differ amonge them selues one suffereth this an other that one is chastised thus an other otherwise so that euen they very Apostles did not loue and suffer alike But they are knowen in forgiuenes of sinnes or iustification by faith wherein God turneth his anger from them receiueth them vnto grace and counteth them for his deare children and imputeth no sinne to them vnto condemnation Herein are all alike euen as all liue vnder one heauen Wherefore they doe most grossely erre stumble which measure Christians by maners workes and the outwarde maner of liuing euen as the Pharisees were wont to doe and did therefore finde fault with Christ for that he did not obserue their ceremonies but was a frend of Publicanes and sinners As that Pharise sayd within him selfe Luke 7 If this man were a Prophet he would surely haue knowne who and vvhat maner of vvoman this is vvhich toucheth him for she is a sinner A similitude Heare nowe an example of those thinges which are before sayd A Phisitian which goeth about to cure the sicke doth first promise him health by the assistance and helpe of God whereby he putteth him in great hope and comfort Afterward he beginneth to purge to clense and strengthen and such like thinges which make to the recouering of health So God also when he hath remitted sinnes and receiued man into the bosom of grace doth lay on him all kind of afflictions and doth scoure him and renue him from day to day in the knowledge and loue of God vntil he become safe pure and renued which then at the last commeth to passe when this mortall body dyeth Fourthly in these two partitions of the kingdom of God two sortes of men are founde Two sortes of men abuse the kingdom of grace which abuse the same kingdome of the grace of God and the Gospell Some become sluggish and slothfull saying Well if sinnes be pardoned freely of meere grace and be washed away in baptisme there is no neede that I should adde any thinge of mine owne Other thinke contrariwise that they shal put away their sinnes by works and so trusting to their owne merits they are proud and arrogant and in respect of them selues contemne other which doe not so The first of these contemne Gods grace the other oppugne it as not sufficient and so they represent swine and dogges Now all this appeareth by the Gospell by which Christ reigneth in the kingdom of God For some abuse it vnto carnall libertie other contrariwise are perswaded that it is not sufficient to saluation but that their workes also doe helpe somewhat and by this they deny and contemne the grace of God Hereof thou mayst read more in the Epistle to the Romanes wherein these two sortes of men are plainly set forth Fiftly this kingdom of God or remission of sinnes hath no bounde or measure Matth. 18.21.22 as that place of the Gospell doth very well shew where Peter asketh the Lord Lord how oft shal my brother sinne against me and I shall forgiue him vnto seuen times Iesus sayd vnto him I say not to thee vnto seuen times but vnto seuenty times seuen times that is as often as shall be needefull After this followeth a parable We must forgiue our neighbour if we will haue God to forgiue vs. which the Lorde there putteth forth wherein he most seuerely admonisheth vs if we will not fal out of the fauour of God that we forgiue our neighbour his offences without all
finde fault with nothinge faith must moreouer come and such a faith which is not fayned and defiled with confidence of a mans owne holines For wheresoeuer this is not there the hart is neuer purified before God neither shall the conscience be able to stande if they be examined by seuere iudgement and exact censure Men in deede shall not iustly blame me albeit I glory that I haue serued them by preaching helping gouerning and by doing the dutie of an ouerseer or ruler c with all faithfulnes And if I haue done any thing more or lesse then I ought I am sorie at my hart for I would very willingly haue done all thinges that I ought Wherefore I am quiet already excused neither haue they any more which they may rightly require of me but are enforced to acquite and discharge me But here I must attayne vnto this also that my hart be so pure and my conscience so good before God that he may not by any meanes accuse and condemne me Howbeit we finde not this in ourselues We can not of our selues attaine to a pure hart a good conscience before God although we may glorie somewhat thereof before the world I must therefore obtayne some other thing whereunto I may trust if I shall come into perill and within the throwing of the dart as it is commonly sayd and I must say to my feareful and terrified conscience I haue done that which I haue bene able and who knoweth how often I haue done lesse then I ought for I coulde not see and marke all thinges as Dauid also sayth Psal 19 VVho can vnderstand his faltes Therefore I can lay no foundation of trust vpon my owne holines and purenes Wel I haue the word so liue loue and haue a good conscience which is pure and holy But this I want that I can not conclude that that is in my hart neither doe I finde so good a conscience in me as the lawe requireth of me For there is no man liuing in the earth which can say this truely I knowe that I haue done all thinges and that I doe owe nothinge before God But the most holy ones must say thus I haue done surely according to my abilitie that which I haue bene able but I haue offended muche oftner then I knowe Wherefore our owne conscience doth witnes against vs accusing and conuincing vs although before the worlde we are most free from reprehension or blame For it must followe the worde which sayth this thou shouldest haue done this thou shouldest haue left vndone It can not auoyde the iudgement of this nor aunswere to the accusation thereof but is at the least wise enforced to stande in an vncertaintie being wholy wrapped in douting But if it dout then is it by and by conuinced for it standeth not before God but flieth and trembleth By what meanes we attaine to such purenes and a good conscience as can stand before God Wherefore the principal part of our doctrine must here helpe vs to wit that our Lord Iesus Christ being sent of the father did come into the world and hath suffered and died for vs. Whereby he hath reconciled the good will and fauour of the father to vs his wrath being appeased and doth nowe sitte at the right hande of the father hauing regarde of vs as our Sauiour and as a continuall Mediatour and Intercessour for vs making intercession for vs as for them which can not haue and obtayne of them selues such purenes and a good conscience Therefore by his helpe and benefite we may saye before God although I am not pure neyther haue a good conscience yet I cleaue to him by faith which hath perfect purenes and a good conscience which he gageth for me or rather which he giueth vnto me For he alone is he of whome we reade written as Peter and Esaie chapt 53 saye vvho did no sinne neyther vvas there guile founde in his mouthe And this prayse belongeth onely vnto him neyther hath he any neede to praye forgiue vs our dettes neither of that article of the Creede I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes c but he is free and quiet in perpetuall pure and perfect righteousnes and purenes vnto whose charge none can lay any thing nor accuse his conscience of any crime not man not the deuell no not God himselfe for he himselfe is God who himselfe can not accuse himselfe And this is called faith neither coloured nor fained which the conscience striuing and trembling dareth come forth in the sight of God and say Almightie God I am innocent before the world and quiet in minde so that noe man can lay any thing to my charge or fynde fault with me For albeit I haue not done all things yet I aske pardoÌ„ of euerie one that he will forgiue me for God his sake eueÌ„ as I againe forgiue all By this meanes I haue cut of the complaints of all who haue no more which they may rightly lay against me But before thee I must lay aside this trust and confidence and must wholy acknowledge the guiltines of innumerable synnes and say as Dauid sayd Psal 143 Lord enter not into iudgemeÌ„t with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Wherefore I can not contend with thee if thou requirest an account of my life We must appeale froÌ„ the iudgement seat to the mercy seat But I appeale from the iudgemeÌ„t seat to the mercy seat I do easily suffer that I be dealt with according to law right before the iudgemeÌ„t seat of the world and I will willingly aunswere and will do what I am able Howbeit before thee I will not come into iudgement but I desire grace which I take holde of on euerie side The iudgement seat For thus the Scripture teacheth me that God hath set two seates before men the one a iudgement seat for them which are yet secure and vntractable acknowledge not their sinnes neither wil confesse and acknowledge them the other a mercy seate The mercy seat for miserable fearfull consciences which feele their sinnes dread the iudgement of God and do earnestly make request for grace And this mercy seat is Christ himselfe as Paul witnesseth Rom. 3. whom God hath set forth vnto vs that we might haue refuge vnto him being not able to stand before God by our owne power Vnto him I wil applie my selfe if I haue done or do lesse theÌ„ is meete and how great purenes and goodnes soeuer my heart and conscience haue before men I will haue it here to be altogither nothing and hidden and couered as it were with a â—ant yea with a fayre heauen which may mightely defend it which is called grace and remissioÌ„ of synnes Vnder the defence thereof my heart and conscience must creepe and remayne safe and quiet For so he commaunded his Apostles to preach publish that through his name all that beleeue in him shal receiue remisson of
synnes Againe He that shall beleeue and be baptized shal be saued And Ioh. 3. he saith God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that who soeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Therefore God hath set forth the mercy seat vnto vs whereunto he leadeth vs from the iudgement seat Let vs leaue other before the iudgemeÌ„t seat namely those proud holy ones contemners and persecuters of the word of God where they shall heare sentence according to their deedes We will suffer these to abyde in their circle vntill they haue humbled themselues but we will not abyde in this circle but will depart from it as farre as we shal be able into the circle of the mercy feat vnto which we do appeale Neither haue we inuented this of our owne braine but it is the word of God himselfe which threatneth horrible iudgement to them which come with their owne holines and trusting thereunto do hope that they shal be able to stand before God the iudge neglecting the mercy seat of Christ For the sentence standeth that they shal be set before the iudgement seat as Christ sayth Ioh. 3 He that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he hath not beleeued in the name of that onely begotten Sonne of God He that beleeueth in him is not condemned that is shall not come to the iudgement seat but to the mercy seat where there is no wrath or rigour but grace forgiuenes of synnes all thinges being remitted which be not pure yea being blotted out and so consumed as a droppe of water is consumed of the heat of the sunne For where the mercy seat reigneth there is nothing els but meere forgeuenes and remission of synnes This therefore being knowne we must exactly vnderstaÌ„d the difference betweene the Lawe and the Gospel whereof we often teach The office of the Lawe The lawe draweth vs to the iudgement seat requiring of vs integritie of life loue out of a pure heart a good conscience it maketh vs also to exercise our selues therein and must goe no further But when it shall come and accuse thee and will reason with thee and haue those things to be performed which it requireth then shalt thou be greatly troubled For albeit thou hast done them yet art thou not able to staÌ„d before God before whose iudgement seat many thinges are yet found wanting in thee which should haue bin done of thee and thou hast left them vndone neither are they knowne vnto thy selfe The Law wil driue vs vnto desperation vnlâ—â—s we can appeale froÌ„ the iudgement seate to the mercy seate Whither then wilt thou turne thee Here the Lawe vrgeth thee by all meanes and thine owne conscience being witnes accuseth thee requiring the sentence of the iudge against thee Then must thou despeire there is no counsell or helpe to be had except thou knowest to flie from the iudgemeÌ„t seat to the mercy seat as for example Admit some Bishop die in his owne holines who while he liued was as it seemed of a good life and acknowledged Christ no otherwise then a cruell iudge as it hath bin hitherto preached of him neither hath he bin otherwise set forth as he is also wont to be vnto such not of his owne nature for in deede he is most gracious and comfortable but because they esteeme him for no other in their heart behold this man is a hinderaunce vnto himselfe that he can not obtaine any grace For he knoweth no difference of the iudgement seat and the mercy seat yea he is altogether ignoraunt whether there be a mercy seat from which he so erreth and must be bound to the iudgement seate But we teach thus How Christ must be learned and considered of that Christ is so to be learned and considered that we be most certainly perswaded that he sitteth before miserable and trembling consciences that beleeue in him not as an angrie iudge which commaundeth forthwith to carie violently them that be giltie vnto punishment but as a gentle louing and comfortable Mediatour betweene my fearefull conscience and God which sayth vnto me If thou be a sinner and astonied and the deuell laboureth to drawe thee to the iudgement seat then see that thou flie vnto me and feare no wrath or anger Wherefore Euen because I sit here that if thou beleeue in me I may make intercession for thee to my father that no anger and seueritie may hurt thee for all anger and punishment shal be sooner layde vpon me then be borne of thee Howbeit that can not be for he is the onely beloued sonne in whom all grace and fauour dwelleth whom as often as the father doth behold he can not but replenish both heauen and earth with grace and fauour and forget all wrath and displeasure And what soeuer he shall aske of his father that he shall forthwith obtaine with out all repulse or deniall So by faith we are made wholy blessed and safe subiect no more to any damnation yet not for our owne holines and purenes but for Christes sake to whom we cleaue by faith as to our mercy seate being assuredly perswaded that with him there remaineth no anger but meere loue and pardon and forgiuenes of synnes Thus the heart is purified before God and the conscience made good and quiet not in respect had of mine owne purenes of life led before the world but by trust and confidence of that excellent treasure which my heart apprehendeth which is vnto me in steede of a pledge and fulnes when as before God I am not able to paye We must especially take heede that our faith be not false or feyned But herein the whole force of the matter consisteth that we do againe and againe take heede that our faith be not false or as Paul speaketh fained For if this erre and deceiue vs all things deceiue vs. For there haue bin many in all ages as there be also at this day which can speake many thinges of faith and wil be maisters not onely of the law but euen of the Gospell also Who say the same that we do that faith performeth doth all things but that the Law and good workes are also to be ioyned vnto it and that otherwise if these be not added faith auaileth nothing In which words they mixe mingle togither our life workes and Christ But this is not purely and syncerely to haue taught faith but to haue coloured defiled and corrupted faith so that it can no more be called faith but a feined colour counterfecting of faith the trust and confidence of the heart standing not purely toward Christ as the onely mercy seate but being grounded vpon our one holines as being able to stand before the iudgemeÌ„t seat Wherefore doing thus we are most rightly cast of before God and condemned vnto destruction whereof we are most worthie For if faith must be pure and voyd of all counterfecting and faining
how goodly an order doth Paul here instruct a Christian man First he teacheth him to be glad and ioyfull in the Lord by faith secondly to shew himselfe meeke and gentle to all his neighbours And if thou say how can I do that without losse or hinderance he aunswereth The Lord is at hand If thou againe obiect But what if men persecute me and euen bereue me of that I haue He addeth be nothing carefull but let thy petitions be shewed vnto God Where if the flesh againe murmur what if in the meane season I be oppressed and spoiled he concludeth that there shal be nothing lesse the peace of God shall preserue and keepe thee whereof I must now entreat somewhat The peace of God By the peace of God is not meant here that peace whereby God is peaceable and quiet in himselfe but that which he giueth vnto vs and poureth into our heartes euen as also it is called the word of God which he giueth vs that we may preache it and beleeue it So when he giueth this peace vnto vs it is called the peace of God euen because we haue the same with him when in the world notwithstanding we suffer affliction Now this peace passeth all vnderstanding reason and knowledge of man which is not so to be vnderstood as though man can not at all perceiue or know it for if we haue peace with God truly it must be felt in our heart and conscience otherwise our heartes and myndes could not be preserued by it but it is thus to be vnderstood ▪ When tribulation commeth vpon them which know not to flie vnto God with prayer and supplication but trust to their owne wisedome and care whereby they seeke peace but that which reason is able to know which is that whereby tribulation taketh an end and is chaunged with outward tranquillicie this peace doth not passe reason but is agreable vnto it inasmuch as it is sought and found out of it Wherefore they that are voyd of fayth are exceedingly disquieted and troubled vntill according to the reason of the flesh they obtaine this peace by heardly deliuering or ridding themselues of aduersitie not regarding whether they bring that to passe by force or by crafte as he that hath receiued a wound seeketh to haue it healed The peace which the faithfull enioy c. But they that reioyce syncerely in the Lord it is sufficiēt for them that they know that they haue God fauourable vnto them and haue assured peace with him they abyde willingly in tribulation being nothing carefull for that peace of reason by the remouing of outward troubles but they endure them valiantly looking to be strengthned inwardly by faith taking no care whether the aduersities which they suffer shall remaine a short or a long time whether they shal be temporall or cōtinuing neither are disquieted with caring what ende they shall haue They cōmit all things to God seeking not to know when how where or by whom he wil giue them quietnes Wherefore God againe sheweth them this fauour that he maketh the end of their triall to be such and with so great commoditie as no man could either suspect or wish for Loe this is that peace of the crosse the peace of God the peace of conscience true Christian peace which maketh that a man outwardly also as much as is in him liueth quietly and peaceably with all men troubleth no man This peace reason is not able by any meanes to know or comprehend that a man vnder the crosse may haue quietnes of minde and ioy of heart and peace euen in the very inuasion of his enemies this is the gift and worke of God knowen to none but to him that hath it and hath tried it Whereas Paul said Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy peace in beleeuing that which he calleth in these wordes peace in beleeuing he calleth in our present text the peace of God Moreouer Paul signifieth in these wordes that whosoeuer will reioyce in the Lord by faith and be meeke and of a patient minde toward all by loue the Deuell vndoutedly is against him The Deuell laboureth to hinder and stay the godly proceedings of the faithfull and will raise vp some crosse that he may driue him from so Christian a purpose wherefore the Apostle will haue euerie one to be prepared against this assault of Satan and to place his peace there where Satan can not trouble it namely in God and not thinke how he may cast of the crosse but suffer the aduersarie to take on and rage as he list he in the meane season patiently looking for the Lord that he comming may make an ende of aduersitie and trouble for by this meanes his mynde heart and conscience are preserued and kept in peace Neither can patience endure where the heart is not confirmed with this peace for that he only which hath this peace doth throughly perswade himselfe that God is fauourable vnto him carefull for him and maketh no accompt what chaunceth vnto him from creatures Moreouer let no man vnderstand here the heartes and mindes to be the will and knowledge of nature but as Paule himselfe interpreteth the heartes and mindes in Christ Iesu that is such as we haue in Christ of Christ and vnder Christ These are the heartes and mindes which faith and loue cause with which they that be endued do behaue themselues most godly toward God and most louingly and gently toward their neighbour Toward God they so behaue themselues that they beleeue in him and loue him with their whole heart and are also most ready with their whole heart and with all their cogitations to do those thinges which shal be acceptable to God and their neighbours as much as yea more then they are able Such heartes and mindes the Deuell goeth about with the feare of death and other troubles to terrifie and driue from this godlines erecting a false hope there against by the deuises and imaginations of men wherewith the minde is seduced that it may seeke to be comforted and holpen of it selfe or other creatures which if it do surely he hath drawne such a man from the care of God and wrapped him in his owne vaine care Thus hast thou godly reader out of this short text a most plentifull instruction of Christian life how thou must liue toward God and thy neighbour namely that thou must beleeue that God is all thinges vnto thee and thou againe must be all thinges vnto thy neighbours that thou must shewe thy selfe such a one to thy neighbour as God hath shewed himselfe to thee that thou must receiue of God and giue to thy neighbour All which are contained in faith and loue the whole summe of all Christianitie A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THEM THAT BE VNDER THE Law and them that be vnder Grace Gal. 4. Verse 1. THen I saye that the heire as long as he is a childe
be not wanting for before we should want the very Angels should come minister vnto vs foode Whereas therefore men are commonly oppressed with so great miserie onely vnbeliefe is the cause thereof VVe must labour not be carefull but commit the successe vnto God And albeit God be with vs notwithstanding he requireth yet of vs worke or labour and hope if he at any time differre somewhat to helpe vs. He commaundeth Peter here that for the taking of fishes he should cast forth his nettes Lanche out into the deepe sayth he and let dovvne your nets to make a draught as if the Lord said Do thou that which belongeth to a fisher cast thy net into the deepe and commit the successe vnto me leaue the care vnto me God leaueth not the care vnto thee but the worke and labour howbeit we after a cleane contrarie order study to commit the care to our selues and the labour to him Whereby it commeth to passe that euerie one for himselfe applieth his mynde earnestly to gaine and to gather money vnto himselfe that he may not be enforced by any meanes to take paines and labour But if thou wilt liue a Christian life leaue vnto thy God to care howe the fishes shall come into the nets and goe thou and take vpon thee the state wherein thou mayst labour Howbeit for the most part we wish such states of life as in which there is no neede of labour which is altogether a deuelish thing And therefore haue we bin consecrated Monkes and sacrificing Priests that we might liue onely like gentlemen without labour And for the same cause parents haue set their children to schole that at the last they might liue merie dayes and so serue God as they thought Whereby it came to that passe that they did not know what a good life was forasmuch as God especially commendeth that and that in deed is acceptable vnto him which is gotten with the sweat of the browes as he commaunded Adam Gen. 3. In the svveat of thy face shalt thou eate breade And the deeper thou art occupied in this lawe in so much better case thy thinges are wherefore follow thy worke labour and trust in God all carefulnes being cast of Now some murmur and say if faith be preached that we must trust in God and leaue the care vnto him I might long enough say they beleeue or trust before I should haue wherewithall to be fed and susteined if I should not labour Yea it is plaine enough that thou must labour We must still labour and hope though God differreth his help for a time for he will at the last assuredly helpe vs. forasmuch as labour is cōmaunded thee Howbeit suffer God to care for thee beleeue thou and labour then shalt thou assuredly haue those thinges that be necessarie for the sustentation of thy life And this is an other thing that we must hope notwithstanding though God differreth for a time Therefore he suffreth them to labour all the night and to take nothing and sheweth himselfe to be such a one as will suffer them to perish with hunger Which might haue come into the minde of Peter when he had fished so long and taken nothing so that he might haue said now God will suffer my belly to perish with pining and famine Howbeit he doth not so but goeth on still in his labour he plieth his worke hopeth that God at the last will giue him fishes albeit he differreth a time God therefore is present and giueth him so many fishes in one day as he could scarce take in the space of eight daies Wherefore these thinges are to be learned well of thee that thou labour and hope although God differreth his blessing a litle For albeit he differreth a while and suffreth thee to labour sore so that thou now thinke thy labour to be lost yet must thou not therefore despeire but repose thy hope in him trusting assuredly that he will at the last giue thee prosperous successe For he wil certainly come giue more then thou didst neede as he did here vnto S. Peter Wherefore if God delayeth with thee a litle thinke with thy selfe he delayed also with S. Peter yet afterward gaue vnto him aboundantly Commit thy matter therefore to his good will and pleasure and leaue not of thy worke but hope still and then shall not thy hope be frustrate Thus much concerning the former part of the text now let vs here the latter After therefore that they had taken fishes and tasted the frute of faith their faith is increased and augmented We therefore must go so farre that we may commit our bellie to God for he that can not commit so much as his bellie to him will neuer commit his soule vnto him Howbeit that is onely a childish faith Here we learne first to go by benches and settles here we do feede on milke as yet but we must likewise learne by these to commit our soule also to God The Euangelist so meaneth when he sayth Now when Simon Peter saw it he fell downe at Iesus knees saying Lord goe from me for I am a sinnefull man For he was vtterly astonied and all that vvere with him for the draught of fishes vvhich they tooke Let Peter here be a type or figure of them which beleeue eternal good thinges and counte him as one verily looking for seeing the good things to come A sinful conscience is of that nature The nature of a synnefull conscience that it so behaueth it selfe as Peter here did whereas he flieth his Sauiour and thinketh Lord I am more vnworthy then that I should be saued and sit among thy Sainctes and Angels for that good is most exceeding high Here a straight conscience is not able to comprehend such great good thinges but it thus thinketh If I were as Peter Paul I could easily beleeue Which is altogether a foolish and vaine thinge For if thou wouldest place thy selfe according to thine owne holines thou shouldest build vpon the sande Thou must not do so but behaue thy selfe like vnto Peter for in that he esteemed himselfe vile and iudged himselfe vnworthy of so great grace he rightly became worthy And therefore Though we feele the burdē of our sinnes we must not despeire but trust in God that he will remit thē receiue vs vnto grace whereas thou art a synner thou must trust in God and dilate and open wide thy conscience and heart that grace may enter in After thou hast now knowne God thou must reiect none of his giftes that is when as thou seest the great good things thou must not despeire It is good that we know our selues the deeper we know our selues so much the better But that grace is not to be refused because of thy synnes For when thou shalt fynde thy conscience to tremble so that it would driue away synnes then art thou most ready and most fitte to receiue grace then shalt