THE SERMONS of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the Ephesians Translated out of French into English by Arthur Golding ☞ Imprinted at London for Lucas Harison and George Byshop 1577. ¶ To the most reuerend father in God and his speciall good Lord Edmund by the grace of God Archbishop of Caunâ—â—burie c. Arthur Golding wisheth abundance of all heauenly wisdome grace and health in Christ Iesu. MY very good Lord forasmuch as it is the dewtie of all them that publishe things too the world whether as first authors or as translators too deale in such sort as most folke may reape profite and commoditie by their dooyngs specially in matters of Religion the knowledge or ignoraunce whereof concerne the benefite and welfare or the hinderance and perill not of a fewe but of all men I humbly beseeche your grace that with your clemencie fauour and well liking which I haue alwayes hithertoo through your goodnesse inioyed I may indeuer too benefyte others specially the simple and ignorant sorte for whom my care is ought chiefly to be by the things which I haue gathered and conceyued to myne owne comfort partly out of these present Sermons of M. Caluins and such other readings but specially out of the very woord of God it selfe that they may bee as a briefe abridgment of this whole work and as an enterance too the ryght conceyâ—ing of the doctrine of Election and Predestination which being the chief groundwoorke of this Epistle to the Ephesians minisrtrâ—â—h mee iust occasion to say somewhat concerning the order and ryght vse therof not that I intend too take vppon mee too discusse the particular poyntes therof or too answer the seuerall obiections and blasphemies which the heathenish Atheists or worldlywise scorners are wont too cast foorth in derogation of that heauenlâ—â—â—octrine bycause their fleshly reason cannot atteine too it for I confesse that too bee a matter too hygh for mee too meddle withall and it were more than needeth considering how much is sayd therof in these Sermons But onely too shewe the gentle reader what way he may safely take too deale therwith to his benefyte and comfort Wherunto I am the rather moued bycause it commonly falleth out that the vnseasonable and vnaduyzed dealing therewith partly by such as of a certeine vaynglory doo aduenture too speake the things which they know not and partly by such as beyng otherwise godly and well mynded doo notwithstanding enter deeper sometimes intoo that profound doctrine than common capacitie yea euen of good and sound Christians can well reache vnto or ordinarie skill can well wade out of agein or the present state of the hearers well beare dooth oftentymes shake and sometimes also wellneere ouerthrowe the faith of the weaklings whom Gods woord willeth to be tendered with all myldnesse and modestie and for whose releefe and edifying the things that are set downe there are cheefly written Wherfore keeping as euen a hand as I can that nothing may scape from mee vnawares wherby the aduersaries of the Gospell may take occasion too slaunder the doctrine or the simple sort occasion to bee offended at it or to shrinke from it or the perfect sort occasion to find iust fault with me I will no longer trubble your grace with delayes but by Gods leaue proceedeforthwith too the matter The substance and ground of this Epistle to the Ephesians is this That beyng once throughly instructed and rooted in the fayth of Iesus Christ wee must for full confirmation and stablishment of our consciences in the louing kyndnesse and fauour of our God ageinst all assaultes and temptations both of body and soule stye vp in mynd aboue the world and all worldly things too the beginninglesse loue of God wherthrough he choze vs too saluation or endlesse welfare in his onely begotten sonne before the foundations of the world were layd freely of his owne mercy without respect of any desert worke or worthinesse of our owne In consideration wherof it is our dewtie on the other syde too gloâ—â—â— God both in our bodyes and in our soules by leading a holy and vertuous lyfe proceeding from a pure and sound hart which acceptable obedience togither with the fayth from whence the same springeth is bred and brought foorth by the onely woorking of Gods holy spirit in our myndes for Iesus Christes sake This doctrine then belongeth not at all too the carelesse worldlings which welter still in the dregges of the old Adam that is to say which bee not yit come vntoo Christ nor haue heard of his Gospell or which beyng come in name and profession doo fyght still ageinst him in lyfe and conuersation Of which two sortes these latter if they amend not vppon dew admonition are rather too bee left vp too the iust iudgment of God than too bee perswaded by reason which they themselues abuze or too be confuted by Gods woord which they will not regard vntill they feele it cutting sharper than a two edged sword and the other sort are too bee taught first too knowe God and his sonne Iesus Christ before they can bee made parttakers of the riche treasures of Gods wisdome ryghtuousnesse and redemption layd vp in Iesus Christ for none but such as beleeue in his name Nother belongeth it properly and immediatly to the weaklings and Nouiceâ— if I may so terme them which are but newly trayned to the â—â—â—pell or are but of slender vnderstanding and feeble beleefe bycause their myndes beyng yit vnable too discerne so hygh mysteries for want of experience in matters perteyning too God haue neede of milke still rather than of strong and substanciall meate And surely there needeth no better nor further proofe of the infinite and incomprehensible profoundnesse of this doctrine than that euen the Apostle himselfe being after a sort astonished at the exceeding great hugenesse of it was fayne to knit vp his discourse therof with this exclamation O wonderfull depth of the riches of Gods wisdome and knowledge How vnsearchable are his iudgmentes and his wayes past finding out But this doctrine belongeth too such as being growen vp too some rypenesse in Christ and hauing gathered strength in the knowledge of matters of saluation haue through the longer working or greater measure of Gods holy spirit obteyned light of vnderstanding aboue the common and ordinarie rate and by the same spirit subdewed their owne wit and will too the beleefe of God and his woord that is too say roo a right and stedfast perswasion of mynd concerning God and all his sayings and dooyngs without any mistrust or doubting of the same I call that onely a right perswasion which is grounded altogither vppon the Canonicall writings of the old and new Testament and throughly warranted in all poyntes by the same And lyke as that tree may well and iustly bee sayd too stand fast not which hath bin vtterly vntasted or vntouched of any storme but which
slip whatsoeuer is sayd too them looke what comes in at the one eare goes out agein at the other Howsoeuer the cace stand nother the one nor the other doo giue glory vntoo God in receyuing his woord with such humilitie as they ought too doo Therefore let vs acknowledge our owne naughtinesse and bee sorie for it seeyng wee prouoke Gods displeasure in not yeelding him the honour of thinking him too bee soothfast and trew In deede wee wil not say in open speeche that his word is vayne wee will not accuze him of leasing and deceyt but yit dooth he protest that wee doo him as much wrong as that commes too if wee credit not his sayings How long will this people slaunder mee sayeth he and rob mee of myne honour It is a complaynt which he maketh there by Moyses and in many other places of the scripture And surely if Saint Iohns saying bee trew namely that when wee beleeue God we set to our seales that he is trew that is too say wee vphold him to be faythfull then contrariwyse if we haue not that sure groundwoorke in our fayth that Gods word win not so much at our handes as too make vs too betake our selues wholly vntoo it without any gaynsaying it is all one as if wee counted God a lyer insomuch that although wee would hate and abhorre too vtter any such blasphemie yit dooth he complaine that wee haue doone him the like reproch and not without cause And therfore wee see what frowardnesse there is in our nature vntill God remedie it Furthermore wheras he sayeth that the holy Ghoste sealeth his promises after that fashyon in our harts let vs vnderstand that that is bycause he hath voutsafed too chooze vs Wee haue seene alredy heertoofore how he calleth vs too him and inlyghteneth vs with the truthe of his Gospell according too his choozing of vs before wee were borne yea and before the making of the world Therfore let vs vnderstand that Gods spirit is a speciall gift which is not bestowed vppon all men indifferently but is reserued as a treasure for his children whom he hath chozen And for that cause wee ought too beare well in mynd the foretouched tytle that he is the spirit of adoption Also the vnbeleef which is throughout the whole worlde giueth an euident proof of our Gods goodnesse in that it hath pleazed him too ingraue his woord in our harts For it is certeyne that in all such as fyght ageinst God or which bee as brute beasts and so carelesse that his woord dooth no whit moue them wee see what wee bee of nature and what wee should bee still if our Lord for his mercies sake had not touched vs with his holy spirit And so yee see what wee haue too beare in mynd Wherfore whensoeuer the doctrine of our saluation is talked of let vs beeware that wee presume not any thing vppon our owne wit and policie but let vs bee small and lowely that our Lord may inlyghten vs by his his holie spirit And when wee perceyue that wee haue receyued such grace alredy let vs not burye it but let vs giue the prayse of it too him that deserueth it And on the contrarie part sith wee feele many perplexities douts and vnquietnesse and that sometymes we bee tossed lyke a ship that is redie too topple ouer and too be sunk in the bottom of the the sea sith we perceyue our selues too bee so trubbled let vs consider our owne fraylty that although wee haue bin trayned vp in Gods woord yit will there bee no stedfastnesse in our harts except God woork it there and theruppon let vs runne too the remedy and pray God too keepe the seede that he hath sowen in vs from choking and the assurednesse of our heritage from euer wearing out that although Satan streyne him self too the vttermoste too destroy that which God hath put intoo vs yit it may bee strengthened in vs from day to day as is needfull for vs And so yee see what wee haue to beare in mynd in this that Saint Paule sayeth that wee be sealed and marked by Gods spirit And now he warneth vs that it is too heynous a cryme too greeue him yea to intollerable a trecherie I haue told you alredy that this similitude intendeth not to impute any excessiue passioÌ„ to Gods spirit but too put vs too shame and too make the heare too stand vp vpon our heads Behold sayeth Saint Paule Gods spirit hath chozen his dwelling place in vs according as it is sayd in another place that not only our soules but also our bodyes are the temples of the holy Ghoste and he is glad too bee in vs and too abyde there and too make it his continuall home nowe then if wee fall too spyting of him as though wee mynded too chace him and banish him from vs is it not too diuelish a dealing And yit notwithstanding when wee seeke allurements of vnthriftinesse when wee take leaue too corrupt our selues by leaud and loose talk and when wee labour too haue other naughtie meanes too turne vs awaye from the feare of God and too bring our consciences asleepe it is all one as if wee indeuered of set purpose too chace away and too banish Gods spirit from vs and too say wee will haue no more acquayntance with him Must wee not needs be moste miserable and cursed creatures when wee ouershoote our selues so farre That then is the thyng that S. Paule had an eye vnto Therefore whensoeuer wee bee tempted vntoo euill and the diuell laboreth to make vs take pleasure in it that all remorse of conscience maye bee put away let vs call too mynd the things that are spoken heere and say How now Thou reioycest And wherin In the seruing of Satan and on the other syde thou lettest him go that is thy lyfe the earnestpenny of thy saluation and the foundation of the felicitie which hath bin purchaced so deerly for thee by our Lord Iesus Christ. Let vs thinke aduyzedly vpon this And moreouer it is certein that euery faythfull man ought too feele the thing that is declared heere For if our Lord haue touched vs and giuen vs the sealing that is spoken of heere it will bee a greef vntoo vs when wee bee tempted vntoo â—uill And so the thing that holdeth vs in awe is the spirit which watcheth and wardeth too withstand the enemie And if wee go aboue too kill this benefyte that is too say this inwoorking that God giueth vs it is al one as if wee greeued the holy Ghost This then is a most certein experience and such a one as sheweth vs that the thing which the holy Ghost hath put intoo vs is vtterly ageinst all euill and that there must needes bee a battell and stryfe betwixt them insomnch that none of Gods children can sin but he shall by and by bee stirred vp too feare and too say in himself Alas where shall I become In
vs learne too father it altoogither vppon god It is trew that too bee Gods children and heires it behoueth vs too bee of the body of our Lord Iesus Christ which thing is doone by fayth but yit can wee not beleeue the Gospell except God drawe vs theretoo by his holy spirit Nowe wee see that he dealeth not alyke with all men For he could very well inlyghten all the world and bring too passe that there should be no vnbeleeuers at all but wee see the contrary Therefore let vs assure our selues that be choozeth whom he listeth For if a man should aske the reason why he dooth it it were too loftie a presumptuousnesse and that is the very cause that maketh so many ouerweening folke too breake their owne neckes for that they cannot fynd in their hartes too graunt that God gouerneth men according too his owne will as of good ryght he may full well Furthermore also S. Paule hath heretofore set the Iewes and Gentyles both on one euen ground and that is a thing that requyreth yit longer discourse For seyng that God had chozen Abrahams ofspring it myght haue bin thought that there had bin some woorthinesse in them Surely if wee haue an eye too the speciaâ—l fauour that God shewed too the Iewes they bee well worthy too bee preferred before all the rest of the world But if a man take them as they bee of themselues he shall fynd them voyde of all ryghtuousnesse For wee must alwayes come backe too this poynt that God is not bound nor beholden too any man at all and his receyuing of the Iewes by free adoption is not for that they were better woorth than other men or for that they myght make any maner of vaunt at all of themselues Therefore yee see why S. Paule sayeth expresly that they which beleeued in Iesus Christ in tymes past are coÌ„prehended vnder Gods election as well as the others that the others caÌ„not boast theÌ„selues too bee more worthy or too haue deserued more than they but that all must come too this poynt that as well of the Iewes as of the Gentyles God choze whom he lyked and listed too the ende that nothing should bee considered in that behalfe but his onely mercy and that all mouthes myght bee stopped and no man bee able too alledge that be brought any thing of his owne Howbeit when S. Paule entereth intoo this comparison betweene the Iewes and the Gentyles he sayeth that if a man haue an eye too Gods accepting of the Iewes for his owne peculiar heritage they were a holy linage and he had giuen them his Lawe and promises by meanes whereof they were in more excellent and hygh degree than all the residew whom he had forsaken and shaken of But if wee haue an eye vnto God all mannes glory must needes bee layd awater But S. Paule in that place speaketh alonely of the forgiuing of our sinnes and of our imbracing of Gods grace by fayth which things he sheweth cannot bee fathered vppon any other cause than onely Gods pitying of vs Also wee haue â—eene heretoofore in the Epistle too the Galathians howe S. Paule â—ayd vntoo Peter wee bee Iewes by nature For inasmuch as it was a common opinion that the Iewes were a holy lynage bycause they were descended of Abrahams race very well sayeth he howsoeuer â—he cace stande wee haue none other refuge nor assurance of saluation but too beleeue in Iesus Christ for he wist well that men are vtterly fordoone and lost in themselues bycause they bring nothing with them but Gods wrath and curse Therfore lyke as in those textes S. Paule hath shewed that men beguyle themselues if they imagin that they haue any desert or woorthinesse in them so now for the better confirmation of the same doctrine and too take away all disputing and too beate backe all replyings he bringeth vs too this welspring namely that God not onely giueth fayth too whom he listeth but also hath elected and chozen vs before the making of the world Yee see then that the thing which wee haue too marke in effect is that all men from the most too the least are indaungered vntoo God and there is none so holie or excellent that can exempt himselfe from that generall state of men Nowe hereupon S. Paule magnifieth Gods goodnesse in that the Ephesians were gathered toogither and made all one with those that were hild and accounted afore for Gods people and for the housholde folke of his Church Before the Ephesians beleued the Gospell there was great diuersitie betweene them as shal be declared yit more at large in the second Chapter But notwithstanding that the beleuyng Iewes which had alredy bin coÌ„uerted to our Lord Iesus Christ were as brethren too the Angels of heauen for so muche as they were members of the head that was common too them both wheras in the meane while the Ephesians were poore wretches shet out from al hope of saluation enemyes of God and plunged in all cursednesse beholde God tooke away that diuersitie and raundged them both in one aray Gods goodnesse therfore was so much the more manifest in that he did so 〈◊〉 them backe which were drowned in the bottome of hel to match them with his owne children and too make them fellowes and heyres of his heauenly kingdome That therfore is the cause why S. Paul hauing spoken of such as had beleued in Iesus Christ afore telleth vs expresly that God hath gathered and stablished his Churche in such wise as it wel appeareth that the greatest depend wholy vpon hym and haue not any other thing to rest vpon than his only mercy and that those which were after a sort caste away yea and abhorred haue cause to glorifie hym seeing he hath deliuered them from the confuzion wherein they were And herewithal S. Paule sheweth that the thing whiche hee had said afore is verified vntoo vs by the effectes of Gods grace For as I haue said afore our election is a secret thing yea and incomprehensible When men haue inquired of it as much as is possible surely they must needes quaile in their owne imaginations if they mynde to enter intoo the sayd euerlasting ordinaunce of god And therefore it is not lawful for vs too seeke any further than the Scripture guideth vs and sheweth vs the way Yee see then that Gods choozing of vs is hidden in hym selfe but yit he yeeldeth vs recordes of it by the gifts of grace which he bestoweth vpon vs as by faith which is a gyfte of the holy Ghost Marke that for one poynt Nowe were it but suche a gyft as when he maketh his Sunne to shyne both vpon good and bad or as when he causeth the earth to bring foorth fruit indifferently for all men the same ought also too bee reckened among the gyftes and benefites of god But faith is a singular gift which is not bestowed commonly vppon all men but is reserued of God as a Iewell for those whom
And for as much as wee doo not yit perceyue such fulnesse of Gods grace as were to be wished therfore S. Paule sendeth vs to the person of our Lord Iesus Christ. And surely if he had not added that God hath vttered his power in his only sonne after such maner as we haue herd it what a thing were it For we myght alledge in way of reply howso where are these riches of God For we be not only bereft of the goods of this world but also we be as a dry barrein groÌ„ud in respect of the grace of Gods holy spirit If there bee any portion of it in vs it is so smal as wee ought too bee ashamed of it and yit for all this wee bee moreouer plundged in our infirmities If yee speake of Gods power it ought too get the vpper hand of all sinne in vs But wee bee so weake that wee bee as good as beaten downe Agein it were meete that Gods image should shyne foorth in vs and wee beare such store of fylthinesse and such blemishes about vs as is pitie too see Wee should bee wholly consecrated too God but the worlde holdes vs backe and wee bee as it were snarled in it Loe how the faythfull myght bee abasshed when any talke were ministered concerning Gods grace if they stayed there and were not led foorth too Iesus Christ. Not without cause therfore doth S. Paule adde here that God did then vtter the excellencie of his power when he rayzed our Lord Iesus Christ from death And he speaketh purposely of his resurrection bycause that in his death wee see nothing but astonishment For there appeered nothing but weaknesse but by his vanquishing of death he shewed himself too bee the sonne of God yea and the Lord of glorie and lyfe who â—ad all power in himself And that also is the cause why S. Paule sayth that God did set him at his ryght hand For it had not bin ynough for Iesus Christ to haue bin rayzed agein except he had a continuall and abyding dominion Trew it is that euen in his only resurrection wee haue a record that he is the sonne of God but yit for all that wee must passe one step further namely that he had not a blast of power and away but that by his ryzing agein he atteined such superioritie that all the world is gouerned by him and he is now set downe at the right hand of God his father to maynteyne and preserue his seruantes that call vppon him and put them selues intoo his keeping and hath sufficient power to ouercome Satan and al the world and all our enemyes Now then wee see S. Paules meaning that forasmuch as wee myght bee cast downe and our fayth at least wyse sore shaken if wee should looke no further than too our selues therefore he setteth Iesus Christ before vs as the trew patterne wherin wee may see the thing that as yit is vnseene in our selues that is too wit Gods inestimable power which surmounteth the whole world For first he is rayzed from death and secondly he is set at the ryght hand of his father Now the speaking of Gods ryght hand is a resemblance taken of men It is certeyne that God hath nother ryght hande nor lefte for he is infinite and fylleth both heauen and earth and agein he hath no body but is a spirituall beyng Therefore wee must not imagin any place certeine when Gods ryght hande is spoken of And wehn as it is sayd that Iesus Christ sitteth there it is too shewe that he filleth all the world with his power Trew it is that as in respect of his manhood he is in heauen and it is one of the Articles of our fayth that he is ascended into heauen But yit notwithstanding although he bee absent from vs in his body and that there is a great distaunce betwixt vs it is no let but that he filleth all things with his holy spirit and dwelleth in vs himselfe and that wee bee nourished by his owne substaunce according to this saying that his flesh is our meate his blud our drinke Yee see then how that Gods right hand is not some certeyn place for Christ to sit in but the souereinty which he hath obteyned too gouerne the whole world And as I sayd afore it is a similitude borowed of men as when a prince maketh his vicegerent he setteth him at his right side as who should say Loe here the second person of my Realme whom I will haue men too obey God then in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ ment too shewe that he is our father Trew it is that the whole fulnesse of the Godhead is in Iesus Christ. Howbeit forasmuch as wee bee heauie and sothfull and vnable too atteyne too the maiestie of God therefore it is sayde that Iesus Christ hath obteyned all souereintie so as wee bee sure that he hath vs in his protection that being vnder his hand wee be safe and all the diuels of hell doo what they can cannot preuayle at al ageinst vs For who is it that hath al power It is eueÌ„ our head Although theÌ„ that we which are his members be weak yit is there strength ynough in the head which is the chiefe part of the body And so ye see for what cause it is sayd that Iesus Christ is set at the right hand of God his father namely too shewe vs that wee neede not too seeke farre for his help seeing he gouerneth all things both aboue and beneath and wee â—ee committed too his charge here He sayeth that God hath vttered his high and infinite power in vs Howebeeit forasmuch as that suffizeth not by reason of the infirmities which wee feele for that there is so much amisse in vs still and wee bee not yit come too the full measure no nor too the hundreth part of it therefore too the intent we may bee the better assured of all the things that wee want wee must consider them in Iesus Christ Are wee then subiect yit still vntoo death Behold Iesus Christ is receyued vp intoo euerlasting life for the very cause why he became a mortall man as wee bee was that the life which he hath might belong vnto vs Doth sinne dwell still in vs Behold Iesus Christ hath no spot nor blemish in him Are wee weake He is the power of God his father and looke whatsoeuer he receyued in his manhod which he tooke of vs was for our sakes and too our behoofe Too bee short looke whatsoeuer wee want and whatsoeuer may comfort or quicken vs we shall fynd it in our Lord Iesus Christ bycause wee should not bee in care and perplexitie as though we were excluded from the benefites that S. Paule hath made mention of heretoofore Finally wee should neuer haue any settled trust except wee knew that the things which are wanting in our selues are in our head For the measure of Gods gracious giftes is very fimall yea euen in the
their lyfe and all their lyght But heere the cace concerneth the spirituall state of the Church For wheras all Adams race is corrupted and accursed by nature God hath sholed vs out from it by vouâ—safing too chooze vs too the end too shewe that we be ioyned vnto him with a much streyter and holyer bond thaÌ„ the rest of mortall men are which haue but their first birth And this ioyning is spoken of in the .xvii. of Saint Iohn where it is sayd Holie father sanctify thou them as I haue sanctifyed my self for them that they may become one in vs as thou and I are but one Our Lord Iesus protesteth there that he speakâ—th not of the world nor of them that are not of his retinew and heritage He letteth those go too destruction but he will haue the bodie of his Churhe too bee truly knit toogither And how may that bee doone In deede it appeereth not wee be so set asunder here that the nerest of vs thinks but euery man on himself But if wee considered how God hath reformed vs by his holie spirit and giuen vs a special lyfe which is that his grace should shew it self in vs that this holie spirit should vtter his power in vs if we coÌ„â—idered that then should we thinke that although we wander here there in this world and euery of vs be put asunder from his neyghbours according too the necessitie of this present lyfe yit must not that let vs to be so ioyned vnder our Lord Iesus Christ as none of vs bee wedded too his owne profit nor none of vs so loue him self as that hee should despyze his brethren but suffer our selues too bee gathered toogither vnder the maystership of our god And that forasmuch as he dwelleth in vs we also must shew by our dooings that wee bee desyrous too bee all one in the power of that grace which he hath so spred out euerywhere Therfore wee see here how Saint Paule exhorteth vs too help one another to the atteyâ—eâ—â—ent of the perfect vnitie which God hath begunne in vs alredie And too bring that too passe he sheweth vs that wee bee sholed out of the world too the intent wee should bee wholly dedicated too our god Now I haue told you alredie that forasmuch as God is the Creator he must bee fayne to breath strength intoo all things bothe aboue and beneathe according as it is sayd in the Psalme that when he withdraweth his spirit all things are trubbled and finally turne intoo nothing There is not then anie brute beaste nor anie tree on the earth nor anie bird in the aire nor anie fish in the water which hath not his being and continuance by the secret power of God bycause he hath not only giuen them their being for once at the first but also maynteyneth and vpholdeth them still As for vs wee haue much more as I sayd euen now for wee not onely liue in this world and inioy the benefits that God hath giuen vs heere insomuch that wee haue eyes too receyue lyght and eares to heare and the fruition of all our senses but also Gods spirit dwelleth in vs too gather vs vntoo him and too doo vs too vnderstand that he hath not onely made vs mortall men and that wee hold this present transitorie lyfe of him but also printed his marke in vs too take vs and auow vs for his children and thertoo gouerneth vs him self and is so gracious vntoo vs as too make his owne ryghtuousenesse dwell in vs bycause there is nothing but corruption in our selues Thus ye see that the thing which we haue too remember in the first place is that forasmuch as God is come so neere vnto vs and not only allureth vs familiarly too him but also voutsafeth too haue his dwelling in vs insomuch that wee bee his temples as I haue shewed afore bycause he dwelleth in vs by his holie Ghoste wee ought to seperate our selues from all the defylements of the world Yit notwithstanding it is not ynough for euery of vs too acknowledge the grace that he hath receyued but wee must also indeuer too gouerne our selues alwayes in such vnitie brotherly loue as euery of vs may help his neyghbour too go through in the Calling that wee bee entered intoo For wo woorth him as I sayd which separateth himself bycause he renounceth God by that meane Wherfore let vs learne too offer our selues in such wise vntoo God euery man for himselfe too bee gouerned of him as wee may also doo the best wee can too linke our selues in one and too gather toogither that wee may with one common accord shewe by our dooyngs that wee bee the trew body of our Lord Iesus Christ and that hauing him too our head we â—â—e all at God and aspyre vnto him desyring nothing but too bee one with him as I alledged euen now out of the text of S. Iohn Now too confirme the matter yit better he sayeth that euery of vs hath receyued grace according too the measure of Christes gift or giuing Wherin S. Paule sheweth vs that God vseth a wonderfull maner too drawe vs too him which is by dealing foorth his giftes in such wise vntoo vs as euery of vs hath neede too bee helped and succored of his neyghbours For of our selues wee bee so wedded too our selues as there is none of vs but he would be as alone were it not that necessitie constreyneth and byndeth vs too those whom wee haue neede of God therfore too correct the pryde and presumption that are too deepely rooted in mankynd hath so delt foorth his giftes by certeyne measure as euery man perceyueth well that he is bound and beholden too him for the things he hath receyued and that there is no such perfection in himselfe that he can forbeare other men but that wee must bee fayne too communicate toogither and that with such mutuall good will as euery of vs indeuer too make the things that God hath giuen him auaylable too the profit and furtherance of his brethren and therwithall bee contented too borrowe of other men and too suffer himselfe too bee helped and succored at their handes according as hee sees himselfe too haue neede thereof And this serueth too bring vs backe agein too the thing that wee haue seene afore namely that wee shall neuer haue agreement among vs without humilitie and meekenesse Wee see then wherat S. Paule amed He handleth the same matter in the .xii. Chapter of the first Epistle too the Corinthians For there he taketh the similitude of a mans body too shewe that wee bee too farre out of our wittes when euery of vs despyzeth his neyghbours and is wedded too himselfe How now sayeth he Our members or limmes haue no particular vnderstanding by themselues the hande hath no wit too conceyue by reason what his office is no more haue the fingers that are fastened too it no nor yit the legges nor the
would haue kept himself from dooing so vnlawfull and vtterly vnexcusable a deede And therfore let vs beware let vs I say beware that we suffer not our selues too bee blynded after that fashyon by Satan and so rocked aslepe as wee consider not what is told vs here namely that if wee haue receyued anie grace or gift at Gods hand wee must set more store by it and put it too such vse as God may bee glorifyed and his Church furthered by it or else wee shall haue a dreafull account too make for giuing cause so of offence too the weake And it had bin better that that filthie trash had bin consumed a hundred tymes with fyre than too haue bin so brought foorth in open place in the syght of all such as lye in wayt for vs a farre of For of a truthe wee knowe well ynough that there are manie which watch vs and seeke nothing but too spye some cause too speake euill of vs not only too mocke vs for our labour for wee bee woorthie of that but too blaspheme Gods name Therfore if a man haue ouershot himself once it is good that he should bee warned of it that he may take better heede hereafter and that wee knowing that God hath bound vs so deeply vntoo him by exalting vs and by dooing vs more honour than we deserue in voutsafing too haue vs too bee his people and too make vs glorie of the hauing of the pure doctrine of his Gospell we may profit our selues the better by it and bee afrayd least if wee chaunge after that sort and become so rechelesse as too fall too taking of leaue too doo what wee list God shewe vs that he is able too take away the things that hee hath giuen vs and too dispossesse vs of them when he listeth Now Saint Paule addeth heere the maner how God is so liberall vntoo vs in Iesus Christ and yit notwithstanding dealeth the gifts of his holie spirit too eche man by certayne meazure not to euery man alyke but as he him self thinketh good He sayeth that this was done by our Lord lesus Christs ascending vp intoo Heauen For then did hee obteyne souerein dominion and the father gaue him a name which is aboue all names that all knees should how before him as it is sayd in another place In deede our Lord Iesus Christ receyued al fulnesse of grace at his comming intoo the world accordingly as S. Iohn sayeth in his first Chapter that al of vs receiue of him to the end wee may haue our fill of the good things wherof wee were hungrie and emptie before That was the cause then why the spirit was giuen him without measure as it is sayd in the same text And the faythfull bycause they be members of the Church haue receyued therof and God hath giuen too euery man his portion and according too the mesure of his only sonne But as for him God hath not giuen him his spirit by measure And why For hee is the head and euerye man must take his lyuelines from thence and he therwithal haue all power ouer vs Wherfore let vs bee contented that euery of vs hath his portion that wee may walk in feare before God and therwithall let vs vnderstand that the perfectnesse is in Iesus Christ bycause Gods spirit resteth in him and bothe greate and smal must bee fayne too repayre too him with acknowledgment of their pouertie too obteyne there the things that they want and not be ashamed to receyue Christs Almesse as they that are destitute of all good things Furthermore although our Lord Iesus Christ shewed himself too bee the only sonne of God whyle he was conuersant in this world proued the same by his wonders miracles and gifts Yit notwithstanding whē he ascended intoo heauen he shewed himself too bee the verye partie in deede which had commission of God his father too deale vntoo vs all things that we haue neede of And that is the cause why it is sayd in the seuenth of Saint Iohn that the holie Ghoste was not yit giuen bycause Iesus Christ was not yit glorified It is very certeyn that our Lord wrought euen then by the power of his holie spirit For when Saint Peter confessed him too bee the sonne of the liuing God it was answered him Flesh and blud hath not reueled this thing vntoo thee but my heauenly father Too bee short wee knowe well that there is nothing but euill in vs and that the good which God giueth vs is by his holie spirit and that all things are committed too our Lord Iesus Christ and that it belongeth too him too deale foorth his doctrine vnto vs according as it is told vs that it is his office and that the father hath giuen him speciall commission too deale his gifts vntoo vs And in deede it is a cause also why the Prophet Esay sayth that Gods spirit rested vppon him namely too shewe that if wee bee separated from him wee must needs perish as it were through drought and emptinesse But howsoeuer the cace stand wee must alwayes come backe too his poynt that the holie Ghost was then powred out vppon all the faythfull when our Lord Iesus Christ was exalted as it is sayd in the other text So then let vs mark that when our Lord Iesus Christ left the world and was receyued vp intoo his heauenly glorie it was too the end that wee should thenfforth inioy his goods so much the better And that is also the cause why he sayd too his disciples it is erpedient for you that I go away for if I taried still with you the holie Ghost should not come It is trew that our Lord Iesus Christ could well haue giuen them his spirit whyle he was conuersant with them after a visible fashyon as well as he did when he was gone out of the world But we must not dispute of this matter after our own fancie we must vnderstand that our Lord Iesus was humbled for a time yea and vtterly emptyed as wee shall see more at length agein hereafter but yit was he receyued intoo his heauenly glory too the intent he should haue souerein dominion and bee so exalted as all creatures myght stoope too him Thus yee see how our Lord Iesus Christes will was to absent himselfe from vs in his body too the intent wee myght the better feele his presence through his dwelling in vs by his holy spirit And that is the thing which S. Paule treateth of as now when he sayeth that for the same cause it is sayd that he vvent vp and gaue his gifts too men after he had led away his enemies prisoners Now this text which is alledged out of the threescore and eyght Psalme sheweth that God is verily exalted in the person of our Lord Iesus christ In deede in that song Dauid preacheth aud singeth the praise of God bycause that beyng stablished King of Israell and bearing the figure
to the ouerthrow of all our enemyes and to the brydling or rather too the fettering of them so as they cannot hurt vs doo what they can Therfore according too that which is conteyned here from out of the Psalme it is very requisite that he should be aboue too obteyne the vpper hand of our enemyes for else what would become of vs And in deede let vs consider what they myght bee able too doo hauing infinite hostes too ouerthrow our saluation continually withall For the diuell is not as a mortall man he hath such force as is terrible out of measure What myght he doo were it not that Iesus Christ filleth all things yea euen too shewe that he hath power both ouer Satan and ouer all his vpholders insomuch that practyze they prepare they and turmoyle they what they can ageinst the Churche yit shall they neuer bring their enterpryze too passe bycause Iesus Christ holdes them at the staues end as it were with his foote vpon their throte Yee see then the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ was giuen him with full warrant that wee shall euer bee defended by his strong and inuincible hand bycause he hath taken vs intoo his perfection euen he that is exalted aboue all the heauens And that also is the cause why Saint Paule sayeth expresly that all knees shall bowe before him as well of creatures in heauen as of creatures in earth yea and euen of creatures vnder the earth Now when wee heare that the Angelles stoope too our Lord Iesus Christ let vs vnderstand that he applyeth them too our seruice so as they bee our keepers and watch too defend vs ageinst Satan And seeing that that charge is committed too them by our Lord Iesus Christ who is their head wee ought too bee well assured of our saluation And so yee see how wee ought too put this text in vre Moreouer let vs walke so vnder the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ as wee may feele that he fylleth vs in deede as I sayd afore bycause he is aboue all things through all things and in all things This was spoken of God his father howbeeit wee knowe that Iesus Christ is the meane whereby God dwelleth in vs Wherefore let vs bee his trew Temples and sith that he beeing the welspring of all purenesse voutsafeth vs the grace and priuiledge too dwell in vs let vs indeuer too keepe our selues holy vntoo him both in bodie and soule For if wee giue our selues too our owne vncleannesse it is all one as if wee went about too driue away the sonne of God who cannot bee intermedled with our corruptions and filthinesse Not that wee can bee cleere from all spot and blemish but that wee must not delyght in them but rather fyght ageinst them and labour more and more too fashyon our selues after the purenesse that is in our Lord Iesus Christ. And lyke as he sanctified himself in our behalf so also let vs bee holy namely by the grace and power of his holy spirit let the same holynesse be consecrated by the doctrine of the gospel as is sayd of it in another place Now then as touching this fylling yee see that in somuch as wee knowe that our Lord Iesus Christ holdeth the diuelles and all the despyzers of his maiestie fettered in subiection wee may assure our selues that he dwelleth verily in vs and that the same is peculiar too vs bycause he hath chozen vs for his Temples and intendeth too shew that the coniunction which he hath taken vppon him with mankynd is proper to vs in respect of the humane nature and also in respect of his spirit bycause he maketh it too take place in vs and not only that he is man styll as he was but that there is yit more that is too wit that wee be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh not that we bee created of his substance but that by the power of his holy spirit he maketh the substance of his body and blud too flowe downe vntoo vs wherwith we be fylled insomuch that wee haue there not onely meate too eate but also drinke too drinke so as there is sufficient too content vs withall condicionally that wee consider the benefites wheruntoo he allureth vs and which he offereth vs and will haue vs too inioy so wee bee not letted by our owne vnbeleefe Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too touche vs more too the quicke with a trew knowledge of our selues and of our wretchednesse that wee may bee so cast downe in our selues as wee may resort too him with all lowelinesse and confesse our selues too bee beholden too him for all good things and haue none other shooteanker than our Lord Iesus Christ sith it is he that wee bee called vntoo but that wee may bee so clothed with him as it may put away all our fleshly lustes and affections which hinder our vniting vntoo God and wee continue in the hope that is giuen vs vntill that beyng taken our of this world wee inioy the euerlasting rest that he hath purchaced for vs That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .xxv. Sermon which is the fifth vppon the fourth Chapter 11. And the very same hath giuen some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelistes and some Shepherdes and Teachers 12. For the reparation of the Sainctes too the vvoorke of administration and for the edifying of the body of Christ. WEe haue seene heertoofore how our Lord Iesus Christ hath not withdrawen his power farre from vs though he bee exalted aboue the heauens There is a greate distance betwixt him and vs as in respect of the absence of his body out of the world but yit doo wee finde him alwayes present by the power of his holy spirit and by that meanes dooth he fill all things And now S. Paule sheweth that this maner of filling is too the intent that euery faythful man should with al lowlinesse serue his owne turne with the giftes and grace which it hath pleased our Lord too bestowe vppon those whom he hath set in his Church too gouerne it and that on the other syde they that haue receyued the larger measure should not aduaunce themselues for all that nor drawe alone by themselues but indeuer too doo seruice too the common benefyte saluation and welfare of all Gods children The summe therfore of that which S. Paule was mynded too say is that Iesus Christ hauing all riches in him hath not delt therof vntoo euery of vs part and partlyke at leastwyse so as wee should all bee throughly perfect for he ment it not but that he hath distributed them by measure And in very deede the order which he hath set in his Church sheweth it For all are not Prophetes all are not Teachers all are not Euangelistes
vs by his meanes let vs learne to humble our selues not to clymb in such wise as he should be defrauded of his honor but confesse simply and without feyning that looke whatsoeuer is giuen vs through his free goodnesse he mainteyneth preserueth it moreouer increaceth and stablisheth it in vs more and more Furthermore let vs marke that wee cannot possesse the goods of our Lord Iesus Christ to take any profit by theÌ„ except we first inioy him And that is the cause why he giueth himself vnto vs And thinkes it not ynough to giue vs some part and portion of his rightuousnesse of his desertes by the sacrifyce of his death and passion of the obedience that he yeelded vnto God his father of all the giftes which he receiued fully of God his father I say he thinkes it not ynough to giue vs some part and portion of them in his Sacraments but he sayth I am yours possesse yee mee Then is it not ynough for vs too go seeke our wants at his hand that he may impart them to vs but wee must also consider first of all how he offereth himself vntoo vs and sayeth Lo heere my body which is deliuered for you lo heere my blud which shal be shed for the remission of your sinnes And this is doone too the ende that wee should know that he dwelleth in vs truly by his holy spirit that wee liue by his owne substance that it is not sayd heere without cause that the knitting of the bodye commeth of hym and that he is the furniture thereof and that forasmuch as wee want the grace and giftes that belong too our spirituall lyfe wee must drawe them out of that fountayne And if we resort to him with perseuerance in the fayth of the Gospell wee shall feele our selues more and more strengthened and stablished in all grace euen till he haue rid vs of all our imperfections infirmities too make vs inioy his heauenly glory with him Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs so too feele them as wee may be sory for them and therwithall too worke so in vs hereafter as wee may from day too day bee clenzed of all our imperfections and vyces more and more and that our Lord Iesus Christ who is the welspring of all purenesse may so shed foorth the grace of his holy spirit as wee may bee made newe creatures therby too doo our souerein king the honour that belongeth too him And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father â–ª c. The .xxviii. Sermon which is the eyght vppon the fourth Chapter 17. This I say therefore and adiure you by the Lord that hensfoorth yee vvalke not as the rest of the Gentyles which walke in vanitie of their mynd 18. Hauing their vnderstanding ouercast vvith darknesse and being straungers too the lyfe of God by reason of the ignorance that is in them and through the blyndnesse of their hart 19. VVho vvithout remorse of conscience haue giuen themselues ouer too leaudnesse too commit all vnclenenesse euen with inordinate greedinesse COnsidering howe corrupt wee bee by nature it is not ynough for vs too haue â—he good shewed vntoo vs vnlesse the vyâ—â—s that are rooted in vs bee also corrected lyke as it woulde smally boote too sowe corne in a ground that were ouergrowen with nettles shrewd weedes rushes and thornes And therefore notwithstanding that Saint Paule haue heretofore shewed the trew rule of godly lyfe yit he addeth as neede is that it standeth euery man on hand too bethinke himselfe too chaunge quyte and cleane and too become a newe man bycause that vntill God haue clenzed vs both in mynde and haâ—â— and in all partes of our soule there will neuer bee any thing but tilthinesse So then the doctrine that wee haue herd heretoofore should not boote vs if that which wee heare now presently had not bin added For weâ— knowe that the Ephesians too whom Saint Paule speaketh before they were conuerted too the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ had liued a certeine tyme in ignorance and bin giuen too all naughtinesse and leaud lyfe euen too the vttermost Yit notwithstanding Saint Paul setteth it downe heere in generall that all they which haue not bin â—aught in Gods schoole are blynd wretches vnable too discrene betweene good and euill yea and staâ—ke beastes insomuch that euen with the very roote that commeth with them from their moothers womb euery man hardeneth more and more tyll they fall intoo such excesse that they become as monsters and appeare no more too bee creatures fashyoned after the image of god Yee see then that in effect Saint Paules intent is that after he hath declared Gods stablishing of his gouernment ouer vs Now too the end that our walking in this world should bee too go vnto God and too the heauenly lyfe wheruntoo he calleth vs he sheweth that wee shall neuer obey him nor bow our necke too receyue his yoke vntyll wee haue chaunged both our disposition and mynd and forsaken our selues by cause wee be vtterly corrupted And so there are twoo parts in the instruction that is giuen vs The one sheweth vs wheruntoo God calleth vs and the other that wee must fyght ageinst our owne sinfulnesse and vtterly imprison our selues that wee may become teachable too receyue the doctrine that God setteth out for vs Howbeeit for asmuch as that is hard too doo Saint Paule thinks it not ynough too giue vs single warning but also cyteth vs and after a sort setteth him in seat of Iustice before whom wee must yeeld an account too the intent too moue them and quicken them the more too whom he speaketh For it is no small thing to make men to renounce theÌ„selues considering how euery man sootheth himself and beleeueth that he is able to woork wonders Although he bee saped in naughtinesse yit thinks he that he hath some vertues in him Yea and although wee haue our faults proued too our faces yit will wee labour too cloke them through hipocrisie and too set some fayre colour and glosse vpon them or else we will maynteyne them wilfully and neuer yeeld our selues giltie though our shame lye open to the whole world To be short it is a very hard incounter when a maÌ„ must as well lay down all the wisdome which he weened himself â—oo haue in gouerning himself after his owne fancie as also tame his affections that he may bee subiect vntoo God and haue nothing in him self that shall stryue ageinst him For our flesh is too too stout in that behalf and wee heare how it is sayd in another text that all a mans thoughts and all that euer he can conceyue is emnitie ageinst god Lykewyse also it is sayd in Genesis yea euen at the tyme that the world had the greatest soundnesse that euer it had that whatsoeuer can come out of the warehouse of
is sorie or greeued And why Wee bee not Gods children as he speaketh of it in the Epistle too the Romanes except his holy Ghoste dwell in vs For are wee woorthie by nature too bee mustered in such aray as too bee fellowes with the Angells wee I say which are but rottennesse and moreouer cursed in Adam and chyldren of wrath Howbeeit God by his holy spirit calleth vs too this inestimable honour and dignitie of beeing his children so as wee may call vpon him as our father and haue familiar resort vntoo him That therfore is doone by the holy Ghoste and for the same cause is he called the spirit of adoption For the inheritance of heauen belongeth not too vs but in respect that wee bee Gods children Wee bee not so of our selues and by nature as I told you and therfore it followeth that it commeth of Gods freebestowed goodnesse Now hee sealeth vp all this in our harts by his holy Ghoste and that is the cause why it is sayd that wee haue a mortall bodie The thing that is ment heerby is not only our feete hands skin bone and flesh but that there is a lump of corruption in vs by reason of the dwelling of sin in vs which bringeth nothing but death For haue wee liued any tyme wee go away intoo dust and cindre and there is not that man which seeth not himself alredye beeseeged with a hundred deaths considering the diseases and infirmities wheruntoo wee bee subiect Agein age makes vs to stoope so as we perceyue a long whyle aforehand how we be summoned too come too our graue Seeing then that wee perceyue such a number of deathes all at once toogither in our bodies and a much greate dungeon in our soules how should wee hope that God would take vs vp intoo his kingdome But Saint Paule sayth that the spirit is lyfe If there bee but one grayne or one spark of the spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ in vs let vs assure our selues that wee shal be parttakers of his glorie for it is sayd that he is raysed agein from the dead and hath gotten the vpper hand of it by his holy spirit After that maner are wee quickened with him wayting till wee bee deliuered from all the corruptible nature that compasseth vs about And now S. Paule sayeth that wee bee sealed by the holy Ghost as is sayd of it in the first chapter heertoofore and in other places besyde as in the second to the Corinthians And this similitude is very fit For although Gods promises ought to be of sufficient authority to haue ful credit with vs of theÌ„selues yit notwithstanding such is our misbeeleef that wee cannot giue credit too them nor rest vppon them till they bee confirmed and warranted vntoo vs so as wee may say behold it is euen God himself that speaketh But what for that On the one syde we be forepossessed with distrust on the other syde we be alwayes doubtfull and misgiuing and cannot rest vpon the things that are told vs in Gods name By reason wherof his promises are alwayes vnauaylable vntill he print theÌ„ in our harts which thing he dooeth by his holie Ghost For as a peece of euidence is made authentical by setting too of the seale so God warranteth his promises of our saluation in our harts by signing and sealing of them there with his holy spirit That then is the cause why it is so often sayd that Gods spirit sealeth vp the inheritance of our saluation in our harts And for the same cause also is he named the earnest penny in another place For when a bargain is made although there bee no present payment seene yit if an earnest penny bee giuen the bargayne is concluded and the chapman cannot say afterward tush I repent mee of my bargayne and I willâ—forsake it nother can the other say I fynde my selfe deceyued and ouerseene and therfore I will rather keepe my wares styll but eche of them is bound the one too make the money and the other too deliuer his wares Euen so is it sayd that Gods spirit is the earnest penny of the lyfe of our soules And why For as I sayd God byndeth himself vntoo vs in respect of our infirmitie whertoo wee bee too much inclyned In deede it is not for that he oweth vs any thing but wee haue so much the more cause too magnifye his goodnesse in that he is so free harted as to bynd himselfe willingly vntoo vs wheras he oweth vs not any thing and vouâ—safeth too assure vs of it bycause he seeth vs so feeble and weake Lyke as when hee sweareth it is not for that he on his owne part needeth too adde any thing too his single woord for he himselfe is the truth and the thing that commeth of him must not bee doubted of It myght seeme therefore that the othe which he maketh is superfluous and that he dooth but abuse his owne name No but he dooeth it bycause he seeth vs weake and that wee haue neede too bee hild vp many wayes and specially bycause he seeth vs giuen too misbeliefe and therefore that he must bee fayne too remedie it So then whensoeuer God sweareth therin he stoopeth vntoo vs for pitie of our wretchednesse and the sealing and ratifying of his promyses in vs by his holy spirit is euen bycause it is impossible that wee of our selues should beleeue him and wee could not bee sure of the thinges that he promiseth vs to call vppon him and too ouercome all the temptations of the world vnlesse he vsed that meane And therefore wee haue so much the more neede too beare this text in mynd where S. Paule sayth that the holy Ghost sealeth in our hartes And hereupon wee may gather a good lesson to humble vs withal namely that wee shall neuer yeeld God the chiefe honour that he requyreth at our handes except he himself drawe vs too it and giue vs grace too discharge it whithall The thing that he requyreth aboue all other is that his woord haue all authoritie ouer vs and that wee yeeld it such reuerence as he may no sooner speake but wee shall by and by answer Amen that is too say as there may bee a ryght or full accord betwixt them That is the obedience of fayth which is the cheef sacrifyze that God requyreth But contrariwyse on our part there is nothing but replying ageinst Gods woord wee bee full of lustes and although wee seeme not too make vtter resistance ageinst him and too play the mad bedlems as many doo yit are wee giuen to a number of wicked imaginations as we see insomuch that some are as it were frantike specially when a man speakes too them of God for then will they haue their mouth open too spew out their blasphemies and too enter into disputation and debate shewing themselues vtterly vnwilling too receyue any good doctrine And othersome fall not intoo such furie and outrage but yit they let
seede wee bee accursed It is trew that Adam was created after the image of God but yit was that image defaced by sin so as wee bee not worthie too bee counted among Gods woorkes And the same horrible condemnation is pronounced wyth his owne mouth where he sayeth that it repenteth him that hee had made man as though he disclaymed vs all bycause wee doo but infect the earth and are not so woorthy too bee mustered in the aray of hys creatures as are the woormes lyce fleas dogflyes and all other vermin of the world That then is the benefyte which wee haue by Adam and as oft as it is sayd that wee be of his seede and of his fleshe it serueth too shew vs that there is nothing in vs but a gulf of cursednesse Now hereuppon if wee come too our Lord Iesus Christ wee bee restored agein and as the Scripture speaketh of it wee bee made new creatures in him Yee see then that it is by power of the spirit and not by order of nature nor by any common fashyon that wee bee of the bone and of the fleshe of our Lord Iesus Christ and the cause why wee bee members of his body is that God his father hath ordeyned and stablished him as our head Howbeeit as I sayd afore that is doone by a secret power which wee comprehend not but by fayth Then do both these things agree very well namely that Iesus Christ is of our bone and of our fleshe in respect that he hath taken our humane nature vpon him and clothed himself with it without the which wee should haue no alyance with him For if wee cannot atteyne too the Angels how shall wee atteyne too him that is the souerein head of them But wheras he is come in such wyze vntoo vs that he hath voutsafed to bee knit in the bond of brotherhood with vs that is doone specially when he woorketh so by the power of his holy spirit that he is our head and wee are gathered toogither in him and haue a heauenly state and wheras afore wee had nothing but of the earh and consequently had nothing in vs but corruption now wee bee lifted vp on hygh and are made the children of God by the grace that is spoken of heere wheras erst wee were heires of his wrath which wee hold from our father Adam when wee followe his nature bycause wee are all lost and peruerted in him Thus yee see in effect how the twoo things are too bee agreed wherin there seemed too bee some diuersitie And in deede if wee haue not that what would become of vs How miserable would our state bee I haue shewed alredye that if any man looke well what is in himselfe he shall fynd nothing there but matter too separate him from god Now then vntyll wee bee of the substance of our Lord Iesus Christ God must needes hate vs and abhorre vs and not knowe vs too bee of the number and company of his creatures Now remayneth too see how it commeth to passe that wee bee of the bones of Iesus Christ and of his flesh For he is in heauen and wee are heere beneath on earth Agein when wee bee begotten euery of vs is begotten after the order of nature he hath his father and his mother too come of and they bee of the same race that he is How then are wee of the bones of Iesus Christ It is not in respect of substance for if wee looke vppon our owne flesh nother the skin nor the bones nor the gristles that wee haue doo come of the body of our Lord Iesus Christ but it is in respect that the cursednesse which wee bring from our moothers womb and is spred ouer all Adams linage is taken away by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ and that therwithall he hath so sheaded foorth the grace of his holy spirit vppon vs that wee bee inlyghtened by it Therfore it is as a qualitie as men terme it not a substance Euery mā shal descend of such linage and God letteth the common order runne on styll which he appoynted at the beginning namely that men beget one another from issew too issew but in the meane whyle Iesus Christ renueth those whom God his father hath chozen and such as are the members of his owne body and riddeth them of the corruption which they had taken from Adam And afterward he giueth them such a power as euery of them feeleth by fayth that he is vnder the head that is set ouer vs and that wee bee gathered all toogither in him and his lyfe is giuen vntoo vs too the intent wee should no more liue too our selues nor too the world but rather 〈◊〉 he should liue in vs as Saint Paule sayeth of him Yee see then that Iesus Christ needeth not too come downe from heauen too make vs members of his body nor too diminish his owne flesh too make vs too growe out of him and too bee shaped of him For all is doone by the woonderfull power of his holy spirit Wee drawe no◠any thing from the flesh nor from the body wherwith he once clothed himselfe for that is in heauen too the intent that wee should bee fashyoned lyke vntoo the glory that is now in him But yit for all that he woorketh in such wyse as wee haue all our strength continually of him And lyke as trees drawe both their flowers their leaues and their fruites from their roote and lyke as the body of man feeleth his strength too flowe downe from the head so do wee feele the vertew and force of the coniunction that is betweene vs and our Lord Iesus Christ and yit he continueth still in his full state al the whyle Nother doth that hinder vs too inioy the inestimable benefite that S. Paule magnifyeth so much in this text And therwithal let vs beare this poynt in mynd that it is much when wee bee inwardly stird vp to doo euery man his duetie for thereby wee tast the grace of God which concerneth the saluation of our soules The matter that is in hand heere is that men should liue freendly and agreeingly with their wyues And when a husband considereth the things that are spoken heere he ought too bee prouoked not only too discharge him selfe of the bond wherein he is bound too God and his wyfe but also too thinke thus with him selfe This is such a state that although it bee corruptible and serue but for this transitorie lyfe yit hath God set it afore vs as a lyuely image wherein I see that Iesus Christ is my head and that I belong too him and that not onely I am his but also he is myne so as his lyfe belongs too mee and too bee short I am as if I were a member of his body Seeing then that men in dooing their duetie towards their wyues and wyues also in obeying their husbandes may behold how they bee ioyned vntoo Christ and that they doo the things
saluation and seale of our 〈◊〉 option to strengthen our weaknesse and to warrant and 〈◊〉 vs ageinst all temptations is a sure and infallible proofe 〈◊〉 Gods loue towardes vs according to â—his saying of S. Iohn 〈◊〉 doo wee know that wee dwell in him and he in vs that 〈◊〉 hath giuen vs of his spirit theruppon followeth an argument grounded vppon the nature of God which leadeth vs directly and comfortably to the poynt of Predestination and is the very knot and conclusion of that matter For inasmuch as God is vnchaungeable so as there is no alteration of mind or purpoze in him too fancie one thing to day and another too morrowe or too determine and repeale agein and so consequently too hate and loue by turnes and fittes for Gods giftes and callings are such ashe cannot repent him of them it must needes follow that he loued vs before all worldes and that the same loue of his caused him too chooze and predestinate vs too saluation before wee had any beeing yea euen euerlastingly before all tyme and also that the same loue shall neuer leaue vs vntyll it haue brought vs too the endlesse fruition of his heauenly glory bycause that whom he loueth he loueth to the end and bycause that forasmuch as the spirit of him that raysed vp Iesus dwelleth in vs he that raysed vp Iesus will also quicken our mortall bodyes through his spirit which dwelleth in vs â–ª For when wee bee come so farre forward as to fynd our selues in Christ by Christ to take hold of Gods free loue and by his loue to clymb vp to his eternall election then resting vppon the foresayd argument of the vnâ—ariable and vnchaungeable nature of God which not euen the heathen I meane the wyser sort of them did euer deny or in maner doubt of wee knit the eternitie to come with the eternitie past and conclude determinately in our selues that there is now no damnation to vs that are in Christ Iesus Yea and out of this conclusion springeth such inestimable comfort and inward ioy of mynd as inforceth vs to burst out into this bold but yit most godly boasting on Gods behalfe â–ª which Saint Paule describeth in the eyght too the Romanes saying I am fully perswaded that nother lyfe nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from Gods loue which he beareth vs in Iesus Christ our lord And seeyng that God is on our syde who shal bee ageinst vs Seeing he hath not spared his onely sonne but hath giuen him for vs all how should he not giue vs all things with him Who shall lay any thing to the charge of vs whom God hath chozen God hath acquitted vs who â—hen can condemne vs Christ hath dyed for vs yea and is rizen agein for vs and also sitteth at Gods ryght hand and maketh intercession for vs. Now if he dyed for vs then are wee sure that wee dyed all in him and lykewyze that as he is rizen so wee are rizen agein with him neuer to dye any more for death hath not any more power ouer him but forasmuch as wee bee his members wee doo sit with him already in the heauenly places by hope only wayting for the day of his comming to iudgment at the which tyme our lyfe which as yit lyeth hidden with him in God shal bee shewed openly and wee shall appeere with him in glory And this assured perswasion or beleef of Gods loue grounded vppon his eternall predestination kindleth in vs as it were a counter loue towardes God and a contempt of all worldly thinges bee they neuer so sweete or sower pleazant or peynfull wherethrough wee doo cheerfully answere on our owne behalfe accordingly as is set downe in the foresayd eyghth Chapter to the Romans Who shall plucke away our loue from Christ Shall oppression or anguish or persecution or hunger or nakednesse or daunger or swoord according as it is written for thy sake are we slayne all the day long and accounted as sheepe appoynted to the slaughter No surely in all these things wee be more then conquerours through him that loued vs that is too wit through God woorking in vs. And therefore hauing our eye fast set continually vppon the foreleader and finisher of our fayth Iesus Christ who for the ioyes sake that was set before him did willingly abyde the Crosse and the reprochefull misusages which he was most spytfully put vntoo wee doo not faynt or wexe cold but although our outward man bee consumed yit our inward man is dayly remewed insomuch that we reioyce â—uen in tribulations knowing that tribulation brâ—â—deth pacience pacience breedeth experience experience breedeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed For wee bee sure that our induring of affliction for a short tyme will yeeld vs an incomporable weyght of vnspeakable and euerlasting glory In respect whereof wee make no more account of all the aduersities of this world than of fleabytings and therefore wee looke not vppon the things that are seene but vppon the things that are not seene bycause the things that are seene are transitorye but the thinges that are seene are euerlasting Now then the summe of the things aforesayd is this That wheras there is no saluation no election no fauour no blessing no benefyte to bee had hoped or sought for at Gods hand but onely in and by our Lord Iesus Christ it is shewed for the comfort of the weaker sort that in this spirituall battell ageinst the world the fleshe and the diuell those are not counted to be out of Christ which beyng Baptized into him and professing themselues to bee Christians doo notwithstanding fall through simple ignorance and infirmitie of nature or are violently borne downe wounded or caryed away at tymes by the force of ouermightie teÌ„ptations but eyther such as hauing their conscience seared or benommed doo welter in sinne without feeling of any remorse or which feeling the sting of sinne and hartbyting of the lawe doo neuerthelesse make such account of the filthie pleasures of the fleshe the vanities of the world and the fulfilling of their owne wicked willes that they continew in sinne wilfully and wittingly or rather maliciously and presumptuously euen ageinst the continuall testimonie and exclamation of their owne consciences or else which through a cerrein feintnesse of hart and cowardly misbeleefe by reason of ouermuch mynding of their owne weaknesse and of the horriblenesse of their sinnes without the remedyes that God hath ordeyned for the same doo vtterly castaway their armour and weapon and eyther out of hand giue ouer and as it were betray themselues too the enemie of mankynd without any resistence or soone after forsake the feeld vppon despayre of victory without returning any more into the battell or without crauing the helpe and â—â—ccour of their Captein Christ as who would say they looked 〈◊〉
all indeuer to warrant our calling and election by good and godly conuersation and so shall the way bee layed open for vs to enter into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom bee all honour glory and dominion for euer and euer Amen Thus much haue I presuming vpon your graces good fauour and sufferance aduentured to wryte of this deepe but yit moste comfortable poynt of Christen doctrine so farre foorth as myght beseeme the breefnesse of an Epistle and as too my poore skill hath seemed necessarie too giue the simple reader an enterance into the substance of this booke that he myght the eazlyer conceyue and the better vnderstand and digest the doctrine of this Epistle and of the Sermons written vppon the same And therfore I haue had a speciall care to set downe the matter as playnly and comfortably as I could holding my selfe alwayes to the present cace without stepping asyde into any bymatters and without auouching anything which is not warranted by Gods expresse woord Agein I haue bin the sparer in woordes and sentences of myne owne bycause of the greate profoundnesse of the diuine doctrine which cannot bee handled with too greate reuerence the rather bycause I see that the more godly and skilfull men are in matters of Religion the warer and circumspecter they bee is dealing with the foresayd doctrine eyther in familiar talk conference or in giuing it forth in their Sermons writings And as for the author of these Sermons I shal not neede to coÌ„mend him to your grace bycause that you whose study is imployed in matters of diuinitie and good gouernment of the Church are better acquaynted with him thaÌ„ I therfore cannot be ignorant of the goodnes of his writings wherof this is not the first part nor I hope the last that hath and shal be put forth both by mee and others I trust to the benefyte of our common country Wherefore omitting too trubble you any further in that behalfe I beseech your goodnesse to beare with my boldnesse and also with myne ouersyghtes where any haue scaped mee in this translation and to further this my trauell with your fauour as you doo the lyke proceedings that tend to the aduauncement of Gods glory by the edifying of his Church Surely my purpose and desyre was that it should haue bin a first fruite or at leastwise among the first fruites of such maner of presents as were offered your grace at your returne into the South to welcome you to your See of Caunterbury if the time would haue serued to haue had it conueniently printed for it was fully translated and deliuered out of handes a good while afore Neuerthelesse my trust is that a woorke so beneficiall to the Church of God shall not bee the lesse acceptable to you though it come not with such speede as I gladly would it should haue doone which thing I beseeche your goodnesse with all reuerend humilitie too graunt praying God too power vppon you such abundance of his heauenly grace and holy spirit as the place of high preheminence wherin he hath set your most reuerend fatherhood requyreth that wee may long inioy your furtherance to the continuall benefyte of his Church Written at Clare in Suffolke the .vii. of Ianuary 1576. Your good graces most humble Oratour alwayes at your commaundement Arthur Golding To all Christians baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost dwelling or abyding in Fraunce greeting IT is a wondrous mattâ—r right deerly beleued brethren how all of vs glory in our Baptim and yit consider not all with one accord what that marke importeth of iâ— owne nature namely by following the intent of him that is the author of it For no doubt but if wee did so wee should all ioyne toogither in one holy consent too woorship the onely one God in spirit and truth and to acknowledge Iesus Christ for our onely Sauyour Aduocate Mayster yea and Lord as touching the gouernment of our soules and consciences and wee would take his â—nely woord for our wisdome guyde and rule of our whole lyfe and specially of his seruice without mingling of the inuentions of mans brayne with it how great antiquitie or countenance so euer they seeme too haue Yea and for the outward gouernment and visible order of the Church wee would hold vs to that which our Lord Iesus Christ in whose name wee were Baptyzed hath shewed thereof too his Apostles and by them inioyneth the whole world too followe euen vntoo the last day And certeynly then should the straunge confuzion and diuisions ceasse which are too bee seene in Christendome wherof those are the cause which will not harken vntoo God and yeeld full authoritie too his woord which fault shal bee layd too their charge at the iudgment of God vnlesse they turne a new leafe The Lord and Father of mercie graunt them grace so too doo according as supplication is made too him for them in all holy assemblies where he is called vppon according too his will in the onely name of Iesus Christ. That is the thing which wee desire For heere the cace concerneth not the bringing in of some newe deuyce after the fancie of men nother stryue wee too make the victorie fall vppon mens sides whatsoeuer they bee as some surmyze but that God and his woord may haue the vpper hand ageinst all abuses superstitions and lyes of Satan and 〈◊〉 we may all toogither giue glory too our God confessing that both 〈◊〉 and our fathers haue ouershamefully forgotten him insomuch 〈◊〉 haue not folowed his holy Lawe but haue bowed asyde both 〈…〉 the ryght hand and too the left And truly whensoeuer we reade 〈◊〉 woord in a tung that wee vnderstand or heare it preached and 〈◊〉 â—â—clared purely he allureth vs too him too make the lyke acknowâ—â—â—gedment And he hath doone so much in these late yeeres by striâ—â—ng with his mercie ageinst the malice of the world that dyuerse â—aue returned intoo the ryghtway whom others yea euen of all deâ—rees doo followe styll anew But yit is not that ynough vnlesse thâ— residew which haue hithertoo bin deaf or asleepe doo bethinke themselues too awake in good earnest and too haue eares too heare aâ— sayeth Iesus Christ. Therefore wee intreate and exhort them too it 〈◊〉 Gods name that they may discharge themselues of the promis whereuntoo their Baptim dooth secretly bynd them as hath bin sayd And too further them therein besydes the lyuely voyces of the trew â—inisters and other bookes conteyning faythfull expositions of the Scripture wee offer them heere the Sermons of M. Iohn Caluin vppon the Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paule too the Ephesians where as wee hope they shall haue matter too fare the better by for the playner vnderstanding of the things which they shall eyther heare preached or reade alone by themselues afterward Too mak long rehersall of things that myght bee alledged in commendation
you shall fynd them to be as wyld beastes and enemyes of their owne saluation you shall fynd them stark mad ageinst God and ageinst all ryght Too be short yee shall see so great enormities as shall abash men make them too say Alas is it possible that it should bee thus And so yee see what yee bee Say not fy on thee naughtipacke Yee may well fynd fault with such a one but ye must therwithal adde by by for a sauce to season it how greate hath Gods mercie bin towards me Then let vs neuer condemne the sin that wee see euerywhere in other men without coÌ„sidering therwithal that if God had not brydled vs we had falne as deepely as wee see others too haue falne and therfore let it stirre vs vp immediatly too pray God that he leade vs not into temptation and let vs acknowledge Gods infinite goodnesse in that it pleaseth him too reyne vs in such wyse that wee fall not intoo the horrible falles which wee see about vs For when wee looke vpon the wickeddest in the world yea and euen vpon such as wee bee driuen too abhorre as monsters wee must as I said afore conclude thus with our selues Alas as much should befal vs if God remedied it not And so yee see how wee ought to put that lesson in vre And S. Paul speaketh expresly of the rebellious children too shewe that there wil bee no obedience in vs except God put it intoo vs and reforme vs and both chaunge the naughtinesse whereuntoo wee were giuen afore and continue and increace the goodnesse that he hath begunne for else Saâ—an hath so taken possession of vs as he must needes drawe vs lyke brute beastes Trew it is that S. Paule addeth anon after that this serued not only for the heathen howbeit that Gods grace was most apparant in them but that euen the excellentest men were comprehended therin and which more is that the Iewes who thought themselues too haue a singuler priuilege of exemption from the common cursednesse of men were also forlorne and damned till they were redeemed by our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherin wee see yit better the thing that wee touched not long since that is too wit that heere is no mention made of any one sort of men alone but that the holy Ghost thuÌ„dereth vpoÌ„ al men to the end that al of vs shold be beaten down froÌ„ the least to the the most But this cannot be discoursed as now Therfore we must for conclusion take that which S. Paule treateth which is that God hath quickened vs Wherby he dooth vs too wit that we bring not lyfe with vs from our mothers womb but that by reason of sin we bee in death when wee come intoo this world which is worse than if wee were not at all yea and that there is no geynsaying too it bycause wee shall not find any thing in our selues but corruption and wickednesse and bycause that the more a man stirres it the more it stinketh and wee shall bee the more loth too see the great and deepe dungeon of all iniquitie which is in vs Therfore it standeth vs on hand too bee quickened and too haue lyfe giuen vs not of nature buâ— of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause wee bee renewed by him yea and too knowe that God hath taken vs out of a wretched and cursed state and theruppon too forget all vayn glorie And Let vs not think that euer wee shall yeeld vntoo God the prayse that hee deserueth till wee abhorre all our owne wretchednesse bee come too the poynt to know that the deuill reigneth ouer vs till God pluck vs out of his pawes and set vs free from his cursed tyranny For is there any thing more irksome than too say that wee bee subiect to the diuell and that he reygneth not only ouer our bodyes as somme worldly tyran myght doo but also ouer our soules and ouer all our thoughts For he is a spirit and there is not that thing in vs which is not corrupted by him filled with his poyson Sith we know this let vs consider also that God hauing found vs in that plyght hath notwithstanding not disdeined vs 〈◊〉 letâ—ed for all that too succor vs according also as S. Paule vseth the sâ—me reason when he sayeth that wee were Gods deadly enemyes at such tyme as Iesus Christ redeemed vs And so let vs conclude that God respecteth nothing but our miseries when he calleth vs too him Hee looketh not whether wee seeke him or no for how were that possible wee drawe cleane arsward He looketh not whether wee bee able too doo him any seruis or no for wee bee rank rebells ageinst him He looketh not whether there be any good towardnesse in vs for al our thoughtes lustes are deadly enemyes fyghting ageinst his ryghtuousnesse Wherat looketh he then What moueth him too succour vs Euen the infinite number of miseries that he fyndeth in vs and the horrible confuzion wherein wee bee those are the thinges which inclyne God too shewe vs mercie So then let all mouthes bee stopped and let vs not presume too bring any thing in this behalfe as thâ—ugh wee had bound God vntoo vs or that he found aught in vs wherefore he should shewe vs fauour for he must take all things of his owne and doo all of his owne infinite goodnesse bycause he seeth vs miserable damned and vtterly forlorne and let that stirre vs vp too doo good and too prouide remedie not onely for our diseases but also for our death For if wee were but corrupted with sinne and vyce the maladie were alreadie vncurable But besides that there is a death yea and a spirituall death which cannot bee recouered by all the meanes and remedies of the world God must bee fayne too put too his hand yea and that so myghtily as it may bee knowen that he â—aueth vs by myracle And nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sinnes praying him to make vs so too feele them as we may forsake them and bee rid of them dayly more and more and that in the meane season he of his goodnesse will beare with vs and not eâ—amine vs ouer streytly but by little and little abaâ—e and correct the naughtinesse that reigneth too much in vs and not suffer vs too bee sâ—aues vntoo Satan but set vs free by our Lord Iesus Christ of whom wee holde all our spirituall freedome And so let vs all say Almyghtie God heauenly father c. The tenth Sermon which is the second vppon the second Chapter 3. VVee also vvalked vvith the disobedient dooyng the pleasures of the fleshe and of the thoughtes and vvere by nature the children of vvrath as others are 4. But God vvho is rich in mercy through his great loue vvherby he loued vs 5. Euen at the tyme vvhen vvee vvere dead by sinne quickened vs toogither vvith Christ by vvhose grace
haue vengeance ready for all such as â—et themselues ageinst our doctrine Yea though they bee the hyghest in the world yit if they set vp their bristles ageinst God and deâ—pyze him they shall not scape the damnation that is threatened them at leastwyse when the faythfull haue once performed their obedience And in deede when an enemie summoneth a people there is trembling for feare least they shall fynde no mercy if reasonable conditions should bee refuzed and what then shal be doone when God commeth not onely too will vs too yeeld our selues vntoo him but also too offer himselfe too vs and will haue vs too possesse him and all his goods in the person of Iesus Christ What shall become of vs if wee refuze such grace when he vseth such kyndnesse towardes vs Must not horrible damnation lyght vppon so villanous pryde and scornfulnesse when men voutsafe not too receyue him euen him which not only procureth their saluation but also created them and by whom they bee mainteyned Then let vs learne too marke well this doctrine wherein peace is spoken of too the ende wee prouoke not God any more ne turne our bread intoo bane and our meate intoo mortall poyson but that wee may bee quickened truely by the grace which God offereth vs dayly And for that cause Saint Paule concludeth that they which are so touched with Gods spirit to obey the Gospell simply and substancially are no more straungers but rather fellovvcitâ—zens vvith the Sayncts and Gods houshold folk And this tendeth still too the end that I haue noted afore that is too wit that Gods name should bee glorified as it deserueth and that wee should not step lyghtly too him as wee bee woont too doo For wee thinke too discharge our selues with one woord by saying that Iesus Christ is our redeemer But let vs alwayes call to remembrance what wee haue bin and in what taking we were til Iesus Christ drew vs out of the dungeons of death For the worde straungers importeth that which wee haue seene heertoofore namely that before the Gospell was preached the Gentyles were without hope of saluation cut of from Gods fauour without promises without God in the world insomuch that although they liued heere although they were fed and susteyned by the good thinges that God gaue them although they inioyed the lyght of the sunne yit neuerthelesse they were without god And at the same poynt are all vnbeleeuers So then S. Paules rehercing what our redemption was when Iesus Christ came too find vs reached vs his hand to guide vs too God his father is too the end that wee should learne toâ— yeeld hym the whole prayse of our saluation Heeruppon he sayeth that wee bee citizens of heauen companions with the Angelles of Paradise and fellowes with the holy kings and Prophets When there is any talke of the Prophetes and Apostles or of any of the Saynctes and Martyrs wee haue them in admiration and good reason wee should so but in the meane whyle wee regard not wherfore the holy Ghoste setteth them before vs The Papistes make Idolles of them and too theyr seeming they haue honored S. Paule and S. Peter well when they haue decked them with Gods fethers But contrarywyse it is sayd hâ—ere that when God setteth foorth the grace that he gaue vntoo them it is too the ende that wee shoulde bethinke vs of the benefite that he bestoweth vppon vs in that he mustereth vs in their band According wherunto the Apostle in the .xii. to the Hebrewes sayth that they might to be vnto vs as a great thicke cloud of witnesses that we myght followe their example the more cherefully and walke on in the way that they shewe vs Agein when God hath made vs too perceyue the inestimable good which he doth vs in matching vs with the Prophetes Apostles Martyrs and all the faythfull let vs go yit further and consider that he hath made vs fellowcitizens with the Angelles of heauen A man would take great labour for a citizenship Freedenizonship or Burgesship of this world and yit notwithstanding they be but incoms of this lyfe And what is this lyfe of ours A flyghtfull shadow which fleeteth away out of hand Behold God calleth vs not only to soiorne in his Church as straungers but also too assure vs that he admitteth and accepteth vs for his children so as wee may with trew trust and as it were with one mouth boldly call vppon him as our father and keepe one tune and melodie with all the Saints That therfore is the thing which we haue to remember vpon this streyne which order the Apostle vseth also in the end of the Epistle too the Hebrewes saying that we be no more vnder the law which could do nothing but fray vs bycause there was nothing too bee heard there but thunderings and lyghteninges which were terrible signes of Gods anger But wee sayeth he are come too mount Syon where wee heare the sweete voyce of God our father who matcheth vs with his holy spirites with his Angelles and with the soules of his faythfull ones so as wee bee now of their crew and may speake vntoo God as it were all with one mouth bycause wee haue one common head This is in effect the thing that wee must beare in mynd And although wee inioy it not as yit yit notwithstanding wee bee sure that by the meanes of fayth wee may walke through this present lyfe as straungers too the world and that God will not fayle too auow vs for his children and heyres and that although wee bee yit wrapped heere in many vyces and imperfections yit notwithstanding all the Saincts of Paradyse doo acknowledge vs for their brethren and imbrace vs for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake Now let vs cast our selues downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him too make vs so to feele them as we may mislike them more more on the other side set our whole mind too the considering of the infinite grace which he extendeth toowards vs in calling vs vntoo him too the intent we may not be so spitefull nor yit so witlesse and blind as not to hearken when he speaketh but rather that wee may obediently through fayth yeelde vntoo the doctrine which he setteth foorth vntoo vs wherein lyeth all our welfare and saluation and that the same may plucke vs backe from all the leaud lusts of the world and from all the froward affections that thrust vs aside turne vs away from him so as we may grow more and more in his feare and loue too be fashioned lyke his image vntill we bee come too his heauenly glory wheruntoo he calleth vs That it may please him too graunt this grace not only too vs but also too all people c. The .xv. Sermon which is the seuenth vppon the second Chapter 19 Then are you no more straungers and forreyners but fellowe citizens with the Saints and the
bond vntoo all wee also must aunswer him not onely with our mouth but also with our whole lyfe and there must be trew vnitie among vs and we must indeuer to bring to passe that God may bee purely worshipped euery where and consider that sith wee bee called all too one inheritaunce there ought too be a ryght brotherhood among vs and that sith wee call vppon God as our father it becommeth vs as his children too bee ioyned too our head that is to wit to our Lord Iesus Christ. And when wee bee so ioyned vntoo him it is certayn that wee shal not bee cut of from those whom he will haue too bee of his body nother shall the hand despyze the foote nor the foote holde scorne of the hand but forasmuch as wee knowe that our lyfe resteth onely in Iesus Christ wee shal indeuer as much as wee can too vphold one another and pray too God too strengthen vs ageinst all Satans assaults ageinst all that he can practize to set vs at ods that wee may mainteyne the battell and with inuincible constancie followe still the way which God hath shewed vs vntill wee attayne too the heritage which he hath promised vs and purchaced so deerly by our Lord Iesus Christ. Now let vs cast our selues downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknoweledgement of our sinnes praying him to drawe vs too trew repentaunce so as wee may bee vtterly cast downe in our selues too bee set vp agein too serue him and that not for one day but so as wee may hold out too the end that as his grace neuer fadeth so wee on our side may neuer ceasse too serue him but according as he increaseth his gifts in vs so wee also may bee more and more inflamed to come nerer too him and too bee throughly knit vntoo him And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father c. The .xxii. Sermon which is the second vppon the fourth Chapter 1. I therfore which am a prisoner in our Lord vvarne you too vvalke as becommeth you in the calling vvhertoo you bee called 2. VVith all lovvelinesse and meekenesse vvith pacience bearing one vvith another in charitie 3. Being diligent too keepe the vnitie of the spirit through the bond of peace 4. Be yee one body and one spirit euen as ye be called in hope of your calling 5. There is but one Lord one Fayth one Baptim WEe haue seene this morning howe Gods children ought too bee linked toogither so as euery man may helpe his fellowe and harten and strengthen him and all of vs indeuer with one accord too serue god Now for performance hereof wee haue neede to correct the vyces that are in vs For on the one side wee see how men are well neere all inclyned too loftinesse selfsoothing and selfweening whereof by and by breedeth scornefulnesse For he that couets too aduaunce himself must needes abace his fellowes too make himself their superiour Then is it impossible that there should bee agreement among vs vntill wee haue rid our selues of this pryde and ouerweening wheruntoo wee bee too much giuen But if wee bee once knit toogither then will wee also bee meeke For what is the cause that wee bee so sterne towardes our neyghbours and that there is nothing but rigor and roughnesse with vs but for that euery of vs coueteth too ouermayster other That then is the cause why there is no gentlenesse among vs And therefore S. Paule hath matched meekenesse with lowelinesse for lowelinesse is the moother of meekenesse Last of all he setteth downe pacience or sufferance in bearing long with mens infirmities and vyces For if wee will needes serche out by parcell meale whatsoeuer wee shall see to be amisse in euery man surely we shall haue occasion to reiect both great and small for there is not that man which is not blemished with some euill But haue wee once abated the pryde that I spake of and thereuppon conformed our selues too meekenesse and gentlenesse so as wee can fynd in our hartes too bee warned and too beare with others and none of vs is so hindred by his infirmities but that he can abyde too make account of other men as of his brethren then shall the Church by that meane abyde alwayes in good plyght Now hereuppon S. Paule addeth that if wee intend too keepe the vnitie of spirit wee must liue toogither in peace For wee know that when any fyre of strife is kindled euery man would haue his enemyes drowned in the bottom of hell So soone then as wee giue the brydle too our affections so as wee fall too spyting of this man or that man and there groweth any hartburning or grudge ageinst vs then followeth parttaking in the Church too the breache of all concord Therfore if wee desyre too bee at one as wee â—eedes must if wee will be Gods children let vs take good heede that Satan set no oddes or variance among vs and let vs bee quiet and indeuer too preuent trubbles where wee see any likelyhood of them And so yee see what we ought too obserue if wee mynde too helpe our neyghbours and too bryng too passe that God may bee honored among vs with one accord And heere wee haue too mark first of all how Saint Paule in speaking of Lowelinesse meekenesse and pacience warneth vs that if we be not ware and euery man brydle himself the diuell shall alwayes haue easie accesse and entrance intoo vs too trubble vs And why For as I sayd euery of vs shall fynd the disease of ambition rooted in him so as there is none of vs but he would fayne beare some couÌ„tenaÌ„ce of superioritie at leastwyse till God haue layed his hand vppon him and by his holie spirit beaten downe al pryde in him and made him â—leane But take mee all those that followe their owne naturall sway surely they are euer so hygh mynded as thy wil not be conteÌ„ted except they bee exalted and much made of Saint Paule therfore thought good too warne vs hereof too the end we should learne too misâ—â—ke of that vyce and indeuer too rid our selues of it which thing wil not bee doone very easly for it is a hard battell But howsoeuer the world go wee must not giue ouer till wee haue gotten so much aduauntage of our selues as too knowe that there is nothing in vs why we should be esteemed but rather that he which thinketh himself too bee excellentest of all ought by that tyme that he hath sifted and examined himselfe throughly too bee ashamed and abashed at his owne wretchednesse And for proof therof when we haue throughly vewed al that wee weene our selues too haue wherwith too win vs any fauour dignitie or reputation among men certaynly wee shall fynd that euery whit of it is the free gift of god Now then so much the more neede haue wee too humble our selues seing that God byndeth vs so vntoo him What hast thou sayth S. Paul too
though they were fast sowed toogither bycause they perceyue themselues too bee hampered insomuch that he which hath conspyred in some mischeef with another naughtipacke will bee afrayd of him and that feare is as a bond that cannot bee broken Howbeeit Saint Paule presupposeth heere that the faythfull are at one in God as he will declare anon For this cause he sheweth them how the same vnitie may bee kept It is sayeth he the bond of peace For when a fyre is once kindled it is not so soone quencht ageine Wee imagin that when wee cast our selues intoo a chafe wee can come too our selues agein by and by and all shall bee whist and still out of hand agein No for the diuell dooth so set in his foote that the stryfe and contention turneth too a deadly sting so as men are inuenimed with it more and more and although they shewe it not outwardly ne cast vp their rage and froth yit notwithstanding some hartbyting and hartburning will lurke still within when there hath bin anie debate And therfore as I sayd let vs not thinke that when anie trubble is stirred vp it wil bee pacifyed so soone as wee would haue it In consideration wherof Saint Paule telleth vs that the Church shall perishe euery turning of a hand through that fyre if wee continue not in quiet and shun all stryfe and debate And now he sheweth what maner of attonement or vnion it is that he hath spoken of saying that there is but one God and one fayth and one Baptime that there is but one hope vvheruntoo vvee bee called and that there is but one God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ vvho is aboue vs all and in vs all It was very requisite that this should bee added too shewe that peace shall neuer bee good nor allowed of God but rather accursed vnlesse it haue a good groundwoorke For what a peace were it if wee would now adayes linke in with the Papistes Wee should bee fayne too forsake the pure doctrine of the Gospell and too bend our selues ageinst God and too defyle our selues with all manner of filthinesse and abhomination But it were better that the whole world were sunke and we with it than too seeke such peace As much should wee bee fayne too doo in respect of the Turkes for there is none of them both but he seeketh too wrappe vs in destruction and too plucke vs away from god Now if there bee such attonement among vs as wee will needes inioy all that our fleshly lust craueth what confuzion will there bee Uerely oftentymes Gods seruantes are accuzed of conspiracie and of spytefull malice and stubbornnesse bycause they cannot fynd in their hartes too consent too anie wickednesse insomuch that they which are in any authoritie and credit would vsurp any manner of tyrannie too hinder the preaching of Gods woord as it ought too bee and deuyze what they list of their owne brayne so that albeeit there bee preaching still yit shall it not bee free according too Gods woord If Gods seruantes bee driuen too this needes must we be trubbled by Satan his champions and we shal be both blamed and diffamed euerywhere For such folke will alwayes doo their office in turning good intoo euill by their false reportes and flaunders Howsoeuer the world go no peace is commendable but such as dooâ—h so ioyne vs toogither as God reigneth ouer vs and wee become all one in him for without that it shal bee but cursednesse And so yee see why Saint Paule calleth vs backe heere too God and too our Lord Iesus Christ and vntoo fayth of the Gospell and to Baptim too shewe how we ought to agree among our selues Now then wee haue heere twoo poyntes too beare in mynd The one is that in seeking attonement with men wee must alwayes haue our eye vppon God and when wee bee come too it wee must bee setled in it more and more That is a thing which wee must euer haue a care of Now in generall it is trew that peace is too bee desyred and that the verye name of it is had in estimation among men But yit for all that wee must not so shroud our selues vnder the shadow of peace as too separate our selues from God that in the end wee make warre ageinst him and he proclayme vs too bee his enemyes And for that cause it is sayd that wee must bee at continuall battell with the wicked For in asmuch as they serue Satan they wil not ceasse to fyght ageinst God and our saluation And therfore wee must not bee cold and negligent in that behalf but zelous in setting our selues ageinst them insomuch that although they bee in honour and credit yit let vs abhorre them as it is sayd in the Psalme let them be vntoo vs as stinking and lothsome thinges and full of filth and vncleannesse Though they boast neuer somuch of their greatnesse yit let vs assure our selues it were much better that they were drowned with all their brauerie in the bottom of hell than that they should so exalt themselues ageinst god Yee see then that we must esteeme the greatest men of the world no better than Woormes when they dare so bend their hornes ageinst God and consequently that wee can haue no peace with them seeing wee should bee fayne too forsake God for their pleasure But as I sayd afore it were better that the world were turned vpsyde downe than it should bee so Now then if wee knit toogither in God let vs followe the rule that is giuen vs heere that is too wit too bee so abaced in our selues as the world may perceyue by our myldnesse that there is no more loftinesse in vs too set vs at oddes And lyke as kyndhartednesse bringeth pacience so also let vs condemne mens vyces and yit labour alwayes to drawe the parties vntoo God and too win them vntoo him rather than too set them of through sharpnesse But now let vs come too the woords that are couched heere by S. Paule Hee sayeth that we be one bodie and one spirit as we bee called too one hope of our calling First and formest he sheweth vs vppon what condition we bee called of God that is too wit that there should bee such a knot among vs as myght shewe that wee bee in very deede the bodie of our Lord Iesus christ For it is not ynough for vs to be cast vp togither lyke a heape of stones but wee must bee knit toogither with a hartie good will. And lyke as it is sayd that there was but one hart and one mynd among the faythfull in the primitiue Church so must the same appere among vs too at this day Saint Paule then in telling vs that wee be one spirit and one bodie meaneth that wee bee made as it were all one man in Iesus Christ. For Iesus Christ can well fynd in his hart too communicate his name too all the companie of the faythfull and that is too the
ende too drawe vs the more too the sayd affection of liuing toogither in concord and brotherly loue euen with such attonement as wee may bee brethren that is to say so knit toogither as the fingers of a hand for without that wee can neuer shewe that wee bee desyrous too atteyne too the kingdome of heauen That therfore is the thing which he ment by the twoo woords Bodie and Spirit Trew it is that when Gods spirit gouerneth vs he reformeth our affections in such wyse that our mynds are knit toogither But howsoeuer the cace stand Saint Paul ment too declare that all the whole bodie of the faythfull is but as one man For it is not for any man to put foorth himself there but wee must bee linked all toogither euery man in his office or calling Too be short we must be but all as one as shal be declared anone more at length Forasmuch then as there is none other too gouerne vs but Iesus Christ wee must needs bee made all as one man in him And soothly wee knowe that the thing which was sayd of Adam and Eue and of all maryed folks and their wyues must also bee accomplished in the Church which is that the Churche is bone of our Lord Iesus Christs bone and flesh of his flesh and soo there is a mariage betwixt them Now if we bee so knit all togither to the sonne of God it is reason also that we should agree amōg our selues that one vnion should extend through al the whole bodie for it is vnpossible that our Lord Iesus Christ should reigne ouer vs yit notwithstanding that wee should bee diuyded among our selues seing that he is but one Let that therfore serue for the first poynt Now Saint Paule too stirre vs vp the better heruntoo telleth vs that wee bee called vntoo an inheritance In saying so he sheweth that there is a much holyer attonement betweene vs than there is betweene the naturall brothers of this world For although they bee borne of one father and one moother so as they bee but one blud Yit notwithstanding eueryman shifts for himself anon after and the inheritance is parted among them so as the brethren seeme too be separated asunder and the naturall bond that was among them before too be half broken But wee haue an inheritance that cannot be broken A man cannot say I haue that which belongeth too mee I will get mee away and I will dwell alone by my self For what is our inheritance It is God himselfe And moreouer the heauenly lyfe which is purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and wherintoo he himselfe is gone afore vs too gather vs thither too him Seeing then that wee bee all called too one selfsame inheritance if any of vs shrink asyde from his brethren it is all one as if he gaue ouer his part in the Kingdome of heauen But wee woulde abhorre such a blasphemie If a man should demaund of anie of vs whether he woulde renounce his part of paradyce it would make the heares too stand vp vppon his head I meane euen of them that haue no feare of God at al. No dout but there are some so wicked and monstrous beasts that they will flush out this blasphemie out of their mouth that they renounce theyr saluation But if yee ask it of a man that is well aduyzed hee will alwayes abhorre and detest it Yit notwithstanding in verye deede wee go about too shet our selues out of the gate and too barre our selues from comming in the kingdome of God and wee wype awaye the hope of it that is giuen vs by the Gospell when wee bee not knit toogither among our selues Were this througly printed in our harts surely there would bee another maner of freendship and brotherlinesse among vs than there is and men should see other maner of meekenesse meeldnesse and pacientnesse Now though wee haue hithertoo bin misaduyzed yit is it much better too take warning late than neuer Wherfore let vs lerne by this doctrine of Saint Paules that whensoeuer we bee prouoked too displeasure so as wee seeme too haue some cause too reiect one too leaue another and too separate our selues from him or hir we must vnderstand that we haue all one hope of the kingdome of heauen and that Iesus Christ who is our head calleth vs all vntoo him with this condition set afore vs without which wee cannot come at him which is that wee must shew truely and by our deeds that wee make account of all such as are partakers of the Gospell with vs as of our brethren and as though they were our owne flesh and blud and also that we bee so ioyned toogither as the fingers of one hand as I sayd afore And heeruppon S. Paule going foreward with the same doctrine sayth there is but one Lord. It is certeyne that heerby he meaneth one God who hath soueraigne dominion ouer vs and is our maister too keepe vs in vnitie bycause he cannot abyde that we shoul◠bee at ods In the Twelfth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians S. Paule sayth that there is but one God too shewe the seruice which wee owe vnto God specially for graunting vs of his gifts wherwith too edifie his Churche But his attributing of souereyntie vntoo God in this Text is too do vs too wit that we cannot serue God vnlesse wee bee at vnitie among our selues And why For although a mortall man be variable and chaunge his mynd from morning too night yit will he not haue any discord in his house if there be any broyle or if there ryse any strife he cannot away with it And what shall God doo who is the God of peace as he nameth himself in the Scripture seeing he wil haue vs too gather toogither vnder him and telleth vs that he sitteth among vs and that wee bee his house Thinke wee that wee can wynd him intoo our troubles contentions skirmishings hurliburlies and heats with vs Then should he bee fayne too transfigure himself and to chaunge his nature But let vs not imagine that he will deny himself as S. Paule sayeth but he shal bee fayne too cut vs of as rotten members and too shewe that wee belong not vntoo him when he seeth that wee come nothing neere him And therfore let vs resort too the sayd souereintie and dominion which God hath ouer vs too the intent too alay all strifes and variances that Satan shal indeuer too rayze vp among vs For if Seruants although they be discontēted with another haue hartburning grudge or such other things among them selues doo neuerthelesse brydle them selues for loue of their mayster and agree agein among them selues what shal we do when as the cace concerneth the pleasing of our God So then S. Paule declareth in effect that when wee bee so wayward and can beare with nothing but will fall out for euery small and light occasion it is a token not onely that wee
part of the well ordering of our lyfe set downe heere by Saint Paule which is that wee must walk in newnesse of lyfe bycause it behoueth vs too bee reformed by Gods spirit And too the intent wee may knowe that our chaunging must not bee in part only but in whole Saint Paule taketh heere the thing that seemeth most excellent and most estemed in mannes nature namely knowledge vnderstanding wit reason and all maner of abilitie of mynd Then if there bee any wisdome in vs Saint Paule sayeth it must bee corrected And why Trew it is that our reason of it self is alwayes commendable but wee bee so corrupted by Adams sin that we haue not the skil to think so much as one good thought which is not crooked and full of malice and rebellion ageinst god And although this be not perceyued openly yit will there euer be some secret hipocrisie lurking which is ynough to much to condemne vs before god Yee see then that the thing wheruntoo wee must inforce our selues if wee purpose too please God is that being rid of all our owne conceits and affections wee get vs a new guyde that is too wit Gods spirit according whâ—â—untoo he vseth a lyke maner of sentence in the twelfth too the Romanes in speaking of Christian lyfe It behoueth vs too bee transformed not only in our affections which are sinfull as euery man may iudge but euen in the thing which seemeth faultlesse that is too wit in the Reason that wee haue spoken of Too bee short wee must bee sacrifyzed or else our lyfe will bee alwayes vnholy and vncleane And this sacrifyzing is expounded by Saint Paule in the text before alledged to be the laying away mortifying of al that we haue of our selues Our trew perfection then is that fyghting ageinst al that is of our owne nature wee suffer our selues too bee gouerned by Gods spirit so as it may bee perceyued that wee bee vtterly chaunged For it is not ynough that our lyfe haue some honestie too the worldward so as it may bee commended and had in good reputation among men but also ambition and all other vyces that ly lurking within vs must bee clenzed away and our Lord must haue the guyding of vs. And for that cause also doothe he adde that we must be reformed according too God namely in trew rightuousnesse and holinesse Lyke as heertoofore he had condemned the old man which as I haue told you alredie is all that euer wee bring from our moothers womb so now he sayeth that wee must bee new creatures And for the same cause dooth he send vs too the example of our Lord Iesus Christ in the sixth too the Romans saying that wee must bee crucifyed and dye with him namely in respect of the old man and also bee fashyoned lyke too his rysing agein too walk in newnesse of lyfe It is trew that he vseth other woords there howeeit all commeth too one which is that lyke as our Lord Iesus is the second Adam so must he bee as a patterne too vs and wee bee fashyoned after him and his image that wee may be lyke him Now surely this wil not come too passe of our owne nature but yit is not this exhortation more than needeth bycause that when the holie scripture bringeth vs too our Lord Iesus Christ it meaneth not that wee should bee as blocks of woode but that wee should come and offer our selues too God that he may woork in vs And in very deede these twoo things agree vâ—ry well that the power which is in vs should come of God for it is he that moueth vs vnto good it is he that bringeth vs to it it is he that giueth vs both the wil the abilitie to performe the wil as we haue seen in another text And yit God worketh so in vs that of his gracious fauour the good works that are done are called ours And in good sooth when we be so led by him wee go And it is not too bee woondered at that Gods goodnesse stretcheth so farre as too make the things ours which are his and whereof he only deserueth the prayse For wee call the bread that wee eate our owne though wee haue it but by tytle of gift For although men take payne for it yit could it not stand them in any stead but through Gods free blissing Then looke what is giuen vs wee call it our owne Euen so S. Paule exhorteth vs too put on the newe man not that wee can doo it of our selues for Iesus Christ must bee fayne too clothe vs with his ryghtuousnesse as well as make vs parttakers of the giftes of his holy spirit And I praye you what is ment by putting on of the new man I haue tolde you already that it is the vtter chaunging of vs both in our thoughts and in our desyres and too bee short in all the partes of our soule Now is not such an alteration the speciall woorke of God and the gift of hys holy spirit Saint Paule therefore meaneth not that wee can doo any thing as of our owne power but yit that euery of vs ought too streyne himselfe too followe whither soeuer he calleth vs And therewithall he warneth vs that all our lyfe is very daungerful vntill wee chaunge and that the newnesse appeere in vs. Now Saint Paule sayeth that the nevve man is created after God and his image And therin he confirmeth the matter which I go about too touch that is too wit that although wee streyne our selues too the vttermost that wee can yit can wee doo nothing vnlesse wee bee preuented by Gods grace Which of vs can bee his owne maker Wee knowe that that honour must bee reserued vntoo God alone But heere the cace standeth vppon a new creating That therefore cannot bee in mans will nor yit in his power And Saynt Paule also hath dispatched that doubt and scruple in saying that the newe man is created of god As if he should say my frendes In dede ye ought not to abuse the grace that is offered you by the Gospell but yit for all that assure your selues that when yee haue streyned your selues what yee can too dedicate your selues too Gods seruice yee can doo nothing furtherfoorth than he woorketh in you by his holy spirit According whereuntoo he sayeth in another place that we doo woorke our owne saluation euen as though we could doo somwhat of our selues but yit he addeth that it must bee in feare and trembling that is too say with putting away of all presumption knowing that it behoueth vs too depend vppon another and he addeth the reason for it is God sayeth he which giueth both the will and the abilitie too performe it and all of his owne free goodnesse After that manner then must wee indeuer our selues But yit must wee not therfore conceyue a vayne ouerweening in the meane whyle as though we had some shift and were able on our owne syde too
for any trubbles impediments lettes or stoppes that can bee layd in our way Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too touche vs with such repentance as wee may bee sorie for them and rid them away more and more too the strengthening of vs in his feare and in the keeping of his holy commaundementes and the meane season he beare wyth our infyrmities vntill wee bee quyte and cleane rid of them and make vs too profit from day too day in the doctrine that is too wit in the remission of our sinnes vntyll wee come too the perfection of his rightuousnesse and glory And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father The .xxxvi. Sermon which is the fourth vppon the fifth Chapter 11. Haue not too doo vvith the fruitlesse vvoorkes of darkenesse but rather rebuke them 12. For as for the things vvhich they doo in secret it is a shame euen too name them 13. But all thinges are layd open vvhen they bee rebuked by the lyght for the lyght is it that layes all things open 14. VVherfore he sayth awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ vvillinlyghten thee WEe haue seene this morning that although there bee many things in the world too turne vs away from the seruing of God yit must we not therfore swarue as though that myght serue vs for an excuce For there haue bin stumbling blockes in the world at all tymes but the remedie for them is this doctrine that is too wit that Gods children must stande vppon their gard that they corrupt not themselues by companying with the vâ—beleeuers bycause God hath sholed them asunder And it is not ynough for vs not too bee drunkardes whoremongers theeues or murtherers but wee must also shun all manner of euill wheresoeuer it bee In deede wee ought too begin alwayes at our selues for hipocrites will alwayes spye a mote in their neyghbours eye and yit beare a great stone in their owne without feeling it But if wee will bee ryght and sound Iudges let euery man examine himself and begin there in condemning vyces Let vs consider well whether wee our selues bee faultie or no that wee may first and formest make our owne indytement before God by hating the euyll that is in our selues Howbeeit wee must also shewe therwithall that wee loue God better than the world and not maynteyne our selues in fauour and freendship of the wicked by foading them in their faultes and by flattering them And for that cause S. Paule addeth that wee must rather euen rebuke the woorkes which can bring nothing but vtter cursednesse And this serueth not onely too shewe the zeale which wee haue that God should bee honored but also too withdrawe sillie soules that are in the way too destruction and too bring them backe agein intoo the way of saluation Lo heere twoo causes which ought too moue vs too reproue euill The one is that it must irke vs too see God offended and men prouoke his wrath by ouerthrowing the order that he hath set Seeyng then that God is by that meane despyzed and his woord troden vnder foote it ought too greeue vs according too the Psalme where it is sayd that wee ought too receyue too our selues the reproches that are offered too god Also we ought of dewtie too haue a care of those that are redeemed with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. If wee see the soules go too damnation which did cost God so deere and make no reckening of it it is a scorning of the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And euen for that cause also dooth S. Paule tell vs that inasmuch as wee bee separated from euill too the intent wee should not be companions of such as despyze God nor in any wise bee lyke them wee must too the vttermost of our power shew that we hate them to the end that they beyng by that meanes ashamed of their leaudnesse may bee touched with repentance If wee haue once profited so farre it shall bee a great gayne too haue drawen backe a wretched soule that was in the way too destruction And after the same maner speaketh Saint Iames of it exhorting vs too doo it saying The thing that you shall gayne by it is that you shall saue a soule from loozing And although men bee hardened in their sinnes yit is it too great purpose for vs too shew the zeale that we haue of honoring God and that his woord should not bee so impeached nor the order broken which he hath set without declaring that the same displeazeth vs For if a man will bee knowen too bee a good and faythfull subiect he will not suffer any man too speake euill of his Prince without setting of himselfe ageinst him Lykewise that chylde shall bee taken for vnkynd and vnhonest which heareth his father wrougfully â—lamed and defaced and maynteyneth not his honour or honestie Now is not God our souerein prince Yis and although wee bee but wretched woormes of the earth and vyle caryons yit dooeth he the honour vntoo vs too adopt vs for his children Now then if wicked and heathenish folk deface his maiestie and darken his ryghtuousnesse yea and indeuer too plucke his dominion from him and wee dissemble at it is it not too excessiue and intollerable a leaudnesse Therfore let vs mark well what is told vs heere For it standeth vs so much the more on hand too mark this text bycause this vyce hath reigned in the world in all ages namely that according as euery man is more or lesse desyrous too be flatttered so dothe he the easâ—yer beare with other men not after the maner which wee haue seene heertofore which is that wee ought too haue compassion of such as are weake and too vse pacience towards them but cleane contrariwyse that is too wit that wee bee contented too feede the euill and too enter continually into a willing confederacie toogither and too the intent that other men should not sift vs too narrowly in our vyces but let vs alone too doo what wee list wee giue euery man leaue too take lyke libertie too him self And that is the cause why all things are out of order now adayes in the world Agein wee bee loth too prouoke any mans displeazure ageinst vs insomuch that we had leuer betray God and too betray our neyghbours bothe bodie and soule than too vse the libertie that Gods spirit commaundeth vs Wee see a wretched man play the naughtipacke let him follow his owne swindge say wee it maks no matter too vs And why for wee wil not discontent him Agein we see othersome peruert all order of Iustice and infect the whole people and countrie And wee passe it ouer easly without speaking ageinst it And why O I will not bring my self in displeasure with a man of authoritie Let some other bodie leade the daunce and I will willingly say Amen too it And if