suche as are so firie at the first dashe that reason can neither appease them nor stay them Therefore when men be so hot and fling themselues at al aduenture things must bee alledged agreeable to their nature to make them ashamed that they may bee drawen too the obedience of God S. Paule then ment heere to bring vs by little and little to the ouercomming of all our affections which are to farre out of square too the end that whensoeuer wee bee prouoked to hate any man or to be reuenged of him we may consider thus with our selues what will bee the end of it but that we shall one of vs consume another lyke dogges and cattes And when we haue considered that wee must proceede yet further which is that althoughe our hatred myght aduauÌ„tage vs neuer so much although we might alwayes haue the vpper hand of our enemyes and although wee could bring all our practizes and attempts to effect I say although wee might haue aduauntage by gyuing head to our passions yet were it but a prouoking of Gods wrath seing we could not yeelde so farre vnto him as to loue those that are vnworthie Sith the case standeth so let vs bee afraid submit ourselues with all humilitie And forasmuch as it is a hard thing let vs fight so much the more manfully tyll God haue gotten the maysterie and wee renounced our selues as I sayde forsaking all our owne nature too the ende that wee may keepe the sacred vnitie which he did set among vs when it pleased him that wee should bee one flesh Now herevpon Sainct Paule addeth that if wee mind to restreine the lustes of our fleshe from reigning in vs wee muste walke in the spirit Furthermore the battell is ryght harde so that wee doo not what wee would do but although God haue reformed vs and touched vs to the quick so as wee would fayne please him in all poynts yet notwithstanding wee shall not yet atteyne too perfection bycause our owne nature will alwayes leade vs vntoo euill But before wee go any further wee must marke that by the word Fleshe Sainct Paule meaneth all that is in man and 〈◊〉 what euer we bring with vs by our birth According also as our Lord Iesus Christ declareth sufficiently in the third of Iohn That which is borne of fleshe sayth he is flesh By the woorde Spirit he meaneth not the Soule of man but the grace whych God giueth vs when he bringeth vs backe to his obedience correcteth our vyces all that is contrarie to his word And the terming of men by the name of Flesh in the holy scripture is in way of contempte But yet in this texte it is a marke of vyce and corruption Sometymes when the Scripture speaketh of flesh it saythe verie well what else are men but fleshe that is too say but rottennesse Ageine all fleshe is grasse And ageine what are the Aegyptians They bee fleshe and not spirit Yee see then that vnder this woord fleshe men are taught their owne frayltie and doone to vnderstand that they be but earth and dust wormes and woormes meate And this serues first of all to humble them But when fleshe is matched ageynst Spirite then are not men taken in their first state as they were created of God but it serueth too shewe that they bee corrupted and full of infection and wickednesse so as there is no taste at all in them to discerne aright but they are vtterly peruerted in all their lustes Yee see then that whereas our Lord Iesus Christ sayth wee bee fleshe euen from our birth his meaning is that wee bee blind wretches which haue no wit at all too come vntoo God and that although he haue put an vnderstandyng in vs to discerne good euill yet notwithstaÌ„ding wee bee growen brutish and cannot come to him and al the reason that we haue serueth but to make vs vnexcusable and finally that we couet nothing but vtter euil that loke how many affections wee haue so many are the enemyes that fighte ageynst all ryghtuousnesse Lo how the holie Ghost blazeth our armes wheras most men bragge of their owne free wyll and of their vertues it is sayd that there is nothing in vs but starke corruption that the same is as an enmitie against God and separateth vs from his rightuousnesse True it is that our Soule or mind is oftentimes called by the name of Spirit for the woord Spirite or Ghoste betokeneth an inuisible substance which cannot be seen nor felt as can a body The Angells are Spirites and so are the Diuells also Howbeit these are corrupted spirites and alienated from God so as there is nothing but vtter wickednesse iâ—â—â—em So then our soules also are Spirites but yet they bee spirits infected with sin which thing happened too them when wee were chaunged and abaced and Gods image defaced in vs by the fall of Adam Now then there had need to be some renewment therof and that renewment is called spirit which is when God reformeth vs and maketh vs new creatures by his holy spirit The first poynt wherof is that we be inlightened so as we conceiue the things that were hidden from vs by nature for faith is the speciall gift of God bycause it is impossible for man to conceiue the things that are for his soule health vnlesse God haue wrought in him Yee see then that fayth is a gift of the spirit as wee shall see hereafter in due time and place insomuch that as wee haue not one good motion to come vnto God and to frame ourselues to his will except he gouerne vs so also forasmuch as he hath adopted vs he giueth vs his holy spirit which is the true marke that sheweth vs to bee Gods children Too bee short looke whatsoeuer God putteth intoo his chosen and faithfull ones too correct theyr wicked and sinfull nature the same is comprehended vnder the word Spirit Now S. Paule sayth that wee must walke after the spirit and then wee shall not fulfill the lustes of our fleshe Hereby he giueth warning too such as delight too much in their owne vyces and take leaue to do naughtily vnder pretence that they be not able too withstand it Heere he wakeneth them vp and telleth them that they be without excuse and that although they bee giuen vntoo naughtinesse yet they ought too seeke the remedie of it And what is that Truely wee shall not finde it in ourselues but God will supply in that behalfe by giuing vs grace to fight in such wyse against all our lustes and wicked affections as his holy spirite shall reigne in vs and get the vpper hande of them God will not deceiue vs in making vs such promise and therefore let vs hye vs to him as diseased folke to a Phisition To bee short S. Paule hath an eye to the excuse that men would bring and are wont too bring in this cace O say they wee bee fleshly and charitie
Christ be set afore vs and till wee haue cast our looke vpon him so as all our senses be settled vppon him and as it were shet vp there Yee see then that the fayth whereby wee obtayne grace is that after we once know our selues to be wretched creatures and that there is nothing but loth somnesse in vs wee seeke the remedie of it in our Lord Iesus Christ and vnderstand that he was offered vp for vs to redeeme vs from the curse wherein we were plundged that he hath made vs cleane by his bloud that by his obedience he hath put away all our offences and that for the same we bee assured that God accepteth and receiueth vs for his children Thus ye see how this text is to be vnderstoode And whereas S. Paule sayeth that he himselfe and all the Iewes that were conuerted vnto Christianitie did looke too bee saued by the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ he addeth also the reason why namely bycause no flesh shall be iustified by the works of the Lawe He had well vsed that woord if he had applied it but to his owne countrymen but heere he speaketh of all men in generall And whereas he sayeth no fleshe at all first he betokeneth that the Iewes differ nothing at all from the Gentyles in the meane of obtayning saluation VVherfore although the Iewes beyng circumcyzed were taken as it were for Gods heritage and sanctified vnto him yet not withstāding they could not haue any hope of saluatiō but by his mere grace Lo how they be matched with the Gentyles and raunged in like degree with them Again S. Paule ment heere to deface vtterly all the ouer weening that men conceyue of their own vertues There are many which know they haue ouershot thēselues so farre that they cannot chalendge any glorie too them as though they had deserued aught at Gods hand VVretched drunkardes vnthriftes and such as haue giuen themselues ouer to all naughtinesse will be ashamed to auaunce themselues and too brag that they can bind God by their deserts and well doings for euen before mē they be fayne too hide themselues bicause of their leudnesse But as for those that haue some cloke of hipocrisie and shew some signe of holinesse before men they by by become drunken with it so harden themselues that they beleeue they deserue Paradyse and that God is greatly bound vnto them Of which sute are these Popeholy ones who although they be ful of al filthinesse so as there is nothing in them but ambition couetousnesse crueltie and suche other like things yet how soeuer the world go for asmuch as they haue good store of their Churchstuffe other counterfettings they beare thēselues in hand that God seeth not a whit intoo their leudnesse but perswade themselues that God ought to accept them for their owne merites sakes Also such as heare Masse deuoutly such as rūne from the Tauerne or from the Alehouse to the Chappell specially such as buy pardons and such other like stuffe and such as keepe fasting-dayes and holydayes wil be puffed vp with such an ouer weening as to thinke they haue bound God vnto them But S. Paule in naming all flesh sheweth that men must not shole out themselues asunder as though one were righteous though another were not so but must all stoupe and humble themselues and passe condemnation assuring themselues that all their vertues yea euē of the excellentest men of all are but filthinesse before God For although a man bee perfectly rightuous to our opinion so as he doth noman harme but hath stedfastnesse in himself to withstand all vices and is chaste and sobre and to be short is taken and esteemed to be as an Angell yet not withstanding he hath nothing in him but corruption And how can that bee Bycause wee may not reste vppon the outward apparance for as the Prouerbe sayeth all is not golde that glistereth It is not for vs to iudge what is vice and what is vertue except wee could enter into a man For if a man yeeld not vnto God that which belongeth vnto him what is to be sayd of it He robbeth not men but he robbeth God of his honour Agayne though men giue him neuer so great prayse clap their hāds at him yet shall he but burst for vaynglorie and pride and nothing shal be able too frame him too humilitie saue the knowing of our Lord Iesus Christ So then they which make a goodly outward show in their life shall neuerthelesse be still condēned before God This is the thing whereby S. Paule intēded to forestall all the vaine trust that men can cōceyue or nurrish cōcerning their own deseruings But there is yet more For he speaketh not only of such men as were after a fort forsaken of God and were not renewed by his holy spirit but when he sayeth All flesh ▪ he cōprehendeth the faithfull also For although Gods holy spirit dwell in vs after he haue drawen vs to the knowledge of his Gospell and greffed vs into the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ although say I that Gods spirit dwell in vs yet are we al comprehended vnder the woorde Flesh in respect of that which we haue of our owne S. Paule then giueth sentence heere that no flesh shall bee iustified bycause the faythlesse are condemned in Adam and abide in their condemnation and the faithfull are alwayes vnperfect so as they haue many vices and blemishes by meanes whereof they bee condemned as well as the other and so this condēnation is generall That he which will bee iustified by the woorkes of the lawe shall alwayes be found giltie yea euen the holiest men that euer were Let vs take Abraham who was a mirrour of all perfection let vs take Dauid who excelled in all vertue Let vs take Noë Iob and Daniell who are reckened vp for three rightuous men by the Prophete Ezechiell and let vs take such other like and yet neuerthelesse euen they also are raunged in the same aray that is too wit that they could not obtayne rightuousnesse before God but by Grace Nowe then I pray you what shall wee doo muste not the Diuell needes driue them headlong intoo terrible pryde which at this day doo stay still that they may bee iustified by their owne desertes or meritorious woorkes as they terme them For who is hee that can matche eyther Dauid Noë Abraham or Daniell Had not men neede too haue profited well in Gods schoole and to bee inflamed with a true zele of giuing themselues wholly vntoo him that they may bee vtterly conuicted that they bee yet very farre of from beyng come to the poynt whiche wee see Dauid Noe and Daniell too haue bin at ◠For asmuch then as wee knowe this lette vs marke that heere the holy Ghoste beateth downe suche as mount vp too highe too the ende wee should bee the more ashamed that wee haue not one drop of deserte of glorie and seeke all that pertayneth
downe into the worlde nor what grace he imparteth vnto vs by his Gospell they knowe not neyther what fayth nor what prayer is and yet for all that they will needes haue leaue to doo what they liste and that folke should lay the bridle looce in their necke Of these wylde Christians there are tootoo many nowe a dayes In the meane while the doctrine of God is blamed by their meanes For the enimies of the truthe vpbrayde vs with all suche as are loose liuers now a dayes and say that the same springeth of our preaching For this cause S. Paule hath answered his aduersaries and also armed and fenced vs to answere them to the ende to stoppe the mouthes of all raylers and of all suche as doo falsly slander the doctrine of the Gospell First of all therfore when the wicked sort say that we giue an inordinate libertie to all suche as seeke nothing but to doo lewdly Let vs looke backe to S. Paule who telleth them that the libertie which we speake of serueth for none but such as are a law to them selues namely through the working of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ But yet notwithstanding this ought to serue for a warning to all suche as imagine a libertie after their owne liking Therefore let them vnderstande that first of all it behoueth them to become members of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVil we then eate quietly without making any 〈…〉 VVill wee bee exempted from all 〈…〉 whiche doo nowe a dayes vexe the simple and ignorant sorte in the Papacie Let vs vnderstande what Iesus Christ is and let vs bee throughly his Let him gouerne vs and let his death and passion shewe their power and effectualnesse in our whole life Thus yee see what we haue to beare in binde in this text And heere S. Paule sheweth agayne that the true perfection of Gods children consisteth in abacing themselues so as they followe not the rule of their owne brayne and affections for wee bee vtterly corrupted Then can wee not bee but rebels agaynst God all the time of our life till wee haue kylled all the sinfulnesse of oure owne nature Marke this for one poynt that our lyfe shall neuer bee framed to the will of God excepte wee bee vtterly chaunged bothe in our thoughts and in our affections Secondly S. Paule sheweth that that can not be done but by communicating with our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is not without cause that he vseth this worde Crucified For thereby he declareth that so long as wee bee separated from our Lorde Iesus Christ and cast off from him and not knit vnto him by fayth our nature will alwayes bring foorth hir owne frutes that is to say nothing but all maner of naughtinesse and vice Thus ye see that first of all Freewill is beaten downe Secondly it is shewed vs that wee can not be partakers of any of Gods giftes nor of his holy spirite but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ according as I haue tolde you alreadie that wee must all drawe of his fulnesse for he is the onely fountayne that is able too suffice vs. And if wee seeke neuer so farre aboute elsewhere wee shall finde nothing but drythe and wee shall continue a thirst styll and if wee thinke too fill our selues it will bee but wyndinesse and misweening wherewith wee shall burste and yet not gather any good nourishment or substance Nowe heerevppon Sainct Paule concludeth that if wee liue after the spirite wee shoulde also walke after the spirite And it is a more easie declaration of the thing that I haue touched alreadie It had beene inough too haue auouched that wee can not bee set free but by crucifying all oure wicked lustes howe bee it for as 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Hypocrisie is so great that they doo alwayes finde â—â—aâ—ting holes and 〈…〉 man would bee esteemed as an Angell though his life bee out of order therefore Sainct Paule intended for a confirmation too adde this saying â–ª that if wee liue after the spirite wee must therewithall walke after the spirite As if hee should say that it is not inough for men too protest them selues to haue Gods spirite dwelling in their heart but they muste shewe that he is there for he is not idle Therfore if a man will discerne whether Gods spirit dwell in vs or no he must come to our works and to our life and according as our conuersation is so may he see what we be and what is within vs and giue iudgement by our outwarde workes that are apparant As for example if one would beare mee in hande that a blocke were a liuing a man too see too It stirreth neyther head nor foote thrust at it and shoue at it and yet there appeareth no lyfe in it and shall he then make mee beleeue that a peece of stone remoueth from place too place or hath any power in it or is a creature that hath a soule Euen so is it with those that boast them selues to be spirituall For although the vnbeleeuers and enimies of God be aliue as in respect of the body yet are they dead in respect of the heauenly life bicause their soule is vtterly corrupted but wee liue to Godwarde through the grace of his holy spirite And if this grace be in vs it can not bee idle as I sayde afore And that is the cause why S. Paul sayth that our conuersation will shewe whether we liue in the spirite or no. The worde walke is very rife in the holy scripture when the whole ordering of our life is mentioned neuerthelesse heere is not onely walking The worde that S. Paul vseth importeth more that is to wit too walke orderly as if he should say that we must frame our selues to the thing that is conformable too the will of God and of his holy spirite and that our life must bee so well ruled as it maye bee knowen that God gouerneth vs in deede and that our Lorde Iesus Christ holdeth vs too him selfe as the members of his body and that he hath truly witnessed that he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirite Therefore at a worde this thing muste needes bee knowen Nowe to bee shorte S. Paule ment heere to bewray the hypocrisie of all suche as make fayre protestation with their mouthe and woulde haue men to beleeue wonderous well of their zeale and yet in all their whole lyfe doo shew 〈…〉 at all too come neere God nor any 〈◊〉 of hys worde All such folke then are heere condemned of lying and vnfaythfulnesse And therefore that wee may discerne which are Gods children let vs come to the examining of our liues True it is as I haue touched heeretofore that sometimes the ignorant wretches and suche as neuer had any instruction in the Lawe shall haue some apparance of vertue But if a man sounde them throughly he shall finde it is but a shadowe and that they bee not well bent eyther too loue their neibours or to walke
should recouer their saluation according as we know that we be blessed of God for our Lord Iesus Christs sake And therefore Circumcision serued too humble the Iewes and too make them mislyke of themselues and to be ashamed when they sawe there was nothing but cursednesse in their nature That say I was the true and lawfull vse of circumcision Nowe what do they agaynst whom S. Paule speaketh They knowe that Circumcizion is no longer in vse that is to witte that Baptisme suffizeth euer since the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ but bicause the Iewes called all them Apostates or backsliders which were not circumcized therefore these rascalles will needes hold still the signe without the truth or substance VVe see then that they were verie falsaries and wrested the doctrine cleane contrarie too Gods meening when he ordeyned that spirituall Sacrament bicause their desire was nothing else but to please the worlde As much is done at this day And they that labour to ouerthrowe Gods truth are much worse than Saint Paules aduersaries For they had yet some cloke of honestie mainteyne Circumcizion and the figures of the Law bicause they were al ordeyned and stablished by God But as for these hypocrites which crie out vpō vs nowadayes with full throte saying ye must keepe the olde custome without chaunging of any thing whereon are they grounded They cannot say that God is Author of any of their stuffe Men haue contriued them after their owne fancie or rather Satan hath blowne them into their eares so that at a word all that is termed Gods seruice in Poperie is nothing else but a confuzed maze all is but dreames of mens setting forth and the diuell is euer the cheefe Authour of them And yet these naughtipacks say that nothing must be taken from them And wherevnto haue they respect Truly they will alledge that men muste purchase Gods grace by them and that they stirre folke vp to greater deuotion Againe they giue the title of Sacrament too all the foolish deuices of their owne heades saying such a thing must bee kept for it is a Sacrament But when all is iustly reckened a man shall see that theyr intent is to please the worlde and to mainteyne themselues stil For they be inforced spite of their teeth to confesse that it maketh neyther here nor there as in respect of God and that he passeth not for their kinde of seruice but vtterly dislyketh it bicause he will be serued with obedience But what There will bee horrible confusion say they if men cut off all after that fashion and speake plainly of things See I pray you how they woulde faine disguise themselues and in suche wise corrupt and falsifie religion as there shoulde bee made a mingled confusion of all or else that there shoulde no more be taken away but the grossest and fondest things and in the meane while such Ceremonies be let alone as may be any whit sufferable It is certaine say I that all they whiche speake so desire nothing else but to haue fayre winde and weather to the worldwarde Seing it is so let vs take warning at the holy Ghostes hande to flee suche plagues And although we cannot triumph in this worlde although we be nothing set by although men rayle vpon vs with opē mouth yet let vs not ceasse too holde oure owne for Gods truth and let it suffice vs to be allowed of the heauenly iudge though all the world abhorre vs. Although then that we see all these things yet let vs be pacient and tarie till our Lorde Iesus Christ shewe himselfe to bee our warrant and therewithall giue 〈◊〉 victorie in the behalfe of his truth so that all his enemies may bee put to shame and haue they◠mouthes stopped vp Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too touche vs with suche true repentance by his holy spirite that beeing vtterly cast downe in ourselues and quite cleane rid of all presumption we may be hartily sory for them and that moreouer it may please him so to increase the giftes of his holy spirite in vs as wee may no more be giuen to our flesh and the world to be hindred and hilde downe by them but that we may go forwarde to serue him and indeuer that his name may be glorified more and more and we beare suche a marke of his adoption as wee may bee so confirmed with it in our selues that other men may haue occasion to glorifie the name of this our good God for working so in vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The. 43. Sermon which is the sixth and last vpon the sixth and last Chapter 14 God forbid that euer I should glory in any thing sauing in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ vvhereby the vvorld is crvcified vnto mee and I vnto the vvorld 15 For in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision auayleth any thyng but the nevv creature 16 And as many as vvalke according to this rule peace bee vpon them and mercy and vpon Israell that perteyneth to God 17 From hencefoorth let no man put mee to payne for I beare in my body the markes of the Lorde Iesu 18 Brethren the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ bee vvith your spirite Amen WE haue seene heeretofore howe Sainct Paule condemned such as sought altogither to row betweene two streames thereby too please the worlde and in the meane while to eschue persecution And that made them to disguise the Gospell whereof wee see too many examples yet still at this day For suche as see that the pure doctrine and truth of God can not be brucked of the world but that the wicked sort doo rage agaynst it they I say would fayne finde some meane way that they might not bee hated nor incurre any displeasure And that it is so if nowe a dayes yee aske it of such as haue but some little vnderstanding ye shal scarse finde one of them among a hundred whiche will not graunte that there are many abuses in Poperie but yet they will say that all must not be cut off by the quicke but that it is inoughe if some of the ouergrosse and excessiue superstitions bee taken away and so they would fayne still nourishe a great sorte of infections And why For as I haue sayde they woulde fayne bee in credite and estimation and it is no matter at all with them to betray the purenesse of the Gospell so they may saue themselues from persecutiō yea and euen among vs a man shall finde inowe that woulde haue bothe And what moueth them but that they would aduance them selues and get some reputation Forasmuche then as wee see that the Diuell which raysed those broyles in the time of Sainct Paule continueth the same vnto this day we ought to be armed with this doctrine And the