S. Paule hath gathered very briefly and as it were into one short summe when he sayth Rom. 4 Christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Whereof thus much at this time shall suffize A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE GOOD SHEPEHEARD Iohn 10. Verse 11. IEsus sayde vnto the Iewes I am that good shepeheard that good shepeheard giueth his life for his sheepe 12. But an hyreling he which is not the shepeheard neither the sheepe are his owne seeth the woulfe comming and leaueth the sheepe and fleeth and the woulfe catcheth them and scattereth the sheepe 13. So the hyerling fleeth because he is an hyerling and careth not for the sheepe 14. I am that good shepeheard and know myne and am knowne of myne 15. As the Father knoweth me so know I the Father and I lay downe my life for my sheepe 16. Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this folde them also must I bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one sheepefold and one shepeheard THis text is full of consolation which in a goodly parable setteth forth Christ our Lord teacheth what maner of person he is what be his workes and of what affection he is toward men Neuertheles it can not be vnderstood but by comparing togither light and darkenes day and night that is a good and an euill shepeheard as the Lord also doth in this place Ye haue nowe oftentimes heard that God hath instituted and ordeined in the worlde two maner of preachings The preaching of the law One is when the word of God is preached which sayth Exod. 20 Thou shalt haue none other gods before me Also Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adulterie Thou shalt not steale doth also threaten that he which doth not keepe those precepts shall dye But that preaching doth iustifie no man For although a man be thereby compelled to shew him selfe godly outwardly before men notwithstanding inwardly his hart is offended at the law The preaching of the Gospell and had leuer there were no lawe The other ministerie of the word is the Gospell which sheweth where that is to be receiued which the lawe requireth it neither vrgeth nor threatneth but allureth men gentlely it sayth not doe this or that but it sayth thus Goe too I will shew where thou mayst receiue and take whereby thou mayst become righteous Behold here is Iesus Christ he will giue it thee Wherfore these two disagree one with an other as much as to receiue and giue to exact and reward And this difference is to be well vnderstood and marked To hardened and vntractable men To whom the law must be preached which feele not the Gospell the lawe is to be preached and they are so long to be vrged till they begin to be mollified and humbled and doe acknowledge their disease which when it is done there is then place to begin to preach the Gospell These two sortes of preachinges were instituted and ordayned of God besides these there are other which were not ordayned of God but are traditions inuented by men ordained of the Pope and his Prelats wherewith they haue peruerted the Gospell These are not worthy to be called either shepeherds or hirelings but they are those which Christ calleth theeues robbers and wolues For if we will rule and guide men rightly and well that must needes be done by the worde of God whereby if it be not done we surely labour in vaine Furthermore Christ entreateth here of that second ministerie of the word and describeth of what sorte it is he maketh him selfe the chiefe yea the onely shepeheard for that which he doth not feede doth surely remayne vnfed Ye haue heard that our Lorde Iesus Christ after his passion and death was raysed from the dead is entred into and placed in immortalitie not that he might sit idle in heauen and reioyce with him selfe but that he might receiue a kingdom might execute the function of a gouernour and king of whom all the Prophets yea the whole Scripture doe speake very much Wherfore he is to be acknowledged to be vnto vs continually a present gouernour and ruler neither must we thinke that he is idle in heauen but that he doth from aboue both fill and gouerne all thinges as Paule sayth Ephes 4. who hath an especiall care of his kingdome which is the Christian faith hereupon it must needes be that his kingdom doe florish amonge vs here in earth Of this kingdom we haue elsewhere sayd that it is so ordeyned The kingdoÌ of Christ increaseth not by force and power but by preaching of the Gospell that we all encrease euery day and become purer and that it is not gouerned at all by any force or power but by outward preaching alone that is by the Gospell And this Gospell commeth not from man but Iesus Christ him selfe brought it and afterward put it into the hartes of the Apostles and their successors that they might comprehend it and into their mouthes that they might speake and publish it Hereby is his kingdom gouerned wherein he so reigneth that all the power thereof consisteth in the word of God Now whosoeuer shall heare beleeue this The force efficacie of the word of God doe pertaine to this kingdome Moreouer this worde is afterward made so effectuall that it giueth all thinges which are necessary to man bringeth a certain abundance of all good things which may be had For it is the power of God which is able to saue euery one that beleeueth as Paul witnesseth Rom. 1 When thou beleuest that Christ died for thee to deliuer thee from all euill so cleauest vnto the worde it is sure and certaine that no creature is able to ouerthrow thee For as none is able to ouerthrow the word so none is able to hurt thee when thou stickest vnto it By the word therefore thou doost ouercome sinne death Satan hell and thither thou must resort and flie where the word is that is to eternall peace ioy and life and briefly thou shalt be made partaker of all such good things as are promised in the word Wherfore the gouernment of this kingdom is maruelous the word is published preached through the whole world but the power thereof is very secret neither doth any man marke that it is so effectual that it so much profiteth them that beleue howbeit it must be felt and tasted in the hart We therfore of the ministerie are able to performe no more then that we are the mouth of our Lorde Christ and the instrument whereby he openly preacheth the word For he suffereth the word to be published abroad that euery one may heare it But faith maketh that it is felt inwardly in the hart yea and it is the secret worke of Christ whensoeuer any knoweth that it is his duety and is also willing to doe according to his diuine will
which strengthneth the knowledge that God hath taught him to wit that God is nothing els but a Sauiour abounding with grace who will be fauorable and mercifull to all them which call vpon him in this his Sonne Therefore the Lord sayth moreouer Verely verely I say vnto you He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life I am that breade of life Your Fathers did eate Manna in the vvildernes and are dead This is that bread vvhich coÌmeth dovvne from heauen that he vvhich eateth of it should not die I am that liuing bread vvhich came dovvne from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I vvill giue is my flesh vvhich I vvill giue for the life of the vvorld In these wordes the soule findeth a table daintily furnished whereby it may stake all hunger For it knoweth assuredly that he that speaketh these wordes can not lye Wherefore if it commit it selfe confidently vnto him and cleaue to the word it resteth vpon him and so departeth not from this goodly table This is that supper to the preparing whereof the heauenly Father killed his oxen and fatlings and hath bidden vs all vnto it The liuing breade whereof the Lorde here maketh mention Christ the liuing bread whereon we must feede by faith is Christ him selfe whereby we are so fedde If we lay hold but of a morsell of this bread in our harts and keepe it we shall be satisfied for euer neither can we euer be plucked from God Moreouer such an eating is nothing els but to beleue in the Lord Christ that he is made vnto vs of God as Paule sayth 1. Cor 1. wisedom righteousnes sanctification and redemption He that eateth this meat liueth for euer Wherefore by and by after this text when the Iewes were at contention about these his wordes he sayth Verely verely I say vnto you Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you VVhosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternall life I vvill rayse him vp at the last day Manna which the fathers did eate in the desert as Christ here sayth could not saue from death but this bread maketh vs immortall If we beleeue in Christ death shall not hurt vs any thing at all yea there is no more death This the Lord meaneth by these wordes in an other place where he sayth to the Iewes Verely verely I say vnto you Ioh. 8.51 if a man keepe my word he shall neuer see death where it is certaine that he speaketh of the word of faith and of the Gospell But some man may say that holy men die notwithstanding An obiectioÌ for Abraham the holy Prophets are dead as the Iewes sayd vnto him I aunswere The death of Christians is onely a sleepe The aunswer as the Scripture also commonly calleth it for a Christian tasteth seeth no death that is he hath the feeling of no death For this Sauiour Christ Iesus in whom he beleeueth hath ouercome death that afterwards he shoulde not feele or tast it but death is vnto him onely a passage and gate to life as Christ him selfe witnesseth Ioh. 5 Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my vvord beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Wherefore the life of a Christian is merie and on euery side replenished with ioy and the yoke of Christ is easie sweete But that it semeth heauy and grieuous vnto vs this is the cause for that the Father hath not yet drawne vs hereupon it commeth to passe that we take no pleasure thereof neither is the Gospell comfortable vnto vs. If so be that we would lay vp the wordes of Christ well in our hart they would be vnto vs an exceeding comfort And thus ye haue heard howe we must feede on this breade which came downe from heauen that is on the Lord Christ to wit by faith which we then do when we beleeue in him that he is our Sauiour The whole chapter out of which this text is taken commendeth vnto vs nothing els but spirituall meat For when the multitude followed Christ that they might againe eate and drinke which the Lord him selfe signifieth he taketh occasion of the corporal meat which they sought almost through the whole chapter speaketh of spirituall meat as he sayd The wordes which I speake are spirit and life Wherby he would signifie that he therfore fed them that they should beleeue in him as they did eate the bodily meat so they ought also to feede of the spirituall Here let vs weie and marke this that the Lord doth so gently and graciously apply him selfe to vs and offer him selfe in such gentle wordes that it ought worthely to moue our hartes to beleeue in him to wit that that bread was therefore giuen for vs inasmuch as it was behouefull that he should tast death and suffer hellish paines Also should beare sinnes which he neuer had committed as though he had committed them and had bene his owne and he did also the same willingly for our sakes and tooke vs as brethren and sisters The will of the heauenly Father This if we beleeue we doe the will of the heauenly Father which is nothing els but to beleeue in his Sonne so be saued As Christ him selfe sayth a litle before This is the will of him that sent me that euery man which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life It now therfore appeareth that he that hath faith doth the will of God and eateth of this heauenly bread As Augustine sayth What doost thou prepare thy mouth beleeue and thou hast eaten Of this spirituall supper the whole new Testament speaketh but especially in this place of Iohn The Sacrament of Christes body blood is a certaine testimonie and pledge of this true supper whereby we ought to strengthen our faith and to be assured that this body and this blood whereof we feede in the Sacrament deliuereth vs from synne death Satan and all euell But how may a man perceiue and know How a man maye know whether he be called to this spirituall supper that he also doth pertaine to this heauenly bread and is called to this spirituall supper let him consider the case in his owne heart which if he fynde so affected that it doth as it were feele a sweetenes in the promise of God and is vndoutedly perswaded that he is of the companie of them which pertaine to his supper he is assuredly such a one in deede For as we belteue so commeth it vnto vs. Such a man hath also by and by a regard of his neighbour Charitie towarde our neighbour the frute of true faith and helpeth him as his brother careth for him giueth vnto him lendeth him comforteth him briefly doth no otherwise to him then he
prayer consisteth the Psalmes and other prayers of the Scripture For commonly in the Scripture vessels signifie wordes for that our meaninges are contained in wordes as in a vessel and by wordes are vttered and receiued as out of a vessell as wine water burning coles and such like are contained in vessels and taken out of vessels So by the cuppe of Babylon Apoc. 17. the doctrine of men is vnderstood and by the cuppe wherein the blood of Christ is dronke the Gospell Furthermore burning coles What is signified by the burning coles whereon the inceÌse was layde whereupon the frankincense was layde signifie giuing of thankes and rehearsing of benefites in prayer which we are wont to do in making supplication For that by fierie coles benefites are signified it is manifest euen out of the 12. to the Rom. where the Apostle reciteth the saying of Salomon Prouerb 25 If thine enemie hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coles of fire on his head And benefits may be rightly called coles of fire forasmuch as they inflame the heart with loue although it be cold In the Lawe it was prohibited to laye the frankincense vpon any other coles but them that were of the altar of the Lord which signifieth that we must not rehearse our own good deedes in prayer as that Pharise did Luc. 15 but onely the benefits of God bestowed vpon vs in Christ He is our altar We must giue thankes to God by Christ by him we must offer for the benefits receiued by him we must giue thaÌkes and make mention of them in prayer for the increasing of our faith This Paule teacheth Coloss 3. where he sayth Do all thinges in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God the Father by him For God can not suffer that thou shouldest glorie of any thing els in his sight which he declared in a type or figure Leuit. 10 where we read that Nadah and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron were taken and consumed of the flame from the altar of God because they burned incense taking other fire then of the altar of the Lord. The workes of Christ only are acceptable to God wherefore for these onely we must both giue thankes and reioyce in prayer The petitioÌs made in prayer signified by the inceÌse layd on the burning coles The incense signifieth the petitions made in prayer For petitions are whereof prayer consisteth and which ascend vnto God according as Paul sayth Let your petitions be shewed vnto God wherein he seemeth to haue considered and interpreted them as a sauour ascending from the censer As though he had said when ye will burne incense sweete and acceptable vnto the Lord make that your petitions be shewed vnto God with supplication and giuing of thankes this incense and this sauour as it is most sweete vnto God so doth it ascend straight vnto heauen like vapoures of smoke and entreth euen vnto the throne of God And as burning coles do giue a strong sauour and make it ascend vpward so the memorie of the benefites of God which we rehearse by giuing of thankes and whereof we do as it were aduertize God and our selues doth make prayer stedfast and bold which cheerefully and gladly ascendeth into heauen without which truly prayer fainteth is cold and of no force Wherefore whosoeuer thou art before thou pray with faith and effectually they heart must be inflamed with the memorie of the benefits which God hath bestowed vpon vs in Christ But perhaps some man will demaund how our petitions be shewed or become manifest vnto God seeing that they be not onely knowne vnto him before we praye but he also doth send vs that which we aske Whereunto I aunswere the Apostle adioyned this that he might teach of what sort true prayer ought to be We must not praye at aduenture but be certainly perswaded that we shal be heard of God to wit assured and hauing confidence and trust in God which passeth not away into the winde neither is made at aduenture as their prayer is which pray and haue no regard whether God heareth or not yea rather beleeue that he doth not heare which vndoutedly is not to praye or to aske of God but to tempt and mocke God For if any man did desire money of me whom I certainly knew not to perswade himselfe that he should receiue it I could not suffer such an asker of whom I might assure my selfe to be mocked how much more is God offended at our much crying out and babbling when we do continually babble much crie out do not thinke at all whether he heareth vs. Learne therefore here How our petitions are shewed vnto God that they petitions must be shewed vnto God that is that thou must so aske that thou dout not that they petitions be knowne and accepted of God and beleeue certainly that thou shalt obtaine what soeuer thou doest aske with which faith if thou be endued it shall so come vnto thee in deede For as we belteue so it commeth vnto vs. Wherefore as the smoke carieth the sauour vpward from the censer so faith carieth the petitions of the beleeuers into the sight of God whereby we assuredly beleeue that our petitions shall come vnto God and that we shall vndoutedly obteine those thinges that we aske Paul by these wordes be shewed did vndoutedly meane that which is eftsoones in the Psalmes God hath heard my petition Giue eare Lord vnto my prayer and such like Hereof Christ speaketh Matth 21 and Mar. 11. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in prayer if ye beleeue ye shall receiue it And Iames saith chap. 1 Aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth shall receiue nothing of the Lord. Who may not now hereof perceiue that that much babbling and crying out which is made commonly through the world in monasteries is a mocking and deluding of God The prayers of these if they may be called prayers are aboundantly shewed before men for they crie out and babble too much but there is no regard of them with God they are not knowne of him neither come they vnto his eares that is he doth by no meanes heare them for that they do not beleeue or are assured that their crying out or much babbling is heard of God wherefore as they beleeue so do they receiue It was time therefore long since that those mockinges and blasphemies of God should be abolished But if we praye as we are here taught there shal be nothing surely which we may not obtaine Why we ofteÌtimes praie and receiue not Now we praye for many things continually and receiue nothing neither is it any meruell seeing we praye so that our petitions be not shewed vnto God for that we do not beleeue that they be manifest vnto him Wo to our diffidence and incredulitie And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your hearts and myndes in Christ Iesus In
to Abel being thy selfe acceptable shalt offer acceptable giftes to the Lord. This faith as it is preached vnto thee for no merit of thine owne so is it giuen vnto thee for no deseruing of thine but of meere grace And this faith iustifieth thee thou being endued herewith the Lord remitteth all thy synnes and that by the contemplation of Christ his sonne in whom this faith beleeueth and trusteth Moreouer he giueth vnto such a faith his spirit which doth throughly chaunge a man and make him new so that now he hath other reason and an other will then before namely that which is ready vnto good Such a one worketh nothing but good workes neither can it be but good which he being good before shall do whereof I haue spoken somewhat before Wherefore nothing els is required vnto iustificatioÌ What is required to iustification then to heare Iesus Christ our Sauiour and to beleeue in him howbeit neither of these is the worke of nature but both of onely grace He therefore that goeth about to attaine hereunto by workes shutteth the way to the Gospell to faith grace Christ God and all thinges that helpe vnto saluation Againe vnto good workes there is neede onely of iustification which he that hath attained doth worke onely good workes and beside such a one none Hereof it sufficieÌtly appeareth that the beginning the thinges following and the order of mans saluation are after this sort First of all is required that thou heare the word of God next that thou beleeue then that thou do worke so at the last become saued and happie He which chaungeth this order without doute is not of God Paul also describeth this order Rom. 10 saying VVhosoeuer shall call vpon the Name of the Lord shal be saued But how shal they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a preacher and how shal they preach except they be sent Therefore Christ teacheth vs to pray the Lord of the haruest that he would send forth labourers into his haruest that is syncere preachers WheÌ we heare these preach the true word of God we may beleeue which faith iustifieth a man and maketh him godly in deede that he now calleth vpon God in the spirit of the sonnes and worketh nothing but that which is good and thus becoÌmeth a man saued Which is no other thing then if I say He that beleeueth shal be saued Againe he that worketh without faith is condemned as Christ saith He that doth not beleeue shal be condemned from which no workes shall deliuer him Confer now herewith those things which are wont commonly to be spoken of honestie and righteousnes Are they not wont thus to say I will endeuour that I may yet become honest It is meete surely that we study to lead an honest life and to do good workes Well admit this to be so But if one theÌ aske them how we may applie our selues vnto honestie and by what meanes we may attaine vnto it they aunswere that we must fast praie frequent temples auoide synnes c. Hypocriticall counterfet holines Hereupon one becommeth a Charterhouse Monke an other choseth some other order of monkes an other is consecrated a Priest some tormeÌt their flesh by wearing heare cloth other scourge their bodies with whipps other afflict themselues after other sorts But these are euen of Cains broode their workes are no whit better then the workes of Cain For the man himselfe continueth the same that he was before vngodly and without all iustification there is a certaine chaunge made only of outward workes of apparell of places c. Neither are these any other theÌ very apes of saincts for they do preposterously imitate the maners workes of saincts when as they themselues are nothing lesse theÌ saincts They scarce thinke of faith they presume onely of such workes as seeme good vnto theÌselues thinking by theÌ to come vnto heauen Of whom Christ said Enter in at the straight gate for I say vnto you many seeke to enter in at it can not Why is this because they know not what this narrow gate is For it is faith which doth altogither annihilate or make a man nothing in his owne eyes requireth that he put no trust in any of his owne works but that he leane only to the grace of God be prepared for it to leaue suffer all things But those holy ones of Cains broode thinke their good workes to be the narrow gate are not therefore extenuated or made lesse whereby they might enter they do not leaue confidence in their workes but gathering them togither in great coules they hang them about them and so go about to enter in being burdened and as it were swollen bigge which is as possible for them as for a camell with his bounched backe to go through the eye of a needle WheÌ thou shalt begin to preach vnto these of faith they laugh and hisse at thee Doest thou count vs say they for Turkes and Heathen whom it behoueth now first to learne faith Is there such a companie of Priests Monkes and Nunnes is not faith knowne Who knoweth not what he ought to beleeue euen manifest synners know that And being after this sort animated and stirred vp they thinke that they be abouÌdantly endued with faith and that the rest is now to be finished made perfect by workes Whereupon they make too small sclender account of faith as I haue said because they are ignorant both what faith is that it alone doth iustifie They call it faith when they beleeue those things which they haue heard of Christ which kynde of faith the Deuels also haue yet are nothing therefore iustified but this deserueth to be called rather an opinion of men then fayth For as we do oftentimes admonish it is not sufficient that thou maiest worthely be called a Christian to beleeue those things to be true which are preached of Christ which kinde of faith they of Cains broode also haue A true faith but thou must also nothing doute that thou art of the number of them vnto whom all those benefits of Christ are giuen exhibited Which he that beleeueth must plainly confes that he is holy godly righteous the sonne of God and certaine of saluation that by no merit of his owne but by the only mercy of God poured forth vpon him for Christes sake Which he beleeeueth to be so rich and plentifull as it is in deede that although he be as it were drowned in synnes he is notwithstaÌding thereby made holy the sonne of God Whereof if he should any thing dout he should procure exceeding ignominie reproch to baptisme which he hath receiued to the Lords supper also reproue the word grace of God of falshood Wherefore take heede that thou nothing dout that thou
labour but he himselfe would by meanes of their sword and labour ouercome and vanquishe the enemies Here also it might be said that the souldier doth slaie and ouercome the enemie not by his sword alone but by the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God WhereupoÌ Dauid sayth Psal 44 I will not trust in my bow it is not my sword that can saue me And againe He is not delighted in any mans legges Psal 147.10 a man of great might is not deliuered by much strength a horse is but a vaine thing to saue a man c. Neuertheles God vseeh men swordes horses and bowes howbeit not by the power and strength of them but by them as by certaine meanes or instruments he himselfe fighteth ouercometh This he hath sufficiently declared oftentimes when he hath ouerthrowen the enemies and deliuered his people which suerly he daily doth when the case so requireth After the same sort God vseth bread also by it forasmuch as it is made for that vse he feedeth vs howbeit when it is wanting he neuertheles feedeth them that be his euen by his word without bread as he doth at other times by bread so that bread doth as it were worke vnder God as the Apostles and preachers of the word in spirituall and euangelicall meat serue vnder him as it is mentioned 1. Cor. 3. For as God vseth their ministerie to teache men A similitude he himselfe by his spirit speaking in their hearts through it and doing all thinges alone which he both is able to do and often times wont to do without the ministerie of the preachers of his word although he will not in the meane season haue the ministerie of his to be despised and so himselfe tempted so to the nourishing of our outward man he outwardly vseth bread although he doth make by his word inwardly that we be nourished and strengthened which he can as well do and is wont to do when bread is awaye that all our nourishment may be attributed to the word and not to bread which he vseth as an instrument but yet of no necessitie That I may speake briefly all creatures do as it were serue vnder him and are his instruments without which notwithstanding he is able and often times wont to worke by this meanes prouiding that we may depend on his word alone neither trusting more vnto him when we haue breade and other thinges which our life vseth neither lesse when we want them but may vse them with giuing of thankes when he bestoweth them vpon vs when otherwise may patiently be without them being certain neuertheles that we shall liue and be nourished in both times both when we haue them and when we haue them not And by this faith that vain and vngodly care of the bellie greedie desire of thinges and carefulnes of life are ouercome Tentation whereby we are moued to tempt God with presuÌptuous confidence Then the Deuell tooke him vp into the holie Citie c. This tentation is quite contrarie to the former He assaileth vs with such tentation also whereby he goeth about to moue vs to tempt God euen as he willeth Christ to cast him self downe from a pinnacle of the temple and so tempt God when there were ladders by which he might descend And that this tentation prouoketh to tempt God it is manifest euen by the aunswere of Christ who aunswereth Satan in this maner It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lorde thy God Hereby he signifieth that the deuill would prouoke him to tempt God Now this tentation doth not amis follow the former For when the deuil perceiueth the hart that in pouertie and necessitie it trusteth in God he by and by maketh an end of tempting by care of the bellie and desire of things as being weaker then that by it he may ouerthrow one so stronge in faith He thinketh therefore with him selfe If he professe him selfe to be of so religious and assured a minde I will on this side also giue occasion to sinne And so he setteth vpon him on the right side affirming that that is to be beleeued which the Lorde hath neither spoken nor commaunded to be beleeued As is this If he should bring thee to such madnes that wheÌ thou hast bread at home giuen thee of God as he of his goodnes giueth vnto vs euery day thou wouldest not vse it but wouldest procure to thy selfe necessitie and hunger saying I must trust in God I wil not feede on this earthly bread I will tarye till God giue me other from heauen This were to tempt God For he doth not commaund thee to beleeue that that thing shal come vnto thee wherof thou hast neede if it be already come of his liberalitie For why shouldest thou beleeue that he will giue that which thou hast already of his gift Thou seest therefore that the deuill doth here obiect a certaine necessitie and neede vnto Christ where there is none For there was a sufficient meane to descende from the pinnacle of the temple neither was it reason to attempt this newe vnaccustomed and vnnecessary meane whereunto Satan persuaded Moreouer allegorically we may by this doing of Satan perceiue his craft and suttletie He tooke Iesus sayth the Euangelist into the holy Citie and set him on a pinnacle of the temple By this tentation he replenisheth men with cogitations that seeme most holy Satan tempteth men vnto hypocriticall holines that they may thinke them selues most plentifully endued with faith and to stande in a very holy place when as notwithstanding they are sette not in the temple but on the temple that is not in the synceritie of fayth but in a vayne outward shew of faith Neuertheles he is in the meane season in the holy citie because that this kind of men is wont to be no where but among Christians where the word of the Lord and the preaching of faith is daily heard who also like vnto Satan haue sentences of Scripture in a readines as concerning the wordes although they alwayes peruert wrest them to their owne errour and false imaginations So Satan recited here vnto Christ out of the 91 Psalme that God doth commaund his Angels concerning his children that they keepe them lifting them vp with their hands But the deceiuer concealed that which is added that is Psal 91.11 in their wayes For thus hath the Psalme He will giue his Angells charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes c. So that the custodie of Angells is not by the commaundement promised vnto vs vnles we walke in our wayes which he hath prescribed vs. If we walke in them we shal assuredly be kept of Angells Howbeit the deuill sayth nothing of the wayes of the Lord but promiseth by corrupting the saying of the Psalme that it is commaunded to the Angells to keepe vs in what wayes soeuer whereof the Lorde hath commaunded nothing And this is Satans seducing and persuasion to tempt God
thou fynde comfort in thy conscience and say with Micheas VVho is such a God as thou Mich. 7. that pardonest wickednes castest all our synnes into the bottome of the sea Whosoeuer take not away synnes they are no Gods but idols whereupon he sayeth rightly that none is like vnto our God For other gods will fynde and not bring godlines but the Almightie God doth not finde it but bring it wherefore thou must not forthwith despeire if thy conscieÌce trembleth and feeleth synne For the more defiled that thou art so much the sooner doeth the Lord poure in his grace if so be thou be repentant and thirstest after it A great part goe so farre that they saye they merit grace whiles they dispose them selues thereunto which is as they interpret whiles they do that which lyeth in them and also that they doe satisfie for their synnes But it is not so The Scripture teacheth vs that it is God that taketh away synne and casteth it into the bottome of the sea We shall not put away synnes by our workes neither shall we be iustified of our selues God himselfe and none but he shall do the thinge of his meere grace as Esay sayth I am euen I am he onely Esa 43.25 that for myne owne selfes sake doe take awaye thine offences and forget thy synnes so that I will neuer thinke vpon them more And so must thou beleeue otherwise thou shalt neuer obtaine a ioyfull conscience Wherefore when as Peter sayd I am a synner he saide right It is true in deede there were causes why he might be afrayde of himselfe and humble himselfe but he ought not to refuse God but most willingly receiue him Wherfore when thou shalt feele thy synne like as Peter did and shalt perceiue that thou wouldest now flie from God then is it neede that thou do forthwith turne thy selfe and come more and more vnto him For if God should goe away and would not take away thy synne would not come vnto thee nor seeke thee yet the more thou perceiuest thy selfe a synner the more hast thou oughtest to make vnto him which see thou marke well and lay it vp in a myndefull memorie For as Sainct Peter doeth here so all consciences do which are terrified of synnes and would flie from God seeke an other god do not thou leaue so but come boldly and ioyne thy selfe neerer vnto God Otherwise if one goe away to seeke workes and helpe of an other god he is then found like the foolish Virgines which while they goe to get themselues oyle are in the meane season shut out But what doeth Christ when Peter so humbleth himselfe and by reason of his great feare and terrour desireth the Lord to depart from him did he leaue him in such desperation of himselfe No truly but he comforteth him saying thus Feare not from heÌce forth thou shalt catch meÌ This is a ioyfull word God susteyneth the faithfull both in body spirit whereby weake heartes receiue comfort Now therefore that God hath a care for vs yea euen in those thinges that pertaine to the body ye see by this that he giueth Peter so many fishes he maketh him also so full and rich in spirit that he ought to bestow some of his plenty vpon others He maketh him a fisher both in body and in spirit in body for that he taketh many fishes which he may sell but in spirit he is a fisher of men For he hath the Gospel whereby other men must be brought to God by him and the kingdome of Christ be increased Loe it commeth to passe that where men beleeue the Lord giueth so much as succoureth and helpeth all men The faithfull man outwardly helpeth the needy with his substaunce and goods And from within he breaketh forth teacheth other and enricheth them also inwardly For such a man can not hold his peace but is enforced to shew and declare to others how he is delt with as it is in the 51. Psal Make me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and synners shal be conuerted vnto thee And in an other Psalme also Dauid sayeth I beleeued Psal 116.10 and therefore will I speake Which is thus much in effect when I beleeue I knowe God and tast of his goodnes then I consider the case of other men and go and declare such knowledge and goodnes of God vnto them We see therefore in this text howe carefull God is for them that be his and that he doth susteine them both in body and in spirit But if he doth sometime differre any thinge without all doute it is through the fault of our incredulitie or because we haue now new begon to beleeue For where faith is new and litle there is sometime small and sclender helpe that we may learne to know the Lord and to trust in him But when we haue gone so farre that we trust strongly in God then nothing can be wanting to vs then God poureth vpon vs both corporall and spirituall good thinges and so aboundant treasures that we may be able to helpe others This in deede is to enrich the poore and to fill the hungrie Thus much shall suffize concerning this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING TRVST IN GOD IN PENVRIE AND DISTRESSE Marc. 8. Verse 1. IN those dayes when there was a verie great multitude and had nothing to eate Iesus called his disciples to him and said vnto them 2. I haue compassion on the multitude because they haue now coÌtinued with me three dayes and haue nothing to eate 3. And if I send them awaye fasting to their own houses they would faint by the waye for ome of them came from farre 4. Then his disciples aunswered him whence can a man satisfie these with bread here in the wildernes 5. And he asked them how many loaues haue ye and they said seuen 6. Then he commaunded the multitude to sit downe on the ground and he tooke the seuen loaues and gaue thankes brake them and gaue to his disciples to set before them they did set them before the people 7. They had also a few small fishes and when he had giuen thankes he commaunded them also to be set before them 8. So they did eate and were suffised and they tooke vp of the broken meate that was left seuen baskets full 9. And they that had eateÌ were about 4. thousand so he sent them awaye I Hope dearely beloued that ye doe well vnderstand the meaning of this text For your vnderstanding is sufficiently well grounded in these mysteries so that ye doe easily perceiue what good is to be looked for in the Gospell and what is prescribed vnto vs therein namely the true nature and qualitie of
feeble sicke was she oftentimes made with them yea if she might haue bene healed it may seeme she would haue taken any medicine howbeit it profited her nothing she was afflicted with her disease the space of twelue yeares How therefore is this miserable woman at the last helped When she did light vpon a man whose name is Christ and put her hope and trust in him she was healed But who led her to that man without dout not the Phisitians For if our Preachers should preach Christ the marchandize of the Pope togither with his decrees would be nothing set by but rather she heard it of some that was also restored to health who told her without douting that theâe was a certaine man whom his parents had named Iesus which is a gentle and good man which helpeth euery one and sendeth away none from him whom he helpeth not and therfore is without dout sent of God that he may helpe all Which the woman hauing heard she leaueth the Phisitians and maketh hast vnto Christ So also at this day it falleth ãâã Not Christ but workes only are preached doe this or that neuertheles it is spred among the people what Christ is what we must looke for of him that he alone must do all things without our workes or merits The true preaching of Christ calleth from the traditioÌs of men to faith trust in him alone This report being heard we follow him and lay vp these words in the depth of our hart we leaue the phisitians nothing regarding the Preachers of the law and works or their commaundements and traditions but runne with all desire of hart to this man which is Christ saying to the Pope if I must receiue onely of Christ how vnwisely haue I delt that I haue turned so much vnto thee farewel therfore O Pope farewell ye beloued Bishops I neede no more your medicine workes and merits precepts and lawes ye haue grieued me long enough with them I haue gotten one which bestoweth vpon me freely whatsoeuer I payed full deare for vnto you before he giueth that vnto me without workes and merits for which I was faine before to bestow my body strength and helth and yet could not obtaine it Fare ye well I minde to come no more to you hereafter Christians therefore are made not by the decrees of the Pope not by workes not by the ordinances of men but by the grace and goodnes of Christ We must flie vnto Christ in our distresse Wherefore if thou hast a disquieted and a troubled minde and conscience so that thou art afraid of sinne dreadest death or hast some defect otherwise get thee to that man confesse what thou wantest call vpon him then surely he will helpe thee poure out thy hart before him as the 62. Psalme sayth and say thus vnto him beholde here is an emptie vessell which greatly needeth wherwith it may be filled I beseech thee O my Lord vouchsafe to fill it I am weake in faith I pray thee to strengthen me I am cold in charitie do thou make me whot and feruent that my loue may extende vnto my neighbour I haue no firme faith neither can I sometime trust in God O Lord helpe me and encrease my faith and confidence in thee haue I reposed the treasure of all good thinges I am poore thou art rich and therefore didst thou come that thou mightest haue mercie on the poore ⪠I am a sinner thou art righteous yea I haue aboundance of sinnes but in thee is all fulnes and grace When thou shalt once haue learned this the Popes ordinaunces shall not snare thee by which thou gettest nothing but consumest all that thou hast like as this woman did Then wilt thou say I will choose to my selfe him of whom I may receiue vnto whom I âeede not giue any thing The other Euangelists write concerning this woman that after she was healed Christ perceiued vertue to haue gone out of him and turned him about in the prease and asked who had touched him and that his Disciples made aunswere that the multitude did throng thrust him but that the Lord would not be content with that aunswere but sayd some one hath touched me for I perceiue the vertue is gone out of me I know that some one hath receiued some thing from me All which the Lorde therefore did that the faith of the woman might be thankefull vnto him which he would therefore haue made manifest before all the people for that nothing is more acceptable vnto him then that we beleeue and trust in him also that the Lorde might by this miracle confirme the faith of the Ruler Wherefore Marke sayth that when the woman vnderstood that the Lord knew of her she feared and trembled and came and fell downe before him and tolde him the whole truth how it fell out with her whereupon the Lord doth deliuer her and sayth Goe in peace be whole of thy disease Were not these louing wordes what great ioy did the woman take here when as Christ had delt so bountifully with her The frute of true hope in Christ This ioy and peace all they obtaine which repose their whole hope and trust in Christ Iesus Where this ioy shall be forthwith workes must needes follow which may shewe forth this ioy as also the faith of this woman must needes come to light For as soone as she had receiued of the Lord she confessed before all the people neither was she ashamed to declare that she had receiued something of him for which notwithstanding she had giuen nothing Now God requireth of vs these works this giuing of thanks to wit that we confes declare before all men such good things grace and benefites that others also may be brought vnto him suffer a benefite to be bestowed vpon them as it was here done Wherefore Christian life enforceth me to doe good vnto others also euen as God through Christ hath done good vnto me but thereby am I not made a Christian as the woman here is not healed by her confession for she was healed before any work and confession but after she had recouered her health she confesseth Christ and prayseth him euen to the commoditie and conuerting of others We also inasmuch as we are Christians doe so liue that one helpeth and pleasureth an other in what thing soeuer he is at any time able And as this woman was healed before all works so we must be made Christians before we doe any worke As the Gospell is set before our eyes in this woman so is it also set forth in the Daughter of this Ruler This chiefe ruler of the Sinagogue whom Marke calleth Iairus had a stroÌg faith and confidence that Christ would raise vp his Daughter For vnles he had bene of that minde concerning Christ he had not come vnto him neither had desired such a thing of him which exceeded the power strength of nature Wherefore by
and works we are all saued as I haue nowe sufficiently declared This S. Paule hath very pithily comprehended euen in one sentence where 1. Cor. 1. he sayth thus Christ Iesus is made vnto vs of God wisedom and righteousnes and sanctification redemption that according as it is written he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. And Rom. 4. he sayth Iesus Christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification In these two litle sentences are briefly comprised and ioyned togither whatsoeuer thinges we must looke for from Christ Howbeit all these thinges are enioyed by faith for he that is without faith to him they are vnpossible to be comprehended The preaching of Christ is couÌted foolishnes of the vnbeleeuers but of the faithfull the power and wisedom of God yea they are counted foolishnes to reason to the world as Paul sayth 1. Cor 1 Christ vnto the Iewes is euen a stumbling block and vnto the Grecians foolishnes that is when Christ is preached that he is our righteousnes that saluation commeth vnto vs by him and that by him we are made the children of euerlasting life without our owne workes and righteousnes then those holy men and iustifiers of them selues are offended no otherwise then the Iewes Moreouer to the prudent and wise men of this world it seemeth foolishnes and a certaine ridiculous thing that a man being fastned to the crosse and put to death doth performe these thinges Whatsoeuer therefore is counted righteous holy wise and prudent in the eyes of the world it is offended and stumbleth at this Christ But saith Paul moreouer Vnto theÌ which are called both of the Iewes Grecians we preach Christ the power of God and the wisedom of God He sayth also Rom. 1. The Gospell of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian For by it the righteousnes of God is reuealed from faith to faith as it is written Haba 2 The iust shall liue by faith Wherefore the Lord sayth very well to the Disciples of Iohn Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me So thou seest now plainly that this faith which we haue in Christ commeth by the preaching of the Gospell as Paule affirmeth Rom. 10 Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Here here I say doth all the force consist by the word of God not by the worde of man The word of God doth these thinges not when we publish indulgences or preach of workes as hitherto alas it hath bene done to our exceeding losse as well in the good thinges of the body as of the soule We made no account of goods which we bestowed plentifully vnles we had afflicted our body with fastings chastisement pilgrimages and such like trifles In deede these thinges had bene to be graunted and borne if they had not with a false confidence in such doing so miserably and lamentably led vs away seduced vs from a true faith confidence in God through Christ But praise be vnto God that we haue for the most parte perceiued such delusions For the world was so full of this miserie and preaching that it did almost ouerflow which surely came by the vengeance and wrath of God for that we contemned his word and followed mens fables yea our owne wittes and opinions Then we were in so great blindnes that we did almost without difference beleeue euery man what kind of worke soeuer he brought and gloriously set forth From these deceitfull follies our consciences are nowe deliuered and set free but no man doth so much as once giue thanks to God therefore If we shal be contempteously negligent a more grieuous miserie shall light vpon vs then this was Neither should that come vnto vs vndeseruedly forasmuch as we doe greatly procure these euills against our selues by our vnthankefulnes When as before we gaue with so great aboundance and plentye that by our liberalitie they were made almost Lordes of the world nowe hardly six or seuen poore men are maintained in a citie yea nowe the Minister of a Parish Church hath not sufficient wherewith to liue Howbeit doe not impute this peruerse kind of liuing to the Gospell as our aduersaries nowe impudently doe It is not meete that thou suffer thy poore neighbour by thee to neede Yea rather the whole Gospel doth specially vrge this that thou haue a care of thy neighbour and that thou be seruiceable toward him that thou help him both with thy counsell and substance euen as God hath holpen and instructed thee Such a one without dout he that is endued with true faith sheweth him selfe for he bursteth forth The faithful man exerciseth charitie toward his neighbour and behaueth him selfe so toward others as he hath tried God towardes him selfe and as he desireth to be done to him selfe if he were pressed with pouertie anguish and necessitie God needeth not our good workes our prayers fastings and buildings of temples founding of Masses doe displease him he requireth not our sacrifices but rather as Esay sayth hateth and abhorreth them He is content with this one thing that we acknowledge him for our God trust in him giue him thankes as he sayth Psal 50 Heare O my people I will speake I my selfe will testifie against thee O Israell for I am God euen thy God I will not reproue thee because of thy sacrifices or for thy burnt offerings because they were not alvvay before me I vvill take no bullocke out of thy house nor he goates out of thy foldes For all the beasts of the forest are mine and so are the cattels vpon a thousand hils I knovv all the soules vpon the mountaines and the vvild beasts of the field are in my sight If I be hungrie I vvill not tell thee for the vvhole vvorlde is myne and all that is therein Thinkest thou that I vvill eate bulles flesh and drinke the blood of goates Offer vnto God thankes giuing and pay thy vovves vnto the most highest And call vpon me in the time of trouble so vvill I deliuer thee and thou shalt prayse me But God sendeth vs douneward with out works to our neighbours to the miserable afflicted them that be voyde of comfort It is our partes to helpe them to comfort them to teach and instruct them And whatsoeuer benefit we shall bestow vpon them that we shall bestow vpon God his Christ as he shall say in the last day Matth. 25.40 VVhatsoeuer ye haue done vnto one of the least of these my brethren he haue done it vnto me Thus ye now haue heard that we are iustified and made righteous by the workes of an other namely by the workes of Christ which we enioy onely by faith the same faith charitie doth naturally accompany whereby we doe so to our neighbour as we acknowledge that God hath done vnto vs. Hereof ye haue elsewhere
me That is ye beleeue that God loueth you and will glorifie you beleeue that he will do it after that sort that ye see me glorified and beleeue that this my death is life to the glorifying both of me and of my whole body that is of all Christians and that this death satisfieth for the synnes of the world as the Apostles afterward witnessed of him in their writinges 1. Iohn 2.2 Thus Iohn sayth Christ is the reconciliation for our synnes and not for ours onely but also for the synnes of the whole worlde Wherefore thou seest that Christ here will haue heartes confirmed by faith and by no other outward thinge He sayth moreouer In my Fathers house are many dwelling places These dwelling places haue bin prepared from euerlasting neither is there any neede that they should be prepared of him Why therefore doth he say I go to prepare a place for you This is nothinge els but that he goeth and is made Lord of all whereby he may prepare vs vnto such dwelling places For as long as we are not prepared neither are the dwelling places prepared for vs although they be ready by themselues Wherefore Christ meaneth thus much There are dwelling places but not yet prepared rightly and as they must be Howbeit then shal they be rightly prepared and appointed wheÌ as I haue taken away the kingdome of death by my death and am now gone to reigne and that by the holy Ghost which by fayth shall prepare and wholy make ready you also vnto such dwelling places So that this is the simple and plaine meaning of these wordes There are dwelling places to wit where the Father glorifieth but those dwelling places are not yet prepared for that the kingdome of death is not yet taken away This Christ signifieth when he sayth If it were not so I would haue told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also In these wordes the Lord declareth how these dwelling places be prepared namely by the death of Christ as it is sayde by which he came vnto glorie and ruleth ouer all thinges which are in heauen and earth By which death he hath obtayned the holy Ghost for vs which as is before sayde may prepare vs vnto these dwelling places For through his operation and working in vs he maketh vs beleeue the Gospell by which beleeuing or faith we are prepared Which could not be done if Christ should not depart and dye and so possesse a kingdome ouer all This therefore is the summe of this text They are foreseene whome the Father will glorifie but they can not be glorified but by Christ who vnles he take away death and sinne all shall be in vaine Here thou seest that all tend vnto this that Christ is he which prepareth the dwelling places and that we can not be glorified but by Christ so that the whole drift of this text is that we are not iustified by mans strength nor by our owne merits but by Christ which the whole Epistle to the Romanes effectually declareth as also that which is written to the Galathians almost all that Paule doth in his Epistles tendeth to the same ende It followeth moreouer And whither I goe ye knowe and the way ye knowe For ye beleeue in me and haue shewed signes in my name whereby ye ought nowe to be certaine who I am and what I doe and wherefore I am come Ye haue also seene and heard the testimonie of the Father of me Wherefore ye may nowe knowe that the Father will glorifie me and beleeue that I and the Father are one it shoulde be therefore superfluous to speake more of these thinges But the Disciples albeit they were well instructed of the Lorde him selfe and had seene his miracles yea and they them selues also had preached the Gospell and wrought miracles were notwithstanding as yet somewhat grosse in vnderstanding neither did they perceiue whereof he here spake and what was that way and whither the Lorde did prepare to depart Wherefore Thomas bursteth forth into open wordes and confesseth freely that he is ignorant hereof and sayth thus vnto the Lord Lord we knowe not whither thou goest hovve can we then knovve the vvay Here ye heare and see that albeit there was faith in the Disciples notwithstanding they were not as yet persuaded that Christ shoulde be crucified and by his death shoulde enter into his kingdome and that the same kingdom should be spirituall which they did not vnderstand euen after the resurrection of the Lord Act. 1.6 Lorde say they wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israell Those good men were as yet persuaded that it should be a carnall worldly kingdom Such grosse things may here and there be found in the Gospels by meanes whereof the Disciples did sometime notably stumble and erre Comfort for them that be weake in faith and sometime through infirmitie fall All which were committed to writing for our comfort confirmation that we should not be by and by discouraged when we haue sometime stumbled in faith and can not at the first apply our selues to the workes and word of the Lorde If this happened to these great meÌ which afterward shoulde become pillers of Christianitie there is no cause truely that any should meruell if we also sometime faint in faith yea and let no man be afrayd although it falleth out that sometime through infirmitie he so doe It is the worke and matter of the Lorde he will amend these thinges when it seemeth good vnto him Now of the wordes we mind to entreate somewhat at large Not much before when Christ would confirme his Disciples in faith he promised them that they should be glorified Here he addeth and declareth how and by what meanes they must be glorified affirming that that must be by his departure that is by his death that by that meane he must obtaine his kingdome This he had often repeated vnto them so that now it did become them to know and vnderstand it Therefore he sayth VVhither I goe ye know and the way ye knowe but they did not yet throughly vnderstand it as the wordes of Thomas doe declare Now it is certaine that there was faith in the Disciples which the wordes of Peter proue who aunswered Christ in steede of the rest when he asked them whether they also would goe away Peter sayd Maister to whom shall we goe Ioh. 6.68 Thou hast the wordes of eternall life and we beleeue and knowe that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God This appeareth also by the wordes of the Lord which he had sayd to them a litle before at his supper Ye are cleane which he would not haue sayd if they had not beleued they knewe Christ therefore that he is the way to the Father So they knew the Father
of Bethlehem were Thou reuoluest in thy mind childish and altogether foolish cogitations Why doost thou not performe the like duties nowe Behold Christ walking before thee in thy neighbour do for him bestowe benefits vpon him whatsoeuer thou shalt bestow vpon thy neighbour which is needy and destitute of helpe that thou shalt bestow vpon Christ him selfe as he shall say in the last day to the elect Matth. 25.40 VVhatsoeuer ye haue done to one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me Wherfore it is a vaine and very foolish thing to admit such childish cogitations Let vs therefore at the last open our eyes let vs not heare examples of so great importance in vaine otherwise the time will come when we shall be grieuously punished But with what wordes did the Angell speake vnto the shepeheards the Euangelist sayth after this sort Then the Angell sayd vnto them Be not afraid for behold I bring you glad tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people that is that vnto you is borne this day in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour vvhich is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a signe to you Ye shall find the babe svvadled and layd in a maunger Learne by these wordes of the Angell how to vse rightly the natiuitie of the Lord Christ neither let it suffice you to heare them onely A great treasure hidden in the earth or some other where is to no vse but if it be opened and occupied then is it profitable and precious Wherefore giue heede hereunto that thou mayst vse this natiuitie otherwise it shal be no commoditie and comfort vnto thee For whereas thou knowest the bare historie onely to witte what came to passe in his natiuitie and that he was borne needy and poore thou shalt take no greater commoditie hereby then if thou heare a historie written of the king of Fraunce or of some other puissant Prince whereby no commoditie or comfort should come vnto thee But how must we vse this natiuitie rightly and with frute What it is to vse the natiuitie of christ aright Our owne natiuitie of what sort it is Euen as I haue sayd if we be thus perswaded that he was borne for vs that his natiuitie is ours Our natiuitie is such that it altogether aboundeth with sinne as Dauid sayth Psal 51 Behold I was shapen in wickednes in sinne hath my mother conceiued me As if he would say here is nothing but sinne as well in the conception as in the birth whatsoeuer I bring with me from my mothers wombe it is wholly damnable it is due to death Satan hell Forasmuch then as our natiuitie skin heare are defiled what good can come therof This is our title which we haue receiued from Adam in this one thing we may glory and in nothing else at all namely that euery infant that is borne into this world is wholy in the power of sinne death Satan hel and eternall damnation our natiuitie is altogether miserable and on euery side to be lamented To deliuer vs from this natiuitie God sent an other natiuitie which it behoued to be pure without all spot that it might make this vncleane sinnefull natiuitie pure This is that natiuitie of the Lorde Christ his onely begotten sonne The natiuity of Christ Wherefore he woulde not haue him borne of flesh blood infected with synne but it behoued that he shoulde be borne of a pure Virgine He suffered no spot at all or sinne in his flesh but replenished it with the holy Ghost permitted nothing to sticke therein but those miseries which proceede of flesh and blood as hunger thirst aduersitie and death sinne excepted as the Epistle to the Heb. chap. 4. witnesseth that he was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne This is that most excellent thing which the Lord our God hath done for vs whereof none taketh any frute but he that beleeueth And none will easily beleeue this but he that feeleth of what sorte his owne natiuitie is He that hath no feeling of his owne miserie tasteth not of this natiuitie of Christ But if we feele our miserie it followeth forthwith that we cry with the Prophet Dauid and say Behold I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me for we feele our sinne and our euill natiuitie When death shall come vpon vs and our heart shal be touched with anguish grief theÌ at the last it may be that we would cast of this happy pure natiuitie and will excedingly thirst after it to enioy it But now when as we feele not our sinnes neither doe as yet tast of the bitternes of sinne it stideth coldly to the hart we heare it in deede but truely it doth not throughly enter vnto the hart For if a man did beleue that this natiuitie was for his commoditie he would feare neither sinne nor death Wherefore I haue sayd that a Christian must beleeue and dout nothing that the natiuitie of Christ is as well his as it is the Lord Christes And as he hath of the virgin pure blood and flesh so that he him selfe also is pure and that this virgin is his mother spiritually as she was the mother of Christ carnally Let the hart haue sure confidence in this perswasion otherwise it will be in an euil case This the Angell signifieth in these wordes when he sayth Vnto you he is borne Christ is borne vnto vs and is made wholy ours as if he sayd what soeuer he is and hath ye may chalenge it to your selues Also he is your Sauiour not that ye should onely looke vppon him but which is able to deliuer you from the tyrannie of sinne death Satan and all euell yea and how great soeuer he be he is borne vnto you and is yours with all that he hath Nowe forasmuch as he is myne and hath chaunged his natiuitie into myne his flesh blood also is myne he him selfe is myne with all wherewith he is endued so that I dare saye vnto his mother Beholde that child which thou hast brought forth is mine his flesh and blood are my flesh and blood yea and thou art my mother and I will be counted of thee for thy sonne for whatsoeuer Christ bringeth with him it must be myne euen as he himselfe is myne If so be that his natiuitie be myne being of a virgin and without synne replenished with the holy Ghost my natiuitie also must be of a virgin and pure from synne Here now Eue the first mother is no more my mother for it must needes be that that natiuitie doe vtterly die and perish that there may be no sinne remayning Here this mother Marie is to be set against that mother of whome I was borne in sinne And thus the Angel bringeth with him great ioy for it can not be but that the hart should be made glad when it enioyeth this Sauiour as his owne When
called the wise men and diligently inquired of them the tyme of the starre that appeared 8. And sent them to Bethlehem saying Goe and serch diligently for the childe when ye haue found him bring me worde againe that I may come also and worship him 9. So when they had heard the king they departed and loe the starre which they had seene in the East went before them till it came stood ouer the place where the childe was 10. And when they sawe the starre they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy 11. And went into the house and found the childe with Marie his mother and fell downe worshipped him and opened their treasures and presented vnto him giftes euen golde frankincense and myrrhe WE celebrate this day a noble and most comfortable feast concerning the appearing of the Lorde Iesus who appeared a special comfort to al them which seeke him with a stronge faith first to the wise men which came from the East secondly to Iohn the Baptist when being about thirty yeares of age he was baptized of him in Iordane and the holy Ghost and voyce of the father gaue testimonie of him that he is the sonne of God thirdly when he shewed his glory and power in a miracle wherein he turned water into wine at a mariage whereby he would procure reuerence and estimation to matrimony which now Alas is after a shamefull sort torne contemned and reiected of the Pope his adherents as a certaine miserable and wretched state For whatsoeuer God hath ordained that of the world is contemned whereof at conuenient time we will speake more and we haue already as I thinke written sufficient therof Now we will speake in few wordes of the first appearance The wise men of Arabia which were industrious men and without all dout gouernours of that countrie as it was at that time the maner in those partes when they had seene the starre in the East breaking of all delaye made haste to Ierusalem diligently seeking for the kinge of the Iewes being newe borne Where we ought to marke that they could neither âeeke nor finde out this king the Lorde Christ but by the starre going before them which at the last ledde them so farre that by the word of God they were certified where this king was to be found Without the word of God receaued by faith we can not finde Christ So also is it with vs we can not finde Christ without the Gospell without the word of God That must shew him vnto vs bringe vs thither where we may finde him which then onely is done when we receiue the same Gospell by faith otherwise although we haue it heare it and know it it profiteth vs nothing at all we shall not therefore finde him no more surely then the Scribes founde him who notwithstanding had the Scriptures readily and shewed the way to other not comming into it them selues for the thing did not touch their harts They did drousily neglect that king whom with great sighes they had looked for many ages Wherefore it is not enough that we haue the Gospell or that we heare it but we must beleue it and lay it vp in the secrets of our hart otherwise we shall neuer finde Christ Here also you see that it doth not skill whether one be learned or vnlearned instructed in many places of Scripture or in few vnto whom God giueth the grace he enioyeth Christ He respecteth not the person but whom he draweth he is drawne although in the meane season he prouideth that the Gospell be alwayes preached After therfore that these wise men had found the child Christ the king of the Iewes at Bethlehem together with Ioseph and Marie by the shewing of the Scripture guiding of the starre The wise men are not offended at the poore miserable estate of Christ they were nothing offended at the poore estate of the childe but being taught by the word acknowledged that Child for the Messias and king of the Iewes whom the Iewes had looked for so many yeares opened their treasures before him offering vnto him golde frankincense and myrrhe Wherein againe we ought to marke the nature of faith that it is offended at nothing but cleaueth to the word onely and nothing esteemeth those thinges that shine outwardly These wise men doe not therefore disdayne neither turne backe because the child together with his parents were without all pompe in pouertie and miserie and nothing lesse then a kingly child appeareth vnto them but they goe on and vndoutedly acknowledge him for a king as they had learned concerning him out of the Scriptures Moreouer they giue vnto him the honour meete for a king they offer most precious gifts which they had brought being euen of the best sort out of their owne countrie Nowe the world would haue done no such thing but according to the maner thereof would haue looked for garments of purple and resort of seruaunts and handmaydens In such places it is wont to bestow his giftes to wit where there is great plentie and abundance of thinges before yea it is of that qualitie How the world dealeth with the poore and afflicted that it depriueth the poore and afflicted of those thinges that they haue it taketh breade out of the mouth of the hungry needie which haue nothing but as they get it hardly by labouring sore all that they are able Whereof we haue to learne that if we will honour Christ with these wise men We must not esteeme those things which seeme precious to the world but those which to the world seeme contemptible and of no value we must shut our eies and turne them from all that which seemeth fayre goodly and noble before the world Neither must thou be offended or abhorre it if any thing seeme vile contemptible and ridiculous vnto the world let this suffize thee that thou knowest that it pleaseth God which is in heauen Take heede vnto thy selfe concerning those thinges which shine before the world exercise thy selfe in those workes which seeme vnto reason foolish and light as are to helpe the needie to comfort the afflicted to count the calamitie of thy neighbour thine owne If thou shalt be diligently exercised in these and faith being thy guide shalt endeuour rightly to apply thy self vnto them then other workes which haue a fayre shewe as to institute masses to be occupied in vigils and yeares mindes to build temples and such like follies shal by them selues be pluckt out of thy hart vanish away vnto which workes surely now almost the whole world is addicted they are in deede fayre in the very outwarde shew and seeme to be very precious when as notwithstanding they are an abhomination vnto God But whatsoeuer God hath commaunded as to doe good to our neighbour and to be touched with his aduersities no lesse then with our own to beare a friendly and well willing minde toward him these are neglected
mine ovvne vvill but his vvill vvhich hath sent me Yea he obeyed his father euen vnto death and submitted him selfe wholy to his will We imitating this example which is written for our singular consolation ought to submit our will to God and his Christ and to rest confidently vpon him He knoweth howe to bringe the matter notably well to passe as it is sayd Psal 37. Commit thy vvay vnto God and put thy trust in him and he shall bringe it to passe And a litle after Hold thee still in God and suffer him to vvorke vvith thee Such sentences ought to prouoke vs patiently to suffer the will of God in vs whether sweete thinges or sowre commodities or discommodities come vnto vs for he knoweth with what temperature to lay them vpon vs. Blessed is he that beleueth these thinges from his hart Who being such a one can be troubled with sorow Such a man howsoeuer he be haÌdled whether he be burned or drowned cast into prison or otherwise grieuously delt with he taketh all in good part For he knoweth that these thinges shall turne to his commoditie After this sort doe we also offer golde with the wise men when we take away rule from our owne will and do suffer Christ to worke in vs accordinge to his will pleasure Wherefore they are hypocrites which knowe not to suffer the will of God but howsoeuer he dealeth with them haue alwayes whereof they doe complayne They forsooth suppose that whatsoeuer they thinke it shall haue successe according to their thinking If it fall out otherwise they are angrie they do not patiently suffer persecution and contempt they murmure they finde fault and vexe when those thinges happen no otherwise then horses being stirred vp with furie or rage So therfore by resisting they staye the kingdome of Christ from them and depriue Christ of gold which notwithstanding they ought to offer and present vnto him that is they them selues will beare rule doe not vouchsafe to acknowledge Christ for their king and Lord. FrankinceÌse what it signified and when we offer the same vnto Christ By frankincense they resembled diuine honour which we theÌ offer vnto him when we confesse that whatsoeuer we haue we must acknowledge it to haue come from God and that we haue it freely and without any merit of ours Wherefore all these thinges are to be ascribed vnto him as to the true Lord neither must we glorie one whitte in the good thinges receiued but his glorie is to be sought in them And if he take them from vs againe we ought to suffer him with quiet mindes and to blesse him with the beloued Iob in these wordes Iob. 1.21 Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shal I returne thither again the Lorde gaue and the Lorde hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. And so we ought to suffer all misfortunes and aduersities as if God him selfe did cast them vppon our necke so that none shall be able to offende vs vnles he take away Christ from vs. Not so muche as a heare of our heades shal perish as Christ sayth to his Disciples Luke 21. Wherefore whatsoeuer shal molest vs what aduersity soeuer shal come vnto vs we ought neuer to seeke any other God we ought no where to seeke any other helpe and comfort then of Christ alone This is he which is made vnto vs of God the father wisedom righteousnes sanctification and redemption Then onely we offer vnto Christ that right frankincense of Arabia when we flie vnto him alone in our calamities afflictions and anguishes But they that seeke after straunge helpes and comforts as of Sorcerers Witches and such like they doe not offer frankincense vnto Christ but stinking brimstone wherein they shall be burned for euer for that they haue not beleued and trusted in Christ Myrrhe what it signified By myrrhe they signified a mortall man for with myrrhe dead bodies were anointed that for certaine yeares they should not putrifie Now myrrhe is a stronge and bitter iuice which distilleth from the trees of Arabia like vnto gumme or as with vs rosen issueth out of the pine tree the firre tree c. But then we offer myrrhe vnto Christ When we offer myrrhe vnto Christ when we firmely beleeue that he by his death hath ouercome sinne Satan and hell And this is a speciall faith If we doe but a litle dout here it is not well with vs. But if I beleue from my hart that death sinne the deuill and hell are swallowed vp in and by the death of Christ I shall not be afraid of them all I shall easily be preserued from rottennes which death bringeth when I haue myrrhe that is the death of my Lord Christ in my body and soule this will not suffer me to perish So stronge and valiant a thing is faith vnto which euen all thinges are possible as Christ sayth Mar. 9. Here must we learne daily with our Lord Christ to bring vnder our old Adam and to mortifie his concupiscences by the crosse and tentations not that crosse which we doe chose but which Christ layeth on vs let vs beare it patiently and with a willing mind that so our body may be subdued and made subiect to the spirit that being so buried with Christ through baptisme we may be raysed vp againe with him and he alone may reigne and liue in vs. Hereunto vehemeÌt sighing is required which the holy Ghost doth make in vs for our sake as Paule sayth Rom. 8. that Christ will helpe vs to keepe vnder this vnruly and obstinate flesh that it presume not too licentiously thrust the noble soule into the myre This our baptisme doth signifie to wit no other thing then that that olde and stinking Adam be mortified and buried which we alwayes ought to reuolue in our minde seeing that as long as we liue here sinnes doe remayne in vs. Wherefore alwayes some thing must be repayred in vs without all intermission through the cogitation of baptisme as it were in a house decayed through oldnes euen vntill such time as we depart this life Whereof S. Paule entreateth in very goodly wordes Rom. 6. which are diligently to be marked of vs now he sayth thus Knovv ye not that all vve vvhich haue bene baptized into Iesus Christ haue bene baptized into his death VVe are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ vvas raised vp from the dead to the glorie of the Father so vve also shoulde vvalke in nevvnes of life For if vve be planted vvith him to the similitude of his death euen so shall vve be to the similitude of his resurrection knovving this that our old man is crucified vvith him that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth vve should not serue sinne For he that is dead is freed from sinne VVherefore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we shal liue also with him knovving
doe not exact any thinge of it or reprehend it in any thing but it is compelled to be captiue therein as in a perpetuall prison and the longer it striueth and fighteth with the lawe into so much worse case doth it alwayes come vntill at the last it be wholy subdued What therfore must I do What a Christian must do when the law vrgeth his conscience the law assailing vrging my conscience especially when I perceiue my selfe not to do that which it requireth I aunswere euen that which Christ doth here who admitteth or acknowledgeth no law although brought out of the law of God So learne thou also to doe that thou mayest boldely say to the lawe leaue of lawe to dispute with me I haue nothing to doe with thee And for that very same cause for which thou commest to dispute with me and to enquire of me how good and righteous I am I will not heare thee For it here maketh no matter what I am or what I ought to doe and what not to doe but what Christ him selfe is ought to doe and doeth For nowe we are in the bridechamber where onely the bridegrome and the bride must haue to doe and it behoueth not thee to come thither nor to intermeddle any thing there But neuertheles it now and then knocketh and sayth in the meane season notwithstanding good workes must be done of thee the commaundements of God must be kept How we must auÌswere the law wheÌ it is instant vpon vs. if thou wilt obtaine saluation Aunswere againe but thou hearest that it is not nowe tyme to speake of them for now I haue obtayned my righteousnes and the summe of all my saluation without my workes in Christ my Lorde and am already saued before thou camest therefore I haue no neede of thy presence For as I haue sayd where workes preuayle nothing neyther is the law there of any importance or weight and where there is no law neither is there any sinne The bride therefore alone all the rest beinge excluded must reigne in the bridechamber with Christ in whom shee hath all thinges at once neyther needeth shee any thinge more which is necessary to saluation Wherefore the lawe must be excluded and vtterly reiected yea and cast of as often as it will inuade and set vpon the conscience For surely it ought not to medle therewith neither commeth it in tyme when it will haue muche to doe there where it ought to haue nothing to doe and whither it ought in no wise to come For the conscience resteth in this article of our Christian faith I beleue in Iesus Christ my Lord which suffered died was buried for me c. vnto whom both Moses law Cesars diuine lawes ought to giue place All that therfore is boldly to be chased from me whatsoeuer will dispute with me of sinnes righteousnes and such like thinges Beholde Christ would in this place resemble this libertie vnto vs that as Christians we suffer no maister in our conscience trusting most constantly to this one thinge that we are baptised and called vnto Christ and by him iustified and sanctified whereupon we may say He is my righteousnes my treasure my worke and in a summe what not against sinne and vnrighteousnes whereof the lawe indeuoureth to accuse me If it please you to haue other righteousnes workes lawe c. then may ye take them from whence ye will surely ye shall finde no place for them in me Thus may a man defend him self and stande against the suggestions and tentations of the Deuill and of sinnes either past or present Wherefore Moses and Christ are farre to be separated asunder as also workes and faith the conscience and the outward life so that if the lawe will sette vpon me and make my hart afrayde then is it tyme to sende it away and if it will not giue place to thrust it out by force and to say I will willingly doe good workes and will goe forward as much as I am able for that time that I liue amonge men but here I wil know nothing at al of them in my coÌscience therefore let me alone prate nothing of them For here I will vouchsafe to heare neither Moses nor the Pharisees but Christ alone doth obtaine place to reigne here I will like vnto Marie sit at his feete to heare his worde but let Martha cary abroade and busie her selfe in the kitchin and about the houshold affayres And in a summe I will not trouble the quietnes of my conscience But what shall I say An obiection whereas in the meane season I doe daily sinne which surely is euill I aunswere in deede it is true The aunswer I am a sinner and I do vniustly but I must not therefore despeire as though I were subiect to condemnation yea or tremble because of the rigour of the lawe For by faith I apprehend him which hath apprehended me and apply my selfe vnto him which hath embraced me in baptisme and hath put me in his bosom and by the preaching of the Gospell hath called me to the communion of all his good thinges bidding me to beleeue in him Nowe when as I haue apprehended him by faith then may I be bold to bid the Pharisees and Moses with his tables all Lawyers with their bookes all men with their workes holde their peace and giue place No law hath then any power to conuince or accuse me for in this Christ I haue all thinges aboundantly whatsoeuer can be required in me This I say is the doctrine and arte of Christians the scope and ende whereof is this euen to reigne with Christ But blockish men doe not vnderstand it taking hereupon occasion to liue more freely as they list saying what neede is there that I should do good works forasmuch as Christ hath abrogated the law c. Albeit we be free from the law we must neuertheles doe good workes after the example of Christ There foolish babbling is in no wise to be borne for Christ is on the other part also to be considered of thee and thou must marke what he doth more For here he him selfe sayth that he is that man which seeketh the miserable and lost sheepe which also he witnesseth by his present deede by receiuing sinners and Publicanes and by preaching vnto them Whereby thou seest that he doth fulfill much more then the law commaundeth to be done and teacheth thee to doe the same by his example He is of such an heroicall stomacke that he will not be vnder the lawe yet doth he of his owne accorde moe thinges then the law requireth Doe thou so also neither looke when thou shalt be forced and driuen on by the lawe but without the lawe and of thine owne accorde doe that which is needefull to be done as Peter 1. Pet. 2 admonisheth saying as free and not as hauing the libertie for a cloke of malitiousnes but as the seruaunts of God And
thy selfe from him all goodnes and loue Secondly thou plainly seest this also how by all maner of outward signes meanes he poureth forth his ioy and vnspeakeable goodnes and also hauing found his sheepe how louing he sheweth himselfe For surely he dealeth not with it by any law as by his right he might deale and driue it before him as he doth the rest or suffer it to go by him Howbeit he doth none of these but layeth it vpon his shoulders and all the iourny carieth it through the desert taking all the labour and trouble vpon himselfe that at the lest wise the sheepe may rest Neither doth he it grudginly but willingly for he is full of ioy for his sheepe recouered Now marke this also how wel it goeth with the shepe with how great quietnes and ease it lyeth on his shepeheards shoulders neither doth it vnwillingly see it selfe resting so sweetly being deliuered from the difficulty of the iourney as also voyd of all feare both of dogs and woulues that is of all errours and lyes yea and of all perils and mischiefes And this surely deserueth to be called a very pleasaunt picture exceeding amiable and comfortable to be looked vpon No otherwise doth our Lord Iesus Christ deale with vs whiles he deliuereth vs which he hath once done corporally by his passion and death but now doth eftsoones the same by his power and spiritually by the preaching of his word Wherefore he layeth vs vpon his shoulders carieth and defendeth vs so that we are safe from all perils of death and the deuell which albeit they terrifie vs and shew themselues so as though they would denour vs yet preuaile they nothing For whereas we are caried it is a safegard vnto vs and the same exempteth vs from all daungers and putteth awaye all feare As the shepe lying vpon the shepeheards shoulders is litle careful though the dogs barke much and the woulfe craftily goeth vp and downe but rather hanging downe the head is quiet and sleepeth soundly If we beleue assuredly in Christ Iesus we need not feare the deuell rage he neuer so sore So we also if we stand and abyde vnmoueably in this article I beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord who suffred died rose againe for vs c. there is no cause why we should be carefull lest we perish or be deuoured of the deuell though he open his iaws neuer so wide For we are not then in our own waye neither walke we vpon our owne feete but we hange vpon the necke of our shepeheard and lye vpon his shoulders where we are safe enough For sinne death and hell although in deede they be terrible yet dare they not set vpon him otherwise if it were not for this we should be miserable shepe which should forthwith be brought into a lameÌtable and wretched case For euen as a shepe can not take heede and foresee to it selfe that it stray not out of the way vnles it be led of the shepeheard when it hath strayed and is lost can not by it selfe come againe to the shepeheard but must be sought and enquired for of him vntill he hath found it and so must be layd vpoÌ his shoulders and brought home againe lest that it be againe frayed and chased from him or catcht of the woulfe and rent in pieces So we also our selues can profite our selues neither by helpe nor counsel that we might obtaine peace and quietnes of conscience and escape out of the hands of the deuell death and hell except Christ himselfe repeat his word vnto vs and call vs againe vnto him And although we come vnto him and now stand in faith yet is it not in our powre to keepe our selues therein or to stand by our owne strength vnles he eftsoones by the power of his Word hold lift vp and carie vs for that the deuell alwayes imagineth and purposeth deceit and destruction toward vs and goeth about like a roring lyon seeking whom he may deuour as S. Peter witnesseth Wherefore here is no place to boast of free will or of our owne strength which is none neither in beginning any thing neither in going forward therein much lesse in perseuering or continuing in it but Christ our shepeheard alone doth all things Howbeit we are sure hereof that whiles we lye vpon the shoulders of Christ we shall remayne safe from all terrour and misfortune For he will not suffer vs to be plucked or taken from his necke neither will he himselfe cast vs of being so glad and ioyfull that he hath found his lost shepe and brought it againe to the rest of the flocke And in a summe here is no terrour or trouble or exaction but mere life and grace whereby he handleth his shepe most louingly and gently But on the contrarie Moses not as a shepeheard of miserable and weake sheepe but as a maister of stronger cattell driueth his heards with a staffe and a rod three dayes iourney through the desert vntill they be tyred and wearie with walking of this shepeheard those hardedened and wilde ones are to be tamed and bridled And we also when we shal be vnder Moses to wit according to the flesh and the outward life must goe and do that which the law requireth But in that we are and are called Christians we must by no meanes suffer that any worke be layed vpon vs yea or exacted of vs but must giue our selues onely to Christ to be caried and gentlely lifted vp not vpon horses and charrets but euen vpon his onely shoulders WheÌ Christ carieth vs vpoÌ his shoulders Which commeth to passe as I haue sayd when he suffreth the word to be preached vnto vs and we also beleeue the same that he died for vs that on the crosse he bare our sinnes in his body that he hath ouerthrowne the deuell death and synnes and put them vnder his feete and hath made and opened vnto vs entraunce to eternall life Wherefore we must not haue respect to our owne life how righteous and strong we are but we must studie vpon his one thing that we may rest lying vpon his shoulders In this circle we must haue no care of synne death life or pensiuenes inasmuch as we haue all things to the full in Christ who beareth and keepeth vs. Now he is not content with all these things both that with such great trauell he seeketh his shepe and also that hauing found it Exceeding ioy because of the sheepe which was lost and is fouÌd againe he carieth it with incredible ioy but it being brought againe he maketh festiual dayes exceedingly reioyceth calling togither his neighbours and friendes that they may reioyce with him Yea he affirmeth that God also in heauen with the whole heauenly host do reioyce ouer one synner that repenteth In which wordes he sheweth and declareth who he is which deserueth to be called his lost shepe namely such a synner as being led by repentaunce of his former life doth
and manifest wordes declare Rom. 13 Let euery soule be subiect vnto the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God VVhosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to them selues condemnation For Magistrates are not to be feared for good workes but for euill VVilt thou then be without feare of the power doe well so shalt thou haue prayse of the same For he is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare for he beareth not the sword for nought for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill VVherfore ye must be subiect not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake For for this cause ye pay also tribute for they are Gods Ministers applying them selues for the same thinge Giue to all men therefore their dutie tribute to vvhom ye ovve tribute custome to vvhom custome feare to vvhom feare honour to vvhom ye ovve honour And therefore also are Magistrats ordayned of God that they may defende maintaine publike peace which alone exceedeth all worldly good thinges we felt a litle in the last coÌmotion of the common people what losse miserie calamitie and grieuous sorrow conspiracie and sedition bringeth in the world God graunt that it may so continue that we trie it no more Thus much shall suffize to haue bene spoken for the exposition of this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER TEACHING THAT SALVATION COMMETH by Christ alone Ioh. 6. Verse 44. NO man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him I will rayse him vp at the last day 45. It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me 46. Not that any man hath seene the Father saue he which is of God he hath seene the Father 47. Verely verely I say vnto you He that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life 48. I am the bread of life 49. Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernes and are dead 50. This is that bread which coÌmeth downe from heauen that he which eateth of it shoulde not die 51. I am that liuing breade which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the breade that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world The summe of this text 1 CHrist is knowne of none but of him whom the Father draweth that is except the Father teache vs that knowledge inwardly in the hart Therefore Christ sayth to Peter Matth. 16 Flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen 2 Christ is the wisedom of God which is of more price then precious stones and whatsoeuer can be wished is not to be compared vnto it Pro. 8.11 as Salomon sayth in the Prouerbs 3 The old heauenly bread that is the righteousnes of the lawe doth not iustifie But Christ if we beleeue in him iustifieth for euer The exposition of the text THis text teacheth vs nothing els but christian faith and stirreth it vp in vs as surely Iohn through his Gospel doth almost no other thing but instruct vs how we must beleeue in the Lord Christ And such a faith as is grounded on the true promise of God made vnto vs in Christ Onely faith in Christ saueth vs. shall saue vs as this text plainly declareth Also they are here all proued fooles which haue taught vs an other way and meanes to obtaine righteousnes Whatsoeuer maÌs minde caÌ inueÌt although it be holy although it haue a fayre shew before men it must needes vtterly fal if that he wil haue saluation to come thereby For albeit that man is exercised with the duties of godlines he shall not be able to attaine vnto heauen vnles God preuent him with his word which may offer his diuine grace vnto him and lighten his hart that he may walke in the right way Now this way is the Lord Iesus Christ Christ the right way he that will seeke an other way as the most part of men with their outward workes commonly doe hath now erred from the right and high way For Paule sayth Gal. 2 If righteousnes be by the law that is by the workes of the lawe then Christ died without a cause Therefore I saye that a man must by the Gospell be as it were brused and broken humbled euen from the bottom of his hart as being fraile weake which can moue neither hands nor feete but onely lyeth prostrate and cryeth Helpe me O omnipotent God merciful Father I am not able to helpe my selfe Helpe O Lord Christ myne owne helpe is nothing That so against this corner stone which is Christ al may be broken as he saith of him selfe in Luke when he asked the Pharisees and Scribes Luke 20.17 VVhat meaneth this then that is written The stone that the builders refused that is made the head of the corner VVhosoeuer shall fall vpon that stone shall be broken on whomsoeuer it shall fall it wil grinde him to pouder Wherefore either let vs fal vpon it by our imbecillitie and weakenes by denying our selues so be broken or els he will breake vs for euer in his straite iudgement But it is better that we fall vpon it then that it fall vpon vs. Vpon this foundation Christ sayth here in this text No man can come vnto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will rayse him vp at the last day Now he whom the Father draweth not shall surely perish It is also concluded that he which commeth not to this sonne shall be damned for euer He is the onely Sonne giuen vnto vs which may saue vs without him there is no saluation if he helpe not Without Christ there is no saluation our case is most miserable Of him Peter also speaketh to the same effect in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 4 This is the stone cast aside of you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in any other for amonge men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby vve must be saued Whither would our Diuines and Scholemen turne them selues here which haue taught vs that by many workes we must attaine vnto righteousnes Here is that high Maister Aristotle confounded who hath taught vs that reason endeuoureth to doe the best things is alwayes ready to the better But this Christ doth here deny for vnles the Father possesse and drawe vs we shall perish for euer Here all men must confesse their imbecillity and slownes to good thinges If so be that any perswade him self that he is able to doe any good thing by his owne strength truely he hath reproued Christ of falshood and with great arrogancie presumeth
to come to heauen albeit he is not drawn of the Father Wherefore where the word of God is in his course soundly preached whatsoeuer thinges are high and great it casteth them downe it maketh all mountaines euen with the valleies and ouerthroweth all hilles as the Prophet Esai sayth that all harts hearing the worde may despeire of them selues otherwise they can not come vnto Christ The workes of God are such that while they kill they make aliue while they condemne they saue as Hanna the mother of Samuel singeth of the Lord 1. Sam. 2.6 The Lord killeth and maketh aliue bringeth dovvne to the graue fetcheth vp againe The Lord maketh poore maketh rich bringeth lovv How the Father draweth vs vnto Christ and heaueth vp on hie Wherefore if a man be thus striken of God in his hart that he acknowledgeth him selfe such a one as ought for his sinnes to be condemned he surely is euen that very man whom God by his word hath striken and by this stroke hath fastened vpon him the bond of his diuine grace wherby he draweth him that he may prouide for his soule haue care of him He could first find with him selfe no helpe nor counsel neither did he wish for any but now he hath found the speciall consolation promise of God which is after this sort He that asketh receiueth he that seeketh findeth to him that knocketh it is opened By such a promise man is more more lifted vp in mind conceiueth a greater trust and confidence in God For as soone as he heareth that this is the worke of God alone he desireth of God as at the hand of his mercifull father that he will vouchsafe to drawe him If so be that he be drawne of God vnto Christ vndoutedly that also shall come vnto him whereof the Lord maketh mention here namely that he wil raise him vp at the last day For he layeth hold on the word of God trusteth in God whereby he hath a certaine testimony that he is he whom God hath drawne As Iohn sayth in his first Epistle 1. Ioh. 5.10 He that beleeueth in that Sonne of God hath the vvitnes in him selfe Hereupon it must needes follow that he is taught of God and in verity now knoweth God to be no other but a helper a comforter and a Sauiour Hereby it is now manifest that if we beleeue God will be no other toward vs but a Sauiour helper and giuer of all felicitie who requireth and asketh nothing of vs but will onely giue and offer vnto vs as he him self sayth vnto Israel Psal 81 I am God thy Lord which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt open thy mouth wide I will fill it Who would not loue such a God which sheweth him self so gentle and louing vnto vs and offereth so readily his grace and goodnes They shall not be able to escape the seuere and eternall iudgement of God which do vnaduisedly neglect so great grace as the Epistle to the Hebrues sayth If they that transgressed the lawe of Moses escaped not vnpunished but dyed without mercy howe much more grieuously shal God punish them which couÌt the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thinge and tread vnder foote the sonne of God The knowledge of God O howe diligent is Paule in all his Epistles to teach how the knowledge of God may rightly be conceiued O how often doth he wish encrease in the knowledge of God As if he would say If ye onely knew and vnderstood what God is ye should then be safe Then ye would loue him and do all thinges that are approued of him Thus he sayth Colos 1 VVe cease not to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedom spiritual vnderstanding that ye might walke vvorthy of the Lord please him in all things being fruteful in al good works increasing in the knowledge of God streÌgthened with al might through his glorious power vnto all patience long suffering with ioyfulnes giuing thanks vnto the Father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Sainctes in light And Psal 119 Dauid sayth Instruct me I will keepe thy lawe yea I will obserue it vvith my vvhole hart And thus ye haue out of the first sentence of this text that the knowledge of God doth come from the father It is needeful that he lay the first stone in our building otherwise we shal labour in vaine But that is done thus God sendeth vnto vs Preachers whom he hath taught and prouideth that his will be preached vnto vs. First that all our life and coÌdition The preaching of the law although it haue a fayre shew be holy outwardly is of no estimation before him yea is abhorred and lothed of him And this is called the preaching of the law The preaching of the Gospell Afterward he maketh grace to be preached vnto vs to wit that he will not haue vs vtterly condemned and cast of but that he will receiue vs in his beloued sonne and not simply receiue vs but also make vs heires in his kingdom yea and Lordes ouer all thinges which are in heauen and earth This nowe is called the preaching of grace or of the Gospell And all this is of God which rayseth vp and sendeth forth Preachers This S. Paule signifieth when he sayth thus Rom. 10 Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God This also the wordes of the Lorde meane here in the Gospell when he sayth It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me Not that any man hath seene the Father saue he which is of God he hath seene the Father WheÌ as we heare the first preaching that is the preaching of the law howe we are condemned with all our workes then man sigheth vnto God What the preaching of the law worketh in man and knoweth not what to doe his conscience is euill and fearefull and except helpe should come in time he shoulde despeire for euer Wherefore the other preaching must not be long differred the Gospell must be preached vnto him and the way vnto Christ must be shewed whom God hath giuen vnto vs a Mediatour that through him alone we may be saued by meere grace and mercy without all our owne works and merits Then the hart is made ioyfull The preaching of the Gospel what it worketh in vs. and hasteth vnto such grace as the thirsty hart runneth vnto the water Dauid had a notable feeling hereof when he sayd thus Psal 42 Like as the hart desireth the vvater brookes so longeth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God yea euen for the liuing God When therefore a man commeth to Christ through the Gospell then heareth he the voyce of the Lord Christ
can take him from thee if thou thy selfe doost not cast him of There is no cause therefore that we should be carefull seing that he is our father and prouideth for vs which hath all thinges in his own hand euen those which seeme to take away those things that be ours from vs and to endamage and hurt vs wherein soeuer they are able But we haue exceeding great cause alwayes to reioyce in the Lord when we are of a patient mynde toward all men forasmuch as we are certaine if so be that we beleeue that it can by no meanes come to passe that good thinges should be wanting vnto vs hauing Almightie God our fauourable and carefull father whom they that haue not let vs suffer them to be troubled with carke and care It ought to be our onely care how we may be voyde of care and be found alwayes ioyfull in God and meeke and of a patient mynde toward men So without dout we shall trie that which Dauid tried saying I haue been young now am olde Psal 37.25 and yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging their bread And that which he sayth Psal 40 The Lord careth for me But in all thinges let your requestes be shewed vnto God in prayer supplication with giuing of thankes In these wordes the Apostle teacheth how our care is to be cast vpon God and the meaning of that which he sayth is this How the godly must cast their care vpon God Onely be not carefull but if any thing chaunce which may make you carefull as in deede innumerable such are wont to come vnto those that liue in the world so behaue your selues that ye attempt nothing at all with your care what soeuer that shal be which chaunceth vnto you but casting of care turne your selues with prayer and supplication vnto God and desire him that he will bring to passe and finish that which your selues otherwise should in vaine haue attempted with your care to accomplish Howbeit desire this with giuing of thankes forasmuch as ye haue such a God as hath care of you and vnto whom ye may safely commit all carke and care for you But he that will not so behaue himselfe when any thing happeneth but will first weye all thinges by his owne reason and order them according to his owne iudgement and so take to himselfe the care of his thinges he shall wrap himselfe in innumerable discommodities he shall loze all ioy and quietnes thereby and yet shall preuaile nothing but labour in vaine plunge himselfe so much more in troubles and miseries that he shall not be able to escape out of them againe which we learne daily both by our owne and by other mens experience Now that which Paule here admonisheth concerning prayer tendeth vnto this end lest that any man should neglect all thinges commit them to God and he himselfe sleepe and do nothing at all no not so much as once pray for them for he that should vse this slouthfulnes albeit he were now quiet shall easily be wrapped in cares whereof he shall not be able to ridde himselfe we must do our endeuour and not sleepe and therefore it is that many thinges be incident which are wont to bring carefulnes whereby we might be as it were compelled to pray vnto God Wherefore Paule hath not in vaine ioyned togither these two Be nothing carefull and In all thinges let your requestes be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thankes Nothing and All do in deede greatly differ howbeit the Apostle therefore put them togither that he might signifie that it can not be but that many and innumerable thinges be incident which are wont to bring carke and care but that in all them we ought to admit no carefulnes but alwayes flie vnto prayer and commit them all vnto God desire of him those thinges whereof we haue neede Now we must here see how our prayer must be framed and what is the true maner of praying The Apostle setteth downe foure thinges prayer supplication giuing of thinkes and requests or petitions Prayer Prayer is those wordes or speche wherein as sometimes some thing is desired so also other thinges are declared as is the Lords Prayer and the Psalmes SupplicatioÌ Supplication is when the petition is vrged or made more earnest by some thing as when one prayeth for his father or for some other thinge which is deare and excellent vnto him as when we praye vnto God by his mercy by his sonne by his promise by his name c. As Salomon Psal 132 Lord remember Dauid and all his trouble And Paule Rom. 12 I beseech you by the mercies of God And 2. Cor. 10 I beseech you by the mekenes and gentlenes of Christ A petition or request c. A petition or request is when we name that which is desired and for which prayer and supplication is made as in the Lordes Prayer all that composition of wordes is called prayer but those seuen thinges for which we pray as halowed be thy name thy kingdome come c. are petitions According to that saying Matth. 7 Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and ye shall fynde knocke and it shal be opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh fyndeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened Giuing of thankes is when the benefites of God are rehearsed Giuing of thankes whereby faith in God is strengthened and stirred vp so much more confidently to looke for that which is desired for which we do praie Wherefore prayer vrgeth or earnestly asketh by supplication but is strengthened and made sweete acceptable by giuing of thankes and so by this strength and sweetnes it preuaileth and obtaineth what soeuer it asketh This maner of prayer we read to haue bin vsed in the Church and among the holy fathers of the old Testament which were wont alwayes in their prayers to aske with supplication and giuing of thankes The same also we see in the Lordes Prayer which beginneth with giuing of thankes and with prayse when as euen in the beginning thereof we confes God a father vnto whom the godly mynde hath accesse by his fatherly loue and by the loue of his sonne vnto which supplication nothing may be compared wherefore it is both the best and most excellent prayer of all which may be had Moreouer in these wordes Paule hath verie well expressed the mysterie of the golden censer of the old Testament The mystery of the golden censer declared whereof we read many thinges in the bookes of Moses It was lawfull for the Priestes only to burne incense now all we which beleeue in Christ are Priestes wherefore it is lawfull for all vs and for vs onely to burne the incense of prayers The censer that golden vessel is the wordes which we vtter in prayer surely golden and precious as those are whereof the Lordes
of them selues Verse 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law Verse 5. That he might redeeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes After Paule hath taught that righteousnes and faith can not come to vs by the Law neither that we can deserue it by nature he sheweth him by whom we obtaine true righteousnes faith and which is the author of our iustification Now this could not come vnto vs without any price for it cost a verie great price euen the sonne of God The Apostle therefore sayth The fulnes of time how it is to be vnderstood When the fulnes of time was come that is when the time was ended that time I say wherein it behoued vs to liue children and seruaunts vnder the discipline of the Lawe Wherefore the Maister of sentences hath erred here who interpreted the fulnes of time the time of grace which began at the birth of Christ plaine contrarie to the Apostle who whereas he hath written the fulnes of time this man hath interpreted it the time of fulnes For Paul speaketh of the time which was appointed of the father to the sonne wherein he should liue vnder tuters Now as this time was full come to the Iewes and ended when Christ came in the flesh so is it daily fulfilled to others when they come vnto the knowledge of Christ and do chaunge the seruitude of the Lawe with the faith of the sonnes And this in deede is that comming whereby alone we obtaine the libertie of sonnes without which that corporall comming would auaile nothing For Christ euen for this cause hath come vnto vs that beleeuing in him we may be restored to true libertie by which faith they of the auncieÌt time also obtained the libertie of the spirit And so whereas he should come to the holy men of olde time he came euen then forasmuch as by faith they felt him to be their true Sauiour and deliuerer howbeit he is not yet come to our Iewes although he is gone awaye againe in body long since for they do not beleeue in him All from the beginning of the world to the end must trust vnto the comming of Christ whereby alone seruitude is chaunged with libertie but yet by fayth either in Christ being to come as it was before he was borne or in him being come as it is now Wherefore as soone as thou beginnest to beleeue in Christ he commeth vnto thee a deliuerer and Sauiour now the time of bondage is ended that is as the Apostle speaketh the fulnes thereof is come This place surely is verie copious and containeth in it diuers thinges most worthie to be knowne so that I greatly feare that it shall not be handled of vs according to the worthines thereof For it teacheth that it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ is come but that we must also beleeue that he was sent of God is the sonne of God and also verie man borne of a Virgine who alone hath fulfilled the Lawe and that not for himselfe but for vs that is for our saluations sake Let vs wey and consider these thinges in order First it is sufficiently taught in the Gospell of Iohn that Christ is the sonne of God and was sent of God which he that beleeueth not is in a most miserable case as Christ himselfe pronounceth Ioh. 8 Except ye beleeue that I am he ye shall dye in your synnes And Ioh. 1 In it was life and that life was the light of men For this cause the mynde of man neither may nor ought to enioy any other thing then that soueraigne good so that it should be satisfied with any other then with it whereof it was made and which is the fountaine of all good thinges wherefore it is not the will of God that we should beleeue or repose our trust in any other thing neither doth this honour belong to any other And therefore God himselfe ioyned himselfe to man Why it was requisite that God should be made maÌ being made man that he might more forcibly allure men into him and stirre them vp to beleeue in him No good could come vnto God hereby but it was necessarie for vs that he should be made man lest that we should beleeue in any other thing theÌ in God alone For if we should beleeue in Christ and not in God as God should be depriued of his honour so should we be depriued of life and saluation For we must beleeue in one God who is the verie truth and we without him can neither liue nor obtaine saluation Whereas therefore the Apostle sayth God sent forth his Sonne it is thereby manifest that he was before he came and was made man Now if he be a sonne he is more then a man or an Angell which seeing they are the highest creatures surely he is also true God For to be the sonne of God is more then to be an Angell as it is els where declared Againe Christ a distinct person from the Father seeing that he is sent of God and is his sonne he must needes be an other person And so the Apostle teacheth here that the Father and the Sonne are one God and two persons Of the holy Ghost it shal be spoken hereafter The second thing which ought here to be considered is that Christ is verie man and the sonne of man This Paul teacheth when he sayth Christ verie man made of a woman For surely that that is made or borne of a woman is man A woman by nature bringeth forth nothing but verie man This it is necessarie that we beleeue as the Lord himselfe declareth Ioh. 6 in these wordes Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you But to eate and drinke his flesh and blood What it is to eat drinke the flesh and blood of Christ is nothing els but to beleeue that Christ tooke these vpoÌ him in deed and did also yeeld them to death for our sake This is that couenaunt which was promised to Abraham In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22. Christ is this seede and therefore the true sonne of Abraham his flesh and blood Hereupon it appeareth that they preuaile nothing We must come vnto God by Christ which make a proper waye vnto themselues to God by their owne workes and godlines and neglecting Christ striue to come directly vnto God as the Turkes and Iewes doe This Christ alone is the mediatour blessed seede by whom thou must receiue blessing otherwise thou shalt continue for euer in malediction This couenaÌt of God shal not be violated of because any Thus Christ himselfe sayth Ioh. 6 No man commeth to the Father but by me The nature of God is otherwise higher then that we are able to attaine vnto it
come to passe Christ is in the ship therefore the sea so rageth the windes trouble vs the waues fall vpon vs as though they would drowne vs. But let them rage and be furious as much as they may it is certaine the sea and the windes doe obey Christ which is the other principall thinge which this text offereth Persecution shall extend no farther nor rage any lenger then he will and albeit the waues doe euen ouerwhelme vs yet must they be obedient at his becke He is Lorde ouer all wherefore nothing shall hurt vs he onely endue vs with his grace that we be not ouercome by vnbeliefe and so despeire Amen Whereas the men merueiled and praysed the Lorde as vnto whom the sea and windes doe obey The Gospel is more spread abroad and faith increased by persecution it signifieth that the Gospell and word of God is so farre from being extinguished by persecution that thereby it is spread farther abroad and faith also is increased and becommeth stronger Wherein it appeareth howe diuers the nature of this diuine good thinge is from the good thinges of the world which decay by calamitie and misfortune and are increased by prosperitie and fortunate affayres But the kingdom of Christ is increased and strengthened by tribulation and aduersitie but is diminished and weakned by peace and tranquillitie Whereupon Paule sayth 2. Cor. 12 The Lordes power is made perfect through weakenes which God performe in vs also Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS ENTREATED OF THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN 2. Cor. 6. Verse 1. SO we therefore as workes togither beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine 2. For he sayth I haue heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee beholde nowe the accepted time behold now the day of saluation 3. Let vs giue no occasion of offeÌce in any thing that our ministerie be not reprehended 4. But in all things let vs behaue our felues as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses 5. In stripes in prisons in tumults in labours 6. In watchings in fastings in puritie in knowledge in long suffering in kindnes in the holy spirit in loue vnfeyned 7. In the word of truth in the power of God by the armour of righteousnes on the right hand and on the left 8. By honour and dishonour by euill report and good report as deceiuers and yet true 9. As vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold we liue as chastened yet not killed 10. As sorrowing yet alway reioicing as poore and yet make many rich as hauing nothing yet possessing all things THis is an admonition and exhortation to the Corinthians to apply them selues to those thinges which they did already knowe The wordes surely are easie to be vnderstood but hard to be done and in vse most rare For in such merueilous order and colours he painteth out Christian life as it can not be pleasaunt to the flesh to behold First he sayth The Ministers of the word workers togither with God As workers togither we beseech you He calleth the Ministers of the word togither workers as 1. Cor. 3. he also sayth VVe togither are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandrie and Gods building Which is thus much in effect We preach and labour in the worde among you by teaching exhorting but God inwardly with his spirit doth blesse and giue the encrease lest that the outward labour in the word be in vaine And so God is the inward and true Maister which bringeth to passe all thinges whom we serue in the office of outward preaching Now he calleth him selfe his fellowes such togither workers lest they should contemne the outward word as though they either had not neede of it or had already sufficieÌtly attayned to the knowledge therof For although God can alone by his spirit without the outward word worke all things in the mindes of the elect yet he will not doe it but rather will vse togither working preachers worke by their word when where it pleaseth him Forasmuch therfore as it seemeth good vnto God to giue to Preachers this office name dignitie that they be counted workers togither with him it is not lawfull for any man to chalenge either that learning or holines vnto him self that he neglect euen neuer so simple a sermon wherein the word of God is preached much lesse that he contemne it for we know not when that time will come when God by his Preacher will vouchsafe to accomplish his worke in vs. The preaching of the Gospel doth not long coÌtinue in one place sincere vncorrupt Secondly the Apostle admonisheth of the daunger of losing the light of the Gospel when he sayth that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine Wherby he giueth vs to vnderstand that the preaching of the Gospel is not a perpetual continuing permanent doctrine but rather that it is like raine that sodainly commeth soone passeth away when as the Sunne and heat come by and by and take away al the moisture that is left thereof and afterward scorch and hurt thinges neuertheles This very experience proueth for no man shall be able to bringe forth euen one place in the world where the Gospell hath remained pure and sincere aboue the age of one man but continued and increased while those liued by whose ministerie it began they departing hence that also almost wholy departed and by and by after followed heretikes and false teachers with their delusions and false doctrine peruerting and corrupting all thinges So Moses foretold his Israelites that by and by after his death it should come to passe that they should depart from the way of the Lorde and corrupt their owne wayes which the booke of Iudges witnesseth to haue come to passe Moreouer the same booke sayth that as often as any iudge which had called againe the word of the Lord did die they fell againe forthwith to their vngodlines made all things worse and worse So Ioas the king continued in his dutie so long as Iehoiada the Priest liued who being dead he began by and by to be a King vnlike him selfe Act. 20 29. left the office of a good and godly King Neither fell it out otherwise after Christ had receiued his Apostles to him selfe almost the whole world was filled with heresies and false doctrine Which Paul pronounced before I know this saythes that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in among you ⪠not sparing the flocke c. So standeth the case at this day also the pure and sincere Gospel hath shined vnto vs the day of grace and saluation and the acceptable time are present but they shall shortly be ended if the world stand Moreouer to receiue grace in vaine can be nothing els What it is to receiue the grace of God in vaine then to heare the
doth as it were become white by reason of the blossoms A shower falling vpon it many of the blossoms are shaken of the frost also doth much more consume them Afterward when the frute beginneth to spring forth some great winde blowing much of it being newly come forth falleth downe and when it waxeth ripe the caterpiller commeth which with other wormes gnaweth spoyleth it so much that scarce the twentieth part yea scarce the hundreth part many times remaineth The same commeth to passe with the hearers of the Gospell in the beginning thereof euery one coueteth to be a true Christian euery one liketh of it very well and the first frutes thereof are very pleasant But when winde a shower or tentation commeth all fall away from it by companies afterwards sects and seditions arise which like vnto wormes and kankers gnaw and infect the frutes of the Gospell and so many false opinions spring vp that very few doe perseuer in the true profession of the Gospell We haue here thankes be giuen to Almighty God the worde of God plentifully taught we are deliuered out of deepe great darkenes but we forgetting the word are made weake we liue hauing no care of the word for it is not sauory vnto vs. But when as hereafter false prophets shall breake in with their corrupt opinions and Satan also shall violently assaile vs finding vs idle and the house swept and garnished he will bring with him seuen other spirits worse then him self and the ende shall be worse then the beginning Which thinges if they so fall out let vs not therefore be quite discouraged but let vs rather instruct one an other that we may learne to cleaue vnto God and pray vnto him and say Mercifull God thou hast giuen vnto me to become a Christian giue vnto me also that I may perseuer and become daily richer in faith Albeit the whole world did resist and euery one conspired to destroy the Gospell yet wil I be nothing moued but by thy diuine helpe will depend on the Gospell But to returne againe to the Ruler ye haue heard that his faith was very notable and excellent he heareth the worde thy sonne liueth They which beleeue shal assuredly obtaine al good thinges that they pray vnto God for he beleeueth it and goeth away giuing honour to God he receiueth the only word he trusteth wholy vnto it HereupoÌ God dealeth so graciously with him that he restoreth health vnto his sonne raiseth him vp and strengthneth him in faith neither suffereth him to sticke in dout or infirmitie but establisheth him and maketh him stronge and causeth him to goe forward increase Neither doth God delay vntill he commeth home but declareth vnto him being yet in his iorney the helth of his sonne sending his seruaunts to meete him that they might bringe him good newes and say thy sonne liueth For God can not differre or delay where there is a sincere hart which trusteth in him alone all other thinges being left looking onely vnto the word of God there God can not hide him selfe but reuealeth him selfe commeth vnto such a hart maketh his abode there as the Lord sayth Ioh. 14. Now what can be more ioyful theÌ for a maÌ to giue credit to the word of God to be plucked from it by no affliction or tentation but to shut his eyes against euery assault of Satan to lay aside humane sense vnderstanding reason wisedom and to say daily in his hart God hath spoken it he can not lye I say nothing is more ioyfull then such a faith For whatsoeuer we aske of God with such a faith we receiue it more aboundantly of him then euer we desired it and God is sooner present with vs then we had thought Hereupon the Euangelist vseth so many wordes euen vnprofitable as it appeareth vnto vs as these The man beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and went his vvay And as he vvas novv going dovvne his seruaunts met him saying Thy sonne liueth Then inquired he of them the houre vvhen he began to amend and they sayd vnto him Yesterday the seuenth houre the feuer left him Then the father knevv that it vvas the same houre in the vvhich Iesus sayd vnto him Thy sonne liueth All which tende vnto this ende that we should know that if we beleeue in the Lord he will giue vs abundantly whatsoeuer we shall pray vnto him for The conclusion the Euangelist maketh as followeth And he beleeued and all his houshold He so increased in faith that he did not onely ascend from a low state to a higher but he brought others also vnto faith He had surely an effectuall faith which did not rest idle and slothfull in the hart but did breake forth so that whosoeuer were in his house were brought vnto faith The nature and qualitie of true faith For this is plainely the nature of faith this is the qualitie of it to drawe others vnto it to burst forth and apply it self euen vnto the worke of loue as S. Paule witnesseth Galat. 5 That faith which worketh by loue is effectuall For it can not keepe silence or be idle as Dauid sayth Psal 116 which place Paule applieth to the faithfull 2. Cor. 4 I beleeued therefore haue I spoken Faith can doe no other for it is enforced to speake neither can it keepe silence inasmuch as he that is endued with it endeuoureth to profit his neighbour This ruler had faith for him selfe but it doth not remaine in him alone but breaketh forth For without all dout he declared to his familie how he came vnto Christ and receiued comfort of him which they also beleued So we also when we beleeue must open our mouth and confesse the grace which God hath shewed vnto vs. The most excellent work of faith Which is the chiefe and most excellent worke of faith that one instruct an other in the worde For Paule sayth Rom. 10 VVith the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation If we be ashamed of this word it is a certaine argument of a very light vncertaine faith We see therfore that there is no difference with Christ betwene the strong and the weake in faith for a litle faith is faith also He therefore came into the world that he might receiue to him selfe beare and sustaine the weake If he were so impatient as we be he would by and by say vnto vs Get thee from me I wil none of thee because thou beleeuest not in me But this is a thing greatly to be coÌmended when one can handle that weake gently and doth not deale rigorously with them and repell them by impatiencie For although they be weake to day the houre may come when they shall receiue the word more aboundantly then we Thus we ought to instruct and teach one an other that we may depend on that word of God For if we continue in sticking to the
what this is that the Lord sheweth to his Disciples his handes and his feete whereby is declared vnto vs what commoditie we haue by Christ whereunto he profiteth vs and what we must loke for of him It is engraffed in the harts of all men as it were by nature to haue a certen wil to be honest godly euery one thinketh how he may come to saluation wherby it hath come to passe that one hath inuented this thing an other that being verily persuaded that thereby he should make God fauourable vnto him and obtaine heauen but none such at any time hath stoode in the right way forasmuch as all haue had this drift that they might procure Gods fauour by deedes and good workes Notable Doctors also and holy fathers haue written taught many things how we might attaine vnto godlines About this they haue miserably troubled them selues but as we see and to our notable losse haue felt they haue done litle Wherefore it is exceeding necessary that some sound knowledge be had hereof wherby we must endeuour to true godlines forasmuch as it is a thing of no small importance For he that is deceiued here lozeth the summe and chiefe point of all Christianitie hereof therefore we must nowe speake somewhat True righteousnes is obtained not by our owne workes but by the works which Christ hath wrought for vs. True sound righteousnes consisteth not in our owne works but in the works of an other Take an example hereof One buildeth temples an other for religions sake goeth to S. Iames to Aquisgrane to Rome to the holy sepulcher the third pineth him selfe with fastings prayeth weareth a cowle goeth bare foote or worketh some other such worke whatsoeuer it be these are our owne workes God hath not commaunded them but men and hypocrites iustifiers of them selues haue inuented them and haue thought that they are precious good workes and greatly esteemed of God sweetely persuading them selues that they are by them deliuered from sinnes and that God is pacified towards them But these workes chosen of their owne proper will are nothing worth at all neither can stand forasmuch as they proceede not of faith yea they are sinnes as Sainct Paule saith Rom. 14 VVhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne These our works therefore are defiled and vncleane in the sight of God yea he doth abhorre and loathe them Wherefore if we will haue to doe with God we must not ascend trusting to our owne workes but to the workes of an other But which are those workes of an other that are allowed of God Truely the workes of our Lorde Iesus Christ whom God the father sent downe from heauen that by his death and passion he might satisfie for our sinnes This satisfaction fel out vpon this occasion We were subiect to great daunger The miserable case wherein man was before he was deliuered by Christ grieuous tyrannes had power ouer vs which day and night without ceasing did vexe vs. The law which God gaue vnto man did vrge vs and required many thinges of vs which we were not able to performe and therefore it condemned vs. Sinne also did lye vpon vs as a heauy burden which the lawe did oft times make greater greater Death went about to deuour vs inasmuch as it is the wages of sinne Satan also endeuoured to throw vs downe headlong to hell inasmuch as he would punish vs for our sinnes committed all thinges were full of trembling and anguish God taking pitie vpon this so great calamity sent his only begotten sonne and that of his mere grace goodnes without our desert that he might deliuer vs out of so great tyrannie which he mightely did after this sorte He satisfied the law Christ hath fulfilled the law preuailed against sinne ouercome death and vanquished Satan and fulfilled it perfectly For he loued God with all his heart and with all his soule with all his strength he loued his neighbour also as him selfe in these the whole law and the Prophetes do consist Nowe whatsoeuer Christ did it consisted in these two He loued God inasmuch as he obeyed his will he tooke vpon him the nature of man and performed in all obedience those thinges that were enioyned him of the father as Paul saith Phil. 2 He became obedient to the father vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Secondly he loued his neighbour for all the workes which he did in the earth tended vnto this end that he might therby profit his neighbour and therefore he so loued his neighbour that he euen died for him as he saith himselfe to his disciples Ioh. 15 Greater loue then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his frends S. Paul doth more set forth this saying for his enemies when he writeth thus Rom. 5 But God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Forasmuch then as Christ hath so fulfilled the law it could not accuse him neither was sinne of any force with him He set vpon it and did preuaile ouer it and swallowed it vp it was enforced to be extinguished of him no otherwise then a sparke of fire in the most wide sea For in him was nothing but mere righteousnes Death also came and went about to deuour him it deuoured him in deede but it could not digest him it was enforced to yeeld him vp againe yea and this deuouring was an vtter discommoditie to death for the case being quite altered Christ deuoured death it selfe For it had set vpon him against whome it had no right forasmuch as not a whit of sinne did appeare in him Where sinne is not there death hath nothing to doe as Sainct Paule sayth 1. Cor. 15 The stinge of death is sinne with this it killeth otherwise it should be dull and haue no strength Satan also made a triall of his strength in him but in vaine and to his owne griefe for he layde handes on him with whome he had nothing to doe The wretch was ouercome in this conflict and went away with shame as Christ sayth Ioh. 14 The Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in me Hell also did open his mouth and would haue deuoured Christ but contrariwise it was deuoured of him And so in this conflict the Law Sinne Death Satan and hell were vanquished ouer all which he triumphed gloried with great pompe as Paule sayth Col. 2. The beleeuers by faith enioy the workes of Christ as their owne All these thinges were not onely done for our commoditie but also if we beleeue in this Lorde Christ they are giuen vnto vs. For whatsoeuer he hath it serueth for vs yea he him selfe is ours as Paule sayth Rom. 8. God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also So that I may boldly glorie of all victorie which he obtained ouer the law sinne
Father is knowne in the Sonne there doth yet happen a grosser thing in Philip who bursteth forth and will not be content with faith but will knowe the thinge assuredly by feeling and seeing Wherefore he sayth vnto the Lord Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. As though he would say if thou wilt also shew vnto vs a signe then will we beleeue Philip counteth it not sufficient to beleeue the worde but goeth about to come to the knowledge of the Father by an other meanes then by the word For seing that reason can not beleeue he requesteth to be certified by an other meanes and way By the interrogation therfore of Christ that followeth it is shewed that the conscience is made certaine and quiet by no other thing then by faith for that we must cleaue to the bare worde and looke for no other signe But Philip thought here that he should be much more certified if he did see the Father then if he beleeued the simple and bare word This incredulitie Christ reproueth somewhat sharpely and sayth Haue I bene so long time with you hast thou not knowne me As though he should say I teach and preach and yet thou knowest me not Doost thou not knowe that the Father will be knowne by me that my word is the worde and power of the Father by which alone he will be knowne and by nothing els For thou hast heard the voice of the Father from heauen after this sort This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Doost thou not yet vnderstande howe the Father is knowne The Father is not seene with carnall eyes as Iohn in his first chapter sayth Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Wherefore the Lord sayth to Philip Philip he that hath seene me hath seene the Father This saying is like vnto that former when he sayth If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also That is forasmuch as the Father will be knowne by me seeke no other way to knowe him but beleue my word that I am he which sheweth vnto you the Father and will make you to know him in me Beleeue that by me thou hast accesse to the Father by this meanes thou shalt knowe the Father by faith thou shalt vnderstande the power and mercie of the Father and shalt feele him to be comfortable and gracious The Father will haue my word to be beleeued and them that beleeue it to be saued and obtaine eternall life Seeing therefore that these thinges be thus that we can not know the Father but in the Sonne and when we know the Sonne we know also the Father the Lord sayth moreouer vnto Philip How then sayest thou Shewe vs thy Father Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father is in me As if he would say Forasmuch as there is no other way to know the Father but that which I haue shewed why I pray thee doost thou not beleeue my wordes seeing that I haue taught that I am the way the truth and the life Doost thou not beleeue that I am in the Father and the Father in me Beleeuest thou not that my diuinitie and the diuinitie of the Father is one and that the Father will be knowne by me But why is the Father knowne by the knowledge of the Sonne euen therefore for that the Sonne is in the Father and the Father in the Sonne For the word by which the Sonne is knowne is the power of the Sonne and of the Father Wherefore seing the Sonne is knowne by his word it necessarily followeth that the father also is knowne thereby Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me at the least beleeue me for the very works sake Here he doth as it were appeale to workes that they may giue testimonie of the word As if he should say Seeing that ye can not be content to beleeue the word at the least beleeue the signes which beare witnes of the word and whereby the Father hath giuen testimonie of me For the works and signes are testimonies of the word By these words Christ meaneth nothing els but to confirme the consciences of his Disciples and of all vs against the offence of the crosse For consciences wil know and not beleeue the bare words of God but doe alwayes dout and say What if God careth not for thee and haue such like cogitations Holy godly men seeme for the most part to be neglected as abiects and most contemptible men inasmuch as the world according to the will lust thereof rageth and practizeth tyrannie against them and doth almost what it list Hereupon they are in anguish in daunger of faith desire to know the will of God toward them These Christ comforteth that they may seeke no other comfort but in him and in his death and beleue that he is life that he beareth rule and maketh aliue them that be dead And that they should nothing dout hereof he maketh them yet more certaine and sayth Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the vvorkes that I doe he shall doe also and greater then these shall he doe As if he should say Dout not any thing but that ye shall know the Father by me and that my word is the power of God that by my word ye shal be sustained although I be euen crucified Ye shall haue triall hereof in your selues for if ye beleeue in me ye shall not onely worke such workes and shew such signes as I doe but euen greater Which came to passe after the ascention of Christ when the Apostles wrought greater miracles as well among the Iewes as Gentiles then Christ him selfe But what is the cause hereof The Lord him selfe addeth it saying For I goe vnto my Father That is I will begin a kingdom where I will fulfill all thinges Here the Lord annexeth the conclusion of all the questions and consolations going before For a litle before Christ had taught that the Father is known by him and that is because he is in the Father he therefore is shewed by that worde by which the Father is shewed But that he might confirme this to wit that his worde is the power of the Father he added and sayd He that beleeueth in me the works that I do he shall doe also That is by faith in me ye also shall doe those works and know that my word is the vertue and power of God But why doth he say I goe to the Father I aunswere Because Christ is in the Father therefore doth he the workes of the Father but we doe them not also therefore but for that Christ who is in the Father is now in vs. For to goe to the Father is to fulfill all thinges as Paule according to the saying of the Psalme declareth to giue giftes vnto men to lighten and to sanctifie For this is the kingdom of Christ whereby he reigneth in earth in the hartes of the beleeuers and sitteth vpon the throne of his Father Dauid The Lord also speaketh these wordes I goe to the Father to comfort his Disciples For as he did before beginne to confirme them that they should not be troubled and offended although he should dye but courageously cleaue to him and beleue in him So here he promiseth them that they shall be glorified for he goeth to the Father who shall deliuer all thinges into his handes that he may mightely obtaine a kingdom ouer all things that are in heauen and earth Wherefore they ought nothing at all to feare He yet comforteth them more and sayth And whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I doe As if he should say As soone as I come to the Father there is no cause why ye should be carefull For those thinges that ye haue neede of and aske ye shall obtaine I wil doe this for you because I obtaine a kingdom And he peculiarly addeth in my Name whereby he excludeth all our merits For by Christ we are heard as also in Christ we are loued by whom also we are Priestes as Peter sayth to offer vp spirituall sacrifices and acceptable to God All these thinges sayth Christ I will doe for this cause That the Father may be glorified in the Sonne The Father is then glorified when glorie is giuen and ascribed vnto him not vnto vs. That is wheÌ we acknowledge the we are saued not by our owne merits not by our owne wisedom and righteousnes but do put our trust in his mercie For he hath giuen his Sonne for our sinnes and whatsoeuer we purpose to aske we must aske it by this Sonne and we shall obtaine it Wherfore he repeateth these wordes and sayth If ye shall aske any thing in my Name I will doe it These wordes tend to this ende that he may make vs certainely beleue his wordes and cleaue vnto him This therefore is the summe of this conclusion He biddeth his Disciples and vs therefore beleeue for that he goeth to reigne Before he affirmeth that he wil shew forth a signe and testimonie of his kingdom so reigne that he will declare a notable token of his gouernment that we may feele and perceiue it to wit that he will doe so great works by vs as he him selfe hath done yea and greater also Also that he will heare vs when we pray and whatsoeuer we pray for vnto the Father in his name By these promises the hart must be confirmed made courageous against the gates of hell For Christ reigneth by his word wherefore it is needefull that we exactly know the vertue of the word for the kingdom of Christ is the power vertue of God These things I thought good to entreat of concerning this Gospell Let vs call vpon God for the ayde of his grace that we may be able to vnderstand them by them to strengthen our weake faith **** FINIS
SPECIAL AND CHOSEN SERMONS OF D. MARTIN LVTHER COLLECTED OVT OF HIS writings and preachings for the necessary instruction and edification of such as hunger and seeke after the perfect knowledge and inestimable glorie which is in Christ Iesu to the comfort and saluation of their soules Englished by VV. G. Philip. 3.8.9 I thinke all thinges but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all thinges losse and doe iudge them but vile that I may winne Christ and be found in him not hauing myne owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blacke Friers by Ludgate CVM PRIVILEGIO 1578. A CATALOGVE OR REHEARsall of the Sermons conteined in this booke 1 A Sermon of the natiuitie of Christ pag. 1. 2 A Sermon of the Epiphanie or Appearing of Christ 19. 3 A Sermon of the Genealogie or Pedegre of Christ 35. 4 A Sermon of the Hymne of Zacharias commoÌly called Benedictus 45. 5 A Sermon of the Meditation of Christes passion 67. 6 A Sermon of the frute and vertue of Christ his resurrection 74. 7 A Sermon of the good shepeheard 79. 8 A Sermon of the lost shepe 92. 9 A Sermon of the woman of Canaan 122. 10 A Sermon of saluation freely by grace without the workes and merits of men 129. 11 A Sermon of the kingdom of God 153. 12 A Sermon of Prayer 161. 13 A Sermon concerning the bidding of Guests to the great supper 164. 14 A Sermon of the workes of charitie 170. 15 A Sermon of the summe of Christian life 182. 16 A Sermon of the question of the Pharisees and aunswer of Christ concerning giuing tribute to Cesar 213. 17 A Sermon of saluation by Christ alone 225. 18 A Sermon of good workes the frutes of faith 234. 19 A Sermon of ioy in God and a patient mind toward men 254. 20 A Sermon of them that be vnder the lawe and them that be vnder grace 274. 21 A Sermon of faith and diffidence in daunger trouble 316. 22 A Sermon of the life of a Christian 324. 23 A Sermon of tentation 336. 24 A Sermon of the leading of a godly life 351. 25 A Sermon of Gods prouidence and care for his children 463. 26 A Sermon of truste in God in penurie and distresse 371. 27 A Sermon against the contempt of Gods word 379. 28 A Sermon of the Law and the Gospel 391. 29 A Sermon of the exercise and increasing of faith 406. 30 A Sermon of remission of sinnes to the contrite and broken in hart terrible iudgement to the indurate and obstinate 418. 31 A Sermon of trust and hope in Christ that by him we shall obtaine all good thinges 431. 32 A Sermon of the workes which Christ hathe wrought for vs wherin is contained a most sweet consolation against the Lawe Sinne Death and Satan 446. 33 A Sermon vpon the Gospell on S. Matthias day 456. 34 A Sermon vpon the Gospell on the feaste of S. Philip and Iames. 469. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SYR THOMAS HENNEAGE KNIGHT TREASVRER OF HER MAiesties priuie chamber VV. GACE wisheth peace and saluation in Christ COnsydering right VVorshipfull that saying of Dauid alleaged by the Apostle Paul that there is none that vnderstandeth none that seeketh after God that all are gone out of the vvay and become vnprofitable me thinkes it doth liuely set forth the blindnesse of mans vnderstanding the vvickednesse of his vvill and his peruersnes and vnhabilitie vnto that vvhich is good VVhereof if vve had not many testimonies of Scripture yet common experience vvere able to confirme the same vvhen vve daily see men so carefull to liue and so carelesse to liue vvell Hovvbeit this is no meruell for as a tree vvhose roote is rotten and infected vvith venimous sappe bringeth forth none but corrupt and naughty frute so from mans hart vvhich is corrupt and infected vvith the venim of sinne can proceede nothing that is good Novv mans vnderstanding being blinde he is not able of him selfe to attaine to the knovvledge of God and consequently vvithout some other meanes or helpe can not be saued for this as our Sauiour in the Gospell sayth is life euerlasting to knovv one onely true God and him vvhom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Againe mans vvill being corrupt he is not able to serue God as his dutie requireth as to honour him as his Lord to obey him as his father to trust in him as his Protector and preseruer to be thankefull to him for his infinite benefites c. VVherefore leste man being ignorant of God should be excluded from saluation or lest through the vvickednes of his vvill and inclination to euill he should dishonour so high a Lord disobey so good a father distrust so carefull a preseruer and be vnthankefull to so gracious a giuer vvho doth not see hovv requisite and needefull it is that he should by good instructions be brought to the knovvledge of the Lorde God and by godly exhortations and admonitions be reclaimed from his vvicked vvayes to the performance of his dutie Novv forasmuch as God hath in his vvord reuealed so much of him selfe as is expedient for man to knovv hath therein also prescribed that maner of seruing him vvhereof be accepteth man must out of it learne the true knovvledge and right seruice of God and therefore most necessary it is that this vvord be preached taught that therby man may learne to knovv God and truely to vvorship serue him being knovvne So shall his minde be enlightened vvith diuine knovvledge and his vvill reformed according to Gods vvil so shall this vvord be a lanterne vnto his feete and a light vnto his paths vvhereby he may be directed in al his vvayes But alas this is a thing to be lamented that the haruest is great but the labourers are fevv For among them vvhich supply the places of labourers in the Lordes haruest some there be vvho doe vvith diligence discharge their dutie many moe there are vvho albeit they be able yet doe eyther quite neglect it or very scleÌderly execute it but greatest is the number of them vvho for lacke of skil knovvledge are not able at all to performe it VVherefore there is great neede to pray the Lord of the haruest that he vvill send forth labourers into his haruest vvhereby many moe then doe may receiue the Gospell of Christ Iesus euen to the saluation of their soules The premisses vvell vveyed I thinke right VVorshipfull there may a sufficient reason be gathered vvhy I did purpose the publishing of these Sermons of D. Martin Luther in our vulgar tongue and vvhy at the last I haue by some labour and paynes brought the sayd purposed publishing to passe I vvas in deede at the first procured thereunto by a learned Father of this lande vvhose
the holy Mount Sion that is in the Church of God so doe they vvith the same Dauid desyre the building of this house of God the florishing of this vine the peace and prosperitie of this heauenly Ierusalem and therefore that vvhich is a meane and furtherance hereunto they doe not onely loue and like but also hiely esteeme and hartily praye for VVherefore right VVorshipfull I thinke it altogether superfluous to goe about vvith vvordes to procure your vvell liking and accepting of these Sermons forasmuch as they tend onely to this ende that the Church of God may by them be edified as in the premisses is of me declared VVhereas in translating them I haue vsed a plaine kynde of stile yet such as sufficiently expresseth the meaning of the author and not studied for curious vvordes eloqueÌt phrases the cause thereof is for that I preferre plainnesse vvith profit before much curiositie vvith smaller commoditie so that I nothinge at all feare that in this respect they shal be misliked of the godly vvhose misliking onely I endeuour to auoide Thus as it seemes vnto me hauing intreated sufficiently of those thinges vvhich I thought pertinent to my present purpose I doe here conclude desyring the Lord God that he vvill by his holy Spirit alvvayes gouerne and direct you in the true obedience of his blessed vvorde to the glorie of his diuine Name to the profit of your neighbours and comfort of your conscience so shall you assuredly haue prosperous successe in all your affayres and at the last obtaine euerlasting ioyes and endlesse felicitie by the onely meanes of Christ Iesus our Sauiour Your Worships humbly at commaundement W. GACE AN ADMONITION TO THE CHRISTIAN READER FOR the commendation of this worke and the Author thereof there shall not neede I trust at this present any great discourse to be made forasmuch as so many good bookes of the same writer be already set abroad whereby may sufficiently be coniectured what is to be thought of this also Againe because the worke it selfe is such conteining such matter of heauenly consolation that without any further commendation of other it yeldeth cause sufficient to commend it selfe Onely this then remaineth to intreat and exhort the reader but to peruse reade the same who in so doing shall fynde I doubt not neither to lacke great cause in vs to set forth these Sermons nor lesse necessitie in the readers to bestow paines in perusing and reading them for the dignitie of the matter and singular frute therein to be found For what more worthie matter can be theÌ to set forth Christ in his right glorie in his full riches and royall estate to the hearts and soules of men especially such as are heauie laden and distressed in spirit what more comfortable hearinge or doctrine more true then of forgiuenes and remission of synnes so graciously purchased so freely offered by our Sauiour so cleerely preached by his ministers or what riches more excellent then faith fixed in Christ and hope stablished in the promises of life or what studie more frutefull then to seeke the kingdome of God For where the frute of all other studies decayeth and hath his ende the frute of this study abydeth for euer And therefore not without cause we be so willed by our Sauiour him selfe first to seeke for this kingdome and righteousnes thereof promising withall in an other place that he which seeketh shall fynde In the seeking of which kingdom two special notes we haue to learne and search first the glorie grace of the King secondly the welth and felicitie of the subiects In which two partes as the whole summe of all our spirituall comfort most principally consisteth grouÌded in the holy Scriptures so of all expositors of the same Scriptures I know none or fewe in these our dayes more liuely to open these comforts vnto vs out of Gods worde then this Doctor and Preacher of these SermoÌs here following which as he hath done most effectually first in his owne tounge to his contry people then in Latin to the learned so this translator hath no lesse plainly and faithfully englished the same for the commoditie and vse of our contryfolke of England By whose meanes and industrie this vantage we haue now gayned that we haue gotten vnto vs one good preacher in England more then we had before to the comfort and edification of all such as be disposed to read and learne So that in such townes and villages wherein before were mute ministers ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this Preacher now may supplie the lacke and there be receiued as their person if they please preaching now in their owne speech vnto them and putting them to no charges of any tythes And in other places where more plentie of learned teachers is yet notwithstanding no hurt shall come to admit this stranger as a coadiutor or felow helper vnto them Whereby I nothing dout but in so doing all such as shal be willing to giue eare to this Preacher as well they that be learned shall fynde wherein to growe in more perfection as also the vnlearned wherein to be instructed sufficiently to their soules helth in Christ Iesu In whom I wish to thee and to all true Christian readers all spirituall grace and heauenly wisedom to blesse thy studies to prosper thy labours to stablish thy faith to multiplie thy consolations to direct thy wayes and finally to glorifie thee both body and soule in his blessed kingdome for euer Amen I. FOX T. V. A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE NATIVITIE OF CHRIST Luke 2. Verse 1. ANd it came to passe in those daies that there came a decree from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed 2. This firste taxing was made when Cyrenius was gouernour of Syria 3. Therefore went all to be taxed euery man to his owne citie 4. And Ioseph also went vp from Galile out of a citie called Nazareth into Iudea vnto the citie of Dauid which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and linage of Dauid 5. To be taxed with Marie that was giuen him to wife which was with childe 6. And so it was that while they were there the dayes were accomplished that she shoulde be deliuered 7. And she brought forth her first begotteÌ sonne and wrapped him in swadling clothes layed him in a manger because there was no roome for them in the Inne 8. And there were in the same countrey shepeheards abiding in the field and watching their flocke by night 9. And loe the Angell of the Lord came vppon them and the glory of the Lorde shone about them and they were sore afrayd 10. Then the Angel sayd vnto them Be not afraid for beholde I bring you glad tydinges of great ioy that shall be to all people 11. That is that vnto you is borne this day in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. 12. And this shall be a signe to you ye shall finde
is called peaceable For Christ is truly called our king SalomoÌ that is peaceable which hath restored peace vnto vs inwardly with God through faith in him and outwardly with our neighbours through loue whereby we liue friendly with all men and so by him we haue peace euery where both inwardly and outwardly in the earth Good will The third is good will of men Not that good will whereby we worke good workes but whereby we take in good part all thinges that happen whether they be good or euill sweete or sower and do receiue them with a quiet hart The Angells knew that the peace which they did sing of should be only among Christians which in all thinges doe depend vpon Christ and vsurpe nothing to them selues as their owne But in the meane season the world and Satan which doe exceedingly enuie them doe on euery side procure trouble vnto them and persecute them euen vnto the death so that they may looke for no peace or quietnes at all of these for Christ sayth Ioh. 16. In me ye shall haue peace but in the world ye shall haue affliction Therefore it was not enough for the Angells to haue soong peace in earth but it was to be added and good will towardes men that when they as much as they are able haue peace with all men and neuertheles are continually hated of all men and doe suffer persecution they may alwaies keepe a good wil wherby they may take all things in good parte and giue thankes to God Christians must beare persecution and trouble patiently howesoeuer he dealeth with them or suffereth them to be dealt with they may not murmure but resigne and commit them selues wholy to the will of God yea forasmuch as they knowe that God doth dispose gouerne all thinges whom they are sure that they haue a mercifull and most fauorable father vnto them through Christ they may euen reioyce be glad in persecutions according to that saying of Paule in the Epistle to the Romanes VVe reioyce in afflictions and persecutions For inasmuch as they haue a ioyfull conscience and a sure trust of the fauour of God they can not but count all thinges for the best whatsoeuer happen Behold what kinde of good will it is in all thinges whether they be prosperous or vnprosperous which the Angells doe here wish vnto men sing to be propper to the beleuers Where good will is not there peace can not continue Where such good will is wanting there peace can not long be Men take all thinges in the worse part they take nothing in good part but do alwayes increase and double the euil Hereupon howsoeuer God dealeth with them they like it not but require that they may be dealt otherwise with and so it falleth out as it is in Psal 18. with the pure thou shalt be pure and with the froward thou shalt be froward that is with him that counteth all thinges pure to him selfe and hath that good will in all thinges whereof we haue spoken thou also doost well agree inasmuch as he pleaseth thee and all good men But he that is froward so that neither thou nor those thinges that are thine doe like him can not but displease both thee and all good men Of this well pleasing one an other Paule speaketh 1. Cor. 10. Endeuour to please all men euen as I please all By what meanes shall this be done If thou take all thinges in good part and suffer others to please thee thou also againe shalt please others The matter may be comprehended in one word If thou wilt be liked of none nothing shall be liked of thee If thou wilt be liked of all How farre we may please men and submit our selues vnto them suffer that all thinges may be also liked of thee but so that thou doe not neglect the worde of the Lord. For that ought to be preferred before all without any regard had of all meÌ what pleaseth them or what displeaseth them But whatsoeuer may be done without transgressing the word of God giue place to all submit thy iudgement to the iudgement of others that thou mayst take euery thing in good part which shall chaunce vnto thee so thou shalt haue the good wil whereof the Angells did sing By this song it may be vnderstood what nature the Angells haue I omit those thinges which the Philosophers haue dreamed hereof here is so described what the Angells are that it can not be more fully done their hart and cogitations being declared The first thing to be considered in the Angells First with great ioy they sing prayses to God acknowledging all thinges to be due vnto him and therefore doe with an ardent mind and singing glorifie him As therefore thou wouldest thinke of a right lowly pure and obedient hart praysing God and alwayes enioying perpetuall gladnes in him so thinke also of the Angells and thou hast now the nature of Angells as much as they haue to doe with God The second thing which we ought to marke in the Angells The second thing to be considered in them is their loue towardes vs. Thinke that they are most louing toward vs which desire that it may goe as well with vs as with them selues they doe no lesse reioyce for our safetie then for their owne euen in this hymne full of loue to vs ward they declare them selues so affected toward vs that surely we may thinke and reioyce of them as of most louing friends This is to knowe the Angells truely not according to their essence whereof the Philosophers doe foolishly without frute babble many thinges but according to their hart and mind so that albeit I know not what their nature is in it selfe yet I know what is their chiefe desire and their continuall worke Thus much shall suffice at this tyme concerning the song of the Angells and the frute of the natiuitie of the child Iesus Christ God graunt vs his grace that we may print these thinges in our hart according vnto them also amend our life Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE EPIPHANIE OR APPEARING OF CHRIST Matth. 2. Verse 1. WHen Iesus then was borne at Bethlehem in Iudea in the dayes of Herod the Kinge beholde there came wise men from the East to Ierusalem 2. Saying where is that king of the Iewes that is borne for we haue seene his starre in the East and are come to worship him 3. When kinge Herod hearde this he was troubled and all Ierusalem with him 4. And gathering together all the chiefe Priestes and Scribes of the people he asked of them where Christ should be borne 5. And they sayde vnto him at Bethlehem in Iudea for so it is written by the Prophet 6. And thou Bethlehem in the lande of Iuda art not the least amonge the Princes of Iuda For out of thee shall come the gouernour that shal feede that my people Israell 7. Then Herod priuily
Abraham In the time of Abraham God did somewhat shewe forth his mercy he declared that he would send a Sauiour who should deliuer vs againe from death both of body and soule for albeit the body should dye yet it should not alwayes remayne in death but rise againe with the Lord Christ The wordes which God spake to Abraham Gen. 22. are thus In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Here miserable men had a cause to hope and looke for a Sauiour which should deliuer them From that time all the Prophets did diuersly foretell of this aboue measure flowing fountaine of all mercy that is of this seede of the Lord Christ how that he at the last should come that all which beleued in him might obtaine saluation by that promise which can not be reuoked If so be that men would now open their eyes they must needes confesse and say that a straunge and incredible thinge is done with vs that man being in the state of damnation cursed desperate should be restored by the natiuitie of one man Hereupon the Prophets cryed out with ardent prayers and vnspeakeable groning that God would vouchsafe to sende the Sauiour whom he had promised By faith in this Sauiour the Israelites afterward obtained the lawe and this honour before all people that they were called the elect people of God By which ordinances written of Moses the anointed was plainely figured and signified whom this text which we haue now in hand setteth forth what he is from whence he is and by the afore sayd faith all obtayned saluation from Abraham vnto Dauid euen as many as were saued In the time of Dauid God made the comming of the Messias to be more manifestly declared that it might be certainly knowne of what stocke he should come namely of the stocke of Dauid as when God sayd vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12 VVhen thy dayes be fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy body and wil stablish his kingdom He shall build an house for my name and I vvill stablish the throne of his kingdom for euer I will be his father and he shall be my sonne And yet more plainely in the Psalme The Lord hath made a faithfull othe vnto Dauid Psal 132.11 and he shall not shrinke from it Of the frute of thy bodye shall I set vppon thy seat Here Christ is described that he shall be a king and an eternall king Psal 45.6 as it is mentioned of him in an other Psalme Thy throne O Lord endureth for euer the scepter of righteousnes is the scepter of thy kingdome Who pertaineth to the kingdom of Christ and who to the kingdom of Satan Howebeit he is a spirituall king which ruleth the worlde by his worde and whosoeuer receiueth his word pertaineth to his kingdom But he that is not vnder this scepter neither heareth his worde is not of God neither pertaineth to his kingdom but is subiect to the kingdom of Satan vnder whose tyrannie we all are vntill the Lord doth deliuer vs from it defend vs with his scepter which is then done when we beleeue in him Forasmuch therefore as our saluation doth come meerly by the promise of God let euery one assuredly perswade him selfe that he shal neuer obtaine saluation wtout this promise although he should do the workes of all Sainctes yet they should profit him nothing hereunto Contrariwise if we lay hold on the scepter of this king that is of the promise of God we shal not perish although the sinnes of the whole world should lye vpon vs they shal be all swallowed vp in him albeit no good worke be done of vs. As we see in the theefe which hong by the Lord on the crosse who layd hold on the word of God beleued in Christ and therefore he obtayned the promised Paradise Here is no dout left let vs onely beleue that it is so and it is so in deede all thinges which men teach or which we haue done or can doe being set aside Here all thinges must giue place at the comming of this new king that he alone may rule reigne in vs. Let a man intermedle with those thinges that are written of this king as being his owne matters and as pertaining all vnto him Whatsoeuer is written of Christ it is written for our comfort For whatsoeuer is written any where of Christ it is written for our comfort that we may thereby feede and cherish our faith To the establishing of such faith God hath mercifully left vnto vs his promise written and hath suffered to be published that he will performe that which he hath promised Whosoeuer apprehendeth this in his hart it must needes be that with sighing he thirst for such Scripture and promise of God who of his grace being not prouoked of vs offereth vnto vs and bestoweth vpon vs such goodnes and mercy But let vs now come to our present text which not with words only but also with a certeine force pearseth the hart and poureth into it loue pleasure ioy gladnes c. As if an Angell should now come from heauen and say vnto vs miserable and condemned wretches after this sort Behold O man thou hast sinned wherfore thou hast deserued to be condemned for euer This being heard the hart must needes tremble Now although all this be true yet neuertheles God of his grace hath mercy vppon thee sendeth to thee a Sauiour as he promised to Abraham and his seede Be of a good cheere and giue thankes to God Loe here is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ who is the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham so that this is not onely done but also written that thou mayst be certaine thereof Neither will he neither can he deceiue beleue onely and thou shalt haue all things Now it is to be noted that Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham although the promise was first made to Abraham and came afterward to Dauid which promise made to Dauid the Prophets did afterward publish more abroad and did by it comfort the people As in the 11. chapter of Esai where the Prophet sayth thus There shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Iesse and a graffe shall growe out of his roote Ieremie likewise sayth thus chap. 23. Behold the time commeth sayth the Lord that I wil raise vp the righteous braunch of Dauid which king shall beare rule and he shall prosper with wisedom and shall set vp equitie righteousnes againe in the earth And many other such prophecies there are to be found in the writings of the Prophetes which they foretold of Dauid that his kingdom should be raysed vp as that Angell also declared vnto Marie when he sayd Luke 1.32 The Lord God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid Why Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham Luke 1.54 he shall
on the crosse leapt at one leap two and forty degrees and came sodainely to Christ So did many Martyrs also and other holy men Notwithstanding none can goe so great a iorney with small griefe vnlesse he be caried with a great winde that is by the holy Ghost We must goe fayre and softly from Abraham to Isaac from Isaac to Iacob and so forth But we must begin at Abraham that we may be found endued with like faith as he was and obtaine the blessing promised vnto him then we shall more easily and cheerefully goe from one Patriarch to an other That is we shal passe ouer one affliction after an other vntill we be called out of this trauell and iorney vnto our rest Why the godly must suffer afflictions in this world For a man must be so long exercised with afflictions and so oft renounce his owne will vntill at the last he be brought vnder and his flesh by this meanes be subdued that it may obey the spirit and walke ioyfully in the will and obedience of God Wherefore let no man purpose with him selfe to come vnto heauen by leading a quiet life Luk. 18.25 and following pleasure thus Christ sayth in Luke It is easier for a camell to goe through a needles eye Act. 14.22 then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God And in the Actes of the Apostles Paule teacheth that we must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God Againe Luk. 16.25 in Luke Abraham sayd to the rich glutton Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines nowe therefore he is comforted and thou art tormented So it behoued Christ also to suffer by the crosse to enter into his glorie 2. Tim. 3.12 And S. Paule sayth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Hereupon we may learne that all that is poyson which is according to the lust of the flesh Rom. 8.13 Wherfore Paule sayth to the Rom. If ye liue after the flesh ye shal die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodye by the spirite ye shall liue The flesh striueth against the spirit The spirit which is of God is ready to suffer but the flesh resisteth This Iesus signified by his aunswer vnto Peter when he shewed vnto his Disciples that he must goe vnto Ierusalem Matth. 16.21 and suffer many thinges of the Iewes and be slayne also Peter tooke him aside and sayd vnto him Maister pitie thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee But Christ turned him backe and sayd vnto Peter Get thee behind me Satan for thou sauerest not the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men Here it is manifest that the reason of man doth flatly striue against the will of God God will haue vs enter into glory by the crosse and persecution but the flesh resisteth and is troubled in afflictions Moreouer they that are endued with the spirit of God doe reioyce if they be afflicted for God his sake Act. 5.41 as it is writteÌ of the Apostles They departed as Luke sayth from the councell reioycing that they were couÌted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name Iam. 1.2 Wherefore Iames sayth in his Epistle My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse tentations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect worke that ye may be perfect and entier lacking nothing O how necessary is patience for a Christian man that we may possesse our soules by patience Luk. 21.19 as Christ sayth in Luke otherwise we shall lose them Wherefore we must enter into a new kinde of life and if at any time calamitie commeth we must not by and by burst forth into euill speeches take it vnpatiently but we must alwayes lift vp our hart to God and beare his will with a patient minde he will well deliuer vs in his time when it seemeth good to him God euen when he chasteneth and correcteth vs doth loue vs and care for vs. Heb. 12.5 and we must alwayes thinke that he beareth a fatherly affection toward vs euen when he sendeth persecutions anguishes afflictions and aduersities as the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth Ye haue forgotten the exhortation which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint wheÌ thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth him selfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for vvhat sonne is it vvhom the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be vvithout correction vvhereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes God giue vs his diuine grace that we may courageously passe these two and forty degrees with the Lord Christ be regenerate into a new life Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE HYMNE OF ZACHARIAS COMMONLY CALLED BENEDICTVS Luke 1. Verse 68. BLessed be the Lord God of Israell because he hath visited and redeemed his people THat godly man Zacharias speaketh here of things as already done when he sayth he hath visited and redeemed his people c. For he was certaine of them now the childe Iohn was come being about to begin to preach of our redemption as the Angell had foretold of him that he should goe before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hartes of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedom of the iust men to make ready a people prepared for the Lorde this promise he knew should assuredly come to passe Wherin this redemption consisteth I thinke it is already sufficiently knowne vnto you namely in this that God visiteth and deliuereth vs. Which visitation and deliuerance is accomplished neither by sworde nor violence but by the worde alone wherein consisteth more then in the blood and death on the crosse * That the word promises of God might be accomplished and fulfilled For because of the worde Christ shed his blood on the crosse It was the word that Iohn preached when he shewed the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde that is when he declared our visitation and redemption which Christ hath purchased with his blood This Iohn was the first Messenger which preached the Gospel Wherefore to vs to whom the Gospel was not before preached it is as if Iohn him selfe did nowe preach it for now is first set forth vnto vs redemption sweete consolation deliuerance from sinnes death hell and all euill To visit is nothing else then to come vnto vs to bring and declare vnto vs the word of saluation by which we are saued Zacharias conceiued so great ioy and pleasure in his hart that he could not coÌtaine him selfe but he must needes burst forth into those words which in this Hymne he vttereth not onely because of the
to come Now it is not giuen vnto them in this earth to goe so farre that they may say We are subiect to no vices we are cleane from all sinne if they shall goe so farre it is Satan that deceiueth them Notwithstanding they are sorie for their sinnes and doe lament them yea it grieueth them to the hart that they must beare the miserable burden of this flesh and they crie out together with S. Paule Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death This shrite crie all the faithfull doe giue for that feeling sinne they doe most earnestly desire to be deliuered from it And in this feeling knowledge of sinne the kingdom of Christ consisteth so that euen in sinne there is no sinne That is albeit I doe both acknowledge and feele sinne Though the godly haue sinne in theÌ and feele the grieuousnes thereof yet it doth not hurt them yet saluation and the kingdom doe so firmely abide in my conscience that God sayth vnto me I will forgiue thee thy sinne for that thou hast faith and beleeuest in Christ my especially beloued sonne who was deliuered to death for thee neither shall thy sinnes hurt thee Others which feele not their sinnes but trust in their workes and complaine nothing of their faultes and offences thinking them selues cleane such are giuen to Satan not receiued or admitted into the kingdom of Christ for they which are partakers of this kingdom can not be without conflicts and tribulation Death Satan and the world doe somewhat trouble the godly but the godly at the last ouercome them Psal 118.18 And that I may speake more plainly recken I pray thee any of the Sainctes whom death doth not trouble yea I know thou shalt not finde one which is not afraid and trembleth not at the horrible sight of death But the conscience taketh comfort here by the Prophet Dauid who sayth The Lorde hath chastened and corrected me but he hath not giuen me ouer vnto death it fighteth against vs in deede but it preuaileth not Thus a Christian wrapped in sinnes is both vnder sinnes and aboue sinnes at the last notwithstanding obtaineth the victorie After the same sort also must he haue to doe with Satan with whom he must wrastle all his life and at the last ouercome him So in the world also he must suffer many conflicts and troubles and yet at length become victor For although it be a kingdom of saluation which hath neither rest nor quietnes but suffreth the force of hel death the deuill sinne and all maner of aduersitie and tribulation yet they which be in it doe with an inuincible courage endure and at length ouercome all euills But God therefore permitteth these thinges that our faith may be exercised and shew forth it selfe Moreouer that is a pleasure to the conscience and bringeth vnto it comfort and ioye that it hath such a kingdom that it may say Blessed be the Lord God who hath visited and redeemed vs and hath raised vp a kingdom in the house of Dauid That is for that he visiteth vs by his word deliuereth vs from sinnes and maketh vs conquerours ouer death and Satan Thus he haue heard both that a kingdom is raysed vp in the house of Dauid and also that a Christian is both dead and yet aliue is innocent in the middes of sinnes and although he be subiect to Satan yet notwithstanding hath dominion ouer Satan For both are true for that sinne death hell doe assaile the flesh but doe not ouercome forasmuch as this kingdom of saluation triumpheth ouer them all Wherefore as it were with a certaine great boldnes or confidence he calleth it a horne that is a stronge and puissant kingdom Which hath no rest or truce but being assailed of many and stronge enemies is alwayes diligently occupied in defence of it selfe and doth notably repell the force of the enemie So a Christian laying hold on this horne ouerthroweth sinne death and Satan Neither consisteth this horne in our strength neither are we makers thereof for God hath made and raysed it vp by the ministerie of his word whereby we are saued Wherefore Zacharias so singeth that his songe hath respect not to his own sonne but to Christ Yea he celebrateth this kingdom as pertaining to the Iewes onely and declareth that it shall be glorious and maketh no mention of the Gentiles how they also should come vnto it as beside others Simeon in his song the beginning whereof is Lorde nowe lettest thou c. did prophecie that we Gentiles also are chosen into that kingdom But here he foretelleth of a kingdom raysed vp of God to the Iewes euen a kingdom of saluation and blessednes and that in the house of his seruaunt Dauid Wherefore he sayth moreouer Verse 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue bene since the world began Therefore he hath raised vp this kingdom that he might confirme his promise whereby he had foretold that he would sometime rayse vp a kingdom c. And now that time is come wherein he will fulfill that his promise So Zacharias reduceth the horne of saluation the kingdom of Christ to the olde Testament that out of it he may bring witnesses of so strong and puissant a kingdom The Prophets foretold of the kingdom that should be raysed vp in the house of Dauid For the Prophets from the time of Dauid did all prophesie that the seede of Dauid should haue a kingdom in the earth yet a spirituall kingdom and aboue the rest Esai and Ieremie foretold that it should be such a kingdom that the gouernment thereof should consist in the spirit worde to these especially Zacharias hath here respect The other as Osee Micheas and the rest doe speake of the same kingdom but not so manifestly Verse 71. That he would deliuer vs from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs. The Euangelist hath hitherto generally rehearsed what that kingdom of Christ is whereof the Prophets prophesied Wherein this kingdom of saluation consisteth Nowe he speaketh of it also but particularly declaring wherein it consisteth First in this that he deliuereth vs from the handes of our enemies yea and from all them that hate vs. Ye see here and vnderstand most dearely beloued that this verse doth witnes most plainely declare that we which are his people and kingdom doe liue amongst enemies and that no other is to be looked for of vs but to be hated of them That also the force qualitie and nature of this kingdom consisteth in this that it deliuereth vs out of the handes of all them that hate vs as the Prophet Dauid sayth Psal 110. The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion be thou ruler in the middes of thine enemies And Psal 45. Thine arrowes are very sharpe euen in the middes of the Kings enemies It is a delight vnto Christ
vnto vs the couenant made to Abraham Thus he sayth to Abraham By my selfe haue I sworne sayth the Lorde that in blessing I will blesse thee And in thy seede c. Which words the Prophets diligently held marked haÌdled alwaies trusted vnto them for that he doth here solemnly sweare that he might wholy assure vs that he would poure forth his blessing vpon vs. And now the time is present the hower is come wherein he hath sworne that saluation should come vnto vs as it is declared Mar. 16. Goe ye into all the world preach the Gospell to euery creature he that shall beleue be baptised shall be saued but he that will not beleeue Abraham merited not the promise shall be damned Men surely haue not merited it no not Abraham him selfe who was not made partaker of the promise seeing that he died long before the fulfilling thereof In spirit in deede and faith he was partaker of it but he liued not so long til the Gospel was reuealed to the whole world The promise therfore was made vnto him although as I haue sayd he looked not for the fulfilling therof in this life That is his life was not prolonged vntill the preaching of the Gospell in the whole world although in faith he obtained the Gospell for him selfe Wherefore it can not be sayd that that promise was due to his merits otherwise he must haue liued in the earth vntill the fulfilling thereof and a due price or reward must haue bene payd vnto him But now the performing of the promise was after his death so that euery one must needes confesse that that promise was not made to Abraham because of his merits Againe it can not be sayd The Gentiles merited not the enioying of the promise that the Gentiles which enioy this promise haue obtained it by their merits which then were not God promiseth to the fathers and performeth not he performeth to the Gentiles to whom notwithstaÌding no promise was made who all at that time were not God will alwayes retayne to him self his honour and be the same God although the wicked world can not be so perswaded He chasteneth reproueth rebuketh prouoketh stirreth allureth doth whatsoeuer is to be done but the worldlings rob him of his honour and attribute it to them selues that is they will not acknowledge that whatsoeuer they possesse or haue it commeth vnto them by the only grace of God When therefore we glory of such good thinges acknowledge not God to be the author and giuer of them we make our selues as God and him as our seruaunt So he is dishonoured and the honour attributed vnto vs. But albeit we make marchandize of his honour yet he hath affirmed in the Scriptures that he will keepe his honour and glorye onely to him selfe that so he may be acknowledged to giue all things of his meere and only grace These thinges he that beleueth doth also receiue them he that doth not beleue shall at the leÌgth receiue his due reward Zacharias sayth moreouer Verse 74. That we being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies might serue him without feare Verse 75. All the dayes of our life in holines and righteousnes before him He hath defined the nature and propertie of this kingdom that is the couenant made with Abraham that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed c. Which words of blessing thus sayth he I will interpret vnto you that being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies we may serue him without feare all our life long in holines and righteousnes before him Which to the world and our flesh sauoureth not well For the world thus murmureth here I had thought that he woulde haue giuen vs some pretious thing as a purse well stuffed with money a rich wife fayre and bewtifull children goodly houses and whatsoeuer the world is delighted in But now I perceiue it to be otherwise I heare that we must without feare serue him in holines righteousnes and so please him Wherefore it shall be meete that we apply hereunto spirituall eyes and eares that we may more rightly consider and vnderstand the wordes Whereas he sayth that he will deliuer vs from all our enemies it is againe thus to be vnderstood that this kingdom is placed in the middes of enemies and notwithstanding that it is not therefore destroyed but that alwayes all the enemies and aduersaries thereof are ouercome We must vnderstand also that the deliuerance from our enemies tendeth hereunto that we should alwayes obey him that deliuereth vs without any feare And this is a Christian thing an amiable kingdom that a Christian shall leade his life without feare Howbeit God hath bestowed this vpon vs that we should hereafter serue him alone The words without feare include in them that we shall quietly enioy the good thinges of this present world A Christian how he liueth without feare of the world to come For a Christian is sure and certaine of the forgiuenes of his sinnes although he as yet feeleth them as we haue sayd a litle before He is certaine that death hath no power in him that Satan doth not ouercome him that the worlde can not preuaile against him Such a hart is without all perill and feare plainly free from them Which doe not thou so vnderstand as though we do not feele sinne at all but that we are greatly grieued when sinnes trouble vs when the image or sight of death terrifieth vs when as being reproched and sclaundered of the world we stand as destitute and haue none in this earth to whom we may turne vs or resort for succour but God alone These thinges in deede are felt but they doe not preuaile nor ouercome vs for the hart notwithstanding remaineth safe and quiet in God So pouertie also is felt when thou art pinched with hunger hast not wherewithall to fill thy belly to maintaine thy wife and bringe vp thy children nor any certaine place where to dwell and abide but all these thinges shall not hurt thee thou must aske of God whatsoeuer thou needest serue him without feare as our present text declareth But herein we doe for the most part behaue our selues not as Christians we iudge after our owne affection and sense according as the world doth blame vs or report euill of vs. Also when our fieldes haue no corne no money is in our purse we thinke our selues vtterly destitute and forsaken But a true Christian with shut eyes and eares sayth with Paule speaking to the Galathians O flesh sinne death ye are dead vnto me Gal. 2. 6. and I againe am dead vnto you that Christ may liue in me The world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde That is the worlde hath no care or regard of me and my preaching and life is mocked and scorned of it But with the same measure that thou measurest vnto me I will measure to
thee againe if thou despisest me I also will despise thee if thou makest no account of me I againe will make small account of thee What care I if the world hate me when as I displease not him that dwelleth in heauen if this hatred continue euen dayly if sinne rage and the worlde talke and prate many thinges what then let it do so vntill it be weary I wil passe ouer these things as if I heard them not This is in deede to forsake the world and to die vnto it to liue without feare to be occupied about no other thing but that which is according to Gods will to speake nothing at all but that which shall please him and which I shall know to be agreeable to his worde that I may liue so and doe those workes which I knowe certainly are acceptable before him that in my whole life whatsoeuer I doe either outwardly or inwardely I may be certaine that I seeke his glorye and endeuour to fulfill his will So I am separated from the world and notwithstanding doe still liue in the worlde No man is lesse in the world then a sincere Christian and againe no man is more occupied and hath to doe with the world then an entire Christian That is the worlde doth more intentiuely looke vnto him and Satan more often and vehemently assaileth him then him that is ignorant of Christ of grace and of faith Christ and Paule had experience hereof they had combats conflicts with the world they were troubled and molested yea the whole world was against them Againe a true Christian is not in the worlde albeit the world rage fret cruelly against him for he alwayes trusteth in God and sayth Lord I am thine thou shalt deale wel with me graunt thou that my matters may goe forward according to thy will onely be thou on my side and I shall be in safety All the dayes of our life All our life long that is continually without ceasing In holines and righteousnes before him Here S. Luke diuideth righteousnes and holines into two sortes of which one is acceptable before God the other before him is of no value wherby we haue to vnderstand that both the righteousnes holines of God are in no estimation before the world euen as the worlde is wont nothing to esteeme God and againe God litle to esteeme the world For that which God calleth iust the world calleth vniust and that which it calleth right God calleth crooked and so these two Champions are continually at variance betwene them selues That which God calleth holy seemeth to the world deuilish and vnrighteous Wherefore he comforteth vs here declaring that there be two sortes of righteousnes and holines One which we ought to obserue diligently An other which we ought to auoide Hypocritical holines and righteousnes Hitherto it hath bene the chiefe holines and righteousnes of all which could be inuented to runne into Monasteries to put on monkish apparel to be shauen to weare a hempten girdle to giue him selfe to fasting and prayer to be clothed with heare cloth to lye in wollen garments to obserue an austere maner of liuing and in a summe to take vpon him monkish holines and religion And thus sticking in a colourable shew of good works we knewe none other but that we were holy from top to toe hauing regarde onely to workes and the body and not to the hart where we were full of hatred feare incredulitie troubled with an euil conscience knowing almost nothing rightly of God TheÌ the world cried openly O that holy man O holy and chast woman which haue included them selues within the walls of Monasteries which day night kneeling vpon their knees say many rosaries as they call them O what holines is there where euen God him selfe dwelleth where the holy Ghost the comforter abideth present These thinges the world boasteth of and greatly esteemeth But beside these they doe not marke how they pray with no earnestnes of hart howe they teach and instruct no man howe they giue nothing to any but catch vnto them selues both the blood and sweat of the poore and leaue true sincere workes vndone This righteousnes holines the world extolleth which notwithstanding stincketh and is wholy vncleane before God which he will haue euen to be vnknowne vnto vs yet the worlde refuseth to admit any other But there is an other maner of righteousnes then this whereof God esteemeth accepteth which also we must consider The righteousnes wherof God accepteth of what sort it is now it is of this sorte It consisteth not in a graye garment not in a blacke or white coule but in a pure conscience To wit when I beleeue that Christ is my saluation and that my workes can preuaile nothing hereunto but that he doth all thinges which God hath regarde vnto Then I say no more a gray garment is holy a red garment is prophane forasmuch as I know that not in a gray or any other garment but in Christ all thinges consist For no man can attaine to this that a gray garment may clense his hart from fâlth or that a monasterie may purifie it for it is necessary that God onely purifie the hart by faith and the holy Ghost as Peter witnesseth Act. 15. When the hart is now pure the house is vnto it as the fielde and the fielde as the house The market is as much esteemed of it as the Monasterie and contrariwise Neither remaineth there vnto me any worke place or garment which I count prophane for all thinges are alike vnto me after that holines hath fully possessed my hart That euen God sayth vnto me Thou art godly I am thy father thou art my sonne And herein we ought to persist that we be holy and without feare doe obey and serue him Here the title and badges of a Christian are seene this is his cognisance to wit that being holy he is the Minister of God without feare But what sinner is there which dareth challenge to him selfe this title Let one come forth which dareth auouch him selfe to be godly righteous holy and the seruaunt of God destitute of no good thinges either of mind or body Now he that caÌ not glory of these things is not a Christian For of these thinges must a sincere Christian be partaker But what letteth that one dareth not challenge to him selfe this title Euen a timorous conscience for we alwaies feele sinne and our life is euer fraile I see nothing but an honest life although God require this also of vs yet he will not be content therwith but there is neede that there be yet a certain higher thinge that I dare be bolde to say Lorde God maker of the whole worde I am certaine that I am holy before thee and am thy seruaunt not for myne owne sake who do as yet feele sinnes in my selfe but through Christ who hath taken away my sinne and made satisfaction for me These
amend most feruently desyring to be deliuered from synnes and earnestly endeuouring to come vnto Christ such a one hath a miserable and troubled yea and a contrite and humbled heart and an afflicted conscience which the deuell by all meanes fighteth against and so presseth it that it is almost ouercome with distresses c. But Christ assisteth and comforteth him for he is such a man as seeketh no shepe but that which is lost and can not helpe it selfe How may Christ be preached with greater gentlenes and more effectuall consolatioÌ of words or what thinkest thou should he do more to cheere the mind of a sinner and to confirme in him a sure confidence toward himselfe For we see him set forth by himselfe to vs miserable synners as a most louing shepeheard who most sorrowfully seeketh his sheepe being lost and most ioyfully bringeth them againe being found and taketh so great ioy that with him all the Angells also and Sainctes doe reioyce ouer vs. Now he that could firmely beleeue these thinges should without dout through Christ receiue true comfort and ioy forasmuch as here he hath a certaine promise that if he surely cleaue vnto Christ and rest vpon his shoulders he shall be an acceptable and welcome guest in the kingdom of heauen and shall be receyued with exceeding great ioye But we being troubled with sorrowe and anguish of conscience haue a farre other feeling and affection when as the hart can thinke nothing else but that all the Angells doe stand behind vs with a drawne sword which feare so troubleth vs that we can conceiue no cheerefulnes in our minde neither of God nor of the Angells And there are some also which can behold no creature with a glad minde fearing the beholding of the sunne yea being sore afraid at the noyse of a leafe All which proceede from hence for that they trouble and vexe them selues with their owne thoughtes out of which they would willingly wrastle sparing no labour that they might feele that vprightnes and integritie in them which would be abashed with no feare But if thou be desirous to conceiue true comfort and ioye in thy hart then see that thou doe diligently and well print and fasten therein this amiable image of the most louing shepeheard and the word of the Gospell and seeke it where it is to be sought that is in Christ and no where else In Christ true ioy is to be found without him can be found no true ioy at all for in this man thou shalt find all thinges so that thou abide in his safe custodie and vpon his shoulders But whatsoeuer comfort can be obtained without him it commeth not from the hart although thou call to helpe thee all the creatures and shouldest also be partaker of the pleasure and ioy of the whole worlde A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE WOMAN OF CANAAN Matth. 15. Verse 21. ANd Iesus went thence and departed into the partes of Tyrus and Sidon 22. And behold a womaÌ a Cananite came out of the same coastes and cryed saying vnto him Haue mercy on me O Lord the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a Deuill 23. But he aunswered her not a word Then came to him his Disciples besought him saying Send her away for she cryeth after vs. 24. But he aunswered and sayd I am not sent but vnot the lost sheepe of the house of Israell 25. Yet she came worshipped him saying Lord helpe me 26. And he aunswered said it is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelps 27. But she sayd truth Lord yet in deed the welps eate of the crommes which fall from their maisters table 28. Then Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto her O woman great is thy faith be it to thee as thou desirest And her daughter was made whole at that houre IN this text is set forth vnto vs an example of a constant and stedfast faith For this woman did so perseuer that she ouercame three most sharpe conflicts and notably teacheth vs what is the qualitie and proper vertue of a true right faith Faith what it is Which in deede is a certaine trust and most deepely setled in the mind of the diuine goodnes and grace knowne and made manifest by the worde of God For Marke mentioneth that she heard the report of Iesus without dout good and ioyfull that he is a bountifull man and maruelous ready to helpe euery one That report was good tidings the worde of grace vnto her whereupon also this her faith did begin For vnles she had beleued that she also might be made partaker of Christes bountifulnes and goodnes shee would not haue so followed him or cried after him Which is that wherof we haue often admonished Faith commeth by hearing which we are taught Rom. 10. that faith is by hearing Wherefore the word ought alwayes to goe before and giue the beginning of saluation But how came it to passe whereas many other also heard the same report of our Sauiour Iesus yet they followed him not yea they quite despised that report I aunswere They that are not sicke as they haue no neede of the Phisitian so neither are they desirous of him But this woman was afflicted and felt her necessitie yea that report was so ioyfull vnto her that she being stirred vp thereby did follow Christ running after such a pleasant sauour Cant. 1. We must first by the law come to the knowledge feeling of sinne before we caÌ tast howe sweete Christ is Wherfore Moses must alway goe before who may teach vs to feele sinne whereby grace may be wished for and desired of vs. It is in vaine therefore although Christ be preached to be louing and to be desired and longed for if a man be not before humbled through knowledge of him selfe and made desirous of Christ according to the songe of Marie The Lorde hath filled the hungrie with good thinges and the rich he hath sent emptie away Nowe all these thinges are written for the consolation lifting vp of them which be miserable poore needie oppressed with sinnes and abiects that they may knowe to whom they may flie in all distres and where they may seeke for helpe and safetie But see howe Christ vrgeth and inflameth faith in them that be his whereby they may become stronger and more confirmed For first whereas this woman being encouraged with that alluring fame of his goeth after him and cryeth for helpe douting nothing but she should trie him to be such a one as she had heard him reported to be and that she should forthwith entreat him for the recouerie of her daughter Christ in all respects sheweth him selfe vnto her so as though he would deceiue all her trust and make his report false so that she might thinke with her selfe Is this that man which is so bountiful and readie to helpe all Doth he so fulfill the most commendable report
which goeth of him Where doth there appeare so much as any thing like vnto those thinges which men haue told me of him They were deceiued them selues and deceiued me also He sheweth him selfe an enemie rather then a friende Why doth he not so much as speake a word and friendly denie me helpe if I be vnworthy thereof He holdeth his peace like vnto a blocke vouchsafeth not to speake a word neither offereth his help Here surely Christ gaue a grieuous blow to the minde of the silly woman So it is an incomparable torment to them that beleeue being in distres when God sheweth him selfe such a one at their prayers like vnto one that is angrie and whom they pray vnto in vayne hiding so deepely his grace that they now perceiue nothing els but that he will not performe those thinges which he hath promised and that so he will shew his owne wordes to be false That truely hapned to the Israelites at the red sea and to many other excellent holy men The constaÌcie of this woman of Canaan But what doth this woman to these things She remoueth out of her sight mind that Christ shewed him selfe so vngentle and hard to be intreated she being constant and nothing moued hereat perseuereth in the trust of his goodnes whereof she had heard and which she had conceiued in her minde suffering her selfe in no wise to be turned from it We must not ceasse to trust in God though he seemeth at the first not to heare our prayers nor to fulfill his promise So also must we do we must trust vnto the word alone although God him selfe and all creatures pretende otherwise then the worde preacheth But this is thrise most hard to nature reason to be so vtterly destitute and to depend on the word of God without any feeling of comfort euen when a man feeleth and trieth all things to be contrary God giue vnto vs such a mind and faith that we may so doe especially at the point of death and in extreme necessities Secondly whereas the cry and faith of this woman seemeth to haue suffered repulse the disciples come with their faith douting not but that they shal entreat the Lord but when they thinke that they shall make him more easie to be entreated they find him to be much more harde repelling as it appeared and as they thought the faith and prayers both of the woman also of them selues Neither doth Christ here hold his peace and leaue them in doubte as before but he seemeth plainely to deny that which they aske saying I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel This stroke is much more grieuous then that former where not onely the person of the intreater is repelled but al hope also which is wont to be left is cut of namely the comfort of the intercession of all the other Saintes and elect For it is almost the last refuge to them that suffer distres and feele the indignation of God to get them selues to godly holy men seeking for comfort and helpe whereunto as charitie requireth they find them ready and willing but euen they also some time doe in vaine aske helpe and succour for neither are they heard and so the case of them that be in distres becommeth worse and more lamentable So the afflicted and desolate may truely obiect vnto Christ all those wordes wherein he hath promised that he will heare his Sainctes as Matth. 18.19 If two of you shall agree in earth vpon any thing whatsoeuer they shall desire it shall be giuen them of my Father which is in heauen Againe VVhatsoeuer ye shall aske Marke 11.24 beleeue and ye shall receiue it And many such like But if to him that obiecteth these thinges and asketh him howe he can goe from his wordes and promises he aunswere thus I goe not from my promises I haue not promised that I will heare all prayers but the prayers of them that be myne which are of the house of Israell not of all whatsoeuer What thinkest thou may the hart then thinke hauing taken such a repulse Such an aunswere is as it were a flash of lightning wherewith the hart and all trust is seuered and broken in a thousand peeces For what trust can there be left when he heareth that that doth not pertaine vnto him which because of the word of God he trusted to haue obtayned but vnto others Here not so much as a worde can be left if one doe according as he feeleth But what doth this woman She doth not so fall from hope The great constancie faith of this woman of Canaan she still sticketh to the wordes which she had heard of Christ albeit he went about by this other repulse as with a certaine force to wrest them out of her hart she suffereth not her self to be fraied away neither with that vngentle silence neither with this hard aunswere shee continueth stedfastly in a sure confidence beleeuing that vnder this difficultie which Christ did pretend that grace was as yet hidden and layd vp for her which she had heard reported of him shee can not be brought as yet to iudge Christ not to be bountiful and gracious and that he can deny the helpe which shee desireth This was to perseuer strongly in faith Moreouer she followeth Iesus euen into the house as Marke writeth she is instant vpon him falleth downe before him and sayth Lord helpe me Here the Lorde giueth a deadly the last blow saying vnto her face that she is a dogge and vnworthy to be partaker of the bread of the children What may she aunswere hereunto For he seemed to signifie in these wordes that she is of the number of the damned and desperat which can looke for no part with the elect This word seemeth eternall and that can not be gainesayd For he which doth not pertaine to the companie of the elect by the ordinaunce of God what may he hope to be left for him This woman is not yet discouraged and past hope but yeldeth to this iudgement of the Lord she confesseth of her owne accorde that she is a dogge neither desireth she any thing but that which is wont to be giuen to dogges namely the crummes which fall from their maisters table Seemeth she not to haue vsed maruelous cunning She taketh Christ in his owne wordes He had made her like vnto a dogge she acknowledgeth it and desireth that he will onely suffer her to be a dogge according to his owne saying what should he here do how should he escape he was now as it were euen taken For the crummes vnder the table are graunted to the dogge for vnto dogges they are sayd to be due The frute of constant perseuerance trust in Christ Here therefore Christ being as it were ouercome doth open him selfe wholy and graunteth the desires of the woman and maketh that she is not now a dogge but a true Israelite
These things are written for the instruction and comfort of all vs whereby we ought to learne howe deepely sometime Christ hideth his grace from vs and how we must not iudge of God according to our owne sense and opinion but onely according to his wordes For we see here that albeit Christ shewed him selfe very hard to this woman yet he did not plainely deny to helpe her but whatsoeuer he aunswered howsoeuer it seemed to pretend a deniall yet was it not a deniall but did hange in dout and left an entraunce for faith although but small For he sayd not at her first petition I will not heare her but he held his peace neither promising nor denying helpe So to the second petition which the Apostles made he sayth not she is not of the house of Israel I can not therefore performe that which she desireth but he onely sayth I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell leauing all thinges in doute and in the middest betweene a plaine graunt and a deniall So when she had the third time desired him he sayth not thou art a dogge get thee hence the bread of the children is not due vnto thee but he sayth It is not good to take the childrens bread c. againe leauing in dout whether she was a dogge or no. Neuertheles all these sayinges doe pretende outwardly rather a deniall of helpe then prouoke her to hope but in very deede they did containe in them rather a promise and hope then a deniall Yea there was nothing but a promise and a certaine expectation of helpe howbeit most deepely hid and altogither secret vnder that silence and aunswers although they were hard and a deniall onely sounded outwardly By these it is shewed how our hart is wont to be affected in tentation For according as that feeleth in tentation so Christ here behaueth him selfe It feeleth all thinges to be denied when as it is farre otherwise Wherefore it is requisite that leauing it owne feeling by a sure faith in the word of God it conceiue and hold fast the promise of helpe deepely hidden vnder the deniall and yeeld vnto the sentence of God toward vs as this woman did so shall we ouercome and take the Lord in his wordes that he can not but helpe vs. So that if we feele in our conscience at any time God rebuking vs pronouncing vs sinners and vnworthy of the kingdom of heauen then we feele as it were hell and it seemeth vnto vs that we are past all hope and recouerie for euer When God pronounceth vs sinners we ought to acknowledge and confesse our sinnes pray former eye which God hath promised to them that be penitent for their sinnes then if any had the skill of this woman that he could take the Lord in his owne iudgement and say yea Lord I am a sinner and altogither vnworthy of thy grace but thou hast promised forgiuenes to sinners neither didst thou come to call the righteous but as Paule sayth to saue sinners he truely shoulde bringe to passe that the Lorde should be enforced euen by his owne iudgement to haue mercy vpon him So did Manasses when being peniteÌt he prayed for pardon as we read in his prayer He yeelded to the iudgement of God acknowledging him selfe a most grieuous sinner and so he bound God with his promise which had promised forgiuenes of sinne to sinners not to the righteous The same also did Dauid obserue Psal 51. Against thee onely sayth he haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and found pure when thou art iudged For that doth purchase vnto vs all displeasure that we disdayne to suffer the iudgement of the Lord and doe against our wills yeeld vnto his sentence when he pronounceth vs sinners Such a great thing is it to acknowledge sinnes and to embrace the iudgement of God We all confesse our selues sinners in words but as soone as the Lorde speaketh that in our hart and pronounceth vs sinners we doe not abide by that which before we confessed we had leuer be counted righteous and free from that iudgement But it must needes be if God must be iust in his wordes that thou be a sinner then also maist thou vse the right of sinners which God him selfe hath giuen vnto them namely to pray with a sure expectation of forgiuenes of sinnes Then is it not permitted vnto thee onely to feede vnder the table of crummes after the maner of dogges but being a child of the houshold thou shalt sit at the very table hauing God nowe howe great soeuer he be giuen vnto thee according to thy desire Hereof also we haue an historicall exposition of this text according to the allegories For as it chaunceth to this woman her daughter being sicke for whom through faith she obtayned health by a miracle so also falleth it out with vs when we are deliuered from the spirituall sicknes to wit sinnes which truely are a most grieuous and troublesom Deuill vnto vs. For as she acknowledged her selfe a dogge so must we acknowledge our selues sinners and iudged vnto hell the Lord pronouncing it which if we can doe as she coulde we shall be safe We haue already spoken elsewhere of other thinges whereof there might be occasion to speake out of this text as howe one may obtaine grace and safetie by the faith of an other as here it fell out to the daughter of this woman Christ the Disciples the woman in this place are examples of loue This thinge also that Christ his Disciples and the woman are here examples of loue forasmuch as none of them pray for seeke or doe those thinges that are their owne but euery one that which is an others is very manifest by it selfe and easily acknowledged of euery one especially seing that we haue so largely entreated hereof in an other place A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS TAVGHT THAT WE ARE SAVED freely by grace without the workes and merits of men Tit. 3. Verse 4. WHen that bountifulnes that loue of God our Sauiour towarde men appeared 5. Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost 6. Which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour 7. That we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life PAVLE hauing willed before that all shoulde be put in mind to be obedient to such as be in authoritie and ready to euery good worke to speake euill of no man to be no fighters but gentle shewing all meekenes vnto all men c these fewe wordes being put betweene that we our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lustes and voluptuousnes c he added those wordes which we haue already mentioned as if he should say
be renewed they shall remaine vncleane as they were here and as they were borne of Adam Therefore that he might speake rightly of Baptisme he calleth it the washing of the new birth whereby they that are borne againe are also renewed Of this new birth many things are to be found here and there in the Scripture because of which also God calleth his word and Gospell a wombe and matrix as Esai 46 Hearken all ye that remaine of the house of Israell whom I haue borne in my wombe as mothers are wont to speake of their children He therefore that beleeueth the Gospell is as it were conceiued in the wombe of God from thence borne a new man and like vnto God Whereof we will in an other place speake more Now it shal be sufficient to haue learned by these words how our workes are nothing in fulfilling the coÌmaundements of God and that it is a mad thinge to attribute here neuer so litle to our owne strength seeing that it is fayth alone whereby man is at once borne againe renewed Wherefore vnderstand this that good workes must folow a new creature but to attaine vnto righteousnes that new creature they are able to helpe nothing at all No otherwise is the grace of God wont to renew man How the grace of God reneweth man then as if God should turne some drie and withered blocke into a new greene and florishing tree which may afterward bringe forth frute plentifully For the grace of God is a great strong verie mightie and meruelous effectual thing it lyeth not in the minde The grace of God exceeding effectual and mighty in operation as the Schoolemen dreamed it sleepeth not or is borne as a painted table beareth a picture it selfe beareth guideth vrgeth draweth chaungeth and worketh all thinges in men so that euerie one may feele and haue experience of it It selfe in deede is hyd but the workes of it can not be hyd but do witnes of it as the leaues and frutes do of the tree of what nature it is Wherefore the Scholemen Thomas and Scotus do vngodlily detract from it who attribute no more vnto it then that it doth adorne the workes of nature and is a helpe that they be brought to perfection For it doth not adorne or helpe onely but it alone worketh those thinges that be good neither doth it worke them onely but doth rather chaunge and renew the person For it exhibiteth the washing of the new birth and of renewing not of workes onely but much rather of the whole man He that shall preach these things of grace shall truly and fully commend it Which Paul endeuoured to do when he said He hath saued vs by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost Nothing can be done here by ioyning of workes togither the nature must needes be chaunged whereupon it coÌmeth to passe that they that truely beleeue must suffer many thinges for grace worketh in them declareth it selfe present Hereunto pertaineth that saying of the 111. Psal The workes of the Lord are great sought out of all them that haue pleasure therein What are these workes We are they by grace in Baptisme made the great new and regenerate workes of God Is it not a great thinge for a man by and by to be saued and deliuered from synnes death and hell therefore he sayth sought out of all them that haue pleasure therein For by this new birth God hath found out and done what soeuer men can desire For what els do men couet and desire but to obtaine saluation to be deliuered from synne death and hell Of the holy Ghost Lastly that he may the more expresse the greatnes and vertue of grace he attributeth this washing of the new birth and renewing to the holy Ghost For this washing is so great and of so weightie importaunce that no creature but the holy Ghost alone is able to perfourme it But how much most excellent Paul doost thou condemne free will the great good workes of the proud holy ones that is the merits of hypocrites In how hie a place doest thou set our saluation and again how doest thou bring it downe to vs and placeâ it neere vs yea euen within vs Onely the washing of the newe birth renewing how purely syncerely doest thou set forth grace in these wordes Wherefore worke what soeuer and how much soeuer thou wilt it is vnpossible for a man to be renewed and the person chaunged without which no workes acceptable to God can be done but by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost That we may plainly see in those hypocriticall counterfaitours of workes For thou shalt fynde none harder none prouder none so rash and hastie spirits For they are broken and not renewed indurate obstinate confirmed by continuance couering in deede and some what adorning that old Adam by those their counterfaite good workes but in the meane season there doth not any whit appeare any chaunge of nature in them they continue still in the oldnes of their corrupt flesh O what a pestilent people is this and in how great indignation of God are they when as in the meane tyme they thinke that they sit in Gods lappe Washing of the new birth and renewing attributed to the holy Ghost Nowe whereas the Apostle attributeth this washing of the newe birth and renewing to the holy Ghost he sayth the same which Christ doth Iohn 3 where he sayth Except a man be borne againe of water and of the Spirit he can not enter into the kingdome of God For that which Christ signified by water the Apostle calleth the washing so both made mention of newe birth and of the holy Ghost And we must marke that that which is spoken here of the holy Ghost both by Christ and the Apostle must not be referred to that Papisticall confirmation as they call it for both of them referred to Baptisme that which is here mentioned concerning the holy Ghost who when the body is washed with water doth himselfe worke the newe birth and renewing by faith which Christ called to be borne againe of the spirit We read in the Actes of the Apostles that the Apostles did eftsoones lay their handes on them that were baptised and that so the holy Ghost came vpon them by a visible signe which the Papistes also snatch to their confirmation But as that was done that the beleeuers might by a visible signe be endued with the holy Ghost to preach the Gospell in diuers languages so it continued onely the time thereof vntill the doctrine of the Gospell was commended to the worlde by sufficient signes wherefore it is nowe long since worne out of vse but that a certaine ceremonie hath come from thence euen vnto vs of laying handes on them which are ordained Ministers or Preachers which is nowe brought into an vngodly and pernitious vse but of these thinges in an other place VVhich he
shed on vs aboundantly See how notably the Apostle setteth forth grace He sayth not that the holy Ghost was giuen but shed and not that onely but shed aboundantly For he can not sufficiently extoll and magnifie grace and the worke thereof and we alas count it so vile in respect of our workes The workes of the diuine grace sufficieÌt for our saluation without any addition of our owne workes It were a dishonour to God and to his holy Spirit if when he hath plentifully shed it vpon vs there should as yet be some thing wanting necessarie to righteousnes and saluation which we are able to perfourme as though the workes of so incomparable grace could not be sufficient And Paul surely might be reproued of lying which had not spoken all thinges whereby we must be iustified and saued when he affirmeth that he doth it But as he writeth so it is no man can attribute so great thinges to this washing and regeneration no man can so much presume of them but greater thinges may be attributed vnto them and thou oughtest to promise to thy selfe moe thinges of them no man shall beleeue so great thinges but he shall receiue greater Forasmuch as those good thinges which God hath giuen are so great and so vnspeakeable he would haue them here come vnto vs being included and hyd in his words and fayth For the nature of our present life can not beare them being manifest and therefore it must perish when they beginne to be reuealed that man maye by these inestimable riches which he nowe possesseth by fayth be as it were swallowed vp and vanish awaye We are already aboundantly iustified by fayth without all our owne merit therefore Christ sayth Ioh. 3 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten Sonne that who soeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Behold they that beleeue haue already euerlasting life and therefore vndoutedly are iustified and holy without all their owne labour or meanes that thou maiest see that nothing but grace and mercie is plentifully powred vpon vs and that our workes could auaile nothing hereunto Thou wilt perhaps say Thou canst not preach sufficiently that the grace and mercie of God doth worke all things in vs An obiectioÌ and that no respect is to be had of our workes to the attaining of saluation but how commeth it to passe then that the Scripture so ofteÌ witnesseth that they shal be saued which haue wrought good workes As Iohn 5 They shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euell vnto the resurrection of condemnation And Rom. 2 Honour and glorie to them that do well wrath and indignation to them that do ill We read many sentences here and there in the Scripture like vnto these I aunswere The answere As the wordes sound so take them without all glosse for it is euen so they that do well shal be saued they which do otherwise shal be condemned But herein many erre from the truth of the Scripture in that they iudge workes according the outward appearance Works must not be iudged good according to the outward appearance contrarie to the Scripture which teacheth that no man can do good whoe is not himselfe good before and by workes no man can become good but workes take their goodnes of the worker and he becommeth good by the washing of the new birth and by nothing els This Christ meant Matth. 7. sayng A corrupt tree can not bring forth good frute neither a good tree euell frute Wherefore make the tree either good or euell and it will bring forth like frutes Hypocrites oftentimes do workes like to the workes of the Godly yea sometime hauing a goodlier shewe for they diligently praye fast giue almes and pretend a meruelous holines but Christ calleth these sheepes clothing wherewith most hurtfull wolues are clothed and hidden For none of them is of a true humble meeke and bountifull heart which they chiefely declare when they are rebuked when their holines is reproued for then bring they forth their naturall frutes whereby they are knowen Those are rashe iudgementes impatiencie stubburnnes obstinacie sclaundering and such like It is true therefore he that doth well shal be saued that is his saluation shal be manifest but he can doe no good at all if he be not before regenerate by the washing of the newe birth For what good workes can one worke in the oldenes of the fleshe and by the strength proceeded from Adam they are the good workes which Paule here condemneth saying Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done They are in deede good workes done in righteousnes but not before God who first hath respect to the person then to the workes as we read Gen. 4. that he had respect first to Abel then to his sacrifice as he first turneth himselfe from Cain and then from his sacrifice although according to the outward appearaunce it was as good a sacrifice and worke as the sacrifice of Abel Through Iesus Christ our Sauiour This he added that he may keepe vs vnder the winges of Christ as chickens are wont to be preserued vnder the winges of the hen for thus Christ sayth Matth. 23 Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thy children togither as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her winges and ye would not And hereby the nature of a true and right faith is taught For it is nothing which some say I beleeue in God almightie as the Iewes and many other are wont and do therefore receiue corporall benefites of God It is a true and liuely faith What a true liuely faith beleeueth whereby thou beleeuest in God howbeit by Iesus Christ First that thou dout not that God is become a merciful father vnto thee which hath pardoned all thy sinnes in Baptisme hath adopted thee for his sonne and heire that thou maiest certainly know that thou art saued Againe thou must also knowe this that that was not done freely neither without satisfaction made to the diuine iustice For there can be no place in thee for the diuine grace and mercy to worke saluation and to giue thee eternall good thinges vnlesse the iustice of God be before most fully satisfied For Christ witnesseth Matth. 5 One iote or one title of the Lawe shall not scape till all thinges be fulfilled That which is spoken of the grace and goodnes of God can not come but to them which do most purely and exactly obserue his commaundements according to that saying Mich. 2 When as the Iewes did presume of the goodnes of God toward them and did alwayes promise vnto them selues peace saying How can God be alwayes angrie is the spirit of the Lord shortened It is aunswered them Are not my wordes good vnto him that walketh vprightly Wherefore it shal be lawfull for none to attaine vnto the aboundance of grace vnles
world that they might byd and call men to this supper with one voyce with one Gospell with one ambassade after such sort that if S. Peter had come and preached the Gospell of God in that place where Paule had preached it before yet had it bene one worde and the same preaching that the hearers should haue bene compelled to say Behold he preacheth the same that we heard before of the other they wholy consent and agree the thinge that they publish is all one That the Euangelist might insinuate this consent and agreement in preaching he sayth He sent his seruaunt he sayth not his seruaunts as of many Nowe this message the seruaunt must doe to the bidden guests The message which the seruauÌt doth to the guests bidden to the great supper Come for all things are now ready For Christ had suffered death in his death had slaine sinne and death also was risen againe from death the holy Ghost was giuen briefly all thinges were prepared which pertained vnto that great supper All things were ready without al our cost For the Father by Christ hath payd the price of all things that without all our merit and labour we might enioy his goodnes and be nourished and enriched He sendeth his seruaunt therefore first to the Iewes to byd them to this great supper vnto whom the promise was made of God For the lawe and all the Prophets were directed hereunto that they might prepare the people of God As the Angel Gabriel declared of Iohn the Baptist to his father Zacharias Luke 1 He shall be filled with the holy Ghost euen from his mothers wombe and many of the children of Israell shall he turne to their Lord God For he shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the harts of the fathers to the children the disobedient to the wisedom of the iust men to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. But what did the guests aunswere to the message of the seruaunt the text following declareth But they all with one minde began to make excuse This is that whereof the Lord speaketh Matth. 10 He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse followeth after me What they must do that will be partakers of this great supper is not worthy of me For he that will be partaker of this supper must put all thinges into daunger for the Gospells sake body goods wife children frendes c. Moreouer he must leaue all thinges whatsoeuer they be that separate him from the Gospell albeit they seeme good iust right holy Neither thinke ye that these meÌ which here excuse them selues were gilty of grieuous sinnes or occupied about vniust matters and works For it is not vniust to bie to vse trade of marchandize to maintaine him selfe honestly to marie a wife to be ioyned in matrimonie But therefore can they not come to this supper for that they will not forsake these thinges but will rather cleaue to them in their hart Nowe they must be vtterly forsaken and left when the Gospell so requireth Thou wilt perhaps say I would in deede willingly follow the Gospell I would cleaue vnto it doe all other things whatsoeuer but to forsake goods houses familie wife children c surely this is a hard matter God hath commauÌded me to labour to maintaine my wife and children c. Beholde therefore this is the scope and summe that the Gospell is the worde of faith and offence because of which euery faithfull man doth beare offence willingly In deede God hath willed thee to doe these thinges howbeit he hath also commaunded that thou preferre him before all creatures and loue him aboue all thinges and thinke him higher then all thinges which thou canst know euen as the chiefe and greatest commaundement giueth vs to vnderstande Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy minde Deut. 6. Wherefore thou must forsake all thinges before thou suffer thy selfe to be pluckt away from the loue of him or his worde although in deede he loseth nothing which forsaketh any thinge for the Gospells sake If for the Gospells sake thou lose this temporall life God will giue thee an other farre better to wit eternall life as Christ sayth Matth. 10 He that will finde his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall finde it If thou be compelled to forsake thy wife togither with thy children remember that God hath a care of them he will be a better father vnto them then thy selfe which vndoutedly commeth to passe if so be thou beleeue For we haue very great rich promises that he wil not suffer his word to fail but will alwayes fulfill it if we can freely and confidently trust in him and commit our selues wholy vnto him Christ sayth after this sort Matth. 19 VVhosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my names sake he shall receiue an hundreth folde more and shall inherit euerlasting life We haue here his words and promise what would we haue more or what can we desire more wherein therefore doe we fayle onely in our faith Wherfore no man commeth to this supper A sound faith required in the guests of this supper but he that bringeth with him a sincere faith which God preferreth and loueth aboue all creatures But how doth the Lord recompense them which excused them selues that they could not come to the supper The text it selfe declareth Then vvas the good man of the house angry and sayd to his seruaunt Goe out quickly into the streetes and lanes of the citie and bring in hither the poore and the maimed and the halt and the blind The Gospell was first to be preached to the Iewes who because they refused it the Apostles turned to the Gentiles To goe into the streetes and lanes is nothing else but that whereas the Iewes made themselues vnworthy of the Gospell and did refuse it the Disciples turned to the Gentiles For it was enioyned them of Christ that they shoulde not turne them selues to the Gentiles nor preach the kingdom of God in the cities of the Samaritanes but should goe onely to the sheepe of the house of Israell and should feede them onely as they did Now the Iewes striuing against this worde and by no meanes receiuing it the Disciples sayd Act. 13 It was necessary that the word of God should first haue bin spoken vnto you but seeing ye put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life lo we turne to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord coÌmaunded vs saying I haue made thee a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest be the saluation vnto the ende of the world But what meaneth that
guide other wheÌ thou thy selfe art blinder theÌ a moule so that he which foloweth thee doth fall with thee into the ditch Of such as iudge themselues to excell others thinke themselues to be followed more theÌ the word of God S. Paul speaketh Rom. 2 Behold saith he thou art called a Iew restest in the law gloriest in God knowest his will and triest the thinges that dissent from it in that thou art instructed by the law perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darknes an instructer of them which lacke discretioÌ a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest A maÌ should not steale doest thou steale thou that sayest A man should not coÌmit adulterie doest thou coÌmit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols coÌmittest thou sacrilege thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the law dishonourest thou God WhereupoÌ he also sayth in the beginning of the same chapter to hypocrites Therefore thou art inexcusable O man who soeuer thou art that coÌdemnest for in that that thou condemnest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condemnest doest the same thinges But we know that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O thou man that coÌdemnest theÌ which do such things doest the same that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Loe this is to speake the truth to hypocrites who go about to shew the way to other which they themselues know not leading so other meÌ into the ditch with theÌ Therfore the Lord saith The disciple is not aboue his maister but who soeuer wil be a perfect disciple shal be as his maister This is a common prouerbe I can learne no more of my maister then he knoweth himselfe Wherefore doth the Lord speake this prouerbe because of two sortes of maisters the one is blynde whom if I shall follow I also my selfe shall become blynde he himselfe falleth into the ditch and I follow The other maister is the mercifull father of whom we must learne mercy whom if we follow we also do become mercifull like as he is if we were mercifull daily we should also become perfect as he is perfect but that commeth not to passe as long as we are in this life The second part of mercy is The second part of mercy to forgiue that we forgiue them which haue endamaged vs or hurt vs by any meanes A Christian can neuer be so hurt but he ought to forgiue not onely seuen times but seuenty times seuen times as the Lord sayd vnto Peter Matth. 18. Wherefore God forgiueth a Christian his synne or infirmitie that he also may forgiue other their infirmitie which Christ setteth forth els where in a most goodly parable which he coÌcludeth in these wordes Matth. 18.35 So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts ech one to his brother their trespasses And so we praye daily in the Lords prayer with an addition saying forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Is this a hard matter if I a wretched synner do forgiue my neighbour his trespasses and his infirmitie whereas the Lord will forgiue me my synnes and my infirmities If one had killed my father what were this being compared to my synne wherewith I haue offended God and prouoked him to anger The third part of mercy is The third part of mercy to giue to the poore needy that we giue to them that be in miserie and neede and that we helpe them Whereof Iohn speaketh thus 1. Iohn 3 VVhosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him For where the loue of God is it is moued to shew it selfe eueÌ in outward works Hereunto also pertaineth the saying of Christ Matth. 5 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Wherefore the Lord addeth a promise in the Gospell saying Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken togither running ouer shall men giue into your bosome And continuing on his speech he sayth For with what measure ye meat with the same shall men meat to you againe Thus much shall suffice concerning the partes of mercy which we ought to shew to our neighbours Matth. 7.12 Vnto which the speciall wordes of Christ ought to exhort vs who when in the Gospell of Matthew he had spoken much of a Christian life and of loue to be shewed to our brethren thus concludeth saying VVhat soeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Now euerie one is so affected that being cast downe and in distres he would wish all the world to helpe him If I be a miserable sinner drowned in sinnes bearing a burdened and troubled conscience I would that the whole world should comfort me should helpe and succour me should couer my sinne and shame So I also ought to behaue my selfe toward my neighbour not to iudge him not to condemne him but to forgiue him his offences to helpe him to prouide for him to lend vnto him giue him euen as I would wish to be done vnto my selfe if I were driuen into distres necessitie exile or pouerty And herein truly Christians are knowne if they loue one an other if one do such workes of mercy vnto an other as Christ sayd vnto his disciples at his last Supper I giue you a new commaundement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you By this shal all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other Thus ye haue the meaning of this text it remaineth that we call vpon God for grace A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE SVMME OF CHRISTIAN LIFE 1. Tim. 1. Verse 5. THE ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfeined 6. From the which thinges some haue erred and haue turned vnto vaine iangling 7. They would be doctours of the Lawe and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme IT is well knowne vnto you dearely beloued brethren Gods worde must be heard and learned with how great seueritie God hath commaunded his worde to be heard and learned For he most highly esteemeth it and hath bestowed much labour in defending it and publishing it to the world He hath suffred all the Prophets to come into perils and daungers at the last also he sent his owne sonne because of his worde whom he suffered to die euen the death of the crosse And what persecutions haue not the Apostles themselues abode for the wordes sake what afflictions haue
not all Christians suffered vnto some of which he hath committed the ministerie of his word faithfully to be executed and to other some hath enioyned the charge of hearing the same If there were no other cause beside this whereby we might be moued to heare learne Gods word but for that it is the good pleasure will and commaundement of God yet this one ought to be sufficient great weighty For it is our dutie as creatures to obey our Lorde and Creator and that with all readines of mynde inasmuch as he hath giuen vs so many good thinges and doth as yet daily giue vs moe for which we shall neuer be able to giue him sufficient worthie thankes Howbeit he is not content onely to haue commaunded vs to do this or to require it of vs as bounden dutie but promiseth also that great fruits and commodities shall redound to vs thereby affirming that by this meanes his greatest and highest worship is giuen vnto him For he is the great Lord whom we serue God is serued diuers waies but especially by preaching hearing his worde who hath many and diuers kindes of seruice and manifold maners of worship and whom we may serue diuers wayes But this onely seruice which is giuen to him by hearing the word doth excell all the rest For if any where a faithfull man of the countrie or a citizen or any which is otherwise in subiection doth serue his Lorde or maister he doth by the same seruice also serue God Likewise a childe a manseruaunt or a maydseruaunt if they be obedient and do diligently that which belongeth to their dutie also a Prince and parents if they gouerne well and do their dutie faithfully they all do serue God For it is his will and commaundement which he requireth to be fulfilled of vs. Of such seruices and kindes of worship the world is full For to euerie one in his state his workes are committed and inioyned of God whereby he daily both ought and may serue him that there may be left no place for excuse vnto any man as though he were ignoraunt how and wherefore he must serue God neither that any seeke after other thinges and inuent peculiar maners of seruing God which he hath neither ordained nor commaunded and in the meane season neglect that which he hath commaunded as we haue hitherto done in our blindenes But before all other seruices and doinges of duties he hath most highly esteemed and extolled this seruice both of them that heare God hath appointed time place person and what so euer is requisite that his word may be preached heard and them that preach his word And therefore hath ordained also a speciall day thereunto euerie weeke in which we must applie our selues to no other busines Albeit we serue God also by other labours all the weeke which he hath bound to no time or certaine daye But he hath chosen this daye specially which he hath seuerely commaunded to be kept whereby men maye haue time and leysure to performe this seruice lest any might flie vnto this complaint that he hath no leysure by reason of his labours and busines Moreouer he hath appointed speciall places also for this seruice as among vs temples and houses where we doe come togither Yea he hath instituted and kept the whole order of ministers hereunto giuing also other thinges which pertaine to the performing of the charge of this office as the knowledge of manye tounges and diuers giftes beside And briefely he hath commaunded the whole world by a certaine speciall precept that it thinke this worship or seruice holy and farre more excellent then the rest Which he will haue so to be delighted in of all Christians that it maye be manifest howe much he doeth esteeme it and howe acceptable vnto him the exercise and handlyng of his word is Most weightie causes which ought to me to heare Gods word These things I speake to stirre you vp and to admonish you why ye ought willingly to heare the word of God because it is not only the commaundement of God whereunto we must obey but we haue also most ample promises that it is a thinge acceptable to God and the greatest worship whereby we can doe honour vnto him And it so farre exceedeth other kindes of worship as the brightnes of the sunne exceedeth the brightnes of the other starres and the Sabbath day the other dayes in a summe as much as the heauenly kingdom excelleth the kingdoms of the worlde For here all thinges are holy and specially chosen the time place person and that because of the worde which sanctifieth all thinges vnto vs. Wherefore we must earnestly endeuour that we take heede vnto our selues that we fall not into sluggishnes slothfulnes neither that we be caried away with contempt and lothsomnes of hearing the word as those delicate and cloyed spirits which seeme vnto them selues already to be Maisters and exactly to know all thinges yea farre more perfectly then any can teache them Or as others also which are soone cloyed with it thinking why I haue heard this very often wherefore should I eftsoones heare the same songe They knowe not howe great meruelous a thing it is also howe great worship of God which they do so greatly contemne neglect with so great slothfulnes Wherefore they doe after vnspeakeable meanes prouoke God to wrath hauing his commaundement so in contempt and suffering his promise to be made voyd in them and as much as is in them impayring and hindering by their example so commendable a worship and seruice of God But admit it to be true which notwithstanding is not that thou doost vnderstand all thinges perfectly and as cunningly and skilfully as Christ him selfe yet thou seest how earnestly he performeth the office of preaching and applyeth him selfe vnto this worke whereof notwithstanding he was most skilful before and had not any whit neede thereof as we doe greatly neede it So Paule also a Prince of Apostles albeit he was exceedingly well learned so excellent a Doctor yet going through many countries did eftsoones and euery where preach neither was he wearied or cloyed We must not be wearie of hearing the word of God Wherefore it is meete that thou be nothing at all wearie of hearing this worde inasmuch as the ayde and helpe thereof is exceeding necessary for thee both against the deuil and all other tentations And although for thy instruction thou shouldest not neede it yet oughtest thou not to be wearied or cloyed that thou shouldest not bestowe a fewe howres in a day euery weeke vpon this worship and seruice of God seeing that before applying thy selfe to false worship when thou didst passe the whole day in temples and didst runne from temple to temple from altar to altar thou felst no tediousnes or wearines neither didst say as thou doost at this day O I haue heard no newe thinge I haue heard these thinges before But
into the fire or slayne with the sworde the number of Christians would be greater amonge vs. Wherefore this is a comfort vnto vs The comfort of Christians in tentation if we at any time be tempted that Christ is ready to helpe vs reigneth among vs yea he is so neare vnto vs that alwaies through him we may ouercome as long as we beleeue and trust in him Howbeit when we are touched with no aduersitie he doth litle or nothing but when we are fought against and oppressed he is present and bringeth all our enemies to confusion We haue moreouer to learne here that they which are wise mightier then other The most wise mighty of the world doe oftentimes striue most against God which are endued with the chiefe giftes of vnderstanding and nature more then other which excell in greater industrie learning and readier caââcitie then other which are fit to ouersee other and can gouerne all thinges best that they I say doe many times most of all other resist God and faith trust more to their owne strength and reason then to God For they are caried so farre by their venimous nature that they neither can nor will vse those things to the commoditie and profit of their neighbour but trusting to their owne giftes and abilitie they hope that now they shall obtaine this now that neither doe they thinke that they shall haue neede of Gods helpe also thereunto As it appeareth here in the Pharisees and Scribes who were certaine as they supposed that if they so set vpon the Lorde it could not be but that they should then entangle him For it is vnpossible thought they that he should here escape vs we shal here hold him as it were falne into a net whether he affirme or deny that tribute must be giuen Marke moreouer how subtle and peruerse that wit of mans nature is The nature of man vntill he be regenerate by the spirit of God is wholy corrupt and vnpure which is here very liuely set forth There is nothing els in man but wickednes delusion guile deceits lying fraude and all kind of euill yea of nature man is but lyes and vanitie as the 116 Psalme sayth We must not trust any man in any thinge doe not perswade thy selfe that any man speaketh the truth vnto thee for whatsoeuer man speaketh it is a lye Why so The fountaine or springe head that is the hart is not sincere wherfore neither can the riuers be pure And for this cause the Lord doth commonly call men the generation of vipers and broode of serpents Is not this a goodly title of man Let any man nowe goe and glory of his owne righteousnes strength or free will Before the world in deede some man may be and gloriously appeare goodly righteous and holy but there is nothing els but a generation of vipers and broode of serpents and that especially in those that seeme most excellent most pretious most wise of greatest vnderstanding If thou go through euen all the histories of the Greekes Iewes Romanes thou shalt find the best and wisest Princes of all which haue gouerned the affayres of their Empire prosperously thou shalt find them I say to haue thought nothing of God but onely trusting to them selues to haue acknowledged nothinge as receiued from God Hereupon it is gathered that the lesse a man excelleth in wisedom before the world so much lesse doth he commit against God For they that excell in counsell and authoritie before the sight of the world doe for the most part deceiue and lye more then others thinking that if they dealt by delusions and deceit their fraude iniquitie is not perceiued for they can after a prety sorte cloke their craft and subtiltie But the holy Ghost hath a most cleare bright sight which they can not auoyde but they shall be espied The Scripture doth often times call such lyons wolues beares swine and cruell beastes inasmuch as they rage and deuoure and consume all thinges with their fraude and deceit Wherefore in the old Testament the Iewes were forbidden to eate of certaine beastes as of those already rehearsed and of others for this one cause especially that it should be a type and example to vs wherby we might perceiue that there are some meÌ which are strong mighty rich witty learned skilfull and wise which are to be auoyded and eschewed as a certaine vncleane thing and as such as seduce and deceiue others with their fayre shew might and wisedom For neither shall they be counted for such neither will any man thinke them to be such as doe so much as thinke any euill in their hart much lesse doe it Wherefore thou must put no trust confidence in any man trust not vnto him for he will deceiue thee wherein soeuer he is able Againe if thou trustest man thou art against God in whom thou puttest not thy trust It is written in the 17 chapter of Ieremie Cursed be the man that putteth his trust in man and Blessed is the man that putteth his trust in the Lord. Some man may now say How shall we doe then An obiectioÌ One man must haue dealing with an other otherwise howe can the life of man continue We must buy we must sell we must vtter and chaunge our wares with men Now if one should not trust an other the whole trade of mans affaires should be in perill yea and perish I say that no man can deny The aunswer but that there must be mutual dealings among men and that one doth neede the helpe and trauell of an other But this I will haue that whatsoeuer dealing thou hast with men either in buying or selling thou count it for a thinge vncertaine which thou must neither trust nor build vpon it For this is certaine as soone as thou shalt trust to man he will seeke to deceiue thee forasmuch as the nature of man as it is of it selfe can doe nothing but lye and deceiue Yea all thinges in man are vncertaine both his works and words there is nothing in him but lightnes and vnconstancie We must put all our hope and trust in God onely which thou mayst boldly beleeue to be true Wherefore all our hope and confidence must be reposed in God alone and after this sort we must say Lorde giue thou me grace that I may direct order my life my soule my body my substance and goods and whatsoeuer is mine according to thy diuine will for I beleeue in thee I trust in thee doe not thou forsake me in so perilous dealing with this or that man I put no trust in man If thou knowest that it is good for me make him to deale faithfully with me if thou knowest that it will be to my hinderance and hurt helpe me to auoid it for thy will onely pleaseth me which I wish alwayes to be done As soone as thou thinkest in thy mind He is a good man and
one that wil keepe his promise I am sure that he wil not deceiue me but wil deale faithfully euen then hast thou fallen from God and worshipped an idoll putting thy trust in a lyar Wherefore when thou hast any dealing with man thinke boldly If he deale faithfully it is well if he doe otherwise in the name of God let him goe I will commit all thinges to the will of God he shall prosperously bring them to passe Of such a false and vngodly confidence reposed in men How the worshipping of Saincts crept in amonge Christians that euill crept in among Christians namely the worshipping of Sainctes whereby the Christian Church that is the true congregation of the faithfull hath suffered exceeding great hurt and incomparable ruine For what other was the seruice and worshipping of Sainctes but a deuilish thing When as men vsed to reason after this sorte This man was very holy that which he taught he did whom we wil follow and doe the like Hierome Augustine Gregorie sayd this therefore is it true therefore will I beleeue it Frauncis Benedict Dominicke Bartholomewe liued thus they did this and that I will imitate their life and workes Moreouer Augustine was saued by this rule wherefore I also shall be saued by it Fy howe vnstable and miserable a thinge is this they are onely lyes and dreames of men there is not in one word mention made here of Christ and his word but they are onely the vaine inuentions and trifles of men I would vtterly breake the rule of Augustine if he therefore ordayned it thinking to be saued thereby So blind and without vnderstanding is reason that it receiueth the dotages vaine inuentions of men when as notwithstanding the worde of God onely is to be receiued in matters of saluation as if Herod Pilate Caiphas Hannas should preach the Gospell I ought to receiue it Againe if those that are counted holy should rise and preach lyes also rules habits shauings ceremonies and such like vaine inuentions of men I ought in no wise to receiue them for we must here haue respect not to the persons but to that which they preach Doost thou presume to be wiser then all the fathers saincts then all the Bishops and Princes of the whole worlde Thus may some man obiect against me Farre be that from me For I doe not contend to be wiser then they But this without controuersie is thus that whatsoeuer is wise great liberall mighty strong before the world doth seldom or neuer agree with the word of God For so it falleth out that they that are such doe for the most part persecute the Gospel and if they were not so great the Gospell should not so greatly shine forth and triumphe The Romane Emperours Hadrian Traian Diocletian were the most wise Cesars of all whose gouernment was so liked of that it was praysed of the whole world yet they persecuted the Gospell and could not abide the truth The same we find written of the Kings of the Iewes as of Achas and others which gouerned their kingdom very well yet despised the word of God and disobeyed his commaundements We in our time had neuer such Emperours or Princes as are comparable to them But it ought to be verified in these that God would by foolish preaching confound the wisedom of this worlde as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 1. All these thinges are shewed vnto vs in this text which we haue in hand which hath a simple and a sclender shewe and appearance of it selfe but yet containeth many thinges in it most worthy the noting Now how the Lord concluded with the Pharisees when they had shewed him the tribute money and had aunswered that it was Cesars image and superscription the Euangelist declareth saying Giue therefore to Cesar the things which are Cesars and giue vnto God those things which are Gods Although they had deserued no such thing of the Lorde The sword and office of the Magistrate confirmed by Christ neuertheles he teacheth them the right way And in these wordes he confirmeth the sword and office of the Magistrate they hoped that he would condemne resist him but he doth nothing lesse for he commendeth and prayseth him commaunding that they giue vnto him those thinges that are his Whereby he plainly will haue that there be Magistrates Princes and Rulers vnder whose gouernment we must liue Neither must we care whether they vse and exercise their rule and authoritie well or ill we must haue regard onely to their power and office for their power authoritie is good inasmuch as it is ordained instituted of God Neither is there any cause why thou shouldest find fault with power if at any time thou be oppressed by Princes and tyrannes for whereas they abuse the power giuen vnto them of God they shall surely be compelled to giue an account thereof The abuse of a thing doth not make that thing euill which is in it selfe good A chayne of golde is good A similitude neither is it therefore made worse for that a harlot weareth it about her neck or if one should put out myne eye with it should I finde fault in the chayne therefore In like maner the power of the Prince must be borne for if he abuse his office he is not to be counted of me as noe Prince neither belongeth it vnto me to reuenge or punish it in him I must obey him for God his cause only for he representeth the place of God How grieuous thinges soeuer therefore Magistrates shall exact I must for God his cause beare them all and obey them so farre as they be not contrary to Gods commaundements If they doe iustly or vniustly it shall in due time appeare Wherefore if thy substance life and body and whatsoeuer thou hast should be taken from thee by the Magistrates thou mayst say thus I willingly yeeld them vnto you and acknowledge you for Rulers ouer me I will obey you but whether ye vse your power and authoritie well or ill see you to that Moreouer whereas Christ sayth Giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars and vnto God those thinges that are Gods We must vnderstand that vnto God pertaineth honour What things must be giuen vnto God what vnto Cesar we must acknowledge him for the liuing omnipotent and wise God and ascribe vnto him what good thing soeuer can be named And albeit we doe not giue him this honour he notwithstanding easily keepeth it for nothing is either added to or taken from him by our honouring Howbeit in vs he is true omnipotent and wise when as we count him so and beleeue that he is such a one as he suffereth him selfe to be sayd to be Nowe vnto Cesar and the Magistrate feare custome tribute obedience c are due God requireth especially the hart the Magistrate the body and goods ouer which he executeth his office in the place of God which S. Paule doth most notably in plaine
desireth to be done vnto himselfe And all this proceedeth from hence for that the bountifullnes and goodnes of Christ hath replenished his heart with sweetnes and loue that it is a pleasure and ioy vnto him to do good to his neighbour yea and he is grieued if there be none toward whom he may be seruiceable And beside all this he is tractable and lowly towardes all men he doth not esteeme the temporall pleasure and pride of life he iudgeth no man he defameeh no man he interpreteth all thinges in the better part WheÌ as he seeth that the matter goeth not well with his neighbour as that he fainteth in faith waxeth colde in loue and that his life is not on euerie side approueable he prayeth for him and is sore grieued if any commit any thinge against God and his neighbour In a summe the roote and sappe are sound for they are in a flourishing vine to wit Christ and therefore such frutes come forth But if any be voide of faith and not taught of God such a one doth not feede on this heaueÌly bread neither bringeth forth these frutes For where a right faith is not there such frutes are alwayes wanting And therefore S. Peter teacheth vs to make our calling vnto saluation sure by good workes where he speaketh properly of the workes of loue namely that we do good to our neighbour and be affected toward him as toward our owne flesh and blood Thus much shall suffize concerning this text Let vs call to God for his grace A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING GOOD WORKES THE FRVTES OF FAITH Rom. 13. Verse 11. THis also we know the season how that it is time that we should now arise from sleepe for now is our saluation nerer then when we beleeued 12. The night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast awaye the workes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light 13. Let vs walke honestly as in the daye not in gluttonie and dronkennes neither in chambering and wantonnes nor in strife and enuiyng 14. But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfil the lustes of it Whereof the present text intreateth THE Apostle in this text teacheth not of faith but of workes the frutes of faith shewing how the life of a Christian ought to be ordered and framed according to the flesh outwardly among men For how we must liue in the spirit and before God faith doth teach whereof Paul a litle before this place hath at large and euen apostolikely entreated Yea if we consider this text well it doth not so much teach as prouoke exhort moue and stirre vp them which are already taught what they must do The office of preaching diââdâd into partes For Paul diuideth the office of preaching into two parts into doctrine and exhortation Rom. 12. Doctrine is wheÌ one teacheth that which was not knowne before whereby men are instructed come to vnderstanding Exhortation is when the preacher moueth prouoketh vnto that which is already knowne Either is necessarie to be done of him who will christianly perfourme the duty of preaching wherefore Paul doth verie earnestly apply himselfe to both and that his exhortation may be more effectuall may more acceptably enter into the mindes of them whom he hath purposed to exhort he vseth certaine elegant and figuratiue speches and doth with an adorned maner of speaking allure their mindes vnto him For the wordes sleepe darknes light waking armour workes the day the night which he here vseth are all spoken figuratiuely by which other thinges are signified then their nature and proprietie doe beare for he speaketh not of the naturall night daye darkenes armour waking sleepe c but he resembleth by these naturall thinges a certaine likenes to our mynde whereby he may more forcibly prouoke and bring vs to those spirituall thinges As if he saide ye see how men to get the riches of the present time which do soone perish rise early and laying asyde the workes of darkenes applie themselues to the workes of the day after the night is passed and the day is come with how much greater diligence ought we shaking of our sleepe to rise early and casting awaye the workes which we did while it was yet darke to applie our selues now to those workes which are agreable to our light forasmuch as the night is now passed and the daye of our saluation hath appeared By sleepe he signifieth euel workes which are voide of faith What the Apostle meaneth by the words slepe to rise c. for sleepe is a worke properly meete for the night and that he meaneth thus he sufficiently declareth when he by and by after addeth Let vs cast awaye the workes of darkenes So contrariwise to wake and to rise signifie good workes which come of faith For as sleepe pertaineth properly to the night so to rise is properly agreable to the morning and daye Whereupon it is sayd 1. Thess 5 Beloued brethren ye are not in darkenes but ye are all the children of light and of the daye we are not of the night neither of darkenes wherefore let vs not sleepe as do other but let vs watch and be sober For they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that be dronken are dronken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the brest plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet For God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ which died for vs that whether we wake or sleepe we should liue togither with him It is sufficiently manifest that the Apostle doth not in these wordes forbid vs the sleepe of nature neuertheles he draweth a similitude from naturall sleepe and waking to spirituall that is to a good and euell life And to be briefe to rise out of sleepe is here the very same thing that the Apostle writeth Tit. 2 That grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlynes worldly lustes and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of that mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ For that which he calleth in these wordes to deny vngodlines and worldly lustes he calleth in the text which we haue in hand to arise from sleepe and that which he termeth to liue soberly and righteously and godly that he calleth in our present text to watch and to put on the armour of light and whereas he sayth the grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared that he calleth here the day and light of which we wil hereafter speake more at large Naturall and spiritual slepe coÌpared togither Now let vs see what likenes there is betweene naturall and spirituall sleepe
He that sleepeth naturally neither seeth nor feeleth any of those good thinges that are in the world but lieth among those thinges which are euen next adioyning vnto him as it were dead seruing to no vse neither regarding any thing at all For albeit he liue in himselfe yet is he as dead to all other Againe in stede of true thinges he is in dreames wholy occupied with vaine images and formes of thinges which appeare true and is so foolish that he embraceth those vaine formes and thinketh them to be true thinges But when he waketh those images do togither vanish awaye and the man beginneth to be occupied with true thinges After the same maner almost it is when one is as it were swallowed vp of vngodlines for he sleepeth and is like a dead man before God neither seeth he neither feeleth any of the good thinges which are good thinges in deede namely those spirituall good thinges which are promised offered him by the Gospell albeit they be iust by him For those thinges are seene and felt by faith alone otherwise they are remoued from all sight and feeling Wherefore as long as by reason of the sleep of his vnbeleefe he can haue neither any regard or sense of true good thinges which are verie neere him through the Gospell he busieth himselfe with the false good thinges of this world as riches promotions and pleasures which being compared vnto eternall life vnto heauenly ioy and that perfect saluation which commeth to the godly are altogither as dreames and as those vaine visions compared to naturall thinges whereof they are onely representations But when man awaketh and hath receiued faith all regard and desire of those false good thinges of this present life vanisheth awaye and he acknowledgeth that they are nothing els but meere vanitie and falshood euen as those visions do quite fade away as soone as a man awaketh out of naturall sleepe Hereof the 76. Psalme speaketh They haue slept their sleepe and they whose handes were mightie haue found nothing And Psal 73 Like as a dreame when one awaketh so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the citie And Esay 29 As wheÌ a hungrie maÌ dreameth that he is eating yet wheÌ he awaketh his soule is emptie or as when a thirstie man dreameth that he is drinking and when he awaketh he is yet faint and his soule hath appetite euen so shall the multitude of all nations be that fighteth against mount Sion See how contemptuously and disdainfully the Prophet speaketh of the chiefe power riches pleasures and promotions of the world and likeneth them to dreames and most vaine visions wherewith they which are asleepe are deluded What other durst say that the good thinges riches and power of these Kings Princes and rich men are nothing els but dreames when as for them men mingle earth with heauen fyer with water raging without measure and ende in the world But the cause hereof is for that they yet sleepe therefore they do yet see nothing hereof as they want fayth so also are they destitute of this light For now is our saluation neerer then wheÌ we beleued What meane these wordes did we beleeue before The promise of God concerning saluation by his Sonne and do we not beleeue now Here we must call to minde that which Paul writeth Rom. 1 that God promised the Gospell by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures coÌcerning his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord that all should by him be saued according to that which was said vnto Abraham Gen. 22 In thy seede shal all the nations of the earth be blessed This blessing promised to Abraham in his seede is nothing els but grace and saluation in Christ offered to the whole world by the Gospell which Paule so interpreteth Rom. 4. and Gal. 3. For Christ is that seede of Abraham that is as he is man his flesh and blood by whom and in whom shal be blessed as many as beleeue in him and call vpon him This promise was afterward by the Prophets continually more and more declared and preached for they did all write of the comming of Christ of the grace which he should bring and of the Gospell which Peter also witnesseth Act. 4. This promise of God all the faithfull beleeued which died before Christ was borne who by this faith were saued and obtained saluation in Christ and through Christ Hereunto Paul now had respect when he said Our saluation is now neerer then when we beleeued For that which he saith is thus much in effect We beleeued in time past that the promise made vnto Abraham should be fulfilled now is it fulfilled and those thinges that we beleeued should come to passe are now present Christ is come the Gospell is reuealed and published and the blessing which we looked for is spred ouer the world all thinges which we taried for and beleeued being promised are come And hereby the Apostle signified the spirituall daye whereof he speaketh afterward which is properly the beginning and manifestation of the Gospell whereof we will hereafter speake Now by this that those thinges which we beleeued should be fulfilled are now fulfilled our faith is not any whit made voide or frustrate but much more sound and perfect For as they of the olde time before Christes incarnation beleeued the promise of God which should be fulfilled so do we beleeue that the same is fulfilled The faith of them which liued before Christes incarnation theirs which liue after it all one in it selfe and the faith is altogether the same in it selfe but that our faith followed theirs as the fulfilling followeth also the promise For either faith trusteth in the seede of Abraham that is in Christ theirs before his incarnation ours after it Wherefore he that should at this day beleeue with the Iewes that Christ is to come should make God a lyer as though he had not yet fulfilled his promise which he hath fulfilled and being fulfilled would haue it published and preached So also should saluation be yet farre from the beleeuers which we should looke for being as yet to come in the time that shall hereafter follow Of this double faith Paul speaketh Rom. 1 By the Gospell righteousnes which God giueth is reuealed from faith to faith What meaneth this from faith to faith nothing els but that albeit the faith of the Fathers and our faith is the same whereby it is beleeued in Christ either to come or which hath already appeared yet the Gospell doth lead from their faith to ours so that it is now necessarie not onely to beleeue the promise that was to be fulfilled but also that it is fulfilled which it did not behoue Abraham and the other Fathers to beleeue although they had the same Christ which we haue For there is one faith one spirit one Christ one communion of all Saincts this difference onely there is betweene vs that they went before Christ we follow him We haue
morning and the daye of the power of Christ wherein we are conceiued and borne the children of God as deaw to wit without the labour of men by the onely grace of the holy Ghost from heauen The most pleasaunt and comfortable sunne Iesus Christ maketh this daye whom the Scripture hereupon calleth the sunne of righteousnes Christ the sunne of righteousnes God sayth Mala. 4 To you that feare my name shall that sunne of righteousnes arise and helth shal be vnder this winges For as many as beleeue in Christ do receiue of him the beames of his grace and righteousnes and doe obtaine saluation vnder his winges Whereupon it is saide Psal 118 This is the daye which the Lord hath made we will reioyce and be glad in it as though he saide This corporall sunne maketh the corporall daye but God himselfe maketh this daye euen he is that sunne from whence those beames and that daye come wherewith the whole world is enlightned Finally hereupon he calleth himselfe the light of the world Ioh. 9. And Psal 19 The heauens declare the glorie of God that is euen as these bodily heauens do bring the sunne and the day and the sunne is caried in them so the Apostles haue in themselues and bring by preaching the true sunne which is Christ c Whereupon it followeth In the heauens he hath set a tabernacle for the sunne which commeth forth as a bridegrome out of his chamber and reioiceth as a giant to runne his course His setting forth is from the vtmost part of heauen and his circuit vnto the vtmost part thereof and there is nothing hid from his heat All this is said of the exceeding pleasaunt beginning or rising of this day that is of the Gospel which the Scripture euery where meruelously setteth forth For it is a word which quickneth maketh glad willing cheerefull and ready to do good workes and finally it bringeth with it all good thinges Wherefore it is called the Gospell or glad tydinges for that it is a pleasaunt and prosperous message of the grace of God and of all good thinges The Gospell reuealeth vnto vs all thinges that are needfull for vs to know But who is able to rehearse all those thinges which this day reuealeth maketh manifest vnto vs For it teacheth all things what God is what we are whatsoeuer is past and to come of heauen hell the earth Angels and Deuels By this lampe is shewed vnto vs how we ought to behaue our selues in all these thinges and toward all from whence we are and whither we go Yet neuertheles Satan hath deceiued vs miserable creatures that neglecting such a day whereby all thinges might be cleere and manifest vnto vs we seeke the truth of Philosophers and heathen men who haue not so much as by a dreame knowne any whit of these thinges and so we haue suffered our selues to be blynded with mens traditions and to be thrust backe againe into the night For it is not light whatsoeuer is not this day otherwise Paul and the whole Scripture should in vaine extoll this day alone and call all other beside it the night Surely the burden of Gods displeasure must needes be most grieuous for that contrarie to so plaine and manifest places of Scripture we haue sought an other light although the Lord himselfe calleth himselfe the light and sunne of the worlde And if other proofes were wantinge this one is sufficient that vniuersities doe so impudently both set vp and glorie of Aristotle as a light vnto them in whom they exercise themselues much more then in Christ yea nothing in Christ but altogither in Aristotle Let vs therefore cast awaye the workes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light As Christ is the sunne By light is here signified and ment faith and the Gospell the daye so fayth is the light whereby to see and watch in this daye For it would not profit albeit the sunne did shine and make the day if the eyes did not perceiue the light Wherefore although the Gospell be begon and preached in the whole world yet none are lightened but they that receiue it and by fayth being made capable of the light doe arise out of sleepe But to them that as yet sleepe this sunne and daye bring no profite of which they receiue no light no more then if no sunne or daye had shined And this is that season and hower whereof he speaketh VVelbeloued brethren forasmuch as we know this that it is now time that vve should arise out of sleepe c. It is a spirituall time and season although begun in this outward time as it doth daily also come wherein we ought to arise out of sleepe and lay aside the workes of darkenes Whereby Paule sheweth that he doth not speake to them which are yet voide of fayth for as it is saide he teacheth not faith here but the workes and frutes of fayth when as he saith We know that the time is come and that the night being passed the daye is at hand they which beleeue not can not know these thinges Now if thou obiect and saye what reason or cause is there that he should write these thinges to the faithfull inasmuch as they know that it is time c. Thou must call to mynde that in the beginning of the exposition of this text of the Apostle we haue saide that the office of preaching is of two sortes one of teaching We haue neede of coÌtinuall exhortation an other of exhorting and mouing Now a man can not attaine vnto that knowledge that it should not be needefull that he be alwayes moued and kept in a continuall and fresh meditation of those thinges which he hath learned least the deuell the world and the fleshe which are enemies that neuer graunt truce neither slacke their assault doe make him wearie and slouthfull that he maye at the last sleepe and become altogither negligent in good thinges For the deuell sayth Peter is such an enemie as goeth about continually like a roring Lion seeking whom he maye deuoure Wherefore he sayth VVatch and be sober Paule also will haue vs doe the same thinge here For seeinge that the Deuell the fleshe and the worlde keepe no meane nor make no ende of fightinge against vs neither must there be any meane kept or ende made of exhortinge prouokinge and mouinge vs to watche and worke Hereupon the holie Ghost is called an exhorter inasmuch as he inuiteth and moueth vs vnto good Paule calleth the workes of light armour and why For the same cause Paul also vseth here chosen wordes the workes of darkenes he calleth not armour but the workes of light he calleth armour not workes vndoutedly that he might shewe that there is a fight that labour and trauell is required and that it can not be obtained without perill to watche and liue well forasmuch as so mightie enemies the deuell the flesh and the world do without ceassing
able to number And so the present wordes of the Apostle doe shewe neither needeth it any further declaration that by these six workes all thinges are to be vnderstood whereby they that are voyd of fayth and are yet in darkenes doe liue vnpurely as concerning themselues and vniustly toward their neighbours whose whole life is disordered and out course both toward themselues and toward other For there is no man that knoweth not what it is to be gluttonous and dronken that is either to eate or drinke aboue a measure necessarie for the body it is as well knowne what it is to sleepe in chambers and to be wanton that is to follow the pleasure of the body both with sleeping aboue measure and with other lewd and vnchast gestures and workes which are wont to be committed in chambers of full fedde well tipled idle and slouthfull bellies as well in the daye as in the night as well when they are alone as in the resort and companie of others All which thinges do require euen naturall darkenes and secret places and are signified of Paule by chambering and wantonnes But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ In these wordes as it were in a summe he sheweth all the armour of light when as he exhorteth vs to put on Christ Christ is put on two maner of wayes Now Christ is put on of vs after two sortes first when we are clothed with his righteousnes which is done by fayth wherewith he that is endued beleeueth that Christ for him died and fulfilled all thinges For not ours but Christes righteousnes hath reconciled vs to the Father and deliuered vs from synnes And so to put on Christ pertaineth to the doctrine of faith which teacheth that Christ was giuen vnto vs and is vnto vs in stede of a pledge Whereof Paule speaketh Galat. 3 All ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ The other maner of putting on Christ is when we wey and consider that he is giuen vnto vs also in steede of an example that we should shewe our selues seruiceable toward our neighbours being endued with the same vertues with which we by fayth acknowledge that he being adorned did serue vs that so we may resemble him in all points and of this maner of putting on Christ Paule speaketh here The same also he willeth vs to doe 1. Corinth 15. when he saith As we haue borne the image of the earthly so let vs now beare the image of the heauenly And Ephes 4 Cast ye of concerning the conuersation in time past that olde man which is corrupt through the deceiuable lustes and be renewed in the spirit of your mynde and put on the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnes and true holines Now in Christ we see nothing but the armour of light no gluttonie no drunkennes but fasting temperancie keeping vnder of the flesh by diuers labours traueling preaching praying and doing well to all men in him was no place for slouthfulnes or superfluous sleepe much lesse for wantonnes but a meruelous chastitie and puritie he accustomed himselfe to watche to rise early to lye on the ground in the field hauing neither house neither chamber nor bedde in him was noe wrath contention or brauling but altogether goodnes sweetnes meekenes charitie mercy patience c. Wherefore where as Paule sayth here briefly Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ it is as much as that we should set him before vs as an example to follow Colos 3.12 He teacheth the Colossians the same thing in somewhat more wordes after this sort Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowells of mercie kindnes humblenes of minde meekenes long suffering forbearing one an other forgiuing one an other if any man haue a quarrell to an other euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe ye And aboue all these thinges put on loue which is the bond of perfectnes and let the peace of God rule in your harts to the which ye are called in one body and be ye thankefull And Philip. 2 after that he had exhorted them to loue one an other and that euery man shoulde esteeme other better then him selfe and seeke to pleasure do for other he also setteth Christ before them as an example who shewed him selfe to vs our seruaunt sayth Let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God But he made him selfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruaunt and was made like vnto men was found in shape as a man The summe therefore is this The armour of light the armour or weapons of light are good workes contrary to those workes of darkenes gluttonie drunkennes chambering wantonnes contention and enuying such workes are to fast to watch to pray to labour to suffer hunger thirst colde heat to be chast to vse modestie temperancie goodnes and that I doe not thrust in too many of myne owne wordes let vs heare Paule him selfe rehearsing them in order Gal. 5 The frute of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperancie But he rehearseth them farre more at large 2. Cor. 6 saying VVe beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine for he sayth I haue heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee behold nowe the accepted time behold now the day of saluation as if he sayd Our saluation is now nearer vnto vs then when we beleeued to wit that it would come to passe that these dayes of saluation in which the Gospell is preached abroad to the whole worlde shoulde appeare It is time therefore to arise out of sleepe Let vs giue no occasion of offence in any thinge that our ministerie be not reprehended But in all thinges let vs approue our selues as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisons in tumults in labours by watchings by fastings by puritie by knowledge by long suffering by kindnes by the holy Ghost by loue vnfeyned By the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousnes on the right hand and on the left By honour and dishonour by euill report and good report as deceiuers and yet true as vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges See what a plentifull and very golden streame floweth out of the mouth of Paule Hereof I think we most plainely perceiue what is the armour of light wherewith we must be fenced and fortified both on the right hand and on the left A most excellent and perfect example for all Christians to follow Now this most fitly agreeth with the matter whereas
he setteth before vs a most excellent and perfect example namely the Lord him selfe saying Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ For he is a sluggish beast and not a man who when he seeth his Lorde fast suffer hunger labour watch and to be wearie yet giueth him selfe to gluttonie sleepe and pleasures What Lorde could take these things at his seruaunts hand nay what seruaunt durst presume to doe these thinges So it can not be that a Christian man should not be ashamed when he beholdeth Christ and seeth him self so vnlike vnto him yea occupied in quite coÌtrary things For whom the example of Christ him selfe doth not stirre vp exhort and moue who can bringe or stirre him vp vnto goodnes What would the leaues of wordes doe with their small noyce if these thundrings of the example of Christ doe not moue And surely for this cause Paule of purpose adioyned this word Lord saying Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ as if he sayd count it no great nor burdenous thinge to stand and fight in this armour of light ye that are seruaunts behold your Lord who when he had no neede did notwithstaÌding so wel valiantly vse this armour and fought in it for you And take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it The Apostle in these few words hath noted two cares of the flesh One is naturall Lawfull care for the flesh whereby necessary foode and apparell is prouided for the body that it may liue and be able to sustaine his labour lest that it be by ouermuch abstinence weakened and made vnprofitable to worke Vnlawfull prouision care for the flesh The other care is ioyned with sinne when the body is prouided for to fulfill the lustes thereof and that it may be delighted this care the Apostle here forbiddeth for it ingendreth the workes of darkenes so to pamper and make of the flesh which is continually to be chastised that it may be obedient to the spirit and may not shake of the sitter like vnto an vntamed horse albeit that chastising is so to be tempered that the body notwithstanding may doe his dutie and beare the sitter For as the fodder the whippe and the burden belongeth vnto the asse so meat correction and worke vnto the seruaunt Ecclesiastic 33. He doth not say that thou shalt flea or slay the asse neither that thou shalt kill the seruaunt or cast him into prison so vnto the body the chastising and labour thereof is due and necessary foode is not to be withheld from it Paule him selfe sayth 1. Cor. 9.27 I tame my body and bringe it into subiection He sayth not I cast it into sicknes or I kill it but I subdue it to the spirit that it may serue and be obedient thereunto Moreouer these wordes to fulfil the lustes thereof Paule added because of two sortes of men whereof the first vnder a pretence of naturall necessitie doe satisfie their pleasure We are prone and ready to fulfill the lustes of the flesh and couer that practize vnder this false pretence We are so prone and ready vnto this that euen many of the Sainctes haue very much complayned of this euil and because of it haue oftentimes aboue measure afflicted their bodies for the flesh is so craftie and meruelous sutle to prepare delights for it selfe that no man can sufficiently takeÌ heede of it yea it is needefull that a man here doe neuer leaue to care and feare The other sort of men are those blind holy ones which thinke that the kingdom of God and the righteousnes thereof consisteth in meates and drinke and in chosen apparell and doe beside their owne worke regard nothing when they haue so fasted that they haue made their head diseased and their stomacke distempered Superstitious fasting abstinence froÌ meates 1. Cor. 8.8 and doe bring vnto their body some great infirmitie or sicknes they then thinke that they haue bene meruelous holy and haue wrought incomparable good workes But Paule sayth Meat maketh not vs acceptable to God for neither if we eate haue we the more neither if we eate not haue we the lesse And Colos 2. he writeth thus much in effect Beware of the worshipping of Angells which hath a shew of wisedom because of humblenes and superstition whereby they spare not the body while they withdraw from it the measure of foode due vnto it bestowing nothing vpon it whereby it may be fedde This preposterous worshipping of Angells yea in deede superstition did so deceiue Gerson otherwise a notable man that he praysed the Charterhouse Monkes for that they did so constantly abstaine from flesh that euen when they were sicke they would eate none although they might preserue them selues euen from death thereby But what if God shall iudge them as killers of their owne body For there can be none at all either ordinaunce or order yea or vow contrary to the commaundement of God if there be any such surely it ought to be of no force eueÌ as if thou haddest vowed adulterie Necessary prouision must be made for the body Now God both here by Paule and elswhere hath commaunded that necessary prouision should be made for the body and hath forbidden that we should procure the death of it wherefore those thinges that are profitable to preserue it whether they be flesh or egges or any thing else must be giuen vnto it in what day or time soeuer whether it be the sixt or first day of the weeke whether it be Lent or after Easter in the meane season whatsoeuer orders lawes and vowes yea euen of the Pope being neglected For it is not lawfull for any man no not for the Angells to forbid any thing against the commaundement of God Howbeit this madnes proceedeth from that darkenes and blindnes wherby miserable men doe regarde the worke onely and thinke that they shall obtaine saluation through the greatnes and multitude of workes The true end of fasting But Paule willeth that our fastings and other chastisings of the flesh be the weapons of light whereby the workes of darkenes may be ouercome and not the body destroyed wherefore there ought to be no other vse among Christians of fastings watchings and labours As it is al one before God whether thou eate fish or flesh whether thou drinke wine or water whether thou weare redde or greene garments all these are the good creatures of God made vnto this ende that we may vse them haue regard only to this that thou mayst vse them with a meane and mayst abstaine thy selfe so much from them as shall suffize to ouercome the workes of darkenes Wherefore it is vnpossible that a common maner of this abstinence should be appoynted indifferently to all One common maner of fasting cannot be appoynted to all for the constitution of all mens bodies is not alike it is aboue measure to one which to an other is vnder measure one hath neede of much an
other of litle and therefore is it meete that euery one haue regard of him selfe and gouerne his owne body according to the present doctrine of Paule whereas he sayth Take no thought for the flesh to fulfil the lustes thereof that is obey the wisedom therof so farre that ye deny not the necessary things which it requireth but graunt it not those things which it requireth to the fulfilling of the lustes thereof more then necessitie to pleasure onely If a better rule of moderation could haue bene giuen beside this Paule would not haue concealed it Hereby thou seest that the popish ordinaunces Popish ordinaunces forbidding the eating of flesh contrary to the Gospell which forbid the eating of flesh and certaine meates are quite contrary to the Gospell Which Paule hath plainly foretolde 1. Tim. 4 The Spirit sayth he speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith shall giue heede vnto spirits of errour doctrines of deuils which speake lyes through hypocrisie forbidding to mary and commaunding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thankes No man surely can deny that these wordes doe briefly reproue the orders of Monkes and sacrificing Priestes so cleare and manifest are both these wordes and also their preposterous religion Moreouer thou seest here also godly Reader that Paul doth not teach that dotage womanly holines of certaine which choose vnto them selues certaine dayes wherein to fast to certaine Sainctes one to this an other to that all which are blinde proceedings and builded vpon their owne workes True religion is without choyce of meates and dayes all the life long to vse modestie and sobrietie For seeing that these must be the armour of light and it is requisite that all our life be vndefiled and chast it behoueth vs surely neuer to put of this armour but we must be found alwayes sober temperate watching labouring and praying But those doting holy ones one day tast nothing but bread water afterward three whole moneths they daily be drunken and eate excessiuely euen vntill they be not well in their wits Others fast so that at the euening they eate no meate but in the meane season they make them selues drunke with drinking Who is able to rehearse all their dotages and all their works of darkenes all which proceede from hence for that foolish men consider regard the worke not the vse of the worke they make of armour a glasse they are altogither ignorant whereunto it is profitable to fast and abstaine they are like vnto him which caried a sword to this ende that he might looke vpon it and knew not how to vse it when he was beaten These thinges may suffize to haue bene spoken for the exposition of this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS TAVGHT HOW THE FAITHFVLL ought to reioyce in God let their patient mind be knovvne vnto men Philip. 4. Verse 4. REioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce 5. Let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men The Lord is at haÌd 6. Be nothinge carefull but in all thinges let your requests be shewed vnto God in praier supplication with giuing of thanks 7. And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your harts minds in Christ Iesus THis text in deede is but short neuertheles it doth most plentifully abound with right Christian doctrine instructing first howe we ought to behaue our selues toward God secondly how toward our neighbours saying first Reioyce in the Lorde alway Ioy in the Lord a frute of faith without which there is no true ioy but sadnes feare This ioy is a frute of faith most certainly following it as Paule witnesseth Gal. 5 where he sayth The frute of the Spirit is loue ioy peace longe suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperancie c. Neither can it be that that hart should reioyce in the Lorde which hath not yet beleeued in him Whereupon it commeth to passe that where no faith is there can be nothing but feare trembling horrour and sadnes as often as such either remember God or heare him named yea hatred and enmitie of God remaineth in such harts the cause whereof is for that the hart voyd of faith findeth it selfe defiled with sinnes wherby it douteth not but that it hath deserued the vengeance of God that sinnes can not but be hated of God which is iust so when it doth not beleeue that God will be mercifull and fauourable vnto it how can it not but detest all memorie of him so farre is it of that it can reioyce in the Lord the reuenger of sinnes These two things the knowledge of sinne and of the vengeance of God prepared for sinnes are in the hart of the vnbeleeuer which hart as it is vnbeleeuing so hath it no hope of pardon and therefore what other thing can these thinges worke in it but cause it to be troubled cast downe and alwayes fearefull and greatly terrified and to thinke that the vengeance of God doth euery moment hang ouer it that so that may be verified which Salomon sayth Pro. 28.1 The vngodly fleeth when no man pursueth him And that which is sayd Deut. 28 The Lord shall giue thee a fearefull hart and thy life shall hang in dout before thee If a man will much perswade such a hart to haue ioy in the Lord he shall doe euen as if he perswaded the water that it should burne like vnto the fire for it can cast none of this ioy it alwayes feeleth in conscience that the reuenging hande of God is heauie vpon it Whereupon the Prophet sayth Psal 32. Be glad O ye righteous and reioyce in the Lorde and be ioyfull all ye that are true of hart for this ioy in the Lorde can not be but in the righteous and them that are vpright in hart And therefore it is manifest that this part of Scripture was writteÌ not to sinners but to the righteous Saincts Sinners must first be shewed how they may be deliuered from sinnes and may obtaine God to be fauorable vnto them which when they haue learned and so obtained it followeth that they do of their owne accord reioyce in the Lorde being deliuered from remorse of conscience But if any demaund how one may be deliuered from remorse of conscience and haue God mercifull vnto him that is declared before at large and shall hereafter be copiously spoken of How a man may be deliuered from remorse of conscience and be assured of Gods fauour He which seeketh to haue a free and glad conscience and God gentle and fauourable let him not begin at his owne workes as the deceitfull Papists teach onely tormenting consciences and increasing the wrath of God but let him despeire of him selfe and of all his owne workes let him embrace God in Christ hauing a sure faith in the Gospell that he shall receiue whatsoeuer it promiseth But the
Gospell promiseth that Christ is giuen to vs that he may take away our sinnes and be our high Priest Mediatour and Aduocate before God that so we may nothing dout but that our sinnes through Christ onely and his workes are forgiuen vs and that we are reconciled to God and that by this meanes our conscience is deliuered and comforted The beleeuing hart reioyceth in the Lord. When such a faith possesseth the hart and the Gospell is so receiued in deede then God appeareth sweete altogither louing neither feeleth the hart any thing but the fauour grace of God it standeth with a stronge and bold confidence it feareth not lest any euill come vnto it it being quiet from all feare of vengeance and displeasure is merie and glad of so incomparable grace and goodnes of God giuen vnto it freely and most aboundantly in Christ Wherefore there must needes forthwith proceede from such a faith loue ioy peace gladnes giuing of thankes prayse a certaine meruelous delight in God as in a most deare and fauorable father which dealeth so fatherly with vs and poureth forth his giftes so plentifully and in so great a measure vpon them that doe not deserue them Behold of such ioy Paule speaketh here which truely where it is there can be no place for sinne or feare of death or hell yea nothing is there but a ioyfull quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his fauour Wherefore it is called ioy in the Lord not in gold or siluer gluttonie or drunkennes in delicates or singing health knowledge wisedom power glory friendship fauour no nor in good workes holines or whatsoeuer is without God Of these thou shalt take but a deceitfull and vaine ioy Vaine ioy which can not pearse the hart or enter vnto the bottom thereof whereof thou mayst rightly say that which is wont to be spoken as a prouerbe amonge the Germanes This man reioyceth but he feeleth not any ioy in his hart There is one ful perfect ioy which the beleeuers take of and in the Lord which is nothing els then to commit them selues vnto him and of him alone to reioyce trust and presume as of a most fauourable and louing father Whatsoeuer ioy is not after this sort the Lord doth contemne and reiect it whereof Ieremie speaketh chap. 9 Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedom nor the stronge man in his strength neither the rich man in his riches but whoso will reioyce let him reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me And Paule 2. Cor. 10. sayth Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord. He addeth that we must reioyce alwayes We must alwayes reioyce in the Lord. where he toucheth them which onely halfe the time doe reioyce in the Lorde and praise him that is when all thinges fall out according to their desire but when aduersitie commeth they chaunge ioy with sadnes and sorow of whom the 48 Psalme speaketh So longe as thou doost well vnto him he will speake good of thee But the Prophet him selfe sayth not so I will alway blesse God his prayse shal euer be in my mouth Psal 34 And he hath a iust cause so to doe for who shall hurt him vnto whom God is mercifull surely sinne shall not hurt him neither death nor hel wherfore the Prophet sayth in an other place Yea though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill Psal 23. And Paule sayth Rom. 8 VVho shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shal tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or peril or sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Againe I say reioyce This repetition of the Apostle confirmeth his exhortation and truely not without a cause forasmuch as we liue in the middes of sinnes and therefore in the middes of tribulations both which do moue vs vnto sadnes heauines Wherefore the Apostle purposing to comfort vs against these exhorteth vs that we should alwayes reioyce in the Lord Though the faithfull sometime fal into sinne yet they must not therefore ceasse to reioyce in the Lord. albeit we sometime fall into sinnes For it is meete the more God with his goodnes exceedeth the euill of sinne so much more alwayes to reioyce in him when we are sorowfull because of our sinnes which albeit by nature they bring sadnes and sorow with them yet forasmuch as they can not bringe so much hurt as Christ if we beleeue in him bringeth profit and safetie ioy in the Lord ought alwayes to haue the first place with vs and farre to ouercome the sorow and sadnes that commeth by reason of our sinnes For we must alwayes thinke on that which Iohn writeth If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2. Let your patient minde be knowne vnto all men He hath already taught howe men ought to behaue them selues toward God namely that they must serue him with a cheerfull hart and continuall ioy now he declareth in few wordes how the beleeuers ought to behaue them selues toward men saying Let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men Which wordes are thus much in effect Be ioyful toward God alwaies reioycing in of him What it is to let our patient mind be knowne vnto all men but toward men be of a patieÌt mind pliant applying your selues to all so behauing your selues that ye be ready to do and suffer all things to yeeld in euery thing as much as may be by any meanes without transgressing the commaundement of God whereby ye may approue your selues to all men and please all in that which is good not onely hurting none but also taking in good worth all things of al men interpreting aright the sayings of al men accepting them in the better part that meÌ may plainly see you to be them vnto whom all things are alike which take in good part whatsoeuer betideth you which stick in nothing which would not disagree with any man for any cause which be rich with the rich poore with the poore reioycing with them that reioyce weeping with them that weepe to be briefe which be made all things to all men that all men must needes acknowledge that ye are grieuous to none but agreeable of a patient mind pliant and obedient toward all in all thinges The Greeke worde epieices which the Apostle here vseth meaneth the same which signifieth in our tongue a patient and pliant mind whereby one doth so apply and shew him selfe indifferent to others that he is the same to one that he is to an other applying him selfe indifferently to the will of all not
how goodly an order doth Paul here instruct a Christian man First he teacheth him to be glad and ioyfull in the Lord by faith secondly to shew himselfe meeke and gentle to all his neighbours And if thou say how can I do that without losse or hinderance he aunswereth The Lord is at hand If thou againe obiect But what if men persecute me and euen bereue me of that I haue He addeth be nothing carefull but let thy petitions be shewed vnto God Where if the flesh againe murmur what if in the meane season I be oppressed and spoiled he concludeth that there shal be nothing lesse the peace of God shall preserue and keepe thee whereof I must now entreat somewhat The peace of God By the peace of God is not meant here that peace whereby God is peaceable and quiet in himselfe but that which he giueth vnto vs and poureth into our heartes euen as also it is called the word of God which he giueth vs that we may preache it and beleeue it So when he giueth this peace vnto vs it is called the peace of God euen because we haue the same with him when in the world notwithstanding we suffer affliction Now this peace passeth all vnderstanding reason and knowledge of man which is not so to be vnderstood as though man can not at all perceiue or know it for if we haue peace with God truly it must be felt in our heart and conscience otherwise our heartes and myndes could not be preserued by it but it is thus to be vnderstood ⪠When tribulation commeth vpon them which know not to flie vnto God with prayer and supplication but trust to their owne wisedome and care whereby they seeke peace but that which reason is able to know which is that whereby tribulation taketh an end and is chaunged with outward tranquillicie this peace doth not passe reason but is agreable vnto it inasmuch as it is sought and found out of it Wherefore they that are voyd of fayth are exceedingly disquieted and troubled vntill according to the reason of the flesh they obtaine this peace by heardly deliuering or ridding themselues of aduersitie not regarding whether they bring that to passe by force or by crafte as he that hath receiued a wound seeketh to haue it healed The peace which the faithfull enioy c. But they that reioyce syncerely in the Lord it is sufficieÌt for them that they know that they haue God fauourable vnto them and haue assured peace with him they abyde willingly in tribulation being nothing carefull for that peace of reason by the remouing of outward troubles but they endure them valiantly looking to be strengthned inwardly by faith taking no care whether the aduersities which they suffer shall remaine a short or a long time whether they shal be temporall or coÌtinuing neither are disquieted with caring what ende they shall haue They coÌmit all things to God seeking not to know when how where or by whom he wil giue them quietnes Wherefore God againe sheweth them this fauour that he maketh the end of their triall to be such and with so great commoditie as no man could either suspect or wish for Loe this is that peace of the crosse the peace of God the peace of conscience true Christian peace which maketh that a man outwardly also as much as is in him liueth quietly and peaceably with all men troubleth no man This peace reason is not able by any meanes to know or comprehend that a man vnder the crosse may haue quietnes of minde and ioy of heart and peace euen in the very inuasion of his enemies this is the gift and worke of God knowen to none but to him that hath it and hath tried it Whereas Paul said Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy peace in beleeuing that which he calleth in these wordes peace in beleeuing he calleth in our present text the peace of God Moreouer Paul signifieth in these wordes that whosoeuer will reioyce in the Lord by faith and be meeke and of a patient minde toward all by loue the Deuell vndoutedly is against him The Deuell laboureth to hinder and stay the godly proceedings of the faithfull and will raise vp some crosse that he may driue him from so Christian a purpose wherefore the Apostle will haue euerie one to be prepared against this assault of Satan and to place his peace there where Satan can not trouble it namely in God and not thinke how he may cast of the crosse but suffer the aduersarie to take on and rage as he list he in the meane season patiently looking for the Lord that he comming may make an ende of aduersitie and trouble for by this meanes his mynde heart and conscience are preserued and kept in peace Neither can patience endure where the heart is not confirmed with this peace for that he only which hath this peace doth throughly perswade himselfe that God is fauourable vnto him carefull for him and maketh no accompt what chaunceth vnto him from creatures Moreouer let no man vnderstand here the heartes and mindes to be the will and knowledge of nature but as Paule himselfe interpreteth the heartes and mindes in Christ Iesu that is such as we haue in Christ of Christ and vnder Christ These are the heartes and mindes which faith and loue cause with which they that be endued do behaue themselues most godly toward God and most louingly and gently toward their neighbour Toward God they so behaue themselues that they beleeue in him and loue him with their whole heart and are also most ready with their whole heart and with all their cogitations to do those thinges which shal be acceptable to God and their neighbours as much as yea more then they are able Such heartes and mindes the Deuell goeth about with the feare of death and other troubles to terrifie and driue from this godlines erecting a false hope there against by the deuises and imaginations of men wherewith the minde is seduced that it may seeke to be comforted and holpen of it selfe or other creatures which if it do surely he hath drawne such a man from the care of God and wrapped him in his owne vaine care Thus hast thou godly reader out of this short text a most plentifull instruction of Christian life how thou must liue toward God and thy neighbour namely that thou must beleeue that God is all thinges vnto thee and thou againe must be all thinges vnto thy neighbours that thou must shewe thy selfe such a one to thy neighbour as God hath shewed himselfe to thee that thou must receiue of God and giue to thy neighbour All which are contained in faith and loue the whole summe of all Christianitie A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THEM THAT BE VNDER THE Law and them that be vnder Grace Gal. 4. Verse 1. THen I saye that the heire as long as he is a childe
differeth nothing from a seruaunt though he be Lord of all 2. But is vnder tuters and gouerners vntill the time appointed of the father 3. Euen so we when we were children were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe 5. That he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father 7. Wherefore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ THis text toucheth the very pith of Paules chiefe doctrine the cause why it is well vnderstood of so few is not for that it is so obscure and hard but because there is almost no knowledge of faith left in the world without which it can not be that one should rightly vnderstand Paule who euerie where intreateth of faith with such force of the spirit as he is able I must therefore speake somewhat that this text may be made plaine and that I may more conueniently bring light vnto it in expounding it I will speake a few wordes in maner of a preface First therefore we must vnderstaÌd that that treatise wherein is intreated of good workes doth farre differ from that wherein is intreated of iustification as there is verie great difference betweene the substance and the working betweene a man his worke Now iustification is of man and not of workes for man is either iustified and saued or iudged and condemned and not workes Neither is it in controuersie among the godly that man is iustified by no worke but righteousnes must come vnto him from some other where then from his owne workes For Moses writeth of Abel after this sort The Lord had respect vnto Abel and to his oblation God first regardeth the man and theÌ the worke First he had respect to Abel himselfe then to his oblation because that Abel was first counted righteous entire and acceptable vnto God and then for his sake his oblation also was alowed and not he because of his oblation Againe God had no respect to Cain and therefore neither to his oblation where againe thou seest that regard is had first of the worker theÌ of the worke Of this place it is verie plainly gathered that no worke can be allowed of God whereas he which worketh that worke was not first acceptable to him and againe that no worke is disalowed of him vnles the authour thereof be disallowed before I thinke that these thinges wil be sufficient concerning this matter in this place of which it is easie to vnderstand that there are two sortes of workes some going before iustification and some following it and that these last are good workes in deede but that those other do onely appeare to be good Hereof commeth such disagreemeÌt betweene God and those counterfect holy ones for this cause nature and reason rise and rage against the holy Ghost this is that whereof almost all the whole Scripture intreateth The Lord in his word defineth that all workes that goe before iustification are euell and of no importaunce and requireth that man himselfe before all thinges be iustified Againe Man before he is regenerate can doe nothing that is good he pronounceth all men which are not yet regenerate and haue not chaunged that nature which they receiued of their parentes with the newe creature of Christ to be vnrighteous and wicked according to that saying Psal 116 All men are lyars that is vnable to performe their dutie and to doe those thinges which by right they ought And Gen. 6 The heart of man is alwayes ready vnto euell whereby vndoutedly it commeth to passe that he is able to do nothing that is good which hath the fountaine of actions that is his heart corrupted And if he do many workes which in outward shew seeme good God hath regard first to the worker then to the worke reason doth quite coÌtrarie affirming that by his workes the worker is iustified they are no better then the oblation of Cain Here against commeth forth reason our reuerend maistres seeming to her selfe meruelous wise yet in deede is vnwise and blynde and is not ashamed to gainsay her God to reproue him of lying she being furnished with her follies and verie strawie armour to wit the light of nature free will the strength of nature also with the bookes of the heathen and with the doctrines of men She dareth with her euell sounding stringes make a noyce against God that the workes of a man euen not yet iustified are good workes and not workes like vnto Cains which God pronounceth yea and so good that he that worketh them is iustified by them For so Aristotle hath taught that he that worketh well is made good Vnto this saying she leaueth and sticketh vnmoueably and wresteth the Scripture cleane contrarie contending that God will haue respect first to the workes theÌ to the worker Such verie deuelish doctrine beareth the sway now euerie where in scholes colledges monasteries wherein no other saincts then Cain was haue rule and authoritie Now of this errour an other immediatly springeth They which attribute so much to workes do not accordingly esteeme the worker and sound iustification go so farre that they ascribe all merit and soueraigne righteousnes to workes done before iustification making almost no account of faith alleaging that which Iames saith that without workes it is dead Which sentence of the Apostle when they litle vnderstand they attribute almost nothing to faith they alwayes sticke to workes whereby they thinke they do merit exceedingly of God and are perswaded that for their workes sake they shall obtaine the fauour of God and by this meanes do they continually disagree with God shewing themselues to be the right posteritie of Cain God hath respect vnto man these to the workes of man God aloweth the workes for his sake that worketh these require that for the workes sake the worker may be crowned Now God goeth not from his sentence as it is meete and iust and these will seeme nothing lesse theÌ to erre in any respect They will not haue their good workes contemned reason to be nothing esteemed free will to be counted vneffectuall or surely if thou doest here striue against them they beginne to be angrie with God and count it a small matter to kill their brother Abel But here perhaps thou wilt say what is needfull to be done by what meanes shall I first of all become righteous and acceptable to God How shall I attaine to this perfect iustification The Gospell aunswereth preaching that it is necessarie that thou heare Christ and repose thy selfe wholy in him denying thy selfe distrusting all thine owne strength By this meanes thou shalt be chaunged from Cain
art the sonne of God therefore righteous by his grace let all feare care be here awaye Howbeit thou must feare tremble that thou maist perseuer such a one vnto the end Thou must not being in this case be careful that thou maist become righteous saued but that thou maist perseuer and coÌtinue Neither must thou do this as though it coÌsisted in thine own streÌgth for all thy righteousnes saluation is of only grace whereunto only thou must trust But wheÌ thou knowest that it is of grace alone that they faith also is the gift of God thou shalt for good cause liue in feare care lest that any teÌtatioÌ do violeÌtly moue thee froÌ this faith Hereunto pertaineth that which is written in the 9. chap. of Ecclesiastes The righteous wise yea and their seruaunts also are in the haÌd of God there is no man that knoweth either loue or hate but all things are before theÌ It happeneth vnto one as vnto an other c. For the present time euery one by faith is certaine of his saluation but constantly to stand and perseuer as it is the gift of the Lord and not in our owne strength so ought we alwayes to haue a care and feare thereof WheÌ they of Cains broode heare faith to be entreated of after this sort they can not sufficiently maruell at our madnes as it seemes vnto them God turne this away from me say they that I should affirme my selfe holy and godly farre be this arrogancie and rashnes from me I am many wayes a miserable sinner I should be mad if I should arrogate holines vnto my selfe And thus they mocke at true faith and count such doctrine as this for execrable errour and goe about with might and mayne to extinguish the Gospell These are they that deny the faith of Christ Denyers of the faith of Christ persecute it in the whole world of whom Paule speaketh 1. Tim. 4 In the latter times many shall depart from the faith c. For we see it brought to passe by the meanes of these that true faith lyeth euery where oppressed is not onely not preached but also commonly disallowed and condemned with all them that either teach or profes it The Pope Bishops Colleges Monasteries and Vniuersities haue now aboue fiue hundred yeares persecuted it with one mind and consent yea and that maruelous stiffely and obstinately and haue done no other thing vnto the world but euery where as much as they were able driuen many vnto hell Which truely both hath bene and is that last and most hurtfull persecution of Antichrist The Lord at the last bring it to an end If any obiect against the admiration or rather mad senslesnes of these men that we doe nothing but that that is meete if we count our selues euen holy trusting to the goodnes of God iustifying vs seeing that Dauid prayed thus Preserue thou me Psal 86.2 Rom. 8.16 O Lord for I am holy And for that Paule sayth ⪠The Spirit of God beareth witnes vvith our Spirit that we are the children of God They aunswer that the Prophet and Apostle would not teach vs in these wordes or giue vs an example which we should follow but that they being peculiarly and speciall enlightened receiued such reuelatioÌ of them selues that they were holy And after this sort they misinterpret and wrest whatsoeuer place of the Scriptures affirmeth that we are holy saying that such doctrines are not written for vs but that they are rather peculiar miracles and prerogatiues as they call them which doe not belonge to all Which forged imagination we account of as hauing come from their sick braine who when as they be them selues void of faith and sauour nothing of the spirit thinke and contend that there be none which haue sounde faith and the spirit whereby surely they beleeue them selues to be thornes and thistles not Christians but rather enemies and destroyers of Christians and persecutours of the Christian faith Againe they are of this beleefe that they shall be righteous holy by their owne workes and that because of them God will giue vnto them saluation and eternal blessednes The Papistes attribute more to their owne workes then to God his grace But here see the madnes of men in their opinion and iudgement it is a Christian thinge to thinke that we shall be righteous and saued because of our workes and to beleeue that these thinges are giuen by the grace of God they condemne as hereticall They attribute that to their owne workes which they attribute not to the grace of God they affirme that they doe saue vs and not this they trust to works they can not trust to Gods grace which blindnes worthely commeth vnto them inasmuch as they will not build vpon the rocke let them build vpon the sand so be drowned by their owne meanes that by their owne workes and satisfactions they may torment them selues euen vnto death gratifying Satan herein for that they will not rest vpon the grace of God serue the Lord with a gentle and sweete seruice They that are endued with a true faith are both ioyfull in God and dutifull toward their neighbours For they that are endued with true faith and doe rest vpon the grace of the Lord it is meruelous how they are in God by his goodnes of most quiet mindes and greatly reioycing with holy ioy whereupon they doe also with pleasure apply them selues to good workes not to such as these of Cains broode doe as to fayned prayers fasting base filthy apparell such like trifles but to true right good workes whereby their neighbour is profited and from whence no small commoditie redoundeth vnto men Moreouer they are of most ready mindes to suffer whatsoeuer thinges inasmuch as they are certaine that God doth fauour them and hath a care of them These are right honest and profitable men of whom both God is glorified men much profited When as those of Cains broode serue to no vse either before God or before men no they doe not so much as profit them selues but are onely an vnprofitable lumpe of earth yea not onely vnprofitable but exceeding pernicious and hurtfull also both to them selues and to others For inasmuch as they are destitute of true faith they can not giue vnto God his due glory Where true faith is wanting there neither God can be duly glorified not true good workes done nor doe those good workes which may truly profit their neighbour For those workes that they apply them selues vnto are their owne inuentions consisting in gestures apparell places times meates and such like trifles whereby their neighbour can be holpen neither in body nor minde nor in any thinge els For what can it profit me that thy crowne is shauen very broad that thou wearest a gray coule what profit bringeth it that thou fastest to day and keepest holy day to morrow that thou abstainest from
of God is left in the earth euen as Christ being made man liued in the earth that he might do for vs as he witnesseth of him selfe I came not to be serued but to serue Matth. 20.28 and to giue my life for the ransome of many The Allegories of this deede In this deede Christ hath set forth the life of Christians and the state of such as preach and teache the worde of God The ship signifieth the Church the sea the world the winde the deuill the Disciples of Christ are the Preachers and godly Christians Christ the truth the Gospell and faith Now before that Christ and his Disciples enter into the ship the sea is calme the wind quiet but when Christ with his Disciples are entred in by and by ariseth a tempest This is that which he sayd Matth. 10.34 The world can not abide the sound and sincere preaching of the Gospell I came not to send peace but the sword For if Christ would suffer the world to liue after his owne maner and would not reproue the workes thereof it would be quiet enough But now seeing that he preacheth that they which are counted wise men are fooles they that are counted righteous are sinners they that are counted rich are not blessed but miserable it rageth is in great furie So thou maist at this daye finde wise men of this worlde which in deede would suffer the Gospell to be preached if the wordes of the Scripture shoulde be simply declared and in the meane season the state of Ecclesiasticall persons not reproued but as soone as thou shalt begin to condemne by the Scriptures all those thinges which haue bene hitherto brought in vnder a false name of religion and to teach that they are to be reiected as being of no importance thou preachest seditiously and troublest the world with vnchristian doctrine But how doth the present text pertaine vnto vs A great tempest did arise where that ship went wherein Christ and his Disciples were Other ships did passe the sea quietly nothing tossed of the windes this ship onely must be tossed and couered with waues because Christ was caried in it For the world can suffer any kind of preaching beside the preaching of Christ the cause is for that he condemneth all thinges of the world Why the world can not abide the preaching of Christ Matth. 12.30 Ioh. 16.8 and chalengeth all righteousnes to him selfe according to that which he saith He that is not with me is against me and againe The Spirit will reproue the worlde of sinne of righteousnes and of iudgement He sayth not will preach but will reproue and not this or that man but the world and whatsoeuer is in the world Against this ship of Christ all this tempest is raysed and it is brought into daunger For the world doth not suffer his owne thinges to be condemned but Christ can not allowe them if he should allow them he had come in vaine For if the world were wise by it selfe and did knowe and followe the truth what neede had there bene that Christ his Disciples should preach Wherfore it is not a small comfort to Christians A comfort to true Preachers that they knowe before that they shal suffer persecution especially to Preachers that they are certaine before that as soone as they shal begin to preach Christ to the world they must suffer persecution that it can not be otherwise So that it is a sure signe and therefore to be wished that it is true Christian preaching if it be tried with persecution especially of the holy learned and wise men of the worlde As it is an vndouted signe also that it is vnchristian preaching if it be praysed commonly and honoured of the world according to that saying Luke 6 Blessed are ye when men hate you and put out your name as euill for the Sonne of mans sake for so did their fathers to the Prophets Now marke how our spirituall men do behaue them selues and of what sort their doctrine is They haue got into their subiection the riches glorie and power of the world and they that prayse them enioy the honour and pleasures thereof their case in all thinges agreeth with the case of the false Prophets and yet they dare boast them selues to be Preachers and Teachers of Christ and worshippers of God Of whom the Preachers of Gods word must looke for desire helpe in the time of trouble and persecution The next thinge whereby this deede doth comfort and encourage the Preachers of Christ is that it sheweth where helpe is to be asked when a tempest is risen to wit not of the world for not mans wisedom or power but Christ him selfe and he alone is able to helpe them Him they must call vpon in euery distres with full confidence in him they must trust as his Disciples here did For vnles they had beleeued that Christ was able to take away the daunger wherein they were they would not haue awaked him and prayed him to saue them although their faith then was very weake and very much diffidence was in them for that they did not confidently commit them selues with him vnto daunger douting nothing but he was able to deliuer them out of the middest of the sea and from death it selfe Hereof therefore let it be acknowledged as certaine that as no Iudge or Moderator can be giuen to the word of God but God onely so there can be had no other maintainer or defender thereof who as he sendeth it out whether he will without any merit or counsell of men so he alone also will defende preserue it without the ayde or strength of men and therefore he that seeketh ayde vnto this word of men shall without dout fall being forsaken as well of men as of God Whereas Christ did sleepe it giueth vs to vnderstand that in the time of persecution he doth sometimes withdraw him selfe Christ sometimes in the time of persecution and trouble with draweth him self differreth his help for a while seemeth as though he slept whiles that he giueth not strength power valiantly to resist the peace and tranquillitie of minde being now disturbed but suffereth vs to wrastle and labour with our infirmitie for a while that we may acknowledge how we are altogither nothing and that all thinges doe depend on his grace and power As Paule confesseth of him selfe 2. Cor. 1. that it behoued that he shoulde be so pressed and troubled out of measure that we should not trust in our selues but in God which rayseth the dead Such sleepe of God Dauid oftentimes felt and maketh mention thereof in many places Arise awake O Lorde why sleepest thou why doost thou forget vs c. In a summe the present text offereth vnto vs two principall thinges full of confidence and godly boldnes The first that when persecution is risen for the word of God we may say We knew that it would so
of fasting it teacheth by the example of Christ Two sorts of fasting which are allowable to be commended The Scripture commeÌdeth vnto vs two sorts of fasting which are laudable one which is taken vpon vs of our owne accord to tame the flesh whereof the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 6. where he exhorteth vs to behaue our selues as the ministers of God by labours watchings fastings among the rest An other which in deede is not taken vpon vs willingly yet is willingly borne of vs when by reason of neede and pouertie we haue not whereon to feede Whereof Paule speaketh also in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter Vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst And Christ Matth. 9 VVhen the bridegrome shal be taken from them then shall they fast This fasting Christ teacheth vs by his present example who being alone in the desert and hauing no meat did suffer that neede and hunger patiently The first of these two fastes may when we please be left and broken with eating of meat but this last must be suffred vntill the Lord ende and breake it Now the cause why the Euangelist did so diligently first declare that Iesus was led aside of the spirit into the wildernes that he should there fast and be tempted is this lest that any taking vpon him to fast of his owne mynde and for his owne commodities sake should in vaine endeuour to follow this example of Christ For he must looke for the leading asyde of the spirite he will cause fasting and tentation enough We must not procure tentation to our selues but patiently suffer it when it pleaseth the Lord to send it for he that without the leading asyde of the spirit should voluntarily bring himselfe into daunger of hunger or any other tentation when by the blessing of God he hath what to eate and drinke and whereby to liue quietly he I saye should plainly tempt the Lord. We must not procure to our selues pouertie and tentation they will come soone enough of themselues onely when they are sent of the Lord we must endeuour to beare them patiently Iesus as the Euangelist writeth was led aside of the spirite into the wildernes he did not choose to himselfe the wildernes They are led with the Spirite of God which are the sonnes of God Romans 8. The good thinges which the Lorde giueth he giueth for this that we maye enioye them with thankes giuing not that we should neglect them tempting him Moreouer this history is written vnto vs both to instruct The historie of Christes tentation coÌtaineth both instruction exhortation and also to exhort To instruct that we may learne hereby that Christ by this his fasting hunger tentation and victorie against Satan did serue vs furthered our saluation that whosoeuer beleeueth in him may neuer neede or be hurt by any tentation but rather shall abound with good thinges in the middes of pouertie and be safe in the middes of tentation for that his head and Lord Christ hath ouercome all these thinges for him whereof by fayth he is most certain according as the Lord himselfe sayth Ioh. 16 Be ye of good comfort I haue ouercome the world And if God could without meat nourish his Christ fortie dayes so many nights so he cââ also Christians We are exhorted also here that according to this example of Christ we suffer hunger tentation and other necessities wheÌ they come and when the case so requireth to the glorie of God profit of our neighbours And surely if we do earnestly confesse and sticke to the word of God these thinges will vndoutedly come vnto vs. The present text therefore containeth a meruelous consolation and strengthening of faith against the filthie and incredulous bellie which being diligeÌtly and faithfully weyed our conscience shal be verie much comforted and streÌgthened that we may not be carefull for liuing but trust with a full confidence that God will giue vs plentifully those thinges that be necessarie Now that this tentation also is incident vnto vs it is manifest For as Christ was led aside into the wildernes that is was left alone of God Angels men and all creatures which might helpe him How we are sometime led aside into the wildernes so also falleth it out with vs. We are led aside into the wildernes we are forsaken and left alone And this in deede is it which especially grieueth vs to feele or perceiue nothing whereunto we may trust or from whence we may looke for helpe As when it lyeth vpon me to prepare sustenance for me and mine and I haue nothing at all of my selfe neither perceiue any helpe comming from any man neither know where to looke for any This is to be led aside into the desert and to be left alone I being in this case am in the true exercise of faith then I learne how I my selfe am nothing howe weake my faith is how great and rare a thing sounde faith is and howe deepe abominable incredulitie is setled in the harts of all But he that hath as yet a purse heauie with money a seller ful of wine a garnar replenished with graine he is not yet led aside into the wildernes or left alone and therefore can not feele tentation while these thinges remaine Satan tempteth Christ with care for the belly and diffidence of Gods goodnes Secondly Satan commeth and tempteth Christ with this care for the bellie and diffidence of the goodnes of God saying If thou be the Sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread As if he should say according to the Dutch prouerbe Trust in God and in the meane season neglect to bake bread Tarie till a rosted chicken flie into thy mouth Go now and say that thou hast a God who is carefull for thee Where is now that thy heauenly Father who hath so great a care of thee Hath he not goodlily forsaken thee Eate now and drinke of thy faith and let vs see how thou shal be suffised it were well wiââ thee if thou couldest feede on stones What a goodly sonne of God art thou How fatherly doth he behaue himselfe toward thee He sendeth thee not so much as a peece of breade but suffreth thee here to be pined with hunger Go now and beleeue yet that thou art the sonne of God and he thy Father Surely with these and such like cogitations he tempteth all the children of God which Christ also vndoutedly felt for he was not a blocke or stone but verie man although pure from synne as he also continued which is not giuen vnto vs. Now that the Deuel tempted Christ with care of the bellie diffidence and wicked desire the aunswere of Christ doth sufficiently declare Man liueth not by breade alone Which is as much as if he had said Thou wilt haue me haue regard to bread alone thou dealest with me as though I ought to haue no other care but of meate and foode
for the bellie This tentation is verie common An vsuall thinge to be teÌpted with care for the belly euen among men that are of the most perfect sort but they especially feele it which when they are poore haue notwithstanding a wife and children to nourish and maintaine and therewithall an emptie house Hereupon Paule calleth couetousnes the roote of all euels for that it is the right ofspring of diffidence And what thinge els but this diffidence and care of the bellie is the cause that many are so loath to marie what els doth hold so many thousand men in whoredom vnchast liuing and detaineth them from matrimonie but this immoderate care of the bellie and vngodly feare lest they should be pined and perich with hunger But the present deede and example of Christ should be thought vpon who although he had bin without meate fortie dayes and so many nights yet was he not quite forsaken and left destitute but the Angels at the last came and ministred all thinges necessarie vnto him Thirdly we may see here how Christ meeteth with this tentation of the bellie and ouercometh it He seeth nothing in deede but stones and that which can not be eaten therefore from those thinges that were before his eyes he remoueth his minde to the worde of God thereby both strengthening himselfe and ouerthrowing the Deuell On which word Christians How Christians when they are tempted with pouerty and neede must comfort theÌselues and ouercome the tentation especially when pouertie presseth them and all thinges seeme to be turned into stones and the minde doth now tremble for feare of hunger ought with a strong faith to lay hold and aunswere the tentation that would quite discourage theÌ What if the whole world were full of bread yet doth not man liue by bread alone there is neede of an other thinge that is of the word of God Now forasmuch as these wordes are of meruelous force and efficacie we must a litle stand vpon them and endeuour to declare them not lightly passe them ouer These wordes therefore Christ tooke out of the first booke of Moses chap. 8. where Moses speaketh thus vnto the Israelites Deut. 8.3 The Lord thy God humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with Manna which neither thou nor thy fathers knew of to make thee know that a man doth not liue by bread onely but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. Which is as much as if he had said Whereas he suffered thee to hunger and yet thou didst not perish thou mayst thereby easily know that it is God which sustaineth thee by his word euen without bread For if we did liue and were nourished by bread alone it were necessarie that we should be alwayes filled with bread But it is the word of God that nourisheth vs which he will haue preached that we may knowe that he is our God and that he will shew himselfe bountifull and gracious vnto vs. He that beleueth in the word of God shall both be sustained in the time of hunger and at the last assuredly haue foode sufficient We are taught therefore by this aunswere of Christ and testimonie of Moses that he which beleeueth in the word of God shall vndoutedly haue experience of two thinges First that when meate is wanting and he is pinched with hunger he is as well sustained and strengthened by this word that he die not or perish with hunger as if he might aboundantly enioye meate this word of God which he obtaineth in heart nourishing and strengthening him without meat and drinke And if he haue but a litle meat he shall perceiue that litle although it were but euen one peece of breade to feede and nourish him no lesse then if he did enioy princely fare For not by bread but by the word of God the body is nourished and preserued like as by it it was made as also all other thinges like as by the word they were created so also by it are they preserued The other thing which we are here taught that the beleeuer shall haue experience of is that at the length he shall assuredly receiue bread from whence so euer it come yea although it should raine downe from heauen as Manna did to the Israelites in a place where no other breade could be gotten Let a Christian quietly promise to himselfe and looke for these two thinges his hope can not be frustrate either he shall haue in hunger somewhat to eate from whence soeuer it be giuen him or his hunger shal be made so tolerable vnto him that he shal be no lesse fedde then if he were fedde with breade the power of the word of God nourishing and sustaining him Those thinges that I haue said of bread that is of meat are also to be vnderstood of drinke apparell house and all thinges necessarie vnto this life It may be in deede that a godly man do neede apparell Singular comfort against pouertie and neede or an house c. but at length he shall haue them The leaues falling from the trees shall sooner be turned into coats and clokes then we can be left naked or surely those garments which we haue shall not wax olde which the Israelites tried whose clothes and shoes in the desert were not torne as also a most wide wildernes was vnto them in steede of houses places vnpassable passable vnwaterie waterie finally the stonie rockes fountaines of water For the Word of God standeth sure and vnmoueable The Lord is carefull for vs. And Paule sayth 1. Pet. 5.7 1. Tim. 6.17 God giueth vs aboundantly all thinges to enioye Also Christ sayth Matth. 6 Seeke first the kingdome of God and all thinges shal be ministred vnto you onely be carefull for nothing Such wordes and promises of God must needes remaine true for euer and therefore no good thinge can be wanting to them that beleeue This euen daily experience may teach vs. We see commonly poore folkes and their children to be better liking theÌ many rich folkes and their children for that the vse of their small sustenaunce is by the blessing of God encreased and doth much more feede and nourish them then all that most aboundant substaunce doth feede and nourich the rich Now whereas the wicked do sometime suffer neede or in the time of famine some do euen die through hunger that is the speciall vengeance of God as is also the pestilence warre and such like Otherwise it plainly appeareth that not meat but God doth feede and sustaine vs. Howbeit whereas God feedeth the world with bread and not with his word alone without bread he therefore doth it It pleaseth God to work by ordinarie meanes yet of no necessitie that he may so hide his worke and exercise our faith So he commaunded the Israelites that they should prepare themselues to battaile and yet he would not haue the victorie to be gotten by their sword and
often tymes doe notably excell and it is a practize of the deuill eftsoones to fayne him selfe ouercome in the first and third tentation that he may reigne victour by the second He can be content that they that be his doe often tymes suffer pouertie patiently and doe also contemne the world although they do neither of both with a simple hart and sincere faith Euery one therfore of these three tentations is grieuous and very hard but the middle one is most perilous of all for it assayleth the doctrine of faith and is spirituall and wont to deceiue in spirituall thinges The other two also doe assayle faith howebeit in these outward thinges as aduersitie prosperitie although they doe also vrge vs very sore For it can not be a litle grieuous to suffer pouerty to want bread and such other thinges necessary Agayne it is no lesse grieuous to neglect wholy to denye fauour glory riches friendes companions and other commodities which we haue But an entire and sound faith in the worde of God can performe both notably and if it be a strong faith An entire sound faith can both patiently beare aduersitie contemne the vaine glory delights of the world they seeme very easie and delectable vnto it We can not certainly know the order of these tentations which happened to Christ for that the Euangelists haue not described them after one order For Luke hath set that last which Matthew hath set in the middes that which Matthew hath set last Luke hath placed in the middes But there doth not so much consist in the order Notwithstanding when any wil teach the people concerning these tentations it were better to follow the order of Luke For he may fitly say and thus rehearse that Satan doth first tempt vs with pouertie and aduersitie wherby if he preuaile not that he tempteth vs with prosperity and glory which if he do in vaine that he assaileth vs with all his might and tempteth vs with errour lyes delusion and other spiritual suttleties Yet neither is this order alwayes obserued of Satan but he tempteth Christians sometime with the first sometime with the third tentation as he hath and seeth occasion Matthew was not careful to rehearse them in that order which they haue almost by their own nature and which may be commodious for him that shall teach of them Yea it may be that they happened not vnto Christ by any certain order but that he was assailed of Satan one day with this an other day with that during the space of those forty daies as Satan thought it most conuenient and meete for his purpose And behold the Angells came ministred vnto him This I thinke was done corporally that they hauing taken bodies appeared and ministred vnto him meate and drinke as his seruiters at the table and Ministers of all other thinges necessary for his life Yea and I thinke that the deuill also appeared vnto him in a corporall forme perhaps as an Angell For in that he tooke Christ and set him on a pinnacle of the temple also wheras in a moment he shewed him all the kingdoms of the world he sufficiently declared that he was more then a man such a one surely he shewed him selfe openly when he offered that he would giue vnto him those kingdoms and required that he would worship him And vndoutedly he did not appeare like a deuill when he did these thinges for he loueth to appeare after a fayre sort especially when he will lie and deceiue 1. Cor. 11.14 for then he transformeth him selfe into an Angell of light as Paule witnesseth Now this is written chiefly for our consolation In the time of tentation we must nothing dout of Gods help and deliuerance that we may not dout that many Angells shall minister vnto vs when one deuill tempteth vs if we fight valiantly For if we stand fast in faith it is so farre of that God will suffer vs to be troubled and pinched with pouertie more then is meete that he will sooner send his Angells to minister vnto vs to be our Butlers our Cookes and to helpe vs with their ministerie in all necessitie Neither are these thinges written for Christes cause whome they can not profit but they are written for vs that we may learne to beleeue that if the Angells ministred vnto him they shall also when the case so requireth minister vnto vs his brethren and members The Lord giue vs faith to beleeue this A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THE LEADING OF A GODLY LIFE Ephes 5. Verse 1. BE ye therfore followers of God as deare children 2. And walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen him selfe for vs to be an offering a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God 3. But fornication all vncleannes or couetousnes let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Sainctes 4. Neither filthines neither foolish talking neither iesting which are things not comely but rather giuing of thankes 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger neyther vncleane person nor couetous person which is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience 7. Be not therefore companions with them 8. For ye were once darkenes but are now light in the Lord walke as children of light 9. For the frute of the Spirit is in all goodnes and righteousnes and truth THis text is exhortatorie wherein Paule according to his maner and accustomed care for the brethren exhorteth Christians not to leaue or slack the study and care of godlines and giue them selues to slothfulnes but to declare by their worke the word that they haue learned of him that is to shew it forth by the frutes of faith and make it plausible and honorable to the edifying of the Heathen lest that by the vices of them which professe the doctrine of the Gospell they take occasion to hate that doctrine and so be offended by them whom it did behoue to winne them vnto Christ Be ye therfore followers of God as deare children First therfore he exhorteth vs forasmuch as we are by Christ made the sonnes of God to imitate such a father as deare children Meruelous gently alluringly he speaketh vnto vs calling vs deare children that by the loue of God our father toward vs he may prouoke vs to loue him again and them whom he commaundeth vs to loue The loue of God toward vs. euen as he hath loued vs first But howe hath he loued vs Surely not after that common sort alone wherby in this life he nourisheth and sustaineth vs being vnworthy togither with al the vngodly making his sunne to arise on the good and on the euil and sending rayne on the iust and vniust wherof Christ speaketh Matth. 5 Be ye perfect as your Father is perfect
be not wanting for before we should want the very Angels should come minister vnto vs foode Whereas therefore men are commonly oppressed with so great miserie onely vnbeliefe is the cause thereof VVe must labour not be carefull but commit the successe vnto God And albeit God be with vs notwithstanding he requireth yet of vs worke or labour and hope if he at any time differre somewhat to helpe vs. He commaundeth Peter here that for the taking of fishes he should cast forth his nettes Lanche out into the deepe sayth he and let dovvne your nets to make a draught as if the Lord said Do thou that which belongeth to a fisher cast thy net into the deepe and commit the successe vnto me leaue the care vnto me God leaueth not the care vnto thee but the worke and labour howbeit we after a cleane contrarie order study to commit the care to our selues and the labour to him Whereby it commeth to passe that euerie one for himselfe applieth his mynde earnestly to gaine and to gather money vnto himselfe that he may not be enforced by any meanes to take paines and labour But if thou wilt liue a Christian life leaue vnto thy God to care howe the fishes shall come into the nets and goe thou and take vpon thee the state wherein thou mayst labour Howbeit for the most part we wish such states of life as in which there is no neede of labour which is altogether a deuelish thing And therefore haue we bin consecrated Monkes and sacrificing Priests that we might liue onely like gentlemen without labour And for the same cause parents haue set their children to schole that at the last they might liue merie dayes and so serue God as they thought Whereby it came to that passe that they did not know what a good life was forasmuch as God especially commendeth that and that in deed is acceptable vnto him which is gotten with the sweat of the browes as he commaunded Adam Gen. 3. In the svveat of thy face shalt thou eate breade And the deeper thou art occupied in this lawe in so much better case thy thinges are wherefore follow thy worke labour and trust in God all carefulnes being cast of Now some murmur and say if faith be preached that we must trust in God and leaue the care vnto him I might long enough say they beleeue or trust before I should haue wherewithall to be fed and susteined if I should not labour Yea it is plaine enough that thou must labour We must still labour and hope though God differreth his help for a time for he will at the last assuredly helpe vs. forasmuch as labour is coÌmaunded thee Howbeit suffer God to care for thee beleeue thou and labour then shalt thou assuredly haue those thinges that be necessarie for the sustentation of thy life And this is an other thing that we must hope notwithstanding though God differreth for a time Therefore he suffreth them to labour all the night and to take nothing and sheweth himselfe to be such a one as will suffer them to perish with hunger Which might haue come into the minde of Peter when he had fished so long and taken nothing so that he might haue said now God will suffer my belly to perish with pining and famine Howbeit he doth not so but goeth on still in his labour he plieth his worke hopeth that God at the last will giue him fishes albeit he differreth a time God therefore is present and giueth him so many fishes in one day as he could scarce take in the space of eight daies Wherefore these thinges are to be learned well of thee that thou labour and hope although God differreth his blessing a litle For albeit he differreth a while and suffreth thee to labour sore so that thou now thinke thy labour to be lost yet must thou not therefore despeire but repose thy hope in him trusting assuredly that he will at the last giue thee prosperous successe For he wil certainly come giue more then thou didst neede as he did here vnto S. Peter Wherefore if God delayeth with thee a litle thinke with thy selfe he delayed also with S. Peter yet afterward gaue vnto him aboundantly Commit thy matter therefore to his good will and pleasure and leaue not of thy worke but hope still and then shall not thy hope be frustrate Thus much concerning the former part of the text now let vs here the latter After therefore that they had taken fishes and tasted the frute of faith their faith is increased and augmented We therefore must go so farre that we may commit our bellie to God for he that can not commit so much as his bellie to him will neuer commit his soule vnto him Howbeit that is onely a childish faith Here we learne first to go by benches and settles here we do feede on milke as yet but we must likewise learne by these to commit our soule also to God The Euangelist so meaneth when he sayth Now when Simon Peter saw it he fell downe at Iesus knees saying Lord goe from me for I am a sinnefull man For he was vtterly astonied and all that vvere with him for the draught of fishes vvhich they tooke Let Peter here be a type or figure of them which beleeue eternal good thinges and counte him as one verily looking for seeing the good things to come A sinful conscience is of that nature The nature of a synnefull conscience that it so behaueth it selfe as Peter here did whereas he flieth his Sauiour and thinketh Lord I am more vnworthy then that I should be saued and sit among thy Sainctes and Angels for that good is most exceeding high Here a straight conscience is not able to comprehend such great good thinges but it thus thinketh If I were as Peter Paul I could easily beleeue Which is altogether a foolish and vaine thinge For if thou wouldest place thy selfe according to thine owne holines thou shouldest build vpon the sande Thou must not do so but behaue thy selfe like vnto Peter for in that he esteemed himselfe vile and iudged himselfe vnworthy of so great grace he rightly became worthy And therefore Though we feele the burdeÌ of our sinnes we must not despeire but trust in God that he will remit theÌ receiue vs vnto grace whereas thou art a synner thou must trust in God and dilate and open wide thy conscience and heart that grace may enter in After thou hast now knowne God thou must reiect none of his giftes that is when as thou seest the great good things thou must not despeire It is good that we know our selues the deeper we know our selues so much the better But that grace is not to be refused because of thy synnes For when thou shalt fynde thy conscience to tremble so that it would driue away synnes then art thou most ready and most fitte to receiue grace then shalt
God requireth this especially of vs that we doe firmely and constantly trust in him and that we freely doe good and be beneficiall to our neighbours according as God hath of his meere goodnes and mercie bestowed infinite benefits and blessings vpon vs. The Prophet sayth Psal 50 Heare O my people and I will speake I my self will testifie vnto thee O Israell I am the Lord euen thy Lorde I will not reproue thee because of thy sacrifices or for thy burnt offerings for that they be not alway before me I will take no bullocke out of thy house nor goates out of thy foldes for all the beastes of the forest are mine and so are the cattell vpon a thousand hills I know all the foules vpon the mountaines and the wild beastes of the field are at my commaundement If I be hungrie I will not tell thee for the whole world is mine and all that is therein Thinkest thou that I will eate bulls flesh and drinke the blood of Goates After the same sort he sayth vnto vs Behold Israell that is thou faithfull man I am thy God thou art not my God I will giue vnto thee thou giuest nothing to me I will not be angrie with thee for that thou offerest not many things vnto me For whatsoeuer is in thy stable in thy houses in thy court it was all mine before for I haue sent it thither Whereby he briefly reproued the Iewes who did meruelously please them selues in their sacrifices Now because he reiecteth these sacrifices what will he haue to supply the place of them truely euen that which followeth in the same place Offer vnto me praise and thy vowes call vpon me in the time of trouble I vvil heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me That is I wil haue thine hart giue ouer thy self to me account me for a gentle fauourable yea and for thy God and it shall suffize me Wherefore place thy faith trust and hope in him count him for a gentle and louing God cleaue vnto him and in extreme anguish flie vnto him for succour and to none beside him Beleeue and looke for helpe of him then he will helpe thee thou needest not any whit dout Afterward doe good to thy neighbour with a cheereful hart and freely These two things are set forth in this our text as also in many other places beside A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS DECLARED HOWE GRIEVOVSLY GOD PVNISHETH THE CONTEMners of his word Luke 19. Verse 41. AND when he was come neare to Ierusalem he beheld the city and wept for it 42. Saying If thou hadst eueÌ knowne at the least in this thy day those thinges which belonge vnto thy peace thou wouldest take heede but now are they hid from thyne eyes 43. For the dayes shal come vpon thee that thine enemies shal cast a trench about thee compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side 44. And shall make thee euen with the ground thy children which are in thee and they shall not leaue in thee a stone vpon a stone because thou knewest not that season of thy visitation 45. He went also into the temple and began to cast out them that sold therein and them that bought 46. Saying vnto them it is written Mine house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a denne of theeues 47. And he taught daily in the temple And the high Priestes and the Scribes and the chiefe of the people sought to destroy him 48. But they could not find what they might doe to him for all the people hanged vpon him when they heard him THE summe and scope of this text is this The Lord is troubled and lamenteth for the euils which were to come vpon the contemners of the worde of God Ye haue often times heard what the word of God is what is the frute and commoditie thereof also what Disciples it hath of which nothing is here done or sayd but the punishment and miserie onely is shewed which was to come vpon the Iewes for that they knew not the time of their visitation Which thing let vs well consider of for it pertaineth vnto vs also If they be punished which know not the time of their visitation what shal come vnto them which persecute blaspheme and reprehend the Gospell and Word of God howbeit he speaketh here onely of them which know not the season of their visitation Two wayes to preach against the contemners of Gods word The contemners of God are preached against after two sortes first by threatnings as Christ threatneth them Matth. 11 VVo be to thee Corazin VVo be to thee Bethsaida for if the great works which vvere done in you had bene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackecloth and ashes But I say to you it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon at the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which was his owne citie wherein chiefly he wrought miracles vvhich att lifted vp vnto heauen shalt be brought dovvne to hell for if the great vvorkes vvhich haue bene done in thee had bene done among them of Sodom they had remained to this day But I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for you These are the threatnings wherewith he terrifieth them that they shoulde not so neglect the word of God The other way the Lorde here sheweth when as he shedeth teares and is touched with pitie toward miserable and blind men he doth not terrifie or threaten them as being indurate and obstinat but is rather wholy moued with loue and taketh pitie on his enemies and would willingly call them backe but that he could preuaile nothing with them the meanes which he vsed to reclaime them were in vaine Before in Matthew whereas he sharply rebuketh them he dealeth not by loue but by rigour but here is pure loue and pitie as we shall afterwards see First when he drew neare to the citie some went before him and some followed him with great ioy singing and saying Hosanna the sonne of Dauid they spred their garments in the way they cut downe branches from the trees and strawed them in the way and all thinges were done after a goodly maner but in the middest of this ioy Christ beginneth greatly to weepe Christ lameÌteth for Ierusalem he suffreth all to reioyce notwithstanding his eyes gushed out with teares when he beheld the citie and sayd If thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day those things vvhich belonge vnto thy peace thou vvouldest take heede but novve are they hid from thine eyes As if the Lorde should say O if thou knewest what belongeth vnto thy peace that thou mightest not be destroyed but stand still thou wouldest yet at this day consider of it and beware Now it were time for thee to know that which should be best for thee but thou art blinde wilt
neglect the time then shall there be no place neither for helpe nor counsell As if he sayd Thou standest here adorned with sumptuous and goodly buildings and there are in thee mighty citizens which are both secure and merie thinking that no daunger hangeth ouer them but after the space of forty yeares thou shalt be destroyed Which the Lorde plainly foretelleth in these wordes The dayes shall come vpon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side and shall make thee euen vvith the ground and thy children vvhich are in thee and they shall not leaue in thee a stone vpon a stone because thou knevvest not that season of thy visitation The careles securitie of the Iewes Now the Iewes as they supposed stoode vnmoueable safe resting vpon the promise of God so that they thought no otherwise but that they should perseuerantly continue so for euer they were secure and thought thus with them selues God will not send such thinges vnto vs we haue the temple wherein God him selfe is resident We haue also plenty of excellent men money and other thinges Goe to then who can doe any hurt or harme to vs Moreouer the Emperour and people of Rome hauing taken the citie seeing it furnished with so many and so great munitions and goodly and excellent buildings merueiled greatly and confessed that it was vnpossible that so great a citie should be taken vnlesse it had bene the speciall will of God Their boasting therefore and confidence in their owne false opinion deceiued them Howbeit the Lord did more earnestly and deepely consider the matter then they when he sayd O Ierusalem if thou knewest those thinges that are knowne to me thou wouldest haue a care of thy peace peace in the Scriptures is when the matters and affaires of any haue good successe thou thinkest that thou hast glad and merie dayes that it is well with thee and that thy affaires are in a prosperous state but if thou knewest howe thine enemies shall by siege afflict thee keepe thee in on euery side and bring thee into such distresse that they shall make thee euen with the ground destroy all thy buildings and leaue not a stone vpon a stone thou wouldest surely conueniently receiue the word whereby thou mightest enioy both true peace and all good thinges The reading of the historie of the destruction of this city doth make much to the right vnderstanding of this text A description of Gods wrath and most grieuous vengeance poured vpon the Iewes for their conteÌpt and disobedience God had plainly so ordained that at the feast of Easter at which time they came to Ierusalem out of all quarters the citie should be besieged and there were then gathered togither as Iosephus reporteth about thirty hundred thousand meÌ vpon whom the Lorde would shewe his grieuous indignation and wrath All the Apostles and Christians were departed and gone into the cuntrie of Herod not farre from Ierusalem The Lord tooke out the wheate and put the chaffe togither on an heape nowe there was so great a multitude of people that they might seeme to exceede not onely a citie but euen a kingdom And they were driuen into so great calamitie that all their vittells were spent and none at al left vnto them so that they were constrained to eate the strings of their bowes olde shoes dressing them in such maner as they could yea through the exceeding famine they were driuen to kil their owne children the souldiers tooke the flesh of children rosted from the mothers smelling the sauour of the rosted flesh two streetes of pigeons dunge was vnto them in steede of salte and was also very deare finally there was so great miserie so great slaughter and shedding of blood that it would not haue bene meruell for a stone to haue bene moued with pitie He that had seene it would haue thought that God could not haue bene so grieuously angry and so greatly haue afflicted a people Both houses and streets were filled with carkases dead through famine Notwithstanding the Iewes remained stil so obstinate and without vnderstanding that they gloried of God and would not yeelde them selues vntil the Emperour set vpon them with his whole power and tooke the citie which they were able to keepe no lenger And when as some of them were so craftie that they deuoured golde that it might not be takeÌ from them the Romane souldiers thought that they had all so done whereupon they flewe about two thousand and hauing ript their bellies sought for golde There was such a slaughter manquelling made that it seemed a miserable thing euen to the Gentiles wherefore Cesar commaunded that they should not be so slaine but led captiue and sould The Iewes were then sould so cheape that thirty were bought for a penny they were then dispersed through the whole world and were couÌted the most abiect people of all other as also at this day they are the most contemptible nation in the earth For they liue spred here and there without cities and cuntries of their owne neither can they be againe gathered togither into one place so that they shall neuer be able any more to erect their Priesthood and kingdom as they hope they shall Thus God reuenged the death of Christ all the Prophets thus were they recompensed for that they knewe not the time of their visitation Wherfore let vs be here admonished The example of the Iewes ought to admonish and moue other to know the time of their visitation for it belongeth not onely vnto vs but euen vnto all Germanie It is no iesting matter or sport neither is there any cause why we should perswade our selues that it will fall out otherwise with vs. The Iewes would not beleeue that euill should come vpon them vntil they had sufficiently tried it And we at this day are visited by the benefite of God he hath opened vnto vs a treasure his sacred and holy Gospell whereby we know his will and see how much we were subiect to the power of Satan but no man wil receiue this Gospell yea we contemne it and that which is more miserable we persecute and blaspheme it God is patient it pleaseth him to trie vs a while if we be not watchfull so that the word be againe taken from vs the same wrath and indignation which was poured forth vpon the Iewes shal also be poured forth vpon vs. For there is the same Word the same God the same Christ at this day that there was at that time whereupon vndoubtedly the punishment shal be the same or at the least as grieuous both in soule and body We make almost a sport trifling matter of the Gospel For no man embraceth it from his hart no man frameth his maners according vnto it Which is a manifest argument of blindnes O thing surely most miserable I feare lest the matter will shortly come to that passe that
all Germanie will fall togither vpon an heape which alas in part of the communaltie hath already had a lameÌtable beginning we haue lost a great multitude of people almost an hundred thousand men haue bene slaine onely betwene the feasts of Easter and Whitsontide It is a hard worke of God and I feare me the warre begon is not yet at an ende this is onely a forewarning and threatning wherby God would terrifie vs that we might diligently take heede to our selues it was nothing but the Foxes tayle if he come againe with his whippe he will scourge vs more grieuously But we will behaue our selues as the Iewes behaued them selues vntill there shall be place for no succour nor helpe Now we might preuent it now were the time to knowe what shoulde be best for vs and to receiue the Gospell with peace for at this day grace is offered vnto vs whereby we may liue peaceably but we suffer day to passe after day yeare after yeare applying our selues lesse to the Gospel then before No man doth now pray vnto God for the increase of his word no man receiueth it in his hart If so be that the time shall passe no prayers shal any more helpe We wey not this matter in our hart we thinke our selues safe we do not throughly perceiue the great miserie already come to passe neither doe we consider in our minds how miserably God punisheth vs with false prophets and sects which he on euery side sendeth vnto vs which preach so securely as if they had wholy receiued into their breast the spirit the comforter Those which we counted best of all doe goe away bring men into such a perplexity that they almost know not either what is to be done or not to be done But this is onely the beginning albeit sufficient horrible and cruell For there can not be greater affliction and miserie then if the Lord send amongst vs sects and false prophets which are so rash and bold that it is greatly to be lamented Notwithstanding the time of grace is nowe present Christ hath bene sent downe into the world hath bene borne man hath serued vs died for vs is risen againe from the dead hath sent vnto vs the spirit the comforter hath giuen vnto vs his word hath opened heauen so wide that al good things may be obtained of vs moreouer hath giuen vnto vs rich promises whereby he promiseth that he wil preserue vs both in this short and fraile time and in the eternal times in this life and in the life to come most plentifully pouring forth his grace vpon vs. God will not suffer the contempt of his grace and word to be vnpunished Wherefore the time of grace is now before our dores but we despise neglect it which God neither will neither can pardon For when as we contemne his word he threatneth punishmeÌt and will at the last punish vs although he should deferre it euen an hundred yeares but he will not deferre it so long And the more purely that the word is preached so much greater shal the punishment be But I feare greatly lest this punishment require the subuersion of all Germanie God graunt that in this thing I be a false prophet but I feare exceedingly that it wil come to passe God can not leaue this wickednes vnreuenged neither will he deferre long for the Gospell is so aboundantly preached that it was not so manifest euen in the Apostles time as it is at this day thankes be to Christ therefore Wherefore I feare much lest that all Germanie be spoyled yea and quite destroyed vnlesse we otherwise apply our selues to this matter We which haue long heard the Gospell ought to pray God from the hart that he would giue vs longer peace The Princes goe about to bring all thinges to passe by the sword whereby they goe too rashly and rigourously to worke Wherefore it is exceeding needefull that we should pray vnto God that his Gospell may spred farther abroad through Germanie euen vnto them which haue not yet heard it For if punishment come sodainly vpon vs our case shall be miserable then many soules shall be in daunger to be lost before the worde shall come vnto them I woulde wish therefore that we woulde not so cruelly despise the Gospell that precious treasure not onely for our owne sake but also for their sakes which are as yet to heare it A scourge is a litle begon God graunt that it may so stay that neither the Princes nor the communaltie be stirred vp to greater rage and furie For if that ciuill warre shoulde begin againe it were to be feared that it would haue none ende We doe like as the Iewes did who had a greater care of the belly then of God hauing more regard how to fill the belly then that they might be saued wherefore they lost both and that worthely For forasmuch as they would not receiue life God sent vnto them death so they lost both body and soule They pretended the same cause that we do We would willingly in deede embrace the Gospell if there were no daunger of body and goods wife children If we shall beleeue him sayd the Iewes the Romanes wil come and take away both our place and the nation which neuertheles came vnto them for that which the wicked man feareth falleth vpon him This was a lette and hinderance to the Iewes that they would not beleeue the wordes of God neither haue regard to the rich and large promises that he had made vnto them So also doe we we regard not the mighty and comfortable promises which Christ hath made vnto vs as where he sayth He shall receiue an hundreth fold more Matth. 19.29 and shal inherit euerlasting life Leaue thy wife and children I will preserue them I will restore them so as thou goest to work boldly in my name Thinkest thou that I can not build thee other houses countest thou me so simple who will giue vnto thee heauen wilt thou not put thy self in daunger for my sake if thy goods be taken from thee it is wel with thee heauen and earth are mine I will recompence thee aboundantly These and such like sayings we passe ouer yea and also contemne hauing diligent consideration only what we haue layd vp in our chest and that our purse may be full neither doe we see that euen that which we haue God hath giuen vnto vs will as yet giue vs more if we beleeue and trust in him neither doe we marke if that we lose God we shall lose the belly also The faithful refuse not to suffer perill and trouble for God his sake Howbeit they that beleeue in God doe not auoide perill if it come for his sake but commit all things to his diuine power that he may order them according to his will and thus they thinke The Lord hath giuen me both a house and the furniture thereof wife children c. I haue not obtained
this place is inferred that we are all synners but especially they whose life hath a goodly outward shew onely This is the former part of this text namely the preaching of the law Now followeth the other part which is the preaching of the Gospell which declareth how we may fulfill the lawe and from whence that fulfilling is to be taken which we shall learne of that Samaritane What doth the Lawyer moreouer after that the Lord had thus delt with him He saith the Euangelist willing to iustifie himselfe spake vnto the Lord asked him as followeth Who is then my neighbour He asketh not Who is my God As if he sayd I owe nothing vnto God neither do I want any thing before God yea it seemeth vnto me that I do neither owe any thing to any man neuertheles I would willingly know who is my neighbour The Lord aunswering him bringeth forth a most goodly similitude whereby he declareth that we are all neighbours one to an other as well he that giueth a benefit as he that receiueth and needeth one although by the text it seemeth to appeare that he onely is a neighbour which bestoweth a benefit vpon an other But the Scripture maketh here no difference sometime calling him our neighbour which bestoweth a benefit sometime him that receiueth a benefite By this similitude the Lord inferreth in these wordes Go and do thou likewise so that that Lawyer had offended not onely against God but also against man and wanted not onely loue towardes God but also loue towardes his neighbour vnto whom he had not done that good which he ought This wretched felow is brought into such a case that he is found wholy euell eueÌ from the head to the feete How came it to passe that he being most skillfull of the Scripture could not beware of this So fell it out he led a pharisaicall hypocriticall and counterfaite life which had not regarde vnto his neigbour and to succour and helpe others but sought thereby onely glorie and honour before men and so looked by negligent dissolute liuing to come to heauen But ye haue heard verie often that a Christian life consisteth in this A Christian life that we deale with faith and the heart in thinges that pertaine vnto God but vse our life and workes towards our neighbour and that I must not looke while my neighbour seeketh a benefite and requireth some thing of me but according to my duty must preuent his asking of myne owne accord offer my liberalitie vnto him Now we will see what the parable containeth in it The Samaritane in this place is without all doute our Lord Iesus Christ who hath declared his loue toward God and men The loue of Christ toward God men Toward God in that he descended from heauen and was incarnate and so fulfilled the will of his father Toward men for that by and by after baptisme he beganne to preach to worke miracles to heale the sicke neither was there any worke that he did which did concerne himselfe onely but all his workes were directed to his neighbour being made our minister when as notwithstanding he is aboue all and equall to God but he did all these thinges for that he knew that they did please God and that it was the will of his father When he had ascended to the heighth of the commaundement that he loued God with all his heart he left and committed the life of his body and whatsoeuer he had to the pleasure and will of his father saying Father behold all thinges that I haue my life and soule are readie at thy will I leaue for thy sake the glorie and honour which I haue had among men yea and all thinges how good soeuer they be that the world may vnderstand how greatly I loue thee My father let for thy sake my wisedome be contemned that the worlde may count me for the foolishest of all Now make I my selfe most coÌtemptible of all other who was before praised of the whole world Now am I as a most wicked theefe who before was liberall profitable and beneficial to the whole world My father I make no account of all these thinges that I may be found obedient to thy will This is that Samaritane who being desired by no prayers came fulfilled the law with his whole heart he alone hath fulfilled it which praise none can take from him he alone hath deserued it and to him onely it appertaineth But whereas he is touched with care of the wouÌded man hath compassion on him byndeth vp his woundes bringeth him with him into an Inne The wounded man the theeues that spoiled him prouideth for him that pertaineth vnto vs. The man which lieth half dead wounded beaten spoiled is Adam yea and all we The theeues which spoiled vs wounded vs and left vs halfe dead as yet a litle paÌting are the Deuels The horse and his sitter do here fall downe we are not able to helpe our selues and if we should be left lying so we should die through great anguish and distres our woundes would become festred and our affliction miserable and exceeding great This excellent parable is set before our eyes liuely painting forth vnto vs what we are what is the strength of our reason and free will If that wretched man had gone about to helpe himselfe his case would haue bene made worse he would haue hurt himselfe he would haue opened his woundes with rubbing so would haue fallen into greater calamitie Againe if he had bin left lying it had bin all one So it commeth to passe when we are left to our selues our studies and endeuour surely are nothing howsoeuer we set vpon the matter Hitherto sundrie waies diuers meanes haue bin inuented whereby we might come vnto heauen and amend our life this man found out this an other that whereupon haue increased innumerable sortes of Orders letters of indulgences pilgrimages to saincts which did alwayes make that state of Christianitie worse This is the world which is painted forth in this wounded man he being wholy laden with synnes fainteth vnder so heauie a burden and is not able to helpe him selfe But the Samaritane who hath fulfilled the Lawe and is perfectly sound and whole commeth and doth more then either the Priest or Leuite he byndeth vp his woundes poureth in oyle and wine setteth him vpon his owne beast bringeth him with him vnto an Inne maketh prouision for him and when he should depart diligently commendeth him to the host and leaueth with him sufficient for expenses none of which either the Priest or Leuite did By the Priest the holy Fathers are signified The Priest Leuite which passed by the wouÌded maÌ which flourished before Moses The Leuite is a representation of the Priesthood of the old Testament Now all these could do nothing by their workes but passed by like vnto this Priest and Leuite Wherefore although I had all the good workes of
be one such fouÌd in the earth For we alwayes finde our selues readier to wrath hatred enuie worldly pleasure c then to meekenes other vertues I finde in me not onely a sparke but euen a fierie fornace of wicked lust for there is no loue in myne heart no not in all my members Wherefore here in the Lawe as it were in a certaine glasse I see whatsoeuer is in me to be damnable and cursed For not one iote of the Law must perish but all must be fulfilled Matth. 5 18. as Christ saith Truly I say vnto you till heaueÌ earth passe one iote or title of the Lawe shall not scape till all be fulfilled Now thou fyndest not this in thee that thou doest with all thy soule and heart with cheerefulnes and pleasure whatsoeuer the Law exacteth and requireth of thee Hereupon thou art damned and vnder the dominion of Satan The Lawe therefore serueth vs thus farre to teach vs that we are condemned for by it we fynde all wicked desyres in vs and yet not so much as a sparke of them ought to be in vs. Howbeit our Scholemen not marking this haue taught that if one do according to his abilitie God doeth giue his grace vnto him They are blynde guides They graunt themselues that a man is caried with no pleasure or cheerefulnes to that which is good and yet do they also teach if one worketh although it be with griefe difficultie and slouthfulnes that it is well with him before God But Christ hath taught otherwise in this place that we should worke that which is good with pleasure and loue readines and facilitie Whom therefore shall we rather beleeue Christ or the Scholemen but I leaue that to your iudgement Of such corrupt and euell vnderstanding of the Lawe Monasteries afterwardes came whereby entred in this opinion that it was thought to be sufficient to saluation to liue in a Monasterie and to follow the orders thereof although that were done euen with griefe of mynde We must worke with pleasure and cheerefulnes not with grudging or griefe So they taught But Christ will haue vs to worke with pleasure and cheerefulnes so that if any thinge be done with burden or griefe of conscience it is synne remoue thy selfe therefore quickly from such a worke Wherefore thus it might be said vnto them Behold O man thou miserable creature oughtest to be caried with a certaine delight to the doinge of the lawe of God but thou commest with no pleasure or cheerefulnes hereunto now see that thou shew thy pleasure and loue herein otherwise thou shalt be the enemie of God and the friend of Satan thus men leauing their owne rashnes might come to the knowledge of themselues and might then say Therefore O God am I condemned and that not vniustly Hereupon it followeth that we are all vnder Satan as long as we feele in vs this difficultie and hardnes to doe that which is good Wherefore if I should speake the trueth I should say thus I fynde in deede somethinge that is good in the lawe of God but it is my death and if it could be I would wish that it were not So are all men affected in their heart as S. Paule plainly teacheth Rom. 7. If we should remaine in such condemnation we must needes perish for euer There is therefore an other part that is the Gospell The office of the Gospell which sheweth comfort and saluation declaring where that is to be had whereby the Lawe is fulfilled When therefore I know by the Lawe that I am a condemned man then ly I halfe dead among theeues Satan hath spoiled my soule and hath moreouer in Adam taken away all faith all righteousnes and hath left nothing but bodily life which is also qulckly extinguished Then come Leuites and Priestes which teach this and that but can helpe nothing and so passe by But when the Samaritane commeth he helpeth that is when Christ commeth he sheweth his mercy vnto vs saying after this sort Behold thou oughtest in deede to loue God with all thine heart but thou doest it not now beleeue onely in me thou shalt enioy my obedience as thine owne this onely helpeth me Then he putteth me on his owne beast that is on himselfe and carieth me into the Inne that is into the Church of the faithfull then he by and by poureth his grace into me that is oyle that I may feele my selfe to be layd vpon his shoulder that at the last maketh me to be of a good cheere quiet well affected in conscience Afterward he poureth in wine also which with his sharpnes may abate tame the force of old Adam And yet am I not so wholy restored vnto health health is in deede poured in begon but not yet wholy finished then Christ hath care of me by his grace poured into me doth purifie me that froÌ day to day I may become more chast meeke geÌtle faithfull c vntill I wholy dy for then I shal be altogether made perfect So when we shall come to God the father and be asked of him whether we beleeued in God whether we loued him c the Samaritane Christ our Lord who hath layed vs on his owne beast will come forth and saye Loe Father although they haue not wholy fulfilled thy Lawe yet haue I fulfilled it suffer thou that to turne to the commoditie of them that beleeue in me So is it needefull that all the Saincts albeit verie holy be layed vpon the backe of Christ If so be that the holiest of all as the Priestes and Leuites could not satisfie the Lawe how shall we go about with our fained workes as with shauing habit c to fulfill the same O wretched miserable calamitie These things shall now suffize to haue bin spoken concerning this text Let vs pray vnto God that he will giue vs his grace **** A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THE EXERCISE AND INCREASING OF FAITH Iohn 4. Verse 46. THere was a certeine ruler whose sonne was sicke at Capernaum 47. When he heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Galile he weÌt vnto him besought him that he would go downe heale his sonne for he was euen ready to die 48. Then said Iesus vnto him Except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue 49. The ruler said vnto him Syr goe downe before my sonne die 50. Iesus said vnto him Goe thy waie thy sonne liueth and the man beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and went his waye 51. And as he was now going downe his seruauÌts met him saying Thy sonne liueth 52. Then enquired he of them the houre when he beganne to amend And they said vnto him yesterdaye the seuenth houre the feuer lefte him 53. Then the father knew that it was the same houre in the which Iesus had said vnto him Thy sonne liueth and he beleeued and all his household 54. This second miracle
falleth out with many other men also that they haue their children sicke but that which he sayth afterward is to be marked VVhen he heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Galile he went vnto him and besought him that he woulde goe downe and heale his sonne for he was euen ready to dye Here faith beginneth and trusteth in Christ Nowe that he had faith the Gospell declareth for he heard of Christ how he healed the sicke thereupon his hart was set vpon him and he resorteth vnto him thinking thus If he helpeth all men he will also helpe me and will heale my sonne He counteth Christ for such a man as is able to helpe men and hopeth and promiseth to him selfe all goodnes from him and that in deede is a true Christian hart which cleaueth fast vnto God If that this ruler had stoode in a place or way hauing two pathes douting with him selfe he had not gone vnto Christ but his hart would haue bene thus affected He helpeth others in deede but who can tell whether he will help me also Howbeit he doth not thus dout of Christ but riseth and maketh hast vnto him This is the beginning of faith now ye shal see how Christ meeteth him on the other side and aunswereth otherwise then he thought for that his faith might be tried and thus he sayth vnto him Except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue Christ sayd also to S. Peter Matth. 14 VVhy doost thou dout O thou of litle faith Peter vndoutedly had faith did beleue in Christ whereupon he committed him selfe to the water but when he saw the winde he was afraide and beganne to be drowned so in this place that good man heareth a good report of Christ that he helpeth euery man which he beleeueth and therefore resorteth vnto him But when he heareth that Christ denieth to come he stumbleth and his faith faileth fearing that Christ would not come vnto him This is as it were an assault sore blowe here his new begun faith beginneth to be tempted It was a hard saying except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue which saying doth so tempt him and bring him into dout that he almost falleth Satan standing at his backe sayth vnto him get thee home and looke to thy busines for he will not helpe thee Notwithstanding the ruler did not by and by leaue of but prayed the Lorde moreouer Lorde come downe before my sonne dye Here his faith began to be in daunger to faile but God doth not forsake him but lifteth him vp againe and sayth vnto him Goe thy way thy sonne liueth If the ruler had not had faith he woulde not haue requested Christ to come to his sonne What therefore doth he want euen this he beleeued if Christ came to his house he coulde then helpe his sonne if he did not come he could not helpe him Neither did his faith extende so farre as to beleeue that Christ euen being absent could heale the sicke but it behoued that he should haue a higher faith Wherfore Christ lifteth him vp and setteth him in a higher state and sayth vnto him Goe thy way thy sonne liueth Here he first ascendeth from his former faith whereby he beleeued that Christ could heale being present and commeth to a higher faith so that now he beleeueth the word For if he had not beleeued the word he would not haue left Christ neither would haue departed from him vntill he had come with him to his house But hauing layd holde on the word he cleaueth vnto it by faith for his sonne is at home and Christ is with his father Wherefore the Father receiueth this word in his hart and thinketh with him selfe after this sort My sonne is sicke but I shall find him whole which faith was contrary both to reason experience Reason would haue thought thus When I came from my sonne he was sicke True faith leaueth all wisedom and reason and trusteth to the onely word of God as I did leaue him so shall I find him But faith sayth otherwise it resteth onely in the word trusteth wholy vnto it neither douteth it that any thing will fall out otherwise then the word speaketh Goe thy way thy sonne liueth This is a right and a stronge faith when as man leaueth sense wisedome reason and trusteth wholy to the worde of God Christ sayth thy sonne liueth And he sayth with him selfe without dout it is true I shall so find it So faith remaineth not idle nor resteth but increaseth and goeth forward Thus Christ dealeth with vs also he suffereth vs to be tempted that we may increase in faith if in the ende of our life when we must dye we shall haue but a sparke of such faith we shall be in a good case as Christ sayth vnto his Disciples Matth. 17 If ye haue faith as much as is a graine of musterd seede ye shal say vnto this mountaine Remoue hence to yonder place it shall be remoued and nothing shal be vnpossible vnto you A graine of musterd seede is but a small thing but he that hath faith agreeable to the smalnes of this graine shall be saued Neither must we so much coÌsider this that our faith is litle but we must looke vnto this we must haue regard vnto this that the graine of musterd seede do remaine and be not eaten vp of the birdes that Satan plucke not faith out of our hartes We must not looke how litle the faith is but we must regarde and take heede that faith be not taken away Peter had faith vpon the sea and therefore was he caried of the water that he should not be drowned if he had so perseuered in faith he might well haue walked an hundred miles vpon the sea but when he fayled in faith he began to be drowned So Moses had a stronge faith but he fell from it It consisteth not in the strength or slendernes of faith that we doe stand but in perseuering and remaining faithfull It may be that he shall perseuer in faith which hath but a slender faith and he that hath a strong faith shall fall and dout Moses and Peter had an excellent faith so that Moses by faith did leade the people through the middest of the sea and death and Peter without douting went downe out of the ship into the sea but they fall from their faith howbeit God raiseth them vp quickly again But the Theefe on the crosse hauing once layd hold of faith continued constant Nowe God therefore suffereth it to be thus that he may bring down rash arrogancie that we doe not gloriously extol our selues but alwaies remaine in feare awe For when tentation commeth vpon vs we doe forthwith fal into errour if God do not assist strengthen vs of which thinge we may see a very goodly similitude in a tree A proper apt similitude which in the spring time buddeth and openeth it selfe so that it
hast grace restored Howbeit he requireth this of thee that thou also forgiue thy neighbour all things which he hath coÌmitted against thee otherwise thou shalt not be in this kingdoÌ of grace neither shalt becoÌe partaker of that which the Gospell preacheth that thy sinnes may be forgiuen thee This briefly is the summe meaning of this text Moreouer we must not here omit to declare who they be that receiue the Gospell and vnto whom it is acceptable For surely that kingdom and gouernment wherin God reigneth and ruleth by the Gospell is most excellent and gentle forasmuch as in it meere forgiuenes of sinnes is preached howebeit it pearseth not into the hart of euery one neither is it considered or esteemed of all For thou mayst finde many light and vnconstant men Abuse of the Gospell who abuse the Gospel and leade their life dissolutely and loosely doing what they list who thinke that they should be rebuked of none seeing that the Gospel teacheth nothing but forgiuenes of sinnes The Gospell is not preached to these who do so vilely esteeme of a precious treasure and deale lightly with it Wherefore neither doe they pertaine to this kingdom but to worldly gouernment that they may be stopped let from doing whatsoeuer they like and list To whom the Gospel is preached To whom then is it preached to them which throughly feele such miserie as this seruaunt did here Wherefore consider what happeneth vnto him The Lord taketh pitie of his miserie forgiueth him more then he durst desire But before this is done the text sayth the Lord first tooke account of his seruaunts and when he began to recken one was brought vnto him which owed him ten thousand talents and because he had nothing to pay his Lord commaunded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that he had and the dette to be payed Which truely were no pleasant wordes but euen exceeding seueritie and most terrible iudgement then is he brought into so great perplexitie and distresse that he falleth downe on the ground and asketh mercie and promiseth more then he hath or is able to pay saying Lord refraine thyne anger toward me and I will pay thee all Here is set forth vnto vs who they be vnto whom the Gospell is acceptable For so commeth it to passe betwene God and vs. When God will take an account of vs he sendeth forth the preaching of his law The preaching of the law whereby we learne to know what we ought to doe as when God sayth to the conscience Thou shalt worship no other God but shalt acknowledge me alone for God shalt loue me with all thine hart and repose thy trust and hope in me onely This is the booke of accounts wherein is written what we owe which he taking into his hands readeth before vs and sayth Lo this thou oughtest to haue done thou oughtest to feare loue and worship me alone thou oughtest to trust in me alone and from me to promise to thy selfe all good thinges Howbeit thou doost otherwise thou art mine aduersarie thou beleeuest not in me but reposest thy trust in other things and in a summe thou feest here that thou doost not obserue so much as the least point of the lawe When the conscience hath heard these thinges and the law hath touched one well he seeth then what he ought to doe and what he hath not done and findeth that he hath not kept so much as a letter of the law and is compelled to confesse that he hath not performed that obedience and dutie which God iustly requireth of him What doth the Lord now When the conscience is thus touched and feeleth it selfe condemned and is distressed with exceeding great miserie he sayth Sell him and whatsoeuer he hath and let him pay the det This is the iudgement which forthwith followeth when the law hath reuealed sinne and sayd This thou must doe that thou oughtest to haue done and thou hast done nothing thereof for to sinne is required punishment that man may be compelled to pay For God hath not so made his lawe that he doth not punish them that transgresse it It is not sweete pleasant but bringeth bitter and horrible paine with it it deliuereth vs to Satan it casteth vs downe to hell and leaueth vs wrapped in tentation vntill we haue payed the vtmost farthing This S. Paule hath notably well declared Rom. 4 where he sayth The law worketh nothing but wrath That is when it reuealeth vnto vs that we haue done vniustly it setteth nothing before vs but wrath indignation For when the conscienee seeth that it hath committed euill it feeleth that it hath deserued eternall death after which followeth punishment whereupon it is compelled to despeire This is that that the Lorde commaundeth this seruaunt togither with all his substance to be solde forasmuch as he is not able to pay But what doth the seruaunt say the foolish fellow thinketh yet that he shall pay the dette he falleth downe and prayeth that he wil haue patience with him This is the wound and crosse of all consciences that when sinne biteth them so that they feele in how euill case they are before God there is no rest in them but they runne hither and thither seeking about that they may be deliuered from sinnes rashly take vpon them as yet to do so great thinges as wherewith they shall pay God Superstitious meanes inuented by men to be deliuered from sinne and to purchase Gods fauour as we hitherto haue bene instructed whereupon came so many pilgrimages collegiate houses Monasteries Masses other trifles We pyned our selues with fasting we scourged our selues with whippes we were made Monkes and Nunnes therefore onely for that we went about to leade such a life and to do such and so many works as whereunto God might haue respect and thereby be pacified thinking so to appease and make quiet our consciences so we committed the same thinges that this foolish fellow did Such a hart as is touched with the lawe throughly feeleth it owne miserie and calamitie is humbled truely and in deede Whereupon it falleth downe before the Lord and craueth mercy Howbeit it is yet defiled with this vice that it striueth to helpe it selfe which thinge can not be taken away from nature When as the conscience feeleth such miserie it dareth presume to promise more then all the Angells in heauen are able to performe Then is it an easie matter to persuade it to apply it selfe to doe whatsoeuer can be required of it For it findeth it selfe alwayes in such a case that it hopeth that it is able by workes to satisfie for sinnes Consider those thinges which haue bene hitherto of longe time done in the world then shalt thou find these thinges to be so For thus was it preached Giue somewhat to the building of a Church Get to be admitted into an holy Monasterie institute Masses and thy sinnes shall be forgiuen thee
And when consciences were vrged in confession they would not sticke to say Whatsoeuer was enioined vs we haue omitted nothing of it yea we haue giuen more then we were commaunded Miserable men reioyced that by this meanes they might prouide for them selues and therefore they pyned and afflicted them selues that they might be vnburdened of their sinnes yet did it preuaile them nothing For the conscience remained in dout as before that it knewe not how it stoode before God But if it were secure and quiet it fell into that which is worse to thinke that God hath respect vnto workes neither can reason doe any other but depend of works The Lord therfore is touched with affection of mercy toward that misery wherew t the seruaunt so entangled snared with sinnes is holden taking pitie vpon him doth forgiue and dimisse him Here is now set forth vnto vs what is the special office qualitie of the gospel how God dealeth with vs. When thou art so drowned in sinnes weariest thy self that thou mayst deliuer thy selfe from them the Gospell commeth to thee The preaching of the Gospell sayth Doe not so deare brother it preuaileth nothing although thou afflict and torment thy selfe euen til thou be mad thy works do not profit but the mercy of God shall deliuer thee who is touched with thy miserie for he seeth thee wrapped in calamitie wearying thy self that thou mayst deliuer thy selfe out of the myre yet art not able he I say hath regard vnto this that thou art not able to pay wherupon he forgiueth thee all and that of his meere mercie For he doth not forgiue thee the dette eyther for thy workes or merits but for that he taketh pittie vppon thy crie complainte and mourning and thy falling downe before his knees that is God hath respect to an humbled hart as the Prophet sayth Psal 51 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken contrite hart O God shalt thou not despise Such a hart he saith as is broken and humbled which is not able to helpe it selfe but craueth the helpe of God and reioyceth in it such a heart is an acceptable sacrifice to God and he that hath it is in the right way to heauen Now God hauing shewed this mercy vnto him and taken pitie on his miserie ceasseth to followe his right and abrogateth it and sayth no more Sell whatsoeuer thou hast and pay the dette although he might go forward and say Thou must paye for this my lawe requireth which I will not haue abrogated for thy sake yet will he not deale with him by the lawe but chaungeth the lawe into grace and fauour taketh pittie on him and dimisseth him with his wife children and all his substance and doth also forgiue him the dette This is that which God suffereth to be preached by the Gospell vnto him that beleeueth is remitted not onely the fault but also the punishment and that of meere mercy not for any works sake For he that preacheth that by workes the fault and the punishment may be put awaie hath euen then denied the Gospell Mercy and merit caÌ not agree togither forasmuch as these two can not agree togither that God hath mercy on thee and yet that thou doest merit some thinge For if it be grace it is not merit but if it be merit then shall it not be grace but dette for if thou pay thy dette he sheweth thee no mercy but if he sheweth thee mercy thou doest not make payment Wherefore we must needes acknowledge his mercie toward vs we must receiue of him and beleeue in him which the Gospel here requireth After therefore that this seruaunt is thus humbled with the knowledge of his synne the word is exceeding comfortable vnto him wherein the Lord pronounceth him free and forgiueth him both the fault and the punishment Whom the preaching of the Gospell profiteth Whereby is also declared that it toucheth not sluggish hearts that feele no synne neither those that are caried with rashnes but onely such afflicted consciences as are pressed with the heauie burden of their synnes which do greatly desire to be deliuered from them of them God hath mercy and forgiueth them all Wherefore it behoued this seruaunt to receiue the word for vnles he had receiued it forgiuenes had profited nothing nay there had bene no forgiuenes at all It is not therefore enough that God suffereth remission of synnes and a golden yeare full of grace to be preached vnto vs but it is necessarie that we receiue and beleeue it in heart If thou beleeue thou art free from synnes This is the first part of a Christian life which both this place and diuers other in the Gospels do teach vs which consisteth properly in faith which alone hath to do before God whereby also is shewed that the Gospell can not be receiued but of a troubled and miserable conscience Herupon now may be inferred that they are plaine delusions whatsoeuer thinges are any otherwise taught concerning our workes and free will to wit that they put away sinnes and obtaine grace For the diuine maiestie alone beholding our miserie hath pittie vpon vs for the text sheweth manifestly that God pardoneth and forgiueth them that haue nothing and concludeth that we haue nothing left wherewith we may pay God Howsoeuer therefore thou hast free will in temporall matters yet thou hearest here that it is nothing before God Wherefore if thou desire to be deliuered from thy synnes thou must ceasse to trust in any of thy workes and must plainly despeire concerning them and flie vnto Christ pray vnto God for grace finally receiue the Gospell by faith Now followeth the other part wherein the felow seruaunt also is delt with This seruaunt now hath enough he saueth his body goods wife children c. and hath his Lord fauourable vnto him Wherfore he should surely be very foolish if he should now depart and do what he is able for the reconciliation of his Lord for his Lord might worthely say that he is mocked of him He hath neede therefore of no worke but that he receiue such grace fauour as is offered him so may he be of a good cheere giuing thankes to his Lord and dealing so with others as his Lord hath delt with him After the same sort is it with vs for when we beleeue we haue God fauourable mercifull vnto vs neither do we neede any thing more We must endeuour by our workes to profit our neighbour not seeke to obtaine Gods fauour but now it were time that we should forthwith die Notwithstanding if we must as yet liue still in the earth our life ought to be ordered so that we seeke not to obtaine the fauour of God by workes For he that doth this doth mocke dishonour God as it hath bin hitherto taught that God is to be sollicited so song by good workes prayers fastings such like vntill we obtaine
this prayer he shewed his faith which faith being perceiued the Lorde could not but graunt his desire wherefore rising forthwith he went with him in this going this historie of the woman came to passe which had bene diseased of an issue of blood twelue yeares as we haue now hearde When therefore the Lorde was entred into the Rulers house he sawe the minstrells and the multitude making noyse which were there according to the lawe of Moses and did sounde the trumpet and pipes as in our cuntrie they ringe the bells to gather the people togither But he commaunded the multitude to go forth saying The child is not dead but sleepeth And they laught him to scorne and mocked him Which giueth vs to vnderstand The preaching of the Gospell is contemned and counted foolishnes of the world that when it is preached that Christ is he which saueth that our works preuaile nothing then the world can not conteine it selfe but that it scorneth mocketh for it can not be persuaded that Christ doth helpe and succour euen as this people without all dout sayd after this sort Beholde what an excellent Maister and a goodly Phisitian he is what could he haue holpen which knoweth not yet what it is to sleepe and what to be dead This title must needes remayne to the Gospell in the world that the preaching thereof is counted foolish and contemptible For Satan can not abide that honour should be giuen to this Gospel before the world for it bringeth but smal commoditie to his kingdom which forasmuch as he perceiueth full well he practizeth all craftes and wiles that he may either altogither hinder it or at the least make it to preuaile litle with them that be his whose hartes he hath wholy blinded and possessed that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ shoulde not shine vnto them as S. Paule sayth 2. Cor. 4. Neither yet can it be that this preaching of Christ should not be frutefull forasmuch as it is not vttered in vaine for albeit it be receiued but of a few that doth not greatly skill When therefore Satan perceiueth any thing to be taken from him and that that preaching is ordained plainly against his kingdom Satan a most grieuous enemie to the preaching of the Gospell he doth without delay pursue it contemne it and assaile it on euery side that euen now he is fierce and rageth in the whole world For the Gospell of Christ ouerthroweth whatsoeuer the world and Satan delight in and whatsoeuer to the worlde seemeth most holy goodly For the worlde imagineth to it selfe such a God as hath regard to our good workes and will be pleased with the erecting of Masses and vigiles for them that are departed with Rosaries as they call them habit shauing and whatsoeuer other trifles are vsed in the Papacie Now if there come any which bringeth the Gospell and inueyeth against these vaine toyes of the Pope and sayth that they are nothing worth but are meere delusions inasmuch as they are repugnant to Christ and the Scripture he is counted a most wicked felow and therefore must be punished he is reproued as an heretike and a seducer of the people so that they burst forth into great wordes and say wilt thou gouerne all the whole world doost thou thinke thy selfe the wisest man that is and were our forefathers foolish and without all vnderstanding many holy men haue done these workes and haue preached of them and wilt thou come and turne them all to nothing thou shalt not doe it Then rage and furie beginneth yea persecution slaying and murdering and the Deuill will seeme to haue a iust cause howsoeuer the matter goeth Thus much shall suffize at this time concerning this text Now ye must take especial heede that out of the Gospells ye learne throughly how all things consist in the onely person whose name is Christ and lay vp this in the depth of your hart that a Christian hath his name of Christ For I know how much it auaileth both in tentation and in aduersitie to hold that fast Let vs now by prayer call for the grace of God that at the last we may with most earnest zeale and harty affection embrace true Christianitie Amen **** A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE GOSPELL ON SAINCT THOMAS DAY CONCERNING THE VVORKS VVHICH Christ hath wrough for vs wherin is contained a most sweete consolation against the Law Sinne Death and Satan Ioh. 20. Verse 24. THomas one of the twelue called Didimus was not with them wheÌ Iesus came 25. The other Disciples therfore sayd vnto him we haue seene the Lord but he said vnto them Except I see in his hands the print of the nayles and put my finger into the print of the nayles and put mine hand into his side I will not beleeue it 26. And eyght dayes after agayne his Disciples were within Thomas with them TheÌ came Iesus when the dores were shut and stoode in the middes and sayd Peace be vnto you 27. After sayd he to Thomas Put thy finger here and see myne handes put forth thyne hand and put it into my side and be not faithles but faithfull 28. Then Thomas aunswered and sayd vnto him Thou art my Lord and my God 29. Iesus sayd vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued The summe of this Gospell 1 THomas doth not beleeue that Christ is risen from the dead but when he seeth and feeleth him 2 The Disciples beleue not without manifest signes But blessed are they that haue not seene but doe beleeue the word onely 3 It is a great matter to know Christ God and man He which attaineth to this knowledg of Christ feareth neither sinne nor death neither the deuill nor hell briefly he is quiet from all anguish tentation For he hath a greater and mightier then he which is in the world as Iohn sayth in his first Epistle chap. 4. The exposition of this Gospell I Know nothing more certaine concerning S. Thomas then that which this Gospell mentioneth of him Other things which are written of him in the booke of Legends are most impudent lyes And albeit they were partly true yet haue they no authoritie neither make vs any thing the better Wherfore we will leaue them vntouched speake something of this Gospel which shal be more profitable necessary for vs then all those Legends The former part of this Gospell fell out about the euentyde of the Passeouer when two had returned from Emmaus shewed vnto the other Disciples that the Lorde was risen againe The latter part fell out the eight day after the Passeouer It is meruelous how comfortable this Gospell is shewing vnto you the frutes of faith namely peace and ioye as Paule sayth Rom. 5 being iustified therefore by faith we haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ But now we will entreat in few wordes
also for that they had seene the miracles whereby he gaue testimonie of the Sonne and had heard the voyce of the Father from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him All these thinges did greatly increase faith in the Disciples hearts notwithstanding they did not yet vnderstand what they should doe and what ende concerning the matters of Christ was to be hoped for Set before you an example hereof in Abraham Although in faith a sonne was conceiued vnto him neuertheles he was yet ignorant that he must be offered Neither did faith manifestly shew it selfe when a sonne was giuen vnto him So was it also with the Disciples although they had faith notwithstanding they wanted as yet triall of their faith Now nothing trieth faith better then the crosse and persecution If Abraham had not bene commaunded to offer his sonne he had had no triall of his faith When as the Apostles did suffer persecution they then had a tast and triall of their faith As longe as we may liue without tentation we thinke that we are endued with a strong faith but if any aduersitie commeth to vs on any side we byandby trie what faith we rested vpon Wherfore S. Paul sayth Rom. 5 VVe reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed After the same sort Salomon also sayth in the Prouerbs As siluer is fined and golde tryed in the fornace Pro. 17.3 so doth the Lord trie the harts Such a triall is made by the crosse and persecution when we are as it were crucified according to our old Adam by which crucifying our faith is tried and according to this trial of faith our flesh mortified the spirit encreasing in the knowledge of Christ And then is our flesh truely mortified when we suffer the will of God to beare rule in vs which is then done when we submit our selues to his will howsoeuer he dealeth with vs renouncing our owne This S. Paule will haue vs to doe when he sayth thus Rom. 12 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashioÌ not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged by the renuing of your minde that ye may proue what that good and acceptable and perfect vvil of God is When Thomas thus confesseth that he is ignorant whither the Lord goeth neither knoweth the way the Lord doth not rebuke him with a sterne countenance neither by and by casteth him of nor driueth him froÌ him he calleth him not either a grosse asse or oxe as we are wont to handle the weake but aunswering him very gently Christ the way the truth and the life sayth I am the vvay the truth and the life I sayth the Lord am the way by which the father is gone vnto albeit I be slayne I cary them that beleeue and are my sheepe on my shoulders to the Father no other way beside this leadeth vnto heauen He that walketh not this way goeth out of the way from the Father I also am the truth For I am the light which lightneth the worlde and I teach true doctrine and make true Christians Moreouer I also am the life for it is I that quicken he that beleeueth in me shall not dye This as I sayd before is to teach the Gospell rightly that is to shew the true and right way which leadeth vnto eternall life When the Disciples knew not the way that leadeth vnto glory the Lorde making no delay affirmeth vnto them that he is that way As if he should say If ye desire to know the way to glory seeke not the strength light and righteousnes of creatures but looke vnto me for I am the way the truth and the life although I must be put to death although I am vile and of no reputation according to the outward appearance neither let this offend you that they which be mine are subiect to persecutions The right way to the father is found in me let none remoue you from this perswasion Therefore he sayth moreouer No man commeth vnto the Father but by me As if he should say No man can come to the Father by his owne strength or merits The lawe terrifieth the conscience that it can not goe to the Father the word of Christ which iustifieth vs by the righteousnes of Christ bringeth vs to the Father Whereupon followeth that which he afterward sayth If ye had knovvne me ye should haue knovvne my Father also For as no man commeth to the Father but by the Sonne so no man knoweth the Father but by Christ the Sonne First the Fathers will is not knowne to wit that he wil saue vs vnles we see it in Christ He which is in the bosom of the Father hath reuealed it vnto vs. Secondly the Father is not beleeued For reason by it selfe doth not vnderstand that it receiueth any thing of God Wherefore it is needefull that Christ declare that bountifulnes and goodnes vnto vs. A troubled conscience flieth the Father neither can it abide to commit it self vnto him But they that are iustified by the word of Christ do not any more contemne the Father neither flie him as the Israelites did but stande before him as Moses and are enlightened with diuine light that they may know the power of God and mercie of the Father Hereupon commeth trust and confidence in him hereby we knowe that we receiue all thinges at his handes and looke for all as well spiritual as corporal things of him All these we must acknowledge to be receiued by faith reason can not attaine vnto them For it endeuoureth to obtaine God by her owne strength and merits but that endeuour is in vaine Wherefore when it is not able to come to the knowledge of God by her owne strength it vtterly denieth God and sayth that there is no God After when it seeth vncleannes in her workes it despeireth and is in most great distres But when we are iustified by foolish preaching we come to the knowledge of God the Father as soone as we beleeue the word of Christ and so we trie the power of the Father in afflictions and aduersities although they be euen great This was shadowed forth in that that the people of Israell could not abide to heare the voice of God but desired that Moses might speake vnto them Where Christ also was figured that he should make intercession for vs to the Father and be our mercy seat For nature is more weake fraile then that it can abide to talke with God Wherefore he hath giuen vnto vs this his Sonne a Mediatour in whom and by whom we must haue to doe with him When as the Lord so louingly and gently dealeth with Thomas and sheweth vnto him howe he must come to the Father to wit by the Sonne and that the