them to condemne them selues an hundreth tymes But it is great pitie that the diuel hath so ruled and reigned amongst them as that hee hath for these fourteene hundreth yeeres so blinded those that name themselues Christians as that they are gone so farre as to deuise a bewitching fantasie that Iesus Christ was figured in the person of Melchisedech that his bodie is the heauenly brcad his blood the wine to nourish soules and that he offered both the one and the other Now at the first sight this Allegorie will please such as haue itching eares how Iesus Christ calleth his bodie bread and his blood wine And therefore this seemeth verie well to agree that Melchisedech offered bread and wine because the bodie of Iesus Christ ought to haue this power in it selfe to feed vs and his blood also to quicken our soules howbeit heere is no speaking of anie oblation made vnto God But Moses saith that Melchisedech king of Salem offered bread and wine that is to saie that he presented it vnto Abrā It shuld here fal out that Abrā was God because the oblation was deliuered vp vnto his owne person and yet it was not to himselfe alone but for his whole company also So here the kingly liberalitie of Melchisedech after hee had once friendly receiued him Now to referre this vnto God were to peruert the whole substance of the matter as may be seene And besides our Lord Iesus Christ offered his bodie and blood not that they were before bread wine but because they wer offred they are called bred wine that is to say they are of the power nature of bread wine vnto vs. For how is it that our soules are susteined by the body blood of our Lord Iesus Christ our liues preserued by thē Forsooth it is because that the sacrifice that was once offered is the summe and perfection of all goodnes And therefore if Iesus Christ had not been before offred vp his bodie had not been at this day meat neither yet his blood drinke And marke why Saint Paul saith in the first epistle to the Corinths 1. Cor. 5.7.8 That Iesus Christ our Passeouer was offered vp for vs let vs therefore now eate And this is the order that we must holde that is that the oblation be first made that wee afterward by the power therof might be nourished and filled with the bodie blood of our Lord Iesus Christ So that now wee see euerie manner of way that these miserable fantasticall people who haue corrupted this place of Moses haue no vnderstanding of our Lord Iesus Christ Now the Papists as they haue been possessed by Sathan and cast vp into a reprobate sense not knowing to iudge betweene white and blacke and that by the iust iudgement of God haue made themselues selues so rediculous as that the verie children in the streets might spit in their faces yet not cōtenting themselues with this erro◠only haue brought in also a great number o◠other filthy dregs of their own And therupo◠haue said that bread wine must bee daily offred vp sith the priesthood of Iesus Christ is answerable vnto the priesthood of Melchisedech Wheras first of all they are conuinced by their owne mouthes of ouer grosse follye For they say that in their Masse there remaineth neither bread nor wine after the consecration or rather charming of their Oste as they call it but euen God himselfe And although wee see bread the wine that distilleth yet they say they ar but speeches that is to say visible figures in which is no substāce For they wold make men beleeue that there is neither bread nor wine and so neither belieue either their sight tast or yet any of the rest of all their sences And yet in the meane while they make men belieue that it is al nothing when as they haue pronounced the sacramental words as they terme them So that if they should offer vp bread wine where are they For they say that there is none of thē there And yet for al that they allege this text say that there must be bread wine offered vp We see then their beastlines to be so grosse as that very children may laugh thē to scorne and be their iudges And besides if they will haue any correspondence between Melchisedech and our Lord Iesus Christ then must the Psalme which wee haue alledged Psal 110. needes bee true that is that there is but one priest who was made by a perticuler oath And therfore he must cōtinually keep his office howbeit they make thēselues priests in the roome of our Lord Iesus Christ And thus is their similitude cast to ground And therfore we shall not need any other replies nor arguments to cōfute their beastlines but take the text barely as it lieth therwithall eftsoons take their cōfession frō their own mouths to cut their owne throtes But be as be may we see that by this text there is a singuler doctrine instructiō which the diuell straineth himself to darken bring in doubt falsefie yea if it wer possible vtterly to ouerthrow it And therefore wee for our partes ought so much the more awakē our dull sences to imprint in our memories that which is here cōteined the rather incited therunto by reason of the solemne oath that God was willing to pronounce For as if we haue alreadie said it was not without cause that he soswore by his name But it was to the ende infallibly to confirme our faith that we should not doubt but that whatsoeuer is requisite for our righteousnesse peace and defense leadeth vs vnto the kingdome of heauen through Iesus Christ his onely sonne And this is it that wee are heereby to learne Hee saith anon after THAT MELCHISEDECH BLESSED ABRAM because hee was the Priest of the high God This blessing importeth a superioritie as the Apostle very well aduertiseth vs when as hee saith Hebr. 7.7 That the better blesseth the lesse And therefore in the qualitie of a priest Abram must needes be inferiour to Melchisedech And yet it is said that Abram was the father and head of the church and therfore we must needes conclude that Melchisedech represented a greater person then any mortall man could be And this was it that made many of the Fathers imagine him to bee an Angell but those are verie foolish mere toyish inuentions For when he is called the Priest of the liuing God no doubt of it hee was knowne to be a man in the country and also King of Salem And this is as great a mockery for put the case it had ben an Angell yet should he not haue bin greater then Abrā in this generall paternitie of the whole church And therefore we must come backe vnto this which is that although Melchisedech was a mortall man yet surpassed hee in dignitie the Angels of heauen by reason of his priesthood not as of
are to gather that Iesus Christ vvas not sent in hast vnto vs neither yet that God determined in a minute of time to send him vnto vs for our redeemer for he was already the verie true redeemer although he had not as yet taken vpon him our nature nor yet manifested neither yet the gospel published Wherupon we see that the faith which we haue at this day extendeth it selfe farre and wide And the Gospel hath been from the beginning in such sort as that the ancient Fathers were built vqpon our Lord Iesus Christ and that in him was their hope and saluation to be short that is an helpe which is not to be contemned But when we shall compare the shadowes with the bodie we shall see that our redemption is more to be wished then the state of the Fathers And therefore we see why it is said That blessed are the eyes which saw that that the Disciples had seene for manie kings and prophets had an earnest desire to enjoy such a fight Luk. 10. â—4 and yet could neuer attaine vnto that which they sought for but contented them selues with an assured confidence that the promise of God should be accomplished in time conuenient as hereafter we shal see when as Iacob in passing out of this life said I shall see thy sauing health O Lord Gen. 49.18 and will put my confidence therein Now then when we shall make such comparison wee haue wherewithall mightily to be strengthened and to be angry at whatsoeuer the diuel may thrust in to withdraw vs from the puritie of the Gospell and bee so much the more stirred vp to embrace our lord Iesus Christ seeing that he hath brought the full and perfect truth of that which was figured in the law Thus we see how wee are to benefite our selues by this place of scripture As touching Melchisedech his dwelling place it is most like to be true that it was Irusalem how beit there hath bin a compounded word IebusaleÌ„ by reason of the Iebusites that occupied that place there How euer it is that was the Citie wherein Melchisedech had been and there also where Iesus Christ exercised his office of priesthood not onely when he preached the Gospell but also when he was crucified for vs and offered vp an holy oblation vnto God his father to reconcile vs vnto him for euer and to clense vs of all our sinnes Let vs now prostrate our selues before the maiestic of our good God in acknowledging our offences beseeching him to receiue vs to his mercy And seeing that wee are condemned as of our selues that we might by the meanes of the redeemer which he hath giuen vs be deliuered from the curse in which we should be plunged if it were not that he had redeemed vs by his infinit goodnes and that as hee hath stretched out his hand to pull vs vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that hee would more and more confirme vs in such perseuerance of faith as that vve might cleaue vnto to him neuer be vvithdravvne from him by any temptations of this world But that vve shuld rathet fight against all the Alarms vvherevvith Sathan should set vpon vs vntill such time as vve do come vnto that euerlasting kingdome vvhich vvas prepared for vs before the creation of the vvorld and which vvas so dearly purchased for vs. That it vvould please him to shevv not onely vnto vs this fauour but also vnto all people c. THE SECOND SERmon of Melchisedech wherein is shewed that he was a figure that Iesus Christ should be both an euerlasting King and Priest Gen. Cap. 14. 18. And Melchisedech king of Shalem brought forth bread and wine and he was a Priest of the most high God 19. Therefore he blessed him saying blessed art thon Abram of God most high possesser of heauen and earth 20 And blessed bee the most high God which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hand And Abram gaue him tithe of all the spoile WE haue already begun to declare that Melchisedech of whom mention is here made was a figure of our lord Iesus Christ And to the ende wee might the more attentiuely hearken vnto this doctrine wee are to remember that which yesterday was deliuered vnto vs that is that God sware by a solemne oath That he that should be king ouer the people should also be a Priest Now it is certaine that God is verie sparing and carefull of his name and casteth it not out at all aduentures for his meaning is that wee should haue it in all reuerend regard not take it but vpon necessitie to such an vse as is worthie the holines thereof and for his part also giueth vs an example And therefore wee are to conclude that this is a point of great importance and maruellous profitable for vs to know that hee which should be the redeemer of the people should also haue the title both of a king a priest And in deed if wee should seperate the one from the other the faith that wee haue in our Sauiour Iesus Christ should be verie weake and should haue no certaine nor firme foundation For there are two things requisite to our saluation the one is that God accepteth vs as rightuous and voweth vs for his children the other is that we might be guided by his hand and mainteined and warranted by his inuincible power If we should take but one of these points wee should vnderstand it but by halfes And marke how Put the case that God were mercifull vnto vs and would not impute vnto vs our sinnes yet if the diuell had power ouer vs and we left as a praie vnto all the assaults wherwith he should assaile vs how could it otherwise be but that we must be most miserable castawaies On the other side if God should display his power for our defense and yet we not reconciled vnto him and so not reputed and holden to be righteous and iust no doubt of it but that wee must needes still come to reckoning And then woe vnto vs when as we should be iudged without mercie But we know that all our righteousnes consisteth in this that God hath mercy vpon vs and hath buried all our offences And therefore it behoueth that our Lorde Iesus Christ should shewe himselfe to bee both a King and a Priest that is to saie that hee should on the one side make an attonement betweene God and vs to the end wee might boldly come when as we were driuen to call vpon him for aide and assure our selues that he voweth vs for his children And all this we haue by the benefite of the death of our Lord Iesus Christ For in that hee shead his blood it was to to wash cleanse vs of all our spots hee was made a sacrifice of satisfaction on so that we thereby are discharged of an our debts the obligation that was against our saluation was as Saint Paul saith to the Collossians broken cancelled Thus we
see what it was that was accomplished in the person of the some of God Colos 2.14 when as he was sent into the world that is that in suffering for the remission of our sins hee hath made vs righteous Not that we are in truth altogither so for there wanteth a great deale of it but wee are so farre righteous as that GOD will not iudge vs according to our desertes and contrariwise he by his infinite goodnesse supporteth vs and the obedience which Iesus Christ performed is approoued and allowed vnto vs. As if any man should paie our debts why then we are discharged Euē so is our Lord Iesus Christ as it were appointed to be the principall debtter for vs and therby dischargeth vs before God Neither can the diuell haue any thing wherwith to accuse vs when as we shall trust vnto the satisfaction which was paide for vs by the sonne of God And therefore it is not without cause that he is called a priest Howbeit we for our parts are rightly to consider what fruit and benefite wee are to receiue by this his office of priesthood For it is not for him selfe alone but for our profite and welfare that the father by a solemne oath bestowed this estate and dignitie vpon him Now wee are here to note that he is called a Priest for euer to the end this honour might be reserued to him and transported to none other If this point then had been so well considered as it ought and as the Apostle most notably setteth it downe in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 7.8.9.10 Hebrewes The abhomination that hath been brought into the world and which to this day ruleth and reigneth therein had neuer beene for the Pope maketh his priests with this cōdition to appaise God For these are the very words which he vseth when hee charmeth them that is to say hee priesteth them with these words of authoritie WE GIVE THEE POWER TO OFFER SACRIFICE VNTO GOD TO APPAISE HIM What an horrible blasphemy is this For this is as much as to make GOD a lyar and to make voyd the solemne oath which hee hath pronounced with his owne mouth and which is spoken of in the hundreth and tenth Psalme that wee haue alledged where God saith That Iesus Christ shall bee a Priest for euer euen he alone that is according to the order of Melchisedech who hath not his like or match And yet notwithstanding behold how the Popish Priest bragge that they offer vp Iesus Christ and that they are Gods Priests to make reconciliation for the sinnes both of the quicke and of the dead For they are not content to redeem such as by them selues out of their clowches as out of the hands of the eues but will haue also their Priesting witcherie extend it selfe euen to the dead Wee see heere that there is a constraint more then manifest betweene this decree which is pronounced and spoken by the holie mouth of GOD and that which Antichrist hath falsly deuised and which euen at this day hee still vpholdeth and mainteineth Wee are therefore to note that Iesus Christ did not offer vp himselfe onely once for all to the end to appaise the wrath of God his father towardes vs and to paie all our debtes but that also the power of this oblation which hee made should endure for euer and qee permanent And therefore we may see why the Apostle vseth this similitude Hebr. 10.29 That the way is as it were a freshe consecrated vnto vs by the blood of Iesus Christ our Lorde as if hee should haue said that the blood which was once shed for our saluation is neuer drawne drie but daily ouerfloweth our soules by the power of his holy spirit which bedeweth vs with the same as S. Peter in the first Chapter of his first canonicall Epistle speaketh Mark also why Iesus Christ in his Supper saith This is my blood of the new Testament and so consequently sor euer as if hee should haue said that wee should not thinke that he had made a reconciliation which should not endure and as though it had bin but for a day or a yeare only but that at this day hee occupieth the place of a priest Because hee is the Mediator vnto God his father in the power of the death and passion which once he suffered and doth make intercession for vs as that we are assured that we are acceptable vnto God when as we come vnto him in the name of our Aduocat and are grounded and setled vppon the oblation which he once made to the end it might serue vs at this day and vnto the worlds end I haue alreadie said that it were not inough that wee were thus set at one with God and our sinnes forgiuen vs without we were eftsoons defended and conserued vnder his mightie hand and protection And therefore it was meet that Iesus Christ should be a king For all the saluation that we must looke for from the hand of God must come from our Lord Iesus Christ We must not flie in the ayre to looke a farre of for that which we want for he giueth and offreth himselfe vnto vs. And therefore we must in the person of this Redeemer finde out all fulnesse of that which is requisite for our saluation For that cause is our Lord Iesus Christ called a king the vnction which was bestowed on him apperteineth vnto his kingdome to the ende wee might be enriched with all his benefites and defended against all our enemies to haue him to be an inuincible fortresse for vs. And although we be set vpon yet shall wee haue alwaies the victorie Thus we see how the riches of the kingdom of heauen are bestowed vpon vs. And forsomuch as Iesus Christ was replenished with them in all perfection and fulnes wee for our parts are voyd of them and want them And thefore we must come and begge them of him that he might deale liberally with vs in helping of vs which hee doth when as he bestoweth the graces of his holie spirit vpon vs that we might be reformed according to his image and the diuell repulsed and put to flight Now I pray you what strength haue we of our selues For the least temptation in the world will throw vs downe yea and our very shadow will make vs as it were vanish away But it is said that when Iesus Christ shall take vs into his protection we shall be in such a fortresse as that all the enemies wee haue shall neuer be able to haue power ouer vs. Now wee see a great deale better that it is not without cause that God vsed a solemne oath when as he made our Lord Iesus Christ a King and Priest after the order of Melchisedech Now the Apostle goeth further and standeth vppon the names for Melchisedech signifieth a king of righteousnes Hee sheweth vs then hereby that the kingdom of the sonne of God is not common neither yet to bee esteemed lyke
himselfe but hy reason of him whose figure he beare as Dauid was far greater then all the Angels when it was said of him Thou art my sonne Psal 2.7 Hebr. 2. ◠this daie haue I begotten thee This was not spokē saith the Apostle of any Angel and yet was Dauid a wretched sinner the sonne of Adam euen as well as any of the rest And how then is it here that he is so highly exalted as that the Angels are made inferiors vnto him It is because that this figure represented the maiestie of the sonne of God not the person of Dauid alone Wee must then come to this point that Melchisidech could not bee aboue Abram but in regarde of the truth which he figured And therefore wee must conclude that Iesus Christ was euen then declared to the end that the beliefe of the faithfull might bee altogither grounded on him because there was none other saluation giuen vnder heauen from the beginning but the same which is at this daie reuealed vnto vs in the Gospell Now it is true that there is a common kinde of blessing For to blesse is oftentimes taken in the holie scripture for to praie as hereafter wee shall see that one common man blesseth another saying God blesse thee as when we salute one another they are blessings this is the common phrase of the holie scriptures But there is a singuler blessing which is reserued for the priestes And therefore marke why it is so often saide in the lawe The priestes which blesse the people in the name of God that is to say which haue that authoritie giuen them thereto And the same forme hath been deliuered vnto vs in the sixt Chapter of Numbers where it is said Num. 6.23.24.25 26. Luk. 1.24.50 Thus shall the priestes blesse my people The Lord blesse you and keepe you the Lorde make his face to shine vpon you And againe The Lord be fauourable vnto you and grant you his peace Thus wee see what a form the Lord hath set downe in his church And for this cause also it is said when as Iesus Christ ascended into heauen that he lifted vp his handes ouer his Apostles as the priestes did to the end to accomplish the figures of the lawe in blessing his Disciples This then is the blessing which is heere spoken of Hebr. 7.7 And marke why the Apostle reasonneth not without cause that it must needs be that Melchisedech in this qualitie was farre more excellent then Abram because hee blessed him And yet is Abram the father of the whole Church We are therfore to conclude that our Sauiour Christ hath a farre greater maiestie then any earthly maiestie hath or can haue and that in the person of the Mediator Wherefore all power and dignitie must bee subiect vnto him and regard him and both great and small must acknowledge and confesse that God his father hath giuen vnto him the chiefe aucthoritie euen in this humane nature of his and euery knee must how and kneele vnto him Thus we see how these wordes of S. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians are to be vnderstood Philip 2.9.10 And this is it which we are to remember It remaineth now that wee apply these wordes to our own vse benefit that is we must not doubt but that Melchisedech blessed Abram in a figure euen as at this daye our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the euerlasting Priest blesseth vs in the name of God his Father For this praier which is here set downe is not in vain but must needes bee effectuall because wee know that it could not bee otherwise chosen but that he must needs be heard Let vs therfore conclude that so long as wee put our trust in Iesus Christ wee haue him for our Aduocate towards God his Father And although we are cursed in Adam and do daily bring a new curse vpon our heads through our sins transgressions yet notwithstanding the same shall hereby be blotted out prepared in that our lord Iesus christ vouchsafeth in deed in truth to take vpon him the office to blesse vs. We see also the praier which he once made in the gospel after S. Iohn in this maner Holy father I do not onely pray here vnto thee for these to wit Ioh. 17.20 21. for the eleuē apostles and Disciples which he had chosen vnto himself But I pray also for all those which shall belieue in my name through their preaching that they may all be one in me as I am one in thee and that wee may be all one In this sort did our sauiour Iesus Christ pronounce these words out of his owne month to wit that he praid not for his Disciples alone which were of his own company but also for as many as belieue in him through their preaching Let vs heere then learne that when soeuer wee shall imbrace the doctrine of the Ghospell in true obedience that wee be surely persuaded that the sonne of God is giuen to vs for our souereign and onely good Thus we see how powerfull his praier will alwaies be for it is needlesse for him to beginne the same at euening at morne euerie day For it is sufficient that he hath sealed it with his blood and by that onely and euerlasting sacrifice which hee offered vp once for all For wee are assured to haue our praiers heard when as we pray vnto God in the name of our lord Iesus Christ For our praiers shuld stink yea infect the aire if wee considered what God is and afterward considered what wee our selues are Howbeit our praiers are made holy through the priestly blessing of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whom we must looke that wee might bee partakers of all his benefites Thus we see in summe how we are to applie this saying of Moses vnto our benefite and the building vp of our faith where it is said That Abram the father of the faithfull was blessed We see herein that Abram as of him selfe was accursed sith hee was faine to borrow the priestly blessing And Melchisedech also right well knew that there is nothing in vs but miserie and wretchednes and that it is God that must blesse vs and that we must imbrace it with all humilitie if wee will enioy the benefite that is brought vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and which hee daily offreth vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell Now hereupon Moses reciteth the blessing of Melchisedech BLESSED ART THOV ABRAM saith he OF GOD MOST HIGH possesser of heauen and earth And blessed bee the most high God that hath deliuered thine enemies into thy hand hee blessed Abram in the name of God as wee haue alreadie alledged out of the law Wee must not heere vnderstand that when the priestes haue the office to blisse that it proceedeth as from their owne authoritie and that God hath resigned his office ouer vnto them and his honour and praise to be thereby so
had no forme or fashion Thus wee see what a iolly imagination the Papistes haue whereby they declare that they know not what faith is For it is an absolute and singular gift of God And after it is said That we receiue the spirite of adoption by which he so renueth and also incorporateth vs into our Lorde Iesus Christ as that wee are made members of his bodie and withall newe creatures VVee see then that the Papistes knowe not these things neither yet vnderstand the principles and rudiments of Christianitie no more than brute beastes without sence And vvhat a feareful thing is this that they do nothing else but brag of these things And yet they thinke themselues to be the greatest diuines in the vvorld vvhen as they haue made a distinction forsooth betvveene vnformed and formed faith vvhich is as much as if they had said a God in vvhome is no povver nor vertue then a God who shevveth himselfe povverfull and iust And thus haue they forged vnto themselues a double faith And vvhy then doeth S. Iames vse here this vvord And vvhy do vvee vse this vvorde Church This vvorde Bishop this saying Gods seruice Deuotion Zeale But vvhen vve speake of the Papistes vve neuer yeelde vnto them in truth that they haue any church vvhich is to be obeyed For in deed they haue nothing but some ruynes of a Church and a certaine canuassing and tossing of seruice of their ovvn deuising and as they thought to serue God vvithall But that is the Church vvhere God dvvelleth by his vvorde Aftervvard vvhen vvee speake of them vvee vse honourable vvordes and yet our meaning is none other but that they vsurpe these titles vvith iolly shevves markes Hovvbeit vvee do not altogether stand vpon vvords And after this manner dealeth S. Iames for he standeth not vpon the vvorde but taketh vpon him to speake of the friuolous vaunting vvhich vvas in the mouth of these scoffers that vvould be taken for good Christians saith your faith that is to saie that faith vvhich you talke of is nothing As if vvee should aske the question at this day vvhat is the Catholicke Church vvhich the Papists so bragge of Surely it is a very harlot For vve knovve that the true Church is the spouse of our Sauiour Iesus Christ vvhich ought to bee purged and vvashed vvith his bloud Eph. 5.27 1. Tim. 3.15 that she might bee as saint Paul saith vvithout spot or vvrinkle and after that to bee the piller of truth And in steede hereof beholde a den of the eues and an harlot vvhich hath corrupted all the seruice of God and begot nothing but Bastards Thus should vve say and then vvee see that vvee should not thinke saint Iames his phrase of reasoning to be strange because it is an ordinarie and common thing amongst vs. VVe novv then first see that vvhen it is saide that Faith iustifieth vs vve speake not of Faith but after the accustomed manner But vvhen saint Iames saith that faith vvithout vvorks is dead it is to barre such as abuse this name and haue a iollitie to bragge and glorie thereof but in deede haue it not Let vs come novv to the second part vvhen saint Iames saith that vvee are iustified by our vvorkes it should by this seeme that hee is contrary vnto saint Paul Novv vvorkes must not be ioined vvith faith to part halfe stakes vvith it as vve haue already said For if that vvere so then vvee should neuer bee certaine and sure And therefore all consideration of our vvorkes must needes bee excluded or the calling vpon God vvith true confidence to bee taken for his children to hope for the inheritance of the heauenly life vvhich is promised vs vvorks must needes be laid aside for vvhat vvere it if vvorks iustified Novv this vvorde Iustifie is not taken in saint Iames to be approoued before God to reconcile vs vnto him and to make him receiue vs as his children Hovve is it then taken Euen as himself declareth it vvithout any other exposition For he addeth that Abram vvas iustified vvhen hee vvent about to offer vp in sacrifice his sonne Isahack Novv vvee neuer yet read that he sacrificed him to vvit that he meant to make a sacrifice of his sonne vnto God vvhat meant hee then Forsooth this obedience vvhereof vvee shall hereafter speake vvas it that iustified Abram If vvee did speake of the approouing of that vvhich he had at that time done and vvas yet not indeede done VVee must therefore conclude that saint Iames speaketh not in that place hovv vvee are acceptable vnto God but how vve are made righteous For vvhat a blockish speech vvere this to say that the sonne had begotten the Father Novv vvee right vvell knovv that faith is the mother of righteousnes that is to say that it is the meane and instrument by vvhich vve are reconciled vnto God and allovved for his children And therefore faith must go before righteousnes for it is the meane cause the instrumentall or formall cause as vve call it Let vs novv come vnto the obedience of Abram vvhen he vvas readie to sacrifice his sonne for if that be the cause of Abram his righteousnes it must needes be that it vvent before For vvhat a doltish speach vvere this to say that the corne that shall grovve a yere hence shall feede me from this day vntill this time tvvelue monethes Novve there is not the least childe in the vvorld vvhich seeth not this Novv there vvas a long time part before God commaunded Abram to sacrifice his sonne and yet vvas he iustified before VVe see then in summe that vve neede not to looke for any glose out of saint Iames his vvords he saith that he vvas iustified that is to say that he vvas shevved to be iustified For these Scoffers against vvhom hee contendeth saide vvee are iustified by faith and therefore vvhat need vve to take any great care to serue God seeing our vvorkes are of no vvorth neither any reckoning bee made of them in time to come Novv first and formost they peruert all in saying that there shall bee no reckoning made of vvorks For they shal come in account vvith the grace of God But vvhen they shall scoffingly say that it is to no purpose to doo good vvorks is as much as if they vvould teare Iesus Christ in pieces For by faith vve receiue him and are vnited vnto him vvith this condition that he reconcileth vs vnto his father putteth avvay our sinnes and regenerateth and gouerneth vs by his holy spirit And these are inseparable thinges as vve haue alleaged out of saint Paul Seeing then it is so saint Iames had good cause to say how can you be iustified without works For Faith saith he without workes is dead And besides if you bee the faithfull children of God you can be none othervvise iustified than your father Abram vvas Novve Abram vvas so iustified as that good vvorkes vvere ioyned vvith Faith And therefore you must
set vpon them surely in so doing we shall as it were cast our selues wittingly and willingly away And therefore Abram seeing himselfe thus distressed should in the common opinion of man rather desist and liue in peace Now at the first sight it should seeme to be a great folly for him to take the war vpon him with CCC and xviii men and himselfe being a silly old man become their Captain he that neuer knew what either warre or battaile meant as we haue alreadie said yet wold hazard the casting of himselfe away so fondly And therefore we are the more earnestly to obserue that which I haue alreadie touched to wit that God would thereby shew him that when he entended to put his successours in possession of the land that it was an easie matter for him to do it by reason of that noble victory which he had giuen him a thing not to haue been belieued if a man would haue iudged therof according to humane reason Here we see in summe what we are to learne as touching this point where it is said That Abram armed his houshold meney We see by this with what wisdome God endued him although hee had neuer been trained in the wars neither yet acquainted with any stratagemmes or warlike pollicies whatsoeuer and yet notwithstanding we see that he surprized his enimies charging them sodeinly in the night yea euen then when they thought themselues most safe and sure being throughly fraught with good meats strong drinks and solacing themselues with the ioy of the spoile of Sodome and Ghomorre Now we know that after such victories there is much ryot and filthines committed And yet Abram had so much cunning as to surprize his enimies although in very deed the former victories which his enimies had obteined had bin inough greatly to haue danted him And againe his so sodein and speedie comming must needes bring with it a great to doo and tumult had not God by his holie spirite gouerned the same By this wee are to vnderstand that GOD would needes take this matter in hand by him and not onely for Lots sake but also because hee should know that the proraise of GOD was neither vaine nor friuolous when as hee had giuen him the dominion and superioritie ouer the whole lande of Canaan And this is that in summe which hereby we are to learne It followeth after that the King of Sodome came vnto him which is to magnifie the great fauour and grace that God beare vnto Abram For wee haue alreadie alledged the saying of Ezechiel Ezec. 16.49 where it is said That the Sodomites were extreemly proude which was the verie spring head of all the enormities that prouoked the vengeance of God vtterly to roote them out Now how proude soeuer the King of Sodome was yet was hee glad to come and doo homage to Abram because hee knew that both his life and all his Country were due to him Heereby then wee see that it was God whiche had the direction in this matter and blessed his seruaunt Abram True it is that it had been much better for him not to haue gone out of his Tent to the hazardyng of him selfe so daungerouslie But it was GOD that stretched out his hand vnto him because he would haue him knowe by experience his power and aide in the matter This consequently greatlie profited Abram For if hee had tarried in his house without vnderstandyng the lyke defense of GOD without all doubt hee had neuer beene so rightlye confirmed as afterwad he was And therefore wee see that when GOD sendeth vs anye afflictions although at the first they bee neuer so harde and greeuous yet for all that in the ende the issue of them is profitable and beneficiall to our good Ro. 1.2.4 Esai 49.24 For as S. Paul saith Patience engendreth triall To the end we might effectually know that it is God which hath succoured vs and when we once know that we might more more be confirmed to trust in him And hope neuer maketh vs ashamed for whosoeuer shall haue recourse to God shall neuer be confounded And therefore wee see that we can neuer rest quiet and bee peaceable vntil such time as God sheweth vs why he hath afflicted vs and that in the meane while he maketh vs to feele that it is for our good and so consequently we haue occasion to blesse him and call vpon him more assuredly Thus we see what we are here to obserue as concerning this point Now where it is said that the king of Sodome came vnto Abram hee addeth anon after that Melchisedech king of Shalem offered also bread and wine And for as much as hee was the high Priest of God that he blessed Abram and that Abram gaue him the tythe of all the spoile Here we see as notable an historie as anie is in all the holie scripture and not only an historie but such a one also as is a liuely image to represent our Lord Iesus Christ as in the 110. Psalme it is written For it is not without cause there set downe That God had sworne and would not repent him thereof that he wold neuer breake the solemne oth which he had made That is to saie That Iesus Christ is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech If there were nothing els but the historie thereof we see that Melchisedech is called God his Priest howbeit how euer it is yet is he most like in estate and degree vnto Abram but wanteth a great peece of it For as wee shall heare after Abram is called the father of all the faithfull and of the whole Church and that all such as are the children of God must be his spirituall children And therefore Melchisedech in one respect must needes bee his inferiour It is farre from the meaning of Moses to preferre him before Abram as the Apostle verie rightly doth Heb. 7.4.5.6.7 as hereafter we shall see Some haue thought this to be Sem but there is no likelihood of anie truth therin For if it had been so would Abram haue tarried so long before hee had seene the Patriarch Sem of whome hee was descended No doubt of it he would at the first haue gone vnto him haue dwelt with him for he was king of Salem And in verie deed Abram might very well haue sheelded himselfe vnder his protection but bee wandred all the country ouer and all that while there was no mention made of Melchisedech Moreouer it was not without good cause noted of the Apostle that Melchisedech had neither father nor mother without beginning without end as if he had bin an immortall man immediatly descended from heuen not but that Melchisedech was a man but the Apostle his meaning is to shew that he is brought in as though he had neuer bin borne For no man knoweth who was his father nor yet who was his mother no man knoweth his kindred nor yet how he liued and besides no
man knoweth where hee died and yet he is a priest of the liuing God Neuertheles he manifestly shewed himself and eftsoones hid himselfe and was buried but no man knoweth how nor when Whereupon the Apostle sheweth that hee was a figure of our Lord Iesus Christ who although he be the euerlasting sonne of God yet notwithstāding he had no father after the common manner of men because his diuine essence is spirituall and eternall and was also miraculously conceiued by the holy Ghost beyond the order of nature And although hee be dead yet he liueth for euer yea and hath obteined life for vs in that he died for vs. And therfore he is without beginning without end without beginning because he is God eternall and without end because we liue for euer in him as it is said by the Prophet Isaiah Who shall tel the line that shal come of him The Church by the vertue power of our lord Iesus Christ is immortal Isaiah 53.8 therfore by a far strāger reason must he needs be without end But we wil hereafter hādle this more at large at this time briefly runs it ouer to shew that it was not Sem. See thē why Dauid also especially counteth the redeemer that shuld come vnto Melchisedech Howbeit before we go any farther wee are to note that it was a wonderfull grace of God that Melchisedech could so purely keep himselfe considering that al the land at that time was ful of idolatry for Abrā his fathers house was a den of idols as heretofore we haue said as the holy Ghost witnesseth vnto vs by the mouth of Iosua Iosua 24.2 Seeing thē that al was so corrupted in the land of Chaldea which was very nigh vnto the place wher Noe dwelt wher he had continually liued that Sem such as he was were there also seeing then that the diuel had peruerted and so fowly defiled the seruice of God how is it possible that in the land of Canaan where the people are wicked where there is nothing but impiety cōtempt of god rebelliō where there is nothing but iniquitie deceit cruelty violence that yet there should dwel a priest of the liuing God By this we may see how God oftētimes hath his church as a man wold say raked vp in the ashes and in the iudgement of men not to be seene but it sufficeth that God knoweth it Wherof wee haue heere a testimony in Melchisedech A man would haue thought that there had not beene at that time one man that worshipped God sincerely and simplie For seeing that the graundfather of Abram and all his kindred were giuen to diuellish errors and serued Idols what must we think of the rest A man would haue then iudged that the Church of God had been vtterly abolished but we may see that he had reserued a litle seed thereof when as his will was that Melchisedech should bee a Priest there yea euen in such a land as more exceeded in all iniquitie then any of the rest Let vs then apply this to our owne vse for this is a dangerous temptation for vs to think that God hath no church in the world for then it must fall out that his promise is vaine of none effect And besides when a man thinketh himselfe to be left alone hee becommeth so careles and negligent as that he falleth into dispaire as wee see how neerely Elye was drawne into it when as he said what shal become of this geare For they haue killed thy Prophets 1. Kings 19.10 haue set vp their Idols in euerie place and my selfe am left alone He was as it were like a poore dismaid man being readie to cast himselfe headlong into the bottomles pit of dispaire But what God comforted him and said vnto him 1. Kings 19.18 That hee had as yet reserued vnto himselfe seuen thousand that is to saie a great number that had not bowed their knee vnto Baul So then as I haue alreadie said our faith should bee maruellously shaken yea vtterly ouerthrowne If we shuld be persuaded of this that God had so forsaken the world as that he had no Church left in it And therefore let vs learne not to iudge by the outward sight of the eye whether there be a Church or no but let vs rather reuounce our owne insight because wee are aduertised that God will many times haue a litle seed of it lie hidden as the graines of corne are not seene so long as there lieth a great heape of strawe vppon it because the graines are small and few which are couered with it Euen so it seemeth sometimes that all the faithfull seruants of God are heere quite and cleane rooted out from the face of the earth howbeit the Lord hath incomprehensible means for the vpholding of his and hee must needs be continually worshipped and serued not that he doth looke for a great glorious and pompous multitude in his Church but it may suffice vs that hee knoweth who are his And so let vs depart from all iniquitie that we might call aloude vpon his name ioyne our selues with our brethren although wee know them not For that dependeth vppon God his adoption when as hee witnesseth vnto vs by his holie spirit that hee hath a great number of faithfull ones neither is it needfull that we know them Wherefore it is his will and pleasure that they shuld be dispersed throughout the face of the whole earth haue no reputation before men but be contemtable and despised persons and to be short to be no more knowne esteemed of then if they laie troden vnder mēs feet And thus much for this yet wee are to gather from this place some exhortation which is not to folow the multitude For Melchisedech might haue fallen to idolatry as wel as the rest if he had had a regard to that which they did for there was nothing all there about but a very polution of the seruice of God yet he continued in that which he knew to be good iust according to that which God had instructed him in Neither was ther any law at that time writen but God had giuen him so much knowledge as wel by Noe as by Sem as was necessary to saluation Now if so smal an instructiō as Melchisedech had constantly established him in pure religion how shall we be able to excuse our selues whē as god daily representeth himselfe vnto our eares that he hath set downe a law which sheweth vs how he wil be worshipped serued hath giuen vs prophets to explane it vnto vs and hath giuen vs also a ghospel which is a trumpet to sound not only into our eares but also throughly to pearce both our thoughts affections when God then hath so many meanes to keep vs within compasse to serue him purely sincerely if we thē decline from the same be transported away by mē vnder a colour that we see such
a custome beare sway that such an abuse ruleth reigneth is receiued accepted and that we dwel liue amōgst infidels and idolaters what a condemnation shall that be vnto vs seeing that Melchisedech so constantly firmely persisted stood soundly in his faith beliefe Let vs therefore lift vp our eies vnto God haue our eares fixed as it were vnto his word all our senses attentiue that we be neuer carried away although we shuld be tossed vp downe here below as it were in the sea driuen too and fto with windes and tempests and that if there were a people that should hold a religion that there should be some great king that would haue them thus thus to gouern themselues yet let vs learne to hold vs alwaies vnto our God alone that it is inogh for vs to bewar that we neuer decline from the way which he hath shewed vnto vs by his word that the bright shining light of the law the ghospell be euer before vs that we shal neuer erre so long as we know God to be our guide leader Thus wee see what wee are to learne from the example of Melchisedech Let vs now come to the text of Moses It is said that Melchisedech king of Salem offered bread and wine and was a priest of the liuing God and blessed Abram It is meete that this text bee resolued That Melceisedech inasmuch as he was a king receiued Abram and gaue vnto him bread and wine for the refreshing of his people and being by qualitie a Priest blessed him and that Abram also gaue him the tythe of all the spoile Here we see that Melchisedech is set before vs both a King and a Priest Now here wee are to distinguish of the diuers actes by the seuerall offices For as I haue already said in as much as he was a King he dealt liberally with Abram hee refreshed him and all his company and for as much as hee was a Priest hee blessed Abram Now it was a common thing amongst the auncient Fathers for euery king to be a priest and the very prophane people do shew that that was vsed in many Countries For Kings were not contented with their kingly estate but desired also through ambitiō to be Priests because they thought it to be a more holie dignitie then the maiestie of a King And thus wee see why they would oftentimes be Priests And in verie deed we see that that was a most ambitious desire and that they which coueted credite and estimation would alwaies aspire and clime that way but how euer it is it is certaine that Moses reciteth this as a singular thing in Melchisedech Neuertheles we see that God hath in his law made a difference betweene the one and the other and wil not haue them both to rest in one person And Moses was as excellent a man in all perfectiō F.x. 28.1 of vertues as euer was born in the world and yet wold not God for all that haue him to be a Priest also but would haue his brother Aaron to take vpon him the office because Moses had inough to do with the ciuill gouernment that was laid vpon him And in very deed we see how Osias was punished 2. Chron. 26.21 for being a king hee was arrogantly puffed vp to take vpon him the vsurpation of the priesthood and for onely sensing vppon the Aultar with frankensence hee was striken with a leprosie put to great shame and made a recluse all the daies of his life And yet for all that it seemed that his deuotion was good or at least that he was to be excused Yea but god did not punish the outward act only for he knew well inough the pride of king Osias heart And besides it is said That obedience is better then all the sacrifices in the world 1. Sam. 15.22 And because he thrust himself into an office which God expresly forbad and troubled the vocation order which shuld haue been inuiolably kept vve see wherfore he is punished And for so much as he would not content himselfe with his estate and degree therefore it was meet that hee should be made infamous and detestable and bee quite and cleane seperated from the company of men Thus we see that in the law were two things which were not tollerated to be in one man to wit kingdom and priesthood And therefore seeing it is so wee must conclude that this example which is heere set downe is absolute singular and apperteineth not vnto the law True it is that at that time the lawe was not as then written and the Tribe of Leuie was not yet in the world to take vppon it the right of the priestly dignitie howbeit this example is here set downe vnto vs for instruction to the end the lawe might remaine in her full strength and the Church thereby might bee edified as appeareth by the Psalme by mee alledged And therefore wee must conclude Psal 110. that it was not spoken of Salomon nor yet of any other king descended from the Stemme of Dauid For if they were kings they must not haue entermedled themselues with the priesthood for if they did they were Apostates Wherefore when it is said that there should bee a king a figure of Melchisedech and according to his order and estate that sheweth that it was not spoken of the whole race of Dauid vvhich vvas descended of him according to the flesh sauing vntill such time as vve come vnto the high priest our Lord Iesus Christ True it is that hee is the sonne of Dauid and of his seed But there is in him an especiall yea an onely regard to bee had vvhich is that hee made an end of the priesthood of the lavv because his kingdome is spirituall and that is it also that shall make an end of this earthly kingdom vvhich vvas established but for a time and that vntill his comming Novv vvhen it is called perpetuall the meaning is that hee hath cōtinued in the person of the redeemer And therfore this is it that we are to obserue out of these vvords of Moses vvhen he saith That Melchisedech vvas king of Salem and that hee vvas vvithall a priest We see then that these tvvo offices belong to none but vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ according to that rule vvhich God hath set dovvne in his lavv and therefore vve are out of all doubt that it vvas the priesthood of Iesus Christ vvhich vvas shevved vnto Abram to the end his faith by that meanes might be sealed and the better confirmed For sith the bodie vvas not seene it behoued that there should be some shadovves at the least thereof And therefore had the fathers the shadovves of it for the vpholding of their faith stil looking for the appearing of Iesus Christ They had I say shadovves and figures And although that be not to vs common vvith them yet is it verie profitable for vs. For vve
vnto other kingdomes But that the propertie thereof is to make vs righteous For earthly Princes may verie well bee called righteous whilst they faithfully execute their office abstaine from outrages tiranny crueltie and render to euery man his due in this sort they may be said to be righteous Howbeit there is another manner of righteousnes In the son of God and it is it whereof we are made partakers A man may be as it were an Angel in all vertues neuertheles this serueth no further then for his owne person He may giue good example vnto others correct thē that haue done amisse look that men liue honestly according to the law but to make other righteous passeth all mans power And therefore the righteousnes of our Lord Iesus christ is not shut vp within himself to haue it for himself only but so to cōmunicat it vnto vs as that by his means we may be made iust before god And how shuld that be we haue alreadie shewed that God reputeth vs for iust innocent when as it pleaseth him to bury our sins iniquities And again accordingly as he hath regenerated vs by the spirit of our lord Iesus christ that is also to cloath vs with his righteousnes Howbeit this is but in part whiles we liue in this vorld our sins are fully forgiuē vs without exceptiō yet notwithstāding we are not so reformed but that there stil remaineth in vs infirmities and sins And therfore we must imbrace this righteousnes that is to saie vnto the remission of our sins But how euer it is wee see in what sort our Lord Iesus Christ maketh vs partakers of his righteousnes Here we see the first point that we are to note The second is of the place Salem And Salem is as much to say as peace And the Apostle sheweth vs that ouer and besides the righteousnes which wee receiue from our Lord Iesus Christ we eftsoones enioy a peace which he only openeth which by none other meane we can obtaine And although the wicked contemners of God striue to bee at rest and peace yet doth the Lord so awaken them with a spirit of phrensie as that they are like men halfe dead For marke how the wicked striue to bee at rest and peace That is they forget God as much as in them lieth so become very brutish And yet in despight of their teeth God will put them in minde of him and when hee appeareth vnto them they tremble as before their Iudge And besides they haue an hundreth thousand witnesses for their own consciences are more then all the actions in the world yea they cannot but condemne themselues And although God seemeth to hold his peace yet cannot the wicked be pardoned but that they must needes be enforced to feele their curse Esay 48.22 and 57.21 And therefore as Esaie witnesseth There is no peace for the wicked But as S. Paul saith to the Ephesians Christ is our peace because hee hath conioyned and vnited vs vnto God his father Ephes 2.14 Marke also why in the first chapter to the Romanes hee saith That beeing iustified by faith wee are at peace with God Hee maketh a difference of the peace of the wicked that is to say betweene the peace which they seeke after and cannot finde it and the peace of the faithfull The wicked wil turne their backe vpon God and flie from him as farre as they possibly can but the faithful come before him and acknowledge him for their father because they know that he wil not impute their sinnes vnto them forsomuch as Iesus Christ hath forgiuen them them And thus haue they peace and reioyce in the infinite mercies which hee hath bestowed vppon them And therfore it is not without cause that Iesus Christ is called the king of peace And there is more in it then so for the faithfull are not only assured for the time present but also for the time to come For they knowe that God hath begun his work in them conditionally that he wil performe it Philip. 1.6 And therfore their trust is that hee will neuer faile them but that he will more and more guide and gouerne them vntill they come vnto his kingdome Thus we see how we haue peace and shall possesse it in Iesus Christ because that without him we cannot be but the enemies of God and as we make warre against him through our sinnes and rebellions hee cannot choose also but arme himselfe against vs. Heere is also to bee noted that hee was a Priest for euer when as Melchisedech was brought in as yesterday was touched without beginning without end and without any petygree And it was to this ende that wee might knowe that although our Lorde Iesus Christ was in the fulnes of time sent yet that he was the sonne of the eternall God that hee was also appointed to be the Redeemer before the creation of the world Colos 1.15 16.17 For hee is the first borne of all creatures because that in him by him all things were made also that he according to the wonderfull counsell of God should restore all things forsomuch as all things both in heauen in earth were dissipated after the fall of Adam who ouerthrew all the creatures with him Howbeit all things were restored by our Lord Iesus Christ knowing also as the Apostle in the last Chapter to the Hebrewes saith That Iesus Christ is yesterday Heb. 13.8 and to day and the same for euer that his power doth and shall shew it selfe vnto the end of the world Marke then how wee must altogither haue recourse vnto this power which the fathers themselues felt and proued before such time as he was manifested in the flesh nothing doubting that although men may be absent from him and that there is a great space betweene heauen and earth yet notwithstanding that we shall continually bee quickened by his life enriched by his benefites and vpholden and preserued by his power For seeing the Sunne which is but an insensible creature fructifieth the earth giueth heate thereunto and that God by meane thereof nourisheth and vpholdeth vs what shall it be in respect of Iesus Christ who is no insensible creature no no creature at all but verie God manifested in the flesh yea our Mediatour on whome GOD hath bestowed whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation Thus wee see in summe what wee haue to learne heereby Now where the Papists all such as beare the name of Christians ought by this place of Moses to bee taught that Iesus Christ is an onelie King and Priest that hath vnited vs vnto GOD his Father and who also is the cause that the Father holdeth vs vnder his protection they haue turned it cleane contrarie to that which is here set downe And this error was not begunne by the Papists let vs not laie more vpon them then in deede is due vnto them for they haue blasphemies inough amongst
more to encrease his graces in vs. And besides these praiers of ours must haue regard vnto the times past concerning our giuing of thanks and praises vnto him for the same that is we must protest that whatsoeuer good wee haue commeth from him and bee so contented as that although wee should be neuer so much vexed and grieued yet must we still reioyce forsomuch as we haue knowne and proued him to bee a father vnto vs and hath also shewed himselfe to bee such a one in deed by reason of the benefites which hee hath heeretofore bestowed vppon vs. And this is it which wee are heere to obserue As concerning the words of Melchisedech BLESSED BE GOD WHICH HATH DELIVERED THINE ENEMIES INTO THINE HAND The same telleth vs that all victorie commeth from GOD. And also that Abram through his owne industrie prowes and valure discomfite not the Kings of whome mention is made but GOD whiche conducted him True it is that Abram surprised his enemies in the night as wee haue heard and hee did it because hee was no expert man of warre now to what ende serueth all this saue onely to shewe that it was GOD whiche gaue him that prosperous successe Wee see also that although DAVID had a strong and mightie araie and had valiant and renowmed souldiers and himselfe likewise an expert man of warre besides that God had made him a king Psal 18.32.33 yet hee saith That it was God that had giuen him the feet of an Hart that it was he that had aduanced him and so strengthened him as that he brake in sunder the barres of brasse that it was he that had ouerthrowne his enemie Dauid then protesteth that there was nothing in him as of himselfe that got him all his victories Seeing then that Dauid who in the iudgement of men had the means to discomfit his enemies and yet confesseth without hipocrisie that all was to be attributed vnto God and vnto himselfe to the end that his name might thereby bee glorified what shall we then say Abram who neuer in all his life followed the warres neither yet euer knew as a man would say how to draw a sword And yet notwithstanding that hee should vanquish such a multitude of people who were alreadie puffed vp with presumption by reason they had discomfited their enemies and pilled and sacked fiue Cities and therefore we must needs conclude that it was the Lord which did it Now therefore how euer it is wee are to gather from this place that if wee lift vp but one of our fingers we must confesse it to be God that conducteth vs thereunto to the end wee might not take vpon vs any thing with a presumptuous arrogancy as if we could do any thing of our selues and were men of abilitie and great power Let those then which are to take in hand warres or gouernments of common weales or any other matters of importance put themselues into rhe hands of God knowing that it is not without cause that hee is called the God of Hostes And thus much for this point Moreouer wee are to apply this vnto a second vse which is concerning the spirituall power that is giuen vnto vs to surmount ouercome Sathan with all and whatsoeuer is against our saluation We fight not faith Paul against flesh blood but against principalities powers in high places against the diuels which haue fiery dartes flying Thus wee see how wee must bee exercised Seeing then that the diuell is our principall enemie and that the darts swords and all the meanes which he hath to hurt vs are spirituall let vs learne to call vpon our God For what power haue we Or what agilitie And therefore it is God that must fight for vs and let vs bee quiet stil and stand as if we had our hands bound behind vs and yet not so neither but that we must do our endeuours because all the faithfull must valiantly fight against the lustes of their flesh and yet must the power come from aboue and they aduichilate all opinion of their free-will and strength which is the drunkennes of Popery when as they proudly lift themselues vp against GOD. To bee short wee must therefore I say acknowledge that we can do nothing as of our selues neither as concerning our bodies or yet our soules But seeing that God hath taken the charge vpon him to conduct vs let vs vnderstand and bee fullie perswaded that hee hath strength inough for vs and that wee can doo nothing without him and yet are able to do all things by him and through him Let vs now prostrate our selues and fall downe before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our oftences beseechyng him to touch vs daily more and more with such repentance as that wee may groane to obtaine forgiuenes of all our iniquities which make vs indebted ynto him seeke after him by that meane which he hath establushed vs in that is by the meane of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ knowing that sith wee are reconciled by his death and passion that God will not leaue vs but accept vs for his welbeloued children although wee bee miserable wretched creatures full of sinne and iniquitie Morcouer that it would please him by his holy spirit so to streng then vs as that wee may feele that the principall power and dominion was not giuen in vaine vnto our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for so much as he hath enriched vs with spirituall blessings of which in our owne nature we are altogither bare That he will not onely shew vs this fauour but vnto all other people also c. THE THIRD SERMON of Melchisedech wherein is treated of the vse and right of tithes and also of an oath Gen. Cap. 14. And Abram gaue tithe of all vnto Melchisedech 21 Then the king of Sodome saide to Abram giue me the persons and take the goods to thy selfe 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodome I haue lift vp mine hand vnto the Lord the most high God possessor of heauen and earth 23 That I will not take of all that is thine so much as a thread or shoolatchet lest thou shouldest saie I haue made Abram rich 24 Saue onely that which the yoong men haue eaten and the part of the men which went with mee Aner Eshcol and Mamre let them take their parts IT was yesterday handled by vs at large that Melchisedech of whom mention here is made was a figure image of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ because hee was in dignitie aboue Abram who was the Father of the Church and as it is likewise said in the Psalme That the Redeemer that was to come Psal 110.2.4 should not be onely a king but also a priest after the order of Melchisedech We haue also shewed why all this was spoken to what purpose it serueth vs and what benefite wee receiue thereby Lastly the blessing likewise was set foorth that is that
through the power of the office and order which was in Melchisedech Abram was blessed thereby to shew that all our praiers should bee abhominable before the maiestie of God and be able to obtaine nothing at his handes without Iesus Christ made intercession for vs which office is attributed vnto him in the holie scripture Now it is here said That Abram gaue tithe of all vnto Melchisedech This therefore declareth a priestly dignitie that was in Melchisedech as is well remembred by the Apostle We must not hereupon certainly collect Hebr. 7.4 whether these wordes haue relation to the spoile or to Abram his owne goods For seeing hee receiued no part of the spoile to benefite himselfe it is not likely that he meant to giue vnto Melchisedech that thing which lee tooke not to be his owne But hee had another maner of reason diuersitie of his acknowledgement vnto God and to apply the benefite vnto his owne vse for the enriching of himselfe Neuertheles how euer it is it is sufficient that wee hold that which iâ— certain that is to say that Abram protesteth that hee acknowledged Melchisedech to be Gods priest For if he had serued Idols or vsurped any dignitie which belonged not vnto him Abram had done very ill in giuing him tithe because wee know that to offer sacrifice vnto Idols is to honour them and to forsake God This oblation then of Abram must needes testifie and approoue the priesthood of Melchisedech And therefore we see why the Apostle comparing the auncient priesthood of the law with the priesthood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ saith Hebr. 7.9.10 that Leuy which was yet in Abrams loynes paide tithes that is to say was subiect to that law Wee might also alledge the like of Iudah of whome our Sauiour Christ came Howbeit that is easily answered to wit that Melchisedech cannot be seperated from our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ because hee representeth him and that all the excellency which in him dependeth hereon in that hee is the figure of Iesus Christ And therefore the Apostle by great reason sheweth that hee to whome the right of tithes by the law apperteined was yet notwithstanding vnder Melchisedech We must therfore from hence conclude that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is farre more excellent then euer was Aaron or yet all his successors albeit they were in that respect seperated as it were from the companie of men And when the priest had all his priestly garments vpon him it was but to shew that hee was as â—n Angell of God which might come neare vnto his maiestie being a Mediator to blot â—ut the iniquities Hrbr. 8 9 10. and transgressions of the â—eople And notwithstanding that all this was so yet neuertheles the Apostle sheweth that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ farre excelled him in honour and must bee exalted aboue all the figures of the law that men thereby might see him to bee the very truth and substance of them all And that although men did take all the shadowes that euer were for a time yet should they profite nothing and should be all of none effect except they came to the true paterne Let vs therefore well consider that when Abram offered all the tithes to Melchisedech that it was to shew that although God should establish soone after an order of priesthood in his people yet that it did no whit derogate from the priesthood of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ which was alreadie figured in the person of Melchisedech as it was at that time alreadie established Moreouer as concerning the giuing of tithes vnto the priests we see that AbraÌ„ did it before there was any law written and therefore it is without all doubt that it was the spirit of God which induced him and pricked him foreward thereunto For Moses doth not recite here this to bee a thing done at randoâ— without reason but rather declareth that God ratified the office of Melchisedech forsomuch as hee meant to make him his priest and that Abram acknowledged him to be so Howbeit wee must not from hence gather that there was any general law for the same ne yet that the faithfull were bound to paie tithes except that God also had instituted it in his law which was done not only because they should honour him with the fruites of the earth with protestation that they came all of his meere bounteous liberalitie neither was it simply for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Aultar that is to say for the maintenance of those that serued in the temple but because they came of the seede of Abram So that one part of the land belonged vnto them who were to take possession therof Gen. 12.7 as it was said to Abram Thy seed shall possesse the land Leuy should haue bin a chief man in the house of Abram and yet he was thrust out of it in stead of him were two chiefe men made of the house of Ioseph to wit Ephraim and Manasses Here we see that Leuy was depriued of his enheritance albeit â—t was before assigned vnto him by God him selfe And that is the reason why his successors are recompensed with tithes Now God did this for two reasons the first is because they should not bee distracted neither from the seruice which was committed to their charge ne yet from doctrine For God chose not the priests vnder the law for performing of the ceremonies only but for another reason of which the Prophet Malachy speaketh Mala. 2.7 that is he ordeined them to be his Ambassadors to the ende wee should demand from their lippes the true knowledge pure enterpretation of the law Wherefore because the priestes might haue leisure inough to attend vpon the seruice of the Temple and to teach the people the tithes were appointed for them And for that cause also were they dispersed all the country ouer They had no seueral and proper pertition to say that they might dwell in any one certaine country as the rest did but were sowen here and there to the end there should be no corner in the world where God not would haue his messengers lawiers to keep his people in awe Here I saie we see the reason why GOD would haue them to haue the tithes and not busie themselues about tilling and sowing of the earth The second reason is this that if they had possessed the earth God had not been knowne to be Lord and maister as hee was when as Leuiticall priests were become as it were his Receiuers and had sent them in his name to take vpon them the superioritie to demand the homage which was due vnto him vpon the earth And besides although the children of Israel receiued that which was due vnto them by succession and inheritance of their father Abram yet for all that God as it were wold seem to shew vnto them that the earth was his kept the proprietie therof vnto himself
abominable hellish Masse of theirs they are so madde withall as that to them it were a far greater offence once to sweare by that Idoll the Masse then to blaspheme the name of God an hundreth times Thus then we see that the religion of the papists is most hellish And as for the Iewes they doo vtterly renounce our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Wee haue now alreadie shewed that the sonne cannot be seperated from the father and hauing reiected him they haue shut themselues cleane out of the doores and forsaken the principall couenant which God made with them to wit because they will not be partakers of the saluation which our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ bringeth with him Thus we see how they abuse the name of God in euerie condition And so hath it been euen from Abram his time We see here then why hee calleth him the Eternall and soone alter the most high God because hee would discerne him from the Idols of the Heathen For the very Heathen right well knew that there was a most high and excellent heauenly nature but yet they had euer a desire to haue a warren of pety gods after their owne will pleasure Abram was far from that saith that there is none but the eternal which is the most high God And withall he addeth Possessor of heauen earth to shewe that God is not in heauen as fantasticall heads imagine as to say that he sitteth there onely to behold that which is done in the world cōtenteth himself that he once made all things now letteth vs alone scipping leaping here below vp downe like Frogs But Abram sheweth that he had not so blockish an opinion of his maiesty but attributeth vnto him an infinit power that spreddeth it self all ouer both henen earth And this is done to make vs walke in his fear and to aduertise vs that we are alwaies before his eies that both our wits very thoughts shal come in a reckning before him for God is not the possessor of heauen earth to eate feed to do nothing els he is not possessor of thē to make nothing but dumbe shews with thē but cōtenteth himself also with his alone infinit maiesty hauing in himself all blessednes And although hee had neuer created anie thing yet had he been therby no whit either lessened nor encreased And therefore when he is thus called it is to shew that he hath all things in subiection and that we must all answere before him and that hee so ruleth the world as that nothing is hid from him and that his office is so to sound the thoughtes and to examine all our wordes and deeds as that being possessor both of heauen earth he is also with all our Lord and Iudge Thus wee see why this title is imposed vpon him because wee might walke here as before his maiestie We should haue a wise catch of it to hunt after secret corners seeing that all things shal come to light and if so be we did thinke at this day to deceiue him with our cunning shifts yet will it in the end light all vpon our owne heads Againe when as God is named to be possessor of heauen earth we are aduertised to loue him as our nource Father and to feare him as our Iudge For he is possessour of heauen and earth because hee is the chiefe ruler ouer vs and must appeare before his iudgement seate to receiue whatsoeuer we haue done in our bodies whither it be good or ill This is the possession which he hath in heauen and earth Now he possesseth not this for himselfe onely but bountifully of his infinite goodnes bestoweth vpon vs whatsoeuer we want because he hath created all things for our vse And therfore we cannot be but villainous ingratefull people when as we heare the infinite power and goodnes of our God thus spoken of and do by experience also feele the same if wee endeuour not ourselues eftsoons to loue him and yeeld vnto him obedience And vnder this word Heauen also not only the benefites which we receiue by the Sun and Starres are set before vs but the angels likewise are here put in amongst that we might learne to conforme our selues like vnto them If then such noble creatures as they are haue none other regard but to apply themselues vnto his seruice what shall become of vs poore wormes of the earth or rather straying wilde beastes when as wee shall do nothing els but rebell against his maiestie in giuing our selues ouer vnto our filthy lusts appetites Is it not too too great a shame for vs to see the Angels so humble as I haue already said our selues to be so proud rebellious Here we see thē in summe what wee are to remember that whensoeuer we shall speake of God we must alwaies ioyne his power with his essence and not suffer this word God so lightly to passe through our lippes as many men do but wee must know that as hee is eternall and hath made all thinges that hee hath also reserued vnto himselfe the dominion rule ouer our persons our goods and ouer all the rest of the creatures and that wee must know that wee are to render an account vnto him yea and that such an account as that we are yet in the meane while exhorted notwithstanding to loue him in deed and in truth submit our selues vnto his obedience for he wil not only win vs by force violēce vnder the name of his maiesty but also by the graces benefits which hee bestoweth vpon vs to the end wee might bee alured to come vnto him so that in al our words thoughts deeds we alwaies haue regard to glorifie his holy name Let vs now prostrate our selues before the maiesty of our good God in acknowledging our offences beseeching him so to touch vs with thē as that we may be humbled before him bee grieued with our selues and ashamed to the end wee may put our whole trust in his mercy which hee hath shewed vnto vs in his only son haue all our refuge to him And besides that hee so dearly redeemed vs as that wee endeuour to dedicate our selues wholy vnto him in puritie both in body and soule do him such homage as that we may shew that indeed we desire not to liue to our selues but yeeld our selues wholly to serue him sith it hath pleased him to receiue vs to himselfe That he will not onely c. THE FIRST SERMON of Iustification preached by Maister Iohn Caluin Gen. Cap. 15. 4 Then behold the word of the Lord came vnto him saying this man shall not be thine heire but one that shall come out of thine owne bowels he shall be thine heire 5 Moreouer he brought him foorth and sayd Looke vp now vnto Heauen and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them and hee said vnto him so shall thy seed
be 6 And Abram belieued the Lord he counted that to him for righteousnes WE heard yesterday how Abram in making his moane vnto God because he had neuer a childe to be his heire mistrusted not the promise as many of vs will murmure and grudge if hee by and by yeeldeth not vnto vs that we desire and which best liketh vs. Now Abram would not do so but contented himselfe that hee felt God to bee good and gracious vnto him and that hee was his both in life and in death For he neuer went further but the thing which he only looked vnto was which way the promise might be accomplished Now he had in very deed promised the Redeemer and for that cause was he so earnest to haue issue but not in any worldly respect as we haue heretofore said but because he could not otherwise be persuaded that God loued him And this is the rather confirmed by the promise which God made him for hee granted him his request euen at the very first reproued him also for his doubting thereof because God had giuen him his word before For he said HE SHALL NOT BE THINE HEIRE but one shall come out of thine own bowels he shal be thine heire No doubt of it God many times graunteth vnto men their vnaduised requestes but we see heere that he aduowed his seruant Abrams desire And it was not without cause forsomuch as he craued nothing els but to haue the promise ratified by that meane that it was required but because he was ouer hastie God said vnto him no and repulsed his ouer vehement hotte desire not but that hee might lawfully require to see the Redeemer howbeit wee must alwaies keepe a measure and how euer it is rest vppon the prouidence of God because he knoweth when it is best to do vs good And therfore we must patiently abide his leisure for as the holie scripture saith it is the verie propertie of faith so to do To be short we see here how God sheweth that Abrams request in desiring to haue issue liked him well considering to what end he desired it And because hee saw his weaknes hee would needes adde thereunto some confirmation and brought him out of his Tent and said vnto him LOOKE VP NOW VNTO HEAVEN and tell the Starres if thou be able so shall thy seede bee But if there bee such an infinite number of Starres as that they shall dazle thine eyes when thou wouldest looke vpon them to tell them euen so shall thy seede after such an vnaccustomed sort bee multiplied as that men shall wonder thereat by reason of the strangenes thereof Now as we haue alreadie handled in the twelfth Chapter this place cannot otherwise bee interpreted but that Iesus Christ is the head and direct line as it were of the seed of Abram for we shall heare hereafter that Ismael was begotten and yet for all that the promise was not accomplished notwithstanding that he was the naturall sonne of Abram but not as Saint Paul saith the naturall sonne of the promise And therefore wee must not take this here to be a carnall generation but looke higher to wit Galat 4.23 we must discerne betweene the children of Abram as they are in their estate and order whereby they are knowne and aduowed to be the children of God and those that bee bastardes although they come of his race For although Isaac begot Esaw and Iaakob and Esaw was the first borne and both of one woman yet for all that was Esaw turned quite and cleane out of the doores Now no man could perceiue the diuersitie why of these two children Iaakob should bee preferred before the other consideryng that they were conceiued both at one time borne both at once and besides Esaw the first borne And why then is hee accounted as a straunger and to haue neyther roome nor place in this spirituall inheritance which GOD promised to Abrams posteritie The reason is because the blessing was taken from him and giuen to his yoonger brother but yet he had the right of the first borne Wee see heére then in summe that if wee take all those to bee the seede of Abram which come of him as concerning the flesh wee shall finde neither reason nor yet sound grounde heerein Againe although God adopted all the posteritie of Iaakob yet was the greatest part of them made straungers vnto him Wee see also why GOD so oftentimes disavowed them by his Prophets Wherefore there must needes bee a chiefe and principall one of this seede or else we shall neuer bee able to haue the truth of this promise No doubt of it they spake not onelye of Iesus Christ as some haue ouer rawlye done but this order also must bee kept that is wee must set Iesus Christ before vs and bee conioyned togither in him and then this vnion will cause vs to be holden and reputed the children of Abram Wherefore there could bee no such seede as is here spoken of except Iesus Christ were the head and wee vnited to him as members of his bodie and thereby to be of the house of God and so consequently of the house of Abram Now we see that God made this seede to seeme small that he might encrease it And this is a kinde of dealing which seemeth straunge vnto the world but wee must all be brought to be acquainted with this For according to the common opinion when wee speake of seed the first borne must bring in the second and so all the rest one after another Now God dealeth otherwise when as hee will haue seede yea such a great number and multitude as that it would make a man abashed to see it and GOD so cutteth off abridgeth and diminisheth it as that in time it commeth so to passe that it seemeth to bee as it were quyte and cleane consumed and no whit left thereof as in the tenth Chapter of his Prophet Isaiah he saith but hee doth it because hee would within a while after multiply the same beyond all mans reason and expectation to the ende his wonderfull power might bee the better knowne and all men thereby bee forceably driuen to worship him For although there descended of Abram maruellous many people as first of all the twelue Tribes besides the Ismaelites and the Idumeans yet was there neuer so great a multitude in his house as came by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ For they which apperteined not vnto Abram as concerning the flesh were notwithstanding made his houshold meney For as we shall hereafter see he was the father of all the faithfull in generall Wherefore the posteritie of Abram was far greater when as hee lessened that which descended of him concerning the flesh then if he had let them all to haue remained and continued still We are therefore heereby admonished not to measure the workes of God according to our opinion and fantasie but giue place vnto his incomprehensible power and be contented when he hath
Paule saith The feare of God which proceedeth from Fayth hath not onelie the promises of the life now but of the Life to come For wee maye conclude that all thinges shall goe well with vs if so be that God fauoureth vs and accepteth of vs. Heere then wee see what wee are to retaine as concernyng this worde Beleefe Abram then beleeued GOD that is to saie Abram receiued the promise by which GOD certefied him that hee was his Sauiour that hee embraced our Lord Iesus Christ that was offered him by whom hee knew wee were reconciled vnto God although wee were woorthie to bee accompted his enemies and to haue mortall warres made vppon vs by reason of our sinne and corruption Wherefore Abram is beholden vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and was fully perswaded that that was the verie bond by which wee are conioyned and vnited vnto God as that we are partakers both of his life and also of all his benefites Here then we see Abrams beliefe to the end we take it not so leanly and sparingly as the Papists do Wee see now in summe that we shal neuer be able to vnderstand what this word Faith and Beliefe meaneth except we come to this melodie of the Promise and of the Receipt thereof And why is it that God so often saith by his Prophets I will call you my people and you shall say Thou art our God Thus we see why God first speaketh and it belongeth to him so to do for what a rash part were it of me to insinuate my selfe to come vnto God and to call him my Father who am no better then a worme crawling vppon the earth no nor so good neither but rather sinne and horrible infection to be condemned for euer whom Sathan by nature possesseth whose bond-slaues wee all are and yet call God my Father Yea to see mee vsurpe and take vppon me such honour as the verie Angels themselues as of themselues are not worthie But when he hath once pronounced this saying I am thy Father now it is no more cursed boldnesse and presumption to take our selues to be of the number of his children but an holy confidence and trust by which we ratefie his truth And this is the greatest honour that we can do him whē as he hath said the word to content our selues therwith and rest therin Thus I say wee see what true beleefe is euen that which is here shewed vnto vs by the example and instruction in Abram Now it is said that that was imputed vnto him for righteousnes and that it was God that imputed the same vnto him We are now to set downe what this word Impute and this word Righteousnes signifieth in comprehending also therewith the name of God This word Impute importeth as much as to allow or account of As when a man oweth any thing if he hath payd it he is allowed it Or if when his debtes are set downe he sheweth that he hath payd this and payd that well hee is so allowed it as that he is discharged of it and hath his quietus est Now in our naturall French language this word Impute is alwaies taken in ill part For we neuer say that anie vertue is imputed to a man for the word Impute importeth a matter of reproach or of a fault done for wee will say this matter will be imputed vnto him as a fault Now the scripture vseth this word in common as well in good part as in ill that is imputeth righteousnes and imputeth not sinnes And therefore when it is said that Faith was imputed vnto Abram it is as much to saie as that it ouerthroweth whatsoeuer might come as from him Neuertheles we shall neuer be able to vnderstand the valure and estimation of this word but by the contrarie For when it is sayd that sinnes are imputed vnto vs it is as much to saie as our sinnes are registred in the Recordes and we stand in them condemned so that there remaineth nothing but iudgement and execution And therefore accursed are wee so long as God imputeth vnto vs our trespasses For it is sayd Psal 32. Blessed are they to whome the Lord imputeth not their sinnes And so consequently accursed is the whole world when as GOD shall proceede as a Iudge against it and impannell a Iewrie of life and death thereon What then is the meaning of these wordes That Faith is imputed for righteousnes It is this that God putteth it into an allowance for vs so that thereby our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs for the one cannot bee vnderstood without the other and therefore the imputing of righteousnes is the cause why our sinnes are no more imputed vnto vs to iudge and condemne vs. For the imputing of righteousnes is in summe meere pardon and absolution Here now we see the right meaning of this word And now let vs see what this word righteousnes importeth For this word is not a vertue as if a man should saie him to be iust and righteous which gouerneth without out reproach But the righteousnes which is here spoken of is a fauour and grace which God bestoweth vppon vs because he would haue mercie vppon vs and of his meere liberalitie bee reconciled vnto vs. And therefore this righteousnes which Moses heere speaketh of is not a qualitie that wee are to looke for in men but a fauour which God beareth vnto vs when as it pleaseth him to burie our sinnes in the bottomlesse sea of his mercy and not once looke after them again and accept of vs as if wee had absolutely accomplished the law And why is that Forsooth because Iesus Christ is righteous and his perfect righteousnes is imputed and allowed vnto vs. And as he is ours by the gift of God his Father and daily offereth himselfe also vnto vs by the Ghospell euen so communicateth he his righteousnes vnto vs when as we possesse and enioy him And God vouchsafeth it euen as well as if wee our selues had wrought the same in our owne persons And thus we see what the meaning of this word Righteousnes is for now I do but vnfold these things by litle and litle because wee meane heereafter to amplifie the true summarie of the whole Wee will nowe come to speake of the name of GOD For men may impute vs to bee righteous by reason of some apparance and outward shewe of holines and vertue which they may thinke to be in vs and to like well of vs and so wee shall haue a great number of imputations that is to say verie Catalogues of righteousnes and imputations we shall be absolued yea and also exceedingly commended and praised when as they shal see vs to haue walked godly vertuously and yet all this is nothing And therefore we must come vnto the heauenly iudge as it is said of him And see why Moses namely expresseth That God imputeth Abrams beleefe for righteousnes Now if all the world had so esteemed and liked of Abrams faith
satisfactions and do recōpence God otherwise in doing of things which they are not commanded as fasting on such a day abstaining from eating of flesh another day going on pylgrimage causing Masses to be sung and such other like tryfling toyes which they make a mountaine of to acquite themselues before God Thus we see how they bestow themselues all their life long to be made righteous by their workes and merits being once iustified by faith that is to say being brought into the way They confesse that Iesus Christ openeth the doore vnto them but they saie that they themselues must enter in at it and performe the voyage There is in them also another error for they thinke that when they do any good deed although there be much euil amongst yet that this good deed is accounted of and this they call partiall righteousnes And thus they make a patched and peeced righteousnes taking here and there a peece rouing about making such a medley as is nothing worth but a confused matter or no vnderstanding They say also that we are first iustified by the meere grace of Iesus Christ and next by Faith and then by our workes and partly by our satisfactions which serue to appaise the wrath of God against vs and to acquit vs of all the sinnes wherof we are guiltie And this is the opinion of the Papists Let vs now see when it was that Abram was iustified as we haue alreadie touched it hee was a man indued with all vertues a man that had forsaken him selfe wholy to please God And therefore it might seeme that hee mought haue had some righteousnes in him if any were to bee founde in anie liuing creature and yet for all that his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnes And therefore S. Paul concludeth therupon that he had no workes in him to iustifie himselfe And when I pray you had hee none in him For sooth euen then when hee had had so notably trauelled endured such trials as that hee might haue been the verie patterne as it were of all Angellike vertues for his chastitie for his patience for his obedience towardes God for his pietie to bee short he mortified all his affections that he might frame himselfe wholly vnto the righteousnes of God And when he had done all this yet as Saint Paul saith had he nothing whereof to glory but must stop his mouth vntill such time as hee was iustified by faith and therfore we see by the circumstance of the time that the righteousnes of faith wherof wee now speake is not such as the Papists imagine But it is as much as if the scripture should say seeing then that we are poore miserable sinners engaged vnto God and vnder the condemnation of eternall death it must needs be that hee must accept of vs by some other mean that is he must not examin what we are nor yet looke to finde any thing in vs which any way might make vs acceptable in his sight but hold vs to be righteous because it is his good pleasure so to doo or else because we rest vpon his promises by which he hath preuented vs. Here wee see the righteousnes that endureth which extendeth it selfe both in life and death But we are now to set downe these thinges more largely and plainly And first wee are to remember that which earst I touched that is wee must seeke for our righteousnes els where then in our selues because there is none in vs. And see why S. Paul so greatly insisteth and standeth vpon the curse of mankinde when as he would driue vs to this point that God freely justifieth vs for there hee sheweth that the Heathen are also condemned although they haue neither lawe scripture nor Prophets and saith that they are of themselues alreadie damned and need neuer go any farther For God hath manifested himselfe to all in general in giuing vs eyes to behold the creation of the world Now we see that we smother and suppresse the glory which we ought most manifestly to behold And therfore we must conclude that we are all yea most vnthankfull sacrilegers because we robbe God of that honour that is due vnto him As for those that are vnder the law there is a double condemnation vppon their heades for they sinne wittingly because they know the will of God plainly manifested vnto them Heere then wee see all mankinde enclosed within the curse Let therefore saith he euerie mouth be stopped and be still whereupon hee bringeth in many places of the scripture to shewe that God looked vppon the children of men and found not one good but all corrupt that is to say they were so wrapped vp in their iniquities as that they were to be abhorred Here then we see what we are to note in the first place that is wee are hereby to vnderstand what our state condition is vntill such time as God commeth vnto vs to haue mercie vpon vs and looketh after vs when as we are plunged in the bottomles pit of hell Thus then we see at what ende we must begin if we will rightly vnderstand how and wherefore we are iustified by Faith But this cannot now be followed as it should and therefore we wil let it alone vntill our next exercise Let vs now then fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ in acknowledging our manifold sinnes and iniquities whereby we are most engaged and bound vnto him and for which wee ought to be vtterly confounded in our selues And although we be cast down into such a bottomles depth of dispair yet let vs not cease to lift vp our heades and hands vnto his maiestie seeing he hath shewed vs such fauour as to looke after vs because he would gather vs vnto himselfe and because also that Iesus Christ descended into hell to bring vs out thereof and lead vs vnto the kingdome of heauen And therefore let this bee so printed in our hearts as that wee may be truely lifted vp by faith to call vpon this good God who hath adopted vs for his children and wholly rest vppon him And let vs farther beseech him to grant vs the grace so to walke as that his adoption be not vaine nor vnprofitable in vs but that it may shew the fruites thereof insomuch as we shall bee gouerned by our Lorde Iesus Christ accordingly as hee hath incorporated vs into himselfe Let vs not onely c. THE SECOND SERmon of Iustification Gen. Cap. 15. 6 Abram beleeued the Lord and hee counted that to him for righteousnes WE beganne yesterday to handle which was the right way to learn how to please God by faith that is wee must begin at our first estate and condition and see what wee were borne in Abram In whom we see our selues to be all accursed damned and lost And vntill such time as we know that aright we shal neuer feele what it is to obtaine the fauour and mercie of God Here
then wee see the true foundation whereon to build which is that after wee haue rightly examined what we are and finding nothing in our selues but vtter shame and confusion we might seeke for the remedie els where And for the making of such a triall wee must of necessitie come to the scriptures In verie deed if euery man did consider himselfe without flatterie we should iudge our selues without any further triall We should not need to vse long circumstances about the finding out of testimonies inough against our selues for euerie one of vs hath an hotte burning skarre in himselfe to imprint the curse of God vpon vs. But because wee are subiect to hide our sinnes and bury them therfore hath God set his word before vs as a glasse that we might therein behold how to learne to iudge our selues thereby and not after our owne fantasies And although wee perceiue not at the first our owne miserie yet when we shall see the same laid open by the word of God that were inough wholly to confound vs. For if euerie one of vs should trust to his own opinion we would then be all righteous For Salomon saith That we are all so blinded with selfeloue as that there is not one of vs all but wil make our selues belieue that we are wonderfull verteous Pro. 21.2 But it is God saith hee that weigheth the hearts And therefore we must be tried by another balance for when we thinke our selues to be ful of merits they proue nothing else but false stuffe and verie drosse And when the world also thinketh so of vs it declareth that they looke no farther but to the outward shew Now that which men so highly esteeme of is abhominable before God And why so because that wee must iudge of workes according to the hidden and secret affection of the heart Lu. 16.15 And besides there is no puritie therein for it is imposible that wee should be pure clean vntill such time as it is said in the Actes of the Apostles that wee bee purged by faith Act. 15.9 And on the other side we shal neuer be able to serue God with a free affection without we know that he will be good and mercifull vnto vs as it is said in the Psalme Psal 13◠4 With thee O Lord is alwaies mercie and plenteous redemption Now these miserable faithlesse people who doubt of the will of God and are neuer quiet but in great perplexitie without doubt can neuer serue God couragiously neither will God at any time accept of that they do for he wil haue vs sacrifice vnto him willingly and S. Paul also saith 1. Cor. ◠8.7 That he loueth those which deale liberally with him and come with a free affection Here then we see that our works how glorious soeuer they seeme to be either in our owne eyes or in the eyes of the world are but dung and filth before God vntil such time as hee hath cleansed vs of our sports and vncleannes and besides hath shewed vs what marke he would haue vs shoote at to what we shuld direct the whole course of our life that is to saie he would haue vs honour him and being once dedicated vnto his seruice labour to conforme our selues fully and wholy vnto that righteousnes which he hath set before vs. Howbeit we will handle this more at large when as wee shall speake of the law but for this present it shal suffice that we vnderstand that because wee are carried with selfe loue and that that is not only as it were a wimple to blindfold our eyes but doth also as it were wholly bewitch vs so as wee are become very blockish and do not once conceiue thinke of our miseries And therfore as I haue alreadie said it is meete that God should condemne vs by his word Rom. 3.10 11.12.13 14.15.16.17.18 And for that cause also doth S. Paul bring in so many testimonies shewing by them that we are all damned Euery one therfore as I haue alreadie said should haue this feeling in himselfe without any other iudge but because we are so sinfull so full of dissimulation and haue so many shops and priuy closets to withdraw put vs by from the true sure knowledge of our sinnes therfore must the word of God serue vs for a looking glasse to behold them in Now thē seeing that we are of nature pernerse nothing in vs but rebellion and malice and all our affections thoughts so many inimities against God as S. Paul saith Rom. 8. how can we any way possibly present offer vnto his maiestie any thing that hee may well like of In very deed we may haue some foolish arrogant proud cōceit of our selues howbeit that shal be alwaies but to redouble our woe for pride is a sin that more displeaseth God then all the rest And therfore we must confesse that as we are but naturall men wee are so great enimies vnto god as that our very thoughts imaginations are all contrarie vnto his wil neither can we so lōg as we liue either speak or do any thing whatsoeuer but it must needs heap vpō our heds a most grieuous cōdemnatiō Wherfore we see why the scripture compareth vs vnto dead men when as God once forsaketh vs vntill such time as our Sauior Christ hath shewed himselfe to be our life we are no better then dead men And I pray you what can a dead man doo Moreouer we are therefore to learne take forth this lesson or els we shal neuer be able to lay open what the goodnes of god is towards vs in our lord Iesus Christ But shuld dispaire in our selues to put our trust in God For wee are so inclined vnto this presumptiō which is so rooted in vs as that we wil alwaies extoll our selues And therfore god must altogither cast vs down that we may be redressed by his hand vpholdē by his power Furthermore we are soon puffed vp with a smal blast of wind of vain arrogancy therfore before such time as we are to receiue any true substance frō god we must first be very empty as it were hunger starued And so namely why it is sayd Psal 132.15 That God filleth the hūgry pore afflicted No doubt of it his goodnes extēdeth it self to none but to those that are worthy of it but whē we speak of gathering his church togither he must thē prepare it by this meane and for that cause it is namely said Esay 91. 1 That the spirite of God must rest vpon our Lord Iesus Christ that he might announce deliuerance vnto the captiues to make the miserable blind to see to heale the sick and diseased and to strengthen comfort the feeble and weake Now hee accomplisheth that when he saith Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will refresh you and you shall finde rest to your soules Here then
we see that it is humilitie that leadeth vs vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that wee might be partakers of the righteousnes which he bringeth vs. Now humilitie is not such a maner of thing as many suppose it to be as to shewe a godly and humble countenance before God but we must be so bare and emptie of any good thing in vs as that we must cast our selues downe at his feete and acknowledge that wee are nothing els but miserable and wretched sinners and so without al hope of saluation as of our selues Thus we see how wee come vnto his mercie which is by the feeling apprehending of our miseries And these two things caÌ„not be seperated For why is it that God taketh pitie vpon vs and helpeth vs Forsooth it is because he beholdeth our miseries and that is it which stirreth and moueth him to mercie And see also why S. Paul treating of our saluation saith Ephe. 2.8.10 you are not saued as of your selues it is the gift of God throgh faith for ye are his workemanship because hee hath created you in Christ Iesus vnto good works which he hath before ordeined that ye should â—oo them Here Saint Paul excludeth whatsoeuer good opinion wee can conceiue of our owne power when as he saith Go to now if ye shal attribute any part of commendation of saluation vnto your selues and yet thinke that you haue not atteined thereunto as of your selues but that you haue been holpen therein see how this geare may or can stand togither For you were created mortal men that is to say Sinners and therefore all accursed banished and estraunged from the presence of God in whom is all goodnesse And therefore you must conclude that you are all as it were dead Wherefore there must be a new and a second amendment and reparation before you bee any thing in the sight of God And when you haue been regenerated in Iesus Christ the same then is called a new creation And therefore euerie one of you is the creature of God when as he hath formed and called you vnto himselfe without anie disposition therunto for your owne part but God hath prepared good workes by his holie spirit Seeing then that it is thus we may very well conclude that our saluation commeth no whit of our selues no not one drop of it but is the onely meere gift of God proceding of his owne liberality Thus then we see as touching the first point that for the obteining of mercy and grace at God his hands wee must truly acknowledge our selues what we are how miserable our estate conditioÌ„ is that we are all but castawaies Now wheÌ„ I speak thus it is not meÌ„t that our knowledge must be a rouing vnderstaÌ„ding swimming in our brain but our harts must by it be deadly wounded that we may feele the iudgements of God so to terrifie vs as that wee may bee brought almost into vtter dispaire For how shuld we know what a benefit meat drink is except we were touched with hunger and thirst For if we were stuffed ful we would continue so we would neuer seek after crum nor crust as we say but it is hunger that driueth vs to hunt after victuals for when wee are sicke wee seeke for remedie but if a man wer so sensles as that he felt no kind of grief he would die an hundreth times before hee wold call for help or yet once desire it wherfore as I haue alreadie said wee must bee so touched with our miseries as if we wer dead in deed as if wee felt that death whereof the scripture speaketh that wee might attaine to that life whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ offereth vnto vs by his Ghospell and this is the cause why the scripture so often reproueth and as it were condemneth vs for our sinnes For God taketh no pleasure in dealing with vs after this maner but because he knoweth the necessitie thereof So then looke how many threatenings sentences of condemnation of reproofes and such like are in the holy scripture they are euen so many Mallettes to knocke vs on the heads to bring vs vnto that humilitie which wee are so farre from vntill such time as hee hath violently in such sorte mortified vs. And thus much for this straine Moreouer we must come to a larger account and reckening of that which hath bin already spoken which is that vntill such time as we haue beheld our miseries in the word of God wee shall be lulled in a dead sleepe in our hypocrisie become very careles and this securitie will cause to contemne the word of God and so by little and little be quite and cleane excluded from it Now God hath set before vs our condemation namely in the lawe and in verie deed all the scripture is full of them and when it is said that it is profitable amongst other thinges it layeth out the reproofes And besides we knowe what the Ghospell teacheth 2. Tim. 3.16 Mat. 3.2 4.17 Repent and amend for the kingdome of God is at hand Thus wee see how God disposeth his elect to receiue the free righteousnes which he bestoweth vpon them by his sonne which is that wee should repent and amend And what is the meaning hereof Forsooth there must be such a sorrow and griefe in vs for our sinnes as that we must condemne our selues for our wickednes and be reuenged of our selues as S. Paul saith â— Cor. 7.9.10.11 for hee setteth not downe only the word Sorrow and Feare but â—aith that wee should haue such a vehement desire and zeale as to be as it were a duenged of our selues because wee are so great enemies vnto God Now although this doctrine is met withall in all the holie scripture neuertheles God hath especially or deined his law for that purpose and therefore it is why Saint Paul saith rom 7. That it bringeth nothing but wrath When as wee shall thronghly weigh and consider that which is spoken wee shall finde God to be against vs and cannot come neare without it be to haue him armed and thundring against vs clearly to destroy vs. True at is that the law right well sheweth vs what it is to liue righteously and to attaine thereunto if we were capable therof as hereafter shal be more largely handled It is written in Leuiticus That who soeuer shall do these thinges shall liue by them but in the meane while let vs see whether we come anie thing neare vnto that which God commandeth vs yea or no In very deed we are so arrogant and proud as that the law vntill we well vnderstand it can neuer bee able to conuince and conquere all our fond presumption For we see how Saint Paul Rom. 7.9.10 who from his youth was trained vp and instructed in the law and a Doctor thereof yet notwithstanding saith that hee still presumed on his vertues and thought himself to be a very righteous man because he knew
the law and rested theron and vtterly contemned the grace of our lord Iesus Christ And what was the reason Forsooth because he looked no further but vnto the dead letter and outward shew thereof as when it is saide Thou shalt not kill in verie deed he right well knew that he was no murtherer Afterward it is said Thou shalt not commit adultrie neuer any man knew him to be a leacher or whoremaister Next after Thou shalt not steale neither yet was it euer knowne that he was a theefe And therefore he thought himself to be cleare before God Thus wee see how in what a sound drowsie sleepe he was in his vaine flatteries But afterward God awakened him and drew him further on and made him enter and search into the depth of his thoughts And where it is said Thou shalt not couet then he saw himselfe so conuicted and condemned as that there was no more absolution for him For he felt a great many of vanities in himselfe that tickled him his weakenes made him thinke vpon many temptations and hee knew that he was not able to discharge himselfe of the hundreth part of the loue of GOD which ought to be in al the faithful This did Saint Paul know and so we see how that he like a miserable dead man forgot his life whereof he was beguiled deceiued acknowledged himself to be altogither like a wretched rotten carkes before God For the law so slue him as that hee had nothing in the world to presume vpon in himselfe And therfore as I haue alreadie said wee may see that there is an especiall reason conteined in the lawe of God to shewe vs that there is nothing in vs but coÌ„demnation For we must chiefly stand here vpon euery commandement Wee must haue but one only God And what is he how must wee honour and serue him Seeing then that we must be wholy bound and tied vnto him let vs looke after none other good felicitie nor reioycing but to glorifie him let there be neuer heard from our mouthes anie thing els but praises thanksgiuing vnto his maiesty let it not be perceiued any maner of way but that we forsake the world and wholy desire to come vnto him to magnifie his name as he worthily deserueth Thus then wee see the foure Commandements of the first table set here before vs. Now when we shal haue throughly serched the contents of them let vs theÌ„ come to the examining of our selues and we shall finde that in steed of resting vpon him we are become verie wilde roges vacabonds and such also as that our thoughts imaginations do lead vs and carry vs away euery where And first let vs come to speake of praier for this action should cause vs that are here beneath on the earth to haue our cogitations in heauen because we are then as it were in the presence of our God And yet notwithstanding when wee do praie what a number of friuolous imaginations shall wee haue in our heades which will holde vs their captiues And seeing it is so what must be the rest of our whole life Euen the lyke will become of all the Commandements of the lawe when as we shall compare them with our liues And therefore wee shall not finde one onely death but an hundreth thousand Furthermore wee see also how God in his lawe meaneth to touch vs to the quicke for it is sayd that the heart must in deede and in good earnest bee wounded For after that this sentence is pronounced Deu. â—7 26 Cursed bee hee that shall not doo all thinges which heere are written hee is not contented alone to bee Iudge and to haue thus condemned vs by his owne mouth but will haue the people also to say Amen that is to say he wil haue euery man to condemne himselfe willingly and of his owne accord and so be altogither held as condemned confessing the sentence which he hath giuen to be iust and right So then we see how the law driueth vs so to enter to examine trie our life that we shal finde no hope in our selues but bee driuen to seeke the beginning of our righteousnes at our Lord Iesus Christ his hand Now we see that these two things are as contrary one to another as fire and water as to be accounted righteous before God by our works and to be accepted of him by the vertue and power of faith For as Saint Paul saith if wee should bring any thing that is ours no doubt of it God should then be beholden vnto vs although wee were neither wholly nor yet perfectly righteous yet how euer it were there might some proportionable reward be done vnto vs. But it is saide that faith and workes can neuer agree togither and therefore this must be our conclusion that when we are iustified by faith workes must needes cease and be nothing worth Now this at the first sight may seeme to be an hard kinde of speech to wit that faith and good works can neuer go togither for it might seeme that if faith onely iustifieth that the raines are slacked and let lose to all iniquitie Gal. 3.12 Now S. Paul speaketh this according to a certaine qualitie and regard as he also speaketh of the law and faith the law saith he can no way agree with faith for they are two incompatible things And in what sort For is not God as well the Authour of the law as of the Ghospell Is there any contrarietie or repugnancie in him without doubt no for hee is vnchangeable Why then findeth S. Paul such a contrarietie betweene the law and the Ghospell Forsooth it is in respect of our iustificatioÌ„ And euen so is it between faith works and the contrarietie is this because workes are made merits And that which is more we can doo no good worke but by faith as wee haue already said and hereafter shal be more largely handled For the cause and the effect are not contraries but when we wil establish any merit in our works that is to say when as we wil go about to make theÌ„ auailable to obtain fauor at Gods hand to satisfie for our sinnes to be short when as we would bring them in to serue vs for our saluation this is vtterly to ouerthrow faith by this means make it of no worth Thus then we see that it is not without cause why Saint Paul concludeth thus That seeing we are iustified by faith then are workes of no value but must be quite and cleane shut out of the doores for any opinion that wee ought to attribute vnto merites or vertues whereby to please God withall Now we are here eftsoones to note that God of his meere liberalitie iustifieth vs and searcheth after our miseries to sustain them that he might be knowne to be only righteous the commendation of our saluation to bee absolutely giuen vnto him accordingly as Saint Paul right well noteth both in
his Epistle vnto the Ephesians also vnto the Romanes Ephes 1. Rom. 3. saying That God hath concluded all vnder sin that he might be knowne to be onely righteous and euerie mouth bee stopped because it is hee onelie that iuslifieth sinners through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that bringeth vs into the way of his righteousnes As also in the third to the Galathians when as Saint Paul propoundeth this question How is it possible that God gaue the lawe after the promise For it should seeme that God chaunged his purpose and was misaduised because hee freely iustified Abram and a long time after gaue the law and therein hee saith That whosoeuer shal do these things shall liue by them Hereunto Saint Paul answereth That the law was not giuen to adnihilate the free promise but for the vse whereof I haue alreadie spoken that is that wee must bee all concluded vnder sinne and condemnation for else wee should neuer feele of what price the mercie of God was nor neuer looke after it and besides wee would thinke that wee had no neede of it And in verie deed there are two sortes of people which make no account of our Lorde Iesus Christ robbing themselues of all the benefites which we haue by him and of the faluation also which we haue by his death and resurrection The one sort are they which persuade themselues to haue some worthines in them and therupon in the aboundance of their pride despite God and such are your iolly rable of Monkes Friers and their like who haue a certaine glorious glittering shew of righteousnes counterfetting a maruellous and as it were Angellike holines These men I say shut vp the Gate and haue no enterance vuto Iesus Christ for the thrust him farre inough of from themselues The second sort are they which are negligent and secure think not themselues to be righteous And why so for some of them ar whoremaisters some are theeues some drnnkards some effeminate persons and some such contemners of God as that little children may iudge them to be so These men are not deceiued by pride and arrogancy but are made so drunke by satan as that they neuer thinke of euerlasting life but are become altogither brutish And see why Salomon saith That he is happie and blessed who is carefull ouer his owne heart And which feareth and watcheth to vnderstand his sinnes and wretchednes We see then that the law was not giuen after the promise for any other reason but to condemne vs to the end we might seek for all our righteousnes in God and to giue all praise vnto him for our saluation Let vs then here note this finall cause and therefore S. Paul in the first Chapter to the Ephesians discourseth of this matter more at large For hee passeth it not ouer slightly but handlet the matter so as if he would thunder it in our cares to the end saith hee That the glorie of God might bee knowne hee alone to be glorified hee alone to bee knowne righteous that we might know that from him we haue all For wee must know saith hee That without his meere fauour and grace we are all camned Here we see I say in summe what God his pretence is when he taketh from vs all opinion of our owne power and strength that is hee meaneth that he would haue him selfe to be knowne to be onely iust and vs to be lost and damned soules of our selues So that whosoeuer they are which chalenge to themselues the least righteousnes that may be as if they were aiders and assisters vnto God as the Papists call themselues Cooperators or workers togither with God doo without doubt commit a more detestable fault then all the theeues in the world For what is it to take away from a mortall man gold and siluer and all that hee is worth besides in respect of robbing God of his honor being the chiefest thing that he desireth to haue to be reserued vnto himselfe which is this that hee alone is to bee acknowledged righteous and then when miserable mortall creatures or rather crawling vermine on the earth who are no better then a most corrupt and filthie thing shal stand vp in Gods steed and say Thou art not the whole worker of our saluation but we haue holpen thee in it Is not this most cursed blasphemy when as we shall presume to bring with vs some portion of righteousnes before God But here we are to remember that which we yesterday handled that is to say that this word Iustifie importeth not that wee are made righteous that is that God so renueth vs as that we are Angels but it importeth that hee accepteth and alloweth of vs of his meere goodnes albeit we be miserable sinners And therefore wee may heere see how Moses in this place toucheth this word Impute as if hee should haue said that this hangeth vpon the free fauour of God and is not be enquired of whether righteousnes is in regard of man or whether he is worthie to be accepted There is none at all of this meant But let vs be contented that God accepteth vs for righteous al thogh we are no whit so in deed And here also wee see why the righteousnes of faith excludeth works for looke what is wanting in vs we receiue from Iesus Christ I say not in part as the Papists ensnare themselues but we borrow the righteousnes of Iesus Christ because there is not a droppe or yet a myte therof in vs. And therfore works must needs be ouerthrowne when as we seek for righteousnes els where For if there were onely one part in Iesus Christ and another in vs hee should not be the whole then how should this saying be fulfilled Iohn 1. That the fulnes of graces were giuen to him by the holie Ghost that hee might distribute them vnto euerie one according to measure For these two words To get and to Receiue are cleane contrarie one to the other and when God iustifieth vs it is by his adoption and because wee are by nature the children of wrath therefore he adopteth vs and taketh vs for his children And what findeth hee in vs nothing in the world that can induce vs to do well And therefore the inheritance of our saluation which wee hope after and which is promised vs in the Ghospell commeth from this adoption of God and from nothing that is in vs for if wee could obtaine or get anie thing of our selues without doubt wee would part stakes with God euen as the Papistes doo But because GOD so dealeth as that wee doo nothing therefore is hee alone to bee glorified We now presently see in summe that the righteousnes which is here spoken of importeth nothing else but the remission of sinnes and the credite which we haue in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to bee made righteous through the merite of his obedience but when Saint Paul would seuerely instruct vs according
to our childishnes hee bringeth in onely remission of sinnes reasoneth after this sort We cannot saith hee be iustified by our workes and why so forsooth because it is written Psa 32.1 The man is blessed whose sinne the Lord pardoneth and whose iniquities are remitted and whose wickednes is not imputed vnto him Heere saith hee wee see all our felicitie which is when God receiueth vs to mercie and forgetteth burieth all our sinnes whereof wee are guiltie before him Seeing then it is so it must needs follow that wee are all accursed vntill such time as God hath forgiuen vs and if wee be wicked where then shall be found our righteousnes For god cannot hate that which is agreeable vnto his nature for hee is the fountaine or all righteousnes And therefore if he finde in vs neuer so little goodnesse no doubt of it hee will accept of it Wherefore wee must conclude that because we are wicked we are vnrighteous and altogither accursed and can no way be blessed without God loueth vs. Now if he loueth vs he must needs eftsoones allow and like of vs and if hee allow and like of vs we must needs be righteous These are principles which we ought to vnderstand Howbeit wee are yet to know that we cannot be blessed without God loue vs for so long as he is our enemie Alas in what a wofull estate and condition are wee Whereuppon then dependeth our felicitie Forsooth euen heerein when as God loueth vs. We are now to consider how it is that hee loueth vs hee must needs allow and like of vs as I haue alreadie said for he cannot deny himselfe For if hee reiect abhorre vs how shall we be reconciled vnto him Now let vs see by what means for God cannot be transfigured and if as S. Paul saith we should pretend any such thing it were in vaine for hee will continue alwaies like himselfe knoweth well inough to seperate vs with all our leasings and race vs out of his Rowle and how â—â—all God then allow like of vs Wel sir we must be righteous Now what righteousnes is it It is not that righteousnes which we suppose to haue in our workes ne that we are able to acquire our selues before him or yet satisfie by any duetie that wee can performe none of all this will serue our turnies What righteousnes then is it Forsooth euen this that God must pardon our sinnes forget our iniquities and not impute our offences vnto vs. And therefore Dauid had reason to vse these three maner of speeches for a man would thinke this to be a superfluous kinde of language but he especially reitterateth this because the condition of man wherein he is borne and drowned ouer head eares is not onely a bottomles depth vntill such time as God draweth him out thereof but the bottomles depth of all depthes that is it is the bottomles depth of hell And therfore God must deale herein after a singuler maner And therefore we see why he also soone after speaketh and that in the spirit in whom is no deceit for it is meet we should vnderstand how necessary the mercy of God is for vs because our sinnes are so filthie and horrible as that they are able to infect and poyson both heauen earth and not to prouoke God alone against vs but also the Angels the Sunne and Moone all the hostes both of heauen and earth Wherefore we see why Dauid so highly magnifieth the forgiuenes of sinnes And thereupon S. Paul himself also concludeth and sheweth vs wherein our whole righteousnes consisteth which is that onr sinnes are forgiueÌ„ vs. And let vs likewise note as I haue alreadie said that Dauid speaketh setteth it down in the spirit in whom is no guile for hee sheweth that we cannot haue our sinnes forgiuen vs albeit God offereth vs forgiuenes vntill such time as wee be wholly confounded in our selues and bee so rowzed vp awakened as that no hypocrisie nor dissimulation make vs belieue this or that ne yet remaine in a dead sleepe of securitie but that we finde our selues to be like most miserable damned and lost soules and such as the iudgements of God do so persecute as that we know not which way to turn vs and to be in such a desperate case as if we saw present death before vs and the hand of God armed to execute the sentence of the curse which he pronounceth against vs. And this is the definition of the righteousnes which wee are to note if wee will haue it rightly defined Wee see also why it is sayd in the fifteenth of the Acts where Saint Paul speaking of the ceremonies of the law saith that we must be iustified by our Lord Iesus Christ of all the thinges whereof the lawe of Moses could not iustefie vs. This word the Law carrieth here a long taile with it for wee must vnderstand why S. Paul especially speaketh of the ceremonies of the law when as hesaith that works cannot any waies make vs acceptable before God Now the Papists and manie of the auncient Fathers which knew not the scriptures but were as a man would say halfe Philosophers were wonderfully troubled about this word the Law and though that Saint Paul contended not about morall workes as they called them that is to say that hee went not about to deny that we were not righteous before GOD if we liued chastly temperately soberly wronging no man and holding all such other lyke morall vertues they thought that Saint Paul touched none of this but meant in verie deed that all these workes partly deserued saluation but they thought that the ceremonies of the lawe could no way bee profitable to iustification Now this imagination is too too grosse follie for first Saint Paule neuer once spake of the ceremonies of the law Wherefore see here I beseech you how most vnaduisedly they are abused and to prooue it to bee so consider that place of the Psalme which I erst alledged how Dauid placeth mans blessednesse in the onlie forgiuenesse of sinnes Psa 32.1 without naming anye worke and this speakyng of workes comprehendeth within it all vertnes in generall whiche wee can anye waye attribute vnto our selues and wherein wee greatlie glorie Now this cursednes Saint Paul saith sheweth that we must needs come all naked and emptie before God that wee might be filled enriched of his meere and free goodnes Moreouer when as hee speaketh of the workes of the lawe it is because that if there be any merite in them it is by reason of the couenant which we haue alreadie alledged Leui. 18.5 That whosoeuer shall doo these things shal liue in them Put the case that there neuer had bin any law published yet should we haue been no whit the more acceptable vnto God And as for himselfe he oweth vs no duetie neither is he any whit bound vnto vs Lu. 17.11 for it is said That when wee haue
done whatsoeuer is commanded vs yet must we needes confesse that we are vnprofitable seruants And why so what are we at our owne choise and libertie to doo what wee lust Is there anie thing in vs that is our owne no verely and therefore cannot we plead any merit albeit we perfectly fulfilled the law Whereuppon then dependeth the confidence which wee take in our workes Forsooth euen vpon this promise That whosoever shall do these thinges shall liue by them For God bounde himselfe hereunto of his owne accord albeit hee was not in reason tied vnto it Wherefore when as S. Paul speaketh of the workes of the law he sheweth that although God hath promised to all those to whom he hath made promise that how many soeuer shall accomplish all which hee hath commanded by the righteousnes of the law shall be reputed taken to be righteous and haue thereby euerlasting life notwithstanding that the workes of the law cannot do it And why so because they still leaue vs vnder the curse of the law and condemnation for wee can do nothing else but sinne so long as we remain in this tabernacle of the flesh and hee whatsoeuer hee is that shall thinke himselfe to be most righteous shall neuer be able to acquite and discharge himselfe of the hundreth part of his duetie therein What shall we then doo but euen hold downe our heades and prostrate our selues at the feete of our Iudge and so craue pardon and forgiuenes as heereafter shall be more largely let downe Let vs now then returne vnto the place depending vpon that which I haue alreadie touched which is that Iesus Christ is set before vs to iustitie vs in all things whereof the law of Moses was neuer able to do For it shuld seem that they thought themselues to be holpeÌ„ as wel by the ceremonies as also by all the rest of the law to make them of great account before God and to be able to please him for if they failed then had they the sacrifices as fit remedies as the sprinkeling of blood to cleanse them certaine washings also to make satisfaction vnto God and many other promises besides It should seeme then that all this was nothing to make them acceptable before God but contrariwise that Iesus Christ must come to iustifie vs of those thinges whereof the law was neuer able to do What is ment by this saying to iustifie vs of things That is to saie to pardon and forgiue vs them Wee see now by this place which I haue alreadie spoken of that the righteousnes which Moses here speaketh of is not a thing resident in our persons But Gods free forgiuing of vs when as hee is mercifull and louing vnto vs albeit we are no whit worthy thereof for this which Moses heere setteth downe shal neuer be able to be found in any man whatsoeuer but in Iesus Christ who must onely iustifie vs and how is that that is if the Diuell shall accuse vs and God readie to iudge and condemne vs then will Iesus Christ answere for vs as our suretie Thus we see how the obedience of Iesus Christ serueth vs as a cloake to couer al our rebellions and iniquities It is he that hath satisfied for vs and discharged vs of all our debtes by the merit of his death shed his precious bloud to wash vs withall To be short we finde in the person of the Sonne of God whatsoeuer is requisite to make vs acceptable before him because our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. Here then we see in summe what we are to remember from this place We are now to proceed somewhat further that is to say that when God hath once for all receiued vs thus to mercy how hee continueth holdeth and voweth vs for righteous all the daies of our liues and euen in death also for this is the principal point wherat we must aime come vnto howbeit we cannot at this time staÌ„d to handle it Let it suffice theÌ„ to the end things might be well kept in minde that wee know vnderstand what the open way is that wee must haue to be partakers of the euerlasting saluation which commeth vnto vs by Iesus Christ the sonne of God that is wee must know vnderstand how miserable wretched our state and condition is not by confessing the same with our mouthes onely or hauing a vain imagination swimming in our brains therof But to be so sorrowfully wounded and greeued as that wee be confounded before the maiestie of God euen to the very hating detesting of our owne selues And wheÌ„ we shall thus rightly iudge of our selues then shall wee be sure that God will forgiue vs. And when wee shall bee thus mortified in our selues then shall wee finde life in Iesus Christ For it is not inough that we knowe our selues to bee verie wretched sicke creatures and poore and needie souleâ—â— but we must be dead altogither to the end we might by the onely grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be reuiued And that hereupon we may bee so humbled as the scripture willeth vs which is to giue vnto god that honor that is due vnto him And it is not without cause that Dauid speaketh Psal 51.17 when as he saith That it is an humble and contrite heart which God requireth For wee shall neuer come vnto him except wee bee altogither cast downe in our selues And then wee must carry this minde and affection with vs that we are wonderfully grieued perplexed in our distresses and then will we in deed confesse that we are not righteous And then also shall our desire and affection be so enflamed as that we shall not looke for our righteousnes in our merits but cleane contrary and hauing cast away all arrogancy looke for all our benefit and saluation in his onely Sonne and so when wee haue once knowne that hee hath pluckt vs out of the shadow of death our mouthes shall then be open and disposed to preach his vnspeakable praises according to that saying of Saint Peter treating of the end of our saluation in the first Chapiter of his first Canonicall Epistle Let vs now prostrate our selues before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our sinnes beseeching him to cause vs more and more to feele them and so to gouerne vs by his holie spirit as that we seek after nothing els but the glorifying and blessing of his holie name and to acknowledge how many maner of waies we are bound vnto him euen holding of him all the hope of life we haue and al that while not to be weary in seruing of him but do the best wee can to conforme vs vnto his holie will vntil such time as hee hath so spoiled vs of all the corruptions of our flesh as that we may be wholy cloathed with his righteousnes So shall wee all say O Almightie God and heauenly Father c. THE THIRD SERMON of Iustification Gen. Cap. 15. 6 Abram beleeued the
be as a man would say fiue times as much founde to weigh it downe and when wee shall thinke to paie him with halfe an ounce he wil finde matter inough to condemne vs in fiue times as much And what shall become of vs then Let vs therefore learne rightly to know what wée are that wee be not in the ende found worse then naught And let vs consider as I haue alreadie sayd that wee can neuer be saued except we be assured that we may call vpon God as vpon our Father Now besides this first abuse there is a second which is that they that thinke to be iustified by their merites doo neuer consider that not one of our workes is good when as God will looke straitly vnto them for as I haue already said although we should keep the one halfe of the lawe or three partes of it yet were it all nothing for we should all be condemned if we failed but in one only point and yet there is another reason to wit we neuer once came neare the accomplishyng of the lawe either in whole or yet in part And how so we saide yesterday that God iudgeth not of our workes as we imagine For hee hath his owne weightes and balance And how iudgeth he them Forsooth he looketh whether the heart be pure and cleane from all fleshly pollutions And where shall a man finde such an heart We are euer mashed in a great many of wicked affections and although they reigne not in vs yet can we not be altogither rid of them Moreouer we shall neuer finde such a zeale in vs to glorify God as we shuld but that there will be alwaies some infirmitie we may haue a good meaning to do well but yet it shall not bee so perfectly done as that it may stand before his face Now we do not here speake of this as to say I thinke and I suppose but wee must conclude and saie God hath said so and God alloweth and liketh of it And therefore we should be very far of from deseruing any thing before him nor yet be quiet in conscience for ouer and besides that we faile in many things and that there is no man but hath alwayes some remorse of conscience although we thought to do the best that wee possibly might yet were it altogither halting and lame Yea and there may bee also some infirmitie that may pollute euen very good workes in deed For was there euer a better woorke then that of Abram Ge. 22.10 when hee was readie to kill his owne sonne And yet notwithstanding his heart was touched with many sorrowes and griefes which shewed his weaknes Thus then we see that this worke was poluted before God could not be reputed to be anie merit What shall we say then to that which we do considering that none of vs all but is soone staied when as we shall once be spoken vnto to go that way And although we would gladly employ our selues to serue God faithfully yet goe we not so rightly and soundly on as we should by the hundreth part And must we needes be continually vexed vnquiet yea verily we all know it without we wil be too too blind Now as I haue alredie said we must assure our selues that God loueth vs receiueth and accepteth of vs as if we were righteous And from whome haue we this priuiledge Wee must come to that saying of Saint Paul to the Romanes Rom 10. which is we must looke vpon our lord Iesus Christ For when our saluation is spoken of then behold the glorious heauen we are by and by on the one side astonished and amazed thereat because we are not worthie once to come neare it And besides wee see on the other sides hell standing wide open before vs to swallow vs vp because wee are horrible wretched sinners And then will we say Who shall ascend into heauen For it is impossible that wee should come there for where are our wings to flie vp thither And besides as I haue already said hell standeth gaping wide open readie to receiue vs if so be that he wil giue iudgement against vs and then we will saie how know we that we are pardoned and forgiuen but that God may verie well throw vs downe headlong into the bottomles pit of hell Now hereupon Saint Paul answereth and setteth downe the remedie which is this that we must not doubt but that heauen is ours And how shal we be sure of that Forsooth because that in the person of Iesus Christ we know it to be set wide open for vs. And therefore the asking of this question doubtfully Who shall ascende into Heauen Saint Paule saith Is to fetch Iesus Christ downe from thence For wee knowe that the Sonne of God hath saide That there are manie Mansions in his fathers house and that hee hath not taken them for his owne perticuler benefite but to the ende to receiue vs togither vnto himselfe as fellowe heires with him As concerning hell he descended into it for hee suffred the torments and paines which wee should haue suffered hee suffered the horrible torments of Gods wrathfull curse which made him cry out and saie My God mys God why hast thou forsaken mee Euen so then when as we make our saluation certaine then we may see that we are assured And that also is his meaning where he saith Ro. 8.33 Who shall laie anie thing to the charge of Gods chosen He is angry with Sathan and with whatsoeuer is against vs as if he would haue said seeing that wee haue forsaken all our arrogancy and haue no such imagination as once to thinke that we can bring anie thing of our own with vs vnto God to make vs acceptable cōsidering that we know that it is of his owne free mercy and goodnes that he hath chosen vs as also called vs vnto him selfe by the Gospel let the diuel with all his suppostes accuse vs as much as they lust yet will he iustifie pardon vs how Forsooth saith hee behold how our Lord Iesus Christ maketh intersession for vs by the power and vertue of this praier forsomuch as hee is our Advocate for the appaising of the wrath of God his Father by this we see how we are pardoned And this is the certaintie wherof he speaketh in another place as we haue already said Rom. 4. This also is shewed vnto vs in the person of the poore publican that is to say of the customer whom the people scorned whē he came vnto God to pray Lu. 18 1◠12.13 He came not vnto him after a bragging sort howbeit hee verely belieued that God wold haue mercy vpō him therin he was bold as we all also must be as in the Epistle to the Ephesians it is sayd Ephes 3. But when hee looked towardes him he humbled himselfe and was ashamed crauing nothing but pardon and Iesus Christ said that he was iustified euen with that
a man shall see him as the scripture speaketh to become a new creature And without doubt we can neuer be said to be right Christians without we be after that maner renued and be made the workemanship of God created in our Lord Iesus Christ to doo the workes which God hath prepared all this I say must be in it But herein may seeme to be some absurditie God iustified the theefe that was hanged because he acknowledged his saluation to be in Iesus Christ and when hee was iustified had hee none other qualitie in him then he had before Yes verely Why then say we that free righteousnes hath hir course all our life long In deed a faithfull man will at the least be well affected to hold himselfe within the compasse of Gods obedience he will be displeased with his sinnes yea groane and greeue for them and his chiefe deâ—â—re wil be to frame his life according to the lawe Now when a faithful man is come to this we must not say that hee is iustified as hee was at the first bicause he was then a dissolute man and altogither estranged from God To this we answere when God at the first iustifieth vs that is to saie when hee hath mercy vpon vs and plucketh vs out from that condemnation wherein we were he vseth then a generall pardon and then when hee iustifieth vs afterward he then acknowkledgeth the benefits which hee hath bestowed vpon vs and auoweth alloweth them for he cannot deny himself when he gouerneth vs by his holy spirit although sinne dwelleth in vs yet reigneth it not in vs as it is written Although wee doo not the good which wee would yet wee striue to do it And therefore God alloweth and liketh of that because it commeth from him but here we are to note that he iustifieth vs both in our persons and also in our workes by faith only For when he receiueth vs at the first he cannot iustifie anie workes that are in vs. And why so because they are all wicked For as wee haue alreadie saide what fruit can a rotten tree bring forth And therefore when God draweth vnto him miserable sinners that are banished and cast out of his kingdome and Church he doth not iustifie their works but beholding their miseries and hauing compassion of their perdition lo for that cause he iustifieth them Now after that hee hath receiued them he iustifieth them in their persons that is to say he accepteth them as his children and after that he iustifieth their workes and how doth he that Forsooth not by calling them to an account nor iudging them rigorously for there will be alwaies as I haue said some corruptioÌ„ amongst or els some slips and by slidings and such like things which wil marre all For if a man put the best wine in the worlde into an vnsauery hogshead or into a fustie bottle the wine wil be all mard Euen so fareth it with all our works for so long as God guideth and gonerneth vs by his holy spirit they ar good holy commendable but marke what vessels we are surely very filthy corrupt Euen so are our works therfore God must purge cleanse them And how is that verily euen by his grace in pardoning the faults imperfectioÌ„s which are in them Wherfore euen as there is diuersitie between a faithfull man whoÌ„ God calleth at the beginning vnto the Gospel so also is there some diuersity in iustificatioÌ„ But it altereth not in this behalf that is that God alwaies iustifieth his freely that is to say that he accepteth them not for anie vertues that are in theÌ„selues for there is none at all in them neither yet for those which he hath bestowed vpon them for they are to be condemned by reason of the infirmitie that is in them But because as Saint Paule saith That those whome hee hath chosen he hath iustified Here then we see in summe what we are to retaine as touching the motion of this question Now we are to note that ouer and besides the thing which the Papists imagine that we may partly obtaine to be righteous and so consequently bee pardoned at Gods hand they are too too grosSecondly deceiued bicaly deceiued in their satisfactions and blind also I say in this they are to thinke themselues to haue certaine vertues which God ought to allow and like of But in very deed they are ashamed to say that their workes doo merite but that they carry some likelihood with them for say they although they do not perfectly merit yet is it meet that God who is iust should accept of that good which they do Yea but they are so farre blinded in their righteousnes as that they vnderstand not their sinnes as we haue alreadie said Againe they are secondly deceiued bicause they think themselues able to acquite themselues by their satisfactions I will heere forbeare to speake what their satisfactions are because they are most foolish whereby they do nothing else but prouoke the heauy wrath of God against them thinking to pay him with filthie toyes and trifles to wit with superstitions deuised of their owne braine for what satisfactions can we make to deliuer vs from the iudgement of God And what is the committing of one sinne worthie of Truely we thinke that when wee haue violated the righteousnes of God and haue payd some small portion for it that we haue done inough Must we not thinke that Sathan wholly possesseth vs when as we become thus arrogant Now this is the greatest part of Popish doctrine to be pardoned when as we haue deserued rather to be punished And this proceedeth herehence because they think they should be iustified by their workes and therefore they saie that this is but coniecturall for they cannot choose but see that if wee examine our selues we shal come short in the end neither can wee haue that which is requisite for the making vp of our accountes before God to say that we are discharged But ouer and besides this coniecture they haue another foolish toye in their heads which is this why say they if it were true that God fououred vs to day it may be that hee would not doo so to morrow Now they neuer thinke that faith is alwaies accompanied with hope and that hope extendeth it selfe both in life death And we see also besides that there is a farre greater fault that is they neuer looke vnto the last article of death whereof we will speake God willing hereafter And therefore we will at this time go on with that wee haue begun which is they thinke to satisfie and appaise God when as they bring with them some recompence for the sinnes iniquities which they haue committed Wherin they robbe God of his honor for if it were so then hee alone were not sufficient to reconcile vs vnto God his father Now it is not without cause that he is called our ransome for hee made himselfe our suretie vpon
this condition that hee tooke vpon him to paie our debtes fully and wholly And therefore whosoeuer will now take vpon him to paie GOD vsurpeth the office of Iesus Christ which is a most abhominable abuse And yet the Papists build their saluation hereon But for all this they cauill and saie that although our Lord Iesus Christ hath obteined pardon as wel for the sinne as for the punishment therof yet notwithstanding that this is reserued although they manifestly gainsaie themselues For on the other side they saie that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not merited for vs but is the occasion of merit Now as I haue alreadie said they will say that wee are by nature so ill and so exceeding wicked as that we can do nothing which God will accept but say that whē Iesus Christ goeth before he giueth vs the occasiō of merit this they call the first merit so that they giue vnto him some litle gobet or small portion and to our selues the chiefe Now if it be so that Iesus Christ hath onely merited the occasion of merit that is to say that wee must by him come to heauen it must needs folow that we shall be alwaies bound vnto God as well for the punishment as for the sin And this is an enormious abomination when as the papists wil presume thus to discharge themselues before God with their satisfactions And besides as one mischiefe draweth on another euen so thrust they themselues into a most wearisome labyrinth for they know well inough that if we strained our selues to do an hundreth times more then wee are able yet could wee in no wise content satisfie God for our sins And why so because we come so short in doing that we should as is most fearful And Dauid saith What man is he that knoweth his sins Psal 13.12 And therfore although we shuld take neuer so much pain to make satisfactiō yet shall the Papists be enforced to say that we are neuer able to come to the end of thē Yet is there also a third error amongst them to wit their indulgences pardons of ful remission for the pardoning of their sins that will buy thē And yet they think it not inogh that they haue these indulgences but must also haue their purgatory to make vp their mouth withal for altogither so as they are so mashed in errors as that they cannot tel how to wind thē selues out of thē For seeing they haue all at once straied from the pure simplicitie of the holy scripure the diuell hath so possessed entrapped them within such nets and snares as that they can neuer get out of thē Wherefore we must so much the more diligētly harkē vnto this doctrine which excludeth all satisfactiōs sendeth vs to our lord Iesus christ to finde that in him which is wanting in vs. Moreouer we are to note for the better vnderstanding of this point what it is to be saued by the meere grace of God and for faith to be imputed vnto vs for righteousnes and that cannot be vnderstood vntill wee lie at the point of death for when as the Papists speake of their merites satisfactions and indulgences they may prattle and iangle as it pleaseth them but when hipocrites shall be so drunken and hard harted against God as to be made to beleeue maruels and wonders all their life long the diuel soone after remoueth them with a witnes when as they must in good earnest come before the iudge For we see how blockish we are and so long as it pleaseth God to graunt vs life wee imagine him to be such a one as pleaseth our selues transfigure him as we lust but when we must depart this life and come before his iudgement seate at whom the Angels themselues are afeard and tremble Alas how shall wee most miserable mortall creatures doo in this case And therfore when we speak of this certaintie of faith the question is not of our entrance into the Church of God only but our hope must be inuincible to fight against all the temptations of Satan but especially whē wee must come to answere before God wee must then stand firme and sure against all the feares wherwith we may be stirred driuen vnto And this is no speculatiue doctrine but a doctrine of practise True it is that the holy scripture must instruct vs but no longer then vntill such time as God hath in verie deed assigned vs a day and our consciences bound to appear to heare the sentence of the heauenly iudge No doubt of it we wil make but a sport in reasoning of this matter But the practise thereof as I haue alreadie sayd will teach vs another maner of lesson what it is that is to say we must wholly flie vnto the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and vnderstanding that he is our Aduocate we may assure our selues that God will not enter into judgement with vs. And why so because we are pardoned not according to the draught of our inditement but by putting away all our sinnes iniquitie◠And this is it which we are to remember concerning this poynt It should seeme now that we cannot be wholy righteous if our righteousnes consisteth onely of saith for our faith as wee haue alreadie said will alwaies be weake so long as we liue here And therfore how is it possible that wee should bee fully righteous before God For the effect cannot bee aboue the cause For if we had but halfe a Sunne wee should not haue so much light as wee haue and therfore we must haue a whole Sun that the beames thereof might spred it self all the world ouer Wherefore when faith is thus weake in vs it should seeme that we were but partly acceptable vnto God and so contrariwise that hee liked vs not howbeit we are here to note that we are not iustified by the power and vertue of faith neither must wee thinke it to bee so perfect as to saie that our saluation is perfect thereby For to speake properly it is God alone that iustifieth vs as out of the eighth of the Romanes wee haue heard And this is that iustification whereof Saint Iohn speaketh in his third Chapter to wit That God so loued the world as that he spared not his onely begotten Sonne to the ende that so manie as should beleeue in him should not perish but should passe from death to life Thus wee see to speake properly that it is GOD alone which iustifieth vs agreeing with that saying of Saint Paul in the fifth Chpiter of the second to the Corinths saying That God appeared in Iesus Christ ◠Cor. 5.19.21 in reconciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them because that Iesus Christ who knew no sin was made sinne for vs that wee should bee made the righteousnes of God in him Here wee see that Saint Paule in the first place sheweth how God iustifieth vs that is that hee imputeth not vnto vs
our sinnes And thus much as touching the definition of the word And yet wee are taught that it is the proper office of God to iustifie vs. For he saith that he was in Iesus Christ in recoÌ„cilng the world vnto himselfeâ— and besides hee is ouâ— righteousnes that is to saie hee alloweth and liketh of vs why then is it sayd that faith iustifieth Forsooth euen this way for if wee did looke vnto the principall cause and sought out who is the Authour of our saluation wee would still saie that GOD of his meere goodnes iustifieth vs because hee hath mercie vppon vs imputeth not our sinnes but pardoneth vs. Now it is Iesus Christ also that for his part iustifieth vs because hee is the verie true matter of our iustification Where then must we seeke after it In the washing of his blood which hee shed for vs in the sacrifice which hee offered for the recompence of our sinnes in that hee rendered full obedience in such sort Ioh. 17. as that all our offences are buried and blotted out because hee was sanctied for vs as in the seuenteenth of Saint Iohn it is saide Thus then we see after what maner and degree Iesus Christ iustifieth vs. Now in that it is saide that faith iustifieth vs is not by reason of the power and venue that is in it or for anie woorthinesse that it hath And herein it is that the Papists are deâ—â—â—ued for they make a comparison betweene faith and workes and say how is it that faith iustifieth more then loue For S. Paul saith That Loue is greater then Faith True it is that they mistake this place but admit that loue were more worthy then faith For we do not now speake about such trifling toyes as to say that hee were worthie to be the greatest king in the world that could may nure and dresse the ground as wel as any husband man or vine-dresser And euen so fareth it with faith for it iustifieth vs not as I haue already said for any excellency that is in it selfe but because it borroweth that of Iesus Christ which is wanting in vs. And therefore is it that S. Paul saith That the righteousnes of faith ouerthroweth and maketh voyd all the righteousnes of workes and whatsoeuer worldly glory else And therefore the Papists are herein too too blockish and wee for our partes are so much the rather to rest vpon this point which we haue already spoken of that is to say that we are iustified by faith to wit that the way to make vs to bee acceptable vnto God is to haue vs laie open a ready way vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that thereby hee may applie his righteousnes vnto our selues Here wee see then that faith is the only meane and instrument but that God is the cause and author and that all praise belongeth vnto our Lord Iesus Christ who is the right and true matter and substance thereof And this is it that we are here to remember And consequently we see also that the Papists do too too foolishly cauill to say that faith it self is a worke and that if we be iustified by faith that then workes are not excluded And to proue their matter withall they alledge that which is written in the sixt of Saint Iohn Ioh. 6.29 This is the worke that God requireth of you that you belieue in his only Sonne Now Iesus in this place calleth faith a worke as if he should haue sayd you see whereat you must ayme and applie your whole studie for the questioÌ„ is not that the worke should merit And besides if wee did confesse that faith were a worke which indeed it is not yet iustifieth it not as a work done by vs for if I giue almes and pretend therby to merit before God see how I shuld bee iustified by my woorkes if I helpe my neighbour and trauell to do good vnto this man or vnto that as they shall haue neede Loe how I should be iustified by my workes Now the reason is cleane contrarie in faith for in confessing that we are all accursed and that by faith we receiue that which God offereth vnto vs we bring nothing with vs on our behalf but come empty fisted vnto him Faith then iustifieth not by bringing anie worthines or merit with it vnto God but because God receiueth from Iesus Christ that which hee presenteth vnto him in our name And this confession must goe before that there is nothing in them which keepe such a course that is to saie to demand righteousnes at Gods hands wherof they are vtterly void And therefore we see that the Papists herein deale verie foolishly to say that we are iustified by a worke if so bee wee bee iustified by faith Now faith is a sacrifice wherewith God is pleased because he is thereby honored and praise and thankes rendred vnto him who is only iust and good and yet are we not iustified by the power and vertue thereof To be short when God iustifieth vs by faith there is in this iustifying enclosed the grace which hee bestoweth vpon vs because hee will not see and behold the infirmitie which is in our faith Faith then iustifieth but yet as it is defectiue and imperfect and yet therein it iustifieth How can that be being defectiue and imperfect Yes well inough for as I haue alreadie said it is not required at the hand of faith to do any such thing as hauing power of it selfe to iustifie but receiueth simply that which is giuen it to doo it from God And therefore if wee haue but the least sparke of faith as a man would saie with this conclusion that there is no life in vs but that which we haue in Iesus Christ and that all fulnesse is in him from whom we draw that which we haue and wherwith we are filled without all doubt we haue then inough Wherefore let let vs learne so to belieue in our Lorde Iesus Christ as that when soeuer we shall stand in doubt wee yet neuer cease to submit our selues vnto his mercy which can neuer faile and continually flie vnto him knowing right well that all perfection of righteousnes is in him and is such also as that we shall be made partakers thereof and that although we had but the least drop of faith as Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. and were enuironed and laden with this huge heape of corruption and sinne that is in vs whiche bringeth nothing else with it but death yet if Iesus Christ be in vs there is life that is to say the rest of the infirmities and corruption of our flesh whatsoeuer els that may hinder our saluation shall all bee abolished by the spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ if we haue neuer so litle a portion we shal be of whom sure to liue for euer Let vs now prostrate our selues before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our sinnes beseeching him to make vs feele the power and vertue which hee
charitable because they right well knowe that they shall not loose their labour as it is written Yea but how know they that Forsooth by the testimonie of the Gospell Now what are the words of the Gospel Verily Rom. 3. that God will bee mercifull vnto vs if so wee beleeue in his onelie sonne For the righteousnes which is there offered vs as saint Paul saith hath borne witnes of the law But is not holpen by the law that is to say by whatsoeuer works we are able to doo But because wee are grounded on the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ This Text then sheweth vs that the faithfull may bee a great deale better and more earnestly disposed to serue God because they knowe that their paines shall be accepted And yet notwithstanding they rest themselues vpon this free goodnes which is promised them because they flie vnto our Sauiour Iesus Christ Heere wee see how grosly the Papists are deceiued For from this word Reward they draw the word Merite as if they would play the Alcumistes Now there is great difference betweene the one and the other For what importeth this word Merite To Merite is to make God bound vnto vs that we might say I haue wel deserued this thing or that I am worthy of it And he which doth not acknowledge the Merite is vnthankfull if hee discharge his duetie vnto him vnto whom he is bound and beholden If we could then deserue any thing at Gods handes it must needs follow that he for his part should he beholden vnto vs and doo vs wrong if he paid vs not that which he ought vs. True it is that he is pur debtor but a voluntary debtor For hee shall neuer find any thing in vs why hee should be beholden vnto vs but bindeth himselfe by his promises Now in very deede hee hath promised vs Reward but it is of his owne free gift and of no desert of ours for that were to come from a poste to a pudding-prick to go so from one to another and to conclude that these two words are all one where there is so great diuersitie Wherefore let vs not meruaile though the Papistes still conclude their Arguments thus and storme when we say That works cannot iustifie vs. For their supposall is false that is to say that if GOD rewardeth those that are his that therefore he is bound to doo it and that they are also worthy of it and that their workes import some Merite Nowe all this is not worth a straw The reason I haue alredy shewed to wit that when God promiseth vs Reward it is not because that wee are worthy thereof but because it pleaseth him to adde grace vnto grace and all of his meere mercie goodnes and liberalitie Now we are alwaies to keepe this in minde and in very deede what should we look for at his hands if we had nothing but that that we deserue Assuredly we should be driuen to that vnquietnes vvhereof vvee erst spake that vve should alvvaies bee in doubt and perplexed And therefore our faith must bee certaine And this is that in summe vvhich heere vve are to remember Let vs now come vnto the wordes of Saint Iames who seemeth to be contrarie vnto S. Paul and all the rest of the holie Scriptures as we haue alreadie spoken Iames. 2.24 For Saint Iames saith That we are not iustified by faith but by workes A man would thinke that there could not be found two places more contrarie one to the other as to say That we are iustified by faith onely without works and that we are iustified by workes and not by faith and yet notwithstanding it is most certaine that S. Iames who spake by the spirite of God gainsaid not the doctrine which was preached and published from the beginning in the Church ratified by the Prophets and which hath beene lastly more notably confirmed by our Lorde Iesus Christ and by his Apostles Howbeit the solution is verie easie when as wee shall looke into the drift and meaning of S. Iames For he reasoneth not there what true faith may do neither doeth he speake at all of true faith but of a counterfait faith and such as is but like vnto an image and an illusion For he reasoneth there against such as vnder the colour of Christianitie will take libertie to do al wickednes as at this daye there are too too many And besides the diuel doth so bestirre himselfe to blind vs as he would make vs beleeue that all our sinnes are forgiuen vs and so vnder the name of Christianitie would make vs become verie brutish and thereby peruert all And to bring also the doctrine of the Gospell professors into a slaunder to the end also it might be thought that the doctrine of the Gospell did ouerthrow good workes would not haue vs worship and serue God as the Papistes at this day despitefully reproche vs therewithall VVherefore S. Iames seeing many dissolute and profane people thus falsly abuse the name of the Gospell and pretended the name Faith He saith well Let mee see thy faith without workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes whereby he sufficiently sheweth that his meaning was not to speake of such a faith as we haue defined that is that we should be certaine and sure of the goodnes of God by his word and knowe him to be our Father through our Lorde Iesus Christ Now S. Iames speaketh not of such a faith as this is and that which is not such a one cannot bring foorth workes VVe haue alreadie said that by faith we receiue the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ And he and his spirite cannot be separated And wee knowe that it is said That it is not giuen vnto vs onely for righteousnes but for sanctification also that is to say that wee might be purged of all the filthie lustes of our flesh That we might be made like vnto the righteousnes of God So then if S. Iames had spoken of this true faith it had beene great follie for him to haue said Shewe me thy faith without workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my worlds as is he would haue said that true faith is so conioyned with good workes as without them it is dead to wit it is no faith as afterward he saith And therefore S. Iames right well sheweth that he spake not of a faith which embraceth the promises of God and by which we are certified of our saluation And herein the Papistes do grossely abuse them-selues to forge vnto themselues a faith which they call vnformed that is to say without figure or shape and say that faith of it selfe is as it were but like a piece of earth or claye which a man shoulde take to dawbe withall Here yee see say they what faith is And besides they saie that when Charitie is conioyned thereto then it is like a pot that is made of the same piece or lump of earth which before
shevve your selues like vnto him or else you mocke God in prophaning so holy and sacred a thing as the name of faith and righteousnes is Here vve see saint Iames his meaning out of this Text But these Popish mastiue Curres can no vvhit skill of this and vvhat is the reason Verily because they contemne God hovvbeit you shall heare them vvith open mouth talke of good vvorkes and a man vvoulde thinke to heare them debate thereof that they vvere Angels and yet you may see vvhat they are And I vvould to God that the vvhole state of their life vvere not altogether dissolute for a man shall finde neither Monke nor Fryar Doctor nor yet any of that shorne Rable but they are either rybauldes skorners of God vvhoremongers drunkards blasphemers To bee short it shoulde seeme that they had conspired vvith the Diuell to bring the vvhole vvorld vnto confusion And yet for all this they vvil pretend good vvorks and speake of nothing else And therefore it is no meruaile although they bee so blind But to speak but a vvord of that vvhich vve haue explaned out of saint Iames vve are to note that vve ar iustified but not vvithout vvorks yet vve are iustified vvithout vvorks vvhen vve say that vvee are iustified but not vvithout vvorkes vve separate not this And hovv so verily because that he vvho is iustified before God by faith is as much to say that God forgiueth him his sinnes beleeueth in the passion and death of our Lord Iesus Christ and knoweth that by his resurrection he receiueth life from him So then vvhosoeuer beleeueth after this sort is not iustified vvithout vvorkes And vvhy Because that God bestovveth his holie spirit vpon him vvhich so reformeth him as that good vvorkes cannot be chosen but be ioyned together vvith faith And yet is the other saying also true to vvite that vve are iustified vvithout vvorkes that is to saie vvithout any helpe of good vvorkes so as vve alvvaies remain bound vnto God Here vvee see tvvo places vvithout altering the vvordes vvherein it should seeme they vvere altogether diuers and sundry as to say that we are iustified without works that we are not iustified without works howbeit the meaning is that works are not for all this the cause of our saluation as to make them merite any whit before God so as to accept vs according to our worthines But it is because that as I haue already said our Sauiour Iesus Christ beareth vs not onely a simple grace and fauour but a double that is to say that on the one side he couereth all our iniquities and offences through his pure obedience and appeaseth the wrath of God his father by that Sacrifice which hee offered vp once for all to make satisfaction for our sinnes And yet hee so ruleth and gouerneth vs in the meane while by his holy spirite whome hee hath receiued in all fulnes and resteth vpon him that if so be we doo not abuse his grace bestowed vpon vs we are freed from the bands of Sathan that we might take good heede as S. Peter saith not to follow the lusts and desires of the flesh This then wee see may suffice for the exposition of this place Nowe Moses addeth immediately following that God spake againe vnto Abram and said I am the Lord which brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to giue thee this Land to inherite it Here we see that God reitereateth his promises for the confirming nourishing and increasing of Abram his faith vntill such time as it was growne vnto a full perfection VVherevppon wee are to conclude that although Abram was the mirrour and patterne of all the faithfull and the very Image of righteousnes yet was his faith imperfect For else the promise that is here set downe were superfluous For if the faith of Abram was so throughly confirmed as that it coulde not bee amended God needed not to haue spoken any more And why so The promises haue this vse and benefit that they draw vs vnto faith and when wee haue gotten it they are to leade vs to the right way to incourage and stirre vs vp to goe on valiantly to refresh vs when we are almost weary to augment our vertue when it beginneth to faile and to be weake Here I say we see why our Sauiour Iesus Christ testifieth declareth vnto vs of his meere goodnes that he is our God that is to begin faith in vs or els to bring it to perfection And therefore wee must conclude that it was needfull for Abram to goe somewhat further And hereby we see that although our faith be vnperfect yet that God ceaseth not to iustifie vs. And what is the reason Because he imputeth not the infirmity that is in it vnto vs but how euer it is wee are here admonished by this place not to bee preuented by any foolish opinion of our owne as a great many of men are who thinke themselues to be such great Clarks as that they will not once vouchsafe to come any more vnto the schoole of God Let vs therefore vnderstand and know that although our faith were greater and more powerfull than now it is yet must wee be schollers all our life long to haue the word of God sounding in our cares and to haue our memories rubbed ouer refreshed that we might not forget that which wee haue learned that that which hath not taken deepe roote in our heartes may receiue a better and deeper impression and that God when he hath cast his seede into vs according to saint Paul his comparison wee may daily water it in vs For it were not inough to haue the seede cast into the grounde without God shoulde sende downe raine from heauen and bedewe it for when the husband-man shall haue done his duety in tilling the lande it is to no purpose without GOD should giue increase thereof from heauen Euen so must it bee with vs when as wee shall haue receiued the seede of the incorruptible life GOD must raine downe from heauen that is to say hee must continually benefite and strengthen our faith which cannot be except we be daily instructed from his mouth Let vs nowe come to the contents of this sentence I am the Lord which brought the out of Vr of the chaldees These words here are inserted for Abram to cause him to eschew all Idolatry and superstition wherein he had been hertofore brought vp For as it is often shewed vnto vs out of the holy Scripture that we must not worship God confusedly nor imagine him to bee such a one as we thinke But wee must know what God that is which we must flie vnto and must bee separated distinguished from all the imaginations deuises of mans braine whereby we so greatly deceiue our selues and are also deceiued by Sathan And that is the reason which S. Paul maketh in his Epistle to the Hebrewes the eleuenth Chapter and the sixth verse saying When wee will come
him although we see not before our eyes the effect of that which he promiseth vs but hold our selues stil in suspens He saith I haue brought thee into this land which I gaue thee VVell my God thou hast promised to giue it mee in deede But beholde I am old and drie when will that time come O care thou not for that for I will be mercifull vnto thee VVell be it so But where is the demonstration of that which I haue looked for all this while For I am at deathes dore and am here a stranger haue no seede as hath beene heretofore said and how shal I do then O Lord VVell take my worde for it This then is the nature of faith To haue all our senses subiect vnto the will of God and beleeue his trueth Our eares also must be open and attentiue to receiue whatsoeuer he speaketh vnto vs and that when he hath once said the worde conclude that it shall be so But which way can that be O we are not to reason that neither is it in our disposition But wee must leaue it vnto the counsell and will of God as we haue alreadie said This then is the honour winch wee must do vnto GOD euen to beleeue his holy worde More ouer wee are still to obserue that which hath heretofore been spoken that is to saye That God simply gaue the land of Chanaan vnto his seruaunt Abraham for a pawne to the end he should not muse to him selfe nor trouble his head about it For then had Abraham had but a colde pull if he had had nothing else but that land But without doubt he was led by another spirite which is Hee sawe the verie day of our Sauiour Iesus Christ as in the Gospell according to Iohn it is written And besides he confessed himselfe to be but a Pylgrime here in this world and therefore looked for his inheritance elsewhere And where it is saide that this lande was giuen him for to inherit that was not the marke which he shot at his minde was not set thereon but had a further reache For by reason as wee haue alreadie saide that hee forsooke his natiue countrey and left it to liue in a strange and an vnknowen place it must needes be that his minde was altogether occupied about the heuenly inheritance So then we are here to note that although the lande of Chanaan is here called his inheritance as also Gods house and resting place yet is it but as a pawne or to speake more properly but as an earnest pennie For a pawne importeth as much at the least as the full worth of the thing which wee are to be assured of But an earnest pennie is as a man would saye nothing And to giue a pennie as we call it vnto God for a bargaine worth an hundreth thousand crownes and more is nothing For of what worth is that piece which wee giue forsooth of no value Now can a potteâ—â— or gallen of wine be worth a great possession or lande that is able to enrich three or fouremen And yet be as be may this earnest pennie is destined vnto such an vse And therefore this lande of Chanaan was the inheritance of all the children of Abraham and of as manie as haue descended of his lyne but yet so as that it vvas but an earnest penie for heauen Insomuch that the verie faithful looked not so much vnto that neither yet set so their mindes on it But setled their cogitations thoughts a great deale higher VVe see then vvhether God meant to call Abram as if he had said that he did him no vvrong in leauing him to languish Because he was sure that the promises should be performed therfore not to stand vpoÌ„ his ovvn vvit And vvhy so Because he was to looke vnto him that spake the worde who was the vnchangeable God Now by reason that wee our selues are so changeable as that our mindes alter euery minute VVee therefore grieue and vexe when we see that God perfourmeth not that at the verie first which he hath promised vs. And because wee see our liues to be so short and the time wee haue to liue to be but as a shadow which fleeteth sodainely away wee thinke that GOD will neuer come time enough wherefore wee must learne to correct this fault by these words that wee heare here to be spoken to Abram I am the Lorde which changeth not And besides wee heare what is said in other places The song of Moses Psal 90.4 2. Pet. 4.8 That a thousand yeares are but as one day with him And Saint Peter also saith That in the last dayes there shall come mockers who shall say where is the promise of his comming as though the threatnings promises of God were of none effect No no saith he deceiue not your selues he will accomplish whatsoeuer he hath spoken though it be late For a thousand yeares with him are as but one day And therefore wee must looke a great deale higher and knowe that sith it is the Lord that hath said it and neuer changeth that he will do that which he hath spoken but not whenas it pleaseth vs but whenas he knoweth it to be best first for his owne glorie and next for our saluation and good neither must we be ouer earnest nor yet ouer remise and slacke but goe out of our selues come vnto him in whome is no inconstancie nor shewe of change for he is the Lorde And let vs learne thus much that when hee hath once spoken the worde that it is enough because his worde is an infallible trueth Furthermore let vs acknowledge his goodnes in supporting and bearing with our weaknes herein because he speaketh not onely once but putteth vs still in remembrance of his promises meaning thereby to haue vs profit and be confirmed by them all the dayes of our life and not beleeue him onely for a day or two but for euer And let vs be guided and gouerned by his power not onely all our life long but euen in death also vntil such time as we are come vnto his kingdom where we shal neuer neede to be more spoken vnto neither haue neede either of Faith or yet any other such like things For then shall we enioy the full brightnes of that which wee doe now but see in the darke and see him face to face as it were in a glasse Let vs now prostrate our selues before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our sinnes beseeching him to cause vs so to feele them as that they may humble vs before him and make vs continually grone vnder the burthen of our iniquities vntill such time as he hath freed vs from this bondage of sinne vvherein vve are and haue a singular desire to conforme our selues vnto his holy vvill and not liue vnto our selues but vnto our Lord Iesus Christ vvho hath so dearly redeemed vs gaue him selfe to death for our sinnes and rose againe for
excellent honour that wee owe or can doe vnto him Neither must wee alleage and saye that wee haue not any such warrant or libertie to hazard our liues But say what we say will that which is here spoken of Abrabam must serue vs for an instruction because we knowe him to be the paterne of all the faithfull in as much as he is their father And therefore seeing it is so let vs knowe that although wee dwell euen in the middest of the enimies of God and of his trueth and were presently to be persecuted yet ought wee to make a confession of our Faith for wee must preferre the principall before the accessaries Thus we see what we haue to learne from this place Now it is namely saide that hee called vpon the eternall God the God that gouerneth all the worlde to wit of the God that liueth for euer Here Moses maketh as it were a comparison betweene the alterations and changes which ran in Abraham his mind and between the staidnes of his Faith which was so constant and firme as that he would not change what euer came of it Here then we see how Abraham was carried too and fro First hee altered his dwelling place yea and was driuen like chaffe before the winde And yet the case notwithstanding was such that hee knewe he must needes still continue firme constant in God and his faith to be so foundly and strongly laide as that nothing shoulde be able to shake it nor yet once aâ—ter his person Thus we see how Abraham still followed that course which God directed him in And so he worshipped the eternall God although it seemed that God played with him as with a Tennis Ball tossing him this way and that Now it is said that he dwelt in the Philistins countrey a long while together But the wordes which Moses vseth signifie To dwell as a stranger And this is a thing well to be noted For although he was suffered peaceably to dwell there and was no whit wronged nor violently dealt withall as before time hee had beene yet for all that he knewe that he was not as yet possessor and owner of this land and yet it is true that God had giuen it him euen before he came into it had ratified the same benefite many time For so it is that it was said vnto him Thy seede for foure hundredth yeares shall be a stranger in another land And therefore Abraham must put this doctrine continually in practize to wit to be quiet at rest notwithstanding that he be there as a stranger by way of borowing leaue must always haue one foote lifted vp to be going To be short he must be like a birde on a bough as we say Thus we see why he did homage vnto the king of Gerar. For he forsook not the grant which God had made him but because the time was not yet come for him to enioy it to take possession therof he was therefore contented to liue there as a stranger Gen. 23.9 And we shall see also hereafter why he would buy a burying place for his wife It was because he was not as yet the owner of one foote of ground yet by faith he receiued that which was giuen him Thus wee see that his hope extended it self farther than this present life And yet notwithstanding wee see that it is not without cause said which is writeÌ„ in the 119 Psalme That God is a pauillion from generation to generatioÌ„ to all such as trust in him Fox Abraham was thrust out vnto winde raine to all stormes when as he dwelt amongst a barbarous verie cruell people yet God ouershadowed him but it was because he rather liked to leaue the earth and to lift his heart vp to heauen than to beat his head about the getting of lands possessions He therefore so passed ouer this world as that he neuer set his minde vpon it And so God in the ende shewed the effect performance of this promise not but that he had seen somwhat thereof whilest he liued But his hope as we haue already said stretched it self a great deale farther and so consequently we may say with the Apostle That he builded not his neast here in this world neither was it the marke wher at he aymed Hebr. 11.13 For he might haue returned vnto the countrey from whence he came euen vnto the countrey wheras he was borne to wit into Chaldea but he held himself there where he had neither possession kinred nor friends Thus then we see that he looked higher than vnto the world Now if this then was in him at those daies when as the doctrine appeared nothing so cleare by farre as at this day it doeth vnto vs. VVhat excuse shall wee make forsomuch as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath once appeared and was conuersant here in the world and ascended into heauen and hath set open the gate for vs and doth by his Gospell incessantly solicite vs to aspire vpward If wee I say be continually wrapped and swadled vp in these corruptible things must not this be a most villainous vnthankfulnesse And therefore let vs learne so to dwell in this world as that wee may enioy and take pleasure of the benefits which the Lorde bestoweth here vpon vs but yet in such sort as to saye with Saint Paul That our conuersation is in Heaven Philip. 3.20 and are alreadie citizens thereof although it be as yet but in hope And in deede wee are also to remember what is saide in another place That so long as wee dwell in these mortall bodies 2. Cor. 5.6 wee are as it were absent from God VVee see also that wee haue not the fruition of his presence Because that our spirituall life is hid For if it were not so Colos 3.3 wee shoulde effectually enioy it and then shall faith cease For as Saint Paul sayth That which a man hopeth to haue is not seene Rom. 8.24 And therefore let vs learne that sith GOD draweth vs vnto him selfe not to be so base minded as to drenche our selues here on earth ouer head and eares as it were in filthie myer and dyrt but continually goe on knowing that this is the very beaten path and high way for vs to aspyre a great deale higher Nowe it is verie much that is here spoken of Abraham Lo here verie great and commendable vertues as when GOD graunteth him rest and peace he doeth not securely sleepe therein for although the king gaue him leaue to dwel patiently in his Tent yet hee acknowledged himselfe to bee but a stranger and although euery man became his friend and were ready to bee at vnitie with him yet coulde hee in no wise keepe company with them but had rather haue beene at vtter defiance with them than he would at any hand haue conformed and framed himselfe to their superstitions and idolatries and still helde his course in truly worshipping of the
them with those that should be laide vpon vs to abide they would seeme nothing in respect of that which wee here see And therfore we see that God wonderfully spareth our weaknes in not bringing vs thus farre For if any of vs should be visited with any sicknes that should last long wee would so sorrow and grieue as that we would be verie angrie with God Againe if any man should dye his wife would growe so melancholie as that shee would be altogether impatient and murmuring If God should take away any of our children yea although wee had many wee would be angrie with our selues and weepe and mourne extremely and therefore what would we do if we should be brought to this passe as here it is said euen to kill with our owne hands our owne children and not leaue one aliue but dispatch our house of them all yet would not all this be any whit comparable vnto Abraham his triall For the children which God bestoweth vpon vs now at this day are not the ground worke of our saluation Neither ought wee to leaue the hauing of our Lord Iesus Christ although all humaine knowledge should perish and decay VVherefore let vs acknowledge that God supporteth vs and pittieth our weaknes when as hee bringeth not vs vnto so hard a tryall as this which Moses heere maketh mention of Let this then be a good aduertisement vnto vs that wheÌ„ God shal proue vs that we yeeld our necks to the yoke suffer him to make tryall of vs. And this is the most principall point of all our life so to yeeld our selues as that God may dispose of vs as pleaseth him and not grudgingly reply and say that he dealeth thus and thus hardly with vs. This I say is the chiefest point of our whole life In very deede I must needes say that this were a very excellent great good gift in vs as to bee able to walke in integrity of life amongst our neighbours to doo no man wrong to liue chastly and soberly all the daies of our life eschewing all drunkennes intemperancie blasphemie and such like VVell syr I must needes in truth say that these are great vertues but yet they are not alwaies found in vs and yet for all that this is not the chiefest point For the principallest point as I haue already said is this that when we serue God although many sorrowes and griefes torment vs although the Diuell soundeth vs alarmes and lyeth in ambush for vs although men growe so peruerse and wicked as that one spurreth vs heere another striketh vs there and another seeketh our vtter destruction And on the other side although wee hang our wings as we say although wee be hungerbit and altogether blamed contemned although all these things fall out for our shares and portion yet must wee so blesse the name of God as that we must miâ—tigate and ease all our anguishes and suffrings and bee ready alwaies to say O Lord thy will be done deale with vs as it pleaseth thee and although this geare should fall out farre worse than thus yet must we receiue all things patiently Now when as wee shall growe vnto this patience that no doubt is the most principall marke that wee must shoote at And aboue all things this historie ought a great deale the move bee respected and meditated of vs considering that the Lord would shew that vnto vs which wee are to comprehend from our father Abraham to the ende wee might follow his example And when as God as I haue already saide shall haue thus framed vs and brought vs to this passe let vs dedicate our selues and all that we haue vnto his Maiestie For it Abraham had not had this grounde and principle without doubt he had neuer stept one foote forwarde but had rather fled away from God than haue come neare him howbeit hee had not this principle as from himselfe but because it was the gift of God hee was not therefore to vse it and keepe it backe as it pleased him But must make a reckoning of it to him that gaue it him saying Here am I as after warde hee shewed it For when God called him and said Abraham Here am I Lord quoth hee This answere shewed that Abraham was as it were ready at hand to receiue the commandements which God would giue him euen as a diligent seruant should doo For if his Maister goeth forth he is by and by at his heeles to say will it please you to haue any thing with mee And if his Maister tarrieth within dores hee will settle himselfe to harken what his Maister wil command him as to bid him doo this or goe to such a place So then Abraham shewed that he serued not himself nor his owne affections but so dedicated himselfe vnto God as that whatsoeuer hee had was his also Neither did hee this hypocritically as a great many of men may say vnto God with their mouthes Here am I and yet notwithstanding befarre inough from him But when Abraham saide Here am I he protested thereby that hee was euen before God for afterward he protested that his feete handes eies eares all his senses and all the partes both of his bodie and soule were ready to serue God and to put his necke vnder his yoke and to goe whither soeuer hee would haue him Thus we see what wee are to retaine from our father Abraham so let vs vnderstand and know that without this scope and end we shall altogether erre as I haue already saide we may haue all the commendable vertues of the world be esteemed of also like Angels and yet all not worth a button without wee knowe that God seeth vs and would haue vs continually to bende our selues in all obedience vnto him And although hee should at any time make vs turne this way and that and make vs trauaile and toile to the vttermost yet let not vs at any hande giue ouer obaying and fearing him but say Lord here am I whatsoeuer come of me and be angry with all the obstacles which may hinder and pull vs backe be at defiaÌ„ce with all the difficulties vexations combats that may be raised against vs Let vs I say bee angry with all this geare that wee may continually goe on our course vntill such time as wee be come vnto that scope and marke wherunto God calleth vs that is to say vntill wee bee deliuered from all our miseries and afflictions and inioy the rest of his heauenly kingdome Let vs nowe prostrate our selues before the Maiestie of our good GOD in acknowledging our sinnes beseeching him that he wil make vs so to feele them as that we may be displeased with them and more and more to bee dispoiled of them and so to bee clad with his righteousnes as that hee may wholly rule and raigne in vs so that by that meanes wee may declare our selues to bee his as hee hath most dearely bought vs and that Iesus