the touchstone of Gods word which is quick and effectuall and sharper than any two edged sword entering in to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the sinewes and marie and sifting out the thoughts and conceytes of the hart let vs examin our owne consciences whether wee bee in Christ and Christ in vs or no. Our owne consciences at leastwise if they bee not blynded with ignorance or hypocrisie will certifie vs of the truth in that behalf And if any man haue not the record thereof in himselfe he wanderâ—h yit still in errour and knoweth not whyther he goeth noâ— iâ— what cace he standeth For they that are in Christ haue Christes spirit in them and that spirit assureth their spirit that they bee the children of god Now let vs see if wee haue this warrant in our selues wee shall discerne it by these markes following and such other lyke The scripture telleth vs that those which are in Christ Iesus are become new creatures That they bee rooted buylded and setled vpon Christ by fayth That they walke as he walked fashioned themselues after his example That they haue put off the old man that is to say their owne naturall disposition which is corrupted with deceitfull lustes and beyng renewed in the spirit of their mynd that is to say in the inward working of their hartes they haue put on the new man that is to wit a new disposition of mynd which is shaped lyke vntoo God in true rightuousnesse and holinesse That they walke after the spirit and not after the fleshe that is to say that they liue not after the lyking of their owne wit and will but in obedience to the wisdome and will of God That they haue mortifyed their earthly members that is to say ouermaystred and subdewed their sinfull lustes and lykinges That they bee crucifyed too the world and the world to them that is to say that they bee no more intangled with the fond loue and sinister affection of the world and worldly things than if they were already dead and had no more neede of them at all And finally that they bee dead vnto sinne but alyue vnto rightuousnesse Of all which sayings and of a number mo tending to the same purpose the pith and effect is this consisting of two members Namely that such as are rightly and vnfeynedly in Christ haue vtterly renounced their owne wit will wisdome strength reputation and rightuousnesse yea and quyte and cleane forsaken themselues togither with the world and all worldly things and haue giuen ouer themselues as it were in bondage all wholly vnto Christ taking him for their onely God Lord Sauiour Father Mayster Teacher Guyde Defender Stay Light Rightuousnesse Holinesse Redemption Wisdome Strength Reconciliation Sacrifize Alter Temple high Priest and all in all and therefore depending alonely vppon him in all things putting their whole hope trust and confidence in him wayting vppon him as the seruant vppon his Mayster or as the handmayd vppon hir mistresse or as the chyld vppon his father seeking his onely honour and glory in all caces contenâ—ed to beare the crosse with him in suffering all manner of harmes wrongs losses despytes reproches myseries and torments for his sake that is to wit for the truth of his Gospell and for the rightuousnesse of his kingdome and finally making full account that as they on their part lyue not in themselues but in him nor to themselues but to God so he on his part will most plenteously and bountifully reward their labours beyond all that they can hope or conceiue and neuer fayle them or withdraw himself from them euen in this world at their neede Out of the which roote of trew and liuely faith springeth foorth this fruite which is the second part or member that I spake of to the full confirmation of our consciences to the open warranting of our beyng in Christ namely that for the loue of him wee imploy our whole lyfe to glorify God by indeuering continually to edefy profit and comfort our neyghbours both in word and deede earnestly faythfully and cheerefully without respect of our selues or of our owne commodities â—ase profit pleasure yea or lyfe which is in dede the perfect charitie If wee fynd this disposition of mynd throughly rooted in vs then may wee boldly and certeinly conclude that wee bee in Christ and Christ in vs that the life which we lyue as now in the fleshe that is to say in this world wee lyue by beleefe in the sonne of God or rather that it is not wee that lyue but the sonne of God which lyueth in vs that wee bee led by Gods spirit and consequently that wee bee his children and heyres of his blessed and euerlasting kingdome with Christ as chozen and predestinated therto in him before all worlds Howbeit forasmuch as wee carrie the old Adam continually about vs who cannot bee put quyte and cleane away but by death And the flesh not onely lusteth but also wrestleth and fyghteth so myghtily ageinst the spirit that oftentymes it weakeneth woundeth ouerthroweth yea and as sayeth Saint Paule leadeth vs captiue to the lawe or seruice of sinne Insomuch that there is not so stout a souldyer in Christ but he is compelled to say with the same Paule The good that I would doo I doo not but the euill which I hate that doo I by reason whereof the greefe and anguish of his mynd inforce him too cry out at leastwise in his hart 〈◊〉 that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinâ—â— The weake conscience of the frayle sinner fynding how farre he commeth short of the trew effectes and fruites of perfect Christianitie heretoofore described is stryken in great heauinesse and dwelleth in doubt whether he bee yit in Christ or no. By meanes wherof he not only taketh no comfort in the doctrine of Gods eternall election and predestination but also is the more abashed and dismayed at it In this cace wee must not resort for remedie too fleshe and blud that is too say too the perswasions of worldly wisdome or of mans owne natural reason and vnderstanding but too Gods holy woord which beyng the very foode and healthfull salue of our soules alonely is able to pacify the vexed conscience and to cheere vp the drooping and dying hart This besydes other comfortes wherof mo shall bee reherced hereafter in place more conuenient telleth vs that there are ages and degrees in Christ and Christianitie and that our lyfe is a continuall warfare wherin wee must mainteyne battell not onely ageinst the trubbles and aduersities of this world but also ageinst our selues that is to say ageinst the vices and affections of our owne corrupt and sinfull nature yea and as sayeth Saint Paule in this present Epistle too the Ephesians ageinst principalities and powers ageinst the Lordes of this world which are the rulers of the
lykeeh of afterward he must reforme vs and so guide and gouerne vs by his holy spirit as there may bee one accord betweene our life and his lawe Then vntill such time as God prepare good woorks after that fashion that is too say till he giue vs them by shewng vs his will and also make vs to do them by his power wee must needes bee vtterly vnprofitable Now sith it is so let vs learne too humble our selues before God both for that is past and also for that that is too come For that which is past let vs acknowledge that God hath plucked vs out of the gulf of hell and that whereas wee were by nature damned he hath voutsafed too haue vs too bee his children and therfore let vs not bee so ouerweening as too thinke that wee haue this or that but let him be gloryfied as he deserueth and let vs assure our selues that he hath pulled vs backe from death to the intent that the beginning welspring roote and onely cause of our saluation should proceede of his onely free bestowed goodnesse Thus ye see in effect that it is a poynt of trew humilitie to giue all the glory of our saluation vntoo god And for that which is too come it behoueth too knowe that wee could not stirre one of our little fingers too doo any good except wee were gouerned by God and receyued the good works them selues at the hand of him and of his holy spirit So then as oft as wee feele our owne weakenesse let vs flee too him for refuge and when wee haue doone any good let it not puffe vs vp with any pryde but let vs alwayes thinke our selues so much the more straytely bound vntoo God yea euen by dubble He that is yit very weake must confesse him selfe exceedingly bound vntoo Gods mercy for bearing with him but he that goeth afore others and is as a mirrour of all holinesse must confesse himselfe much more bounde vntoo him For why He hath nothing of his owne he holdeth all things of God and of his onely free goodnesse Wherefore let vs all our life long walke in such sort as wee may still from yeere too yeere from mooneth to mooneth from day to day from houre to houre and froÌ„ minute too minute continually acknowledge our selues bound vnto God for the goodnesse which he hath giuen vs of his owne mere mercy and let vs thinke our selues beholden too him for all things And let vs marke by the way for a conclusion that S. Paules intent here is not to decypher al the causes of our saluation one by one but too abate mens lustinesse that they might not make any bragges or any countenance 〈◊〉 God is in their debt Therefore it is ynough for S. Paule to haue stopped all mens mouthes in such wyze as they may not take vppon them too haue aught of their owne For contrariwize whensoeuer God giueth vs good works although they bee the fruites of his mere goodnesse yit can they not purchace vs any thing at his hand for wee must alwayes ground and settle our selues vppon the forgiuenesse of our sinnes There lyeth all our rightuousnesse Too bee short there are twoo things requisite in yeelding God the prayse that is dew for our saluation first that wee acknowledge our selues too haue all things of him and secondly that wee acknowledge that all the good workes and all the good will which he hath giuen vs already serue not too purchace vs fauour at his hand nor for vs too trust vppon but too shewe vs that he had neede too vpholde vs and too burye and forget all our sinnes and that by that meanes wee bee iustifyed before him bycause he acquitteth vs notwithstanding that wee deserue too bee condemned a hundred tymes So then too be shorâ— when it is tolde vs that there is nother freewill nor any thing else in man it is too the ende wee should learne too gyue all glory vnto God and not haue any cause too vaunt our selues any more And that afterwarde vppon the knowing thereof wee should vnderstand that wee should bee in continuall trubble and perplexitie were it not that wee bee sure that wee shall alwayes obteine grace and mercy by comming too God with teares and lamenting And how so Bycause he voutsafeth too acquit vs and although he could thunder downe vppon 〈◊〉 and drowne vs yit he buryeth our sinnes by meanes of â—ur Lord Iesus Christ and receyueth vs alwayes too mercy Thus then yee see how men ought in all poyntes and in all caces too bee confounded in themselues and too bee ashamed of their owne leawdnesse that they may glorifie God and therwithall ackowledge that they should alwayes bee in doubt and anguish but that God dooth euermore pitie them and the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ is the sacrifize wherby wee be reconcyled too him That therfore is the trew way too vphold and auow God too bee the Sauiour of the world that also is the way for vs to father all things vpon the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ as he deserueth namely by rayzing and putting quyte away all the glorying which we pretend to haue in our selues and theruppon too confesse not only that all the goodnesse which is in vs is of Gods putting intoo vs but also that he must bee fayne too beare with our infirmities bycause wee ceasse not too prouoke his wrath till he make that satisfaction auaylable which was made by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. But now let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sinnes praying him to make vs too feele them more and more till wee bee so pulled downe as there may bee no more showe of sin in vs and that in the meane whyle wee may neuerthelesse seeke the ayde and helpe of our Lord Iesus Christ. And that forasmuch as he hath partly inlyghtened vs alredy by his holy spirit it may please him too increace his grace in vs more and more till he haue communicated it wholy vntoo vs and in the meane tyme so vphold vs and gouerne vs by his holy spirit as our whole indeuer may bee nothing else but too frame our lyfe after his holy lawe and he not passe vppon the great number of our sinnes which we commit neuer ceassing too stray away too our owne vndooing but hold vs backe by his secret power vntill he take vs away out of this world and ioyne vs with our Lord Iesus Christ who is the fountayne of all perfection that wee also may bee perfect in him And so let vs say Almyghtie God heauenly father c. The twelfth Sermon which is the fourth vppon the second Chapter 11. VVherfore remember that you vvhich vvere sometime Gentiles in the fleshe beyng called vncircumcision in respect of that vvhich is called circumcision made by hand in the flesh 12. VVere at that time vvithout Christ straungers too the common vveale of
darknesse of this world euen the wicked spirites that are aboue To bee sâ—ort wee must indure continuall conflict ageinst the world the flesh and the diuell And this warfare is to be susteyned and borne out not by our owne strength and policie but by the power and wisdome of Christ in vs Agein the scripture telleth vs that as long as wee lyue in this world bee wee neuer so foreward willing and circumspect in our doyngs our knowledge is vnperfect our loue vnperfect our fayth vnperfect and all our ryghtuousnesse is as a defyled cloth so that euen the godlyest 〈◊〉 holyest men that euer were are or shal bee must bee faine 〈◊〉 confesse with Dauid that onely those are blissed whose 〈◊〉 are forgiuen and whose iniquities are couered and too 〈◊〉 out with the Publicane God bee mercifull too mee wretâ—â—ed sinner alwayes yeelding him this prayse that it is onâ—â—â—he which forgiueth all our sinnes and healeth all our infyrâ—â—â—ities For if wee thinke wee haue no sinne or that wee may â—ee quyte and cleane rid of sinne so long as wee beare the â—arthly tabernacle of this frayle body of fleshe and blud about 〈◊〉 wee deceyue our selues and the truth is not in vs Therefore wee must hold fast the foundation too the ende which foundation is the free forgiuenesse of sinnes through Iesus Christ beleeuing and hoping to bee iustifyed that is too say to bee accepted for innocent and ryghtuous and to bee indewed with power of the holy Ghost not by the deedes of the Lawe nor by our owne workes or inuentions but by the obedience and ryghtuousnesse of christ And therewithall vppon assured trust of his strength and assistance wee must fyght manfully ageinst our owne lustes and ageinst all maner of temptations and crosses with the weapons of Gods word continuall and hartie repentance feruent prayer often fasting and earnest indeuer of amendment so as wee suffer not sinne to ouermayster vs and too reigne in our mortall bodyes by our fulfylling of the lustes therof but delyght in the lawe of God with the inward man that is too say vnfeynedly with the whole hart for as God requyreth truth in the inward partes so hateth he the deceytfull man. So then wee must nother finne wilfully and presumptuously nor despayre and shrinke away from God when wee haue sinned nor play the hypocrites in iustifying our selues towardes God or the world But lyke as wee must continually pray God to keepe vs from presumptuous sinnes and beware in any wise that they get not the vpper hand of vs so when wee haue offended by what meane so euer it be or how often so euer it bee as who is he that sinneth not Or rather who can tell how oft he offendeth Wee must ryse agein continually by repentance and fayth so as although our sinnes seeme neuer so greeuous and heynous in our owne eyes yit must we yeeld God the honour as well of faythfulnesse and mercy in pardoning our often manifold and greeuous falles as of ryghtuousnesse in sanctifying vs with the fruites of true godlynesse and of strength in vpholding and mainteyning vs by the mighty power of his spirit or of Iustice in correcting and punishing vs for our misdeedes and offences For wee bee sure that if any of vs doo sinne wee haue a faythfull aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christ the rightuous who is the attonement maker for our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Insomuch that if it were possible for one man to haue in him the full gilt and greeuous burthen of all the particular sinnes of all men yit ought not the same man too despayre or to doubt of the cleere forgiuenesse and vtter release therof vpon his hartie repentance and vnfeyned amendment so long as Christ lyueth and sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for vs For lyke as God himselfe is infinite so is his mercy infinite also towardes all such as take hold of it by fayth in Iesus Christ. And too the intent wee should take hold of it he assureth vs of it with an othe saying as truely as I lyue I desyre not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse and liue and in what houre so euer he repenteth him of his sinnes from the bottom of his hart I will put all his wickednesse out of my rememberance sayeth the lord Moreouer although we indeuer to keepe a cleare conscience towardes God and to leade a blamelesse lyfe through charitie towardes men according to the prescript rule of Gods lawe yit our so doyng must not be with intent too purchace grace fauour or ryghtuousnesse therby at Gods hand for that belongeth onely vnto Christ and no man liuing shall be iustifyed by the deedes of the lawe nor to glorify our selues to the worldward for whosoeuer seeketh the glory of men is destitute of the glory of God and hath receyued his reward already but onely to glorify God 〈◊〉 shewing foorth the myghtie woorking of his spirit in vs â—o 〈◊〉 benefite of our neyghbours to thâ— stablishing of our owne â—â—â—sciences in the faith and to the confuzion and shame of 〈◊〉 â—duersaries which doo slaunderously misreport the docâ—â—â— of saluation which wee professe 〈◊〉 wee deale after this maner then dooth Gods woord put 〈◊〉 of all doubt that sinne shall not get the vpper hand of 〈◊〉 bycause wee bee not vnder the lawe but vnder grace And 〈◊〉 continuall mainteyning renewing of the battell ageinst 〈◊〉 the world and our owne flesh assureth vs that although 〈◊〉 bee neuer so full of infirmities yit are wee graffed intoo â—hrist and growen into him by resembling his death in that 〈◊〉 haue crucifyed and dayly labour to crucifye the old man 〈◊〉 him by meanes wherof wee growe vp agein intoo the â—â—â—enesse of his resurrection through newnesse of lyfe to the â—â—ory of God for euer Finally it warranteth vs that wee bee 〈◊〉 grounded and setled in Gods Election so as wee cannot 〈◊〉 any wyse perish For Satan is not diuided ageinst himselfe 〈◊〉 worldlinges hate not the world nor the things therin â—â—esh and blud mislyke noâ— the corruption of the old Adam other can any man come vnto Christ except the father draw 〈◊〉 Now then seeying that to striue ageinst sinne and too 〈◊〉 continually by repentance after the maner afore mentioâ— ed and to doo all things of mere loue commeth not of our 〈◊〉 for the naturall man is not obedient to Gods will noâ—â—er can bee but of God the father of all mercy comfort and 〈◊〉 from whom euery good and perfect gift commeth who 〈◊〉 of his owne free goodnesse worketh in vs both the wyll 〈◊〉 the performance therof by the power of his spirit And â—â—eyng that the sheading of his spirit after that sort into our â—â—rtes beyng the earnest penny of
he sheweth that we bee neuerthelesse sure of it for all that and that nothing but our owne vnthankfulnesse letteth vs too glory fuâ—ly in God and too say with full mouth that wee doubt not of our comming too the heauenly lyfe forasmuch as wee haue an earnest penny therof by the holy Ghoste and are so knyt too our Lord Iesus Christ that all the goodes which he hath doo belong vntoo vs and are made common to vs by fayth Therfore let vs mark well what is conteyned in these words of S. Paules He sayeth that the holy ghost is our earnest penny Seing it is so wee must needs be sure of our redemption wherof we shall haue the possession at the last day yea euen to the full that doth the thing of it sâ—lf shew sufficiently For we be but sillie wormes of the earth wee bee compassed aboute with rottennesse and corruption wee bee beset with so many miseries as is pitie to see the world rayleth vpon vs and mocketh vs and our simplicitie we bee fayne too indure hunger and thirst it seemeth often tymes that God hath forsaken vs and after a sort cut vs of yea and that he vouâ—safeth not too pitie vs as the most despyzed creatures of the worlde Lo at what poynt wee bee too outward appeerance And therefore it standeth vs on hand too haue a remedie too warrant our selues withall in the middes of so many perplexities and hartgriefes That is the cause why S. Paule sayeth purposely that the holy Ghost is our earnest penny Although then that the world haue the brydle looce to trample vs vnder his feete as they say although our Lord keepe vs occupyed with many temptations although he humble vs in such wyse as it may seeme that wee bee as sheepe appoynted too the slaughter so as death bee continually betweene our teeth yit are wee not vnpurueyed of good remedie For why Seyng that the holy Ghost reygneth in our hartes wee haue whereof too boast euen in the middes of all our temptations according as it is sayd in the viii too the Romanes that being once assured that God taketh vs for his children wee may not only call vppon him but also although wee bee afflicted and tormented yit wee ceasse not too bee alwayes fully and infallibly resolued that he is our father too leade vs too the glory of heauen for euen that also is 〈◊〉 meane whereby our hope is tryed Furthermore wee bee warned also too walk in pacience and that seing God hath giuen vs his holie spirit for an earnest pennye wee must not bee so hastie and impaciente as wee haue bin woont too bee For if God handle vs roughly by and by wee fall too grudging and are very loth too suffer any thing for wee see how tender and nyce we bee of nature But wee must indure paciently bycause God will not haue vs too come too his kingdome at one leape as they say but will haue vs too passe by this world through the midds of thornes and breers so as wee shall haue much a doo to get through and wee shal bee in greate distresse Seing that he will haue vs led such a way and yit notwitstanding giueth vs so good a remedie as ought to suffyze vs which is that he strengtheneth vs in inuincible constancie by his holie spirit let vs stand in a redinesse too fyght till the tyme of victorie bee fully come It is trew that our fayth doth euen now alredy get the vpper hand but wee receyue not yit the fruiteâ— of it nother doo wee fully inioy it Therfore wee must determine with our selues too sygh and grone continually and yit therwithall too reioyce also For why too reioyce in our hartes and also too cry with S. Paule alas wretched wyght that I am who shal deliuer me from this prison of my bodie are things that may match verye well toogither Therfore let euery of vs moorne yea and bee greeued at the hart for that wee bee still so much giuen too our wicked lusts and too the number of vices that are in vs And yit notwithstanding let vs ceasse also â—oo say that wee thank God and too bee contented with his giuing of such portion vâ—to vs as ought too suffyze vs and too tary his leyzure till he accomplish and performe the thing that he hath begunne seing wee haue his holie spirit so dwelling in vs with a promis that wee shall neuer bee destitute of him vntoo the end Thus yee see how wee bee heere incoraged too take hart of grace and too walk in such constancie as all the miseries of the world may not stop vs of 〈◊〉 till wee bee â—â—me to our races end And that is the cause why S. Paule speaketh purposely of redemption It is trew that wee bee redeemed by our Lord Iesus Christ and he is giuen vs for our redemption or raunsome as is sayd in another text yit notwithstanding wee haue not the effect and full fruition of it as yit Then is there a dubble redemption one which was accomplished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ and anoother which wee wayte for and which shal bee shewed vppon vs at his comming ageine According wheruntoo S. Paule sayth in the viii too the Romanes that although wee grone and bee hild downe in anguish yit wee must not bee dismayed at it nor think it straunge bycause all creatures sayth he doo beare vs companie yea and bee as a woman that trauelleth of child For wee see that all the world is subiect too corruption through the sin of Adam Seing then it is so let vs not quayle in our gronings but let vs so measure our affections as too hold vs contented in that we haue our redemption purchaced in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ and thereuppon trust that he will accomplishe the same thing in vs and in our persons which he hath brought vs in his owne The thing therefore that S. Paule ment too say is that Gods spirit is our earnest penny duryng the tyme that wee wayte too be taken out of this transitorie lyfe and too bee set free from all miseries specially from the bondage of sinne which is the heauyest burthen that can bee Untill such tyme then as wee bee deliuered from all those thinges wee must rest vppon this that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs. And as touching the redemption of purchace it may well bee taken for purchaced redemption for it is a very ryfe maner of speech lyke as when it is sayd the spirit of promis it is ment the spirit that assureth or warranteth al the promises The spirit of the feare of God bycause it is he that maketh vs obedient too his rightuousnesse So lykewise when he speaketh of the Redemption of purchace it may well bee sayd that it is the redemption which was purchaced for vs too shewe that if wee feele the effect of it in our selues so as wee be out of all doubt of the things
yit notwithstanding the passing of the red sea the issuing of the water out of the rocke the falling of the Manna downe from heauen the thicke cloud by day and the fiery pillar by night the abundaunt comming of the fleshe vntoo them and the horrible punishments that God layd vppon the rebells and vppon such as had giuen full scope too their owne lustes all this geere the people vnderstoode not Moyses telling them that they had neede too referre themselues too God that they might bee inlightened by his spirit sayeth I see that euen vnto this houre Gods gracious dooings haue bin buryed among you through your vnthankfulnesse but that is bycause men are blockish and doo neuer vnderstand aught that belongeth too their welfare till God haue wrought in them Therefore it standeth you on hand too rid your selues of all ouerweenyng and too craue vnderstanding at Gods hand acknowledging your selues too bee vnable too reache so hygh as too iudge ryghtly of Gods woorkes and too profite your selues by them vntill he haue gyuen you a heauenly syght in your myndes This is the summe of the thinges that wee haue too marke in this streyne Now hereupon it is easye too gather how the wretched world hath bin beguyled by the opinion of freewill which hath bin put into their heades For the Papistes will wel ynough graunt that without Gods grace we cannot walk as we ought to doo but yit they say therwithal that we may well further Gods grace by our owne freewill so they make a medly of theÌ„ togither WheÌ„ they mynd to defyne freewill they say it is a mingled thing so as wee haue reason and wit too chooze the good and too refuze the euill and that therwithall we haue also power and abilitie to performe and put in execution the thing that wee haue purposed But wee see after what manner S. Paule speaketh heere of mamies reason which they terme the Queene that ouerruleth and brydleth all our thoughtes and deedes He sheweth that shee is starke blynd vntill God haue renewed hir and not that he dooth but supply our wantes where any bee as though there were some peece of power in vs Had it bin so S. Paule would haue sayd that God furthereth our light or that he increaseth it or that he addeth too it whatsoeuer it hath neede of Howbeit he speaketh not so but he sayeth God giue you inlyghtened eyes shewing therby that it is a free gift not only that our Lord must bee fayne too beare with our infirmities and too put some further portion theruntooo but also that we being blynd can see nothing at all till he haue opened our eyes and that wee bee guyded and gouerned by the sayd manifestation of his holy spirit which wee haue touched heertoofore And now forasmuch as men runne alwayes flinging ouer the feeldes buzie their heades about many vnprofitable things S. Paule sheweth vs wherto we ought too apply all wholy both our vnderstaÌ„ding wit namely about the seeking how too knowe what the hope of our calling is I haue told you alreadye that men are as yee would say borne to curiositie and that they roue raunge and frame many wicked gazes in their heades that is the cause why many men doo martir themselues out of measure euer lerning aâ—d neuer atteyning too the knowledg of the truth as sayeth S. Paule Therfore let vs mark well that all the trew knowledge which wee must seeke is too atteyne to the hope wheruntoo God hath called vs For the scripture serueth not too feede vs with vayne and superfluous thinges but too edifie vs too our welfare that is too wit to make vs perceyue Gods goodnesse that wee myght be ioyned vntoo him and he bee our trew happinesse And hereuppon wee may gather also that vntill such tyme as our Lord haue inlightened vs by his holy Spirit wee can find nother waye nor path too come neere the heauenly lyfe no nor so much as gesse what it meaneth Wherfore it is for our behoofe that our Lord should put vs in possession of our saluation by the power of his holy spirit I told you heertoofore how that fayth serueth too giue vs an enterance intoo the kingdome of heauen and intoo the heritage that is purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and that God must bee fayne too giue it vs by his holy spirit Then sith it is so let vs marke that wee haue neede not only too haue â—he Gospell preached vntoo vs but also that God bore our eares so as wee may hearken too the things that are conteyned in the same and he open our eyes too see the thinges that he sheweth vs and too be short that he may both begyn all and bring all too passe Howbeit for as much as men as I saide afore doo by their fond imaginations take more vpon them than they ought too doo and on the other syde despize Gods giftes S. Paule magnifyeth heere the hope whereof he had made mention before saying VVhat the richesse of the glorye of his heritage are among the Saintes No doubt but that when there 〈◊〉 any speaking of God and of our Lorde Iesus Christ wee will say â—â—ey be high thinges howbeit that is but too exempt our selues from â—â—em if wee coulde scape soo as wee coulde bee contented to knowe â—ightnought of the things that concerne our saluation Wee bee vnâ—aciable when any body feedes vs with vanities and leazings but if God call vs too his schoole wee shrinke backe as muche as wee can â—ossibly yea and wee set this afore vs as a shielde that wee bee rude â—nd that wee haue but a smal and ouer grosse vnderstanding that the secretes of Gods word are too deepe and incomprehensible for vs We haue skyl inough too say so and yit is al but hypocrisie and feynednesse And for proofe therof men wyl alwayes iudge after their owne liking so as if any thing be propounded to them froÌ„ out of Gods word Is it so say they And howe is that possible They reason they scan of it Beholde it is God that speaketh and yit wyll not they without gainsaying receiue the thinges that are shewed them in the name of god Wee see then that they doo but lye in saying that they bee dull and grosse witted for they thinke the cleane contrarye The starkest idiots say I and the veryest doltes of them al will styl bee wizer than god Ageine on the other syde what causeth the Gospel too bee despized but that a number of perâ— and fantastical felowes thinke it too bee but a simple doctrine and that it hath not finenesse and suttletie ynough for them So much the more neede therefore haue wee too bethinke vs of the thing that is shewed vs heere by S. Paule which is that the glorious heritage wheruntoo God hath called vs is an infiâ—ite riches For besydes that wee bee nothing else but myre and rottennesse sâ—â—â— shetteth vs out from all
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
perfectest folke and in such as are forewardest â–ª and haue profited most of all Sith it is so then wee should alwayes hang in a mamering and doubt But when wee know that all is accomplished in our Lord Iesus Christ and that he is as it were the first fruites and that wee were sanctifyed in him and that in his person wee haue receyued the things aforehand which shall bee 〈◊〉 vs in all plentifulnesse hereafter when he hath taken vs out of this world there verily lyeth our certeintie wheruppon wee ought too rest that wee bee not shaken downe with any temptation Too bee short wee bee taught by this text that although Gods grace bee weake in vs that is too say although he haue put but a small beginning of it in vs and not so large an abundance as were requisite or too bee wished for yit notwithstanding the same giueth vs a taste and sauer too trust in him For there cannot bee so little grace of his holy spirit in vs but that as sayeth S. Paule in the eyght too the Romanes we know the same is as a gage or earnest penny aforehand of the lyfe that he hath promised Trew it is that this lump of sinne dwelleth still in vs but it ought too content vs that God voutsafeth too bestowe neuer so little of his holy spirite vppon vs. Furthermore for asmuch as wee can not be sure of all these things consydering the slendernesse that is in our selues and the infirmities and wantes which wee haue therfore wee must lift vp our eyes to Iesus Christ. Yea what auaileth it vs that wee may fynd all perfection in hym for wee bee tootoo farre of from hym Wee bee farre from hym as in respect of distance of places in that respect doth S. Paul say that wee bee absent from hym bicause we walke but by faith and not by open eye syght and beholding But yit for al that wee he members of his body Then seeing it is so like as a roote cannot bee separated from the tree but sendeth foorth his sap intoo all the boughes and braunches of it Euen so let vs vnderstand that the end wherunto our Lord Iesus Christ hath in such fulnesse receiued the spiritual gifts that belong too the heauenly life is too communicate them too vs so farre foorth as needeth euen from degree too degree according as wâ— shall haue profited in the faith And heerewithall let vs continually beare in mynd that wee must stoope and humble our selues and bee contented too bee still farre of from the perfection whereuntoo it becommeth vs too aspyre and too bee as hungrie folkes so as wee feeling our owne necessitie and lacke must runne too our God too beg at his hand knowing that he is able too increace it from day too day and that if it were not so wee should bee vndoone out of hand and al should go too wrecke and vanishe away but that he continueth the thing that he hath begunne Yee see then how it standeth vs on hand too bee ioyned too our Lord Iesus Christ and too knowe that there is an inseparable bond betweene him and vs And inasmuch as he once became poore too make vs ryche as it is sayde in another place that is the very meane wherby all the riches that are in him are at this day communicated vntoo vs Not that wee haue the full fruition of them as I sayd afore but bycause it is ynough for vs that wee haue some small portion of them too make vs taste the loue of God and too knowe that he will not fayle vs in any thing but that sith he hath giuen vs a warrant that he is come neere vntoo vs and dwelleth in vs by his holy spirit as wee haue seene in the second too the Corinthians he will also â—ll vs euen vntoo the end His vsing of the woord Inriche is too shew that there shall alwayes be want needinesse in vs. Neuerthelesse let vs trust boldly to this promis that he which hath begun the good work in vs will go through with the same yea euen vntoo the day of our Lord Iesus Christ. And that is sayd too giue vs some refreshing when our lyfe is too our seeming ouerlong and wee would fayne that the sayde perfection were alreadie shewed openly in vs and that Iesus Christ were come agein But it is sayd that vntoo that day wee must alwayes bee iourneying and go on still foreward further and further and beseeche God that he suffer vs not too quayle Sure wee bee that wee shall neuer fayle too susteyne want and necessitie but yit will he succour vs in such wise as wee shall perceyue that if he haue once voutsafed too behold vs with the eye of his mercie it is too accomplish the â—oorke of our saluation throughout and too doo vs too wit that he hath not knit vs too our Lord Iesus Christ for nought but that his so dooyng hath bin too the ende that euery of vs myght euen now according too the measure of his fayth possesse the goods that are peculiar too him till he haue fylled vs too the full which shall bee when he hath knit vs fully too him But now let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sinnes praying him too make vs so too feele them as it may drawe vs from them and cause vs to direct our lyfe obediently according too his commaundements so as we may shewe by our deedes that he hath not bought vs so deerely in vayne but that wee giue ouer all our owne fleshly lustes and yeeld our selues wholly too the seruice of him that hath once adopted vs for his heritage And therefore let vs all say Almyghtie God our heauenly father c. The eight Sermon vpon the first Chapter 19. And that you may knovv vvhat the excellent greatnesse of his povver is tovvardes vs beleeuers according too the vvorking of the myghtinesse of his strength 20. VVhich he vttered in Iesus Christ vvhen he raised him from the dead and made him too sit at his ryght hand in the heauenly places 21. Aboue all principalitie and myghtinesse and povver and Lordship and aboue all names that are named not onely in this vvorld but also in that vvhich is too come 22. And hath put all things vnder the feete of him and set him ouer all things too bee the head of the Church 23. VVhich is the body of him vvhich filleth all in all I Began too tell you this morning howe God hath sufficiently declared vntoo vs that if we haue and possesse his only sonne Iesus Christ wee haue the full perfection of all good things so as if wee cast our eye vppon him wee may see all that is too bee wished And therefore that although there bee many thinges blame woorthy in vs yea and that we fynd nothing but frayltie in our selues yit wee shall haue a sure and substantiall stud too leane vntoo in that our Lord
which he treated of continually was that wee cannot sufficiently exalt our God considering the mercie that he vseth towardes vs And now too expresse the same yit the better and to touch vs the more to the quicke with it he sheweth vs as in a picture or in a glasse what men are til God haue preuented them with his grace and called them backe too himselfe Therfore he sheweth that wee be pluâ—dged in so horrible a dungeon that the very thinking of it ought to abash vs and make the heares stand vp vpon our heades for it cannot bee but that theruppon wee must needes bee moued and inflamed too blisse Gods name for that he hath sought vs so in in the bottome of Hell too drawe vs vp too the kingdome of heauen And our Lord Iesus Christ too shew in what cace he findeth vs sayeth that he is come to the end that the deade should ryze at his voyce Yee see thâ—n that the office which the sonne of God taketh vppon him is too draw vs from death too lyfe by the doctrine of his Gospel According wherunto he addeth that such as beleue in him are passed from death wherin they were hild downe and are entred into the heauenly lyfe Not that the faythfull doo inioy it heere alredy but bycause they possesse it in such wyse by hope as they be throughly assured of it Now wheras our Lord Iesus Christ sayeth that his voyce hath power too rayze the dead he taketh it by a similitude For what lyfe soeuer wee suâ—myze oâ—r selues too haue yit notwithstanding if we be separated from God wee l bee in a spirituall death howsoeuer the vnbeleeuers imagin themselues too be more than alyue in their owne wisdome and vertue And therein doo they harden themselues and make their brags of it too the vttermost But let vs see where the welspring of lyfe is It is in God and they bee alienated from him Also let vs see what is the trew lyfe of man It is not that he should bee sâ—ttle and fine witted and bee able too compasse his matters well in this world by his owne cunning and pollicie or too purchace himselfe renoune or too bee wittie and well aduized too giue counsell too all other men it is not that he should excell in all humane sciences and in all arts nother is it that he should bee esteemed and renouned as a maâ— of noble corage or as one that hath the other vertues that are commendable among men but it is a hygher thing that wee must begin at namely to knowe that God is our father that wee bee defended and preserued by the light of his word inlightened by fayth too knowe the way of saluation and too assure our selues that our whole welfare lyeth in him so as wee seeke it there with al lowelynesse and also too knowe the meane whereby too atteyne too it that is too wit by hauing our Lord Iesus Christ in whom the whole fulnesse of grace is offered vs. Thus you see what the spirituall lyfe of man is and where it lyeth that is too wit in the lyght of Gods woord and in the woorking of his holie spirit so as wee be new fashyoned agein according too the image that was lost and vtterly defaced in vs by Adams sin And is that too bee found among worldly men Yea euen among those that are most honored No surely Then is it not without cause that our Lord Iesus vseth this similitude saying that wee bee raysed from death by meanes of the Gospell For florish wee neuer so much beare wee neuer so fayer a glosse before men and seeme wee too haue neuer so much wherfore too bee had in estimation yit are wee but wretched carions there is nothing but rottennesse and filthinesse in vs God lotheth vs wee bee damned and forlorne before him the Angells abhorre vs all creatures curse and ban vs and all things aske vengeance vppon vs bycause wee defyle them For there is such corruption in man that heauen and earth must bee infected with it vntill God haue chaunged them The thing then which our Lord Iesus Christs saying importeth is that vntill wee bee renewed by the Gospell through the fayth that proceedeth of it wee bee but as dead men there is not one drop of lyfe in vs that deserueth the name of lyfe And too bee short wee bee as good as buryed in our graues and must bee fayne to go out of them agein whereby wee bee doone too vnderstand that wee bee cut of from Gods kingdome and consequently that there is nothing but filth in vs and yit notwithstanding that God voutsafeth too bee knit and vnited vntoo such as put their trust in him and in his goodnesse That say I is our rysing agein Too bee short wee must alwayes consider that man bringeth death with him euen with his birth not only bycause he is mortall but also bycause he is separated from god We bee mortall wyghtes and it were but in respect that wee must needes passe through this world and depart thence whensoeuer it pleaseth God but wee bee also dead afore hand And how is that Bycause our soules are altoogither sinfull There is nother thought nor affection in vs which tendeth not too euil all is repugnant or rebellious ageinst God and ageinst the rule of his ryghtuousnesse When wee imagin eyther one thing or other wee can neuer deuyse any thing in our myndes but sin and vnryghtuousnesse according as it is sayd in Genesis that God knew that all that euer man had in his thought and imagination was sin Now sith it is so let vs vnderstand that although wee had knowledge of good and euill and that wee had farre greater skill and discretion than wee haue yit are wee so marred that all our desires and lustes rebell ageinst God as it were too make warre ageinst him Seyng then that we be so corrupted in our soules and that there is nother thought nor affection which is not vtterly naught let vs not thinke it straunge that God with his owne mouth auoweth vs too bee dead notwithstanding that through our owne fond ouerweening wee imagin that there is some lyfe in vs And that is the very thing which S. Paule treateth of as now in saying that the Ephesians were parttakers of the aboue mentioned grace though they were deade through their owne sinnes and iniquities As if he should saye Too the intent yee may the better esteeme the valew of Gods grace and what it bringeth with it thinke not only vppon your present state but consider that if God had left you such as you were of your selues and had not succored you at all but had let you followe your owne swindge you had bin vndoone Consider what your nature is for yee were dead and there was no hope that euer you should bee quickened agein bicause it is not in the power of mans owne free-will too giue himselfe lyfe agein when he is
for they will say they bee reformed and yit they seeme too bee diuells incarnate and wee neede not too go farre to see such syghtes So then let vs marke heere that wee must not surmyze that any of vs hath aught wherwith too please God more than his felowes nor presume too make any account of our selues but that we must alwayes repayre too the fountaine that â—annot bee drayned dry and not go too the pits that are full of holes and can holde no water or rather which haue nothing but sâ—id filth in them for all the gloriousnesse and brauerie of men is no better but drawe of the sayde loue of our God confesse that God must not bee perswaded or moued by other folkes but onely that it pleased him too loue vs freely by receiuing vs vntoo him and by inlyghtening vs with his holy spirit in the fayth of the Gospell And so yee see what Saint Paule ment too note heere Now on the other side to the end that men who are alwayes suttle witted in seeking some shifts and starting holes or other should not excuze themselues by being vnder the Tyrannie of the diuell nor alledge that the same ought not too bee layde too their charge Saint Paule sheweth that the sayd bondage ceasseth not too bee wilfull I shewed you this morning that notwithstanding all our free choyze and notwithstanding our reason and will yit we be as it were fettered too Satans seruice so as wee can doo nothing but all naughtinesse nother should wee bee any better by nature than the arrantest theues in the world if God had not pitied vs accordingly as Saint Paule setteth forth al other men vntoo vs as a looking glasse yea euen such as despyze God and all order and are driuen by Satan intoo all outrage saying that wee should bee lyke them if God had not bin mercifull too vs But now there are many which grudge ageinst God and which go too lawe with him saying If free will bee so defaced what shall become of vs If men were able too giue themselues vnto goodnesse and yit notwithstanding made none account of it but gaue themselues too euill surely it were good right and reason that they should bee hild for giltie But if they cannot but doo euill why should God condemne them At leastwise they ought too bee borne withall seing it is apparant that they bee hild vnder Satans dominion euen from their mothers wombe Loe what many men alledge in hope to washe their handes Yea and they bee not contented too iustifie themselues by vayne shifts but they doo also rayle ageinst God as though he were the cause of their damnation But S. Paul to preuent such sâ—aunders sayeth that they which are vnder the bondage of Satan and of sinne ceasse not for all that too be condemned by good right For they be not constreyned theruntoo by force they bee subiect in deede but that is with their owne good will. And that is the cause why he sayeth that euen such as are brought backe agein to our Lord Iesus Christ haue walked in the lustes of the fleshe that is too say that before God had chaunged them and brought them too his obedience by his holy spirit they walked in their owne wicked lusts True it is that men will graunt their nature too bee sinfull but yit they say it suffizeth that the will bee otherwyse All men will graunt that it is the will which putteth the difference betweene vice and vertue But when the philosophers spake after that fashion they were of opinion that wee haue a francke and free will. And that is the thing that deceyued them bycause they knewe not that wee were marred by the fall of Adam and yit notwithâ—â—anding ceasse not to be iustly accursed forsomuch as our offending of God is with our owne good will. And therfore also he addeth agein dooing the desires of our fleshe and of our thoughts As if he should say that they which are possessed of Satan and hild vnder the sâ—auâ—rie of sinne cannot alledge any compulsion For why it is their oâ—ne will that dryueth them thereuntoo Thus yee see in effect how S. Paule ment too stop the mouthes of all misspeakers too the intent that men should not picke any quarrells too God by pretending that they ought not too bee shent for their naughtinesse seing they bee subiect too it by nature But let vs marke heerewithall how S. Paule hath matched thoughtes with the fleshe too the end wee myght knowe that sinne reacheth throughout vs and that wee haue no peece of vs cleane and pure wherintoo infection is not spred For the Papistes will well ynough confesse that wee bee corrupted in Adam but they say that wee doo in deede tend alwayes vntoo euill when wee bee tempted vntoo it and yit neuerthelesse that if wee herken vnto reason and brydle our lustes by ruling them well then wee shall see playnely that wee bee not altoogither vnable too doo good And so the opinion of the Papistes is that mans free will is not of such force as it was at the beginning but that it is wounded yea and sore maymed howbeeit that it hath yit still some lyfe that is to say some vertuousnesse as they imagin But wee haue seene this morning that the determinate sentence of the holy Ghost is more generall that is too wit that wee bee not onely sicke but also dead till wee be rayzed agein by Iesus Christ. Nowe S. Paule confirmeth the same thing saying that our wicked lustes and the affect oâ—s that are termed the sensual appetytes wherin wee resemble the brute beastes are not the onely things that harrie vs heere and there but that we must take the matter more strictly What are all our thoughtes all our determinations and all that euer is deemed too bee best in man They bee sayeth S. Paule starke wickednesse For if God should let vs go after our owne thoughtes it is certeine that there is not a more horrible confuzion than that would bee So then wee see that men are not humbled heere by halues too confesse onely their frailtie and that they haue partly neede too bee succored and helped at Godâ— hand but wee see they bee vtterly damned before him sitâ— their thoughtes are heere called wicked and froward and that they haue nothing in them which prouoketh not Gods vengeance ageinst them So then let vs on the one side yeelde our selues giltie assuring our selues that wee were iustly bereft of all Gods graces in the person of Adam And agein on the other side let vs not take the same for an excuse in hope too scape by such shifte as who should say we were not the boÌ„dslaues of sinne nor wee our selues any whit too blame for it bycause wee bee hild downe in Satans snares and nettes euen from our birth But it behoueth vs to consider alwayes that euery of vs shall fynde the welspring of his disease in his owne conscience Men may
hold plea as much as they list but if they enter intoo themselues and aske their owne consciences yee shall see them condemned and confounded without any nay When a man hath babled what he can so as he thinkes he hath wonne the gole by saying that he hath no free will of his owne nor abilitie too resist God there needeth no more but thys one woorde what thinkest thou too bee the thing that prouoketh thee too euill Ho it is the diuell Thou sayest well But yit marke a little whether that dooth so fully excuze thee as that thou perceyuest not ryght well that thou wart stirred vp and driuen too it by thine owne selfmouing knowest thou not that the welspring and roote of the mischiefe is in thy selfe When thou art so rebellious ageinst God that thy thoughtes are full of vntruth and vnbeleefe and that so much the more bycause thy lustes are out of square and imbattelled ageinst God and his rightuousnesse euen too make warre with him when thou seest all this must thou yit hold plea further with him So then let vs not seeke any starting holes seyng wee carie a sufficient iudge with vs euen within vs namely seyng that euery of our owne consciences rebuketh vs That is the thing that S. Paule amed at in this streyne And thereby wee also are warâ—ed not too presume aught at all on our selues but too brydle all our senses and imaginations and all the vnderstanding and reason which wee weene our selues too haue For vntill wee haue so renounced our selues it is certeine that we shall neuer bee meete too apply our selues too the seruing of God. And S. Paule sayeth expresly that those whom God hath quickened are by that meanes made felowes with our Lord Iesus Chryst for it is euen he in whom they haue theyr lyfe Trew it is that weâ— ought too seeke it in Gods being howbeeit forasmuch as that is too hygh for vs so as wee cannot come at it no nor any thing nere it therfore our Lord Iesus is called the way And he offereth himself and taryâ—th not till wee seeke him as though he weere farre from vs but reacheth out his armes too allure vs too him insomuch that in his Gospel he sayeth if any man bee aâ—hirst let him come vnto mee and drink And this is fulfilled in his person as hath bin said erewhiles So then let this speeche bee marked where S. Paule sayeth that those which were dead afore were quickened agein by Iesus Christ. And heere wee see yit better the thing that I touched shortly this morning which is that S. Paule speaketh not of a visible death wherof men may iudge by outward syght but of the corruption that is in our souls for he fyndeth fault with vs all How then may wee atteyne too the heauenly lyfe How shall we bee rayzed quickened agein to possesse the heriâ—age that is promised vs Wee see on the contrarie part how wee bee subiect too as many miseries as can bee This therfore must needs bee ment of the newnesse of lyfe which he speaketh of in other places Now it is certein that this lyfe is not yit perfeet in vs there is but a little enterance of it which serueth too leade vs further and too bring vs too the end which shal bee when wee bee come too the full glorie that he speaketh of heere And wee see also how S. Paule setting himself foorth for an example alledgeth that he had giuen ouer all things for our Lord Iesus Christes sake yea and euen the fond opinion which he had of his owne ryghtuousnesse insomuch that although men esteemed him as a little Angell yit notwithstanding he knewe that it behoued him too bee saued by Gods free grace in Iesus Christ. And in sted of all his honour and riches he had suffred so many reproches so many tortures so many beatings and so many imprisonings that a man would haue said he had bin lyfted vp aboue the world and yit notwithstanding he addeth not that I am yit come too my marke but I streyne my self foreward and forget the tyme that is past For if I stay vppon the things I haue done alredy saying I haue ouercome so many incounters I haue delt thus valeantly I haue not ceassed too preach the Gospell euery where I haue wrought in such wyse that the frute of my doctâ—ine is come to the whole world I haue passed the sea I haue bin among barbarus nations where God and his Gospel were neuer erst heard of I haue had a number of lets and haue ouercome them all I haue incountered with thus manie enemyes and haue got the vpper hand of them all If S. Paule say I had had all these considerations with him he had become cold for it is an easye matter with vs too shrink away when wee once think with our selues 〈◊〉 I haue doone ynough for my part now let others marche on in their aray And so euery of vs woold take his leaue when he had some thing or other I â—ot not what But S. Paule sayth that he forgets the tyme past too the intent too cut of occasion of slothfullnesse which myght come in his head and sayeth that he streyneth him self foreward and holdeth his armes opeÌ„ too atteyne vnto it And how long tyme did S. Paule streyne himselfe foreward Euen too the end Then let vs mark well that our glorie shall neuer bee perfect that is too say wee shall neuer throughly inioy the glorie that wee wayt for vntill the end And therefore it behoueth vs alwayes too take warning of our owne wretchednesse too moorne for it before God and too confesse that wee be beholden too his only goodnesse for all things Now then howsoeuer wee fare wee see that we be reformed vnto newnesse of lyfe by Gods spirit and that although wee dwell among vnbeleeuers bee subiect too manie miseries yea and haue sin dwelling in vs yit there is none of vs but he feeleth that the handsells which God hath giuen vs of his holie spirit are not vayne nor vnprofitable If any man alledge that before such tyme as Iesus Christ woork in vs wee haue alredye some lyfe as is seene answer was made shortly this morning that forasmuch as all that euer men haue by nature is not able too bring them vntoo God but maketh them too rest vppon this world none of it ought too bee made account of when the heauenly lyfe commeth in question Then let men calp their hands at vs on all syds yit are wee but dead men when God layeth the brydle looce in our necks and suffereth vs too walk after our owne fancie and lyking Man may well haue some reason but what can it doo so long as it is in the owne nature It will fyght ageinst God and ageinst all truthe Yit notwithstanding man say they hath a will howbeeit that the same will bee wicked Trew it is as I haue sayd alredye that it hathe no strength
full fed it shal bee but with wynd that is too say with vayne and tryfling imaginations as I told you this morning They therefore which deuyze patrones of their owne head and surmyze that God will fauor them for it and in the meane whyle let Iesus Christ alone must vnderstand that they bee so farre of from obteyning their requests that God dooth rather abhore them insomuch that when they once swarue from the ankerhold which is set foorth for vs in the scripture that is too wit from hauing our Lord Iesus Christ for their lodesman the Angels of heauen must needs forsake them and the Saints also to whom they behighted themselues must needs deny them yea al of them must set themselues ageinst them as aduersarie parties For there is no means for vs too bee matched with the Angels Prophets Apostles and Martirs till wee haue trew concord with them And how shall wee haue that By fayth that is too say according too the pure doctrine of the Gospell Not that it is ynough for vs too haue our eares beaten with it but that wee must receyue the things that God promiseth vs there so as wee abhorre all that euer Satan can set afore vs and haue none other guyde than only our Lord Iesus Christ who hath told vs that he is the lyght of the world and that whosoeuer walketh in him cannot stray But by the way wee must serche and examin our selues narrowly that wee take not a vayne cloke vnder the name of Iesus Christ as we see manie doo now adayes which protest themselues to bee Gospellers And euen among our selues what a number are there which will shew signes greate ynough that they bee willing too followe Gods woord But they think too discharge themselues with petie tryfles and when they haue once giuen eare too the doctrine and spoken a fewe good words then too their seeming God is hyghly bound vntoo them But heere it is shewed vs that wee haue none acquayntance at all with him vntill Iesus Christ dwell in our harts And that is the verye meane wherby too bee filled with his benefits and too haue his holie spirit dwelling and reigning in vs For vnlesse we feare God and walk in his obedience so as wee behaue our selues according too his will and all our wits and desyres ame thitherward it is a token that wee liue after the flesh as Saint Paule sayeth too the Galathians Therefore wee must shewe by our outward fruites that wee bee truly ioyned too Iesus Christ and that he hath made vs partakers of his holie spirit Now hereuppon Saint Paule addeth further that vvee must bee rooted and grounded in charitie This woord Charitie or loue may bee taken as well for the loue that God beareth vs as for the mutuall loue which wee ought to beare one towardes another But the verie trew and natiue sense of Saint Paule heere is that he ment too haue vs knit toogither For as he spake heeretoofore of Gods free loue towardes vs so now he sheweth how fayth importeth that wee should haue brotherly loue one towards another And the holy Scripture bringeth vs alwayes to that poynt insomuch that when there is any speaking of the full perfection of good lyfe fayth goeth before then comes Charitie next vntoo it For the end that wee must begin at is the vtter abacing of our selues too the end wee may seeke all our welfare at Gods hand and that our seeking of it there may bee first too acknowledge that he giueth vs all things in the person of his onely sonne and secondly too call vppon him too settle our fayth in him too flee wholly for refuge too his mercy and after as euery man feeleth himfelf bound vntoo him as all of vs are exceedingly so to acknowledge by our thanksgiuing that he is our rightuousnes our holynes our victorye our ioy our glorie and our happinesse that wee may performe the thiâ—g which is sayd in Ieremie whosoeuer glorieth let him glorie in the Lord bycause it is he that woorketh ryghtuousnesse Iustice and mercy Yee see then that wee must rest wholly vppon our God or else all the vertuousnesse which wee seeme too haue before men shal bee but filth and dung Now then haue wee fayth Charitie must be matched with it and wee must liue euenly and vpryghtly one with another euery of vs acknowledge thus I was not created for my self nor to seeke myne own priuate benefyte commoditie but for the benefite of my neighbours also And therfore let vs absteyne froÌ„ al guile wrong outrage and malice and indeuer to serue eche others turne according too our abilitie That is the perfection of good lyfe Saint Paule hauing spoken alredie of fayth addeth now that wee must also bee grounded in Charitie as if he should say wee must not haue alonly some fit or pang of loue as manie men haue but there must bee a stedfastnesse and euen holding on in it all our lyfe long For a thing may giue a greate blaze and yit quayle anon after Behold a huge building may be ouerthrowen with one blast of wynd if it be not set vppon a sure foundaton Also a man may set vp a greate tree but if the roote bee cut asunder what will come of it It must needes fall downe out of hand or else if it haue some hold a the one ende for a tyme it must needes wither at the heate of the Sunne Euen so is it with vs when we haue a greate zeale which is not well rooted in our hartes for it wil bee but as a maske or a gay showe before men That is the cause why Saint Paule exhorteth vs purposely too bee grounded in charitie too the intent too correct the vyce of louing by startes or fits as they say which is too common a thing Neuerthelesse it were a fondnesse too concluâ—â— therefore that our saluation were grounded vppon our good woorkes For heere he treateth not of the cause of our saluation but â—nly how wee ought too rule our lyfe Agein wee knowe there is but one onely foundation of the Church as S. Paule sayeth in the third chapter of the second Epistle too Coriâ—thians and as wee haue seene alredie in this selfsame Epistle and specially as Iesus Christ himself declareth in the sixteenth chapter of Saint Matthew And which is that foundation It is Iesus Christ and no man can lay any other than that which the Prophetes and Apostles haue layd and wee must hold our selues too it at this day and euen vntoo the worldes end And yit may wee not ceasse too bee rooted in loue by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. When men demaund what is the cause of our saluation by what meane wee be brought into his fauour and how wee may come vntoo hym and cal vpon hym with full trust wee must answeare it is bycause our Lord Iesus Christe is giuen vs and it is he in whom the fulnesse of 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
what plyght haue I brought my self what shall I doo And that is the sorrow that Saint Paule speaketh of which wee must not shun But if wee neuerthelesse go on still in euill it is all one as if wee tooke pleasure in dryuing and chacing away of Gods spirit The Prophet Esay sayeth wee prouoke Gods spirit too bitternesse when wee refuze the good doctrine that he setteth afore vs But S. Paule passeth yit further heere For in deede it is a kynd of prouoking God too wrath when wee yeeld not too his doctrine which is a sure record of the care which he hath of our saluation and of the loue that he beareth vs But wee must come too the considering of euery of vs by himself God hath voutsafed to ingraue the beleefe of his Gospell in my hart too the intent I should bee sure of my saluation And how dooth he that By voutsafing to chooze mee for his house and too dwell in mee by his holy spirit Now then if I blot out this grace it is asmuch as if I ment to estraunge my self from God wilifully And therefore let vs beware of such extemitie and let vs hold our selues in awe And therewithall let vs marke also how Saint Paule addeth for the last woord that Gods sealing and marking of vs after that manner by his holy Ghost is ageinst the day of our redemption Hereby he sheweth vs that if wee will well ouercome Satans allurementes and the lustes of our flesh and all the temptations of the world wee must alwayes mynd the heauenly lyfe that is promysed vs and wheruntoo wee ought too trauell Now then Gods spirit sayth S. Paule is not giuen vs too bee withdrawen from vs agein when wee haue once felt his grace and power but too the intent that the seale and print of him should abyde with vs euen vntoo the day of our redemption that is too say tyll wee bee delyuered from this transitorie lyfe and from all the miseries wherwith wee bee beseeged Now therfore seeyng that God hath giuen vs his holy spirit too guyde and gouerne vs both in lyfe and death and with intent that wee should neuer bee depryued and destitute of him Let vs looke well too it that he may alwayes keepe the possession that he hath taken in vs and wee also inioy that inestimable benefite of his continuing with vs for euer that he may guide vs and hold vs alwayes vp by strong hand duryng all the course of our life The cause then why Saint Paule doth purposely call vs backe too the last day is too make vs lyue soberly knowing that like as wee haue neede too bee guided throughout by the power of Gods spirit so if wee bee depriued of it and estraunged from hym and left destitute of his grace it is too bee feared that wee shall fall intoo a reprobate mynd As touching the day of our redemption S. Paule by that woord vnderstoode the happinesse which wee hope for and which is hidden from vs as yit It is trew that wee were redeemed in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ but wee inioy not that benefyte as yit Wee may well say Iesus Christ is our Redeemer that is to say he hath deliuered vs and set vs free from the bondage and subiection of death sinne wherin wee were by paying our raunsome and by makyng our attonement Ye see then that wee bee redeemed as in respect of the sonne of God for he hath performed all that was requisite for our deliuerance and saluation as he hym selfe auoweth with his own mouth But when wee come too our selues wee fynde not thys redemption there And for that cause as well in thys place as in the eyght too the Romanes Saint Paule sayth that the last day wherin Iesus Christ will appeere is the day of our saluatioâ— and deliueraunce And why Wee see what a number of miseries beset vs round about yea wee carye them with vs and they bee inclozed in our bodyes and in our soules It behoueth vs therfore too seeke a better state than that which we see heere And for the same cause is it sayd that our saluation lyeth in hope and that wee hope not for the thing that wee see but that God intendeth too feede our hope And wheras he sheweth not the things too our eyes which he promiseth and which it behoueth vs too wayt for at his hand it is too the end that although wee bee forlorne wretches in this world yit wee should not ceasse too reioyce in him knowing that wee shal not bee disappoynted in wayting for the heritage which he hath purchaced for vs And so yee see what is ment by the woord Redemption which is set downe heere Wherefore let vs learne too bee so armed and fenced with Gods spirit too fyght ageinst all Satans temptations as he may neuer fynde vs vnprouided nor out of order And that that may bee doone let vs pray God so too ingraue his truth in vs by the same spirit as wee may get victorie by it and ouercome all that is ageinst our saluation and that we continuing in our vocation that God calleth vs too may take corage and bee pacient vntyll our Lord Iesus Christ who is our lyfe doo appeare that our lyfe and our full happinesse may also bee manifested in him at his comming And now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him too take vs too mercy and not too impute the great number of our sinnes vntoo vs whereby wee bee blame woorthy before him but rather too beare with our infirmities and too clenze vs of them from day too day that wee may growe and increace in all his gracious gifâ—es and put farre from vs all euill that may seduce vs and thrust vs out of the way and that by that meane wee may draw neerer and neerer vntoo him vntyll wee bee fully knit vntoo him at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. 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 .xxxiii. Sermon which is the thirteenth vppon the fourth Chapter and the first vppon the fifth Chapter 31. Let all bitternesse and hastinesse and wrath and roring and iniurie bee put from you with all spytefulnesse 32. And bee yee gentle one too another and kynd harted forgiuing one another euen as God though Christ forgaue you The fifth Chapter 1. Bee yee therfore folowers of God as deere children 2. And vvalke in loue euen as Christ loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs an offering and sacrifice vnto God for a sent of good sauour WEe knowe that all Gods children not only should bee peaceable themselues but also procure peace too the vttermost of their power and make attonement whereas was disagreement and stryfe forasmuch as it is the marke that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen vs Now if we ought too
birthryght nor yit by our owne purchace but by free gift The kingdome of God then is the heauenly lyfe and al our whole happinesse For out of God what can wee haue but all vnhappynesse Therefore if wee bee banished out of Gods kingdome we must needs be plundged in all miserie But it is expresly sayd too bee the kingdome of Christ and why Bycause it was purchaced vs by his blud and also bycause wee bee now restored agein too the state from whence wee were falne in our father Adam Agein wee knowe that the inheritance is giuen vs in our Lord Iesus Christ to the intent that we being his members and adopted of God by his meanes should also bee parttakers of that which is peculiar too him In the first too the Hebrewes he is called the heire of all things and is that too shell vs vtterly out No but bycause wee cannot otherwyse bee taken for Gods children but by being incorporated intoo the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ to whom all belongeth Now then if wee should bee reiected of God if wee should bee cut of from all the benefytes which haue bin purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ that this should come to passe through our owne vnthankfulnesse Alas should wee not bee too too blockish Yea and for the better expressing thereof Saint Paule vseth the woord Heritage or Inheritance As if he should say if yee were heires of Gods kingdome from your moothers wombe consider how great a greef it ought too be vntoo you too bee set besyde it But now vnderstand you that the kingdome of God is communicated vntoo you by our Lord Iesus Christ bycause he hath purchaced it for you and made you his brethren and fellowes And vnderstand yee besides that it is bycause God hath adopted you freely and yit you haue it not by birthryght nother can yee say that it is your owne otherwyze than by free gift Now then seeing it is a state of inheritance will yee bee so leaud as to looze such a benefite when it is offered you Shall God inuyte you so graciously too his glory shall he offer you all the ioy and happynes of the kingdome of heauen shall he match you with his owne sonne and by that meane make you too possesse all the good things that you can wishe and shall all this be nothing woorth to you but that you will needes hold scorne of it and refuze it How can Satan so farre ouermayster you Wee see then how Saint Paule ment too waken vs heere earnestly by all meanes too the intent that if wee cannot bee drawen wholly vntoo God by loue at leastwyze yit threatening may doo vs some good and moue vs too yeeld that our desyres may by that meane be brydled and our lusts not ouerflow so outrageously but that sith God sheweth himself our Iudge wee may at leastwyze refrayne too resist him for that is all one as if wee would openly runne rushing ageinst him Seeing that he with his owne holy mouth hath auowed vs too bee banished from the kingdome of heauen if wee notwithstanding doo make none account of the thinges that he telleth vs what a dealing is that Furthermore whereas Saint Paule sayeth that nother whoremoongers nor cuetous men nor vncleane persons shall enter intoo the kingdome of God he meaneth not that all such as haue offended and doone amisse are reiected of god For who is he that can say he is cleere of all the vyces that are reherced heere But he meaneth the whoremoongers couetous persons and looce liuers that take pleasure in their lustes and are hardened in them and are so settled in the filthinesse of them as there is not any more feare of God in them too hold them backe Wee heare what he sayeth too the Corinthians where hauing made a greater beadroll of the same and other vyces and hauing first vttered the lyke sentence telling them that all such as are giuen too those vyces shall neuer come in the kingdome of God he sayeth and such haue you bin He sheweth that the faythfull also had bin steyned with the lyke corruptions But yee bee washed and made cleane sayeth he yee bee sanctifyed by Gods holy spirit and through the blud of our Lord Iesus christ As if he should say by nature yee were miserable and folke giuen too all leaudnesse The willingnesse and desyre that you haue now too serue God came not of your selues but of Gods drawing of you vntoo him that wheras you were erst as wyld beastes he hath brought you vntoo his obedience wheras yee were foule and vncleane he hath washed you with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ and wheras you were vnholy he hath made you holy by his holy Ghost And therfore fall not too wallowing and plundging of your selues agein intoo vncleannesse Thus the trew meaning of those woordes is in effect that the wicked and such as lead an awlesse and lawlesse lyfe that is too say such as fyght not ageinst their lustes but delyght in naughtinesse shall neuer come in the kingdome of god For first of all if the faythfull bee not renewed at their birth by the spirit of God they bee steyned with the sinnes wheruntoo mankynd is subiect yea and wee see some that are wholy giuen vntoo them And albeit that our Lord haue wrought in vs by his holy spirit it dooth not therfore followe that wee bee so well reformed at the first day as there is no more euill in vs For wee must bee fayne too keepe continuall battell through repentance all our lyfe long And repentance should take no place if wee felt not sinne dwelling styll within vs Therfore it suffyzeth that it reigne not in vs as S. Paule exhorteth vs in the sixth too the Romanes There S. Paule telleth them too whom he speaketh that if they looke vppon their former life they must needes be ashamed bycause they were so strayed away that they had forgotten God and all vertew and honestie Yee cannot sayth he remember what yee were before yee were conuerted too the beleefe of the Gospell but yee must needes cast downe your eyes with great shame And yit notwithstanding he telleth them that sinne must not now reigne in our mortall bodyes although it dwell there still In deede it were too bee wished that there were no sinne dwelling in vs and that wee were all lyke the Angels of heauen But Saint Paule knowing well that wee cannot atteyne too that so long as wee dwell in this world and vntyll wee haue put off our corruption and bee dispatched of this transitorie lyfe wylleth vs yit at leastwize that sinne should not reigne in vs So then although wee bee steyned with many vyces yit let vs so fyght ageinst them that they may not become heynous crymes as though wee rebelled ageinst God but continew onely as infirmities so as wee beseeche God too forgiue vs them quite and cleane acknowledging that wee haue neede too obteyne mercy
indeuer too fare the better by it And how may that bee It is sâ—yeth he when good men and such as are alredy inured too feare serue God are edifyed by his woord And not only that but also if an vnbeleeuer comes in which was erst a mocker and neuer had any remorse of conscience and heare what is vttered in the name of God that is too wit that wee cannot scape Gods hand but must needs come before the iudgment seate of our Lord Iesus Christ and how deerly Iesus Christ hath payed for vs and what a trayterousnesse it is for vs too make the sacrifyze of his death and passion vnauaylable I say when an vnbeleeur heares all this and that wee bee exhorted too feare God and stirred vp too loue him for the infinite grace which he vttereth towards vs Although he were erst as a brute beast sayth S. Paul yit shal he enter into himself bee rebuked For he vseth there the same woord which he vseth heere the meaning wherof is that wheras his coÌ„science was as good as dead afore and he in maner brutish he was inforced too enter into examination of him self and too bee ashamed so as he could not but giue glorie vntoo god Not that this befalleth too all indifferently but wee see that a number of folk which were gone astray and had forgotten God and had no regard at all of their owne soule helth shal bee so touched at one sermon that they appeere too bee chaunged all their lyfe after Now looke what is doone in common assembly the same ought euery man too practyze by him self For we bee not heere too the intent that euery man should profit him self only but too the intent wee should also teache one another with mutuall instruction After that maner must wee rebuke offenders too the end they may take no more libertie too mocke God after that fashyon nor to shake of his yoke and to wander into all naughtinesse And that is in effect the thing that Saint Paule intended too shewe vs heere Now too confirme this doctrine the better he addeth yit one other reason It is the lyght sayeth he that layeth all things open Heretoofore he tolde vs that when wee bee once inlyghtened by Gods spirit and Gospell wee must bee as lampes too giue lyght intoo the world For wee haue the woord of lyfe which serueth not only too guyde vs but also too drawe them intoo the ryght way which haue gone astray Going forward herewithall he sayth that it is the nature and propertie of lyght too discouer And therfore when wee suffer naughtinesse to nestle and to grow still deeper and deeper in huththermuthther we shew well that we be nother lyght nor children of the lyght that is too say that wee belong not awhit â–ª nother too God nor too Iesus Christ. Too be short Saint Paule meaneth that wee cannot giue any proof of our christianitie nor of our fayth but by hating and abhorring of euill as much as is possible that it may not haue his full course and sway But now let vs think vppon our selues agein For as I sayd there is none of vs all which is not faultie in fearing men more than God and in winking at others to the end that they shoulde wink at vs and not bee inquisityue of our dooings Lo how wee betray one another by our silence But there is yit another vyce that is woorse and further cut of dsquare namely that besyos our dissembling wee doo also help too feede the euill And so by that meanes whoredome hath his ful scope bycause euery man and woman playes the baude Wheras I say euery one I meane that most men women now adayes doo wink at al maner of leaudnesse and misorder and stoppe their eares at the things which they myght well heare and euery man seeks too conceale his fellowes leaudnesse men of mens and women of womens They myght remedie a greate sort of enormities that are committed but they will rather go and â—eray their Gownes and Cotes with other folkes dung and filthinesse than discouer their vyces Too bee short euery body playes the bawd in effect by concealing his neyghbours vyce too the end that the other shoulde doo as much for him In lyke cace is it with all other sinnes Yit notwithstanding as I sayd afore God hath not spoken this in vaine but wee shall one day feele the execution of the sentence which he speaketh heere by his Apostle and then will it bee too late too forethinke vs of that which wee will not knowe now But let such as feare God learne and remember how it is sayd heere that Gods inlyghtening of vs is too the end that euery of vs should examine himselfe and not bee as blynd wretches groping in the dark which stuÌ„ble on the one syde runne ageinst things on the other but that we should know the way of saluation and moreouer teache other men also by discouering the euyll that lay hidden too the end that such as haue turned their backes vppon God and were well appayd too haue bin in darkenesse styll may vnderstand that they must bee fayne too come too the lyght whatsoeuer come of it The very way therefore for vs too shewe in deede and in good earnest that wee belong too God and are inlyghtened by his holy spirit and by his woord is too discouer thinges which should else as it were lye lurking a long tyme if wee drew them not forth intoo the lyght Trew it is that Charitie couereth a multitude of sinnes as sayeth Salomon and that it behoueth vs too bee pacient and too beare with many infirmities For it is not meete that wee should diffame one another as diuerse do who in stead of warning those whom they see too offend fall too sowing abrode of newes so as the streetes and the market places are all full of them yea and they do so inhaunce the matter that of small scapes they make deadly crymes Therefore when Saint Paule biddeth vs discouer men it is not ment that wee should defame one another after that manner but that the wretched man which had his eyes blyndfolded by Satan should bee made too perceyue his owne miserie and naughtinesse that he myght bee ashamed of it and that the woman which had giuen ouer hir self too all vnchastitie myght bee made too recouer some honestie and too returne agein intoo the ryght way by being put too shame in hauing hir faultes and vyces layd afore hir The manner then of discouering is not too backebyte one another or too taunt and vpbrayd one another by this and that and too play the hipocrytes who will streyne at a gnat and swallowe vp and Oxe or a Sheepe at a morsell that is too say which will make conscience in very small and lyght matters and not see a number of great enormities which they suffer too passe hard by their nozes without beeing any whit offended at them
turne away our fayth from his bludshed Ment he that baptim should take the roome of his death and passion to performe the office of our saluatioÌ„ No surely For Baptim is but on Incum and an appendant too the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and if it did not direct vs thither certeynely it were but a tryfling Ceremony As much is too bee fayd of the Lords Supper When wee câ—me too 〈◊〉 the bread and wyne which are the pledges of the body and bluâ— of our Lord Iesus Christ although that in that supper wee bee truly fed with the meate and drink wherof mention is 〈◊〉 in the sixth of Saint Iohn that is to wit that our Lord Iesus Chriâ—â— maketh vs partakers of the truthe of his owne substance too the end that his lyfe should bee common vntoo vs yit notwithstanding if the supper should bee separated from the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it were a thing of nothing And in deede wee see also what the promis conteyneth This is my bodie sayeth he which is giuen for you Trew it is that is sheweth well what our ordinarie foode is but therwithall he sendeth vs also too his death and passion For had he not made satisfaction for our sinnes and shed his blud to wash away our spots what should it boote vs now too haue baptim and his supper ministred and giuen vntoo vs Wee see then that too vse baptim well and according too the institution of the sonne of God we must not set our mâ—nds vppon the corruptible and transitorie element For what is the water If it stand but one day it will corruâ—pt and how then can it clenze our soules for euer and get vs a purenesse that shall continew after death though wee our selues doo turne too rottennesse If this power cannot bee in the water wee must of necessitie repayre too the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. And in dede the water also is a figure of his blud and of his holy spirit Then let vs mark that our Lord Iesus did then wash vs when he shed his blud wherby he clenzed vs That is the meane wherby wee may resort vntoo God with full trust that wee shal bee receyâ—ed as ryghtuous and perfect bycause he layeth not our sinnes too our charge Mark that for one poynt Now as Saint Peter sayeth in his first Epistle wee be wasâ—hed with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ by the holy Ghost Wee see then that wee haue the substance and truthe of our saluation in the person of the sonne of god And moreouer wee haue too note also that he communicateth him self vntoo vs and therby putteth vs in possession and fruition of all his goods through the power of the holy Ghost And how happeneth it then that Saint Paule hath made no mention heere of the blud that clenzeth vs and of the woorking of the holy Ghost It seemeth that hee hath forgotten the cheef thing and buzieth him self about a thing that is very small I haue told you alredye that he ment not too abridge any thing that belonged too the sonne of God that wee should not seeke the whole fulnes of our saluation in him alone and settle our fayth alonly vppon him nother ment he too dispossesse the holy Ghost of his office but he had respect of our infirmitie And that is the cause why he set downe the signe wherby the thing that of it self is too hygh and too farre hidden from our vnderstanding is set before our eyes That is the piâ—h of the thing which we haue too beare in mynd Now of this declaration wee may receyue a very profitable lesson in generall that is too wit that the trew and lawfull vse of Sacraments is too leade vs directly too our Lord Iesus Christ and that otherwyse wee make them but as Idols And therfore in poperie Baptim is but as a Charme bycause they think there is no saluation but by the water I let passe the things that they haue puâ— to it of their owne deuyzing For they haue corrupted and mard the very institution of Iesus Christ by mingling baptim with the superstitions that are knowen of But let vs put the cace they vsed nothing else but the pure water yit is it diuelish opinion that Baptim is able of it self to saue vs For by that meanes our Lord Iesus Christ is as good as thrust away so as they make none account of him For they stand poring vppon the visible signe and are as yee would say vtterly doted vppon it In lyke cace are they with all the rest of their Ceremonies So much the more therefore dooth it stand vs on hand too beare this lesson in mynd That too apply the Sacraments too a ryght vse and too such vse as God alloweth and ordeyneth they must guyde vs too our Lord Iesus Christ Lyke as in Baptim wee see but the water but therby we must be lifted vp hygher to the blud of the sonne of God assuring our selues that it is not the water that maketh vs cleane but that it is only a warrant of the washing that was gotten for vs when our Lord Iesus Christ was crucifyed for vs In the Supper wee haue bread and wyne Now to hold our selues to that which is set before out eyes were a withdrawing of our selues from Iesus Christ. Our fayth therfore must bee lifted vp and conueyed too him in whom all the partes of our saluation are inclozed Forasmuch then as wee haue the whole perfection and fulnesse of all good things in the onely Sonne of God it is thither that wee must looke vp and labour too atteyne when the Sacramentes are set afore vs for that is the very office of them or else wee peâ—uert all and it is as yee would saye an vnhallowing of the thing that God hath halowed too our benefyte if our Lord Iesus Christ bee separated from the visible signes Wee haue also too note that wee communicate not with Iesus Christ but by the grace of the holy Ghost Yit notwithstanding let vs not hold scorne of the helpes that our Lord hath ordeyned for vs bycause he knewe them too bee requisite for our infirmities sake Why be we not taught simply that if wee runne too our Lord Iesus Christ in him wee shall fynde our washing and clenzing It seemeth that that ought too suffyze vs and that the water of Baptim is but a vayle too keepe vs from comming vntoo Iesus Christ. Yea but let vs see a little what our owne â—udenesse is If wee had the myndes of Angels wee should no more neede this outward Baptim than the Angels do But forasmuch as wee bee earthly and it is hard for vs too atteyne vntoo God and the secretes of his heauenly kingdome it is for our behoofe too bee helped after that fashion And it is a wonderfull gracious goodnesse of God that he stoopeth so too our infirmitie and supplyeth it with meeâ—e and conuenient
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
from our father Adam as it were by inheritance The maner therfore that wee bee of Iesus Christes flesh and bone of his bone is that wee bee graffed intoo his body accordingly as Saint Paul also vseth the same similitude of graffyng Lyke as a sine that is set intoo a stocke taketh his sustenance from the same so must wee by being graffed intoo our Lord Iesus Christ. Trew it is that we doo not yit bring foorth good fruite of our selues for his purpose heere is but too shewe that as a braunche withereth which is broken of from the roote and so let alone but receyueth sap and nurrishment froÌ„ the roote if it bee graffed intoo another euen so is it with vs that is too wit that if wee continew such as wee bee by kynde then are wee in death bycause wee bee separated from our Lord Iesus Christ but if wee bee incorporated intoo him and it please him too communicate himselfe vnto vs then doo we feele in very deede that bread doth not more nurrishe vs wheÌ„ wee eate it nor wyne strengthen vs better when we drink it than wee verily receyue lyfe and strength by the body and blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now then that this is a hygh misterie euery man is able to iudge of himselfe When wee haue debated neuer so much and scanned the matter in our hartes is there any of vs that can comprehend how wee bee knit too our Lord Iesus Christ and how wee bee made all one with him so as wee can assure and warrant our selues that wee shall by that meane bee parttakers of Gods glorie and that euen at this day wee liue in our Lord Iesus Christ According too this saying of his bee of good cheere for as I liue so shall you also Can this say I enter intoo so small a roome as our sensuall reason is No surely And that is the cause why a number of men cannot admit this poynt that wee bee the flesh of Iesus Christ and bone of his bones but content themselues with their owne imaginations which is an abacing of Gods grace which Saint Paule was not able too expresse but rather shewed vs that it ought too rauish our wittes too woonder at it Many then may happen too haue a rouing and as it were a heathenish imagination that we bee knit vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that is too say that wee bee saued by his grace But the Scripture goeth further and though there were no more but this saying That it is a great misterie yit let vs beware of limiting it after our owne fancie for it were al one as if wee would make Saint Paule a lyer All such as despyze this spirituall coniunction which wee haue with our Lord Iesus Christ would shewe that there is no such secret nor wonderfull power of God nor aught else as wee heare spoken of heere And the holy Ghost vseth such speeche too humble vs and afterward â—oo exalt vs agein Therefore wee must on the one syde confesse that all the wisedome and wit which wee haue dooth fayle vs in that behalfe and afterward ryze vp agein for that we heare our Lord Iesus Christ call vs too him and tell vs that wee bee so knit vntoo him that he hath not any thing of his owne which he maketh not common too vs and wherof he will not haue vs too bee parttakers Therfore if wee haue any contrarye motions in our selues and it come intoo our heades too say how is it possible that our Lord Iesus Christ who is in heauen should nurrish vs with his owne substance so as his body should bee our meate and his blud our drinke I say if wee fall intoo such fancies we must repulse them all with that which is sayd here namely that it is a great Secret and wee must rebuke our owne folly and rashnesse in intending too measure the thing that is infinite Our Lord sheweth vs that when he hath knit vs too his only sonne he hath doone so high and profound a woorke as surmounteth all our capacitie Seeing it is so let vs alwayes conclude that although wee fynde it a straunge matter yit must wee rest vppon the thing which is spoken by God himselfe specially when he sayth that he will woorke after so hygh a fashyon that wee shal bee vtterly rauished at it Wherefore let vs learne generally vppon this text that all the benefytes which wee receyue by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ thereby too atteine too the heauenly lyfe are and doo proceede of the fayd fountaine of Gods incomprehensible wisedome so as it is not for vs too bee so foolish and presumpâ—uous as too say I will knowe what it is and agein I will see what pleaseth mee Let vs restreyne our selues from such presumption for it will make vs vnwoorthy of the misterie of fayth bycause it is a saying that importeth a great secret The end say I whereat wee must begin if we mynd too fare the better by Iesus Christ and too bee parttakers of all his grace is too vnderstand that Gods woorking in our saluation is a great misterie or secret according too the text that I alledged heertoofore out of the Epistle too Timothie It is a great misterie sayth Saint Paule that God was manifested in the flesh For what a great distance is there betweene God and man Wee be but wormes and rottennesse and Gods maiestie is so hygh as no man can say what it is nor conceyue the hundredth part of it in thought but wee must be fayne too bee rauished too woonder at it Seeyng then that God hath so linked himselfe vntoo vs that he is the trew Emanuell as he is named in Esay and that the things which seeme to be so farre asunder are knit togither in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs conclude theruppon that there is nothing but mysteries and secretes in all the grace which wee receyue of our God and specially in our incorporating or graffing intoo our Lord Iesus Christ who hauing taken our nature vppon him and clothed himselfe with our fleshe will haue vs too bee graffed into him as into our roote too bee quickened by his spirit and too bee parttakers of his lyfe so as he hath nothing peculiar too himself alone but will haue all to be common vnto vs Will wee then receyue our Lord Iesus Christ with all the benefytes which he bringeth vs and will wee by his meanes ouercome all the temptations that can crosse vs Wee must tast throughly of the thinges that the holy Scripture telleth vs and setteth afore vs and giue such reuerend credit vnto theÌ„ by acknowledging that God woorketh in vs by our Lord Iesus Christ as the same may content vs and make vs too forsake all our owne naturall vnderstanding Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sinnes praying him too voutsafe too pardon vs in such wyse as wee may
sheweth vs the remedye If wee repayre too him and acknowledge our wantes and bee redy too beg so as wee haue our mouthes open and bee not puâ—t vp with mynd but rather vtterly emptye then dooth our Lord assure vs that he will not fayle vs and wee shall haue whereof too presume howbeeit not after the manner of the Papistes who make their bragsâ— and aferwarde come short of theyr reckening and are put too vtter shame On our part when wee haue acknowledged that nothing wee bee nor nothing can doo wee resort vntoo God too glory ageinst Satan and ageinst all the assaultes that he giueth vppon vs and ageinst all the munitions of hel and ageinst all the impedimentes and temptations in the worlde Thus yee see how wee ought too put this lesson of Saint Paules in vre After he hath spoken so of the myghtye power of God now he addeth that vvee must arme our selues vvith his complet Harnesse As if he should say that it is long of none but our selues that wee bee not wel armed and weaponed too ouercome all Satans assaultes and that our owne negligence is the cause that wee bee so often vanquished aâ—d foyled And why For God not only promiseth to succour vs by his power and that in such measure as wee shall get the vpper hand but also putteth meanes intoo our handes and armeth vs and yit notwithstanding wee hang vp our armour vppon the wall And is it any maruell if wee bee taken vnwares or bee vnable too resist at the pinch when wee hold scorne too vse the meanes that God offereth vs and are so neere our hand Now what is this armour Saint Paule will shewe it in dew place as now let it suffize vs too knowe his intent Then whereas it is sayd that wee must bee armed with Gods complet harnesse it is too rebuke and quicken vp our rechlesnesse in letting the things alone which he offereth vs In deede wee will lyke well if a man tell vs that God is redye and foreward too succour vs and that we neede not too doubt of victorie ageinst all our enemies so long as he is on our syde we accept this geere willingly but in the meane whyle wee bee contented too sit styll and it is not for vs too incounter our enemie for he is farre too strong for vs But yit must wee in this cace incounter hand too hand and wee would that Gods armours should lye styll and bee prepared for vs without vsing of them For this cause are wee commaunded too put them on that is too say too apylye them too our vse sith our staâ—e is such as wee must maynteyne battell and it pleaseth God that wee should bee so armed and that the diuell should not come vppon vs vnprouded And Saint Paule not onely vseth the woord Armor or Harnesse but also addeth all the furniture as if he should say wee must bee armed from top too toe And that shal be set foorth particularly yit better heerafter Howbeeit his meaning in this text is that our vnthankfulnesse is knowen so much the more in that God armeth vs at all poyntes so as nothing is missing except the fault bee in our selues In deede wee will not sticke too put on some part of the armour that God giueth vs howbeeit it is but as if one man should clap on his Morion for a countenance take nother Target nor Corselet nor any thing else and another catch vp his swoord and the third his halberd in the meane whyle euery of them want many other things that they should haue neede of So wee perhaps apply some part of Gods armour too our vse that is too say wee will not vtterly reiect or refuze all the grace that he offereth vs But there is none of vs all that armeth himselfe as he should doo that is too say which is fenced with all the vertues that God giueth him For it is certein that both from the ryght hand and from the left from aboue and from beneathe God ordeyneth meanes for vs too fyght withall which are sufficient so wee despyze them not but vpon knowledge of our want receiue the things which he giueth vs so liberally And too the intent wee should bee the more prouoked too arme our selues and too receyue the helpes that God giueth vs S. Paule addeth That yee may vvithstand all the assaultes of the Dâ—uell Heere he confirmeth the matter that I spake of afore that is too wit that wee cannot serue God at our owne ease as though there were nothing too let vs as a man may go too his woorke all day long and it shall go foreward quietly bycause he is not distrubbled But it is not so in the obedience which the faythfull should yeeld too their god And why The diuell ceasseth not too trubble them and too woorke them a thousand spytes and incomberances Therefore if wee desyre too walke in the feare of our God wee must bee armed that â—ee may bee ready too battell for our enemye wyll neuer let vs rest And for that cause Saint Paule setteth downe many assaultes of Satan As if he should say Satans assayling of vs too bring vs too wickednesse is not for once or twyce and away but he maynteyneth a continuall battell and when he hath giuen vs oâ—e alarum on the one syde he commes about agein on the other insomuch that besydes our owne inforcing and strengthening of our selues wee haue neede of armour too repulse our enemy on which syde soeuer he assayle vs. And agein he amplyfyeth it yit better saying that our fyghting is not only ageinst flesh and blud but also ageinst the powers and principalâ—ties of the aire ageinst the Lords of the world and ageinst wicked Spirits which fyght from heauen ageinst vs Commonly when wee haue too doo with an enemy that is not greatly able too anoy vs so as wee feare not that he can doo vs any harme wee despyze him and that is oftentymes a cause that such as yee would esteeme too bee the valeantest in the world doo come short home And why Bycause they despyzed their enemye But Saint Paule telleth vs we haue to do with other maner of wyghts than mortall men and yit wee feare them not If a man hate vs although he bee not of any great abilitie Yit haue wee a flea in our eare as they say and wee think it wisdome too preuent the things that our enemie can practyze ageinst vs But specially if our enemyes be myghtie and strong and wee vnable too stand ageinst them and too repulse them then are wee as much amazed as may be yit they be but mortall men as wee be Howbeit S. Paul tels vs we haue not to fyght ageinst mortal meÌ„ but ageinst enemies that doo farre passe theÌ„ And for that cause doth he cal them powers and principalities giuing them authoritie as though they had the ouer hand of vs alredye If wee were too fyght with an enemye that were