Thus yee see what they esteeme to bee purenesse in the seruice of God But we know that the cheefseruice which God requireth is that we should wholly drawe to his Lure that we should glorifie him both in weale and wo that wee should walk euery man in his owne calling and that there bee neither pride vainglorie nor enuie in vs. Those are the things that God alloweth But according to the Papists definition they that behaue themselues so are of the worlde And where are the popishe Angells in this while In some Cloyster VVhen these shamelesse hypocrites haue glutted themselues too the full and made lustie cheere they wote not whereaboutes to occupie themselues but eyther in gaming or else in all manner of wickednesse for it is well knowen that all the Couentes of the Popedome are starke brothelhouses And woulde God they were not woorfe than brothelhouses ▪ for there are committed so outrageous and beastly deedes as would 〈◊〉 mannes heare too stand vp stiffe vppon hys head too heere them spoken off Too bee shorte that state of theirs is horrible And yet for all that they be Angells in respect of the poore soules that behaue themselues after the manner aforesaid And why Bycause they sing mattins very deuoutly chaunt masse by note and are separated frō the rest of the world so as they be not put to digging of the earth nor meddle not with shoomakers craft or tailers craft nor with any trade else but giue themselues ye may be sure to a contemplatiue life and to the state of perfection Is it not apparant that the world hath bin vtterly sotted with them But such people as haue so transformed God into puppets are well worthy to be plundged in so grosse vnreasonable errors But for our part let vs assure our selues that we haue a God which is a spirit will be serued spiritually as he sheweth vs by his word Therfore let vs be afrayd too bee vnder the fond fancies wherwith those miserable wretches are bewitched let vs cōsider that Gods cōmunicating of himself vnto vs is to the end that we should repaire vnto him in al holinesse rightuousnesse and faithfulnesse and therwithall examine our liues by his law not by our owne opinion or by the opinion of the world Agein let vs also haue an eye to that which he alloweth or forbiddeth for it is he to whom we must yeeld vp our account and we shal haue none other iudge but him alone Therefore let vs looke to all these things exercise ourselues in them knowing that we shal not loze our labour in being so occupied and let vs let the Papistes alone which breake both their legges their necks know not what they do sauing that they grieue God and prouoke him more more To the end then that we trauel not in vain nor wander heere there after opinions without hauing any certen mark to ame at Let vs exercise ourselues in the thing that S. Paule teacheth vs in this texte then shal we not be condemned for buzying of our heads about things of nothing which God blameth and misliketh and also auoweth to be but trifles Nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs so to feele them as it may beate vs 〈…〉 that we being condemned in our selues 〈…〉 vnto him knowing that he is alwayes ready to succor 〈◊〉 thirst after his grace and long for it vnfeynedly and that forasmuch as he hath giuen vs too our Lord Iesus Christ Christ hath taken vs into his keeping it may please him too poure out the treasures and giftes of his holy spirit vpon vs too make vs partakers therof and too increase his grace more and more in vs that wee may be so fenced with it as wee may obteine victorie ageinst all Satans assaultes and ageinst the world and our owne flesh That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people c. The. 37. Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the fifth Chapter 22 But the fruite of the spirit are loue ioy peace pacientnesse gentlenesse goodnesse faith 23 Meekenesse temperance against such things there is no Lavve 24 Novve they that are of Christ haue crucifyed the flesh vvith the affections and lustes therof 25 If vvee liue after the spirit let vs also vvalke after the spirit 26 Let vs not be desirous of vainglory prouoking one another and enuying one another WEe haue seen heretofore that if we be willing too serue God wee shall find ynough wherewith too occupie ourselues in chastizing our vices if euery of vs cōsider to how much corruption sinfulnesse he is subiect And sainct Paule hath purposely set afore vs the sinnes that reigne in vs by nature too the intent we might know whervpon to set our minds to frame ourselues aright to the obeying of God For we see how mē busie themselues about trifling things in shewing themselues willing too serue God they trudge 〈…〉 measure Howbeit all is but vaine vnprofitable labor according 〈◊〉 we see in the Popedome where mē giue the name of Gods seruis to a sort of toyes that they haue deuised of their own brayn And yet in al those things though they like neuer so wel of them and glorie in them neuer so much there is nought else but vanitie and in the mean while they neuer passe of cōming to the principal for the world doth alway seeke windlasses But God setteth the ryght way before vs in his lawe and if we intend to go foreward to the true perfection vnfeynedly wee must begin at the forsaking of ourselues bycause there is no wisdome in vs that is not cursed no thought that is not wicked nor no desyre that is not froward corrupted For this cause S. Paul told vs before that if men be minded to order their life well firste they shall finde inough to occupy thēselues withal if euery man cōsider what a number of intāgled and wicked lusts he hath in him to be cut vp which thing wil not be done out of hād And also S. Paul spake these words purposely to such as buzied thēselues about the Ceremonies of the lawe For although they said generally that the things which God had commaunded were to be fulfilled yet the cheefe thinges that they made account of were Circumcision the Ceremonies Now herevpon S. Paule telleth vs that God wil haue vs occupied about greater matters that is to wit he wil haue vs to fight māfully ageinst the gret number of things that turne vs aside from the right way And now he addeth on the contrary parte that the frutes of the spirite are louingnesse meeldnesse gentlenesse mekenesse stayednesse and suche other lyke thyngs and that when all thyngs are thus well ruled the lawe hath no more power ouer vs for wee be set free from it bycause our Lorde Iesus Christ
when all comes to all it is but flat mockerie it is apparaÌ„t that they wilfully corrupt Gods woord For there is such grosse and beastly ignorance in them that very children might iustly spitte in their faces for it So then the Papists are a fayre looking glasse too vs at this day for the things that are conteyned heere in S. Paule that is to wit that many of them vaunt themselues to be Gods children and householdmeynie of his Churche and yet notwithstanding are but bastard slippes and of a corrupted seede bicause that in stead of cleauing throughly to the pure doctrine which were able too beget them againe into the hope of the heauenly life they be so giuen to their owne minglings that there is not any more soundnesse in them But we neede not to go any further too shewe that the matter which S. Paule treateth of heere is verified too much of the Popedome For where aboutes is our greatest strife now adayes but for freewill for merites for satisfactions and for such other things The Papists say that we are able by our owne freewill to purchace grace at Gods hand not that we neede not too be ayded and succored by his holy spirit but bicause there is a certaine matching togither say they betweene God and vs so as God worketh one peece and wee another Thus doo they make vs Gods marrowes and like as our strength would be to weake if it were not succored on Gods behalf so should Gods grace say they be vnauaylable if we made it not of force by our owne mouing therevnto And herevpon agayne they forge build their merites there is none other talk among theÌ„ but of purchacing the realme of paradice by making God beholden too them then step forth their merites and satisfactions to raunsome all the faults that they haue coÌ„mitted Thus ye see in effect what the Papistes prate and iangle Therevpon they conclude that it is blasphemie too say that Gods Lawe is impossible and that wee bee not able too performe it saying that there is no man but he may fully discharge himselfe of it when he listeth It is an easie matter for them too prate after that fashyon in the shadowe but they that say so are naughtie ruffians drunkardes swearers and folke giuen too all villanie and outrage For menne knowe well ynough what the holynesse of the Moonkes of the shauelings and of all the whole rable of their rifraffe and Cankerwoormes is But wee on our side say that wee bee bâ—â—ne the bondslaues of sinne and are hâ—ld in so streyt bandes vnder the tyrannie of Satan that we cannot so much as thinke one good thought of well doing but go forward still vnto al euil like as if an Asse should alwayes beare his yoke or burthen with him and yet wee sinne not but willingly But how soeuer we fare we be so saped in sinne that naturally wee cannot do any thing but offend God and therfore that he must be fayne to inlarge vs and set vs at libertie by his holy spirite Moreouer wee say that the law of God is vnpossible to be fulfilled and that it sheweth vs our duetie to the end to condemne vs to stop our mouthes too make vs come before God as wretched offenders too obtayne grace at his hand for the sinnes which we haue coÌ„mitted and to confound vs with shame to the end we should graunt our selues to bee daÌ„ned and seeke to be saued at Gods hand through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ Finally wee say that too iustifie our selues before him is a thing that passeth all our abilitie and that he supplieth our wants bicause he sifteth vs not with rigour nor entereth into accouÌ„t with vs that when we haue offended him there is none other satisfactioÌ„ for it than the sacrifize that was offered by our Lord Iesus Christ nor any other clenzing than to plundge our selues ouer head and eares in his bloud Thus ye see how the doctrine which is coÌ„tayned in S. Paule is to be put in practize in respect of the disputatioÌ„s of the Papists against vs. For it is certain that for all their bragging and false preteÌ„ding of the name of God and for all their saying that they be his children bicause they be begotten by the holy scripture they shew that their mother is Agar or Sinay and consequently that they be bondmen borne and do tie the rope about their owne necke bycause they haue no will to go vnto God too receyue the freedome that he offereth them but wil rather vsurpe to themselues the thing that beloÌ„geth to God only and wil needes iustifie theÌ„selues by their own merites and fulfill the lawe of themselues Therefore they bee bondchildren and continue slaues stil and in the end must be driuen quite out of the house As for vs wee shall see hereafter what proofe the doctrine hath which we holde what it bringeth with it which is that we haue none other freedome than is giueÌ„ vs by the doctrine of the gospell according also as our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth in the viij of S. Iohn that it is his peculâ—â—â— office to make vs free that the drawing of vs out of damnation is a speciall priuiledge giuen vnto him by God his father Therefore when wee come too our Lorde Iesus Christ and in him seeke for all things that wee want knowing that by his meanes we be deliuered from the yoke of the law which we are not able to beare and which not onely made vs too stoupe but also weyed vs downe to the bottome of hell if is the true seede that begetteth vs againe into full freedome too bee Gods children not onely to be bruted so in this worlde but also to bee auowed so at his hande before his Angels that in 〈…〉 wee may come too the heritage that is bought so dearely for vs and which wee cannot attaine to by our owne power but by the meanes of him to whome it belongeth who communicateth it vnto vs according as he offreth it vs dayly by his Gospell But nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done so as it may make vs to growe and increase more and more in true repentance that our comming vnto him may bee in all lowlynesse without hypocrisie beeing ashamed of our wretchednesse and not seeking any other remedie than in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that forasmuche as our good God hath adopted vs and sealed the grace of his adoption in our heartes by his holy spirit we may stand stedfast in the purenesse of his Gospell without adding any thing of our owne and without marring it by our owne interpretations and that hee so holde vs in the obedience of fayth by his holy spirite that lyke as he hath begonne too shewe himselfe bountifull towardes vs so we also may go continually forward to the
euery thing neuer beeing resolued of any one poynt Of which sort also are the Papists who haue an infinite number of doubts among them And no maruell at all for they knowe not too what master they must yeeld their account Euery of them talkes according to the disposition of his owne brayne one sayes to my seeming such a thing would be good another sayes Lo this my deuotion telleth me and the third says it were good yet that this or that were doone more Now when they be once entred into suche a maze at length they fall to doubting whether they may kembe their heades or no and make a scrupulousnesse with whiche finger they shoulde feede themselues and of euery thing else To bee short there is neyther ende nor measure of their fondnesse VVhen S. Paule intendeth to shew what it is to be wrapped in mens traditions he saith that wheÌ„ they haue once forbidden too eate flesh anone after they forbid to tast it and when they haue forbiddeÌ„ to tast it soone after they forbid to touch it Yee see then that the way for vs to maynteyne the libertie that is purchased for vs by the death passion of our lord Iesus Christ is first too knowe in what wise God will bee serued and honored to the ende wee be not tossed with so many scruples of conscience for want of discerning what is good or euill but determine fully and certenly with our selues to follow Gods word assuring our selues also that in so dooing wee can not doo amisse And secondly to serue one anothers turne that none of vs bee so addicted to his owne selfe as to ouermate his fellowes but bee so gentle kindharted as euery of vs haue an eye wherin he may aduauntage or succor his neybour absteyning froÌ„ all offence giuing so as it be not sayd I care not for suche a one or for suche a one I passe not whether he sinke or swim but that for as much as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath linked vs â—â—gither too bee members of his Churche wee holde fast the sayde doctrine that is too witte first that God be honored and serued among vs as he commaundeth and secondly that wee agree in suche wise togither as wee labour through meeknesse to matche our selues one with another and to serue one anothers turne notwithstanding that wee be free still to Godwarde as in respect of our consciences And now let vs fall down before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so too feele them as it may humble vs before hym and drawe vs too true repentance and wee go forwarde therin more and more groning continually vnder the burthen of our sinne till wee be quite clensed and vtterly ridded of it And that it may please the same good God to beare with vs and not to handle vs so rigorously as he could doo but to guide vs in suche wise by his holy spirite as he may both forgiue and forget our sinnes till we be fully clensed froÌ„ them That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. The. 35. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fifth Chapter 14 For all the Lavve is fulfilled in one vvorde vvhich is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self 15 If yee bite and deuour one another bevvare that yee be not consumed one of another 16 But I say vnto you vvalke after the spirite and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 17 Surely the flesh lusteth contrarie too the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh For these things are one agaynst another so as yee can not do all things as yee vvould 18 But and if yee be led by the spirite then are yee not vnder the Lavve WE see that Moyses intending to bring the lawe into a summe to the ende wee might knowe what was taught vs and tolde vs sayth that God will be loued of vs as good reason it is that we should first sticke vnto him be knit vnto him and afterward that there should be such a bonde of friendship among our selues as we might bee knit togither as members of one bodie And our Lord Iesus Christ also sayth that that is the thing wherby his disciples may be knowen shewing therin that he brought not vp any doctrine contrarie to that which god had always giuen to the people of olde time And for that cause S. Paule sayth now that the fulfilling of the lawe consisteth in this worde that we loue our neibours Not that God ought in the meane while to be forgotten as I haue tolde you heeretofore for it is good reason that hee should be set formost and bee preferred before all his creatures in so muche that for his sake wee ought to forget euen our father and mother our wife and children and all that euer is in this world Neuerthelesse to loue God and to loue our neibours in their degree are not things contrarie For when euery man walketh in charitie thereby he sheweth the loue that he beareth to his God according also as I haue declared And that is the cause why I stande no longer vpon these poynts To be short if wee be giuen to our selues it is a token that wee know not what it is to cary Gods yoke for that is the thing whervnto our own nature driueth vs. Now as we shal see anone men are wholly inclined to all euil therwithal they giue the bridle to all their lusts they make war agaynst God al their whole life is nothing else but a rebellion which sheweth that the diuell doth so possesse al our affectioÌ„s that God can not way with vs til we haue beateÌ„ down al that is of our own nature Now then we know that he which loueth his neibours seeketh not his owne nor is giueÌ„ to himself That therfore is a true certeÌ„ profe that we be desirous to obey God to rule our life according to his word Also our Lord Iesus Christ beginneth at the same poynt wheÌ„ he intendeth to shew briefly what his doctrine is It is saith he a learning to renounce or forsake ourselues For so long as we followe our own trace we must needes go ful coÌ„trary to Gods wil. So then it is not without cause that S. Paule saith in this text that the whole law coÌ„sisteth in this poynt that we loue our neibours But it behoueth vs to mark that by this word neibour God meeneth not our kinsfolk friends at whose haÌ„ds we hope for some profite or aduantage or which haue deserued some recoÌ„pence at our hands but he wil haue vs to haue an eye to the coÌ„mon aliance which he hath set amoÌ„g vs. Therfore we be al formed after his image we beare his mark Besides this we be al of one nature that ought to hold vs in true vnitie brotherhod But many
suche as are so firie at the first dashe that reason can neither appease them nor stay them Therefore when men be so hot and fling themselues at al aduenture things must bee alledged agreeable to their nature to make them ashamed that they may bee drawen too the obedience of God S. Paule then ment heere to bring vs by little and little to the ouercomming of all our affections which are to farre out of square too the end that whensoeuer wee bee prouoked to hate any man or to be reuenged of him we may consider thus with our selues what will bee the end of it but that we shall one of vs consume another lyke dogges and cattes And when we haue considered that wee must proceede yet further which is that althoughe our hatred myght aduauÌ„tage vs neuer so much although we might alwayes haue the vpper hand of our enemyes and although wee could bring all our practizes and attempts to effect I say although wee might haue aduauntage by gyuing head to our passions yet were it but a prouoking of Gods wrath seing we could not yeelde so farre vnto him as to loue those that are vnworthie Sith the case standeth so let vs bee afraid submit ourselues with all humilitie And forasmuch as it is a hard thing let vs fight so much the more manfully tyll God haue gotten the maysterie and wee renounced our selues as I sayde forsaking all our owne nature too the ende that wee may keepe the sacred vnitie which he did set among vs when it pleased him that wee should bee one flesh Now herevpon Sainct Paule addeth that if wee mind to restreine the lustes of our fleshe from reigning in vs wee muste walke in the spirit Furthermore the battell is ryght harde so that wee doo not what wee would do but although God haue reformed vs and touched vs to the quick so as wee would fayne please him in all poynts yet notwithstanding wee shall not yet atteyne too perfection bycause our owne nature will alwayes leade vs vntoo euill But before wee go any further wee must marke that by the word Fleshe Sainct Paule meaneth all that is in man and 〈◊〉 what euer we bring with vs by our birth According also as our Lord Iesus Christ declareth sufficiently in the third of Iohn That which is borne of fleshe sayth he is flesh By the woorde Spirit he meaneth not the Soule of man but the grace whych God giueth vs when he bringeth vs backe to his obedience correcteth our vyces all that is contrarie to his word And the terming of men by the name of Flesh in the holy scripture is in way of contempte But yet in this texte it is a marke of vyce and corruption Sometymes when the Scripture speaketh of flesh it saythe verie well what else are men but fleshe that is too say but rottennesse Ageine all fleshe is grasse And ageine what are the Aegyptians They bee fleshe and not spirit Yee see then that vnder this woord fleshe men are taught their owne frayltie and doone to vnderstand that they be but earth and dust wormes and woormes meate And this serues first of all to humble them But when fleshe is matched ageynst Spirite then are not men taken in their first state as they were created of God but it serueth too shewe that they bee corrupted and full of infection and wickednesse so as there is no taste at all in them to discerne aright but they are vtterly peruerted in all their lustes Yee see then that whereas our Lord Iesus Christ sayth wee bee fleshe euen from our birth his meaning is that wee bee blind wretches which haue no wit at all too come vntoo God and that although he haue put an vnderstandyng in vs to discerne good euill yet notwithstaÌ„ding wee bee growen brutish and cannot come to him and al the reason that we haue serueth but to make vs vnexcusable and finally that we couet nothing but vtter euil that loke how many affections wee haue so many are the enemyes that fighte ageynst all ryghtuousnesse Lo how the holie Ghost blazeth our armes wheras most men bragge of their owne free wyll and of their vertues it is sayd that there is nothing in vs but starke corruption that the same is as an enmitie against God and separateth vs from his rightuousnesse True it is that our Soule or mind is oftentimes called by the name of Spirit for the woord Spirite or Ghoste betokeneth an inuisible substance which cannot be seen nor felt as can a body The Angells are Spirites and so are the Diuells also Howbeit these are corrupted spirites and alienated from God so as there is nothing but vtter wickednesse iâ—â—â—em So then our soules also are Spirites but yet they bee spirits infected with sin which thing happened too them when wee were chaunged and abaced and Gods image defaced in vs by the fall of Adam Now then there had need to be some renewment therof and that renewment is called spirit which is when God reformeth vs and maketh vs new creatures by his holy spirit The first poynt wherof is that we be inlightened so as we conceiue the things that were hidden from vs by nature for faith is the speciall gift of God bycause it is impossible for man to conceiue the things that are for his soule health vnlesse God haue wrought in him Yee see then that fayth is a gift of the spirit as wee shall see hereafter in due time and place insomuch that as wee haue not one good motion to come vnto God and to frame ourselues to his will except he gouerne vs so also forasmuch as he hath adopted vs he giueth vs his holy spirit which is the true marke that sheweth vs to bee Gods children Too bee short looke whatsoeuer God putteth intoo his chosen and faithfull ones too correct theyr wicked and sinfull nature the same is comprehended vnder the word Spirit Now S. Paule sayth that wee must walke after the spirit and then wee shall not fulfill the lustes of our fleshe Hereby he giueth warning too such as delight too much in their owne vyces and take leaue to do naughtily vnder pretence that they be not able too withstand it Heere he wakeneth them vp and telleth them that they be without excuse and that although they bee giuen vntoo naughtinesse yet they ought too seeke the remedie of it And what is that Truely wee shall not finde it in ourselues but God will supply in that behalfe by giuing vs grace to fight in such wyse against all our lustes and wicked affections as his holy spirite shall reigne in vs and get the vpper hande of them God will not deceiue vs in making vs such promise and therefore let vs hye vs to him as diseased folke to a Phisition To bee short S. Paule hath an eye to the excuse that men would bring and are wont too bring in this cace O say they wee bee fleshly and charitie
auaylable not onely in hydâ—â—◠〈…〉 which wee haue committed alreadie and in burying them out of remâ—â—â—â—aunce but also in clenzing vs dayly by hys holy spirite and in holding vs vp continually till we bee come to the perfection wherevntoo he calleth vs and be deliuered from the prison of sinne wherewith wee bee yet inclozed That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also too all people c. The. 40. Sermon which is the thirde vpon the sixth Chapter 6 Let him that is taught in the vvorde make him that teacheth him partaker of all good things 7 Deceyue not your selues God cannot be mocked For looke vvhat a man sovveth that shall he also reape 8 For hee that sovveth in the fleshe shall also of the fleshe reape corruption But hee that sovveth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape euerlasting lyfe WEe see well ynough that wheresoeuer S. Paule was knowne he could not be suspected to be a man much giuen too his owne profite For although it were lawfull for him to haue his finding bicause hee bare abrode Gods worde yet notwithstanding as we see he forbare that libertie to the end to preuent al occasions of stuÌ„bling And he protesteth that he was fain to labor day night with his hands to earne his liuing But yet was he so much the better able without suspition to call vpon the negligent sort to do their dutie as we see in this text He commaundeth men to find their teachers not to suffer them to want any thing Nowe if Saint Paule as I sayde had bin a couetous man in scraping too himselfe other mens goods or if hee had bin desirous too set out himselfe in pompe and superfluitie hee shoulde haue had his 〈…〉 haue bin tolde him that he spake for himselfe and that it had bin no giuing of himselfe to the seruice of God But forasmuch as he had shewed sufficiently by experience that forgetting himselfe and hauing no regarde of his owne persone he sought nothing else but to aduaunce the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ and to edifie his Church therefore he might rebuke the vnthankefulnesse of such as behaued themselues amisse towards their sheepherdes in abridging them of sustenance for their bodies whereas by their meanes they had food and sustenance for their soules Now it is a verie vnkinde dealing wheÌ„ a man considereth not that he which bringeth him the doctrine of saluation is as a fosterfather sent vnto him of God and at least wise findeth not in his heart to giue him bodily food Therfore when men are so retchlesse in that behalfe they bewray a contempt of Gods worde For nature ought to teach vs that when we be in any mans dette wee shoulde streyne our selues to the vttermost to requite him the like and if we be not able to do it then at leastwise to shewe that it is not for want of good will But in this cace lyke cannot bee requyted for lyke For Gods worde findeth not any thing in the worlde that may be layde in balance agaynst it Yet notwithstanding such as are taught ought at leastwise not to spare theyr temporall goodes for the finding of those at whose hande they receyue the inestimable treasure of the Gospell And verely we see howe it hath alwayes bin the pollicie of Satan too spoyle Gods Church of good Sheepherdes and ministers by after a sort staruing of them Satans vpholders shall alwayes haue ynough to cramme themselues withall according as wee see howe that in the Papacie these ydle bellyes which do nothing else but barke oute theyr Masses and Mattins are crammed too the full Though all the worlde shoulde hunger and thirst for it those kinde of people shall neuer feele penurie yea and they shall haue good store of prouision though all the worlde starue in the meane while But cleane contrarywise when such as serue God shall haue shewed the singular zeale and care which they haue for the health of mens soules men let them alone and thinke them greatly bound vnto them that they giue theÌ„ the heering VVell say they we haue heard him 〈…〉 him well he hath done his dutie And how many are there nowadayes that 〈◊〉 contribution when they come too heere a Sermon They could find in their hearts that God shoulde neuer be spoken of bicause it is a melancholike matter too them VVhereby wee see that the Diuell hath by that meanes gyuen a pushe too ridde away all teaching and too bring to passe that there might bee none but Idolles nor any man care howe hee behaued himselfe Then was it not without cause that Saint Paule was desirous to remedie such inconuenience saying that hee which teacheth ought at leastwyse to bee nurrished and mainteyned and that hee which receyueth the doctrine of saluation is bounde at leastwise to giue of his goodes and substance to him that hath ministred spirituall foode vntoo him And Saint Paule speaketh here expresly of Gods woorde For whereas humane sciences haue alwayes bin so highly esteemed that such as haue professed them haue bin mainteyned the woorde of God whiche surmounteth all other things is as it were cast downe Therefore Saint Paule blameth mennes naughtinesse saying See what a worthie thing it is to haue Gods worde brought vnto you See what fruite redoundeth vnto you by it For we be all miserable and cursed sauing that God calleth vs to him by meanes of his worde for that is the power which he spreadeth ouer vs to gather vs intoo his kingdome Sith it is so then howe can you bee nigardly of the transitorie goodes of thys worlde that such as trauell for your welfare and edifying shoulde not at leastwise bee so mainteyned as they might giue themselues wholly vntoo that and not bee drawne awaye by cares that might stoppe them and hinder them of doing their duties The woorde that Saint Paule vseth heere is Cathechise whiche signifyeth too teach traine or instruct and therof commeth our word Cathechisme which signifieth a Teaching Trainment or Instruction Then he that cathechyzeth sayth hee that is to say he that is a faythfull Teacher to edifie the people in Gods worde let him be mainteyned by such as are Cathechyzed that is too say by such as are taught or as are brought as scholers vnto God Now we see Saint Paules meening and therevppon we haue to gather first of all that we must not take any nowadayes for Ministers and Herdmen of Gods Church but such as bring his woorde Marke that for one 〈…〉 for our behoofe so to do For the Papistes boast that they haue the Church on theyr syde But it is certaine that it cannot be verified of Gods children that they shoulde bee a flocke without a guide Then what are the markes of the Churche That there bee a flocke gathered togither and that therewithall there bee a sheepeheard too leade the sheepe too our Lorde Iesus Christ And in good soothe the Papists alledge also that they haue
nigardship 62. b. 13. VVhatsoeuer is Added too the Gospell is but vanitie and wickednesse 22. a. 1. Looke more in Mingle ¶ Aduowtrie VVhat is conteyned vnder the worde Aduovvtrie 269. b. 35. ¶ Affection The cause why we ouercome not our affections 263. b. 14. ¶ All. VVhat is ment by the vvoord All. 165. b. 2. ¶ Allegorie The peril of seking Allegories in the scripture 216. b 1. Ambition Looke Vaineglorie ¶ Angell VVhat the woorde Angell betokeneth 205. b. 16. VVhat the glorie and dignitie of the Angels is 26. b. 33. ¶ Antiquitie Of following Antiquitie and mens opions 193. b. 20. The Papistes alledging of Antiquitie 225. b. 24. In vvhat vvise the Papistes and their adherentes mainteine the traditions of Antiquitie 31â— a. 9. b. ¶ Apostasie Of Apostasie or slyding back and the perils thereof 194. a. 29. b. 112. a 17. b. 113. a. b. 116. b. 29. 117. a. 119. b. 16. 120. a. b. Looke more in Nevvter Newfangled and Vnconstancie ¶ Aptnesse All our Aptnesse too any charge or office and all other giftes both of body and minde come of Gods mere grace 41. a. 12. b. 42. b. 4. ¶ Atonement VVee must haue none Atonement with Gods enemies 256. a. 11. b. 257. a. b. ¶ Authoritie Our faith must not bee grounded vppon the excellencie or Authoritie of men but only vppon God and Christ 32. a. 13 b. and 33. a. b. and 34. a. b. and 35. a â–ª The Authoritie and maiestie of the lavve 159. b. 11. and 160. a. b. and 161. a. b â–ª The Authoritie and maiestie of the Gospell 24. a. 22. and 27. b. 8. b. 28. a. b â–ª Christes Authoritie and maiestie ought not to bee the lesse esteemed among vs bycause of his bodily absense 8. a. 25. b The Authoritie and reuerence of meÌ„ must not preiudice God 5. b. 18. 6. b. 22 No man hath Authoritie to appoint any thing in the church which is not grouÌ„dded in Gods vvord 80. b. 28. 81. a b The inconueniences that come of our leaning to the Authoritie and credite of men 43. a. 15 After what maner the preachers may staÌ„d in defence of their Authoritie 4. and 5. and 7. b 35 Looke more in Credite and Person B ¶ Babe WHo be little Babes 210. b. 6. 211. a. b Looke more in Child Backslyding Looke Apostasie ¶ Baptim The right vse and meaning of Baptim 84 b. 35 â–ª and 85. a. and 114. b. 8. and 240. b. 22 The signification frute and effect of Baptim rightly receiued and what it is otheâ—vvize 172 a. 21. b. and 173. a. b. 174 a. b. and 175. a. b ¶ Battell The continuall Battell bewene the flesh and the spirite and the meanes too get the vpper hand 2â—4 b. 21. and 265. a â–ª b. 266. a. b. and 267. a Looke more in warre ¶ Beare and Bearevvith IncoÌ„ueniences that come of Bearing with faultes and errors too much or too long 76. b. 24. and 77. a. and 78. a. 10. b. 79. a. b. and 80. a VVho be borne before their time 211. a 1. b Hovv and vvhen vve be borne in Christ 212. a. 5 The meane and way to make vs gentel in Bearing with other mens offences 287. a. 2. b. and 288. a No man is to be Borne withall too the impeachment of the Gospell 73. a. 19. b. 74. a. b. and 75. a. and 76. b. 28 Of Bearing and forbearing mens faultes and who are to be Borne with hovv farre forth 75. a. 3. and 283. a. 27. b. and 284. a. and 285. a. b. and 286. a. b. and 287 a. b. and 288. a. b. and 289. a Looke more in Flatter ¶ Beleef The true preparatiue to make vs Beleeue in Iesus Christ 91. b. 10 After vvhat maner Abraham Beleeued God 124. a. 34 b. and 125. a. b Beleef Looke more in Fayth ¶ Blyndnesse Our Blindnesse in our owne vices and our sharpsightednesse in espying other meÌ„s 290. b. 23 and 291. a. ¶ Blissed and Blissednesse VVhat it is too bee Blissed 127. b. 20. and 128. a. 19 How vvee Gentiles are made partakers of the Blissednesse that vvas promised too Abraham and his seede 130. a. 10. and 143 b. 30 and 145. b. 12 and 146. a. b and 147. a. b. and 148. a. b and 149. a. bâ— and 150. a. b. and 151. a. b and 152 a. b To what purposes the knowing therof serueth vs 151. a. 29. b. 152 a. b 153. a Looke more in Happinesse ¶ Burthen VVhat is ment by the vvord Burthen 296. a. 1 Euery man shal beare his own Burthen how 295. b 31 296. a. b. 397. a. b The only remedie to ease men of the Burthens 297. a. 10. b and 298. a C ¶ Catechize and Catechizme WHat the vvordes Catechize and Catechizme betoken 299. b. 24. ¶ Call and Call vppon Christ Calleth not al men to him vvithout exception and vvhoÌ„ he Calleth 289. a. 2 Of lawfull vocation or Calling 4. b. 4. and 5. and. 6 A double Calling outvvard and invvard 39. b. 5 No man ought to thrust himselfe into the ministerie without Calling 4. b. 4 The benefites that redownd of the lawfull Calling of the minister 42. a. 13. and 43. a. 33. b and 51. b. 5 The Apostles had a peculiar kind of Calling â–ª immediatly from God 6 a. 12 VVe must not passe for the allovvance of men in following our vocation or Calling 48. a. 23. b God vvill haue all nations too Call vppon him 190. a. 15. b. and 191. a ¶ Ceremonies VVhat thing Ceremonies are of themselues or othervvise 72 b. 10. and â—96 a. 30. b. and 197. a. b 199. b 200. a VVhat Ceremonies are without warrant of Gods word 182. b. 27. and 183. a The Ceremonies of the law serued but for a time 19. a. 29 To what purpose the Ceremonies serued the old fathers 238. a. 12. b VVhy the Ceremonies of the law are sayd to be fleshly 118. a. 22. b VVhat the Ceremonies of the Lawe be-hight vs 159. a. â— The vse and end of the Ceremonies of the law 56. a. 26. b 70. b. 14. 71. a. 72. a. 31. 80. b 21. 240. a 2. b 263 â–ª a. 11. How men haue alwayes abused visible signes or Ceremonies 118. a. 12. b The number of Ceremonies doo so little helpe mens insicmities that they rather carie them quite away from Christ 181. b 19. and 182. a. b Inconueniences in sewing vppon the keeping of Ceremonies 56. b. 25. and 57. a. b and 58. a. b. and 71. b. 8. and 72. a. and 80. a â–ª 27. b. and 81 a. b. and 82. a. b VVhat the intent of them is vvhich would haue men to keepe Ceremonies 80. a 17 b. and 81. a. b. and 82 â–ª a. b VVhat the intent of them is â–ª which vrge the keeping of Ceremonies and what account they themselâ—es make of them 318. a 7. b. and 319. a. b. and
thorowly till we looke into the lawe 157. a 6. b and 158. a Iesus Christ is not a bringer in of Sinne but a bewrayer of Sinne 94. a. 7. b and 95. a b and 96. a VVhereto the manifest appearing of our Sinnes must lead vs. 271. a 10. The cause why men continue in theyr Sinnes though they know themselues to do amisse 322. a 33. b In what wize wee bee set free from Sinne 16. b 27. The opinion of true Christians concerning Sinne iustification 220. a 35. b The dolâ—sh opinion of papists concerning Sinfull thoughtes and motions vntoo Sinne 270. b 3. VVhat is ment by the worde Sinner VVho be Sinners 87. b 15. After what maner and with what minde the former misbehauiour of conuerted Sinners is to be looked into 66. a 8. b. Sowe Loke Seede ¶ Spirite and Spirituall VVhat is ment by the woorde Spirite 115. a 19. and 118. b 17. and 144. a 6. and 262. a 2. b The word Spirite matched agaynst Ceremonies figures and shadowes 138. a 16. b How the Spirite lusteth agaynst the flesh 265. b 31. and 266. a VVhat is ment to begin in the Spirite 118. b 33. and 119. a VVhat is ment by Gods Spirite 122. a 2. The fruites of the Spirite 272. b 15. and 275. b 18. and 276. a b and 277. a b How Gods Spirite is giuen and by whom 114. b 31. and 115. a b and 116. a b and 122. a 12. Gods Spirite is not idle in men but sheweth it selfe by good workes 279. a 28. b The true proofe and tryall that we haue Gods Spirite 279. a 28. b and 280. a and 282. a 9. b VVho be Spirituall in the opinion of Papists 274. a 26. b Stealing Looke Theft Stedfastnesse Looke Constancie and Perseuerance Stoutnesse Looke Constancie and Perseuerance ¶ Stumbling blocke VVhat is ment by the woorde Stumling â–ª blocke 255. a 16. Of Stumbling blockes or offences and after what maner and how farre foorth they are to be eschewed 255. a 11. b and 256. a b. ¶ Succession Succession of Bishops the chiefe sheelde of Papists and Papistrie 5. a 34. Looke more in Antiquitie ¶ Suffering The more a man hath Suffered for the Gospell the more shame it is for him to shrinke from it or to waxe colde 120 b 17. and 121. a b How Christes sufferings are accomplished in his members 317. b 29. ¶ Superstition The welspring of all Superstitions 245. a. 27. ¶ Supper The right vse and meaning of die Lords Supper or Communion 85. a 14. and 114. b 14. ¶ Supremacie VVhat the Supremacie of the Pope is and what he alleageth for it 225. b 2. and 226. a. The Popes Supremacie ouerhrowne 69. b 14. ¶ T OF Teachablenesse 110. a 35. A discriptioÌ„ of false Teachers men pleasers 2. a 16. 315. a 4. b and 316. a b and 317. a. Looke more in Ministers and Preachers The diuers sortes of false Teachers or cousiners and how they be too bee resisted 249. b 10. and 250. a VVhy god suffereth false prophets false Teachers to be rayzed vp 26. a 27. b. Looke more in Ministers and Preachers ¶ Teachablenesse Teachers ¶ Temperance Of Temperance or staiednes and what it is 277. a 28. b ¶ Theft or Stealing VVhat is conteined vnder the woorde Theft or Stealing 270. a 8. ¶ Threaten To what end God Threateneth 159. a 20. b ¶ Traditions VVhat a â—â—auerie or bondag it is to be subiect to mens Traditions 258. a 36. b Looke more in Ceremonies ¶ Trauell To what ends all men do Trauell take paines 303. a 12. ¶ Trust Our vnthankfulnesse in Trusting more to men then to God 308. b 13. 309. a b Looke more in Authoritie in Credit ¶ Truthe VVhat is ment by the woorde Truth 245. a 24. VVhat is ment by the Truthe of the Gospell 60. a 35. b VVhat is ment by the Truth of the gospel how vilanously it is defaced by papists newters 76. a 5. b 77. a By what meanes the Truth of the Gospell is to be reteined 51 a 1. The Truth being once knowne must be sticked to with vnremoueable constaÌ„cie 1. 2. 3. 20 â–ª a 15. b 21. a b 22. a b 23. a b and 24. a b Loke more in ConstaÌ„cie in perseueraÌ„ce V ¶ Vaineglorie OF Vaineglorie what it is how it is to be subdued 280. b 2. and 281. a 282. a 9. b The nature of Ambition or Vaineglorie 283. a 12. 290. b 26. 291. a b The fruites of Ambition or Vain glorie 51 b 30. 52. a b 281. b 5 282. a ¶ Vertue How the Heathen men may be counted Vertuous and yet are to be condemned 271. b 25. and 272. a b. The difference betweene the Vertues of of the beleeuers and the Vertues of the vnbeleeuers 272. b 4. The Vertues of Papistes 273. a 13. Looke more in Holinesse Deuotion and VVorkes ¶ Vnconstancie VVhy men are Vnconstant and shrinke away from the truth 317. a 26. The inconuenience of backesliding or Vnconstancie 245. b 32. and 246. a and 248. a 4. Of the weakening and ouerthrowing of the fayth by the Vnconstancie of the Ministers 50. a 34. b. The Vnconstancie of men disapoynteth not the effect of Gods woord 51. a 18. ¶ Vncircumcizion â–ª VVhat is meante by Vncircumzion â–ª 86. b. 14. ¶ Vnitie Of Christian Vnitie and by what meanes it is too bee kept 328. 33. and 329. a The Vnitie and agreement in fayth and doctrine that ought to be among Christians and specially among the Ministers 46. a 20. b and 47. a b and 53. a 2 b Vnitie and agreement among the ministers and Preachers is to the edifiing of the church to the confirmation strengthening of fayth 53. b 21. and 54. a b. ¶ Looke more in Attonement Concord Charitie and loue ¶ Vniuersalite Looke Multitude â–ª ¶ Vnmercifulnesse Of vnmercifulnes and vnkindnes and the reward therof 312. b 28. and 313. a ¶ Vice Vyces to be eschewed in the Ministring of Gods woord 251 b 11. 252. a God bridleth mans nature so that al Vices exceede not ne raigne not alike in all men 268. b 25. and 272. a 22. b W ¶ VValke VVHat is ment by the word VValke 279. b 20. VVhat it is to VValke after the spirit and the way to attaine therevnto 262. b 18. and 263. a b and 264. a b and 265. a and 280. a 23 ¶ VVarenesse VVhat VVarines ought to be in Christians 200. a 27. b and 287. b 32. and 288. 〈◊〉 ¶ VVarfare The continuall VVarfare of the Godly 264. b 21. and 265. a b and 266. a b and 267. a ¶ Looke more in Battell ¶ VVashing VVhat was betokened by the VVashings of the Iewes 84. a 15. ¶ VVatchfulnesse Continuall VVatchfulnes is requisite in Christians 1. a 14. b and 2. a b and 3. ¶ VVayt VVhat is betokened by this word VVayt 239. a 5 ¶ VVeakeling After what maner the
yet for all that for asmuch as our Lorde Iesus Christe appeared vntoo vs in the shape of man and was conuersant in this world and there despized yea and abaced euen too a most shamefull death wherein he receyued all the curses that were due vnto vs therefore it is sayd that if wee giue not eare too the Sonne of God the father is preiudiced therby accordyng also as our Lord Iesus himself declareth in that he sayeth He that despizeth you despizeth mee and he that reiecteth mee reiecteth the liuing God that sent mee Marke then whervnto the order tendeth which S. Paule keepeth namely that if we do not willingly honour our Lord Iesus Christ by accepting his doctrine for certain and infallible God is set at naught and we cannot say that our intent is too woorship him for he will reiect all our doyngs And why For as I sayd afore it is ynough too proue vs rebelles if wee separate the Sonne from his Father And S. Paule addeth expresly that Iesus Christe was rayzed from the dead too the end that his Apostleship should not be the lesse esteemed and also that men should match him with the number companie of the other Apostles according also as he was added too them after that Iesus Christe ceassed too bee any more vpon earth For as I haue touched already the thing wherwith the false Apostles which came too ouerthrowe all vpbrayded him was this How now sayd they He hath not bin the Disciple of the Sonne of God as Peter and Iohn were he is a thing borne out of seazon And how cā he shew that he hath receyued his doctrine of Iesus Christ S. Paule declareth that if they will needes inquyre of the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christe his ryzing againe ought not too haue diminished it Surely though our Lord Iesus Christ were brought lowe whyle he had the veyle of mans nature vppon him whereby his glory was after a sorte hidden yet was he not abaced in himselfe For wee knowe that the Angelles acknowledged him for their souerayne king and although he were borne in a stable and layd vpon the ground as a creature destitute of all help yet we see that the Starres of the skie bare record of him To bee short the maiestie of our Lord Iesus Christe was alwayes sufficiently auouched as long as he was in this world But yet for all that there was a muche excellenter glory in his resurrection accordyng as it is sayd in the first too the Romanes that then he was shewed too bee the Sonne of God And wee also haue seene in the second Epistle to the Corinthians that as he suffered vnder weakenesse of the fleshe so he was rayzed againe through the wonderfull power of Gods spirite So then S. Paule sheweth that although our Lorde Iesus Christ bee not conuersant with vs nowadayes yet muste not his Maiestie therefore bee diminished nor defaced that we should not yeelde him his due and deserued obedience and receyue his woorde reuerently without all gaynesaying This warning is verie behooffull for vs. For what a number of lightheaded persones doo wee see which woulde haue Iesus Christe too be heere in visible shape Their saying is that they would fayne see Iesus Christ conuersant heere beneathe and that then they would at the first push accept what soeuer he spake to thē so as there should neede but one woord of his mouth to rauish them and there should neede none other teaching nor any other man to be much with vs. Yea but the Sonne of God which came downe hath performed his charge whiche was committed to him of God his father that is to say he hath preached the Gospell and sufficiently confirmed it by his death and passion Afterward beyng rizen againe he sent foorth his Apostles And nowe that he hath all soueraine dominion so as the Angelles bow their knees before him and that he hath suche a maiestie as surmounteth all glory both in heauen and earth ought not all that which he hath done to suffize vs throughly VVhen it pleaseth him too send vs mortall men and too send forth the message and inestimable treasure of his Gospell in brittle vesselles and yet notwithstanding will haue vs to receyue them is it not a mockerie to say that if Iesus Christ were with vs and in our companie we would obey him For if heauen and earth muste bee fayne too quake vnder him and his Maiestie bee knowen euen to the Diuels of hell and yet for all that wee continue blockish and pretend that he is to farre of from vs yet notwithstanding our Lord Iesus sheweth sufficiently that he hath not forsaken vs seing we haue the Gospell preached vnto vs And that although he dwell not with vs here by lowe in visible shape yet notwithstanding we shal bee continually ioyned with him and that forasmuche as he is our head hee will gouerne his bodie and there shal be one vnseparable bond betwixt him and vs. Now seing it is so we ought of right to yeeld him obedience and his resurrection ought to touch vs to the quicke to worke suche a reuerent awefulnesse in vs that whensoeuer the name of our Lord Iesus Christe is spoken of we may be sure that it is the name whereof the Prophet speaketh wherby all men ought to sweare and whereat they ought to bow their knees Thus ye see in effect that the thing which we haue to beare in minde is that we should not measure the Gospell after the respect and reputation of those that speake vnto vs for why they be frayle men Nother is that the thing whereon we ought to stay for that were as muche too say as we should settle our saluation vpon the credite of men which might cause vs too rest vppon the world but wee must vnderstand that it is Iesus Christ which speaketh And howe In the Maiestie that is giuen him by God his father for the power of the holy Ghost was then shewed too the full when he was raysed from the dead Then seyng our Lord Iesus Christ hath obteyned such authoritie when he was lifted vp into heauen as too haue superioritie ouer all creatures let vs learne too submit our selues too him and let the same serue to hold vs in awe that his woord may be receyued of vs and we assure ourselues that he gouerneth vs and that it becommeth vs too suffer our selues too be taught in his name and too vnderstand that although the woorde which is preached vnto vs proceede out of the mouth of men yet notwithstanding it is by the authoritie of God our saluation must be grounded thervpon as well as though heauen opened an hundred thousand tymes too shew vs the glory of God Lo say I how it behoueth vs to be taught in this world vntill God haue gathered vs into his euerlasting heritage And that is the thing which we haue to beare in minde concernyng that the glorie of our
out of his graue and his eyes by miracle opened so as God sente a man vntoo him of no greate fame named Ananias who baptized him strengthened him and made him too receyue the visâ—ble tokens of the holy Ghost and that therevppon he went his way into Arabie a countrie where Iesus Christe had neuer bin spoken of afore for although the Iewes had bin somewhat dispersed yet was the Gospell vtterly vnknowen I say when wee see howe Sainct Paule went that way too woorke who is he that can say that he learned aught of men or that he had bin wonne too it by disputation or by reason or by any other maner of worldly meanes at all Nay rather wee shall bee constrayned too graunt that what soeuer was too bee found in him was of Gods putting intoo him That then was the speciall reason why Sainct Paule communed not with the Apostles And truely heere he speaketh of them as it were in way of skorne terming them flesh and bloud Howbeit it is not a defacing of the giftes whiche they had receyued of God when wee make comparison betweene our Lorde Iesus Christ and them And wee ought too marke that well For when wee speake of men surely they may well bee called fleshe and bloud as wee see they bee called in the firste of Iohn Yee see then that men of their owne nature are nothing but corruption And for asmuche as they would fayne presume to much of their owne wisedome and power or of their owne rightuousnesse and courage therefore too put away all that pryde and fonde ouerweening God sayeth VVhat are yee fleshe and bloud Yea and sometymes by this saying flesh and bloud the holy Scripture meaneth this sinfull nature of ours whiche wee haue since the fall of Adam For wee haue no more the vncorruptnesse that was in vs but contrarywise wee bee vtterly ignorant or rather beastly and there is nothing but filthinesse in vs so as wee be not able too doo any thing that is aught woorth furtherfoorth than God gouerneth vs. Lo in what wize we be termed flesh and bloud And therefore it is sayd that our beyng inlightened in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ commeth not to vs by heritage nor is had of flesh and bloud but that we bee madâ— the children of God through his begetting of vs newe agayne by his holy spirite yea euen after a speciall maner For wee woulde holde altogither with the worlde if he should let vs alone too our selues Againe in the sixtenth of Sainct Mathew it is sayde that flâ—she and bloud had not tolde Peter and his fellowes that Iesus Christ was the sonne of God but the heauenly father Thus ye see how men are called flesh and bloud namely when they bee compared vntoo God to shewe that wee haue not ought but corruption in vs. True it is that our soules are immortall neuerthelesse the Scripture speaketh so of vs in way of contempt to the ende wee shoulde bee voyde of presumption But as for the Apostles they were alreadie regenerated by Gods spirite and therefore there was more in them than fleshe and bloud as wee haue seene by the Text last alledged Yet notwithstanding whensoeuer they bee compared with God then must al that is of our owne nature be comprehended vnder the termes of fleshe and bloud And why For else it shoulde come in question too knowe whether the Apostles might by their owne woorthinesse and excellencie preiudice the Gospell as the foresayde troublers pretended to shrowd themselues withall But Saint Paule sheweth that if God withdraw that which is his there shall remaine nothing either in Peter Iohn or Iames but that they be the sonnes of Adam as other men are so as there is nothing in them but corruption So then let vs not abuse the gracions giftes that God hath put into them to deface the Maiestie of him and the Gospell Thus ye see after what maner Saint Paule speaketh here of the Apostles For wee haue heard howe hee sayde heeretoofore that if an Angell from heauen should gainsay the Gospell he ought to bee hated and cursed as if hee were a Diuell And how so Is it meete that men should speake so reprochfully of the Angels which are so noble creatures and which are called the heauenly principalities and powers of God It is no wrong at all too doo so too them when it commeth to the yeelding of soueraine dominion too our Lorde Iesus Christ who is their heade for it behoueth them too be placed vnder him Therefore let vs not thinke wee haue anie wrong offered vs though we were troden a hundred tymes vnder foote so it bee to the exalting of Gods name and that our Lorde Iesus Christ may haue his dutie and supremacie reserued vnto him so as hee may bee heard both of great and small and all men submit themselues too him in true obedience of fayth Nowe herevppon we may gather howe blinde the wretched Papistes are in honouring the Apostles and Martyrs in such wise that God is robbed of his honour and seruice insomuch as it should seeme that all that belongeth and is reserued to him is put to the spoile and pray among them For what difference make they betweene him and hys creatures And besides that our Lorde Iesus Christ is as good as buryed bycause they plucke awaye the office from him that was giuen him For in sted of beeing our Aduocate too giue vs enterance vntoo God his father and that wee shoulde go right foorth vntoo him if wee intende too haue our prayers and supplications heard they haue sette vp an infinite multitude of Aduocates Patrones and Intercessours and Iesus Christ is Iacke out of office Nowe when wee see that the creatures haue obteyned such honour among men that by that meanes God is as it were thrust backe and his worde borne downe thereby we perceyue that the Diuill hath turned all vpside downe Therefore how soeuer the world go let our esteeming of men be after such a sort as God may hold still that which is his owne and if we compare him with his creatures let vs consider that all is but vanitie and whatsoeuer commendation they haue here the same is a recorde which God giueth vs of hys loue to the ende we should keepe onwards vnto him and he be exalted Yea and let vs consider that we cannot honour God as he deserueth but by submitting our selues to his worde For all they that make many Ceremonies to beare men in hande that they desire to serue God are mislyked of him vntill such time as they be subdued to him and also to his worde And that also is a cause why S. Paule stryueth for the authoritie of the Gospell For hee thinkes it not ynough too haue God and Iesus Christ talked of but hee will also haue euerie man to receyue the doctrine conteyned in the Gospel without gainsaying And heereby wee see how that nowadayes all Religion is decayed and
Paule came after that sort to shewe howe conformable he was with the rest of the Apostles and too giue recorde thereof to the whole Church therein wee see that the desirousnesse which he had to serue God and his stoutnesse too aduaunce Gods word aboue all creatures letted him not to be full of curtesie and modestie also And euen so must we do too That is to say we must receiue the consent of our brethren seeke to conforme our selues too them in such wise as we may all be members of one bodie and Iesus Christ be our heade and not be scattered asunder nor euery man walke alone by himselfe but seeke to communicate after such maner one with another as euery man may guide his neybour and all go on forwarde to one marke and eche of vs giue courage to other so as there may be sene a good agreement among vs. True it is that wee cannot haue peace with all men wee shall fayle greatly of that And therefore S. Paule in another place sayth that we must seeke to be at peace with all men at leastwise as much as is in vs whereby he sheweth that we shall be constreyned to bee at variance with many folkes For the Diuell hath many vnderlings and they be all of them bent agaynst Gods worde and we also must set our selues agaynst them if we intende to haue the pure doctrine of the Gospell on our syde But howsoeuer the cace stande if wee see any man willing to submit himselfe too our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs receyue him let vs preuent him let vs seeke to agree wholy togither and let vs not looke to be honoured aboue other men nor say how now If I should agree with such a man it would seeme that I am become his vnderling VVo bee too vs if we haue such pride in vs. But let our onely seeking bee to haue Iesus Christ to be our heade and in such wise become members of his bodie as wee may all woorship him and call vppon him with one mouth in vnitie of fayth And now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs feele them more and more to the ende we may mislyke them and beseech him to amende them by his holy spirit that being quite rid of our sinnes and wretchednesse wâ— may be renued after his Image so as hee may bee glorified in all our lyfe and in the meane whyle beare with vs in our frailtie til he haue brought vs to the perfection from whence we be all gone away And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 7. Sermon vpon the first Chapter which is also the first vpon the second Chapter 22 For I vvas vnknovvne by face to the Churches of Ievvrie that vvere in Christ 23 Saue onely they had heard say hee that erevvhiles persecuted vs doth novv preach the fayth vvhich he had destroyed for a â—ime 24 And they glorified God in mee The seconde Chapter ABoute fourteene yeares afte I vvent vp agayne too Ierusalem vvith Barnabas and tooke Titus vvith me also 2 And I vvent vp by reuelation and communed vvith them concerning the Gospel that I preach among the Gentiles hovvbeeit priuately vvith those that are in estimation least I might in any vvise runne or haue runne in vaine WEe haue seene howe S. Paule hath on the one side published the Gospell through the whole world without warrant of any man coÌ„tenting himself in that he was sure he serued God and that his labour was acceptable to him and yet notwithstanding hath not forslowed in the meane while to seeke brotherhod and good agreement with the Apostles as a thing right requisite to succour the infirmitie of suche as might haue bin thrust out of the way vnlesse God had helped them in their feeblenesse So haue we on the one side a warrant of S. Paules doctrine on the other side we see how he intended to gather togither gods children to the end they might be ioyned in one band of fayth and glorifie God as it were with one heart one minde one mouth And therwithall we see also that S. Paule passed not to aske couÌ„sell whether he should go foreward or backward For although he were vnknown to such as had bin in the faith before him yet forslowed he not to serue God wherevnto he had bin erst called And this surely is one verie notable poynt more for it sheweth vs that he was wholy bent to serue God loked not for his hire at mens hands to the end they should pleasure him or esteme of him as he deserued VVherfore let vs learn to walk after such a fashion in the vocation whervnto we be called that although men loke not vpoÌ„ vs yet we may not ceasse to discharge our duties faithfully contenting our selues in that it pleased god to allow of vs. For they that hang vpoÌ„ meÌ„ shall always be attainted with some spice of vainglory it wil be impossible for theÌ„ to walk purely souÌ„dly Besides this Saint Luke sheweth vs that Saint Paule must needes haue bin led with an inuincible constancie seeing hee stepped not out of the way although men made no reckening at all of his dooings For he sayth that the faythfull had him in suspition and that they shunned him when hee came too Ierusalem Nowe it was a greeuous temptation to Saint Paule to see that he coulde not bee receyued intoo the companie of the faythfull considering that hee had suffered so much alreadie For we knowe that at his first comming to Damasco the gates were shet vpon him as we haue seene heeretofore so that he was fayne too bee let downe in a Panyer or Basket Ye see then that as soone as hee was conuerted to the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christ hee was by and by tossed with great persecutions After that hee went intoo the Countrey of Arabie and there trauelled faythfully And thinketh hee for all that too haue friendship and attonement with the faythfull The gate is shette agaynst him and men shunne him as a wilde beast But before hee was turned to the fayth he had bin honoured and in great credite bothe with the enimies of the Gospell and in the Sinagog of the Iewes He had renounced all these things euen so farre as too see himselfe banished out of the place and yet for all that they vouchsafed not to admit him to haue place in the Church VVherefore he might haue bin so greeued at suche vnkindnesse as it might haue made him to haue giuen ouer all if he had had his minde tyed here bylowe Howbeeit forasmuch as he had giuen himselfe wholly too Gods seruice and was fully determined too holde out to the ende although men cunned him no thanke for his labour therefore hee turned not aside from his right way And such examples ought too incourage vs at this day when wee see there are so fewe
Christ be set afore vs and till wee haue cast our looke vpon him so as all our senses be settled vppon him and as it were shet vp there Yee see then that the fayth whereby wee obtayne grace is that after we once know our selues to be wretched creatures and that there is nothing but loth somnesse in vs wee seeke the remedie of it in our Lord Iesus Christ and vnderstand that he was offered vp for vs to redeeme vs from the curse wherein we were plundged that he hath made vs cleane by his bloud that by his obedience he hath put away all our offences and that for the same we bee assured that God accepteth and receiueth vs for his children Thus ye see how this text is to be vnderstoode And whereas S. Paule sayeth that he himselfe and all the Iewes that were conuerted vnto Christianitie did looke too bee saued by the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ he addeth also the reason why namely bycause no flesh shall be iustified by the works of the Lawe He had well vsed that woord if he had applied it but to his owne countrymen but heere he speaketh of all men in generall And whereas he sayeth no fleshe at all first he betokeneth that the Iewes differ nothing at all from the Gentyles in the meane of obtayning saluation VVherfore although the Iewes beyng circumcyzed were taken as it were for Gods heritage and sanctified vnto him yet not withstāding they could not haue any hope of saluatiō but by his mere grace Lo how they be matched with the Gentyles and raunged in like degree with them Again S. Paule ment heere to deface vtterly all the ouer weening that men conceyue of their own vertues There are many which know they haue ouershot thēselues so farre that they cannot chalendge any glorie too them as though they had deserued aught at Gods hand VVretched drunkardes vnthriftes and such as haue giuen themselues ouer to all naughtinesse will be ashamed to auaunce themselues and too brag that they can bind God by their deserts and well doings for euen before mē they be fayne too hide themselues bicause of their leudnesse But as for those that haue some cloke of hipocrisie and shew some signe of holinesse before men they by by become drunken with it so harden themselues that they beleeue they deserue Paradyse and that God is greatly bound vnto them Of which sute are these Popeholy ones who although they be ful of al filthinesse so as there is nothing in them but ambition couetousnesse crueltie and suche other like things yet how soeuer the world go for asmuch as they haue good store of their Churchstuffe other counterfettings they beare thēselues in hand that God seeth not a whit intoo their leudnesse but perswade themselues that God ought to accept them for their owne merites sakes Also such as heare Masse deuoutly such as rūne from the Tauerne or from the Alehouse to the Chappell specially such as buy pardons and such other like stuffe and such as keepe fasting-dayes and holydayes wil be puffed vp with such an ouer weening as to thinke they haue bound God vnto them But S. Paule in naming all flesh sheweth that men must not shole out themselues asunder as though one were righteous though another were not so but must all stoupe and humble themselues and passe condemnation assuring themselues that all their vertues yea euē of the excellentest men of all are but filthinesse before God For although a man bee perfectly rightuous to our opinion so as he doth noman harme but hath stedfastnesse in himself to withstand all vices and is chaste and sobre and to be short is taken and esteemed to be as an Angell yet not withstanding he hath nothing in him but corruption And how can that bee Bycause wee may not reste vppon the outward apparance for as the Prouerbe sayeth all is not golde that glistereth It is not for vs to iudge what is vice and what is vertue except wee could enter into a man For if a man yeeld not vnto God that which belongeth vnto him what is to be sayd of it He robbeth not men but he robbeth God of his honour Agayne though men giue him neuer so great prayse clap their hāds at him yet shall he but burst for vaynglorie and pride and nothing shal be able too frame him too humilitie saue the knowing of our Lord Iesus Christ So then they which make a goodly outward show in their life shall neuerthelesse be still condēned before God This is the thing whereby S. Paule intēded to forestall all the vaine trust that men can cōceyue or nurrish cōcerning their own deseruings But there is yet more For he speaketh not only of such men as were after a fort forsaken of God and were not renewed by his holy spirit but when he sayeth All flesh ▪ he cōprehendeth the faithfull also For although Gods holy spirit dwell in vs after he haue drawen vs to the knowledge of his Gospell and greffed vs into the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ although say I that Gods spirit dwell in vs yet are we al comprehended vnder the woorde Flesh in respect of that which we haue of our owne S. Paule then giueth sentence heere that no flesh shall bee iustified bycause the faythlesse are condemned in Adam and abide in their condemnation and the faithfull are alwayes vnperfect so as they haue many vices and blemishes by meanes whereof they bee condemned as well as the other and so this condēnation is generall That he which will bee iustified by the woorkes of the lawe shall alwayes be found giltie yea euen the holiest men that euer were Let vs take Abraham who was a mirrour of all perfection let vs take Dauid who excelled in all vertue Let vs take Noë Iob and Daniell who are reckened vp for three rightuous men by the Prophete Ezechiell and let vs take such other like and yet neuerthelesse euen they also are raunged in the same aray that is too wit that they could not obtayne rightuousnesse before God but by Grace Nowe then I pray you what shall wee doo muste not the Diuell needes driue them headlong intoo terrible pryde which at this day doo stay still that they may bee iustified by their owne desertes or meritorious woorkes as they terme them For who is hee that can matche eyther Dauid Noë Abraham or Daniell Had not men neede too haue profited well in Gods schoole and to bee inflamed with a true zele of giuing themselues wholly vntoo him that they may bee vtterly conuicted that they bee yet very farre of from beyng come to the poynt whiche wee see Dauid Noe and Daniell too haue bin at ◠For asmuch then as wee knowe this lette vs marke that heere the holy Ghoste beateth downe suche as mount vp too highe too the ende wee should bee the more ashamed that wee haue not one drop of deserte of glorie and seeke all that pertayneth
the wretchednesse that was in the Iewes to the intent they shoulde returne vnto him and confesse that they had not any thing in them worthie of Gods fauour nor any other refuge than vnto his mere mercie Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to consider for the solution of the question and doubt which Saint Paule putteth forth heere Likewise in these dayes if a man speake of the Gospell too such as thinke they serue God and hope to winne heauen by their owne desertes they be greeued at it bicause that that gate is shet agaynst them by the presumptuousnesse which they haue conceyued afore hande saying VVhat I pray Shall I haue lost my time when I haue bin so deuout all my life long As for the man that shall haue heard a Masse or twaine or mumbled vp a sort of prayers or gone on pilgrimage or lashed out his money and substance without sparing vpon pardons indulgences and such other things if one tell him that wee bee all wretched and that there is none other thing for vs too leane vnto but the mere grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that all that euer we are able to bring vnto God is but filthie and lothly he will storme and replie Is it possible that God should haue no regarde of so greate paynes as I take to serue him Muste not all of it passe in myne accounte and bee allowed mee too my saluation They woulde faine accuze God yea and wee shall see many that will not sticke to rayle vpon him with open mouth bycause they bee lothe to lose that which they haue done Although the Hypocrites perceyue much lewdnesse in themselues yet woulde they fayne hyde all vnder theyr cowles For they breake out after this maner One sayes I haue gone woolwarde another I haue risen at midnight to serue God the thirde I haue forborne the eating of fleshe and another I haue bin shette vp in a Cloyster as in a pryson and finally I haue bin dead to the worldwarde and shall all this be vnprofitable too mee so as God will haue no regarde of it Such murmurings as these we shall heare dayly But let vs see if they can make their cace the better for all their replying For when they haue wel examined what is in them they shall finde that all their doings are but as a paynting to ouercast things withall like as a man that in-intendeth not too repayre his house leaueth the holes vnmended within and doth but dawb them ouer on the outside too the ende they be not seene and afterwarde whytelymes them so that finally it is nothing else but a pargetting or whitelyming according also as our Lorde Iesus Christ vseth the same similitude agaynst the hypocrites that did no more but blaunche things Howbeeit in the meane while God regardeth not the outwarde appearance as it is sayde in the first of Samuell but searcheth mens heartes and the truth and layeth open the things that were hidden afore according also as it is sayd in Ieremie Sith it is so then all such as alledge or set foorth their owne deuotions may peraduenture haue some fayre shew before men but surely before God all is but leasing And assoone as God doth but blowe vppon their painting and starche it shall scale off lyke the painting of harlots that take great paine too starch their faces and yet the Sunne doth no sooner shine vppon them but a man shall see the filthie scales fal off and their foulnesse is discouered to their shame In like taking are all hypocrites when they will needes colour things after that maner before God their shamefull leudnesse must needes bee brought too light VVherefore let vs marke that our Lorde Iesus Chryste in condemning the whole worlde by shewing that none can bee saued but by the free goodnesse of God his father the which hee offereth and imparteth vntoo vs bringeth not sinne for wee haue that alreadie in vs but vttereth and bewrayeth it too the ende wee should bee conuicted of it and all the pryde wherewith wee were made drunken afore be layde downe and nothing remayne in vs but lowlynesse too confesse vnfeynedly that wee bee vndoone and that there is none other shifte for vs but that God vtter the infinite treasures of hys mercy vpon vs. Yee see then that all mouthes shall bee stopped and men must not beguile themselues any more by surmyzing to find any rightuousnesse in themselues And furthermore S. Paule vseth heere a dubble answere too shew that it is nothing so Howbeit before he answer he setteth downe a precyze woord saying God forbid As if he should say it is an horrible blasphemie too intend to lay the blame of our sinnes vpon our Lord Iesus Christ Eor sayth he if I pull downe the thing that I haue buylded vp there shal be contrarietie in mee And in speaking so he bringeth vs backe to the common doctrine of the Gospell For our preaching of the end wherevnto God hath sent his onely sonne is too shew that he hath brought vs rightuousnesse and is come too put away sinne which holds vs as it were vnder Tyrannie till wee bee deliuered and set free from it by the grace whiche was purchaced for vs in the death and passion of the Sonne of God Now then seing it is so wee see that our Lord Iesus Christ is not the bringer in of sinne but is come too destroy sinne as S. Iohn sayeth in his Canonicall Epistle and we also do see it to bee so For what else dothe the Gospell teach vs but that wee bee full of all wickednesse and must bee fayne to bee made cleane by him that is made the Lambe without spot and also that he hath brought vs the spirit of holinesse For asmuch then as mē so long as they be cut off frō Christ haue nothing in thē but cursednesse so as they be vtterly rottē saped in their sins that Iesus Christ is the partie that maketh thē pure and cleane by the sheading of his bloud to wash thē withall and by bringing vs the spirit of regeneration to renue vs with that we might giue our selues too the seruing of God haue his Image repayred in vs and walke in truth and vprightnesse forasmuch say I as it is sayde so we see that our Lorde Iesus Christ is not the bringer in of sinne And why so For let vs consider what we bee and wee shall finde that there is a gulfe of all maner of wickednesse in euery one of vs and in all mankinde But our Lorde Iesus Christ commeth to remedie it Ye see then that the sinne was in vs before but our Lorde Iesus Christ is faine to vncouer it VVhat harme doth a Phisition by letting bloud Beholde a wretched man hath a disease that is not perceyued his bloud is altogither corrupted and yet it is not seene to be so as long as it lieth within the veynes But be he once let bloud it will appeare
the washing of them away which was done by the deathe and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Yee see then that our righteousnesse is that God accepteth vs howebeit not in respecte of our owne worthynesse but in respect of the obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby all our misdooings are wyped out That is the first benefite which wee haue by our Lorde Iesus Christe The seconde is that whereas wee bee frowarde of our owne nature and al that the Papists terme by the name of freewill is but frenzie and that howe great accompte so euer men make of them selues all is but naughtinesse and wee bee full of vyce and corruption in steade of beeing so our Lorde Iesus Christ giueth vs the grace to be sory for our sinnes to labour to do good for so long as we abide in our owne nature euery of vs sootheth and flattereth him selfe in his euill But when we haue once tasted the inestimable loue of our God and perceyued what our Lorde Iesus Christ is then we be so touched by his holy spirite that wee condemne the euill and desire to drawe neere vnto God and too frame our selues to his holy will VVee be sure of that once and although wee go halting yet doo wee continually sigh to see our owne imperfections and infirmities and perceyue full well how it is the spirite of God that moueth vs thervnto when our chiefe desire is to forsake the sinfulnesse that is in vs and commeth of our fleshe so as we wishe nothing else but that God should be glorified in all our lyfe and faythfully obeyed in all things That is the seconde benefite which our Lord Iesus Christ bringeth vs and they be two things knit togither by vnseparable bande so that like as the light of the sunne can not be separated from his heate so these two graces that is to wit our righteousnesse and the remission of our sinnes are vnseparably matched with our renewment which is done by the spirit of sanctification Thus ye see two graces inseparable and like as when we say that the Sunne is whot it ceasseth not to shine also yet notwithstanding the light of the sunne is not heate so when we say that wee be iustified by the remission of our sinnes it is not ment that our Lord Iesus Christ doth thēcefoorth suffer him selfe too bee mocked and despised but that wee haue neede to be throughly clensed so as wee may learne too renounce the world and our selues too the ende to sticke vnto him with true obedience Howsoeuer the worlde go the thing that S. Paule speaketh in this text shall alwayes be founde true namely that he was crucified with Iesus Christ to liue vnto God Then if any man accuse the Gospell that it giueth libertie to doo euill and too sinne wee may alwayes answere howe so By the lawe wee bee alwayes dead for there wee see our owne cursednesse whiche will leaue vs dismayde in dispayre But in the Gospell although wee bee crucified that is too saye althoughe there bee a spice of death in the Gospell yet is that death a quickening deathe and the cause of lyfe For so long as men lyue too them selues they bee dead vnto God they bee wretched carkasses full of rottennesse But when they dye in them selues they lyue vntoo God And for that cause Sainct Paule in the twelfth too the Romanes calleth vs lyuing sacrifices where hee telleth vs that wee muste bee transformed and vtterly gyue ouer our owne reason and our owne wyll too yeelde God suche seruice as is meete for him too haue He saythe Offer vp your selues as lyuing sacrifices So then in the Lawe there muste needes bee a deadly deathe a deathe that leaueth vs vtterly ouerwhelmed and sunken euen downe intoo hell But in the Gospell there is a quickening deathe And why For wee bee crucified wyth Iesus Christ too lyue vnto God that is too saye our olde man as Sainct Paule termeth it in the sixth too the Romanes and that whiche wee haue of our owne nature is doone awaye howebeeit not at the first daye but by little and little But howe soeuer the cace stande wee shall perceyue that our Lorde Iesus Christe mortifieth all that was in vs of our owne or of the worlde so as wee bee not so greatly giuen too nestle heere bylowe bycause wee see it is a myserable state too lyue heere and oure very care is too stycke vntoo God Thus yee see howe wee may bee crucified with our Lorde Iesus Chryste But what is mente by that crucifying Verily it is a certayne kynde of deathe Howebeeit that deathe bryngeth vs too lyfe whiche thing the death whiche the Lawe bringeth dooth not Nowe then wee see the very intente of Sainct Paule and the naturall meanyng of this texte Therefore nowe a dayes when the enimies of the truthe blaspheme the Gospell we haue heere an answere to stoppe their mouthes And if they holde on still let them barke lyke dogges but they shall not bee able too byte doo what they can See heere what the Papistes flushe foorth when wee preache that men are iustified throughe Gods free goodnesse O say they are they so That were the nexte waye to giue euery man the brydle too lyue after his owne lyking and too cause that there mighte be no more remorse nor scruple of conscience so as euery man myghte haue leaue too doo what he lysted That is the common blasphemie of the Papistes Agayne when wee shewe them that they can not bynde vs by their traditions and that it is but a tyrannie whiche they haue vsurped in robbing God of his righte and that the libertie was purchased for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ to the ende that wee shoulde not bee tyde too the things whiche men woulde lay vpon vs of lawe and necessitie in matters concerning the spirituall gouernment of our soules O saye they see what cōmes of it their desire is nothing else but too wallowe in all pleasure and too leade a loose lyfe Surely wee maye easily answere too all this For the doctrine that wee bring serueth not to stirre vp mens lustes nor to giue them too greate and lawlesse a libertie but too the cleane contrarie But howsoeuer the cace stande it oughte too suffice vs that if wee shoulde abyde in the quamyre of the Papistes surely there woulde bee nothyng but deathe for vs. For were they not too faste asleepe and vtterly dulled vndoubtedly they shoulde bee tossed wyth suche vnquietnesse and hartebytings as they should needes see that that is not the thing wherevpon wee muste reste But beholde they bee so rotted in their ignoraunce that they haue not anye feelyng of Gods iustice at all But as for oure partes for as muche as wee knowe wee haue suche a freedome purchased vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ and are sure of our saluation bicause God dothe freely forgiue all our faultes and doo feele alreadie by the working of Gods holy spirite that he
should seeke it in him yea euen al wholy and not by peeces Thus then ye see why S. Paule reasoneth that for asmuch as we haue receiued Gods spirit by meanes of the Gospell it behoueth vs to hold vs therevnto and not go to the Ceremonies of the law nor to any other thyng one or other but be contented with that perfection seing it is gyuen vs and we may enioy it without geinsaying For although thys matter was written to the Galathians yet is it common to vs also at this day as well as to them Let vs marke I say how our Lorde Iesus Christ wrought in vs. And first of all let vs practise that which is shewed vs in the second to the Corinthians whiche is that it behoueth vs to be wholly new fashioned againe and to haue Goddes spirit dwelling in vs. So then the true marke whereby we may discerne whither we bee Gods children or no is Gods spirit But bring we that spirit with vs from our mothers womb Alas no. Nother commeth it any whit the more by our owne deseruings as I haue told you already but bycause it pleaseth God of his graciouse goodnesse to giue vs it thereby to draw vs to him If we haue any desire or willingnesse to walke in the feare of our God or if wee would fayne be able to call vpon him with a pure conscience it is a token that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs. VVe neede not to seeke any other witnesse nor to make any longer scanning of the matter But nowe haue wee gotten and obteyned this spirit by our owne merites No surely Then must we needes conclude that seeyng wee haue it of gyft it was gyuen vs by meanes of the Gospell For in the Gospell God vttereth hys myghtye power and working too the saluation of men as it is sayde in the firste too the Romanes Now if the Gospell bee the instrumente whereby we receyue Goddes spirite shall we go seeke other meanes VVere not that a renouncing of the power whyche is apparantly knowen too vs It is all one as if we would wilfully leaue the way that is shewed vs of our God too seeke bywayes after our owne fancie And if the Galathians were without excuce for theyr turning away from the Gospell too the lawe what shall wee bee in these dayes if wee will needes bee wrapped in the superstitions that men haue forged in their owne shoppes As for example the Papistes thinke too bee iustified not by the Ceremonies that God had commaunded in olde time but by the dotages and gewgawes that they them selues haue deuised For as for the thing whiche they doo nowe a dayes terme Gods seruice what else is it than a certayne hotchpotche whereinto euery man hath cast his owne peece and collop Seeing then that the caâ—e standeth so it is not a despising of God and a withdrawing of our selues from him by reiecting of his grace too the ende he shoulde not haue any accesse at all vnto vs when wee will needes mingle mens inuentions with the purenesse of the Gospell Must we not needes be worse than mad in so dooing Then let vs know at one worde that wee can not bee Christians but the holy Ghost muste holde vs in such humilitie as to make vs confesse that al our welfare commeth of Gods meere grace and so cleaue to our Lorde Iesus Christ as wee not onely take him for a peece or portion of our trust but bee fully satisfied with him as hauing drawne of his fulnesse assuring our selues that he is the full perfection not only of all wisedome but also of all righteousnesse and happinesse that in him lieth and consisteth all our welfare which welfare wee possesse when wee haue the Gospell and the preaching of faythe and when wee be cast downe in our selues and vtterly bereft of all presumpteousnesse which keepeth vs backe from comming vnto God Furthermore let vs be so rauished seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath so bountifully giuen vs all that was requisite for our saluation I say let vs bee so rauished with it as all things else that can be layde before vs may be but as smoke too vs and we vtterly despise and abhorre them too shewe how well we haue profited in the Gospell and therewithall bee so constant and stedfast in our selues as neuer to bee thrust out of the way whatsoeuer the diuell whisper in oure care And moreouer for as muche as wee bee so weake grosse and heauie that although God doo daily prouoke euery of vs to come vnto him wee come but as it were halting and creeping let vs inforce our selues more and more to beseech God too strengthen vs with his holy spirite and too make vs profite more and more in the knowledge of his Gospell And let vs not doo as those doo which imagine them selues too bee come to full perfection at the first day â–ª but let vs labour to go forwarde more and more in the hope of the heauenly life to gather such streÌ„gth as our fayth may grow from day to day till we come to the blessed stop wherof S. Paul speaketh in the fourth to the Ephesians which iâ— that we cleaue fully to our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them more and more as the same may cause vs bothe too mislike them and also too aske forgiuenesse of them at his hande that by that meanes he may bee glorified by vs and wee so confirmed by his holy spirite as we may not doubt but that he dwelleth in vs and that as he hath once adopted vs for his children so he will holde vs still for the same And so let vs all saye Almightie God heauenly father c. The .xvj. Sermon which is the second vpon the third Chapter 3 Are yee so vnvvise that vvhen yee haue begonne by the spirite novv yee ende in the flesh 4 Haue yee suffered so muche in vayne At leastvvise if it bee in vayne 5 He therfore that giueth you the spirite and vvorketh mightily in you doth he it by the vvorks of the lavv or by the preaching of the fayth WEe know that all the doctrine of the Gospell tendeth to draw vs out of this worlde and to make vs come vnto God But that is impossible vnlesse wee bee lifted vp continually more and more Therfore if wee intende too profite in Gods schoole wee muste so labour to correct the infirmities that are in our nature as if wee were alwayes at the poynt too bee taken out of the world True it is that God of his goodnesse stoopeth downe vnto vs but that is not too holde vs heere beneath Likewise when he sendeth vs mortall men too bee as his messangers and exhorteth vs to come vnto him by such meanes as are fittest for vs and therto giueth vs his Sacraments which are earthly and visible signes therein wee see
howe he voutsafeth right well as yee would say too make him selfe lowe too the ende wee shoulde not haue any excuse to say wee were not able to mount vp to suche a heighth But howe soeuer the cace stande if wee looke well vpon the Gospell wee shall finde that the marke whereat it ameth is to bereeue vs of our selues and of all that belongeth too our flesh to the ende wee should come vnto him But on the contrarie side men abuse the fauour that God sheweth them in setting suche visible signes afore them by bearing them selues in hande that the whole perfection of their holynesse is to bee founde there and that that is the thing whervnto they must hold them And the same is not a vyce of two dayes or yesterdays breeding but it hath reigned from the beginning of the world and continueth yet still and which worse is men thinke it not inough to ouerthrow the thing that God had set vp to draw them vnto him but they doo also forge and frame many hinderances to keepe thēselues aloofe from him This would be darke if it were not declared by example God had in his lawe ordeyned Sacrifices shadowes and figures for a time yet did he it not for any pleasure that he had in those bare things but by reason of the rudenesse of the people who were as then like little children whom he ment to trayne still forwarde too a spirituall seruice by meanes agreeable too their rawnesse That is the cause why the Ceremonies of the Lawe are saide to be as it were fleshly For why God intended too teache his people grosly too come thither as they ought to doo But howe soeuer they fared the patterne that was shewed vnto Moyses in the mount was heauenly Then were there two things in all the Ceremonies of the Lawe For when men washed them selues at their entring into the Temple when they offered the Sacrifices when they vsed lightes and perfumes and when the Priest clothed him selfe with his speciall apparell all those things as in respecte of the outwarde shewe might well bee called fleshly and temporall but as in respecte of their ende they were spirituall But what did the Iewes They gazed vpon the figures without considering wherfore God had ordeyned them and bare them selues in hand that they had very well discharged their duetie in comming to Churche and in dooing the things that were commaunded them outwardly But truely they disguised God after their owne fancie as he himselfe mocketh them for it by his Prophets saying that he dwelleth not in houses made with mens hands and that the very heauen is not able too comprehende his maiestie which is infinite Furthermore the Papists at this day thinking it not inough to abuse the things that are conteyned in Gods lawe haue so put too peece after peece as there is none end at al of their follie and yet notwithstanding they intitle them to bee the seruice of God But whatsoeuer they saye they bee nothing else than ingling trickes and masking toyes But nowe let vs come to that which is spoken heere S. Paule compareth the spirite with the fleshe VVhat meaneth he by the spirite All the doctrine which God setteth foorth too vs in his Gospell For there is a spirituall guyding so as wee bee no more hilde vnder the olde shadowes as the Iewes were Yee see then that God in these dayes reuealeth him selfe fully vnto vs and hauing beaten downe and disanulled all the shadowes of the Lawe sheweth vs that he will haue vs to come right foorth vnto him and not haue any thing remayne to hold vs backe heere beneath any more Vnder the lawe onely the Priest preaced neere vnto God and all the people kepte them selues a farre off But wee haue our Lorde Iesus Christ who is our Priest by whome the waye is opened vs in his bloud to make vs to come vnto God his father as the Apostle speaketh of him in the Epistle to the Hebrues Then if wee receiue the Gospell as it becommeth vs God will deale with vs after such sorte as if wee were meete to come neere vnto him and will leaue all the things whiche he had ordeyned in olde time for suche as were more rude and grosse Thus yee see why S. Paule vpbraydeth the Galathians with their beginning in the spirite that is too say for that they had had the doctrine of the Gospell whiche had shewed them the things that had bin hidden from the Iewes or at leastwise had bin shewed them but aloofe vnder darke shadowes Therevpon he vpbraydeth them that they intended too ende in the fleshe that is too say with these lower things And it is all one as if he had sayde God hath beene so gracious too you as to haue taught you his will out of hande and you will needes be hilde still in your Apsie and in your first principles He hathe giuen you a highe and perfect knowledge whereby yee haue perceyued the inestimable loue which he beareth you in our Lorde Iesus Christ and will you nowe returne agayne too your Apsie and forget the things that haue bin taught you VVere not that a peruerting of all order and a putting away of the grace that he had offered you But we know that naturally when men intend to learne any thing they begin at the smallest poynts and afterwarde in all crafts and all trades proceede by little and little through experience For if a man should teache a childe highe sciences without teaching him first his Apsie and to write and reade and afterwarde his grammer to guide him foorthe by degrees what a thing were it Agayne when a childe is well forwarde and come to mans age if he should bee set backe agayne too his Apsie after he hathe well profited it would bee a playne mockerie In like wyse is it with handicraftes For it is well knowen that he which commeth newly into a shop shall not bee of skill too vnderstand as much at the first day as he shall bee at the ende of a yeere or twayne but first he must bee taught his principles and afterwarde growe more and more in cunning But if that he which hath learned his crafte doo at the foure yeares ende turne backe ageine too that which he ought too haue knowen the first day in so dooyng he shall shewe himselfe to bee a beast and that he hath lost his tyme. But nowe let vs apply this lesson too our selues Truely for as muche as we bee heauie and earthy wee had neede to haue the things chawed vnto vs which wee bee not able too digest yet notwithstanding God is so gracious and charie too vs as too teache vs spiritually that is too say after a higher and excellenter maner than he taught the fathers vnder the Lawe VVe see that Abraham had not this priuiledge and yet neuerthelesse he is the father of the faythfull and it behoueth vs to be fashioned like vnto him as we shall see a
whereoutof God hath deliuered me once twice or thrice before and that if God haue pitied me in some affliction to day so as I haue felt his fauor he afflicteth me to morrow with some other affliction what were my life if I rested vpon the worlde So then the Prophet mēt to declare that although the faithful be miserable and do but pyne away in this worlde yet notwithstanding they be blessed of God euen in this worlde and all the miserie which they indure here shall turne to their welfare for why they rest themselues vpon their God VVherfore we must vnderstand that there is a better heritage than this and that we seeke the true and euerlasting happines so as we may haue a stedfast continuance of our state But the woorde Rightuousnesse ought also to be well marked For if Abacucke had sayde the wretched sinners shall liue by fayth it would haue seemed that hee had spoken but to a fewe folke For it wil well ynough bee graunted that wretched sinners shoulde flee for refuge vnto God but as for those that excell in vertue ought they not to be exempted from the common aray and to be exalted too a higher degree at Gods hande and finally too bee iustified by prerogatiue Accordingly as we see nowadayes that although there bee nothing but al maner of filth in the Popish Ceremonies and Clergie as they tearme it so as they ought to be abhorred both of God and man yet notwithstanding vnder colour of their Coules and all other their trumperie they ceasse not to chalenge God too bee greatly in their det And besides this when these dotardes haue made muche babling and trotted and scudded vp and downe from altar too altar and from Chappell to Chappell and gadded on pilgrimage to their seeming God ought not to forget any of these doings but all of it ought to passe for good payment in their account besides an hundred thousande other Items which they haue too set downe before him And that is the cause why our Lorde Iesus Christ sayth that the wretched loce liuers yea euen the verie whooremongers shall much sooner come too the kingdome of heauen than 〈◊〉 any of all these foule toades that are so puffed vp with the vaine trust of their own deserts that although their whole life be wicked and they thēselues are full of all lothsomnesse yet they will nedes bind God vnto thē vnder the shadow of their hypocisie Now to the entēt to cut off all occasion of such imaginations the Prophet saith purposely that the rightuous shall liue by faith At the first sight there should seeme to be some contrarietie in these two sayings How so Must we to the intēt to be rightuous liue by faith yea for if we liue not by faith we be not rightuous For what is the rightuousnesse of the Gospell It is Gods free giuing vs a cōuenient remedie whereby to come vnto him and to be in his fauor through our Lord Iesus Christ bicause we cannot obteyne rightuousnesse by the law Therfore whosoeuer liueth by fayth is out of doubt not rightuous of himselfe But the Prophet saith that those notwithstanding are rightuous which are saued by Gods only and free mercie Therfore it is as much as if he had sayd that although God giue vs the grace to imploy our selues to his seruice and haue by his holy spirit imprinted in our harts the true feare and honor which we owe vnto him so as we fight against the lusts of our flesh to the vttermost of our power striue against the sin that is in vs and in our nature yet must we shet our eies at all the things which wee woulde fayne find in our selues too please God with and rest wholy vpon our Lord Iesus Christ If the rightuous must be faine to be iustified by fayth who shall bee iustified by his owne deseruings None will take vpon them but Diuels wicked wightes and enimies of God Ye see then that the Papistes euen at this day coulde not deuize to shewe betten that they intende not to be rightuous than by theyr stryuing for the rightuousnesse of their owne woorkes and desertes as they doo For it is an vtter fighting euen with a spyte agaynst God and nature You Papists say you seeke too bee rightuous and howe euen by your selues and by your owne workes and deseruings VVell let vs consider what the Prophete sayth he sayth not that the rightuous shall liue by their workes but that they shall bee saued by the onely grace of God Now if the righteous giue ouer all selfe trust of their owne merites as of force they must needes do it is certaine that such as thinke to make God indetted vnto thē by bringing any vertue of their own vnto him do wipē raze thēselues quite cleane out of the register of rightuousnesse Thus ye see that the Papists so long as they dwell in theyr errour are reiected of God according to the sentence which hee gyueth vpon them heere by his Prophete And vndoubtedly when as Saint Paule alledgeth this saying of Dauid Happie is he to whome God imputeth not his sinnes hee sheweth well therby that those men are most righteous which do most condemne themselues and are most striken downe yea and are vtterly out of all hope of themselues till God haue succoured them by his goodnesse Now when Dauid cryed out happie is the man to whom God imputeth not his sinnes he was not a naughtipacke nor an vnthrifte nor a dispiser of God that had neuer tasted what it was too enter into his owne conscience and too ransacke his sinnes too the quicke but contrariwise God had chosen him and annoynted him by Samuell he was an excellent Prophete his reigne was a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ and finally God wrought so in him that he was as an Angell dwelling among men And yet for all this he confesseth and acknowledgeth his sinnes and in confessing of thē doth sorrow and mourne and is in such vnquietnesse as if hee were tormented vpon a racke or torture till God was so gracious to him as to make him taste of his goodnesse and he knewe no ease till God had receyued him to mercie Then if God vouchsafe too forbeare the examining of our workes that is all our happinesse the onely way for vs to become happie is to haue our sinnes couered and too be in Gods fauour howbeeit not in respect of aught that is in our selues but by his turning away of his countenance frō vs damned wretches so as he consider vs not as of our selues but accept vs for his onely sonnes sake accordingly as wee see howe Dauid speaketh of it in another text saying Lorde enter not intoo iudgement with thy seruant for I knowe that no man liuing shall bee found righteous in thy sight VVherefore let vs marke well that according as eche man shall haue profited in the feare of God so also will he be the more
wee knowe that the greatest number perisheth in their sinnes bycause they refuse the remedie that is offered them in the Gospell And why then doth Sainct Paule speake of all It is asmuch as if hee should saye there is none other help for vs but only Gods looking vppon vs with pitie of his owne meere goodnesse that pardoning our offences and receiuing vs into his fauour he take vs for his children too bring vs to the heritage of the kingdome of heauen VVe see then that Sainct Paule did not without cause say that God will haue mercy vpon all not that euery man is comprehended vnder that word all but to exclude and put away all selfrightuousnesse of man Moreouer we see how the meane is expressed heere namely that wee must obteyne the promis by fayth according as Sainct Iohn sayth that God so loued the world that hee spared not his onely sonne to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting VVill wee then enter into the treasure that is shewed to vs heere Faith must be as a keye to open vs the dore For God calleth vs to it but it is not ynough for vs too be called only it behoueth vs to answer according to this saying you are my people yea Lord and thou art our God VVhen hee sayth you are my children let vs answer Lord we come to thee as to our father But surely we cannot answer so of our owne proper motion it must be giuen vs of the holy Ghost Howbeit the question is not heere whither fayth come of mens selues or no. Sainct Paule doth no more but declare that to be quit before God and to be drawen out of the dungeon of cursednesse wherein wee are all of vs plunged we must not bring any thing of our owne as though we would go about to bind God and that it were meete for vs too imagine any desert of our owne but come too craue hys fauoure which is offered vs freely without any duetie to vsward and settle our trust there so as we hope not for any welfare otherwise than bycause God sheweth himselfe mercifull towards vs. I haue declared already wherefore this serueth Surely men would alwayes fayne cloke themselues with some presumptuousnesse as wee see that Adam dyd who though hys owne sinne vpbrayded him so as he was afrayde of Gods maiestie did neuerthelesse seeke fig-leaues to couer himselfe withall At the same poynt are we Howbeit it is but a beguiling of ourselues too come before God lyke whytelimed walles and to thinke to be accepted at his hand for he hath an eye to the soundnesse of the hart which is not to be found in any man For so long as he letteth vs alone in our owne kinde wee bee naughtworth how fayre a show soeuer wee make too the worldward Againe when he hath reformed vs and giuen vs a good desire too walke in his feare whiche thyng all the faithfull must needes haue it doth not follow therefore that our affection is full and perfect no it commeth farre short of it And yet that which we haue we hold of his meere grace So haue we not any thing to glory of or to rest vpon howsoeuer the world go wee cannot ground ourselues vpon our owne deseruings True it is that the faythfull must seeke to gyue themselues wholly vnto God for wee cannot bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ except wee be sanctifyed by hys holy spirite as wee shall see in tyme and place hereafter And our Lorde Iesus Christ cannot be deuided nor cut in peeces as infinite as he is Although our sinnes bee forgiuen vs by hys death and passion and washed away and clenzed by hys bloud and that the same washing be gyuen vs to fashion agayne the image of God hys father in vs so that we must bee made new creatures in hym yet notwithstanding howsoeuer we fare it is not for vs too preace boldly before God as though we were worthy to be receyued or as though wee brought him any thing wherewith to binde him For if we presume to alleadge one thing or other to him first and formost all that we haue commeth of him Agayne on the otherside we be conuicted of a hundred thousand faultes and when we go about any good worke we shall no sooner haue done it but it shall be infected with some spot or other so that if it bee tried rigorously it shall always be subiect to condemnation Then must we needes keepe our mouthes shut so that if wee will haue God fauorable and mercifull to vs we must bring nothing with vs but onely fayth no but only fayth Neuerthelesse it is not meant that euery man shoulde take the bridle in his necke too do euill as I haue declared already heeretofore it is not meant that wee shoulde bee voyde of Goddes spirite nor that wee shoulde welter in all wickednesse no but heere the cace concerneth onely oure trust wherevppon wee may ground ourselues too call GOD our father that we may be sure of the eternall heritage If we go to our owne works as hath bin declared afore there will be no certeintie at all For why it is not a worke or twayne or three that is required but a perfect obedience which was neuer yet found in any mortall creature Truly if the Angells should come to account before God they could not answer to that perfection of rightuousnesse much lesse were it possible that we which are but wormes and which sucke vp sin as a fish doth water as Iob sayth should be so sound that God should receiue vs for our worthinesse To bee short wee must quite and cleane giue ouer the trust of our owne works and acknowledge that there is nothing but condemnation in vs if we mind to haue the promis performed towards vs. Thus ye see in effect what Sainct Paule meant too declare in thys text And now he addeth immediatly that before faith came we were kepte vnder the law and as it were shet vp till the faith was reueled Heere the words Lawe and Faith would be somewhat darksome if they were not opened more at large For sometimes when the scripture speaketh of fayth it meeneth all religion and comprehendeth all the instructions that are giuen vs in Gods booke Sometimes it meeneth the certeintie of beleefe which we ought too haue when wee come to pray vnto God bycause wee may not step to him at al aduenture but accept the grace that he offereth vs. Then in asmuche as Gods promises depēdeth not vpon our deserts but is altogither freely and frankly giuen vnto vs and we are made partakers by our Lorde Iesus Christ if we imbrace the same our so doing is called fayth and so hath Sainct Paule taken it hitherto and likewise in his Epistle to the Romanes and in all other places where he discourseth or treateth how we may be iustifyed before God or how we may come in his fauour for
sayd perfection without swaruing asyde at any time And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 30. Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the fourth Chapter 26 But the Ierusalem vvhiche is from aboue is free vvhich is the mother of vs all 27 For it is vvritten be glad thou barrein vvhich bearest no children breake forth and crie thou that trauellest not for the desolate hath many mo children than she that hath a husband 28 And vve my brethren vve be children of promise after the maner of Isaac 29 But like as then hee that vvas borne after the flesh persecuted him that vvas borne after the spirit euen so is it novv 30 Neuerthelesse vvhat sayth the scripture Cast out the bondvvoman and hir sonne for the sonne of the bondwoman shal not be heire with the sonne of the free vvoman 31 So then brethren vve be not children of the bondvvoman but of the free vvoman WE haue seene this morning that many do boast themselues to be faithfull pretending falsly to be Gods childrē are so taken to the worldwarde who notwithstanding are but bastards and God disclaymeth them bicause they haue corrupted the good seede whiche is the pure doctrine wherby we be begotten new again to be made partakers of the free adoption wherto God calleth vs. Thē all that we haue to do is not to be counted too bee of the Church except we be of the pure sound seed that is to say except we follow Gods worde without any corruption or mingling And for this cause doth S. Paule bring vs backe too the heauenly Ierusalem that we might know who is our mother Truly to speake properly such as peruert the naturall sense of the scripture are not the children of God and all their crying and calling vpon him as their father is but starke lying and hypocrisie Howbeit forasmuch as they be taken to be of that degree S. Paule discerneth them out by their mother too the end we might know which are Gods true and lawfull children and allowed of him For the 〈◊〉 of the Church is oftentimes pretended at al aduenture and in these dayes the Papists make a buckler of it to sheeld their errours withall And bicause the holy scripture is against them they thinke it may serue them for a couert that they as they wene haue the Church on their side Yea but S. Paule telleth vs that we must be wise to discern which is the true Church For the Iewes had colour ynough to shew that God had his abiding place in Ierusalem bicause hee had chosen it out with assurance that he woulde rest there for euer as we haue seene this morning And yet notwithstanding the very same Ierusalem became as a denne of theeues bicause our Lord Iesus Christ was crucified there and the Iewes were for their vnfaythfulnesse cut vtterly off from the house of God bicause they had indeuered to the vttermost of their power to abolish his truth Though the name of Ierusalē had earst bin honorable yet was it then had in reproch and disdein both before the Angels and before all the faithfull Euen so at this day wee ought to consider well which is the Church to the ende that we be not children of a bastarde seede and so God shake vs off and banishe vs out of his house for pretēding his name so falsly through hypocrisie before men In deede it is a verie excellent honor that God giueth to his Church in saying that she is the mother of all the faythfull and it agreeth with S. Paules report in another place where he sayeth that shee is as it were the piller that vpholdeth Gods truth in thys worlde Not that the truth hath any neede to be mainteyned by vs which are inclined to all lightnesse and inconstancie and which haue nothing in vs by nature but vntruth for what stedinesse is there to be found in vs to say that Gods truth shoulde stay vpon men But bicause that of his infinite goodnesse it is his will to haue his worde preached here beneath and hee hath committed the charge thereof to such as he calleth therto in respect where of the Church is called the mother of vs all For as our lord Iesus Christ telleth vs we haue but one father which is God yea and he is the father as well of our bodies as of our soules Howbeit God is our spirituall father without hauing any make yet notwithstāding he begetteth vs into the hope of eternall life and that is by the meanes of his Church wherinto he hath put the said incorruptible seed according as he saith by the Prophete Esay My worde sayth he shall be in thy mouth and continue with thy children from time too time and with all those that shall come of thy race Thus ye see how God intendeth to gouerne his faithfull ones namely by his worde which he maketh to bee as a pledge and inestimable treasure of saluation in his Church to the ende that we should be begotten and nurrished with it Therfore as I haue touched alreadie we had neede too bee so much the more skilfuller in discerning the Church For seeing it is the mother of Gods childrē the name of it ought not to be dishonored and trampled vnder foote nor yet defiled as it is seene to be nowadayes There is not a more common treacherie than to put forth the name of the Church to deface and darkē Gods truth For whereat do the Papists ame nowadayes in vaunting with full mouth and full throte that they be the Church but to stoppe Gods mouth and to thrust his worde vnder foote that it might no more be spoken of and that in the meane while the things that men haue forged after their own lyking should be receyued without any gainsaying and sticked to and obeyed VVe see then that men which are but earthwormes and rottennesse are put into the balance agaynst God and all vnder pretence of the Church But here Saint Paule warneth vs to seeke the Church which hath the pure doctrine whereby wee were adopted of God to be his children Nowe I haue tolde you heretofore that the whole matter lyeth in our being ingreffed into the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also in our acknowledging that wee be accursed by nature that all our workes are but filthinesse that the Diuell holdeth vs subiect to his tyrannie and that there is none other helpe for vs but that God should receyue vs to mercie and pitie Therefore let vs go into Gods house by the sayde gate that is to wit by acknowledging that there is none other way for vs to get in but by the onely mere grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus ye see howe the Church doth breede vs and beare vs verely euen by the foresayde incorruptible seede Nowe that we may sore the better by this text wee haue two poyntes too marke The one is that we must not be like these
is an Angelicall perfection and how then can wee keepe it seing wee be giuen to all euill and our owne sinfulnesse caryeth vs away If sinne reigned not in vs then it might be sayd that wee ought to bee vnited vntoo God but our frayltie is to great Thus yee see what excuce many folke alledge thinking to be quit by it But S. Paule sayth It is true that there is nothing but a gulfe of all naughtinesse in vs and that as long as men slumber after that fashion in their owne affections they must needes serue the diuell and become euery daye more beasts than other but seeke the remedie God calleth you to him by his Gospell he offereth you his holy spirit So then condemne the euill that yee may be sorie for it and God will so worke in you as he will get the vpper hand of all your affections Yee see then what S. Paule ment in this text Neuerthelesse therwithall he ment too giue an ouerthwart blowe to those ageinst whom he disputeth For I haue tolde you heeretofore that the deceyuers which had troubled the Church of that Countrie were giuen to many pelting tryfles which were vtterly needelesse in so much as they grounded all holynesse vppon the Ceremonies of the Lawe Now it is true that Gods inioyning of the Ceremonies for a time was not in vain for they were figures till the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ But now that he is come they bee vnprofitable things and things that hinder vs from walking as we should do For the Ceremonies and shadowes were helpes to bring the auncient fathers too our Lord Iesus Christ But if wee should holde them still now adayes they would make vs to turne our backe to Iesus Christ so that it is not without cause that S. Paule hath shewed heretofore that the keeping of such things is no more of any valew and he wil speake yet more of it hereafter Now then forasmuch as he had to dispute ageinst such as did set forth the Ceremonies he sayth vntoo them walke after the spirit As if he should say consider which is the true seruice of God it consisteth not in Lampes nor in Incense nor in Circumcision nor in the obseruing of dayes nor in forbearing too eate any certeine kind of meates These are not the things wheron God will haue his to rest but he will haue them to rest vpon his spirituall seruice Therefore walke yee in the spirit and then shall yet not fulfill the lustes of the fleshe Howbeit as I haue told you before this is not all But yet by the way S. Paule doth after an indirect maner glaunce at this that the deceyuers ageinst whom he stroue were graueled in those small and light â—â—ings which are but as introductions of this world and as traynementes of yong children For as much therfore as they were vtterly intangled in theÌ„ he telleth the Galathians that they must walke in the spirite Furthermore as I haue declared alreadie here he setteth downe the true meane too knit vs togither in loue For it is vnpossible for vs too come vntoo God and too forget all enmitie till wee haue fought manfully ageinst our owne affections And the remedie therof as I sayd is in God Therfore wee must pray him to increase the grace of his holy spirit more and more in vs and then wee shall finde that the fleshe how furious so euer it bee how great bubbles and boylings so euer it cast vp yea and though it seeme like a wyld beast that cannot be tamed I say wee shall find that it shall not be stronger than Gods spirit and the grace that shal bee giuen vs from aboue which shal be able too bring vs backe and too hold vs vnder the yoke and obedience of our God Too bee short S. Paule declareth that the cause why we cannot resist our leaud lustes proceedeth of our own negligence and coldnesse bycause euery of vs fodeth himselfe in hys naughtinesse by vaine selfsoothing and wee go not too God with such affection and zeale as were requisite Then let vs conclude that there is no excuse for men when they sinne For they delight in it and woulde fayne that God shoulde let them welter in it and as much as they can they flee the remedie and amendment of it yea and they bee so sotted in it as they passe not too prouoke Gods wrath bicause they cannot in any wise abyde too bee taught It is true that sometymes they will well ynoughe protest wyth theyr mouth that they would very faine haue their nature and inclination chaunged but yet would they still couenant with God that he should let them alone as they be without altering of any thing after the fashyon of a sicke man who if his disease doo presse hym wyll saye ô I woulde fayne bee healed but yet for all that when he commeth too receyuing of counsell at the Phisitions hand and that he should be appoynted a dyet he will not yeeld to that The Phisition giues him good Counsell and hath helpes ready to heale his disease but yet notwithstanding the patient excuseth himselfe saying O Sir my hart will not serue mee too doo it If a sicke man will needes drinke and in stead 〈◊〉 heate take colde and bee so vnruly as he cannot bee brydled but refuseth all that is ministred too him for his health and playes the mad bedlem he may well protest that he would fayne be cured but the flat contrarie appeereth Euen so is it with them that resort vnto God too pray him too gouerne them in such wise by his holy spirite as they may bee chaunged and forget all their lustes and put them vnder foote and yet in the meane while will needes continue and welter in them still Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to beare in mynd Neuerthelesse it is certeine that although wee pray to God earnestly and euery of vs streine himselfe to subdue his wicked affections yet we shall not ceasse too haue infirmities still howsoeuer the world go I speake not of the hypocrites I speake of the true childreÌ„ of God For they that haue profited most in all perfection go still as it were limping vntoo Godward neither doo they what they would as S. Paule will adde anon after and as he sheweth more at large in the vij to the Romans Neuerthelesse assone as the faithfull feele theyr disease they seeke the remedie of it in God yea and they seeke it earnestly vnfeinedly and perceiue that his succor surmouÌ„teth all their owne leaud affections According herevnto S. Paule sayth yee shall not fulfill the lustes of the fleshe He sayth not that of all our lyfe long Satan shal not tempt vs to do any euill nor that wee shall not haue store of prouocatioÌ„s for our flesh shal alwayes haue his stings to stir vs vp vnto naughtinesse Therefore we shal be tempted to all vices but yet shal we withstand theÌ„ by Gods grace And not without
cause is this added for if we were not warranted that God accepteth our seruice though it be faultie we weake though we run not with such corage as were requisite euery of vs should be as it were beateÌ„ down and in the end wee should fall into dispaire as it happeneth to diuers who vpon the examining of their owne liues finding theÌ„selues so vnperfect still far off froÌ„ God thinke theÌ„selues not to haue profited at all and thervpon fall to chasing fretting finally become starke mad Truly we ought to go foreward to the sayd perfection and to labor continually for it but yet howsoeuer wee fare let vs not ceasse to seeke God though we cannot come at hym by reason of the great number of lettes and impediments though we now and 〈◊〉 make false steppes our wicked lustes hold vs backe hinder vs and lie sore vpon vs as I sayd let vs not forsake our way for all that though wee bee shaken now and then Although then that by nature we cannot keepe our way lustily to come vnto our God yet is it ynough that we fulfill not the lusts of our flesh for although we feele them although they be ouerstrong in vs yet if we ouercome them God accepteth it forgiueth vs all the whole default According wherunto S. Paul exhorting the faithfull not to cast downe their harts out of measure saith that the flesh reigneth not in vs. He saith not that wicked lustes and sinfull affections dwell not any more in vs for we shall neuer bee rid of them till it please God too take vs too himselfe Then till such time as wee bee out of this world there shall alwayes bee blemishes and spottes in vs and wee must be fayne too stoupe vnder the fardell of our sinnes and infirmities and that is too the intent to humble vs the more and to shew that our lyfe is a continual battell Moreouer although sin dwell in vs yet must it not reigne but Gods spirit must get the vpper hand of it and that shal be done when wee flee vntoo God with an earnest zeale praying him to remedie the euil which passeth our power to amend and in such wise too increase the giftes of his spirit in vs as wee may ouercome all things that do as it were hold vs downe Thus ye see what S. Paule ment by that saying in this text And he addeth therevnto that the spirit lusteth ageinst the fleshe and the fleshe ageinst the spirit so as we doo not the thing that we fayne would doo Here his meaning is to quicken vs vp to keepe good watch yea and too haue our harnesse alwayes vppon our backes as they say and too bee in a readinesse ageinst the enemye If wee were cleere from all vyces and that all men without gaynsaying dyd follow the thing that God commaundeth by hys worde wee shoulde not neede too streine ourselues much no more than the Angels of heaueÌ„ who neede not to fight for they be ready to do al that is coÌ„maunded them Forasmuch then as there is no rebelliousnesse in the Angels therfore also they haue no striuing when they should giue themselues to the seruice of God for they bee wholly bent and inclined thervnto But S. Paule letteth vs that wee must not bee slouthfull in seruing of God And why for our nature draggeth alwayes â—â—â—ke and wee shoulde neuer loue goodnesse except wee were inforced and compelled to it Therefore men must inforce and constreyne themselues and mainteyne battell as against a deadly enimie when they intende to go forward in goodnesse And who bee our enemies Truly the diuell is the cheefe and he giueth vs terrible assaults But yet therwithall all our owne thoughtes all our owne affections all our desires are all deadly enemies that labor to bring vs to destruction Nowe if they fight against God it is certaine that they bee also against our saluation VVe see then how S. Paules meaning here is as though he had cried out alaruÌ„ to shew that if Christians be either slepish or slothfull and think to serue God at their owne ease they beguile themselues that forasmuch as they haue battell vpon battell to indure without end or ceassing and Satan tempteth theÌ„ day and night walking about one while with wiles and treason and another while setting vpoÌ„ them by open force to driue theÌ„ out of the way they must arme themselues throughly and enter into the incounter and hold it out to the end not loke to haue any peace or truce til God take them out of the world Ye see in effect what S. Paules doctrine importeth And this exhortation is more than necessarie for vs bicause most men think it ynough if they haue but some little deuotion or willingnesse to serue God and although they welter in much filthinesse al is one to theÌ„ and othersome repine when they see how hard a thing it is to rule their life wel And how is that possible God seemeth to presse vs out of measure for he seketh not what may please vs but rather condemneth it But how shal we bring to passe that we may put our selues to it For our inclination goeth clean contrary to his will It seemeth then that he mocketh vs when he preasseth so vpon vs and why doth he not giue vs another maner of nature than that Lo how diuerse men blaspheme God in hauing an eie to their owne sinfulnesse Howbeit to the end that none of vs fall asleepe ne thinke himself to haue performed al that God coÌ„mandeth when we shall haue folowed some path halfe way nor be vtterly thrust out of the way altogither S. Paule sayth that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh In saying that the flesh lusteth he doth vs to wit that we shall neuer be able to serue God without disquieting bycause we shall haue many lets and be continually teÌ„pted vnto euill Yea and wheÌ„ we beâ—â—eterminately bent to submit our selues wholy vnto Gods word and righteousnesse yet neuerthelesse the diuell shall euen then haue his ropes to draw vs one way or other Again he will in such wise amaze vs as our fleshly desires shall still be a hinderance to vs and not only that but also make vs too draw backe the cleane contrarie way so that when God calleth vs on the one side wee shall bee caried with a rage too the other side Nowe seeing that the flesh lusteth after that maner against the spirite let vs determine to fight manfully and let it not greeue vs so to do Although we ought to wishe to bee as Angelles so as there might be no striuing in vs but that al our abilitie might be imployed too the seruice of God yet notwithstanding whensoeuer wee bee letted to do well let vs learne to streyne our selues and to holde our selues as prisoners and althoughe the same fall out greatly to our discontentment yet neuerthelesse let vs go on still further
to our God and to frame our selues more and more in his feare yet notwithstaÌ„ding that in the meane while we shall not haue any towel of flatterie before our eies to blind our selues withall but we shal be hartily sory coÌ„fessing our selues to be excedingly indetted vnto him and yet neuerthelesse aspiring stil to the perfection wherevnto we must go onward all the time of our life and therwithal acknowledging that we are all forlorne and damned vnlesse that he of his infinite goodnesse do beare with vs for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake But now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknoledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more so as wee may not onely confesse them with our mouth but also be touched with such true repentance and pure zeale as we may indeuer to giue our selues wholly vnto him and to cut off all the superfluities that are in vs and as the same may cause vs to frame our selues to his holy wil and to serue him in such vnion and concord that we may be giueÌ„ to magnifie him with one hart and with one mouth thereby shewing that we be rightly knit vnto him in the adoption which he sheweth vs by his Gospel wherby he sheweth himselfe to be our father as faine as we would be his true children And therfore let vs al say Almightie God our heaueÌ„ly c. The .xxxvj. Sermon which is the sixt vpon the fifth Chapter 19 The vvorkes of the fleshe are manifest vvhich are these Aduoutrie vvhoredome vncleannesse loocenesse 20 Idolatrie poysoning enmitie strife spiting vvrath quarelling sedition â—â—ectes 21 Enuie murther drunkennesse gluttonie and such like of vvhich I tell you aforehande as I haue tolde you heretofore that they vvhich doo suche things shal not inherit the kingdome of God 22 But the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace patientnesse gentlenesse goodnesse faythfulnesse 23 Meekenesse temperance agaynst such things there is no lavve WEe haue seene this morning that men are condemned before God so as there commeth nothing of them but vtter filthinesse infection Now if God bee the rule of all perfection then of necessitie all that is contrarie to his nature word must needs be starke naught But it is certain that the flesh is at coÌ„tinuall war agaynst the spirit Therfore therein it is declared that so long as meÌ„ follow their owne swinge they be deadly enemies too God all theyr lyfe long Seeing it is so we must needes conclude that there is nothing in vs but vtter lewdnesse and sinfulnesse Nowe when we heere such sentence giuen of vs we ought to be vtterly abashed For it is the definitiue senteÌ„ce of the heauenly iudge against which there lieth no appeale and againe Gods speaking is with effect Therefore seeing he hath pronounced that we be wicked and froward by nature he will immediatly do his office So then we must come to account before him but we see that men are so sotted either in their hypocrisie or in their selfweening that they passe not of prouoking Gods wrath agaynst them For euerie man flattereth and fodeth himselfe in hys vices insomuch that we caÌ„ neuer be drawne to a true acknowledgement of our sinnes but by force And it is euident that our doing of it is with windlasses and bystarts and which more is we become so shamelesse that wee seeke fonde shifts and excuses as though they could help vs before God Therfore it is not ynough for vs to heere generally the sentence of condeÌ„nation vpoÌ„ vs but God must be fain to discouer our lewdnesse that wâ—â—â—ay be ashamed of it â— and moreouer to specifie point with his finger the vices that are apparant and notorious before meÌ„ And that is the cause why S. Paule hauing said this morning that men in all their thoughts affectioÌ„s do fight against God addeth this declaration which we haue now presently heard as though he brought forth the fruites to the ende that men might thereby iudge what the tree is bicause the roote which is the cheef thing lieth hid TheÌ„ like as the tree is knowne by his fruits so also the sinfulnesse that reigneth in vs and in our nature is founde out by the workes that come of it And so we see why S. Paul addeth here that the workes of the flesh are manifest As if he should say men shet their eies that they may not perceiue their owne naughtinesse and beare themselues in hande that there is nothing but vertue in them when notwithstanding their vices are so huge and excessiue as they be readie to burst with them when they haue pleaded their best sought al the starting holes that caÌ„ be wheÌ„ they haue wrung their mouth awry turkined things neuer so much yet must they in the end come to this point that our life crieth out loude shirle what we be Therfore the works of the flesh are all manifest So then this is inough to disproue such as would faine cloke theÌ„selues vse painting as though they were not giltie before God Truth it is that S. Paul doth not make here a ful beadrol of al the vices that god coÌ„demneth in his law but only setteth forth some examples wherby a maÌ„ may easily iudge of al the rest For he must haue made a loÌ„g processe if he had intended to haue made such a reckning vp of theÌ„ but this was inough that such as wene to gain by their hipocrisie might be coÌ„uicted here as ye see they be And for the better vnderstaÌ„ding hereof we haue to mark breefly which is the rule wherby to walk in obedience towards god according to the. 2. of Tit. wher it is said that gods grace appeered to the ende we should lead a holy conuersation here beneath in this world in modestie rightuousnes wayting for the hope of the life that is promised vs for the comming of the great Sauior which must gather vs vp to himselfe into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ Ye see theÌ„ that the thing wherein christians must exercise themselues wherto they must wholly apply themselues is first to know that they haue not their euerlasting rest heritage here but that the worlde is but as a strange Countrey wherethrough they must passe and therefore that they must alwayes haue their eyes lifted vp to heauenwarde That is the chiefe poynt But that cannot be done but the faythfull must needes therewithall call vpon God and resort wholly vnto him And as touching theyr life Saint Paule sayeth that it hath three things in it namely holynesse that wee serue God soundly and substancially with a pure heart vtterly renouncing all the vnclennesse of this worlde That is the first point The seconde is that wee must not bee wanton and vnhonest but that we must leade an honest life The thirde is that we wrong no man nor vse any deceyte or crueltie but that we indeuer to do our neighbor good
Lo what the life of Christians is But S. Paule sayeth heere that if men will not acknowledge themselues to be vtter enimies too God and full of all naughtinesse and rebellion let them but make a short inquirie and loke into their life and they shall find that some of them be whoremongers some drunkardes some giuen to all ribawdrie some murtherers some Sorcerers some sedicious some full of ambition and othersome desirous to sowe abrode darnell and troubles and to bring vp sects to peruert Gods truth with their corruptions Thus ye see what is to bee found in men if theyr liues be well serched But what shall they win by going to law with God and by labouring to couer their lewdnesse with shifting nothing at al. Howbeit they confesse not it with their mouth it is their life that must speake it their life togither with al their workes that are knowne in it beare record of the things that I haue sayd and so there needeth no more disputing Furthermore when as S. Paule sayth that the workes of the flesh are manifest he meeneth not that all those whom God suffereth to follow their naturall swinge and whom he gouerneth not by his holy spirit are atteinted with all the vices here named but that there is not any man which is not so corrupted that he abandoneth himselfe sometime to one naughtinesse and sometime to two or three at once as occasion serueth Yee shall see many heathen men and vnbeleeuers in whom there is no feare of God nor any knowledge of his word which haue some outward shew of vertue and honestie yet is it no consequent that they bee not corrupted howbeit that the â—â—â—ection is hidden and settled inwardly and there is an impostunâ—â— that rotteth all within Howsoeuer the cace stand there is nother rule nor measure in mannes nature but all is out of order and confounded there You see then that the thing which we haue to gather vpon this streyne is that we must not bee beguyled with our owne hypocrisie but euery of vs muste haue an eye too himselfe and examine his owne life throughly and then shall wee all haue cause to cast downe our eyes and to shet our mouthes and therewith to acknowledge that wee be wretched and that there is nothing but damnation in vs. Truely although none of the things that S. Paule rehearceth heere doo appeere in vs so as we be blamelesse before men yea and seeme too bee little Angelles yet ceasse we not too be wicked and vntoward till God haue reformed vs. Neuerthelesse God giueth euery of vs sufficient recorde in our liues whereby to cast vs quite downe and to make vs giue ouer our pleading of our owne accord Thus ye see in effect that the meane to put this lesson in vre is that if wee thinke our selues to bee any thing woorth and perceyue not the wantes that are in vs we must sift our life and compare our workes with the things that God biddeth or forbiddeth and then wee shall haue a fayre lookingglasse wherein to behold our leudnesse and filthinesse and whereas it seemed erst that there was nothing but all purenesse and perfection in vs God will shew vs to our faces that wee be full of wickednesse And yet neuerthelesse when wee shall haue considered this diuerse and many times let vs therevpon conclude that it is not the hundredth part of it For we shall alwayes be dimsighted in finding out of our owne wantes Although God constreyne and reproue vs in such wise as we cannot denie it yet will he shewe in the ende that for euery poynt that we haue knowen there are a hundred that were hidden from vs. And verely when wee see our woorkes layd open before vs it is to make vs go to the welspring of them Many men are so grosse that if they haue not committed whoredome if they haue not playde the drunkardes openly or if their filching and pilfering haue bin so couertly and finely conueyed as noman could bewray them they thinke themselues quite and cleere But S. Paules intent in saying that the woorkes of the flesh are manifest is not to flatter men as though a sinne were not to be condemned till it were openly seene in deede For 〈◊〉 told you wee must proceede from the one to the other Then if whoredome drunkennesse robberie murther treason blasphemie against God troublesomnesse sedition be detestable things in theÌ„selues we must also conclude thervpon that the wickednesse which lurketh within the hart as ambition and pride when men esteeme like of theÌ„selues too much is detestable likewise Also couetuousnesse when we haue a minde too other mens goodes and all other like things are to bee condemned likewise To be short our outward doings beare witnesse that we be full of infection before God And where is that infectioÌ„ to be fouÌ„d In our desires in our intentes in our thoughts in all our doings wee see there is euen as it were a well spring of all naughtinesse So then let vs bee drawen to such an acknowledgment of our sinnes as wee may be hartely sorie for them before God And wee see that in the Law there is such a fashion of teaching God in his Lawe forbiddeth not fornicatioÌ„ but aduoutrie yea at the first sight he forbiddeth not fraud and filching what forbiddeth he then Theft or robberie He forbiddeth not lying but only falswitnesse Now then it should seeme to theÌ„ which know not the power of the law that they haue well discharged their duetie when they haue well eschewed those crimes And that is the cause why S. Paule sayd that for a time he thought himself to be throughly rightuous and that God could not haue blamed him for any thing After the same maner do the hipocrites sotte theÌ„selues in their own selfweening and thervpoÌ„ become mad if God find fault with theÌ„ bicause they thinke he doth theÌ„ great wrong And why for they coÌ„ceyue not what the nature of the Lawe is It is spirituall sayeth S. Paule that is too say wee must be wholly reformed to frame our selues thereafter But so long as wee follow our owne fleshly nature all that we think and all that we can say or do shall be no better than sinne before God So then we must not looke only at the bare woordes that are set downe in the Lawe but too the things that are ment and conteyned in them God by setting downe the particular kind of Aduoutrie ment too make all kind of whoredome hatefull for if mariage coÌ„tinue not whole and sound without impeachment it peruerteth all order and ciuill policie among men God therefore vnder the woorde Aduoutrie hath shewed that all whoredome and â—chastenesse displeazeth him Againe he sayeth Thou shalt not kill Is it then lawfull too beate a man No nor yet to hate him for as S. Iohn sayeth he that hateth his neybour secretely is a murtherer before God though he nother tormeÌ„t him nor touch
his worde Howbeeit that in the meane while 〈…〉 so eager in rebuking other mens faults as too forget to put 〈…〉 that is to say to vse the sayd spirite of meekenesse For it were to smal purpose to haue Suger in our mouth as many men haue and in the meane time to beare poyson in our heart And therefore Saint Paule speaketh not here alonely of the tongue ne sayth that we must haue intioing wordes but that in rebuking mens faults we must alwayes be led and moued therto by an earnest desire to our neighbours saluation For it is certaine that if we couet the soule health of such as do amisse wee will behaue our selues soberly and that sobernesse will bring with it the moderation that Saint Paule speaketh of so as wee shall not bee ouereager nor depart from the fountaine which is too beware that wee bee not too hastie in fynding fault wee wote not why nor too what ende but that wee haue a care too fetche him backe againe that is in an euill-trade and be desirous to bring him with vs vntoo God To be short wee must couet to haue him our brother that God may bee serued of vs all and mainteyned in his state If wee bee so mynded surely the rest will followe after But vnder the woorde Spirite wee bee warned moreouer as I sayde euen nowe that we must be fashioned lyke vntoo God forsomuch as hee hath vouchsafed too choose vs for his children accordingly as our Lord Iesus Christ telleth vs saying Bee yee lyke vntoo your heauenly father who hath pitie euen on theÌ„ that are vnworthie of it VVherfore if we desire to be hilde and auowed for Gods children let vs haue an eye to the nature of him which calleth vs too the likenesse of his owne Image which is that we be meeld and gentle Now God in his gentlenesse flattereth not such as haue done amisse For he hateth iniquitie and must needes alwayes shewe himselfe an enemie to it But we see the thing that is sayde namely that God dooth in such wise correct his children that the chastizements which hee vseth begin at his owne house and at his owne housholde folke Yet for al that he thundereth not against poore sinners but wayteth for them paciently incouraging them drawing theÌ„ bearing with them setting his grace before them and shewing them that he is readie to receyue them and hath his armes stretched out to imbrace them if they will come vnto him Ye see then that the first thing which we haue to consider is that we must fashion our 〈…〉 example of our God so as we oppresse 〈…〉 the first daâ—he in whoÌ„ we see any infirmitie but rather labour to winne them bycause they bee as lost soules And heerevpon we may also gather that such as nowadayes woulde haue vyces cloked yea and borne oute vnder pretence that God is pacient and gentle do falsly corrupt the holy scripture For nowadayes if neuer so detestable crymes bee committed by and by they alledge mercie ô they must be pitied yea but such folke blaspheme God in that they woulde haue vs too bee more mercifull than hee is Surely wee knowe him too bee the welspringâ— of all goodnesse and it is ynough for vs if wee can followe him a great way off and it were a thing to be greatly desired that we coulde come neerer and neerer vntoo him But when wee haue streyned our selues too the vttermost it is verie much if wee can haue in vs but some little sparke of the mercie which is infinite in God Neuerthelesse God promiseth not his grace but to suche as returne vntoo him True it is that hee toucheth them with hys holy spirite and chaungeth their myndes but yet must repentance alwayes bee matched with forgiuenesse of sinnes Now after what maner is it that men would be pitifull It is that they might mocke God too his face that men shoulde winke at their lewdnesse yea and sooth them vp in it that God should be reiected and that such as are readie to do still worse and worse shoulde bee borne withall and borne out But I haue tolde you that it is too cursed a blasphemie when men transforme good intoo euill after that fashion Then according to Saint Paules exhortation let vs lerne to bring a mekenesse that may be of Gods spirite not too allowe of the euill or to deface the good but too amende things modestly with discretion Therewithall let vs learne also to pray God to gouerne vs when the cace requireth that we shoulde correct our neighbours assuring our selfe that of our owne nature wee shall neuer be able too doo it VVee knowe that to serue God and to imploy our selues faythfull in that behalfe wee must first receyue of him the things that wee want Nowe then let a man streyne himselfe as farre as hee list â–ª and hee shall not finde himselfe able to bring one droppe of goodnesse of his owne But when wee come too correcting there wee repreâ—◠〈…〉 God and if I mynde to tell a man his fault I come not to him in 〈◊〉 priuate name as his superiour but in the name of God Nowe then seeing it is so that we execute Gods office in rebuking such as haue done amisse how shall we be fit for that purpose except he guide and direct vs therevnto Therefore let vs learne to desire him to guide and rule vs by his holy spirite when any admonition is to be made to bring such backe againe as are gone out of the right way And herewithall wee must marke also as I haue sayd afore that Saint Paule speaketh not heere of such as are saped in wickednesse in contempt of God and in rebelliousnesse but of such as are ouertaken so as they haue some good will to doo well and yet notwithstanding doo fall through infirmitie Therefore this matter must be handled very skilfully and discretely For if we will deale alike with all men it is certaine that we shall oftentymes do wrong too such as haue neede too bee borne withall and in the meane while doo nothing but inflame the despyzers of God and make them more malapart than they were before Then as I sayd we must put a difference betwene the one and the other For when the Prophete Ezechiell speaketh of the good shepheard hee sayth that he must beare with the shepe that are weake and if any of them be infected he must heale them by good medicins But if he should keepe one maner of vsage without putting a difference betweene one and another howe should he shewe himselfe to be a sheepherd in so doing In like cace is it with all suche as deale with the rebuking of their neighbours that haue done amisse As for example if there be a shamelesse naughtipacke that dayly runneth headlong into all naughtinesse which maketh none account of Gods woorde nor doth any thing but marre others like a scabbed Ramme that spreadeth his infection through the whole
that which S. Paule tolde vs heretofore that is to wit to beware that wee deceyue not our selues wilfully when we would shew our selues hardie and bolde in correcting rebuking and amending one man or other Let vs not bee so foolish as to iustifie our selues by comparison as who should say that God ought to hold himselfe contented with our rebuking of others after that maner and for that there is some shewe of vertue in vs. Let vs not stay vpon any of these things as is told vs vs heere but let vs marke also by the way that whereas it is sayde that euery man shal beare his own burthen we haue right great need of our Lord Iesus Christs helpe and that he should take all our burthens vpon him according as in very deed hee hath borne all our sinnes vpon the crosse as sayth S. Peter in his first Epistle True it is that the matter which S. Paule handleth here is none other than the same that I haue declared alreadie that is to wit that we must not imagin that men are able to warrant vs for the rightuousest man aliue is combered ynough with himself And furthermore that if our Lord had not regard to hold vs vp wee shoulde be oppressed vnder our burthen Yet notwithstanding euery man must answer for himselfe and Gods word must haue the maistrie as I said afore Thus ye see what S. Paule intended to tell vs. But yet further let vs thinke a little vpon our selues If euery man should be faine to beare his own burthen who were able to indure it VVe should needes be borne downe For if a man had but some one sinne in him behold hel were readie too swallowe him vp Surely the weight of one sinne is heauier than a stone that were able to crush all our limmes and bones a peeces Nowe it is no talking of any one nor of a hundred the multitude of them is infinite How then shall we stande in iudgement before God when he bringeth vs to account VVho can say that hee commeth franke and free To be short we see that if there were not a remedie in the matter that S. Paule telleth vs heere we shouâ—◠〈…〉 we must repayre to our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is hee that hath borne all our burthens as I haue alledged alreadie Truly the redeeming of vs did cost him deere and if we seeke heauen and earth throughout for the price of a ransome we shall not finde any other than him that is able too pacifie God Then had we neuer bin sanctified except the sonne of God had giuen himselfe for vs. And in very deed the prophete Esay sheweth how hee bare our burthens Namely that he felt the paynes of death and that the father was faine to wreake himselfe vpon him as though hee had bin an offender and giltie of all the sinnes of the worlde Now therefore we must resort vnto him according also as he allureth vs to him And by the way if any man alledge that here seemeth to be some contrarietie considering how Saint Paule saith that euery man shall beare his owne burthen the answere thereto is easie VVhen the Scripture speaketh too vs of Gods iustice it sayth that euery man shall bee recompenced according to his owne workes After which maner Saint Paule speaketh in the .xiiij. to the Romanes According as euerie man shall haue walked in his conuersation in this world sayeth he and according as hee shall haue wrought in his bodie so must he receyue his rewarde That is the order which the scripture keepeth in speaking of Gods iustice Yea but in the meane while it excludeth not the remedie that is giuen vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby men are succoured Lo how God succoureth his elect and such as hee hath reserued too saluation that is to wit after he hath chastized them he reacheth them his hande and lyfteth them vp againe when hee hathe cast them downe And truly we shoulde not knowe of what value the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ is neyther coulde wee taste of it neyther coulde wee euer bee partakers of it vnlesse wee were vtterly confounded in our selues Therefore let vs learne to feele our burthen in such wise as too bowe vnder it as hathe bin declared this morning and let the same leade vs too true humilitie And afterwarde when wee haue felt the burthen more than wee are able too beare let vs repayre too oure Lorde Iesus Christ who promiseth too ease vs so wee seeke oure whole rest in hym So then wee see that Gods grace is not excluded when hys iustice is spoken of For it standeth vs in 〈…〉 â—â—ayes too his mercie VVhereas it is sayde that hee whiche shall haue beene a cruell and mercilesse persone shall haue iustice withoute mercie thereby Saint Iames dooth vs too vnderstande that oure Lorde hath his iudgement against the wicked and the reprobates to recompende them according to their misdeedes and againe that he measureth his owne otherwise that is to wit that after he hath condemned them in themselues and made them to feele their diseases thereby to bring them to true lowlinesse then he setteth them vp againe Then must we first be striken downe with Gods hande and afterwarde be lifted vp againe by his gracious promises in that hee telleth vs that in our Lorde Iesus Christ wee shall find all that wee want Thus ye see in summe after what maner we must practize this text namely that in admonishing our neighbours with a gentle and meeld spirit and being also humble mâ—ke our selues without presuming any thing vpon our selues wee must examin well our owne liues so as we may dayly bewayle our sinnes and be sorie for them to the ende that we be no more deceyued with hipocrisie but labor to withdraw our selues from the worlde to the intent we surmize not that we shall scape Gods iudgement by our shiftes So then let vs beare all these things in minde that we may submit our selues to the pure worde of God And whatsoeuer men do to turne vs away from it let vs not suffer our selues too be seduced And for the bringing hereof to passe let vs flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that howe desirous so euer we bee to giue our selues wholly to the seruing of God yet wee be so ouerloden with sinnes and imperfections that they were able to sinke vs downe to the bottome of hell if wee had not one to holde vs backe that is to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ who hath borne all our sinnes and set vs vtterly free from them too the intent wee might hereafter come before God with our faces vpright Now let vs acknowledge our sinnes with such humilitie as euerie of vs may confesse yea euen vnfeynedly that we are all forlorne and paste hope except this oure good God haue pitie vppon vs praying him neuerthelesse too make the fruite and vertue of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ
corrupt and peruert all doctrine with full mouth and cast out blasphemies agayst God Yee shall see then now adayes that all Tables all houses and all streetes are full of mockers of God And whereof commeth that It is true that there are many Hypocrites and selfe soothers Howbeeit the Diuell hath so possessed some 〈…〉 spit openly 〈…〉 that is too say they defie God without any remorse of conscience and thereby it appeereth that they bee giuen vp too a reprobate minde and spirit of madnesse And whence proceedeth such malapertnesse of aduauncing mennes selues so against God As I told you before it coÌ„meth of the sayd hypocrisie when wee thinke to disguise things in such wyse by our suttle slightes and fayre replies that there is no more difference betwixt white and blacke So much the more therfore dooth it behoue vs too beare well in minde this warning of S. Paules Now herevpon he proceedeth with the matter that he had touched in somuch that he extendeth it yet further in saying that looke as wee sowe so shall we reape He that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirit reape euerlasting lyfe and be that soweth in the flesh shall reape corruption To be short heere S. Paule likeneth all the studie care and paynes that we take vntoo seede which husbandmen sowe For wherfore do men buzie themselues about this or that or wherefore doo they trauell and take paynes but for some end which they haue purpozed to themselues â–ª I say euen bycause they hope for fruyte to their commoditie that is the very cause why they be not weerie of their labour As for example he that intendeth too get muche will suffer hunger and thirst cold and heate and nothing will appall him And why For his couetousnesse carieth him on still so as he forgetteth all things else and tormenteth himselfe more than if he were in his enemies handes nay his enemies woulde not torment him so much So then when a man taketh great paynes too gather goodes it is lyke the sowyng of a husbandman and he hopeth that haruest will come and that he shall gather it vp againe in the ende He that woulde aduaunce himselfe too the worldward dares not sleepe half his fill and what seeketh he by his watching To come to some honour or worship and to winne credite VVell then Ambition is the haruest of them that couet worldly honour Their desire is to gather And what â–ª The thing that their owne nature liketh and â—ongeth for Euen so is it in all other things Like as an vnthrift will labour too satisfie his appetite and he will not sticke the rather to do some lewd pranke as too play the bawde or some other lyke thing And to what ende To the end he may eate his fill and fare delicately or else play the drunkard And othersome fall too robbeâ—â— and murther that in fine they become arrant Theeues Lo wherevnto mennes lustes bring them For they purpose with themselues to make a haruest that is to say to haue the thing that they lust for â–ª though it be to their ruyne and confuzion But howsoeuer the world go if ye consider why men giue themselues to one thing or other ye shall find that they alwayes hope for a haruest So then the things which they do are the seedes of the labour whiche they hope to gather frute of Heere S. Paule sayeth that after as we sowe so shall we reape And afterward he openeth himselfe in saying that the one sort soweth too the spirite and the other sort too the fleshe Now to sowe to the spirit is too withdrawe a mannes selfe from the worlde and from this transitorie lyfe and to know that we be created not too tarie heere beneath but too passe foorth on till wee bee come too our inheritance and that our life is not to bee heere but for a little whyle and to walke away as hath bin sayd in the Psalme that hath bin song and shall be song againe so as our beyng heere is not too abide heere for euer nor as though wee had an euerlasting dwellingplace but God giueth vs as it were a shorte walke and causeth vs too make but a turne or twayne and streytwayes after sayeth vntoo vs Come away Sirs and returne yee intoo dust as Moyses also speaketh in his song Seing it is so if wee bethinke our selues well to renounce all our owne lustes then shall we sowe too the spirite that is too say wee shall see that it behoueth vs too apply all our studie too the heauenly lyfe wherevntoo we be called Yee see then howe the one sorte of whom the number is very small and scant doo sowe too the spirit bycause they starte not out intoo worldly cares too bee tied too them but consider that God calleth them higher and therfore prepare and indeuer themselues to come thither The other sorte doo sowe to the flesh that is to say they bee so wholly possessed with a beastly affection that too their seeming there is nothing too bee compared too this lyfe And truly if yee marke at what marke men shoote yee shall finde that the world holdeth them backe well neere all Yee shall scarce finde one among a thousand that goes any further too consider that this world is but a shadow that vanisheth away and too bend themselues earnestly and rightly too the heauenly lyfe Therfore all men welneere doo sowe to the fleshe True 〈◊〉 that their respectes 〈◊〉 what differ For one is a whorehunter another a drunkarde the thirde a niggardly pinchpennie and another a spendall Then if yee looke vppon the humours of the menne they bee diuerse and as it were repugnant so as the one hateth the other And wherefore Bycause sayeth he he is not of my nature he and I cannot agree But howsoeuer the worlde go if a man sifte them he shall finde that all of them sowe too the fleshe Therefore there are many sortes of of sowyng but yet notwithstanding all of them sticke faste heere beneath so as they cannot consider wherevntoo God calleth them and wherevntoo they ought to apply themselues For some would bee riche some would haue honour and credite some would lyue at their ease and take their pleasure some woulde haue this and some that but in the meane whyle all of them poare vppon this transitorie lyfe and cannot lift themselues vp Nowe Sainct Paule sayeth it is good reason that wee should reape according too our sowyng They then which do so giue themselues to the worlde and sowe too the fleshe shall sayeth he reape corruption that is to say in the end they shal perceyue that al the things which they esteemed so highly were but smoke True it is that this woord Corruption might be taken for euerlasting death but that is not Sainct Paules meenyng For he intendeth to say that men are destitute of wit and discretion when they wil needes intangle theÌ„selues in their blockish and grosse cares For why
if a man aske them go too what is the world They will say it is a shadowe that slippeth away And what is our life It is nothing And what are the goodes of this worlde They be but a dreame All of them will say thus much and yet neuerthelesse they bee so rauished as a man cannot tell how to plucke them from it and the Diuell holdeth them as it were bewitched so that God crieth out at their eares wretched men where are you and yet they go on still too plundge themselues deeper in the quamyre And although they knowe well ynough that all their lustes are nothing that this life slippeth swiftly froÌ„ them yet will they needes bee wedded to it still Although then that God doo crie too these vnaduized folke to bring them intoo the right way yet are they so dulled that they cannot obey â—â—â—er the Counsell nor the warnings whiche they heere Thus yeeree why S. Paule sayeth that suche as haue sowen after that maner shall of the fleshe reape corruption But they sayeth he which sowe to the spirit that is to say whiche know that there is a much preciouser life than this wherein we bee and set their whole affection and minde therevpon shal reape of the spirit euerlasting life That is to say bycause they haue bin gouerned by Gods spirit and haue labored to come vnto him and too bee knit to him therefore is their reward also ready for them Now heere first of all wee bee warned to thinke better vpon all our thoughtes doings attempts wishes and indeuers and to consider well too what end they tend For this similitude shall alwayes be found true that we do then sowe when we apply our labour or trauell to any thing Therfore let vs looke well to our selues and consider that although God will haue vs to gather Corne and wyne in this worlde for the sustenance of our bodies yet notwithstanding he calleth vs yet higher and will not haue vs to be hild still heere VVherefore let vs learne to seeke first that God may reigne and beare rule so as we may yeeld our selues wholly to him and his rightuousnesse and that the care of this transitorie life dull vs not as I haue sayd afore but but that it may be as an income to the principall wherevnto we must go that is to say to the kingdome of God To be short let vs consider that God hath put vs into this world to sowe that is to say not to be idle nor vnoccupied And how Truely the Ministers of Gods woord ought to sowe to the end to gather in such a haruest as they may offer vp to God as an holy offering And their sowing is too teach faithfully to the end that Gods woord may bring forth frute and his name be glorified and blissed accordingly as our Lord Iesus Christ sayd to his Apostles I haue chozen you to the end you should go and bring forth abundance of frute and such frute as shall last for euer The ministers then haue this peculiar to themselues howbeit all of vs in common must sowe to eternall lyfe that is to say wee must passe through this worlde as straungers lifting vp our mindes to the heritage where wee should rest and wherevnto also it behoueth vs to apply all our indeuer And euen when wee trauell for the sustenance of our bodies let it be alwayes with tending to the sayde marke according as it is sayd that we must not liue to eate 〈…〉 but eate and drinke to the end to be conueyed to another life and that our liuing in this world is not to settle heere but to atteyne to a higher thing that is to say to the heauenly life Sith it is so whensoeuer any man buzieth himselfe to get his liuing whither it bee by tillage or by some handicraft or by trade of merchandise or howsoeuer it bee in all the cares that wee take for ourselues or for our housholdes let vs alwayes shoote at a higher mark For surely it is a naughtie thing if a man buzie himself but only about the getting of his liuing and haue no regard of Gods seruice For in the getting of his liuing he ought too consider thus with himselfe Howe will God allow of my dooyng How will he accept my seruice Truely that will he doo if I walke not after myne own lustes if I looke that I doo no man wrong and if I buzie my selfe faythfully about the thing that I am bounde too doo This I say is the way for vs too sowe that is too wit that wee bee not wedded to the worlde nor hilde downe heere beneathe but that wee may alwayes mount vpwarde too the lyfe of heauen Now then let vs looke well vppon the meane of sowing after that sorte that is to wit of sowing too the spirit sayth Sainct Paule VVherefore let vs consider that wee bee not as Asses and Oxen that toyle and labour and afterwarde doo eate and drinke and are fed as reason and good right require but that God hath adopted vs too come to the life of heauen Therefore let vs sowe to the spirit and cut off all that may hinder our mounting vpward let vs shake them off as hurtfull things and assure our selues that al such as labor to get reputation in this world shall in the end finde themselues disappointed VVhy so For they shall see plainly that it is but corruption VVhen he that shal haue gathered great abundance of goods commeth vnto death he hath so much the more greef bycause he made this world his paradise Therefore he then gnasheth his teeth at God and he stormeth and tormenteth himselfe much more than if he had not takeÌ„ so much peynes to gather Thus ye see that such as haue sowed in the flesh perceiue at length that they haue sowed to corruption bicause they gather nothing else but corruption but it is all to late and therfore let vs bethink ourselues And although we 〈…〉 men beguile themsâ—â—â—s and too make their reckening that it is a happie life to haue all thing that they wishe as commonly euerie man is ruled by his owne lyking although wee see men storme after that fashion let vs learne to do otherwise consider that God calleth vs to an euerlasting life which he setteth coÌ„tinually before vs by his Gospel Let vs set our whole mindes vpoÌ„ that and let al our intents desires tend thitherward let vs indeuer to profit more more in the doctrine of saluation that he may lift vs vp and drawe vs hence from beneath according also as S. Paule sayth when he telleth vs what the weapons of Christenfolke are making the doctrine of the Gospell to bee our shooes For it standeth vs on hand to be armed from top too toe or else wee should soone be wounded with the assaultes that are giuen vnto vs in this world After he hath declared this say I he sayth that the Gospell must lift vs vp and drawe