principall medicine to theym that by faithe cleane to Goddes promyse made in Christ sayenge Benedictus deus et pater domini nostri Iesu Christi qui benedixit nos iÌ„ omni benedictioÌ„e spirituali Eph. 1. in coelestibus iÌ„ Christo sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem ut essemus sancti immaculati in conspectu eius in charitate Qui praedestinauit nos in adoptionem filioruÌ„ perâ—â—sum Christum c. If there had ben no predestination then wold not S. Paul haue giuen thanks to God for it But out of doubt ther is a predestynation the whych is certayn in God although it be vncertayne in vs and none otherwyse knowen but in that we fele the spirite of grace workyng fayth and obedience in our hartes vnto the word of god and that is the true token wherby the spirite of god certifieth our spirites that we at the electe sonnes of God Let no man therfore rashely iudge of gods holy predestination but let euery man submyt his iudgement to the word of God without curiositie sekyng that ende in predestination whiche sayncte Paul wylled the Ephesians to lerne namely Elegit nos in ipso ut sancti essemus immaculati in conspectu eius in charitate That felyng this mynde and desyre in theim selues they may reioyce in theyr election and geue thaiskes with saint Paul Who so euer than ther be that is faythfull and coueteth rightly to vnderstande predestination let hym attende vpon Christ that he may fynde hym selfe in hym without whom there can be found no worthy tokeÌ„ of PredestinatioÌ„ beware that no man be so blynde that he shulde deny the predestination of God for so shoulde he declare hym selfe to be infected with this stynkyng floure of the dyuell Nowe as it is a wycked errour to deny the Predestination of God and our election in Christ and a floure not to be found among christen men so it is a moste damnable heresy and an execrable flowre of hell wherein may be smelled the poyson blasphemy of the dyuell agaynste the sonne of God Iesus Christe to affirme and holde that by predestination God is the author of syn where as we may learne in scripture that the holy Predestination of God neuer passeth but alwayes continueth within the boundes of Godlynes and ryghteousnes where by all myghty God at no tyme moueth any man to sinne Vniuersae enim viae domini misericordia veritas Saynt Iames therfore to declare Iacob that God is not the author of synne sayth that God tempteth no man to euyll Satan is the cause of synne and synne the cause of our punyshemente what bryngeth the wrathe of God vpon vs and maketh his anger so fierse ouer vs Syn. What is the cause that Gods truthe taketh no place in vs and that we receyue the grace of god in vayne Synne Therefore it is written In cor maleuoluÌ„ non introibit sapientia nec habitabit â—ap 1. in corpore subdito peccatis c. Esai coÌ„firmeth the same saying Your sinnes haue separate you frome god Sainct Paule also teachiÌ„g the Romains wherwith God was and is displeased sayd Reuelatur ira Dei de Rom. 1. coelo super omnem iniustitiam impietatem hominum c. If God bee than displeased at synne as his word doth declare hym to be than is he not the authour of syn onlesse we shuld grant as God forbyd that he is both a mutable god or a dissembling God which coueteth or alloweth that which he saith by his word he doth hate For he is the author of nothyng but of that whiche he aloweth As he therfore is good only and goodnes it selfe contrarye to all iniquitie so is he author of all godlynes and vertue and no syn For this cause hath he coÌ„manded vs to flee from all syn as from a serpent declaryng in his blessed testament that they be blynd as concernyng the knowlege of god yea strangers from al truth that say thei haue felowship with the light yet walke in darkenes 1. Ioan. 1. Therfore he willeth al men to absteyn from syn wherof he is not the author but the hater not the cause but aueÌ„ger with a liuely faith to withstand the diuel the author only Ioan. 8. cause of syn as it is writen Diabolus mendax est pater eius Awai therfor with this pestilent floure creping pestileÌ„ce in the dark wherby the diuell busily sekiÌ„g our destruction laboureth to persuade vs litell to regard the lawe of God to neglecte our conscience to eschue no euyll to folowe all mischiefe lyke vnbrideled horses and that bicause God is displeased at no synne whiche is the author of all as the dyuell teacheth But lette vs buylde our fayth vpon the word of god sanctified and sealed with the bloud of Christe wherby we are taught that God is holy iust and good and the cause of no synne as it is wryten Quoniam non Deus uolens iniquitateÌ„ Psal 5. tu es Neque habitabit iuxta te malignus neque permane bunt iniusti ante oculos tuos Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem c. Therefore by predestination god doth not prouoke or allure any man to synne bycause he is god and playeth not the part of the dyuel but he hath predestinate his iudgement wherwith he wyll reward euery man as he hath done either lyfe or death vnto whose predestination nothyng appertayneth but iust condemnation to the vnbeleuers and vndeserued mercy to the faythfull Christe came to take away our synne and there was no synne in hym As there was no synne in hym so was there no synne of hym that that was not of hym was not his woorke that whiche was not in his work was not in his predestination a damnable floure of the diuels orchard But if this flowre serue not he hath an other ready in store the smell whereof no lesse infecteth than thother That is Christ died for his owne synnes as well as for the sinnes of the people How the diuel hath wrought by this flour ye haue an exaÌ„ple before youre eies that ye may learn to eschew the sauor of so perillous a flour For the poisonyng of this ought to be to you a perpetuall warnyng to beware the engins of the diuel that he at no time bewitch you to fall into such an errour so farre against the truthe By this blynd suggestioÌ„ the dyuel goth to appeach Christs innocency righteousnes death and to make hym an insufficient Sauiour whereby he myghte make vs opynion that the law were not satisfied for vs neither yet God contented towardes vs. For God coulde not bee pleased towardes vs vntyll his lawe were satisfied And the lawe coulde not bee satisfied vntyll one that had not transgressyd the law shuld be propitiation for their synnes that were condemned by the law Seyng therfore that none could be found of the synfull generation of Adam that hadde not in
A GODLY AND FRVTEFVLL SERMON MADE â—t Maydstone in the county of Kent the fyrste sonday in Lent in the presence of the most Reuerend father in God THOMAS Archbishop of Canterbury c. by M. Thomas Cole scholemayster there againste dyuers erronious opinions of the Anabaptistes and others ⧠LONDINI ANNO DOMINI M. D. LIII A SERMON MADE AT MAYDSTONE THE FYRT sonday in Lente the yeare of oure Lord 1552. in the presence of the most reue rend father in God Thomas Archbyâ—shop of Canterbury c. by M. Thomas Cole schoolemaister there agaynst dyuers errours of the Anabaptistes and such sectes where soeuer they be as in christen religion call theym selues Brothers and Systers and dyuide theym selues from other christian people Audite coeli percipe auribus tuis ô terra quoniaÌ„ Dominus loquutus est WHo dooth not meruayle or counte it a thing very straunge that a mortall man of the generation of Adam conceyued in synne borne in wyckednes brynge no creatour but a creature yea dust and ashes shuld so boldly speak vnto al states and degrees of men commanding them to heare Some peraduenture do not only meruayle but accuse the Prophet that he should say being but a man Audite quoniam Dominus loquutus est But deere christians meruail not neyther charge you gods elect prophet with any euel or breache of ciuilitie least happely in faultyng them whom god sendeth vnto you with the worde of reconciliation ye procure to your selues the same rebuke whych our Sauiour Christ gaue to the catchyng Phariseis namelye Quare vos malum cogitatis in cordibus vestris For although Esay spake woordes Math 9. Marc. 2. Luc. 9. of commandyng and of auctoritye yet hee spake theym not of hym selfe neither in hys owne name but in the name of the lyuynge god which called him to be his prophet and made hym a messaunger vnto the people to call them to the obedience of the fayth Seynge therfore that almighty God the lorde of all creatures sent him to speake vnto theÌ„ he gaue him power to say Audite and seing he sent him not to speake his owne wordes but the wordes of God he also gaue hym power to saye Quoniam Dominus loquutus est For as the penne is the instrument that formeth the lettre whereby the mynde of the writer doth appeare vnto them that read it not through the pen only but by the writer that vseth the pen euen so the prophet Esay al thei that haue the ministery of the word of god are but the instrumeÌ„ts which god vseth according to his godly pleasure to make his wil to be knoweÌ„ vnto the hearers Which coÌ„meth not of theÌ„selues but of god which speketh in them Dauid not forgetting that he Psal 45 was the instrumeÌ„t of god although called to the dignitie of a prophet vnable of himselfe to set forth the inestimable riches of Gods wisdom wtout the aide of his holy spirit said Lingua mea calam us scribae velociter scribentis S. Paule wel remeÌ„bring that yâ— ministratioÌ„ of the word was honorable whereof God had made him a choseÌ„ instrument on the other side not forgetful howe lytle he had deserued at the lords hands such a promocion whan he heard the people of Corinth fallen into such a phrenetical contention that thei wold as meÌ„ do now a daies either coÌ„mende or lothe the word for the instrument sake bicause he wold not haue theÌ„ to regard his person but almighty God that spake in him Therfore to declare him self to be but an instrumeÌ„t to set forth yâ— glory of God he sayd Quid igitur est Paulus Quis â—utem 1 Cor. â— â–ª Apollo nisi ministri per quos credidistis et ut cuique dominus dedit Ego plantaui Apollo râ—gauit sed Deus deditincrementuÌ„ Itaque neque qui plantat est aliquid neque qui rigat sed qui dat incrementum Deus Esay vpoÌ„ like consideracioÌ„ entendinge to drawe the Israelites from the deceauable affections of flesh and bloud vnto the worthy receiuyng and reuerent embrasyng of the woord of lyfe that they shuld not thynke on the person but on the Lorde that spake in him sayed Audite coeli percipe auribus tuis ô terra quoniam Dominus loquutus est The lyke mynde ought to be at this daye in all them that either preache or heare the woord of the Lord that the preachers may acknowledge themselues to bee but instruments and the hearers to seeke nothyng in them but god speakyng in them the wordes of eternall lyfe Now therfore that almighty God speaketh by his instrumentes the true preachers of his word thorow the operation of his holy spirit which in times past spake immediately from himself by the patriarkes and prophetes to the world Let vs giue eare with diligence that we may vnderstand his heauenly mynd and beware that we despise not neglect and abandon this high treasure of the wisedome of god the word of faith although it seeme to come from a base poore instrument but hartely receiue it ioyfully accept it obediently folow it and faithfully persist in it to the ende that the may reape with great comfort thie promise of God Qui perseueâ— auerit vsque in finem hic saluus erit For Math. 24. Mat. â—â— without doubt god wylleth his word spoken by those whoÌ„ he choseth to this sacred function to be receiued with lyke worthynes and estimacion euen as though hee spake it him self And therfore he sayth Qui uos audit me Luc. 10. Ioan. 14. Marc. 6. Math. 10. audit qui uos spernit me spernit As the mouth of the kinges embassadour is for the time he speaketh the woordes of the kyng the verye mouthe of the kynge so the mouth of the preacher speakyng syncerely the woorde of God is the mouth of god for the time he preacheth And therfore the Prophets whaÌ„ they had spoken to the people vnto whome they were sent the mynd and woord of God they for the moste parte concluded their matters with these wordes saying Quoniam os Esa 1. Domini loquutum est Wherfore as they that despise the kinges emdassadour lytle regard or esteme the kyng so lykewise they that despise the true preachers of the worde of god as much as in them lyeth despise god Now derely beloued christiaÌ„s although Esay speaketh not vnto you but a synful man one vnwoorthy to beare Esayes bookes after hym either for the dexteritie of life that was in hym eyther for the deepe knowledge in the mysteries of God yet bycause it hath pleased oure heauenlye father to call me at this tyme to this place truely wythout couloure to speake hys truth and nothing but hys truthe I shall defyre yow in the name of God to dee dylygent hearers Wherefore hopyng to haue you lyke attentiue nowe as the true worshippers of God were in Esayes time I vse the same introduction to my matter as Esay did saiynge vnto you as he
as cast awaies in respect of our selues A daungerous thyng it is to take Goddes office in hand or to iudge this maÌ„ or that maÌ„ condeÌ„ned without any exception Seyng it is to vs vncertayn who perisheth in his syn We must therfore leaue that to God Cleere he ought to be that shulde condemne an other least haply it be said to him as was sayd to the Phariseis Cast the first stone and so he go away ashamed Therefore it is written Iuge not lest ye be iudged But it is forbidden by the worde of God that any christen man shuld kepe company with the vngodly to folow their vngodlynes or to communicate with them in their synnes that dyd we not see in the Lorde Iesus neither maye a christian man doo so without blame Example we haue in Iosaphat who was blamed of the Lord for goyng with wicked Achab and doyng the same enterprise with hym whiche Achab was forbidden to doo Salomon sayth Si te lactauerint peccatores ne â—cquiescas And Paul sayth Peccatis alienis 1. Tim 5. ne communicaueritis When the vngodly do declare them selues to be ennemies of God and of all goodnes Ex fructâ—bus ipsoruâ— cognoscetis eos and by none other way then a christen man must vse that order whyche Christe hath apointed in his holy testament belongyng to a priuate man that is Fyrste secretely to admonyshe the offendant than to call two or thre witnesses if he than doothe not amende publyshe hym to the congregacion or to the authorised disciplinatours and he excommunicated by them out of the congregation shall separate hym selfe frome the good christians and they shall also separate them selues from him as from an Ethnike vntill he by repentance be admittted agayne But if the churche or authorised disciplinatours be in this their office negligeÌ„t and wyl not excommunicate suche as be notorious manyfest euyl workers than must the priuate man coÌ„mitte the matter to god desyryng hym to redresse suche an abuse beyng contented to lyue in the church and receyue the sacramentes without separation assured that the wyckednes of the wycked can not make an holy thyng vnholy or vnprofitable to hym so long as he beleueth in Christe and kepeth hym selfe vnspotted froÌ„ their vnrightousnes Scripture muche commendeth vnitie and concorde therfore lette vs cast away all diuision and growe to the vnitie of the holy spirite Let those that bee spirituall helpe to amend them that are out of the way in the spirite of mekenes consyderyng them selues that they may fall Labour therefore by a godly conuersation and gostely councell to call them to repentance that do yll charitably seke them that go astray without condemnyng them as cast awaies or iustifyeng your selues But yet I will no man to neglect circumspection although I reproue vncharitable separation The wysedome of God dooth not teache me to seke an other and lose my selfe Wherfore if any man perceyue the fragilitie of his nature to be suche or rather his weaknes that by occasyons he is apt to forgette hym selfe to offend god and to tourne backe to his vomite agayne by kepyng company or familiaritie with them that will not bee warned to leaue their beastly behauiour than I thinke it good for that man to withdrawe him selfe from those occasions and grow stroÌ„ger For to this end dothe the scriptures tend which treate of eschewyng euyll company that no man by keepynge therin companye shoulde fall to lyke vngodlynesse and not to separate them selues from other as though thei alone were onely iust and all other condemned Who so commytteth herein dooth declare him self to be infected with this naughty floure But truly I know none that vseth any suche separation yf there bee any God reduce them into the way of truthe Where this peuyshe floure serueth not he hath an other very fowle and stynkynge to corrupte mans soule withall As these are to pestylent to be founde among christians Namely to deny that childern be borne in originall synne or that a manne after baptisme can not fall into deadely synne or beynge so fallen canne not be renewed agayne by repentaunce or to denye the baptisme of infantes Howe the worde of god doth confute these errours and deface these floures I woulde declare yf tyme serued But bycause it is shorte and I haue somewhat more to saye lette it bee sufficient for you to knowe that they are pestylent and vnwholsom floures An other flowre the dyuell hath wherwith he laboureth to make men breake godly order whiche is this That it is laufull to be a publyke preacher in a christian coÌ„mon welth without the authoritie of the christen magistrates But leaue this floure to the dyuell agayne whyche is and euer wyll bee an ennemye to christian order And knowe you that it is not laufull in a christian common weale to be a publyke preacher without the authoritie of the hygher powers An other flowre the dyuell hathe in store wherwith he woulde perswade man that in this lyfe he may attayne suche a perfection that he shall synne in nothynge And this is that dotyng floure that a maÌ„ may kepe the coÌ„mandementes of god so perfectly and absolutely that he shall synne in nothynge nor haue nothyng wherof to aske Gods mercy But beware of this floure whiche sauoureth more of imagination thaÌ„ of knoweledge more lyke a dreame than a truth more of foly than of godly wisedom For by it the dyuell goeth about eyther to make vs forgetfull of oure imbecillitie that we myght the lesse regard our strength and protection Iesus Christ or els that in the ende whan our conscience doth accuse vs of offence agaynst God and his holy coÌ„mandementes that they be not perfectly kepte he may thrust vs downe headlong to desperation We must therfore refuse the sauoure of this floure and nouryshe oure soule with the swete odour of the truthe by whom wee may learne our imbecillitie to bee suche and the corruption of our nature so greate that neither we can or may kepe gods holy commaundementes so absolutely no although we haue the grace of God that here we shal synne in nothyng The experience whereof he shal easyly haue the beholdeth himselfe wel in the lawe of God wherby he shall see how infirme he is to obserue the fyrst commaundement so perfectly as the lawe requyreth namely Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde c. Wherefore God of hys infinite goodnes consydering our imperfection how we are letred thorow our weaknes and want of our owne power to keepe the commaundementes of God â–ª Yea althoughe our soule desyreth to keepe them being therto moued by grace he sent his deer son Iesus Christe to be the fulfillyng of the lawe in vs as S. Paule sayth Vt iâ—stitia legis impleretur in Rom. â— nobis qui non secundum carnem versamur sed secundum spiritum This is therefore to all faithfull christians no smalle consolation that although our weaknes be such that we can