knowledge of God much more then the creatures And we ought to serue our selues of them in dyuers wayes for that they fyrst incyte and teach vs to repayre to God sayinge in him is the cheif bouÌ„ty go to him for he is faithful and hath promysed to make you tast al vertue and goodnes in him Yea thoughe they do not make the lyuely to know God yet worke they as the Samaritaâ—e dyd y t sent the Samaritanes to Christ who other wyse made them taste and feele that which the Samaritane had sayd of him vnto them in suche wyse that wheÌ„ they returned they confessed saying we beleued not at all by thy wordes we our selues haue heard and know that thys is truly the sauyour of the world And so the holy scryptures do sende the to Christ to the ende that he may open thy hart and make the in spirit liuely to vnderstand that whych al ready thou hast red in the dead letter that thou maist sai vnto y â— scriptures we neuer beleued by thy words the which being wythout spirite could not make vs tast finâ—ly the great bouÌ„ty of god It is true that by thy words we haue bene prouoked to go to Christ who speaking vnto vs in spirit hathe made vs to fele in the haâ—t a more cleare hyâ—h and deuyne effecte of that thou hast spokeÌ„ They erre therfore that fedyng theÌ„ selues of the letter and not of the spyryte do fyre them selues in the holy scriptureâ— and seke none other light but that Yea I say that for one houres studye they ought to prai a thousand to demauÌ„d of God the true vnderstandyng of theym â–ª And lyke as the Paâ—tonistes heald opinion that the sensyble thynges geueth vs occasyon to study in the boke of the minde in whiche they say is imprynted al the verity So must we cousyder that the holy scryptures do cal vs to Christ in whome as Paul sayeth be hyd al the treasures of wysdom and knowledge This is no lesse then true that lyke as if thou haddest a frend whom thou hast not tryed though alwayes thou haste trauayled to proue hym thou woldest not inwardly know hym for a frynde though he wer euer in thyue eye because the profe hath not roted hym in thy minde So albeit the holy scriptures do cal and exhort the to seke God in spyryte it is yet impossyble y t thou shuldest fynde god in truth in y e scryptures if fyrst by spyryt thou haue hym not at the harte They serue also an other maner that many tymes happeneth As wher god maketh the in spyryte wyth lyuely faythe to feele a â—euyne truth Afterwardes readyng the holy scryptures thou fyndest that crudulyty wrytten that thou haste so conceyued And therof restyng contented thou conâ—yrfmst thy self in the fayth of that truth notwythstandyug that it ought to suffyse the of the fyrst inspyracyon of the holy ghoste And so moreouer because that in Christ is y e end of the law al the promyses fulfylled and al y â— Prophecyes veryfyed the shadowes fygures and scryptures of the olde TestameÌ„t he that readeth it and seeth all fulfylled in Christ is forced to satysfy hym selfe of the truthe and to establysh hym self in fayth For Christ seÌ„t the Iewes that wold not beleue hym to the holy scryptures as to theÌ„ that wytnessed of hym Afterwardes albeit that in the church of God to be satysfied grounded and establyshed in the deuyne celestyal and supernaturall veryty it behoueth in effect to come to the inward witnes of the holy ghost without whome we can not know whych scryptures be of God be holy and whych not Neuertheles after y â— our holy scriptures be of god we ought to serue ourselues of them as of a certayn infallyble supreame outward rule to teach reprehend correct and exhorte the others to conuynce theÌ„ that speake agaynst it For as Paule wryteth amongest the exteriour things we haue not a more sure cleare perfect aud stedfast rule then thys wyth whiche we ought in spyrit to rule al our words workes dedes and lyfe The holy scriptures moreouer shew vnto vs though farre of our country By her we haue lyght of God of hys promyses also â—hys threatenynges And they nourysh in vs the fayth hope charyte fear and other vertues They comfort vs in our trobles aud in prosperyty exhort vs to be temperate They discouer the vaâ—ytyes of the world our myseries and the bouÌ„ty of god â–ª And who that studyeth them must of force retyre or wythdraw hym self from y e worldly thoughtes and settle hys minde to mortyfy hys vyces inordinate desyres aud affeccions So that the study of them is very profytable to them that duly vse it But it behoueth not to study as the Iewe who fyxeth hym in the vtermost rynd of the letter whiche as Paule sayth kylleth and beholding Moses wyth the face couered and not enteryng into Sanâ—ta Sanctorum but as the true Christian to whom is geueÌ„ the knowledge of God celestyall Reygne or Kyngedome wythoute parables that wyth the lyuely tast and feelyng of God in Christe beholdynge hym wyth lyuelye fayth in the face discouered and entrynge into Sancta Sanctorum to se wyth clere supernatural lyght the high resplendente secretes of god To whom be geuen all laud honoure and glory by oure Sauyoure Iesu Christ Amen The .v. Sermon Of thin conueniences that are happened and daylye happen by the abuse of the holy scriptures THe holy scryptures of them selues be the good gyftes of God and of the holy Ghost Neuertheles they may be vsed of vs wel or euyl as by experyence it is manyfest For wheras gods elect serue theÌ„ selues of it to Gods honour the reprobate contrarywyse serue them selues of it to his dyshonour through theyr own faute not of the scryptures in so much that in respect of theyr wicked maligniti it hath perehauÌ„ce done hurt in som waies to y e world though At length God of hys infynyte bounty reduceth al thynges to hys honoure and glory For fyrst the scryptures annoyed them who haue bene diligent to gather together many bokes and neglygent to study them Thynkynge them selfes fully learned wheÌ„ they haue had theyr lybrary ful of bokes Other some studying haue not attained to imprynte the truthe that they found in their myndes and therefore haue wrytten it in papers so that reaâ—â—yng moost ignoraunt al theyr learnynge consysteth in theyr wrytyngs and losyng them they also lose their scyence Whych was one of the argumeÌ„ts that caused Plato to condempne letters sayinge that before scrypture was founde the menne were much better learened then since because they were forced to wryte in theyr myndes that that afterwardes they haue wrytten in paper I passe ouer that many haue consumed theyr tyme in the dishonoure of God in readynge and wrytynge of thynges curyous and peruycious to the health And that many transported of Curiosity haue wylled to se so many bokes that in
that that Phylosophy is now so proud that wyth the suppressyng and persecutyng of Christ the gospel the grace faith it hath alwayes magnifyed the carnal man his light hys powers And is become so frenetyke that onles it be healed by fayth it wyll beleue nothing to be true but that it thynketh good nether is it possyble to perswade hym in any truth if fyrst declared vnto hym by hys frenetike reasons it be not conformable to hys blind iudgement Conclude therfore that Philosophy lyeth low in the darke vale of vnderstandyng and cannot lift the head to y e high and supernatural thynges in respect wherof it is vtterly blynde and knoweth not nether by experyence nor reuelatyon so that in it it is impossyble to establysh the foundacyon of the faith For as y e feling passeth not the region of the sensyble thynges So lykewyse cannot humayn reason nor Phylosophy passe the regioÌ„ of the natural thinges â–ª The natural man as wryteth Paule vnderstandeth not the thyngs of the spirit and because he is not capax that is perseneth it not he mocketh and scorneth it Yea he persecuteth banisheth with standeth denyeth and repugneth the myracles reuelacyons prophetes the grace fayth the holye scryptures God Christ and his members If they hear the Gospel preached of a faithful man they say he is mad furyous or possessed of the deuel as was said of Christ If of a learned man they say his great studye hath brought hym out of hys wyts whych also was layed to Paule If of an ignorauÌ„t how say they can he be learened that neuer studyed letters And if of a pore wretch as touchynge the worlde they saye to hym as was sayed to the borne blynde man Thou wast borne in synne and wylte thou teache me And so in effect can in no wyse abide to heare the thynges of God Go read the holy scriptures and thou shalt fynde that the carnal wysdome and humayne reasoÌ„ hathe alwayes rebelled agaynst God She is the same that fygured by the serpent perswaded our fyrst parentes to tast of the prohibited apple and that beleued not the word of God and that afterwardes taughte them selues That made Cain to slea hys brother Abel and that perswaded the worlde in the tyme of Noe that the general diluge or flud shuld not come She caused the buyldynge of the towre of Babel She prouoked Pharao to resyst God She induced the people of God to murmure agaynst hym and to worship the goldeÌ„ calfe moued the Gentiles to ydolatry It is that harlot y t made Salomon loose hys wittes and stirred his father to kyl Vriâ— And fynallye she is the same that persecuted the Patriarckes prophetes Apostles Martirs saintes of the old and new testamente Beholde whether she be a wycked fole or not that put Christ on the crosse and wher as Christ crucifyed is the ryght wysdome of God she accounteth it for a mere madnes Sureli ther is no thyng that hath so much fauoured the kingdome of Antechrist as she which hath introduced all the supersticions hipocrisies Idolatryes and euyls that haue bene coÌ„mitted vnder color of holines The faith hath not hadde a greater ennemy then she The church of Christ was a paradyse whyles y e symple fayth reygned But takyng in hand the Scepter of humain reason it is become a confused BabiloÌ„ And wheras the cleare sure and infallyble fayth by geuyng light of the truth magnyfying Christ hys grace and the Gospell doth adnichilate or bryng to nought the fleshlye man and maketh the parson symple pure immaculate vertuous and holye The darke blynde deceitful frenetyke foolysh and heretical carnal reason wysdome and Phylosophy condemâ—neth and oppresseth the truth And to proue and extolle the erroures persecuteth crucyfyeth and buryeth Christ the grace the gospel and magnifieth the carnal man eueÌ„ to the heauen Al the harlots together haue not so much corrupted the world as this only carnal reason prudence and false Philosophye No nor the symple ignoraunce hath not so much confused the world as y â— humayne scyence wysdome and Philosophy which maketh men bold vnshamefast hoote lyers proud contencious frenetike folysh and wycked Wherfore Paul exhorted the Colossions to beware of her deceyt because as God sayth by the Prophet Esay she begyleth the parsons For the wise of the world be y e most deceiued most foles most wicked and most contrary to Christ And it requireth a speciall miracle to conuert one of theÌ„ Read the christian histories thou shalt fynde that those be they which euermore haue bene the first to persecute y e gospel And they are very wycked and folysh that wyl ground Christ vpoÌ„ Aristotel euen lyke vnto theym that wyll bâ—ylde a Iowre vpon a wheaten straw Christ and not the Phylosophy is the only true foundation of his church and of the true supernatural diuinity of the which he is the onli workmaster and not Aristotell I praye the what hath Aristotle to do with Christ Many haue enforsed them selues to agre Aristotle wyth Plato but they could neuer bring it to passe because Aristotel beginning at y â— lowest of the sensible thynges ryseth in the ende to as hygh as maye be And Plato beginneth wheras Aristotle endeth Consyder now how it is possyble to agree hym wyth Christ though many wyl make hym a piller of the gospel a ladder to clyme to heauen Let vs therfore repute the sciences of the world as vain being lyke vnto the harlots that with theyr flattering wordes and deceites corrupt the mindes And let vs coÌ„syder that if the priestes of the old TestameÌ„t wer prohibited to take a commune woman for a wyfe how much more the Christian that is al wholy consecrate and dedycate to God ought to flee and eschewe the vayne scyences and only seruing him self of them as of most vise handmaidens to knit hymself in spyryte and wyth hart mynde to apply hym self to that pure and immaculate virgin of the holy Theology or deuinity To the inteÌ„t that euerlastingly we may render to God al laud honour and glorye by oure Sauioure Iesu Christ Amen The .iiii. Sermon Howe we oughte to vse the holye scryptures in attayninge the knowledge of God THe knowledge of the holy scâ—â—ptures is not ynoughe to proue that we haue sufficyent lyghte of God because it is possible that a man may by his prompt me mory attayn the holy scriptures and theyr interpretacyons in hys mynde by force of hys natural wytte naturally vnderstaÌ„d them and be neuertheles for all that without fayth spirit and lyuely lyght of God For therto it behoueth hym to haue the spirite and supernatural lyght that God with hys fauour do open and penetrate y t minde by hys deuyne grace So that therefore we must not accoÌ„pt the holy scriptures for our last end or for our supreame Quene or Emperesse but for meanes that serue to y â— faith to the spirite and to the true
the end they remained coÌ„fused with out frute As doth the fyelde whereon they cast ouermuch seede And of some that by those meanes haue lost their wits But that whych importeth much more is that they thynke the true knowledge of Theolegy or deuynyty consysteth in letters whych is vtterly false because they geue not true and lyuely lyght of the supernatural thynges y â— cannot otherwyse be knowen of vs but by spyryte reuelatyon fayth spyrytuall taste lyuely vnderstandyng and sure experieÌ„ce For lyke as the Phylosopher wythout experyence can haue no knowledge although he beare in mynde al that is wrytten not hauynge practysed he must reast only in opynyon grounded vpon Arystotle Plato and the other Philosophers which moueth hym to beleue theyr wrytyng to be true being neuertheles in very dede more ignorauÌ„t then is the poore paisaunt or husbandman that by labouryng of the earth wythout sekynge letters fyndeth the operacion of many natural thynges that proueth hys scyence to be somewhat theirs none though well they study foreuer and wante experyence So lykewyse one symple ydeot wythout learnynge if he haue fayth lyuely taste and spyrytuall vnderstandyng of God is a greater deuyne then all the learened men of the worlde that be wythout spirite Yea he is a deuyne and they none For that of y e heauenly supernatural thynges he knoweth so much as he tasteth and experimeÌ„teth by fayth and the learned man hath onlye a barrayne ydle colde and deade opynyon whyche standeth wythout faythe in desperacyon and accompanyed of euery vyce Now therfore it appeareth that of thys erroure by thynkynge that true Theology or deuynyty consysteth in learnyng there are innumerable inconueniences growen and chefely that many wantynge letters not hauynge tyme to study thynkyng that by other wayes it is impossyble to become dyuynes haue not dysposed them selues to demaund of God with meke hart and ferueÌ„t desyre the lyght of the deuyne thyngs And moreouer they haue fled and wythdrawen them selues from the intellygence or vnderstandynge of the holy scryptures as from aterryble ruyne because theyr wyse learened and holy men haue perswaded them y â— no man may vnderstand it but they only y â— are learned Condempnynge them y â— wryte in the vulgare tongue as if the true diuinity depended of the Hebrue Greke or Latin letters or of that wytte that hath wel studied theÌ„ â–ª Behold now therfore whether thys be not a most rawe and wycked opynyon beinge the verye cause that hath moued me thus to wryte in my natural tongue to thin tent that knowing the true Theologi to be open to euery language and to the symple our own nacion shuld not be pryuate who haue none other but the mother tounge Ther be many that studying the holy scriptures wythout spyryt lyuely fayth aud supernatural lyght haue not only not attayued the true knowledge of the bouÌ„ty of god and theyr owne proper myseryes but the more they haue studied the more by the dri and deade letter they are become blynde of God and of them selues Yea vnfaythfull vnkynde proud arrogaunt presumptuous confencious and repleate of al othervices Wheras the supernatural true Theology or deuynyty shewing the great bounty of God declaring in our selues our own miseryes maketh vs faythful thankful iust humble modest geÌ„tle quiet conformable And moreouer they be so blinde that not knowing theyr own wreÌ„tchednes they not only forbeare to humble themselfes before God and of hym hartely to demaund help lyghte and grace but also leauynge prayer for theyr study and the spirit for theyr learninge they presume to be masters of the others as Paule writeth and so inflambed of theyr scyence haue sâ—anndered the world wheras charyty edifieth And being consequently without spirite they study and vnderstand the holy scriptures accordinge to theyr own iudgmeÌ„ts diuersli as their wits study are variable euery one according hys fantasy expoundeth them thinkinge he hath perfectly and iustly couceiued them Wherof are growen infinite sectes and he resyes In stead of y â— if they had bene good and true deuines and had had the spirit of gods gift they had vnderstand theÌ„ in truth and veryty whereof followeth none other â—nt vâ—you of fayth both in spirit charyty Many also beleuyng by the study of the holy scryptures to attain true Theology perfect knowledge of God aud consequeÌ„tly the chefe felycyty possible to the lyuynge man haue geuen them selues to studye the scriptures and walking by them to ioyn to the supreme felicity of gods knowledg because they wanted the spirit they nether caÌ„ arryue at the true and liuely light taste and spiritual vnderstanding of God nor yet to the true felycyty Wherof it groweth that they fal to the bottome of infidelyty in such wise that thei beleue that ther is none other light faith or deuinity then that their barrein and dead opinion nor other felicity theÌ„ that theyr misery and so seming to haue at tayned the heygthe of vertues before they haue once tasted of them they despraise theÌ„ These and such other inconuenyences are growen and contynuallye growe throughe them that know not how they ought to vse the holy scryptures in such wyse y â— by their default and not of the scripture they haue perchaunce done hurt to the world But for that we ought not to condemne the letters as many haue done but the men y â— knowe not to vse them as they shuld be vsed to the honoure of God To whome be al honour and glory by oure sauioure Iesu Christe Amen ¶ The .vi. Sermon If to be good deuynes it behoue vs to haue the humain sciences or not THere be many that thinke it is not possyble to attayne the perfection of Theology if fyrst a man learne not Gramer Dialectica Philosophy Metaphisica Yea Scotus Thomas Bonauenture such other I confesse my selfe to haue bene in that errour and therfore am now moued to compassyon of them that reaste blynded wythal If it wer as they say we shulde be moost bouÌ„den vnto the inuentours of those scyences syns that by theÌ„ we may be good deuynes and wythout them not And then I praye you if they happened to peryshe or those authours to be loste shoulde it not follow that also the world shuld lacke deuinity And lykewyse if the learned menne iâ— those scyences be onelye the good deuynes and consequentlye sainctes the contrarye wherof is clearly seene then might wel the simple and vnlearned people despayre of al ghostly health and the true and necessari diuinity hange vpon humayne scyences So by that reasoÌ„ it shuld behoue vs to say that the Apostles and in maner al the saynctes Yea and the blessed virgin Mary were not good deuynes not withstandyng that they haue taughte others No nor Christe neuer learned those humayne sciences yet was he the most excellent deuyne Therfore we must knowe that one humayne scyence leadeth vâ— to clyâ—e to an other much
he is saued thorowlye by him and he that seeth this with supernatural vnderstandinge hauinge no respect to him self nor his workes but only to the goodnes of God discouered in Christ vpon the Crosse caÌ„not by any meanes be disceiued because that light which he hath to be in the fauor of God elect to saluacion can not growe but onlye of the bountye of God consydered in Christ wherof can spring no false nor deceitfull knowledge Full well may he be be giled and shalbe that doth behold his workes and by them thincketh that he is in the fauour of God and his soÌ„ne But seing him selfe in Christ saued chosen in the fauour of God it muste nedes be said that he seeth the truthe and that which is once trewe although it were but for the twincke of an eie must be saide to be euer true he then which beleueth in Christe were it but a mynute of an houre in perceyuynge of hym selfe elect by Christ seeth that which is true therfore shall it euer be true that he is one of the legitimaâ— sonnes of God so that the same his faythe be not in anye maner founded vpon him self nor his own worckes but in christ and the diuine excellence and that it be not a certeine trifleinge lighte baren and deade opinion but a liuely faithe It must be said then that Iudas had neuer perfect faith nether was elect to saluacioÌ„ although he was chosen to the apostelshippe and the like say I of al y â— reprobate al such theÌ„ as haue had at ani time liuely belefe to be saued bi christ may be sure of their saluation And so also they whiche haue once at the least bene perfectely geuen to God and committed to his gouernaunce vpon the couenaunte that he shall serue him selfe of them accordynge to his owne purpose and with truste that by Christ and his mere goodnes he hath accepted them for hys owne they maye also beleue that they are saued bycause that he shal be no lesse God to them then they shal be promysed of hym Therfore hauing had in that couenaunte lyuely faythe that God wyll forgeue them as his Chyldren in suche sorte that he wyll conducte them to saluacion althoughe they as muche as lyeth iu them were contynuallye prompte to all euyl yet is it necessary to saye that sence God hathe taken theym for hys as they knowe by the lyuely faythe that they haue hadde thereof that they shal ouercome that wyckednesse and haue honoure thereby For hys goodnes passeth their euelnes he wold not haue inspired theÌ„ to gyue them selfes if from without beginning he had not elected them and takeÌ„ theÌ„ for his own Some peraduenture wyl say if we were onlye ones sure to haue ben for a litle time in the fauour of god to haue had his spirit in vs and liuely faith in him that we did beleue surely to be his elect yet we know not if it haue bene a perfect fayth or not wee feare it to haue bene a certeyne cold opinion and least we were begyled in beleuing to be in gods fauoure elected of him I answer that thys is an euideÌ„t sygne that ye neuer had hytherto liuely fayth and knowledge of Christ For as it is vnpossible to haue fyre within the brest and not â—ele it so is it impossible to haue in the hart christ the holy ghost ardent charity and the fiery light of fayth and not to perceiue it thys is for that his lighte is so clere and effectuous that not only it maketh them to se and lyuelye to fele with the spirite that Christe is deade for them vpon the crosse that they are electe and saued but also it dothe make them knowe that it whyche they see is by diuine inspiracion that it is the holye spirit whiche testifieth vnto theyr spirite that thei are the sonnes of God Whose testimonye is more clere open firme and certein then al the outward oracles and miracles of the world which without the inward testimonie of the spirit can leaue vs none other theÌ„ doutful Now y t he that hath in him Christ and the spirite of God doth fele know and perceiue it it is clere by Christ which sayde that the world knew not the holy gost but that he was knowen of them in whome he was And by saynct Iohn which sayd also In this we know that Christ is in vs euen by the holy gost whiche he hathe geuen vs. Therfore sayd Paul trie your selues make some profe of your selues is it possible that ye should not knowe Christ in you if ye be not reprobate And in an other place â–ª know ye not how ye are the temple of God that the holy gost dwelleth in you The holy spirite goth searching throughout and iudgeth euery thing fayth is so clere y t it sheweth vs the profuÌ„ditie of god thou wilt that it be blynde of it selfe Yea Paul sayth that the holy gost is geuen to vs to the ende we might know those thinges that haue ben geuen vs of Christ The kyngdome of God is peace as wryteth Esai and Paul without seruile feare in much certentie Therefore as Chryst sawe that he was in the fauoure of his father and his beloued sonne so also do the electe se them selues all thoughe not wyth so cleare lyghte and certenty but that they goo somtyme doubtynge stumbling and wauering Bnt they ought wyth the Apostles to pray Christ to augmeÌ„t their faith And seke with their good workes continually to make knoweÌ„ to theÌ„ selfs more perfect their saluacion and vocacioÌ„ that therby as by the effectes or fruites they shuld come in to the ful riches of certein perswacion and vnderstandinge of their election and saluation Paule also knew he was in the fauour of God in faith hope and charitye elected the sonne of God safe and sure and that he had the holy goste and Christ wythin hym when he sayd that he was one of them that Christ was come to saue and that he knew in whome he beleued that he looked for the Crowne that nothynge could seperate hym froÌ„ the loue of God which had elected him before the constitution of the world that he had the spirite of adopcion of the sonnes of God and that Christe was he who lyued and spake in him Saint IhoÌ„ also saied we are sure we know God and that we liue in him worldlie and carnall beastes are they which know not God in the holye gost nor those thynges which be his euen as meÌ„ not regenerate they are rustical paysauÌ„ts of so abiecte and base a spirite that they can not beleue that God hath loued them so much that by the death of his onlye begotten and most intierly beloued sonne he would saue them take them for his chyldren and make them hys hepres But astonied of theyr sinnes they are euer afrayed of hell Where the regenerate fele in such sorte the charitie of God in Christ
seÌ„ding of y â— holy ghost if we feele it not in our selues and if we do feale it we shalbe forced with Paul to saye the spirite of God rendrethe testymony to oure spirite that we are the sonnes of God therfore heires and saued Neither is it inough that there is a church of God but thou must beleue to be a porcion thereof one of the lyuely stones therfore one of the electe And to beleue the coÌ„munioÌ„ of sayntes thou must feele that as a meÌ„ber of Christ he doth perticipate his grace w t the and y â— thou art therby saued y u must also be leue y e remission of syns y â— is not ouly that he dothe pardon synnes but that he hathe pardoned the thine and so elected the. EueÌ„ so thou must beleue that thou shalt ryse glorious and haue life euerlasting TheÌ„ there is no article of oure fayth y â— can be beleued in suche sorte as it ought to be of those whiche doo not beleue they are elected To the Christian it is then necessary to beleue that God is hys God and father that he worketh all for his benefite â–ª and that Christe is come was borne hath liued dyed and risen agayne for his saluacion so that w t lyuelye faith he eÌ„braceth Christ wholi for his owne with al his treasure grace And lykewyse al his life death resurreccyon assention glorye and perceiueth the charitie of God in Christ as if there hadde bene no mo but only him selfe in the world and that Christe for him onlye wold haue wrought and suffered no les then he hath done The which when thou dost beleue thou shalt perceyue thou art electe Yea he that beleueth not he is electe can not praye as he ought beynge withoute fayth wythout the whiche after Paul we cannot effectuously recommend vs to god bicause y â— we must ask in faith if we wil askin veriti be hard now if y u beleue not to be his soÌ„ne heir how caÌ„st y u as Christ taughte saye our father as a soÌ„ne wyth coÌ„fideÌ„ce aske him grace Praier may wel be made of inside ls and Ipocrits but lyke folishe scoffers and mockers WheÌ„ y u saiest halowed be thy name thy kyngdom come thou must haue in the the spirit of aâ— opcion of the sonne of God And as y e soÌ„ne is moued of vehemente loue pure and sincere to desyre the kyngdome and glori of y e father so must thou seyng the the sonne of God wyth a deuyne spirit by the force of loue aske and desyre that thy heauenly father be honored and reygne in hys electe w t out rebellyon Lykewyse shalt thou neuer thanke God wyth all thy herte if thou beleue not to be one of y e electe yea if y u shalte doubte therin or thincke to be dampned in thy hart and in thy lyfe and paradnenture also with thy words thou wylte dysprayse him that he hath giuen the a beyng that he hath create the world sente Christe and so the rest his benefytes and wilt say If I am not saued what do these thyngs profit me it had ben better for me y â— I had neuer ben as Christ sayd of Iudas If I shalbe damned the death of Christ serueth me not but doth inflame burne w t al y e rest of hys benefyts y u canst not in perfection theÌ„ thaÌ„cke god if y u feare daÌ„pnacioÌ„ But who so beleueth he is one of y e elect therby y â— al thynges serue hym to saluacion euen the verye troubles he holdeth for a specyall grace benefyte in theym perceyuynge the goodâ—es of God he gyueth hym thankes wyth all his herte Who shal he be that committeth hym selfe holy to the gouernaunce of God as euery one ought to do if he beleue not that God is hys father that he pardoneth hym doth take of him most singuler cure Otherwise they shall neuer truste in God but wyth Adam shal feare hym and flye seking to hide hym selfe from the face of God nether is it possyble to loue God in veryty honor hym as he ought to be honored and approue for iust and holy all his workes and so delite wholye in hym if he fele not in Christ so muche the goodnes of God that he se hym selfe hys sonne also heire If he know not him self to be a sonne he shal feare as a seruaunt in al his workes haue respect to him selfe his pains displeasures incommodytyes dyshonoures hel or els to this paradise not to y e glori of God As he y â— seeth hym selfe a soÌ„ne lord of al heire sure therof such a one worketh only by streÌ„gth of spirit vehemeÌ„ci of loue to the glory of god to whoÌ„ he hath turned hys whole intent to that end ordreth his whole life Also it can not be possible to loue thy neighbour as thy self as a brother in Christ meÌ„ber w t the of the same bodye if thou do not beleue to be in the number of the sonnes of God And fynally ther caÌ„not one good worcke be done but of them that are regenerate sonnes of God members of Christe and haue in them the holy spirit which testifieth in their hertes that they â—e the sonnes of God And mai parteli be sene howe false and vngodlye is the doctrine of the antichristians that where as it is cheifelye necessarie to beleue that we are elected also aboue all thinges most commodious thei force theÌ„ selues to withdraw euery one froÌ„ this fayth perswading them to stand in doubte as thoughe they had wherin to mistruste the goodnes of God vppon whome onlie dependeth oure saluacion as our daÌ„pnacion doth of our selues But let vs praye to God to open oure eyes to the ende they maye no longer blaspheme but render to God all honoure lande and glorye by Iesu Christe oure Lorde Amen The .xvii. Sermon If it be good to seeke to know wherefore God hathe some electe and some reprobate THy desyre maye be wycked as it is in manye to whome it appeareth that it should haue bene better if God who beinge of power as he is had elected al meÌ„ â–ª and semeth theym that in thys God hathe lacked of charitye yea in theyr language they saye in theyr heart secretely If we had bene God we woulde haue elected all and would haue had more charitie theÌ„ he Now behold whether this be vngodlye folyshe proude plasphemy or not They Imagyne to haue more loue to the souls then he that for to saue theym gaue hys onlye begotten and dearlye beloued sonne vpon the crosse There are some other to whome it semeth on the one syde that God can not erre and on the other parti hearinge that he hath reproued many they thinke the coÌ„trary Thei are not certeine by fayth that God can not erre and that al that he willeth must nedes be iuste Therfore
vertues infinitely perfect and that in it in vertue and eminenci be al the colours odours sauoures sonndes songes swetenes fairenes honoures dignities treasures pleasures and felicities of the world infinitely and without proporcion more perfect then they be of them selues here And moreouer it behoueth the to knowe that the being of the creature is a shadow a most slyght vanite in comparison of gods being and the difference more then is betwene our shadow and our selues It is to be sayde of God that surely he is only the thinge that is Lykewise I say of our powers beauty truth charity iustice wisdome and of al our other vertues that compared to the diuine they be as most vaine images and shadowes infinitely distaunt from theÌ„ of God Also it behoueth to know that god is not idel but that he continually worketh as Christ saith in such wise that he hathe not only geueÌ„ vnto the world his being but also continually conserueth al the thynges created and al the vertues that of al y e miracles and straunge effectes we knowledg only God to be author and to him we geue al thankes honor and glory So lykewyse ought we to knowledge of him al the natural effectes and operacions and not to extol or praise nature but God only who geueth and preserueth the being and vertue to all thinges â–ª Neither ought there any other chaunce or fortune to be named but al to be confessed of god and he only to be thanked euen as he continually worketh for vs. And as hys power is neuer ydel but contynual working in al creatures So his wysdome continually seeth disposeth and ordeineth al things most best and his bouÌ„ty lykewise continually communicateth vnto vs his benefytes and graces Furthermore it is necessary thou know that al that God hath wrought worketh or shal worke in his creatures is al for man for whom they be created and preserued For al the giftes and benefits that from the beginninge haue bene made or shalbe made to the creatures man is bound to knowledge theÌ„ as made to him and accordingly therfore to thancke God â–ª And especially the chosen or elect to whom al creatures do serue both the predestinate and reprobate Yea the aungels and the deuils euen to the very sinnes And because God doth here manifest and discouer hymself with his omnipoteÌ„t wisdom truth iustice bounty and his other vertues and perfectioÌ„s not onli in his creatures but much more in his scriptures especially in christ on the crosse chefely to them y â— by faith conceiue him with spirit Therfore it behoueth him y t wil know what thing God is to behold him particulerly in Christ to besech him to geue him liueli clere light to know him not only in his creatures scriptures but specially in Christ crucified to the ende that in him by him vnderstaÌ„ding y e great bounty of God we may render vnto hym all honoure and glorye by oure Sauyoure Iesu Christ Amen ¶ The second Sermon Howe to knowe God by hys creatures GOd in his maiesty apparelled with his perfeccions and in the well of his brightnes as saith Paule is a certain light inaccessible and hid But here he some what discouereth him selfe by hys creatures as who will enter into Rome must of force know bi y e pillers sepultures images and bi the great ruines that he shal finde there that the Romains in times past hane bene of great power dominion wisdom So he which entereth into this world seing this great engine must of force know the maker therof to be the God omnipoteÌ„ And beholding the order of his creatures must not only se but also maruel at y e wysdome of God And with Dauid cry say Lord thou hast created al things in wisdoÌ„ And moreouer it behoueth him to say that God is best seing that continually he dysposeth new gyftes vnto his creatures And seinge that by due meanes he leadeth them to theyr end he is forced to confes gods deuine prouidence and so in conclusion bi the thinges created to come to the knowledge of god of al hys perfeccions as far forth as they appeare in his creatures that because the creatures be vnyted so to gethers that eche one hangeth on other al of god in such wise that they make a ladder to the vnderstanding of the natural by the which they clime and ascend euen to God They see that this inferyour world is gouerned of the heauens and that the heauens keepe their courses vniformely by contynual mouing and therof be constrained to consider that the vertue which moueth them beyng â—faticable and neuer wery is spiritual for if it wer corporal it shuld end or at the least waxe weake And so going farther they coÌ„syder that that spirytuall vertue not being the supreame is gouerned bi an other And because they can not attayne the infinite euerlasting they are forced to come to a first supreame intellygence the whych moueth wythout beyng moued and to a fyrst cause independent and so they ascend to y e knowledge of God Moreouer by the beauty of the creatures they ascend to the knowledg of the beauty of God By the order Armony and conseÌ„t that appear in the creatures they attain the consyderacion of gods infinite sapyence or wysdom And so by the visyble workes of God to the regard wherof Dauid calleth vs sayinge come and behold the workes of the Lord they attain to consider the inuisyble perfeccyons of god hys euerlastyng power and Deuinitie as Paule writeth Ther is no creature so bace nor so vyle in whome there shineth not the glory of God in which thou maist see hys greate power wysdome bounty beauty the other perfeccyons And by how muche the creatures be more noble hygh worthy and excellent by so much the more do they discouer God Lyke as the heauens which particulerly do shew the glory of God And the more perfectly we know the creatures Yea God in them so much the more we ryse to the knowledge of God and by so much the more our vnderstandings who ly and wyth perfect light is vnited and copulate vnto hym It is true that many consyder the creatures in them selues without respect to hym that hath created them and so conserueth and gouerneth theÌ„ But those are of more grosse condicion then is y â— owl which because he can not behold the sonne forceth him self and taketh pleasure to behold hym in the sterres Aud they not seing God in hys glory seke not at y â— least wise to se him in the mirroure of hys creatures But know thou fyrst that thys ladder of the creatures to clyme vuto God is peryllous because that God hauing put in them a certayne beauty and swetenes to the end that mans vnderstaÌ„dyng of the taste of the swete running water shuld be prouoked to seke the fountayn or spryng and therby to seke god with more