backe from all worldly superstitions dooyng vs too vnderstand that they bee but pelting trashe yea and very dung before God who abhorreth them Therfore wee must growe in spirit And verily wee see that the shadowes of the Lawe â—â—â—assed immediatly as soone as wee had the accomplishment and substance of the body that is too wit our Lord Iesus Christ. And now that he is come wee must not gaze any longer vppon those figures Sith it is so wee ought much rather too giue oâ—er the things that men bring in How hygh and excellent so euer they be let vs cast them from vs as filthinesse hold our selues coÌ„tent with this that our Lord Iesus Christ wil haue vs to build in him after a spirituall manner And so yee see how his doctrine ought too bee sweete and amiable too vs yea and too rauish vs all wholly in loue with it so as wee may giue vp the world with a free harte and giue our selues too our Lord Iesus Christ. But on the other syde also let vs beware that the iudgment which he threatneth vnto such as cast asyde this stone lyght not vppon our heades according too this saying Behold I lay a precious stone in Sion Seing then that Iesus Christ is giuen vs too bee our foundation wee haue there a precious stone whervppon if wee bee builded wee may bee sure of our saluation And wee neede not bee afrayd that he is not strong ynough too vphold vs so as he will neuer fayle vs But if wee fall to iustling ageinst that stone it is cerâ—ein that wee shall not bee able too stand ageinst it but wee shall sink downe vnderneath it and in the end it shall brooze vs and beate vs all too peeces Therfore let vs take heede that our Lord Iesus Christ turne not intoo a stone too stumple at after the manner of the world which now adayes maliceth him insomuch that euery man settes vp his bristles proudly and rebelliously too come russhing ageinst him but let vs bethink our selues well and be meekely dispozed too yeeld our seruice too him that he may maynteyne vs vntoo the end And although wee see Iesus Christ too bee reiected of the world and it may seeme straunge vntoo vs that men should fyght so ageinst him and that he should bee as a whyte to shoote at yit let vs not ceasse too take him still for a precious stone as Saint Peter counselleth vs in the second Chapter of his first Epistle Yee see then that when wee heare these promises which Saint Paule telleth vs of wee ought on the one syde too bee drawen too our Lord Iesus Christ too giue our selues wholly vntoo him and too forgeâ— all the things that seeme most excellent in the world and on the other syde too beware that our vnthankfulnesse bee not punished for disdeyning too receyue him as a precious stone sith that God telleth vs that all our welfare lyeth in this that is too wit that wee bee his Temple and that he bee called vppon at our handes Therefore let vs profit our selues by so great and inestimable a benefite and let vs still growe and increase therin more and more vntill wee come too the heauenly heritage where wee shall haue full fruiâ—ion of all the good things which he maketh vs â—oo feele as yit but by fayth And now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too voutsafe too wyâ—e out the rememberance of them so as they may not come too account before him and that therwithall he so correct vs as wee may cleaue fully vntoo him and he so beare with our infirmities as wee may not ceasse too resort vntoo him freely at al tymes though wee bee not woorthy of it And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly fafather â–ª c. The .xvi. Sermon which is the first vppon the third Chapter 1. For this cause I Paule beyng the prisoner of Iesus Christ am an Ambassadour for you Gentyâ—es 2. Surely you haue heard the dealing forth of Gods grace which vvas committed too mee on your behalfe 3. How that by Reuelation he hath giuen mee knovvledge of the mistery as I haue written vntoo you briefely heeretofore 4. By the reading vvhereof you may vnderstand the knovvledge vvhich I haue in the mystery of Christ 5. VVhich vvas not knovven too the children of men in times past as it is novv discouered too his holy Apostles and Prophetes by the spirit 6. That is too vvit That the Gentyles are fellovvheires and of one selfsame body and parttakers toogither of his promise in Iesus Christ by the Gospell ALthough euery of vs confesse that the doctrine of the Gospell brings alwayes trubble and persecution bycause the world hateth it and yit for all that that wee ought not too bee dismayed nor shrinke away yit notwithstanding it is so hard too put the thing in vre which wee confesse that there is almost none of vs all which is not vexed and in maner shaken downe when Gods enemyes offer any vnquyetnesse or when wee see the silly faythfull sorâ— cruelly vsed at their handes Neuerthelesse it ought too serue for a strengthening of our fayth when wee see men which are frayle of their owne nature not afrayd too hazard their lyues in bearing record of Gods truthe Seeing then that the power of Gods spirit appeareth most manifestly if we were not to 〈◊〉 blynded with vnthankfulnesse it ought too assure vs so much the more But forasmuch as wee aduauntage our selues very euill by it we haue neede too bee incoraged as S. Paule also dooth in this text When wee see the diuell stirre vp his vnderlinges too execute all tyranny ageinst Gods children let it not shake our fayth And specially if the faythfull indure paciently al that can be for the maynteynance of Gods truth which they knowe and that they doo also hold out too the end Without swaruing that as I sayd ought not too bee lost And for the same cause dooth S. Paule in other places say he suffereth for the welfare of the Church Not that he could purchace them forgiuenesse of sinnes or any grace by his death but bycause the Gospell is Gods myghty power too the welfare of all that beleeue and the further that wee go forward in it the neerer it maketh vs too come vntoo God and vntoo euerlasting lyfe S. Paule then suffred for the example of those whoÌ„ he had taught afore with his owne mouth For therby they knew that his speaking too them had bin in good earnest seeing he spared not his owne blud and his lyfe too seale and confirme the doctrine that he had brought them As much is doone in this text For he sayth he was an Ambassadour for the Gentyles yea euen though he were the prisoner of Iesus Christ. Surely these twoo things seeme too bee as contrarie as fyre and water For could not Iesus Christ honour them better whom he
towardes vs if wee herken too his voyce and rest wholly vppon him not doubting but that he will preserue vs so as wee shall bee safe vnder his protection as he himself protesteth saying that he will receyue all that are giuen him of God his father and so keepe them when he hath receyued them as none of them shall perish but he will rayze him vp agein at the last day Now let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs perceiue them more and more that our miseries may driue vs to seeke the good things that he offereth vs euen with trew singlenesse of fayth and that we may not wander here there in our owne fond speculations and gazes but abyde so settled vppon his word as it may bee our only leaning stocke and take such roote in our hartes as it may not only make vs too walke in all purenesse before him and too â—eeke his mercie in the person of his only sonne but also make vs to liue vprightly and indifferently one with another and that we may so profit therin as wee may abhorre al the abuses of the world assuring our selues that seeing wee haue Iesus Christ for our guyde wee cannot fayle to come thither as he is ascended alredy in our behalf that is too wit too the euerlasting heritage which he hath purchased for vs according as it is his will that wee beeing made his fellowheires should in the end come too the same perfection wherintoo he is gone afore vs That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also to all people c. The .xxi. Sermon which is the sixth vppon the third Chapter and the first vppon the fourth 20. Novv vntoo him that is able too doo most abundantly aboue all things that wee aske or thinke according too the power that vvorketh in vs 21. Bee prayse in the Church through Iesus Christ throughout all generations for euer more Amen The fourth Chapter 1. I therefore vvhich am a prisoner in our Lord vvarne you too vvalkeas becommeth you in the calling vvhervvith yee be called 2. VVith all lovvelinesse and meekenesse vvith pacience c. WHen God hath doone vs neuer so much good although wee feele our selues beholden vntoo him and bound too yeelde him his dew praise yit can wee not discharge our selues of our dewtie with a free hart except wee hope that he will holde on still hereafter and shewe himselfe the same too the ende which wee haue knowen him too bee heretoofore Now without fayth we cannot hope and so is it vnpossible that God should haue his dew praise at mens handes Put the cace wee had found Gods helpe at our neede and whatsoeuer wee could wishe and in the meane whyle wee thinke it was but a sodein brayd which is vanished away out of hand and that hensfoorth wee may looke for no more at his hand and that it shal bee in vayne for vs too requyre it it is certeyne that wee would come no more at him bycause wee should bee pinched and pressed with heauinesse and griefe Therefore that wee may holde out in praysing Gods name wee must cupple these twoo things toogither that is too wit that on the one syde wee bethinke vs of the good that wee haue receyued of him and that on the other syde wee hope still that he will alwayes bee stedfast and constant in his purpose vntoo the end and neuer ceasse to doo vs good And that is the order which S. Paule keepeth heere saying Prayse and glory be yeelded vntoo God. And how vntoo him sayeth he vvhich is able too doo all things beyond our asking yea and beyond our thinking too Now it is certein that heere Saint Paule had an eye backe too that which wee haue seene before which is that God did then vtter the infinite riches of his goodnesse when he voutsafed too haue the Gospell which is the message of saluation published throughout the world Neuerthelesse he quickeneth vp the faythful to discharge themselues cheerefully by telling them that they must not mistrust that God will withdrawe his hand as though his shewing of himselfe liberall towardes them had bin but for once and away His meaning then is that God will go through with his woorke and therefore that wee may giue our selues too the praysing of his name without any stop as well in respect of the good that wee haue receyued already as vppon beleefe that he will holde on without euer fayling vs That is the effect of the matter which wee haue too gather vppon this streyne Now his saying is Let glory bee yeelded to God in the Church wherby he sheweth that it is not ynough that euery of vs doo priuately acknowledge the benefites that God hath bestowed vppon him but that wee must also ioyne toogither in that mynd For if the body bee well at ease surely no member will bee so addicted too it selfe but that it will haue regard of all the rest Now then when as God hath made his Church too prosper so as the number thereof is multiplyed and it is also increaced in spirituall giftes not onely they that haue receyued those benefites must inforce themselues too praise God but also all the rest of the body for so much as it becommeth vs too bee knit togither with the holy bond whereof S. Paule will speake heereafter That then is the cause why he speaketh purposely of the Church as if he should say that seeyng God dooth so vtter his goodnesse euery man ought too bee inflamed too glorify him bycause that looke whatsoeuer he dooeth too our neyghbours wee ought too take it as doone too our selues And verily he had an eye heere too that which myght hinder the praysing of God with one trew consent For the Iewes had alwayes a certeine disdeyne ageinst the Gentiles bycause they thought it was meete that themselues should keepe stil the birthryght and that they had wrong if any of those were made equall with them which had bin vtterly shaken of afore And likewyse the Gentyles perceyuing the Iewes too bee giuen too foolish bragging of the lawe which had taken an end myght haue despyzed them on the other syde Saint Paule therefore telleth them here that inasmuch as God had called them as brethren too the heritaunce of saluation it became them too agree in such wise in the praysing of him as his prayse myght sound euerywhere And he sayeth Let prayze bee yelded too God yea euen for euermore from world too world and by Iesus Christ. Forsomuch as Saint Paule hath treated hertoofore of the grace that serued to guyde the faythfull too the kingdome of heauen therfore dooth he of good ryght say that men must not only prayse God for once and away but also that there is cause too continewe the same not the lyfe of one man but throughout all ages Yea and moreouer S. Paule ment to doo vs
for mee I shall neuer knowe whether God hath chozen mee or no and therfore I must bee fayne too abyde still in my destruction Yea but that is for want of comming too Iesus Christ. How knowe wee that God hath chozen vs before the making of the world By beleeuing in Iesus Christ. I sayd heeretofore that faith sprinketh of election and is the fruite of it which sheweth that the roote is hidden within He then that beleeueth is therby assured that God hath wrought in him and fayth is as it were the copie or counterpane which God deliuereth vs of the originall register of our adoption God hath his euerlasting purpose or determination and that he keepeth alwayes too himselfe as a chiefe president or originall record whereof he gyueth vs a copie by fayth I speake heere after the manner of men for wee knowe that God vseth nother paper nor parchment too ingroce vs in and I haue told you alreadye that too speake properly the register wherein wee bee inrolled is our Lord Iesus Christ. Neuerthelesse God reserueth too himselfe the knowledge of our election as a Prince would doo an originall President Register or Record but yit he giueth vs copies or counterpanes of it autenticall ynough in that he imprinteth it in our hartes by his holy spirit that wee bee his children Yee see then that the fayth which we haue in our Lord Iesus Christ is ynough too warrant vs our election and therefore what seeke wee more I tolde you euen now that Iesus Christ is the looking glasse wherein God beholdeth vs when it is his will to lyke well of vs Likewyse also on our side he is the glasse wheruppon wee must cast our eyes and lookes when wee mynde too come too the knowledge of our election For whosoeuer beleeueth in Iesus Christ is Gods chylde and consequently his heire as I haue declared before Then dooth it followe that if wee haue fayth wee bee also adopted For wherfore doth God giue vs fayth Euen bycause he choze vs before the creation of the world This therefore is an infastible order that inasmuch as the faythfull receyue Gods grace and imbrace his mercy holding Iesus Christ for their head too the intent too obteine saluation by his meanes they knowe assuredly that God hath adopted them Trew it is that election is of it selfe secrete it is so deepe hidden a determination as it behâ—ueth vs to honor it Yit notwithstanding God sheweth it too vs so farrefoorth as is requisite and as he knoweth it too bee for our benefite and welfare and that dooeth he when he inlyghteneth vs with the beleefe of his Gospell Thus yee see why that after S. Paule had spoken of Gods euerlasting election he setteth foorth Iesus Christ as the partie too whom wee must resort too bee assured that God loueth vs and auoweth vs for his children and consequently that he had adopted vs before wee knewe him yea and before the world was made Moreouer we haue to gather vppon this sentence that the doctrine of predestination serueth not too carie vs away intoo wandering speculations but to beate downe al pryde in vs the fond opinion which wee conceyue alwayes of our owne woorthinesse and deseruings and too shewe that God hath such free power priuiledg and souereyn dominion ouer vs that he may refuze whom he listeth and chooze whom he listeth and that by that meanes wee bee led too gloryfye him and therwith too acknowledge that his choozing of vs is in Iesus Christ too the end wee should bee hild fast vnder the fayth of his Gospell For if wee bee his members and take him for our head according too the couenant and holie vnion that is betwixt him vs which can neuer bee broken so long as wee beleeue his Gospell wee must repayre too him too be made sure of our saluation bycause we see and feele by experience that God had adopted and chozen vs and that he presently calleth vs telleth vs that the assurance which he hath giuen vs and dayly giueth vs by his Gospell namely that he will bee our father specially his ingrauing of it in our harts by his holy spirit is no deceytfull thing For the Gospell may well bee preached too all men yea euen too the castawayes but yit for all that God is not so graciouse too them as too touch them too the quicke Therfore when wee haue Gods adoption ingrauen in our harts then as shal bee declared further herafter wee haue a good and vndeceyuable gage that God will guyde vs vntoo the end and that sith he hath begunne too lead vs intoo the waye of saluation he will bring vs too the perfection wheruntoo he calleth vs verely bycause that without him we could not continew so much as one day But now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him too make vs perceyue them more and more that being vtterly ashamed of them wee may hate our vyces and al our whole lyfe with the naughtinesse and frowardnesse therof resort to him who alonly is able to remedie the same not swarue one way or other from him as he communicateth hymselfe too vs in our Lorde Iesus Christe but keepe on right foorth too hym acknowledging that as we be chosen in hym so also wee bee mainteyned and preserued for his sake and that he wyll vtter his power more and more in vs vntyll wee haue finished our race and bee come to the heauenly heritage wheruntoo wee bee going beseechyng him that although we be yit farre from it yit he will voutsafe too giue vs a stedie and inuincible strength to hold out continually till we haue fully renounced the world being quyte consumed in our selues be so renewed in the image of God as the same may shyne perfectly in vs vntill wee bee made parttakers of the glorious immortalitie which he hath bought deerely for vs That it may please him too graunt this grace not only too vs but also too all people and nations c. ¶ The fourth Sermon vppon the first Chapter God hath accepted vs in his welbeloued 7. By vvhose blud vve haue redemption that is too vvit forgiuenesse of sinnes according too the richesse of his grace 8. VVhereof he hath sheaded out abundance vppon vs in all vvisedome and vnderstanding 9. By making vs too knovv the secrete of his vvill according too his good pleasure which he purpozed in himself 10. Too the intent too deale it foorth vvhen the tyme were full come that is too vvit too gather all thinges toogither by Christ as vvell the things in heauen as the things on earth in the selfsame I Haue declared alredie that wee cannot bee beloued of God but by the meanes of his onely sonne For if the Angells of heauen bee not woorthy too bee taken for Gods children but by the meanes of a head and mediator what shall become of vs that ceasse not
let vs consider that wee bee his enemyes till he haue pardoned all our sinnes of his owne free goodnesse and yit notwithstanding that our Lord Iesus Christ must bee fayne too step in betweene him and vs For the sacrifyze of his death serueth too purchase vs an euerlasting attonement so as wee must alwayes flee thither for refuge Trew it is that the whole lyfe but of Lord Iesus Christ is become our raunsome â–ª for the obedience which he yeelded too God his father in this world was too make amends for Adams offence and for all the iniquities wherthrough wee bee ronne in arrerages Howbeit S. Paule speaketh heere purposely of his blud bycause it behoueth vs too resort too his death and passion as too the sacrifyze which is of power too blot out all our sinnes And for that cause hath God represented in figures vnder the lawe that men could not bee reconcyled vntoo him but only by that meane Now it is trew that Iesus Christ did not only shed his blud namely at his death but also feele the feare and terrour which ought too haue lyghted vpon vs But S. Paule dooth heere vnder one parrell comprehend the whole after the ordinarie maner of the holy scripture Too bee short let vs repose all our rightâ—â—usnesse in Gods shewing of himselfe mercifull towardes vs of his owne free goodnesse and let vs not presume too face him with any vertew of our owne thereby too bynd him vntoo vs but let it suffize vs that he receyueth vs intoo his fauour freely without any desert of ours onely bycause the rememberance of our sinnes is buryed out of his sight And agein let vs vnderstand that the same canno bee doone but by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and that that is the thing wheruppon wee must wholly rest Heeruppon S. Paule addeth that all is done according too the richesse of Gods grace Noâ— without cause dooth he heere magnifye Gods mercie which he vttereth in receyuing vs too fauour For wee see on the one syde how men doo wilfully ouershoote themselues through their foolish ouerweening For most men haue alwayes imagined that they myght make their attonement with God by their owne satisfactions and I wote not what shiftes besydes Seeing then that men are so farre ouerseene in their owne imaginations S. Paule too exclude all such dealing sayth that wee must bee rauished in loue with the richenesse of Gods goodnesse He could haue sayd simply that God dooth all according too his grace but he setteh downe heere his greate treasures too the intent that men should not bee so fond as too bring as it were but a farthing for the discharge of ten hundred thousand crownes And truly when the Papists prattle of their satisfactions they say not that they bee able too doo it throughly in all poyntes but they are of opinion that with the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ they also are able too bring somewhat of their owne and too doo so much by patches and peeces that God shal bee satisfied and contented Thus yee see what a diuelish opinion reigneth in papistrie for they will needes found masses they will needs bable many prayers they will needs gad on pilgrimage they will needs keepe this feast and that feast they will needs performe I wot not what deuotioÌ„s they wil needs weare sack cloth next their skin and all too help foorth the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ as who should say it were not sufficieÌ„t ynough of it self But S. Paule telleth vs that Gods goodnesse as it is shewed vs in Iesus Christ is so greate a treasure that all other things must needs giue ouer and be thrust vnder foâ—te And seing that God vseth so greate bountifulnesse as wee ought too bee wholy rauished at it is it not too outrageouse a presumptuousnesse when wee will needs bring our owne pelting trash as though our going on pilgrimage our dooing of some other deuotions were of any valew or estimation Is it not al one as though the blud of Iesus Christ were not a sufficient pryce I say a sufficient pryce and raunsome for our saluation Yee see then on the one syde how S. Paule ment heere too cut of all occasions of the fond imaginations that men conceyue in surmizing themselues able too pacifye Gods wrath by their owne satisfactions and paymentes and on the other syde how he purpozed too succour our feeblenesse For although wee bee giuen too beleeue wonderous well of our owne vertuosusnesse and too beare ourselues in hand that God is greatly beholden vntoo vs yit notwithstanding when it commeth too the calling vppon God in good earnest and too the putting of our trust in him then if Satan egge vs too despayre and that wee bee tossed with trubbles and temptations we be so dismayed that all the promises of the holy scripture and all that is said vntoo vs of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ cannot make vs too haue any hope S. Paule therfore too remedie this vyce of vnbeleefe which is too deepely rooted in vs doth heere set before vs the greate treasures of Gods goodnesse too the end that all the distruste which wee can conceyue may bee as it were swallowed vp seing that God voutsafeth too vse so greate bounteousnes towards vs. And heeruppon he addeth that he hath made the same grace too abound towards vs in all wisdom and vnderstanding By these â—ords he doth vs too wit by what meanes wee come by the thing that he had specifyed afore Behold all our happinesse and all our souerein velfare consisteth in being at one with God so as he may take vs for hâ—s children and it may bee lawfull for vs too call vppon him as our father with full libertie But how shall wee obteyne that thing from which we be so farre wyde It is sayde that although wee bee naught wâ—orth ne naught can doo yit wee shall finde all thinges in Iesus Christ which are wanting in our selues and that his death passion will bee a sufficient sacrifyze too put away the rememberance of all our misdeedes Howbeit dooth it followe therefore that all men are parttakers of this benefite which is purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ No for the vnbeleeuers haue nother part nor portion in it Then is it a speciall priuiledge for those whom God gathereth too himselfe Also S. Paule sheweth that eyther wee must haue fayth or else Christ shall not boote vs at all Although then that Christ bee generally the redeemer of the whole world yit dooth his death and passion aduauntage none but such as receiue the thing that S. Paule sheweth heere And so wee see that when wee once know the benefites that are brought vs by Christ and which he offereth vs dayly by his Gospell we muste also bee knyt vntoo hym by faith For the Turkes Iewes and Papistes and all other lyke are cut of and estranged from Christ
to the prince of the aire according as he hath all power in the vvorlde according too the spirit that ruleth all the vnbeleeuers His talking after that maner is too shewe that till God haue quickened vs by meanes of our Lord Iesus Chryst vntill he haue gathered vs vnto him the diuell hath dominion ouer vs See I pray you what the dignitie of men is vntill Iesus Christ haue raunsomed them They dye not once and away but euerlastingly and he must bee fayne by his Gospell to make them parttakers of the saluatinn which he hath purchased for them Then vntyll God haue wrought in vs by his grace whose are wee The diuels he is our prince Too bee short he hath all authoritie ouer vs and ruleth vs with such tyranny as there is nothing but haling of vs too him by force But S. Paule vseth this word Spirit purposely to shew that the diuell ruleth all our thoughts all our affections and all our desyres that he possesseth vs and that wee bee all wholly his bondslaues At a woord wee cannot stirre one finger wee cannot once moue wee cannot thinke one thought but the diuell is at our elbowe and haleth vs in such wyse as wee vtterly become deadly enemyes too god When wee heare these things it is no time for vs too fall a sleepe and too flatter our selues nor too bee so lustie and presumptuous as too go too lawe still with God as though there were some goodnesse in vs that he were bouÌ„d to acknowledge our vertues Must not men needes bee too farre out of their wittes when they continue still in their hipocrisie and will needes stand too their tackeling ageinst God and win him by their replying after that the holy Ghost hath thundred so dreadfull and horrible a sentence vppon our heades Then if a man bee considered in himselfe and in his owne nature what shall he bee able too say Behold a creature cursed of God and woorthie too bee cast out of the common account of all other creatures yea euen of woormes flyes lyce and vermine For there is more valour in any vermin in the world than there is in man For man is a creature wherein Gods image is defaced and the good that he had put in it corrupted there is nothing in it but sinne insomuch that wee bee the diuells limbes and he not onely ruleth vs but also possesseth vs and is our prince Bee wee once throughly perswaded of this in our hartes shall wee not on the one side haue cause too runne quaking too our Lord Iesus Christ and too holde vs shrowded vnder the shadowe of his winges And on the other syde must it not needes bee a beastly blockishnesse if wee bee so thanklesse as not too magnifie Gods goodnesse in that he hath drawen vs out of such a dungeon vntoo himselfe too make vs fellowes and brethren not onely of the Angells of heauen but also of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the Lord of glory thereby too put away all reproche and in stead of being hatefull too all creatures too make vs beare his marke and too bee honored and too bee imbraced of the Angells as their brethren and too bee auowed of our Lord Iesus Christ as members of his bodie So then now wee see S. Paules meaning And further too the intent that all replying should ceasse he sheweth what the power of the diuell is For he could haue sayd in one woord yee haue liued after the maner of the world that is too say diuelishly â—for so doeth the thing that he speaketh import but in sted of naming the diuell in one woord he sayeth first according too the prince that hath his povver in the aire and the spirit that vvoorketh euen novv in the rebellious children In saying the prynce that hath his power in the aire he disappoynteth vs of all starting holes For it is not for nâ—ught that the diuell is named the prince of the world and yit it is not for that he reygneth ouer the sonne the moone the starres the skyes and the earth but for that he holdeth vs captiue in his bondes bycause wee bee not woorthie too bee gouerned by god For had Adam continued in the soundnesse wherin God created him God woold haue hild vs as his children But after the fall of our first father God left vs and Satan tooke vs in possession True it is that Satan cannot doo any thing at all without Gods leaue for wheras he is named the prince of the woorld it is not ment that he fyghteth in such wyse ageinst God as it cannot bee knowen who is the stronger that were a cursed blasphemie and lyke these heretikes which seeing such phrases in the scripture haue imagined that the diuell dooth now and then resist God and that he hath such force and power that God is fayne sometymes too giue him place But such woordes are stark madnesse Neuerthelesse this souereintie of Satan is Gods iust vengeance according as it is sayd that he deliuereth vs intoo the handes of our enemyes when wee cannot abyde that he should reigne ouer vs And so is that thing fulfilled and verefyed in vs all Forasmuch as God hath printed his mark in vs wee ought too bee gouerned by his spirit but our father would needes exalt himselfe he would needes set vp his bristles ageinst God and he was not contented with his owne state and boundes Forasmuch therfore as he rebelled in that wyse and could not fynd in his hart too abyde the souerein dominion of God he was giuen vp too the diuell and made subiect too him and forasmuch as he could not abyde that God should reigne ouer him he was fayne too haue another mayster and that subiection must reach vntoo all men in generall So then let vs marke that the souerenitie tyrannie of the diuell is a iust vengeance of God vppon men for their sinne Let that serue for one poynt And therfore let vs not imagine that the diuell hath the reynes of the brydle layd looce in his necke or that he hath libertie too doo what he liste though God withstand him but that wee bee left vp and giuen ouer vntoo him And too the intent wee may yit better knowe this subiection S. Paule sayeth that he is in the aire as he will speake more at large ageyn in the ende of the Epistle He could haue sayd simply according too the prince that hath great power according as our Lord Iesus sayeth that he is the strong man which possesseth the world in peace Yee see then that the diuell is called a prince bycause he hath such power as wee bee not able too withstand And besides that S. Paule giueth him his place in the ayre Not that the diuels are inclozed in a place certeine for wee our selues see that they enter intoo mens bodies yea and into the bodyes of Swyne after as our Lord giueth them leaue and power But he speaketh purposely of the ayre
withdrawe our selues from all the defilements of the world Heere yee see that the Lawe which God hath giuen vs too rule our lyfe by must continew still for that is not abolished but only that which consisted in traditions and in the figures that serued but for the tyme and were too haue an end by Iesus Christ. Now seing it behoueth vs too giue ouer the shadowes that were vsed and had their full scope in the tyme of Moyses and the Prophetes it is much more reason that the Christian Church should not now adayes bee burdened with mens inuentions According wherunto S. Paule â—elleth vs that we must content our selues with Gods Lawe which serueth too shewe vs how wee may be vnblamable that is too wit by walking in ryghtuousenesse Iustice faythfulnesse and mercy and specially by calling vppon God purely and after a spirituall manner Marke that for one poynt Agein he sayth that the shadowes of the Law should in these dayes not only be superfluous but also as a curtaine to keepe vs still in darknesse and too let vs from seeing our Lord Iesus Christ as wee ought too doo in the mirror of his Gospell Therfore let vs conclude that the ryghtuousenesse which God requyreth at our handes is another maner of one than that which the papistes haue imagined for all the thinges which they terme Gods seruice are but starke gewgawes Yea and wheretoo serue they all but onely too deface the peculiar operation of our Lord Iesus Christ For the poore ignorant soules are hilde fast too them and stand poring altoogither vppon them When I speake of ignorant soules I meane the ablest sort of them euen thosâ— that thinke themselues too â—ee of greatest capacitie for they are all intangled lyke wreâ—chd beastes And therefore let vs learne too holde vs too the singlenesse of the Gospell and too looke vppon our Lord Iesus Christ there lyke as he also 〈◊〉 familiarly vntoo vs too the intent wee myght bee aduaunced by him and boldly call God our father and flee too him for refuge not doubting but that he wil bee neere vs whensoeuer wee cal vppon him in truth Now let vs cast our selues downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him that his making of vs too feele them more and more may cause vs too forsake them by true repentaunce and too walke continually aright and too giue our selues too holy conuersation And that forasmuch as wee bee so weake that there will alwayes â—ee manie vices in vs it may please him too hold vs vp till he haue taken vs out of he world and throughly fashioned vs lyke too his owne image according too the ground worke which he hath begun in vs And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father c. The .xiiii. Sermon which is the sixth vppon the second Chapter 16 Iesus Christ hath reconcyled vs both in one body too the end too knit both the one and the other vntoo God by his crosse killing the enmitie therby 17 And being come be preached peace too you that were farre of and too them that were nere hand 18 For by him both twayne of vs haue accesse too the father in one spirit 19 Therfore yee be no more straungers and forreyners but fellowe citizens with the Saints and household folke of God. WEe haue seene this morning how S. Paul hath told vntoo such as were erst without hope of saluation that they were so much the more bound vntoo God for his calling of them too bee of the number of his children seeyng it was not a common and ordinarie thing nor a thing that was looked for On the other syde he did also beate downe all pryde too the intent that the Iewes myght not thinke in themselues that the priuiledge of adoption was of their owne purchacing nor vaunt themselues though God had preferred them before all the rest of the world And now goyng foreward still with the same matter he sayeth that wee vvere reconcyled as vvel the one syde as the other by the death of Iesus Christ and that in so dooyng he hath knit vs toogither intoo one body putting all enmitie too death by his crosse This serueth too expresse better the thing that wee haue seene already He had sayd that wee must come vntoo God by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ for without him wee bee all a farre of as well Iewes as Gentyles bycause wee bee all sinners and God in an enemye too vs till his wrath bee appeazed towardes vs Now S. Paule sheweth that that is done by his bearing of our sinnes vppon his crosse For it is by his obedience that all our iniquities are put awaye and it is by his sacrifyzce that our sinnes are washt away To bee short were it not for the death and passion of our Lord Iâ—sus Christ wee should stand bound still in the hand wryting that is spoken of in the second too the Colossians For if wee should come too reckening who durst open his mouth too excuze himself before God or looke too scape the damnation that all of vs haue deserued For if wee should go about too alledge but one poynt there would bee a thousand too stop our mouthes so as wee should bee driuen too stand still all confounded till wee came too the remedie that is too wit that Iesus Christ hath by his death made so full satisfaction for all our dettes that wee bee quitted and released That then is the thing which S. Paule handleth as now too the end wee myght knowe what maner of accesse it is that he speaketh of For too preace intoo Gods presence in cace as wee bee of our selues were too great a boldnesse But when it is told vs that God wil not lay our sinnes and misdeeds to our charge bycause Iesus Christ hath put them all away by his death then is it no rashnesse at all for vs too go vntoo God with our heades bolt vpryght but we haue a good foundation and a boldnesse that God lyketh well of Therfore as oft as wee haue occasion too pray or too fyght ageinst anie temptations let vs learne too knowe that wee haue neede too bee incoraged too patience and too bee asserteyned of the euerlasting lyfe and too repayre all wholly for refuge too the death and passion of the sonne of God knowing that vntill such tyme as wee bee dipped in his blud and washed by the woorking of his holie spirit wee shall euermore bee lothely and God will iustly shake vs of and bee alwayes a iudge too vs in sted of being our father And it is not ynough too knowe that Iesus Christ hath made amendes for vs yea and that all things requysyte too our saluation were fully accomplished and performed by his death and passion but wee must also therwithall receyue the benefyte thereof in such maner as it is ministred vntoo vs For what shall it auayle the Iewes Turkes and other lyke that Gods sonne
is possible Therefore for bycause there haue alwayes bin so many yea and to many that bring their owne consciences a fleepe S. Paule in this place lyke as also in the â—â—ft too the Romanes setteth downe the trâ—w peace which is that when wee come vntoo God and must present our selues before his Maiestie wee bee sure that he will pitie vs and not lay our sinnes to our chage but receyue vs as his owne children Then if we intend to enoye this spirituall peace which passeth all the goods of the world let vs â—earne too haue warre with our selues And how is that It is first too knowe that wee bee damned and forlorne and that there is no hope of remedie for vs wherby too get out of the pit of destruction agein except wee bee recouered by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. When wee bee so bereft of all vntoward selftrust in our own deserts and knowe that wee bee emptie and starke naked let vs repayre as poore beggers vntoo God that is the thing that is requisite for the atteynment of trew peace And by the way also let vs not thinke too gayne any thing by being blockishe â–ª so wee should fallâ— sleepe in this world bnt let vs vnderstand that forasmuch as wee haue no certeyne tyme appoynted vs it is our duetye to summon our selues euening and morning before God and too examine our sinnes throughly and too bee both sorie and ashamed of them When wee haue once learned too make warre thus ageinst our owne vyces and too plye it throughly without Hipocrisie and counterfetting then are wee in the hygh way too the peace which our Lord Iesus Christ dooth publish and preache vntoo vs euery day by the Gospell And that is the very cause why S. Paule sayeth expresly that by him wee haue enterance in vntoo the father As if he should say that no vnbeleeuers no heathenish worldlinges no mockers of God no dullardes which thinke not of their euerlasting saluation can by any meanes taste of what valew the peace is which wee obteyne by the Gospell or conceyue how precious and amyable it is And why For they put too many scarfes before their faces too keepe them from beyng abashed at Gods Iustice and from beyng striken with terrour of their sinnes Too bee shorte they make themselues wilfully drunken that they myght haue a senslesse conscience and they bereâ—ue themselues of all vnderstanding as though they were brute beastes But when wee consider that all our welfare consisteth in beyng able too haue all our recourse vntoo God and that our comming too him is certeine also yea and that the way is open for vs too go thither familiarly surely then will wee forget all other things and long too bee made parttakers of our Lord Iesus Christ and too bee vnited intoo his body too the ende that God may receyue vs and wee call vppon him with full trust in our necessitie and settle our selues vppon the loue that he beareth vs not doubting but that whatsoeuer is offered vs in the Gospell is all one as if God vttered his hart among vs. Now S. Paule hauing spoken of the preaching of the Gospell addeth purposely In one Spirit He had sayd afore that wee bee all knit toogither in the flesh of our Lord Iesus Christ namely â–ª for that he tooke our nature vpon him by that meanes abolished and tooke away the cursednesse that was in Adam Neuerthelesse the dooing therof in the person of the sonne of God were not ynough if the Gospell wer not as a meane to him Now therfore for a third poynt S. Paule addeth that wee must communicate all of one spirit For although the Gospell bee preached yit are there manie stubborne persons and others so beâ—narled in this world that they thinke no more of the heauenly lyfe than doggs and Swyne doo Othersome agein are so saped in their hipocrisie that although God doo call vs all and allure vs sweetly too him in the person of his sonne the number of them that come vntoo God is verye small For this cause S. Paule sayth that wee must haue Gods spirit For it is certein that by nature wee bee variable and not only euery one of vs will needs haue his opinion by himselfe but also wee change euery minute of an houre by meanes whereof wee bee so farre of from beeing all of one accorde that none of vs abydeth setled in his opinion from morning to nyght except he bee gouerned of god It standeth vs then on hand when wee heare the Gospell preached too haue Gods spirit to guyde and gouerne vs soo as wee may throughly imbrace our Lord Iesus Christ and by him haue accesse too the father Now therfore wee must beare in mynd first that when our Lord Iesus Christ exhorteth vs by his ministers according also as S. Paule sayeth in the second too the Corinthians wee ought too bee well dispozed too come vnto him yea and to runne vntoo him euen with inforcing our selues aboue all power of man For when wee haue doone what wee can yit shall wee haue none accesse vntoo him but all our indeuer shall rather bee a retyring backe than a going foreward vnlesse his spirit guyde vs So much the more then doth it stand vs on hand too pray God too touch vs with his holy spirit to cause him to make vs way vnto him as is sayd in the eyght to the Romans and as we haue seene also lykewyse too the Galathians For there S. Paule putteth a difference betwixt Gods children and the Reprobats Wee sayeth he haue the spirit of adoption wherby wee crye Abba father Wee should not knowe him of our selnes sayeth he bycause there is nothing in vs but infirmitie and it were too great a rashnesse in vs too call God our father But when God hath once sealed the truth of his Gospell in vs by his holie spirit and inlyghtened vs inwardly so as wee know it is he that speaketh and thertoo hath assured vs of his goodnesse and mercie then may wee freely and with open mouth crye out that he is our father And soo yee see in effect what wee haue too beare in mynd too the intent that none of vs trust too his owne brayne when the Gospell is preached vnto him but that in cosideration of the rudenesse and weaknesse that is in vs wee suffer our selues too bee gouerned by Gods spirit which is the chefe kye wherby the gate of paradise is opened vnto vs And for that cause also is it sayd that wee must be besprinckled with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ as S. Peter termeth it in his first Epistle For the same cause also the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth that Iesus Christ was offred vp in spirit meaning that his sacrifyze wherby he purchaced vs ryghtuousnes should still be as a vayne thing to vs if the holie Ghost wrought not in it by his powre And S. Paul
Saint Paule sheweth that there is very good agreement betweene the Lawe the Prophetes and the Gospell In deede wee haue seene heretofore that the vse of the ceremonies is at an ende but yit for all that the substance of them continueth still And when God caused the Gospell too bee preached openly too the woorld it was not for that he was vnconstant nor for that he intended too teache men after a new and straunge fashion wherwith the Lawe was nothing acquaynted for the Lawe and the Prophetes bare witnesse continually too our Lord Iesus Christ. And therby also are wee put in mynd too further our selues by all the things that are conteyned in Moyses and in the rest of the Prophetes For now adayes there are some fantasticall folk which think that for all doctrine wee ought too haue no more but the new Testament and that all the rest is superfluous It is trew indeede that al perfection of wisdome is throughly conteyned in the Gospell but yit dooth it not therfore followe that wee ought not too bee edifyed by the Lawe and the Prophetes for wee see that the Apostles themselues confirmed their doctrine by their testimonies And heere when S. Paule sayeth that wee must bee builded vppon their foundation he sheweth sufficiently that whatsoeuer things our Lord betooke vntoo them in old tyme is profitable for vs at this day and wee must practize it and put it in vre Lykewyse S. Peter sayeth that they serued not only for their owne tyme but also for ours Trew it is that they gaue some tast of our Lord Iesus Christ and of the good things that are imparted to vs by his meanes but yit it is wee that are come too the fulnesse of the tyme â–ª as sayeth S. Paule in another place And the same is also a verifying of S. Peters saying that is too wit that the doctrine of the Prophetes poynteth at vs and wee haue more ful fruition and greater fruite of it than they that heard it spoken For wee haue so great a lyght in Iesus Christ that the things which were then darke are now manifestly open and knowen vntoo vs So then let vs studie the Lawe and the Prophetes knowing wel that they leade vs to our Lord Iesus christ For he is the marke that is set before vs and wherat wee leuell at this day accordingly as it is said that Iesus Christ is the end of the Law and also the patterne that Moyses sawe on the mountain It is sayd that the Lawe and the Prophetes beare witnesse of him and euen our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe vpbraydeth the Iewes telling them that forasmuch as they boasted of the Lawe they were so much the more blame woorthie and lesse too bee excuzed afore God and their offence was so much the more heynous and vnreasonable bycause they reiected him to whom the Lawe sendeth vs and too whom the Lawe would holde vs backe So then hereuppon wee haue too gather that too profite well in the holy scripture wee must alwayes resort to our Lord Iesus Christ and cast our eyes vppon him without turning away thence at any time Yee shall see a number of folk that Martir themselues exceedingly in reading the holy scriptures they doo nothing else but turne ouer the leaues of it and yit at the end of halfe a score yeares they are as wel seene in it as if they had neuer read line of it And why Bycause they doo but roue vp downe aâ—e not at any certeyn end yea and euen in worldly learning yee shall see a great sort that take paine ynough and yit all is to no purpose bycause they kepe nother order nor measure nor doo aught else then make a raking toogither on all sides By meanes wherof they bee euer new too seeke and can neuer bring any thing too perfection and although they haue gathered togither a number of sentences of al sorts yit is there no hold at all in theÌ„ Euen so is it with them that labour in reading the holy scripture and know not which is the poynt that they ought to rest vpon namely how it is our Lord Iesus christ For lyke as it is sayd that all our perfection is in the Gospell so on the other side it is said that our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen vs too bee the wisedome of God his father as sayth S. Paule in the first too the Corinthians And lyke as it is sayd of the Lawe This is the waye walke yee therein so also it is sayd of our Lord Iesus Christ that he is the trew way Agein as it is sayd Lord thy word is a Lanterne too guide my steppes by so our Lord Iesus Christ sayeth I am the light of the world he that walketh in mee cannot go amisse We see then that all that euer is treated of in the holy scripture is now verified of our Lord Iesus Christ to shew vs how that he is the onely thing that wee haue too take hold of And in very deede it is not for nought that he is called the lyuely image of God his father For although there bee nothing but light in God yit shall wee neuer bee able too come too that light till our Lord Iesus Christ come downe too lift vs vp thither and giue vs enteraunce intoo the place that was shet fast ageinst vs afore Yee see then that the thing which wee haue too gather vppon those words of S. Paule is that the Prophets Apostles were chozen and ordeined to bring vs to God by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ who is his very image and therefore that the onely thing wheron we must settle all our senses and myndes is too bee edified in the holy scripture And on the contrary part alos let vs conclude that all such as giue themselues too vayne curiosities and will needes bee wyser than God gyues them leaue too bee must abyde still in confuzion and in steed of goyng foreward go more and more backeward whereof wee see many examples as I sayd â—fore and it standeth vs in hand too profit our selues by them For what is the cause of all the corruptions in the world what is the cause of the great number of errours of the great abundance of vngodlynesse of the great store of superstitions which raygne euery where but for that men are ticklish in their owne foolish luâ—tes and fleshly lykinges and can neuer bee contented with the simplenesse of Iesus Christ as it is set downe in the Gospell So much the more therefore ought wee too beare well in mynd the thing that is tolde vs heere which is that wee must alwayes set our Lord Iesus Christ before our eyes and in our sight if wee purpose too haue an infallible resting stocke in the holy scripture and too further our selues in it And heerewithall wee see also that we neede not too seeke heere and there for Gods woord for wee bee sent
of that treasure from day too day And if olde folk bee so much the carefuller too gather goods as they drawe neerer too their graue bycause they see themselues too bee weake and too haue neede of succour and are alwayes afrayd to bee destitute of mans ayde insomuch that that forecast of theirs driueth them to burning couetâ—usnesse ought not wee on our syde too bee greatly ashamed if wee make not prouision of Gods woord in our old age seeing wee perceyue how there is much feeblenesse and sin still in vs or if wee labour not too bee continually still inlyghtened euen tyll the daysonne of ryghtuousnesse which is our Lord Iesus Christ shyne vppon vs as at hygh noone seeing wee fynde our owne ignorance by experience Yee see then that the meane too put this doctrine of Saint Paules in vre is first too humble our selues in such wyse as no man take more vppon him through vayne selfweening than belongs vntoo him but that wee will keepe on our way aduyzedly assuring our selues that we bee not yit come too our wayes end And that is the cause also why Saint Paul sayd that he looked not backe to the things he had doone alredye but foreward vntoo the things that remayned Saint Paule had made a greate iorney and taken much peyne for the Gospels sake he had bin taken vp afore into the third heauen and there he had heard and seene secret things which it was not lawfull for him to speake of among men Yee see then that he was as a man that had bin taught in the schoole of Angels and as in respect of men he had passed all the other Apostles and yit for all this he sayeth he streyneth himselfe forewarde and laboureth too atteyne too the marke wherat he amed Now if Saint Paule spake so what ought wee too doo which are yit as it were but at our Apcie Then as concerning this full rypenesse of age let vs assure our selues that wee cannot forbeare new and dayly instruction vntill wee bee quyte rid of all the infirmities of our flesh Untill wee bee departed out of this world wee must suffer our selues too bee guyded and gouerned lyke teachable and meeke young folk and wee must beeleeue good counsell assuring our selues that wee haue neede of it Therfore Saint Paule attributeth that full rypenesse of age too our Lord Iesus Christ as if he should say that men beguyle themselues through their owne fond rashnesse by beholding themselues in them selues For know we once what Iesus Christ is wee shal perceyue full well that there are yit manie imperfections in vs He is called the wisdome of God his father he is called his euerlasting woord he is called his image And all this is too the end that wee should learne of him and behold Gods glorie in his person which otherwyse were inuisible vntoo vs But now can wee comprehend Gods infinite wisdome Can wee atteyne too the vnderstanding of Gods glorie so as wee may haue the full syght of it Alas wee bee farre short of it Therfore whensoeuer wee be tempted with foolish ouerweening too think wee knowe more than wee doo let vs lift vp our eyes too our Lord Iesus Christ and not presume in our selues as many fantasticall persons doo For when wee 〈◊〉 knowe that our wisdome is in our Lord Iesus Christ then shall wee well perceyue that wee bee yit farre from it Herewithall Saint Paule warneth vs also that it is not in our owne power or cunning too beleeue faythfully but thâ—t wee must be fayne too haue it giuen vntoo vs Trew it is that wee must doo our indeuer that our fayth may bee stablished wee must bee diligent in hearing Gods word we must haunt Sermons we must reade we must herken too good exhortations and too all good doctrine wherby wee may fare the better wee must giue good heede too those things And yit notwithstanding wee must not presume any whit vppon our owne cunning as though our wit were able of it self too receyue learning and instructioÌ„ but let vs learne that our Lord Iesus Christ must bring vs too that by his holie spirit So then let vs bee lowely that wee may bee the schollers of our God and that lowelinesse importeth a ridding of our selues from all selfweening and an abcing of our selues knowing that wee haue no more than is giuen vs of God. Also on the contrarie part Saint Paule sayeth that wee must not bee as little children wauering with euerie blast of doctrine or being tossed and turmoyled too and fro as chaffe vvith the vvynd and too bee short that vvee must not bee beguyled by the vvylynesse of men Heere wee see yit better the thing thaâ— I touched heertoofoore which is that Saint Paule setteth downe as it were three ages The first is as a Chyldhood And which is that It is before we haue anie instruction at all when wee be yit as it were half beasts without discretion too discerne Gods truthe And there bee many such children in the world At what age Euen at three or fouer score yeeres For here Saint Paule speaks by a liknesse or resemblaâ—nce stands not vpon the accounting of dayes moonethes or yeeres His meaning then is that such as are wauering and floting lyke a bote that is tossed vppon the water are little children It it is trew that the scripture dooth sundry tymes vse the woord Chyld in another sense as when Saint Peter exhorteth vs too bee as newborne babes and too desyre the milk of soundnesse yea euen with putting away of all malice Also our Lord Iesus exhorteth vs too bee as babes that is too say vnpuffed vp with presumption and pryde so as wee makâ— no reckening of our selues ne be trubbled with the lusts that vexâ— vs when wee begin too knowe what it is too liue among men Then after that maner it dooth vs good to be babes or little children Agein in another place Saint Paule sayth that wee should bee babes iâ— naughtinesse but yit he sayth that wee must not bee babes in vnderstanding and that is the thing which he rehearseth agein in this present text Then condemneth he such as are babes in vnderstanding that is too say which are so doutfull and wauering that they bee sure of nothing they knowe not what fayth too bee of nor what God too woorship Now I told you that the world is too full of such babes which harden themselues in their brutishnesse and ignorance And in good sooth how manie shall a man fynde which are so throughly settled in Gods truth as they cannot bee made too daunce after another mannes pype as Saint Paule speaketh of them heere For if it bee demaunded what the Gospell is some will answere it must needes bee a good thing bycause God is the author of it but in the meane whyle too bee able too yeelde a reason of theyr fayth is no poynt of their skill but they harden
vppon that stryng But let vs learne too humble our selues with a good will and as I sayd afore let vs consider that Saynt Paule blameth mens nature shewing that all of vs from the greatest too the least are plundged euen too the bottom of hel vntyll God plucke vs backe agein And therwithall let vs consider all the enormities that are doone through the whole world and conclude that we our selues should doo as much if God shewed vs not his mercie and let the same stirre vs vp too brydle our selues least wee ouershoote our selues at some tyme and seeing it hath pleased God too drawe vs vntoo him let vs not turne backe agein too meddle with the leawdnesse of the vnbeleeuers And no wonder though they stumble tumble and reele too fro for they haue no lyght to direct them by But our Lord shyneth vppon vsâ— by his woord and giueth vs eyes by his holy spirt and therfore let vs eschew too bee lyke them as S. Paule exhorteth vs heere Heereuntoo he addeth the toppe of al mischeef which is that men go astray after their owne kynd continew in going outward from woorse too woorse and foade themselues with flatterie wherby they cast their consciences into such a sleepe as they feele no more anye remorse or griefe and that is the hygh way too make them vtterly past recouerie Now first of all let vs learne heere too preuent such vengeance of God which ought too make vs quake And when wee heare that such as abyde styll in their owne nature and ouershoote themselues so farre as too bee without scruple of conscience and too become as brute beastes voyde of discretion too be moued eyther with lyfe or death or with any maner of feeling of their owne soule health let vs a Gods name walke in feare and awe and bewayle our sinnes euerye houre early and late that wee bee not hardened after that fashion For wee see how they that growe beastly after that sort doo gather such a hard hartednes as a man cannot bow them after they haue once gotten such a boldnesse in giuing themselues vntoo euyll Thus as touching the first poynt let vs bee ryght well assured that God reuengeth himselfe after a terrible manner ageinst all such as foade themselues in their vyces and take inordinate leaue too doo what they list so that in the end they become brutish euen as Asses and Dogges And now for the second poynt if God vse such rigor towards those which were neuer yit trayned too the Gospell what will he doo to vs when he shall haue shewed vs the way of saluation a long tyme and yit wee continew still lyke those that neuer tasted of good instruction Do wee not thinke that the punishment shal bee more horrible and dreadfull vppon vs Lyke as when S. Paule declareth in the first too the Romanes that God gaue men ouer intoo disordinate and shamefull lustes so as they were vtterly past all shame he speaketh expresly of the heathen and vnbeleeuers who had none other knowledge of God than by the skyes and the earth and the creatures they had none other helpe than that great booke wherby too glorify God and yit forasmuch as they did it not therefore are they condemned after that maner But now can wee haue no such excuce as those sillie soules had wee cannot say wee be not able too discerne what is good bycause we were blynded by Adams sinne and there is nothing but vanitie in vs for God hath giuen vs his woorde which is iustly called a lampe too guyde vs by wee haue the Gospell where our Lord Iesus Christ declareth that he is our guyde and yit for all this if we will needes prouoke God wilfully by disaulling the doctrine of saluation whereas wee should followe it of which sort there are many euen at this day who seeke too wallowe in all leaudnesse and disorder and despyze God openly what shall become of vs Wherefore let vs learne too walke in the feare of God and let vs marke well that Saint Paule hath not without cause set downe here the toppe of all mischief of purpose to shewe vs therby what wages God will pay too all such as yeeld not to him in dewe tyme and place but rather take libertie of all naughtinesse as though they were scaped out of his handes Let vs then be afrayde too ouershoote our selues so farre and then although we haue wandered farre afore God can skill well ynough too drawe vs to him Let vs bee afrayde least God should execute the sayd vengeance vppon vs as wel as vppon them according too this saying of Salomon that when the wicked man is come too extremitie he despyzeth all that is too say he regardeth nother lyfe nor death but flingeth foorth lyke a brute beast Therefore let vs quake at such threatenings for feare least God execute them vppon vs when wee cannot abyde too bee rebuked for our vyces And contrariwyze let vs practyze the doctrine of Salomon where he sayeth happie is the man whose hart pricketh him quickeneth him vp nyght and day Let vs learne then too bee our owne sollicitors and too touche our selues for our vyces and when wee enter intoo them let vs bee abashed at them and cast downe and condemne our selues vntill God haue releeued vs with his mercy After that maner must wee put this doctrine of S. Paules in vre too the end that when God hath once knit vs too him by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ and giuen vs lyfe wee may take good heede that that lyfe bee not defaced and quenched in vs through our owne leaudnesse and vnthankfulnesse Agein that beyng mynded too continew in this doctrine may learne first of all too humble our selues for it is certeyne that humilitie will cause vs too resort vntoo God and secondly that our humilitie bee matched with warenesse so as wee bee not rechlesse too flatter our selues but that through the same warenesse wee streyne our selues too the vttermost too fyght ageynst all our vyces and lustes tarying our Lordes leyzure vntyll he rid vs quyte and cleane of them in the meane whyle let vs alwayes win somwhat of our selues bee it neuer so lyttle so as it may continually appeare that our Lord Iesus Christ woorketh in vs and maketh his grace too preuayle by causing vs too goe foreward in goodnesse that wee may say I bee so dispozed as wee may growe more and more vntyll God haue taken vs ouâ— of this world Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sinnes praying him too touche vs so too the quicke as it may drawe vs vntoo trewe repentance too continew in it all the tyme of our lyfe that beyng vtterly beaten downe and made nothing in our selues wee maye learne too seeke all our welfare in him and he theruppon leade vs familiarly by the the hand of our Lord Iesus Christ so as wee may go
let them thinke thus with themselues I ought too bee a great teacher as the Aposte also sheweth in the Epistle too the Hebrewes it is now a fifteene or twentie yeeres ago since I came too age of discretion so as a number of men are still behynd mee and it is God himself which calleth mee for the preaching of the Gospell vntoo mee is not by chaunce but therby God sheweth the care that he hath of my saluation and the loue that he beareth towardes mee Seeing then that I haue heard the Gospell so long tyme without ceassing or myght haue done if the fault were not in my self must I not needes looke for a terrible condemnation when I continew still in my beastlinesse Agein let such as haue bin sometyme in darknesse and afterward are inlyghtened thinke thus It is now a yeere fyue ten or more ago since God opened myne eyes by his woord and drew mee out of the dungeon wherin I was in which if he had left mee styll I had bin a wretched forlorne creature and now that he hath voutsafed too inlyghten mee with the knowledge of his truth which is so precious a thing should I bee rechlesse in the hearing and receyuing therof Agein on the other syde God pitying my rudenesse applyeth himself as much as can bee too my capacitie insomuch that he dooth euen lisp as yee would say too shewe mee his secretes after a sweete and louing fashyon as if one should feede a little babe and chawe his meate too him too the end he should haue no more too doo but too swallow it downe and shall I notwithstanding continew a dullard still Then let vs marke well all these things and beare well in mynd these words of S. Paule where he sayeth not onely that wee haue heard of Iesus Christ but also that wee haue bin taught him bycause that through Gods goodnesse the Gospell was not preached vntoo vs for one day and no more but hath ringed a long tyme already in our eares And wee haue too marke that S. Paule speaking of the doctrine of the Gospell matcheth Iesus Christ with it according as it hath bin tolde vs heretofore that the thing which God sheweth vs in his word is the knowledge of Iesus Christ as who is also the end and substance thereof Therefore let vs marke it to the intent we wander not when wee would faynest profyte in Gods woorde but may haue alwayes a certeine marke too ame at For wee see a number that haue turned ouer the Scripture leafe by leafe and are able too make great report of it But in the meane whyle they wote not what the effect or pith of it is for their amyng is not at our Lord Iesus Christ. So much the more behoueth it vs too marke well all the textes wherein it is shewed vs that when wee once knowe the benefytes that are brought vntoo vs by the sonne of God what power he hath and what treasures he vttereth towardes vs then wee haue the trew vnderstanding of the Gospell But without Iesus Christ wee haue nothing And verily wee ought too be the more prouoked theruntoo by the example of those which name themselues Christians and yit notwithstanding wote not too what Sainct too vow themselues as they say As for example see how the Papistes gad vp and downe without any certeintie and are as Reedes that bend with euery wynd And why Bycause there is no stedfastnesse but in our Lord Iesus Christ and they bee iustly punished for not seeking of him For although they bee neuer so stout in their owne imaginations yit must they bee fayne too knowe in the end that the things which they haue buylded and forged in their owne heades are nothing And therefore as I haue touched already let vs vnderstand that Iesus Christ is the shooteanker wherunto God the father calleth vs and that wee must not bee drawen from him for any thing but apply all that wee haue vntoo him And that is the cause why S. Paule dooth in Gods name and authoritie exhort and warne those agein which haue heard Iesus Christ and bin taught of him by the doctrine of his Gospell Furthermore he saith If yee haue learned him well according as the truth is in our Lord Iesus Christ. And this is set downe of purpose bycause there are a number of fickle headed folke and fantasticall fellowes which make great protestation with full mouth that they bee Christians as though they had deuoured the whole Gospell and yit haue nother wisedome nor discretion in them And would God that examples therof were not so ryfe now adayes in the world But if a man should demaund euery of them whether they would not haue the Gospell yis what else say they That runnes roundly with them without any stop for saying is good cheape But let a man examine the most part of them how they haue profited and he shall scarce fynd one among a hundred of them that knowes in good earnest what belongeth too Iesus Christ. Too say that men may lawfully eate flesh vppon frydayes and too mocke at all the superstitions of poperie and to say that they be but gewgawes and tryfling things that they can do with ease But in the meane whyle if a man aske them what it is to be regenerated what pacience is what newnes of lyfe is what it is to be fashioned agein after the image of god there the most part of thē wil shew that they neuer tasted of the truth of the Gospell but did but only guibble about the barke of it neuer came at the very substance of it And this is not now adayes only for S. Paule sheweth wel that euē in his time many folks abused the name of Christ wold needes be takē for great Christians yit neuer wist what the sonne of God was Wherfore let vs mark wel what is said here For it is as if S. Paul should find fault with himself not that the things which he had spokē needed any amendment but too giue the sharper check or rebuke to such as did so falsifie Christs name wickedly abuse his Gospel by making it a cloke for their wickednes S. Paul thē making a countenance as it were to bethinke himself better sayth yea for sooth but I pray God ye haue learned him As if he shold say I speak indifferētly to al such as haue heard the pure doctrine of god Howbeit forasmuch as a great sort wil wrest wring the things that are told thē take but only some patch of matter I wote not what therfore haue they not any good foundation to buyld vpō To be short they haue no roote of fayth And yit for al that haue they once but fidled ouer I wote not what by by they be great clearkes to their own seeming And therfore looke wel to it sayth he that ye make not a vayne protestatiō least ye be cōuicted of falshood before God his Angels
them Now when men are thus caryed away and wheras God had printed his image in them too make them reasonable creatures and giuen them an excellent state aboue all other lyuing wyghtes they fall too playing of the beastes after that fashyon become lyke Asses and dogges must it not needs be vnderstoode that drunkennesse is one of the detestablest things that can bee So then Saint Paule ment too shewe vs heere in one word that although there were no trew feare of God in vs too restreyne vs nor wee so well aduyzed and discrete as too consider the trew and lawfull vse of the venefytes that God hath graunted vs yit wee should refrayne for shame of the world forasmuch as wee see that a drunken man is as a confuziâ—n too 〈◊〉 all order and there is nothing too be seen in him but a lump of all leaâ—dnesse insomuch that Gods image is defaced all reason queâ—ched and all things put out of order in him Therfore sith wee see that drunkennesse is matched with such extremities ought we not too abhorre it And although S. Paule haue giuen heere but a short glaunce at the enormicies that happen through drunkennesse yit wee must consider that in the same he hath also in generall comprehended all the rest The thing then which wee haue too remember vppon this streyne is that wee must bee sober and haue a stay of our selues in our eating and drinking and that although there bee abundance before vs yit wee must bee so discrete in taking of our repaste as our meates and drinkes doo not comber vs â–ª The very heathen men sawe that and no 〈◊〉 â–ª for it is a knowledge that cannot bee wyped out that wee must eate and drinke too liâ—e and not liue to eate and drinke and agein that we must take our â—â—paste to strengthen vs and too make vs able too doo our 〈◊〉 â–ª and noâ— too make vs vnweldie For it is certein that bread and wyâ—e and meates are not ordeyned too cast men downe but forasmuch as men should else decaye for famine our Lord reneweth them and giueth them their strength according too this saying of the Psalme that wyne gladdeth mans hart and bread strengtheneth it And so yee see what wee haue too remember in the first place And secoâ—dly let vs consider that when God suffereth men to ouershoote theÌ„selues into al leaudnesse so as they be vtterly without stay of theÌ„selues without honestie without shame euery man sees them to be as brute beasts and they themselues perceyue nothing but are as it were cast vp at randon to al shamefulnesse it is a ryghtfull punishment layd vppon them by God for abuzing of his liberalitie and for glâ—tting of themselues without any measure Lo heere the payment which this vnhallowing of Gods benefyts deserueth when wee cannot vse them according too his ordinance and according too the rule that he hath set by his woord and imprinted in our harts For though wee had neuer heard one woord nother of the Lawe nor of the Gospell yit are wee sufficiently 〈◊〉 euen by beholding the order of nature which the very heathen men considered And heere wee haue too remember that the mischeef is dubbled when men step asyde and giue ouer themselues from euill too euill by degrees and therfore much lesse ought it too serue too lessen their fault as wee see a number would haue it too doo who when they cannot deny but that they haue done amisse fall too this shift for their last refugâ— saying O yee may see I was ouertaken with the wyne my wits were intoxicate after I had once drunk Behold I pray yee howe they that cannot start asyde one way nor other would fayne haue their drunkennesse too serue too acquit them before god But so little can that stand vs in any stead that contrariwyse wee shal bee so much the more giltie And in very deede if Lawes were well ordeyned a drunken man should haue dubble punishment when he had commitâ—ed any offence through his vnsobernesse And why so For he was woorthy of punishment alredy for vnhalowing of the benfyts which God had dedicateâ— to our vse that they myght moue vs too resort vnto him Wheras he gaue them in witnesse of his faâ—herly goodnesse the partie â—â—â—zed them after that fashion and what a trayterousnesse is that drunkards then deserue one punishment for that Agein for asmuch as they bee drawen too euill dooing â— farre of as though they had confederated themselues with Satan they ought too bee punished agein for that they will needs excuze and cloke themselues For although the lawes of men haue not alwayes that consideration or that men obserue not that which ought too bee obserued yit notwithstanding they that giue ouer themselues after that sort and let themselues looce intoo all leaudnesse through their vnsobernesse shall bee driuen too answer afore God for defyling of the things which God had sanctifyed too his seruis and wherin he had put a mark of his goodnesse too the intent too drawe vs vntoo him by the same Then if all bee peruerted in our eating and drinking must wee not yeeld an account before God for our abuzing oâ— the benefyts that he had bestowed vppon vs contrarie too his intent as though wee were mynded too prouoke him wilfully too anger Seeing then that drunkennesse makes men so beastly as too forget themselues in such wyse that Gods image is defaced in them and they become lyke doggs and Swyne and Asses sith wee see our selues so disfigured say I yea and woorthie too bee reiected of God as horrible monsters and that wee doo also lay open our owne shame aud dishonestie before men ought not euery of vs atleastwyse too bethink himself aduyzedly and too brydle our lusts in such sort when God giueth vs meate and drink as wee fall not intoo excesse Yis and so â—ee see in effect what wee haue too remember vppon this streyne And if wee cannot be so perfect as were â—equisyte let vs sygh for our faults and in any wyse beware that wee play not the beasts in eating and drinking that God may bee so honored of vs as he ought too bee not only by our dooing of homage too him for our lyfe but also by taking continuall occasion by our meates too bee prouoked too resort vntoo him And let vs vnderstand that he giueth vs euen now some taste of his loue too the end that in wayting for the full inioyment therof wee may learne too forsake the world and serue him with the willinger mynd knowing that he is not only our mayster and hath al superioritie and dominion ouer vs but also our father and is desyrous too win vs by his godnesse Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him too make vs so too feele them as wee may truly repent vs of them and alwayes resort vntoo him too ask him forgiuenesse of them in
that it becommeth vs too bee occupyed in blissing his holy name yit will not wee see it one whit Agein as touching the bodie we beare our selues on hand that our goods come too vs eyther by our owne cunning or by good fortune or by fauour of the world as for God he is alwayes let alone and as for his goodnesse wee thinke not on it Now then when wee intend too doo our deâ—tie in yeelding God his dew prayse which is the cheef sacrifyze that he requyreth as I sayd afore let vs haue regard too consâ—der better what wee bee and what our state is and how wee bee subiect too so many necessities as God must bee fayne too succour vs iâ—finite wayes And when wee haue considered our wretchednesse both in bodie and soule and on the contrarie part also considered how God prouydeth for all and suffereth vs not too haue any penurie without relâ—ef at his hand surely wee shall haue wherwith too continue the praysing of his holy name without ceassing And Saint Paule will haue vs not onely too thanke God for the benefites which wee feele apparantly but also although he afflict vs and handle vs diuerse tymes otherwyse than wee would yit will he haue vs too prayse him styll after the example of Iob who as wee see not onely thanked God when he had his children at his table and they made merry in feasting one another but also when he was bereft of his issew and left desolate in his house when all his goods were taken away partly by robbers and partly by lyghtening that fell from heauen and when he was so miserable as it seemed that Lyce should eate him vp he ceassed not too say The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away blissed bee the name of the lord So then Saint Paule sheweth vs that euen in our sorowes and when wee receyue chastizements that are rough and bitter too vs yit let vs not grudge ageinst God but rather perseuer in praysing his name as he exhorteth vs in another place where he sayeth that in praying too him wee must alwayes prayse him Although wee haue not the things that wee craue and that in our peticions wee shewe our selues too want this and that and are pinched with greefe and care yit must thanksgiuing be mingled still with our prayers There are a great number that pray vntoo God but yit they do but prouoke Gods wrath bycause they intermingle their grudgings and repynings gâ—ashing their teeth at him They will in deede say My God helpe mee But which is that God If they could plucke him out of heauen they would doo it with all their hart too the end he myght haue no more power ouer them Ye see then that a number thinking too pray vntoo God doo but prouoke him to wrath bycause their requestes are full of pryde spytefulnesse and defyance And therfore Saint Paule telleth vs too the Philippians that all our petitions and requestes must bee matched with thanksgiuing too shewe that wee doo paciently abyde too bee gouerned by the hand of god Likewise in this text he sayeth that wee must thanke God for all things not only when wee bee in prosperitie and all things fall out as wee would wish so as God giueth vs our hartes desyre and wee lyue in delyght and pleasure that is not the onely fit tyme and season too yeeld praise vntoo God but although he squoorge vs yit must wee acknowledge that he procureth our saluation and welfare by that meane Let vs see then if wee haue not cause to blisse God in all our aduersities Yis For first whatsoeuer betyde vs he beareth with vs insomuch that if he should touche vs but with one of his fingers in good earnest wee should bee ouerwhelmed at the first blowe Seeyng then that wee hold out it is a token that he spareth vs and haue not wee cause too thanke him for it Agein when he turneth his chastizings too our benefyte for that he purgeth vs by that meanes too further vs continually therby too the kingdome of heauen and too lift vs vp bycause wee bee too much tyed too the world too the end wee should bee gathered toogither too come too the full perfection that is prepared for vs in heauen when wee see all this haue wee not cause too prayse our God notwithstanding that wee bee full of greefe care feare and doubtes Yis certeinly but that our owne vnthankfulnesse hindereth it So much the more behoueth it vs too marke well the thing that S. Paule telleth vs heere namely that wee haue cause too praise God without end or ceassing And if our mouth bee stopped sometymes with grief so as wee seeme too bee barred from praysing God and wee cannot apply our selues freely theruntoo let vs vnderstand that God neuer sheweth himselfe so rough and rigorous towardes vs but that he asswageth the bitternesse which is in our afflictions too the intent too drawe vs vntoo him and that wee myght thanke him and glorify him for it Forasmuch as wee receyue no grace but by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ who dooth also turne the corrections too our welfare which wee should suffer as punishments for our sinnes therfore it is sayd that vvee should yeeld thankes too our God and father namely by our Lord Iesus Christ. Now he setteth downe on the one syde God the father and afterward sheweth how God is our father in all respectes that is too wit by meanes of the mediator through whom we be reconcyled vnto him and he hath so put away al our sinnes that whatsoeuer things we can indure in this world are all furtherances of our saluation as is sayd of them in the Epistle too the Romans And heere wee haue to marke first of all that without fayth wee cannot prayse God as we ought to doo insomuch that whatsoeuer prayses wee sing with our mouth all is but feyning and hipocrisie except wee bee throughly perswaded that God is our father And marke heere what is ment by fayth It is not as the Papistes suppoze it namely too beleeue that there is a God in heauen and in the meane whyle too knowe no whit of his will but Saint Paule telleth vs wee must bee throughly resolued that God accepteth vs for his children or else wee shall neuer bee able to prayse him with a pure and free affection And how may that bee doone but by being grounded vppon the free adoption wherethrough he taketh vs too him for our Lord Iesus Christes sake For is it by inheritance or for any woorthinesse of ours that God is our father and wee his children Alas no but cleane contrariwyse wee bee called the children of wrath and God must needes disclayme vs bycause there is nothing but sin and wickednesse in vs Then â—ntill wee come too our Lord Iesus Christ it is certein that wee cannot bee sure of Gods fauour nor that he will accept our â—eruice And therefore
turne away our fayth from his bludshed Ment he that baptim should take the roome of his death and passion to performe the office of our saluatioÌ„ No surely For Baptim is but on Incum and an appendant too the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and if it did not direct vs thither certeynely it were but a tryfling Ceremony As much is too bee fayd of the Lords Supper When wee câ—me too 〈◊〉 the bread and wyne which are the pledges of the body and bluâ— of our Lord Iesus Christ although that in that supper wee bee truly fed with the meate and drink wherof mention is 〈◊〉 in the sixth of Saint Iohn that is to wit that our Lord Iesus Chriâ—â— maketh vs partakers of the truthe of his owne substance too the end that his lyfe should bee common vntoo vs yit notwithstanding if the supper should bee separated from the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it were a thing of nothing And in deede wee see also what the promis conteyneth This is my bodie sayeth he which is giuen for you Trew it is that is sheweth well what our ordinarie foode is but therwithall he sendeth vs also too his death and passion For had he not made satisfaction for our sinnes and shed his blud to wash away our spots what should it boote vs now too haue baptim and his supper ministred and giuen vntoo vs Wee see then that too vse baptim well and according too the institution of the sonne of God we must not set our mâ—nds vppon the corruptible and transitorie element For what is the water If it stand but one day it will corruâ—pt and how then can it clenze our soules for euer and get vs a purenesse that shall continew after death though wee our selues doo turne too rottennesse If this power cannot bee in the water wee must of necessitie repayre too the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. And in dede the water also is a figure of his blud and of his holy spirit Then let vs mark that our Lord Iesus did then wash vs when he shed his blud wherby he clenzed vs That is the meane wherby wee may resort vntoo God with full trust that wee shal bee receyâ—ed as ryghtuous and perfect bycause he layeth not our sinnes too our charge Mark that for one poynt Now as Saint Peter sayeth in his first Epistle wee be wasâ—hed with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ by the holy Ghost Wee see then that wee haue the substance and truthe of our saluation in the person of the sonne of god And moreouer wee haue too note also that he communicateth him self vntoo vs and therby putteth vs in possession and fruition of all his goods through the power of the holy Ghost And how happeneth it then that Saint Paule hath made no mention heere of the blud that clenzeth vs and of the woorking of the holy Ghost It seemeth that hee hath forgotten the cheef thing and buzieth him self about a thing that is very small I haue told you alredye that he ment not too abridge any thing that belonged too the sonne of God that wee should not seeke the whole fulnes of our saluation in him alone and settle our fayth alonly vppon him nother ment he too dispossesse the holy Ghost of his office but he had respect of our infirmitie And that is the cause why he set downe the signe wherby the thing that of it self is too hygh and too farre hidden from our vnderstanding is set before our eyes That is the piâ—h of the thing which we haue too beare in mynd Now of this declaration wee may receyue a very profitable lesson in generall that is too wit that the trew and lawfull vse of Sacraments is too leade vs directly too our Lord Iesus Christ and that otherwyse wee make them but as Idols And therfore in poperie Baptim is but as a Charme bycause they think there is no saluation but by the water I let passe the things that they haue puâ— to it of their owne deuyzing For they haue corrupted and mard the very institution of Iesus Christ by mingling baptim with the superstitions that are knowen of But let vs put the cace they vsed nothing else but the pure water yit is it diuelish opinion that Baptim is able of it self to saue vs For by that meanes our Lord Iesus Christ is as good as thrust away so as they make none account of him For they stand poring vppon the visible signe and are as yee would say vtterly doted vppon it In lyke cace are they with all the rest of their Ceremonies So much the more therefore dooth it stand vs on hand too beare this lesson in mynd That too apply the Sacraments too a ryght vse and too such vse as God alloweth and ordeyneth they must guyde vs too our Lord Iesus Christ Lyke as in Baptim wee see but the water but therby we must be lifted vp hygher to the blud of the sonne of God assuring our selues that it is not the water that maketh vs cleane but that it is only a warrant of the washing that was gotten for vs when our Lord Iesus Christ was crucifyed for vs In the Supper wee haue bread and wyne Now to hold our selues to that which is set before out eyes were a withdrawing of our selues from Iesus Christ. Our fayth therfore must bee lifted vp and conueyed too him in whom all the partes of our saluation are inclozed Forasmuch then as wee haue the whole perfection and fulnesse of all good things in the onely Sonne of God it is thither that wee must looke vp and labour too atteyne when the Sacramentes are set afore vs for that is the very office of them or else wee peâ—uert all and it is as yee would saye an vnhallowing of the thing that God hath halowed too our benefyte if our Lord Iesus Christ bee separated from the visible signes Wee haue also too note that wee communicate not with Iesus Christ but by the grace of the holy Ghost Yit notwithstanding let vs not hold scorne of the helpes that our Lord hath ordeyned for vs bycause he knewe them too bee requisite for our infirmities sake Why be we not taught simply that if wee runne too our Lord Iesus Christ in him wee shall fynde our washing and clenzing It seemeth that that ought too suffyze vs and that the water of Baptim is but a vayle too keepe vs from comming vntoo Iesus Christ. Yea but let vs see a little what our owne â—udenesse is If wee had the myndes of Angels wee should no more neede this outward Baptim than the Angels do But forasmuch as wee bee earthly and it is hard for vs too atteyne vntoo God and the secretes of his heauenly kingdome it is for our behoofe too bee helped after that fashion And it is a wonderfull gracious goodnesse of God that he stoopeth so too our infirmitie and supplyeth it with meeâ—e and conuenient
from our father Adam as it were by inheritance The maner therfore that wee bee of Iesus Christes flesh and bone of his bone is that wee bee graffed intoo his body accordingly as Saint Paul also vseth the same similitude of graffyng Lyke as a sine that is set intoo a stocke taketh his sustenance from the same so must wee by being graffed intoo our Lord Iesus Christ. Trew it is that we doo not yit bring foorth good fruite of our selues for his purpose heere is but too shewe that as a braunche withereth which is broken of from the roote and so let alone but receyueth sap and nurrishment froÌ„ the roote if it bee graffed intoo another euen so is it with vs that is too wit that if wee continew such as wee bee by kynde then are wee in death bycause wee bee separated from our Lord Iesus Christ but if wee bee incorporated intoo him and it please him too communicate himselfe vnto vs then doo we feele in very deede that bread doth not more nurrishe vs wheÌ„ wee eate it nor wyne strengthen vs better when we drink it than wee verily receyue lyfe and strength by the body and blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now then that this is a hygh misterie euery man is able to iudge of himselfe When wee haue debated neuer so much and scanned the matter in our hartes is there any of vs that can comprehend how wee bee knit too our Lord Iesus Christ and how wee bee made all one with him so as wee can assure and warrant our selues that wee shall by that meane bee parttakers of Gods glorie and that euen at this day wee liue in our Lord Iesus Christ According too this saying of his bee of good cheere for as I liue so shall you also Can this say I enter intoo so small a roome as our sensuall reason is No surely And that is the cause why a number of men cannot admit this poynt that wee bee the flesh of Iesus Christ and bone of his bones but content themselues with their owne imaginations which is an abacing of Gods grace which Saint Paule was not able too expresse but rather shewed vs that it ought too rauish our wittes too woonder at it Many then may happen too haue a rouing and as it were a heathenish imagination that we bee knit vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that is too say that wee bee saued by his grace But the Scripture goeth further and though there were no more but this saying That it is a great misterie yit let vs beware of limiting it after our owne fancie for it were al one as if wee would make Saint Paule a lyer All such as despyze this spirituall coniunction which wee haue with our Lord Iesus Christ would shewe that there is no such secret nor wonderfull power of God nor aught else as wee heare spoken of heere And the holy Ghost vseth such speeche too humble vs and afterward â—oo exalt vs agein Therefore wee must on the one syde confesse that all the wisedome and wit which wee haue dooth fayle vs in that behalfe and afterward ryze vp agein for that we heare our Lord Iesus Christ call vs too him and tell vs that wee bee so knit vntoo him that he hath not any thing of his owne which he maketh not common too vs and wherof he will not haue vs too bee parttakers Therfore if wee haue any contrarye motions in our selues and it come intoo our heades too say how is it possible that our Lord Iesus Christ who is in heauen should nurrish vs with his owne substance so as his body should bee our meate and his blud our drinke I say if wee fall intoo such fancies we must repulse them all with that which is sayd here namely that it is a great Secret and wee must rebuke our owne folly and rashnesse in intending too measure the thing that is infinite Our Lord sheweth vs that when he hath knit vs too his only sonne he hath doone so high and profound a woorke as surmounteth all our capacitie Seeing it is so let vs alwayes conclude that although wee fynde it a straunge matter yit must wee rest vppon the thing which is spoken by God himselfe specially when he sayth that he will woorke after so hygh a fashyon that wee shal bee vtterly rauished at it Wherefore let vs learne generally vppon this text that all the benefytes which wee receyue by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ thereby too atteine too the heauenly lyfe are and doo proceede of the fayd fountaine of Gods incomprehensible wisedome so as it is not for vs too bee so foolish and presumpâ—uous as too say I will knowe what it is and agein I will see what pleaseth mee Let vs restreyne our selues from such presumption for it will make vs vnwoorthy of the misterie of fayth bycause it is a saying that importeth a great secret The end say I whereat wee must begin if we mynd too fare the better by Iesus Christ and too bee parttakers of all his grace is too vnderstand that Gods woorking in our saluation is a great misterie or secret according too the text that I alledged heertoofore out of the Epistle too Timothie It is a great misterie sayth Saint Paule that God was manifested in the flesh For what a great distance is there betweene God and man Wee be but wormes and rottennesse and Gods maiestie is so hygh as no man can say what it is nor conceyue the hundredth part of it in thought but wee must be fayne too bee rauished too woonder at it Seeyng then that God hath so linked himselfe vntoo vs that he is the trew Emanuell as he is named in Esay and that the things which seeme to be so farre asunder are knit togither in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs conclude theruppon that there is nothing but mysteries and secretes in all the grace which wee receyue of our God and specially in our incorporating or graffing intoo our Lord Iesus Christ who hauing taken our nature vppon him and clothed himselfe with our fleshe will haue vs too bee graffed into him as into our roote too bee quickened by his spirit and too bee parttakers of his lyfe so as he hath nothing peculiar too himself alone but will haue all to be common vnto vs Will wee then receyue our Lord Iesus Christ with all the benefytes which he bringeth vs and will wee by his meanes ouercome all the temptations that can crosse vs Wee must tast throughly of the thinges that the holy Scripture telleth vs and setteth afore vs and giue such reuerend credit vnto theÌ„ by acknowledging that God woorketh in vs by our Lord Iesus Christ as the same may content vs and make vs too forsake all our owne naturall vnderstanding Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sinnes praying him too voutsafe too pardon vs in such wyse as wee may
there shall bee noth 〈◊〉 riches nor pouertie honour nor bacenesse wee must all appeere as wee bee that is too say mortall men and children of Adam That is it in effect which wee haue too gather vppon that lesson After Saint Paule hath shewed euery mans dewtie particularly now he returneth agein too generall doctrine For as I sayd afore there is one rule common too all men without exception which is the same that is conteyned in Gods lawe namely that wee should leade a holy lyfe giuing our selues ouer vnto his seruis and also loue one another liuing chastely and soberly in all myldnesse and honestie This is common But it is sayd afterward that euery man must haue an eye too his owne calling as the husband hath a speciall dewtie towards his wyfe and the wyfe towards hir husband as wee haue seene hertoofore for Saint Paule hath layd foorth all those things Now he attempereth his talk too all men saying Moreouer my brethren bee strong in the Lord. Wherin he sheweth that wee cannot giue our selues too the seruing of God without hardnesse but must take peynes too prepare our selues thertoo Trew it is that if wee were whole and sound and that our nature were vncorrupted it would neuer dare vs to liue according too Gods commaundement nay rather it would be our whole pleasure accordingly as the faythfull doo feele by experience when God hath touched them too the quicke And for that cause also dooth our Lord Iesus Christ say that his yoke is nother hard nor rough nor his burthen heauie as if he should say that he desyreth nothing but too guyde vs by all gentle aud louing meanes But if wee consider what wee bee that is too say how vnable wee are too bee firme and constat and too hold out in the way which God sheweth vs surely wee shall well see how it is not without cause that Saint Paule exhorteth vs heere too bee strong As if he should say I haue exhorted you hithertoo too doo your dewties but I knowe well that euery of you shall fynde such stubornnesse in him self as he shal not be able too ouercome his wicked lusts but by fyghting manfully And though you be weake yit think not that that ought to serue for excuce When your passions on the one syde are stubborne and rebellious ageinst God and your selues on the other syde are frayle think not that that shall quit you before God for yee shal bee condemned in your sinnes neuerthelesse What is too bee doone then Bee yee strong in the Lord sayeth he that is too say wheras most men doo welter in their sinnes and think themselues discharged byâ—â—use their thoughts and affections are so rebellious ageinst the ryghtuousnesse of God you knowing all the same miseries must mislyke of your selues for them and seeke the remedie of them And what is that Strengthen your selues that is too say wee must inforce our selues As if hee should say It is a hard thing too walk aryght for wee shall haue as many impediments as may be The diuell wil not ceasse too seeke all meanes possible too thrust vs out of the way and wee shall haue store of oppressions and vexations for he hath slyghtes ynow and too many and besyds that he assayleth vs now after one maner and now after another and we haue not wherwith too resist him Therfore it behoueth vs too get strength too vs. Howbeit he sayth in the Lord least men should imagin themselues able too furnish out the matter with their owne freewill and with their owne cunning Therefore Bee yee strong in the Lord sayeth he yea and in the myghtinesse of his power When hee dooeth vs too wit that God will vtter such power as wee shal not neede to doubt of victorie ageinst all that the diuell can practyze so we bee not rechlesse ne fall asleepe Wherfore let vs call vppon God that he may help vs and succour vs at our neede So then let these twoo things go toogither with vs that is too wit first wakefulnesse and such care as the faythfull should haue too strengthen themselues and on the other syde hartie desyrousnesse too call vppon god And this is a text well woorthie too bee marked as which conteyneth a greate matter in fewe woords For first wee see that wee must not bee slothfull if wee couet too rule our lyfe according too Gods will but forasmuch as euery man beareth with him self and we desyre nothing but too shake of all care and too cast the things at our backs as they say which myght trubble vs too the end wee bee not so nyce wee must mark first of all that if wee will serue God wee must inforce our selues and that is as much to say as we must fyght ageinst the diuell For as I sayd afore he is not ydle nother will he suffer any of vs to doo our dewtie with such ease as though wee did but walk vp and downe in some foyre place but he will set thornes and cast logs in our wayes too stop vs Agein he will giue such girds at vs as shal bee ynough too ouerthrow vs a hundred tymes before wee can step one pace vnlesse God ayd vs Forasmuch therfore as wee cannot walk in the feare of God without fyghting wee ought too beare Saint Paules warning in mynd Furthermore he intendeth also too make vs perceyue our owne weaknesse For wee knowe that men doo beare much with themselues and seeke nothing but too welter in their pleasures Also there are which presume vppon their owne strength beare theÌ„selues on hand that they be able to worke wonders as though they were as stout as could bee requyred And this cursed perswasion hath deceiued wretched meÌ„ in al ages and by that meane hath free-will trotted in euery mans mouth But S. Paule telleth vs heere that wee haue neede too bee strenthened which saying importeth that wee bee weake by nature And afterward he expresseth him self yit better in saying that it is in the Lord that wee must bee strong and that he hath all power in him too giue therof vntoo vs as much as needeth Then if wee enterpryze any thing without calling vppon him wee shal bee punished for our rashnesse and pryde Saint Paule therfore sheweth vs that men cast themselues into decay by their ouerweening in imagining themselues too haue that which they haue not which conceyt turneth them away from calling vppon God Now it myght bee sayd heere that it is a superfluous exhortation too bid vs bee strong in the Lord for no man is able too vphold him self that lyeth not in any bodies power too doo No but yit for all that wee feele by effect that God woorketh in such wyse in vs that wee doo the same things that he dooeth But yit must that woorking needs bee amyable too vs If a maÌ„ haue liued holily so as he may haue bin as a mirrour of holinesse and of all vertew it may well bee sayd he hath