armed on all syds that the diuell fynd not any gap open nor bee able too make any breache intoo vs That is it which wee haue too beare in mynd too the intent wee take not our selues too be so able folks as that the once hearing of a matter is ynough for vs For wee shall woonder too see how the diuell will neuerthelesse ouerreache vs many wayes And therfore let vs bee well ware that wee giue good eare too all the warnings that are giuen vs bycause it is not any whit more than needeth And forasmuch as Saint Paule had spoken of truthe he sayeth Put away lying and speake euery man the truthe He setteth the woord Truthe in another sense heere than hee did afore For in calling holinesse and ryghtuousnesse truthefull he ment that there ought too bee no glozing nor disguyzing but a ryght meaning simplicitie that when God looketh as a witnesse intoo our harts he may fynde no dubble dealing in vs After that maner was the word Truth taken afore Now he speaketh of the truthe that ought too reigne among vs â–ª when wee traffik or bargaine one with another Then must 〈◊〉 bee faythfull and trustie in all our businesse and dooings and we must vse no wyles nor deceyt And yit that is not ynough but wee must mark that this truth wherof Saint Paule speaketh is such a playn dealyng as wee lay open all that is in our hart if neede requyre and in any wise go not about too get other mens goods too vs by suttletie and craftinesse nor too profit our selues by another mans losse And on the contrary part vnder this word Lying he comprehendeth not only the lyes that are made in speache as when a man sayeth that whyte is blacke as for example if one should aske a man the pryce of a thing he would sell that for a crowne which is not woorth a shilling Saint Paule speaketh not of the Lyes that are so grosse farre out of square that euen lyttle children are able too condemne them but by the name of Lying he meaneth all manner of counterfetting and cousining and too be short all the pollicies and shiftes that men haue and wherein they glory Looke what the world termeth wisedome or policie that dooth Saint Paule call flat Lying And why For a man is not counted too bee wittie now adayes except the can filche and deceyue I meane by bywayes couert coÌ„ueyances which meÌ„ shal not perceyue But this geâ—re is woorse than the picking of a chest and the breaking a sunder of the yron woorke too get away the money or than the murthering of a man when a theefe commes with a naked swoord too cut a poore wayfarers throte Therefore these politike murtherers which will needes be counted honest men may disguyze themselues as much as they list by their hypocrisie but yit are they called heere both deceyuers and theeues and murtherers Not that they appeere so before men but God who seeth deeper than wee doo will iudge of their dooings as they bee in deede And what shall men gayne by excuzing themselues Nothing Then is wee marke this geere well we shall see that in speaking of Lyes S. Paule condemneth the things that men make most account of as suttletie and wittinesse and skill to behaue a mans selfe in all companie For the world sayes a man must hold with the hare and hunt with the hound he must beware that hee bee not ouerraught and he must alwayes preuent rather than be preuented The fashion of the world then is that euery man stand so vppon his gard as he haue his nettes ready too intrap other men and to intangle them a hundred times ere they bee aware of it But Saint Paule sayth wee must vse such a soundnesse and playne dealing as wee must speake truthe one too another And he bringeth vs backe too that which he had 〈◊〉 after too another purpose namely that wee bee all but one body Now then let vs come too our owne members If my one hand should play legierdemayne and conuey all things too it self too the hurt of the other if my foote should conspyre ageinst my legge or if my bellye could woorke some pretie slyght ageinst my stomacke what a thing were it Now then if wee bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ is it not a separating of our selues from his bodie when wee vse such fyne shiftes and pretie slyghtes notwithstanding that they be not condemnable afore men No doubt but wee will protest ynough with our mouthes that wee bee Christians but whatsoeuer wee pretend Iesus Christ will not bee misfashyoned after our fancie Lyke as he is but one so will he haue vs to be all one in his bodie yea euen with this conditioÌ„ that euery of vs serue his neyghbours which cannot bee doone except all counterfetting â—ee first put away as wee see that the hand dooth yeeld it self simply too the seruice of the rest of the body and lykewyse the foote and euery other member dooth his dewtie If anye one bee in daunger the rest will not sinke asyde but all imploy themselues too succour it Among them â–ª there is no profer of deceyt but all cling toogither according too the order of nature Euen so ought wee too proue our selues too bee the members of Iesus Christ by lyke playne dealing Saint Paule then applyeth too this particular exhortation the thing that he had spoken in generall namely that if wee bee clenzed from all hipocrisie and fayning before God wee will shew it in our whole lyfe For when wee haue too doo one with another wee will vse no guyle but walke playnly That is for one poynt And therof springeth another which is that wee must not prouoke or anger one another For wee see that if a man but moue vs a little by and by wee bee in in a chafe and our passioÌ„s are so excessiue as there is nother reason nor measure with vs And when men are so caryed away they doo so forget themselues as nothing can wey with them vse what perswasion yee can And therfore Saint Paule sayeth that if we be not quiet one with another wee cannot bee knit intoo the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ and besydes that as much as lyeth in vs we deface Gods image in vs by giuing head so too our passions too chafe after that fashyon and too bee so hot one ageinst another Now it should seeme by al lykelyhod that he ment to take this common saying as drawen out of the fourth Psalme not that he alledgeth the Psalme too report the naturall sense of it but too apply it too his owne purpose For wee may well take many textes of Scripture and apply them too dyuers things howbeeit without altering of any thing in them and yit notwithstanding they shall abyde in their naturall sense styll Euen so too the end that S. Paules saying myght bee the better receyued he sayeth Bee angrie and sin not as though it
Christ were the bond of our concord and that God alloweth it bycause it is grounded vpon his woord Saynt Paule then ment heere too put a difference betwixt vs and the heathen and vnbeleeuers For all men will graunt well ynough that there can be nothing but hauocke among men when they bee lyke too Dogges and Cattes and it hath bin knowen for a grounded principle in all ages in all Countries and among all people insomuch that euen the heathen folke and such as knew not what trewe religion meaneth haue simply commended and esteemed the benefyte of concord and agreement toogither But yit they buylded without foundation And therefore Saynt Paule beginneth at Gods truth As if he should saye wee must not only linke in one among our selues but God must also go before vs and wee must obey him so as wee must bee gathered toogither vnder him and he sit ouer vs and wee must leuer chooze too bee at defyance with the whole world than too slip away from him Thus yee see that the thing which wee haue too marke vppon this text is that God will not haue vs too bee knit toogither without knowing how or why but he will haue vs too agree too woorship and serue him and too put our whole trust in his infinite goodnes so as Iesus Christ be our head and we all members of his bodie through the power of fayth And agein that when wee once knowe how wee haue a father in heauen which hath adopted vs too bee his children and that Iesus Christ hath voutsafed too take our flesh and substance vppon him too the intent that wee should bee flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone the same should moue vs too loue one another too bee carefull ech for others saluation and too helpe one another according too the abilitie that God gyueth vs According wheruntoo it is sayd in the Psalme that the freendship of brothers is a leeuesome thing And afterward the Prophet bringeth vs too the oyntment that was powred vpon the Priests as if he should say that men hauing no more but euen their moother wit may perceyue that there is not a more leeuesome thing in the world than too liue in peace and amitie Howbeit therewithall he declareth the order of it after the same maner that it is shewed vs heere by S. Paule and â—ayth that the sayd brotherhood must bee conâ—crated and dedicated to the name of god For the annoynting of Aaron and his successors was in such sort as the oyntment did sheade downe vppon the whole body and vppon the garment of them Now therefore let vs marke that if wee intend too linke toogither well wee must drawe vntoo God and our linking must bee allowed of him Otherwyse wee may well haue fellowship toogither but it shal bee but a cursed felowship and the end of it can neuer bee but vtter confuzion Wherefore that wee may rule our lyfe well let the end that wee begin at bee too cleaue vntoo the truth Ryght necessarie is this warning for vs now adayes For the Papistes accuse vs that wee haue trubbled the world that the debates that are now adayes doo spring of our fault inasmuch as heretoofore all was deade euery man sayd Amen too them and there was no disputing In deede there was no great trauell spent in seeking God or the saluation of men Now then too cast the Diuell out of the possession that he had gotten it behoued vs too vse great vehemencie according as it is sayd that he will neuer giue ouer his place except he bee inforced Therefore it stoode vs on hand as yee would say too thunder and lighten too waken the world that was so falne asleepe and after a sort bewitched For inasmuch as the vnbeleeuers are extremely stubborne in stryuing ageinst God and cannot abyde that the truth should take place but vpholde theyr lyes with diuelishe wilfulnesse that is the very cause why there is so much trubble and warre in the world now adayes I meane for Religion Now the Papistes would laye the blame in our neckes but let vs see who is in the fault For wee desyre that euery man should doo homage vntoo God and that both great and small should submit themselues too his woorde and that there should bee one trew vnitie of fayth so the simplicitie of the Gospell go before it and guyde it These are the things that wee seeke and the Papists fynd fault with it Yit notwithstanding there is none other thing too bee found in our doctrine but that wee would fayne that there should bee a melodie betweene men and Angels too woorship the trew God and too follow his wâ—ord which is our trew rule to the end there should be no corruption in his seruis On the contrarie part the Papistes would maynteyne all their abhominations and errours and cannot indure that Iesus Christ should haue his preheminence For they haue bereft him of all his offices and made as it it were a bootie of them They haue an infinite warrein of Hee sayncts and Shee sayncts too whom they giue the tytle of their Aduocats saying that by their merits they obtein fauour at Gods hand for such as pray vntoo them Moreouer in all the rest of their doctrine there is nothing but it is peruerted yea and falsifyed And besydes these errours and superstitions the Papists are also so spytefull as too bend themselues euen ageinst God to spit out their madnesse yea and to indeueâ— too wype away the rememberance of Iesus Christ by fyre and swoord What should wee doo in this cace There is no compounding with them but by renouncing of Gods truth But wee know what order is taught vs heere by the holie Ghoste For Saint Paule could well haue sayd io one woord Agree my freends But he sawe well hee should haue spoken but one half and that his doctrine also should haue bin misconstrewed and therfore he sayth Let vs bee knit toogither in the truthe and let vs rather gyue ouer all the frendship of the worlde and procure the anger of all vnbeleeuers and of all such as rebell ageinst God than swarâ—e one whit from it But if wee seeke too bee at good agreement in the truthe and none of bs bee wedded too himself but rather euery of vs procure the welfare and saluation of his neyghbours that is the concord which ought to be among vs. The thing then which wee haue in effect too remember vppon this streyne is that on the one syde we must beware of confederating with Gods enemyes that wee stryke not sayle as they say too please them For although it behoue vs too seeke too haue peace and vnitie with all men as neere as wee can yit is Gods truthe alwayes excepted and wee must make more account of that than of all the world And in deede they that will needs gartify creatures and in the meane season turne away from Gods truth as much as they can
shewe briefely that if wee receyue the meanes that God offereth vs and bee diligent too serue him wee shall bee furnished of all peeces and wee neede not feare but wee shall haue wherwith too withstand all our enemies yea and too vanquish them That then was Saint Paules meaning Now he setteth downe heere first of all that wee must bee girt vvith the Svvoord girdle of truth and put on the headpeece of Ryghtuousnesse By those twoo woordes he meaneth soundnesse and holynesse of lyfe Therefore whensoeuer wee heare this woorde Truth let vs vnderstand that Saint Paule condemneth all hypocrisie and will haue vs learne too giue our selues too the seruing of God with a free hart not with eye seruice nor as to the syght of the world but with a pure right meaning mind And to know why this Soothfastnes or vprightnes this soundnesse is put for a brestplate it is not now needefull too trubble our selues much as I sayde afore For the poynt that wee must beare in mynd is how Saint Paul shemeth vs that if wee take the armour which God giueth vs wee shall bee sure without fayle too haue victorie ageinst all our enemyes Ryghtuousnesse is matched with it which is a trew rule whereby too walke in the feare of God and too lyue with our neyghbours without dooyng any harme without fraud without malice and without extortion and rather too indeuer too doo one another good according too the end too which our Lord hath knit vs toogither which is that wee should so communicate with our neyghbours as no man bee wedded too hys owne profit but all of vs seeke the common welfare And no maruell now though the Diuell ouercome vs easly and steale vppon vs al kynd of wayes vâ—wares both Euening and Morning and euery minute For where is this soundnesse that Saint Paule requyreth heere first of all Nay rather euery of vs flattereth himselfe and wee thinke wee haue doone much when wee haue vsed a fewe fayre countenances and not bin vtter rebels ageinst God so as the world cannot vpbrayd vs that wee haue bin despyzers of his maiestie Then if wee play not the starke bedlems but pretend some fayre showe make some gay countenance of religion too our owne seeming wee haue discharged our dewtie very well when notwithstanding the diuell in the meane while hath turned vs quyte away from the soundnesse and substancialnesse whereof Saint Paule speaketh heere In lyke cace is it with Ryghtuousnesse For wee would fayne content God with a little In deede wee will confesse well ynough with the mouth that it is reason that God should bee serued and honoured and that wee should lyue quietly toogither and indeuer too doo one another good Wee will condemne Robberie Extortion Whoredome Deceyt and wrong Dealing but yit when all is doone wee would haue God too accept in good woorth the little that he fyndeth in vs and too hold him contented with it But by that meane behold the diuell fyndeth vs still vnprouyded Forasmuch then as wee open him such a gap wee must not maruell that he getteth the better hand of vs And therefore it were much better for vs too go through with our race and too sticke too our tackeling that wee stand fast For a man shall see dyuerse that haue a good zeale as farre as can bee iudged and yit it shall bee but a blast it will not continue And why Bycause wee bee not fenced ageinst Satan And for proofe hereof if wee followe the thing that is shewed vs heere it is certeyne that the promis wyll neuer deceyue vs For although Saint Paule exhort the faythfull too stand fast and too hold out too the ende yit is there a certein warrantyze included therin that God wyll alwayes succour them at their neede and that they shall not fynd themselues disappoynted so they fyght styll vnder his banner calling continually vppon his power and vsing the meanes that are offered them by his word Therfore if there bee such cowardlynesse in vs as too be so afrayd of the diuell that he makes vs too tumble downe and to start asyde and too stray quyte out of the good way wee must impute all too our owne rechlesnesse bycause wee haue not put on the armour that God giueth vs but haue hanged them vp vppon a pin Afterward heere followeth that vvee should bee shod vvith preparation too the Gospel of peace No dout but Saint Paule had an eye to the auncient fashion of men of warre For they wore no shooes at home but only when they went a warfare and that was bothe too defend them from the cold and too saue their feete when they entred intoo battell with the enemie It is sayd that the Gospell serueth vs for it Howbeit there are twoo other woords too bee marked also in that he addeth Preparation and Peace Notwithstanding that wee may lay foorth things in their order let vs note that Saint Paule allotteth too the Gospell this power and propertie of shooing of vs bycause that when wee bee trayned in the doctrine of the Gospell as wee ought too bee then wee may walk safely through the world For wee see how the vnbeleeuers are plundged euer head and eares in it Those whom God hath not prepared too walk and too atteyne too the kingdome of heauen are so snarled in this world that they bee altoogither vnprofitable as though they had their legges broken and they sink themselues dayly deeper and deeper in it Therfore there is but one only way too make vs wade through this world and too atteyne too the kingdome of heauen which is too haue such instruction as is in the Gospell namely that God hauing adopted vs too bee his children will not haue vs too dwell heere beneathe for euer but that wee should come vntoo him yea euen with all haste and speede and agein that we intermeddle not our selues with the vncleannesse of the vnbeleeuers but separate our selues from them Thus much concerning the first poynt There is also the woord Preparation wherby Saint Paule dooeth vs too vnderstand that if wee haue the skill too aduauntage our selues by the Gospell wee shal bee rid of all thinges that let vs and hinder vs from comming vntoo god What is it then that wee fynd there It is that wheras erst wee were as it wee falen asleepe or rather doted in our pleasures and vanities our Lord dispozeth vs too come vntoo him Wee haue seene already that all this world is in darknesse and that as long as wee abyde in it wee bee as it were asleepe so as wee see no way before vs and doo but reele and stumble or rather lye along in it as dead men as it is sayd in Esay and if wee bee not reskewed by our our Lord Iesus Christ we must lye snorting in it still and welâ—er euer in that darknesse Wherfore let vs learne too put our selues in such redinesse as our loynes may bee girded vp as sayeth
all indeuer to warrant our calling and election by good and godly conuersation and so shall the way bee layed open for vs to enter into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom bee all honour glory and dominion for euer and euer Amen Thus much haue I presuming vpon your graces good fauour and sufferance aduentured to wryte of this deepe but yit moste comfortable poynt of Christen doctrine so farre foorth as myght beseeme the breefnesse of an Epistle and as too my poore skill hath seemed necessarie too giue the simple reader an enterance into the substance of this booke that he myght the eazlyer conceyue and the better vnderstand and digest the doctrine of this Epistle and of the Sermons written vppon the same And therfore I haue had a speciall care to set downe the matter as playnly and comfortably as I could holding my selfe alwayes to the present cace without stepping asyde into any bymatters and without auouching anything which is not warranted by Gods expresse woord Agein I haue bin the sparer in woordes and sentences of myne owne bycause of the greate profoundnesse of the diuine doctrine which cannot bee handled with too greate reuerence the rather bycause I see that the more godly and skilfull men are in matters of Religion the warer and circumspecter they bee is dealing with the foresayd doctrine eyther in familiar talk conference or in giuing it forth in their Sermons writings And as for the author of these Sermons I shal not neede to coÌ„mend him to your grace bycause that you whose study is imployed in matters of diuinitie and good gouernment of the Church are better acquaynted with him thaÌ„ I therfore cannot be ignorant of the goodnes of his writings wherof this is not the first part nor I hope the last that hath and shal be put forth both by mee and others I trust to the benefyte of our common country Wherefore omitting too trubble you any further in that behalfe I beseech your goodnesse to beare with my boldnesse and also with myne ouersyghtes where any haue scaped mee in this translation and to further this my trauell with your fauour as you doo the lyke proceedings that tend to the aduauncement of Gods glory by the edifying of his Church Surely my purpose and desyre was that it should haue bin a first fruite or at leastwise among the first fruites of such maner of presents as were offered your grace at your returne into the South to welcome you to your See of Caunterbury if the time would haue serued to haue had it conueniently printed for it was fully translated and deliuered out of handes a good while afore Neuerthelesse my trust is that a woorke so beneficiall to the Church of God shall not bee the lesse acceptable to you though it come not with such speede as I gladly would it should haue doone which thing I beseeche your goodnesse with all reuerend humilitie too graunt praying God too power vppon you such abundance of his heauenly grace and holy spirit as the place of high preheminence wherin he hath set your most reuerend fatherhood requyreth that wee may long inioy your furtherance to the continuall benefyte of his Church Written at Clare in Suffolke the .vii. of Ianuary 1576. Your good graces most humble Oratour alwayes at your commaundement Arthur Golding To all Christians baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost dwelling or abyding in Fraunce greeting IT is a wondrous mattâ—r right deerly beleued brethren how all of vs glory in our Baptim and yit consider not all with one accord what that marke importeth of iâ— owne nature namely by following the intent of him that is the author of it For no doubt but if wee did so wee should all ioyne toogither in one holy consent too woorship the onely one God in spirit and truth and to acknowledge Iesus Christ for our onely Sauyour Aduocate Mayster yea and Lord as touching the gouernment of our soules and consciences and wee would take his â—nely woord for our wisdome guyde and rule of our whole lyfe and specially of his seruice without mingling of the inuentions of mans brayne with it how great antiquitie or countenance so euer they seeme too haue Yea and for the outward gouernment and visible order of the Church wee would hold vs to that which our Lord Iesus Christ in whose name wee were Baptyzed hath shewed thereof too his Apostles and by them inioyneth the whole world too followe euen vntoo the last day And certeynly then should the straunge confuzion and diuisions ceasse which are too bee seene in Christendome wherof those are the cause which will not harken vntoo God and yeeld full authoritie too his woord which fault shal bee layd too their charge at the iudgment of God vnlesse they turne a new leafe The Lord and Father of mercie graunt them grace so too doo according as supplication is made too him for them in all holy assemblies where he is called vppon according too his will in the onely name of Iesus Christ. That is the thing which wee desire For heere the cace concerneth not the bringing in of some newe deuyce after the fancie of men nother stryue wee too make the victorie fall vppon mens sides whatsoeuer they bee as some surmyze but that God and his woord may haue the vpper hand ageinst all abuses superstitions and lyes of Satan and 〈◊〉 we may all toogither giue glory too our God confessing that both 〈◊〉 and our fathers haue ouershamefully forgotten him insomuch 〈◊〉 haue not folowed his holy Lawe but haue bowed asyde both 〈…〉 the ryght hand and too the left And truly whensoeuer we reade 〈◊〉 woord in a tung that wee vnderstand or heare it preached and 〈◊〉 â—â—clared purely he allureth vs too him too make the lyke acknowâ—â—â—gedment And he hath doone so much in these late yeeres by striâ—â—ng with his mercie ageinst the malice of the world that dyuerse â—aue returned intoo the ryghtway whom others yea euen of all deâ—rees doo followe styll anew But yit is not that ynough vnlesse thâ— residew which haue hithertoo bin deaf or asleepe doo bethinke themselues too awake in good earnest and too haue eares too heare aâ— sayeth Iesus Christ. Therefore wee intreate and exhort them too it 〈◊〉 Gods name that they may discharge themselues of the promis whereuntoo their Baptim dooth secretly bynd them as hath bin sayd And too further them therein besydes the lyuely voyces of the trew â—inisters and other bookes conteyning faythfull expositions of the Scripture wee offer them heere the Sermons of M. Iohn Caluin vppon the Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paule too the Ephesians where as wee hope they shall haue matter too fare the better by for the playner vnderstanding of the things which they shall eyther heare preached or reade alone by themselues afterward Too mak long rehersall of things that myght bee alledged in commendation
stead of signing them with their owne handes they deliuered their seale or a ring and that was the maner of the publication of Testamentes and of other euidence and of all bargaynes and couenants In this respect S. Paule sayeth that wee must bee sealed in our hartes Trew it is that too speake properly he should haue sayd that the Gospell was sealed Howbeit too the end too doo vs too vnderstand that the fault commeth and springeth from our selues and that the Gospell is a doctrine of sufficient authoritie of it selfe he mynded too shewe vs that Gods sealing of his truth is in respect of our hard hartednesse and vnconstancie for that we be shaken with euery wynd lyke wouering reedes vntill such time as he haue strengthened vs But howsoeuer the cace stand let vs marke that the holy Ghost is as it were the scale wherewith he ratifyeth and warranteth his truth vntoo vs Nowe I haue told you alredy how greatly wee stand in neede thereof For although wee graunt that Gods word deserueth to be admitted without geynsâ—ying or reply yit ceasse wee not too doubt of it and that doo wee fynd well ynough by experience For whensoeuer any trubble or vexation commeth wee â—e as folke dismayd wheras if wee were throughly perswaded of Gods goodnesse in such wyse as he assureth vs of it it is certeyne that wee should not bee in any such feare All the temptaâ—â—ons then which shake vs doo shewe well ynough that wee profit not as wee ought too doo in the Gospell And therefore God is fayne too warranâ— it on his behalfe by his holy spirit and too print it so surely in our hartes as wee may bee stedfast and as the same stedfastnesse may not bee beaten downe by all that euer the diuell can woorke or deuise too ouerthâ—owe 〈…〉 But wee shall vnderstand this thing yit better by making continually such examination of our owne weakenesse as I haue spoken of before For take wee all the reasons of the world and yit shall wee neuer bee certifyed so fully and perfectly as is requisite that God will bee mercifull too vs and defend vs in the middes of all the perills of this world For wee bee heere as it were in a sea the wyndes and stormes assayle vs euery minute and wee be still in daunger of swallowing vp How then may wee despise Sathan bâ—ing as wretched shéepe vnprouided both of armour weapon and all other meanes of helpe How can wee be merye both in life and death knowing that Satan might doo any things ageinst vs if wee were not wel sealed and after an authentical manner So then besides that in this teâ—te wee bee warned too rid our selues of all presumption and ouerweening that onely God may bee prayzed and magnified wee may also gather therwith vppon S. Paules woords that wee haue armor and weapon wherwith too incounter and fight well and that although our enemy bee mighty and sturdie yit he shal neuer ouercome vs so wee take the aduauntage of that which is sayd heere namely that Gods spirite sealeâ—h the truthe and the certeyntie of the promises of the Gospell in vs. And S. Paule addeth yit one similitude more saying that Gods spirit is as an earnest peâ—ny And let vs not thinke it straunge that S. Paule hath so myghtily confirmed this doctrine forasmuch as the diuell hath neuer ceassed froÌ„ the beginning of the world to puffe vp men continually with some fond opinion of their owne wisdome vertew The cause of Adams fall was that he would needes aduaunce himself hygher than was lawfull for him and be wyser than God which thing God gaue him not leaue to doo Euen so standeth the cace with vs the diuell pursueth his chalendge still For behold he ouerthrew mankynd by that sleyght and all his indeuour yit still is to make vs beleue that wee be able too doo this and that Therfore it stoode S. Paule on hand too rid men of that false and cursed opinion of their owne â—reewill and selfuertew and too shewe them that they are beholden too the holy Ghost for all Mark that for one poynt Secondly we be so grosse and earthly that we had neede too haue the doctrine chawed vntoo vs and wee cannot conceyue any more of Gods gratious giftes which are inuisible than we see with our eyes and touche with our hands Therfore it was requisite that S. Paule should by similitudes declare how it is Gods holie spirit that putteth vs in possession of the Gospell and of all the benefits conteyned therin and which holdeth vs in them vntoo the end Now wee knowe that bargaynes are confirmed by giuing of an earnest penny which men doo coÌ„monly call a Gods penny For asmuch then as in buying eyther Lands houses inheritaunces or wares although a mans bare word ought to suffyze yit notwithstanding meÌ„ are so yll dispozed that if they perceyue any disaduauntage to themselues in the matter they will not bee ashamed too eate their woord therfore was this ceremonie of giuing an earnest penny added and it is all one as if the payment were fully performed so as the bargayne were vtterly past calling backe ageyne S. Paule then meaneth heere that Gods spirit serueth to warrant our saluation too the full And too what end For your inheritaunce sayeth he too the day of your redemption It is trew that we be Gods heyres euen in that wee bee his children But wee must note how it is sayd in the eyght too the Romanes that our saluation â—s shet vp vnder hope So then wee cannot see it nor inioy it as now according too the third of the Colossians where it is sayd that wee be lyke dead men that are departed out of this world and that our lyfe is hidden with God in christ Therfore although wee be Gods children yit haue wee not the full inioyment of it as yit And it is all one with that which S. Iohn sayeth in his cannonicall Epistle Wee â—nowe sayeth he wherby he sheweth that our fayth is not doubtfull but yit he addeth that it is not yit seene or it dooth not yit appeere but wee must wayt for the day wherin wee shal bee lyke vntoo God theÌ„ we shal haue lyght to see the thing perfectly which we doo but beleeue as now Ageyne wee haue seene how S. Paule sayd in the second too the Corinthians that as long as wee bee in this earthly pilgrimage wee bee after a sort absent from god For why wee walk sayeth he but in hope and wee see not the thing as if it were present but wee see it by fayth Too bee short although wee bee passed from death too lyfe as is sayde in the fift of Iohn yit do we fyght ageinst an infinite number of deathes bycause wee be beseeged by them And S. Paule dooth well match bothe toogither in this text For on the one syde he sayeth wee bee not yit come too our redemption and herytage and yit therwithal
one spirit yit are the gyftes diuers and they be distributed to euery of vs in measure and as it pleaseth hym to giue them There is none but Iesus Christe whiche hath receyued them fully He onely is the fountaine that can neuer be drayned dry it is he vpon whom Gods spirit reâ—teth to the end that we should al of vs bee made partakers of it And for our owne parts let vs acknowledge that the wizest of vs haue neede too bee alwayes scolâ—ers and too learne styll euen to our dying day Howbeit by the way let vs marke that this woorde Reuelation condemneth vs of al blyndesse For wee haue our eyes open too discerne betweene white and blacke wee see the Sunne and the Moone wee see these worldly things and are able to iudge of them wee neede no newe Reuelation for that geere for wee haue it of nature True it is that our eyes are instrumentes of Gods power and goodnesse wherby he maketh vs to inioye the light but that is a common thing But heere S. Paule sheweth vs that wee bee blynd and that we conceyue not any whyt of Gods spirituall grace except he open our eyes and take away the kercheefe or veyle that is before them yea and giue vs a newe sight which wee haue not For wee haue our eyes woorse thaÌ„ stopped vntyl he inlighten them by his holy spirit Thus ye see what wee haue too beare in mynde And that is the thing which he proceedeth styl withal Namely saith he too haue the eyes of your vnderstanding inlightened But a man might reply If wee haue the spirit of Reuelation alredy why haue wee neede of it Uerily as who should say you sawe nothing at all True it is that you see partly but you haue your eyes styll too much dymmed And this may be said generally of al men according as it is saide that in this worlde wee see thinges but dâ—â—ly and as it were through a glasse tyll wee bee able to behold God in his heauenly glory at which tyme we shal be fashioned lyke vntoo hym Ageyâ—e too the intent that men shoulde not alledge and say Mâ—st God then reuele thinges in suche wise vntoo vs as if wee were in such taking that wee could see nothing at all And shall a man bee as a bruâ—e beast without discretion or iudgement To answeare heereunto it is true that wee haue some wyt but yit are wee blynd for all that bycause wee be corrupted by sin God therfore must bee fayne too giue vs new eyes as I sayd afore And he addeth the woord wisdome the better too beate downe the fond ouerweening that men conceyue in themselues when they will needes flye without wings too come vntoo god For there is not that man which woulde not bee wyse If wee desyred trew wisedome by seeking it at Gods hand it were a good and well ruled desyre But there are twoo faults in vs for wee will needes bee wyze after our owne conceyt Am I not wyze ynough too gouerne my selfe wyll a foole say And in the meane whyle wee despyze Gods word and euery of vs will needes haue the â—rydle layd looce in our necke and haue leaue giuen him too doo what he thinketh good But that is too great an ouerweening The other vyce is that in reading the holy scripture wee still imagin too come too the knowledge of the things that are conteyned there by our owne discretion But heere both twayne of them are excluded by S. Paule For when as he desyreth God too giue his faythfull ones the spirit of wisdome he sheweth that they haue no discretion no more than brute beastes except it bee by the guyding of our Lord Iesus Christ of purpose too come too the kingdome of heauen For euen in ciuill matters and worldly affayres God giueth it not too any but too such as he thinketh good Now if he keepe his speciall goodnesse alwayes too himselfe too giue discretion too whom he listeth too guyde himselfe withall in these bace things of the world then dooth he make the vnbeleeuers too bee well syghted and therefore when the cace concerneth the heauenly lyfe there is no preparation in vs And so S. Paule presuppozeth the thing which I haue sayd already namely that wee must bee taught at Gods hand too know him by the doctrine of truth through the record of the Gospell for without that wee shoulde bee lyke these fantasticall fellowes which roue vnder the pretence of hauing the reuelation of Gods holy spirit howbeeit that is not after the maner that S. Paule taketh the word Reuelation when he prayeth God too giue it too his children As for example when Iesus Christ speaketh of his spirit he doth not separate it from the doctrine that he had preached When the spirit commeth sayeth he he shall tell you all truth And how is that Had not the Apostles receyued it alredy Yis but he addeth he shall shewe you the things that you heare now of my mouth Too bee short it is the peculiar office of the holy Ghost to teach vs in such wise as the word which we heare may therwithall haue his course place and as we may profit in the same And theruppon S. Paule sheweth also wherin lyeth all our light and knowledge namely in knowing God in the person of his onely sonne That say â—is the thing wherwith we must content our selues For if wee haue â—iâ—klishe wits too bee inquisitiue of the things that passe our capacitâ—e Let vs consider a little how weake and rawe our vnderstanding is And if our wits be so grosse heauie how shall wee doo when wee would sâ—ye aboue heauen and earth Are wee able too comprehend all that in so small a roome Yit neuerthelesse we see how men take vnmeasurable leaue to bee inquisitiue of this and that to put foorth questions in way of pleading and disputing ageinst god For this cause S. Paule sheweth vs here that if wee mynde too bee wize it behoueth vs too bee sober that is too wit we must vnderstand what manner a thing God and our Lord Iesus Christ is as he himselfe will shew anone after that when wee be once come to that poynt wee haue so much as ought wel too suffize vs and if wee presume too go any further it is but a wilfull ouerthrowing of our selues S. Paule then wil shew that more at length hereafter but it ought to suffize vs that as wel in this text as in all the whole holy scripture we ought too learne which is the God whom wee ought too serue what is his will how we may haue our trust in him what entraÌ„ce we may haue to pray too him and too flie too him for succour at all times That is the thing wherunto we must imploy our selues But that caÌ„not be doone vnlesse al that euer we haue neede of and is auaylable to our welfare be too bee had in Iesus Christ in whom God hath manifested himself
household folke of God â–ª 20 Buylded vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets wherof Iesus Christ himselfe is the head corner stone 21 In vvhom the whole building being knit toogither groweth intoo a holy Temple too the Lord 22 In vvhom you also are builded togither for a dvvelling place of God in spirit WEe haue seene here alreadie how the holy Ghost by the mouth of S. Paule setteth vs out a looking glasse wherin too behold the infinite goodnesse of our God in pulling vs backe from the dâ—â—â—eons of death to make vs his children and heires of the heauenly lyfe For this cause it is sayâ— â–ª that when we be receyued into the Châ—rch it is all one as if we were made Citizens not of some earthly Citie but euen of heauen too bee companions 〈◊〉 all the 〈◊〉 and faythful seruaunts of God yea and with all the Angels of Paradise And bycause the Churche is called not onely Gods Citie but also his house therefore Paule addeth that we bee his houshold folke therby too inhaunce the grace and fauour that God hath vttered towards vs For 〈◊〉 gathered intoo Gods house and too haue him neere vntoo vs and too haue familiar accâ—sse continually vnto him is much more for vs than if wee were but generally of some Citie of his Wee see then that bicause men doo neuer sufficiently esteeme the spirituall good that wee receyue by our Lord Iesus Christ S. Paul ment to shew here how it is good reason that we should make more account of the adoptioÌ„ wherby God hath so gathered vs toogither by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ that we may now be familiarly conuersant with him by hope than by al the whole world And he addeth another similitude which is that we be builded to be the temple of God. Sometymes the holy Scripture sayth that euery faithful man is the TeÌ„ple of God bycause he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirit But when it is spoken vniuersally of the whole Churche then are wee as lyuely stones and the building is so bound and clozed toogither that euery of vs serueth too the perfectting therof Then is not the one contrarie too the other For euery faythfull bodye alone is the Temple of God bycause he ought too bee giuen too all holinesse by the woorking of the holie Ghost and as I sayd afore God abydeth in vs Howbeeit for asmuch as wee ought not too bee separated asunder but rather to bee knit toogither in vnitie by the bond of fayth â–ª it agreeth very well also that wee should be named stones and that lyke as a building is made of manye stones wherof there is none but it serueth too some purpose so wee should suffer our selues too bee ioyned too our Lord Iesus Christ by beleef of the Gospell that God may dwell in vs and bee there purely woorshipped and wee bee fully assured that whensoeuer wee call vppon him wee shall alwayes fynd him at hand too heare vs and that when wee bee gathered toogither in his name wee shall euermore haue him among vs That is the thing which S. Paule treateth of heere when he sayeth that they which had bin heathen men and cut of from all hope of saluation were builded vp by the Gospell to bee made a Temple for God. Now we see better than afore how God will take vs for his household that is too wit if wee bee taught purely by the doctrine of the Gospell that God auoweth vs for his Temples that he is contented too bee worshipped of vs and that he taketh our seruis in good worth Therfore vntill such tyme as wee haue the doctrine of the Gospell too giue vs enterance too that excellent benefyte which is vtterly vnestimable wee cannot bee called nother Citizens of heauen nor children of God nor belongers too his household And it is added as well too make vs perceyâ—e what reuerence the Gospell deserueth as also too shewe vs that wee neede not to make farre iourneis too seeke it For God offereth vs the prerogatiue of entring into his house the doore is set open for vs at least wyse if wee receyue the promises that he maketh Wee neede not too go about heauen nor earth God telleth vs and assureth vs that hee hathe adopted vs too the intent wee should leane all wholly vnto him And so ye see how wee may bee familiar with him and he bee ioyned vnto vs. But therwithall hee sheweth also where wee should seeke for his woord For faythlesse men are so spytefull that they seeke all maner of krinks too shift themselues from god And surely wee see that manie make as though they were willing too serue God so it myght bee apparant too them that it is he which speaketh but therwithall they doubt whether the Lawe came of him or no and whether the Gospell bee his truth or no. Lo how men would shake of Gods yoke too the vttermost of their power by their shrinking aside and by their starting holes and shifting They make protestation with full mouth that their intent is too humble themselues vnder him and yit they knowe not nother can they discerne which is his woord And why is that Euen bycause of their malice and vnthankfulnesse S. Paule therefore too barre all such tryfling excuces telleth vs that inasmuch as God hath spoken by Moyses and his Prophets and finally by his Apostles wee ought too assure our selues that al that euer is couteyued in the Lawe and in the Gospel is the truthe it self and that we ought not bee afrayd too bee be guyled or deceyued Wee shall heare manie Replyes for euery man imagineth whatsoeuer commeth in his fancie But God authorized his woord sufficiently when he published his law Agein he gaue sufficient authoritie too his Prophets and finally his Gospel was ratified and sealed with miracles ynow Therfore it is not for vs too say wee knowe not whether it bee Gods woord or no For it is in our mouth it is neere at hand to vs insomuch that God hathe voutsafed to feed vs lyke littel babes with it by sending vs mortall men to speake it too vs face to face So then let vs learne first of all not to sorâ— in the ayre when the receyuing of Gods woord commeth in question Let vs bee contented that he hath giuen vs sufficient record of his wil by his Prophets and Apostles and so shall wee yeeld him obedience though it hath pleased him too vse such instrumentes of his holy spirit for our fayth cannot bee without humilitie and God taketh a tryall thereof in making mortall men too bee the meanes wherby he communicateth himselfe vntoo vs Take it therefore for a principale that it must not greeue vs though God appeere not in visible shape or though he send vs not his Angells from heauen For it ought too suffyze vs that wee knowe that the Prophetes and Apostles are sufficient witnesses chozen and ordeyned too bring vs the message of saluation And by the waye
sendeth in his name and which represent him than too put them too all the shame and reproche of the world But S. Paule as well heere as in other places hathe not sticked too glorie in his imprisonment and bands In deede he was kept in ward as an euill dooer bâ—t in the meane while he had record bothe before God and also before man that he suffred wrongfully for executing his office and finally for seruing God faythfully Therfore let vs not think it strange that on the one syde he calleth himself prisoner and on the othersyde the Ambassadour or messenger of the Liuing God euen as representing his person and dignitie And it is not for nought that he addeth the name of Iesus christ For imprizonment generally myght haue bred some euill opinion of him bycause euill dooers are punished with it by order of Iustis But the cace putteth a difference betewne euill dooers and the witnesses of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ. That is the rause why S. Paule calleth not himself a prisoner simply and without exception but also sheweth the cause why saying that Iesus Christ auoweth him as thâ—ugh he were an hostage or pledge for him So then by this saying wee bee warned too reâ—eyue S. Paules doctrine with the greater authoritie seing hee hath ratiâ—â—ed it so well If he had but onely executed his 〈◊〉 â—n in preaching wee ought too haue made acount of the obedience that hee yeelded vntoo god But he also wrought miracles he inâ—ured a number of trubbles and incomberances and finally he suffered imprisonment and death Now when wee see that for all this he ceassed not too go through stedfastly and too ouercome all the assaults that Satan and the wicked world were able too stir vp ageinst him surely wee haue the greater confirmation of the doctrine which serueth at this day too our vse And therfore when wee bee told of Saint Paule and of the great number of incounters that he indured let vs not think it is more than needeth For it is alwayes a more certayne ratifying of the doctrine too the end wee myght vnderstand how it is not of the doctrine of any mortall wyght but the doctrine of the liuing God who also strengthened him with inuincible constancie by his holie spirit Now as this is well spoken of the persons of Saint Paule so must it also bee extended further For God wissed and ordeyned that the rest of the Apostles should suffer as well as hee And it is sayd of Saint Peter that when he was growen old he should bee girded after another fashion than he had bin woont too bee so as he should bee tyed in streyt bonds and bee led whither he would not at leastwyse as in respect of fleshly infirmitie though he had a spirituall disposition of mynd to obey god We see then in effect how Gods seruants suffered not a two or three of them but so as there myght bee as it were a great and thicke cloud of them as the Apostle sayeth in the twelfth too the Hebrewes Sith it is so let vs make our hand of such helpes For it is certeyne that God ment too susteyne our feeblenesse by adding such helpes too his woord which ought too bee of sufficient authoritie of it self too the intent it should no more bee doubted of nor called in question Thus yee see how the thing that wee haue too beare in mynd is that the blud of the Apostles and Martyrs that hath bin shed too confirme the doctrine of the Gospell is as good as a huÌ„dred seales yea as a whole milion of seales too warrant vs all the thinges fully which are conteyned in the Gospell Trew it is that our fayth ought too bee grounded vppon the authoritie of the holy Ghost and that although God had neuer a Martyr too shewe that the truth of the Gospell is firme and certeine yit it ought too suffyze vs that it is he which speaketh it Agein wee haue seene heeretoofore that the truth shall euer bee doubted of â—ill the holy Ghost haue sealed it in our hartes And for that cause is he called our earnestpennye bycause he insureth vs of the heritage which wee hope for according too the promise which hath bin purchaced so deerely for vs with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now for the last step wee must come too the experience that wee haue in these dayes For the blud of Martirs is shed still at this day God could well let that the wicked should not runne so vpon the brydle ageinst the faythfull he could well chaunge all their mischeeuousnesse and rebellion and wheras they bee rauening wolues he could make them as sheepe and Lambes surely he could doo so But on the one syde he ordeyneth Satan too driue them and stirre them vp too such rage and agein he giueth them licence and leaue too trubble the faythfull And why Too the end that wee should knowe what the power of his holy spirit is when it pleaseth him too guyde and gouerne vs For as I haue declared alredy the weaknesse of men is such that there needeth but the falling of a leafe from a tree too make them quake ageyne wee knowe that death is horrible of it self Therfore wee must conclude that God vttereth a wonderfull grace when he strengtheneth his seruantes in such wyse as they bee not dismayed with any threateninges nor at the syght of fyre when the enemyes and tirantes are not contented with single death but adde thertoo the most tyrannicall tormentes that can bee deuyzed Now then when the Martyres perseuer in such constancie therin men perceyue that God hath put to his hand Wherfore when wee heare that they bee handled so cruelly for Gods word and that some if they scape are notwithstanding redye too dye and othersome knowing their death shall bee precious in the eyes of the Lord offer them selues in sacrifize with a cheerful corage let vs not suffer their blud too fall too the ground I say when wee heare of all these things let vs beware wee suffer not that thing too perish which God hath ordeyned for our edifying and for the better confirming of vs in our fayth For although wee ought too bee sufficiently instructed by the preaching alone yit must it needes be a great strengthening too vs when Gods word is not onely preached but also sealed after that fashion Then is it not too bee called in question or too be disputed of as an vncertayne matter but they to whom God hath graunted the grace and are led so farre by his holy spirit as too suffer for his truth are faythfull wittnesses that their blud serueth too giue a full sealing vp too his word too the intent that wee should bee the better resolued of it Thus yee see what wee haue to gather vppoâ— this streyne And although the enemies of the Gospell make a triumphing and spit fire and keepe a great coyle too deface all that
shall bee alwayes vnhappie Wherfore let vs euermore abyde stedfastly by our God and hold vs vnder his yoke and not shrink away in any wyse but rather defye the whole world yea though there were no man too hold with vs That is one poynt Agein if the world may bee wonne too obedience and wee bee able too doo so much as too drawe one or twoo too consent in one fayth with vs then must wee put our indeuer and labour theruntoo For wee must shun these twoo extremities namely of offending God and of turning away from his pure woord too purchace mens fauor and also of being so hygh mynded and full of statelinesse as too trust euery man to himselfe and to let others alone and too passe for no man but himselfe for these are two euill extremities which wee must beware of But let vs learne too ioyne these twoo things as inseperable namely that wee yeeld God trew obedience through fayth by holding our selues to the pure simplicitie of his word and agein that therwithall we despyze not our neyghbours but indeuer to win them that they may submit themselues quietly vntoo God and by that meanes alâ— of vs both greate and small may speake as it were with one mouth through the holy Ghoste reigning in our harts and all of vs haue the knowledge that hath bin spoken of namely that God is so the authour of our saluation that he hath also shewed himself a father towards vs in adopting vs and in voutsafing to haue vs to be al of his household Which cannot bee except wee liue all in good concord bycause he is the God of peace And although wee should bee driuen too fyght ageinst the whole world yit let vs bee of good comfort bycause the Angels of heauen are our companions in cleauing vnto god Should wee then in these dayes separate our selues from an infinite multitude of men which presume vppon their riches their greatnesse their pomp their credit yea their wisdome Yea and let vs esteeme euery whit of it but as trashe and for our owne parte although they call vs Schismatikes count vs but as the ofscowrings of the world let vs hold vs contented in that wee know that the Angels of heauen the holie Patriarks the Hrophets the Apostles and the Martirs agree with vs and too be short that all Gods chozen people from Abell too his present day doo beare vs sufficient companie And so may wee despyze all that shal bee layd too our reproche when wee haue Gods truthe and the mark wherby wee knowe our selues too bee his children For inasmuch as God cannot deny himself he will continew alwayes with his Church wherof we bee a parcell if shee sticke vntoo his woord Let that therfor bee one poynt But in the meane while also let vs not forget to seeke peace to the vâ—termost of our power according to the text that I alledged out of the Romanes Therfore let vs not wilfully seperate our selues from the world but let vs haue as it were our armes strected out too take home all such as yeeld themselues willingly too the obedience of God that wee may haue one fayth toogither and let vs indeuer too bring it too passe And the very same also is the cause why Saint Paule telleth vs heere that the fayth and obedience which wâ— yeeld vntoo God serues not too puffe vp our harts with pryde so as wee should reiect other men and euery of vs loue himself and shift for himself â—ut too make vs followe the example of our heauenly father who allureth them too him which were farre of and is readye too beâ— reconcyled too his enemyes which thing seing he hath shewed vs 〈◊〉 our Lord Iesus Christ and giuen vs so excellent a pledge of it wee also must haue the same doctrine of peace in our thoughts and in our harts and indeuer as much as is possible too bring them too the vnion of the Gospell that are separated from it as yit so that if they which haue bin as it were stark mad ageinst God doo yeeld themselues as lambes and sheepe of the flocke wee must bee redye to receyue them Let vs then bend our selues too that and not bee giuen euery man too his owne profite but assure our selues that sith God hath knit vs toogither and bound vs one too another euery of vs ought too imploy himself too the vttermoste of his abilitie and according too his owne measure too drawe his neyghbours with him so as we may be ryghtly one bodie and Iesus Christ reigne ouer vs. And for the same cause also dooth he adde that wee should grovve in all things in him that is our head that is too vvit in Iesus Christ. Now by this woord Growe Saynt Paule continueth the matter that wee haue seene heeretoofore which is that wee must not stand so much in our owne conceytes as too thinke our selues too bee come alredye to the marke wee go too For as I told you our lyfe is a iorney and therfore wee must go on styll for he that lingereth by the way dooth well shew that he neuer wist wherat he amed Therefore although wee must not bee as little children yit are wee not yit come to full age nother haue wee gotten yit such strength as were requisyte Wherfore let vs growe that is too say let euery of vs looke well too his owne infirmitie and when he sees his owne weakenesse â–ª let him theruppon take harte and thrust foorth himself let him preace vntoo God and let all our myndes bee continually bent that waye For it is not ynough for vs too haue begunne nor yit too haue gone on â— good way vnlesse it bee printed in our hartes that wee must profiâ—e still euen too our dying day Otherwyse it is certeyne that wee shall be but dazeled with our owne pryde that will make all Gods gifâ—es too vanish away which wee had receyued afore Wherfore let vs not imagin that wee haue such power or such vnderstanding in all the things that are requisyte for our saluation as that wee should not consider how it is not for nought that the holy Ghost exhorteth vs heere 〈◊〉 growe And heere yee see also how lowelinesse ought alwayes too maâ—ch with fayth according too this saying that Gods woord serueth too instruct the small and lowelye ones The greater then that a man would make himself too bee surely the more dooth he shet the doore ageinst himself so as he can haue no enterance intoo the schoole of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ. Therfore let vs looke well 〈◊〉 our owne slendernesse that wee may bee so meeke as nothing mayâ— hinder vs from hoping continually more and more in our god And the same ought also too quicken vs and prouoke vs to serue him and to confirme our selues continually the more in his woord For what is the cause of so greate sloth and coldnesse as is seene in manye men but that they thinke
too seeke it there and go foreward more and more in the professing of his Gospell too the intent also too bee filled with his gracious giftes which are the trew fruites of that roote That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and Nations c. The .xxix. Sermon which is the nynth vppon the fourth Chapter 20. But you haue not learned Christ so 21. At leastwise if yee haue heard him and bin taught in him euen as the truth is in Iesus 22. That is too wit that yee put off the old man after the former conuersation which is corrupt after the lustes of errour 23. And bee yee renewed in the spirit of your mynd 24. And put on the newe man vvhich is created after God in rightuousnesse and holynesse of truth SAint Paule sheweth vs by the example of the heathen men and vnbeleeuers how wretched mans lyfe is when he suffereth himself too bee led by his owne affections and lusts For wee bee so blynded by the sinne of Adam that we discerne not beetween good and euill Howbeeeit that is not perceyued at the first blush but if yee looke into the whole course of mans lyfe yee shal find that they hold not any certein way but that they wander too and fro and in the end become stark beasts so as they haue no hart greef nor scruple of conscience at all Now he sheweth what diuersitie there ought too bee betwixt the lyfâ— of Christians that haue bin â—rayâ—ed in the Gospell and the lyfe of the ignorant and blyud wretches which neuer wist what God or his will is That is the cause why he addeth that wee ought too keepe a farre other trade wee I say that are trayned vp in Iesus Christ. As if he sayd that such as haue not the lyght of God straye heere and there and no maruell though they doo so for they be blynd and wander in darknesse But seing that God hath inlyghtened vs and wee haue Iesus Christ the daysonne of ryghtuousenesse shyning vppon vs what a shame is it if wee bee mingled with those that haue no direction at all Then is there no excuce for vs if wee will alledge the heathen For so little can their exawple serue too lessen our sin that it shall dubble our condemnation And why God setteth them before our eyes as looking glasses wherin too behold what wee our selues and what our nature is of all the whyle that wee bee vngouerned of the holy Ghoste On the contrarie part we haue our Lord Iesus Christ too shewe vs the way of lyfe And it is not for nought that he hath sayd that he is the lyght of the worlde and that whosoeuer walketh in him cannot stray and agein that he is also the way wherin a man cannot go amisse That then is the cause in effect why Saint Paule addeth that it is not so with vs for wee haue lerned Iesus Christ. And how Yee haue herd him layeth he And his setting downe a those woords is of purpose too cut of all occasion of making of shrouding sheete of ignorance For men are loth too bee counted fooles except it bee when they should come too accounting with god But then they would fayne scape by saying I am a silie idiot I am not able too buzie my self in so manie matters it is vnpossible for me too set my mynd vntoo that Yee see then how wee can well ynough acknowledge our ignorance when wee bee called and cyted too make our reckening before god Agein another sort will say that the Gospell is too hygh and deepe a thing for them Saint Paule answereth vntoo all this in one woord saying that we haue heard Iesus christ As if he should say it is long of none but of our selues that wee haue not bin well and dewly instucted seing that the Gospell hath bin preached vntoo vs For why There God sheweth him self so farre foorth as is expedient for vs Then is there sufficient learning in the Gospell and it is not for vs too alledge our owne rawenesse no more than our darknesse for God dooth the dewtie of a good and faythfull shcoolemayster Too bee short if wee continew still in our beastlinesse after we haue heard the doctrine of the Gospell we must blame our selues for it for surely it is not long of God who knoweth what is meete for vs And that is the cause also why Saint Paule protesteth that there is no veyle in his preaching but that men myght there see Iesus Christ if they were not blynded by Satan with vnbeleefe too goo away intoo destruction Howsoeuer the cace stande wee coulde not fayle on Gods behalfe too bee guyded and gouerned as is meete for vs if wee gaue diligent eare too the things that he sheweth vs in the Gospell And he dooth yit so much the more aggrauate the leaudnesse of such as profite not in Gods schoole when he addeth that they haue bin taught not as though it had bin sheweth them what Iesns Christ is for once and away and that they had had but only some small tast of it for then myght it seeme that their ignorance were excusable But seeing that our eares are continewally beaten with it from day to day and wee haue bin confirmed and furthered in the fayth and yit wee abyde styll in our beastlinesse that is vtterlye vnexcuzable For he hath shewed heertoofore that if all this boote vs not but that notwithstanding mens stirring of vs vp early and late to come vnto God and theyr offering of the foode of lyfe vntoo vs too feede vs withall so as wee haue bin confirmed in it from day too day too the intente wee should not want any thing wee bee styll at our Apcie lyke yong beginners and knowe not what the rule of good lyfe is wee can blame none but our selues nother can wee say that wee bee silie ignorant soules or that God speaketh vntoo vs in too darke a language or that wee haue not bin trayned vp in the knowledge of the truthe All this is dispatched by that which Saint Paule telleth vs heere which is that God hath not ceassed with the preaching of his truth vntoo vs once or twyce but that he hath ordeyned the Gospell too bee preached continually that wee myght be confirmed in it all the time of our lyfe and that the thing which wee did not conceyue or vnderstand at the first should bee repeted vntoo vs and layd foorth more familiarly in a knowen tung too the ende wee myght haue the larger confirmation of it and that if wee profit not for all his calling of vs too him without ceassing wee see our vnthankfulnesse too apparant in that wee knowe not Iesus Christ after wee haue had our eares beaten so long tyme with the Gospell And this is spoken vntoo vs wherfore let vs learne too recken the tyme well When such as haue knowen Gods truth from their chyldhood do come too mans state
let them thinke thus with themselues I ought too bee a great teacher as the Aposte also sheweth in the Epistle too the Hebrewes it is now a fifteene or twentie yeeres ago since I came too age of discretion so as a number of men are still behynd mee and it is God himself which calleth mee for the preaching of the Gospell vntoo mee is not by chaunce but therby God sheweth the care that he hath of my saluation and the loue that he beareth towardes mee Seeing then that I haue heard the Gospell so long tyme without ceassing or myght haue done if the fault were not in my self must I not needes looke for a terrible condemnation when I continew still in my beastlinesse Agein let such as haue bin sometyme in darknesse and afterward are inlyghtened thinke thus It is now a yeere fyue ten or more ago since God opened myne eyes by his woord and drew mee out of the dungeon wherin I was in which if he had left mee styll I had bin a wretched forlorne creature and now that he hath voutsafed too inlyghten mee with the knowledge of his truth which is so precious a thing should I bee rechlesse in the hearing and receyuing therof Agein on the other syde God pitying my rudenesse applyeth himself as much as can bee too my capacitie insomuch that he dooth euen lisp as yee would say too shewe mee his secretes after a sweete and louing fashyon as if one should feede a little babe and chawe his meate too him too the end he should haue no more too doo but too swallow it downe and shall I notwithstanding continew a dullard still Then let vs marke well all these things and beare well in mynd these words of S. Paule where he sayeth not onely that wee haue heard of Iesus Christ but also that wee haue bin taught him bycause that through Gods goodnesse the Gospell was not preached vntoo vs for one day and no more but hath ringed a long tyme already in our eares And wee haue too marke that S. Paule speaking of the doctrine of the Gospell matcheth Iesus Christ with it according as it hath bin tolde vs heretofore that the thing which God sheweth vs in his word is the knowledge of Iesus Christ as who is also the end and substance thereof Therefore let vs marke it to the intent we wander not when wee would faynest profyte in Gods woorde but may haue alwayes a certeine marke too ame at For wee see a number that haue turned ouer the Scripture leafe by leafe and are able too make great report of it But in the meane whyle they wote not what the effect or pith of it is for their amyng is not at our Lord Iesus Christ. So much the more behoueth it vs too marke well all the textes wherein it is shewed vs that when wee once knowe the benefytes that are brought vntoo vs by the sonne of God what power he hath and what treasures he vttereth towardes vs then wee haue the trew vnderstanding of the Gospell But without Iesus Christ wee haue nothing And verily wee ought too be the more prouoked theruntoo by the example of those which name themselues Christians and yit notwithstanding wote not too what Sainct too vow themselues as they say As for example see how the Papistes gad vp and downe without any certeintie and are as Reedes that bend with euery wynd And why Bycause there is no stedfastnesse but in our Lord Iesus Christ and they bee iustly punished for not seeking of him For although they bee neuer so stout in their owne imaginations yit must they bee fayne too knowe in the end that the things which they haue buylded and forged in their owne heades are nothing And therefore as I haue touched already let vs vnderstand that Iesus Christ is the shooteanker wherunto God the father calleth vs and that wee must not bee drawen from him for any thing but apply all that wee haue vntoo him And that is the cause why S. Paule dooth in Gods name and authoritie exhort and warne those agein which haue heard Iesus Christ and bin taught of him by the doctrine of his Gospell Furthermore he saith If yee haue learned him well according as the truth is in our Lord Iesus Christ. And this is set downe of purpose bycause there are a number of fickle headed folke and fantasticall fellowes which make great protestation with full mouth that they bee Christians as though they had deuoured the whole Gospell and yit haue nother wisedome nor discretion in them And would God that examples therof were not so ryfe now adayes in the world But if a man should demaund euery of them whether they would not haue the Gospell yis what else say they That runnes roundly with them without any stop for saying is good cheape But let a man examine the most part of them how they haue profited and he shall scarce fynd one among a hundred of them that knowes in good earnest what belongeth too Iesus Christ. Too say that men may lawfully eate flesh vppon frydayes and too mocke at all the superstitions of poperie and to say that they be but gewgawes and tryfling things that they can do with ease But in the meane whyle if a man aske them what it is to be regenerated what pacience is what newnes of lyfe is what it is to be fashioned agein after the image of god there the most part of thē wil shew that they neuer tasted of the truth of the Gospell but did but only guibble about the barke of it neuer came at the very substance of it And this is not now adayes only for S. Paule sheweth wel that euē in his time many folks abused the name of Christ wold needes be takē for great Christians yit neuer wist what the sonne of God was Wherfore let vs mark wel what is said here For it is as if S. Paul should find fault with himself not that the things which he had spokē needed any amendment but too giue the sharper check or rebuke to such as did so falsifie Christs name wickedly abuse his Gospel by making it a cloke for their wickednes S. Paul thē making a countenance as it were to bethinke himself better sayth yea for sooth but I pray God ye haue learned him As if he shold say I speak indifferētly to al such as haue heard the pure doctrine of god Howbeit forasmuch as a great sort wil wrest wring the things that are told thē take but only some patch of matter I wote not what therfore haue they not any good foundation to buyld vpō To be short they haue no roote of fayth And yit for al that haue they once but fidled ouer I wote not what by by they be great clearkes to their own seeming And therfore looke wel to it sayth he that ye make not a vayne protestatiō least ye be cōuicted of falshood before God his Angels
turnyng of all thinges vpsyde downe as hath bin sayde this morning Then looke what manner a ones wee couet too bee counted and esteemed among men the same must wee bee before God and his Angels Therefore wee must fyght ageinst our owne vyces vntyll all that is of our owne nature bee doone away Not that that can bee doone in one day but that wee must go towardes it continewally more and more And further let vs assure our selues that our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen vs for a patterne and example and moreouer that it is his office too reforme vs so by the spitit of God his father as wee may walke in newnesse of lyfe and become Gods creatures and as all that euer wee haue drawen from the corruption of Adams sin may bee quyte clenzed away Therwithall let vs consider also what is the pith of the things that God alloweth which is the rule of good lyfe namely first too honour and serue God and afterward too walke neyghbourly one with another indeuering too doo good too such as haue neede of vs and absteyning from dooing all manner of euyll and harme This doctrine were easie ynough too conceyue so wee were not vtterly peruerted by our wicked affections And soothly there is not that man which is not a great Doctor in preaching vntoo other men but yit as cleere and apparantly knowen as these things are no man can apply them too his owne vse Yit shall there bee no excuce for vs when wee shall be fayne too come too account before the great iudge Wherefore let vs beare this doctrine well in mynd yea and let vs gyue good heede too it seeyng it is so yll put in vre through the whole world Among the Papistes there is talking ynough of Gods seruice and of liuing holily but yit the world seeth how those wretched soules stand buzzing about a sort of pelting tryfles and that for all their â—uerlaboring of themselues they bee neuer the forewarder but rather the further of from god And what is the cause of it Euen this that euery man of his owne head deuizeth a rule too his owne liking and in the meane whyle God speaking familiarly and without any darkenesse is not heard at all but men doo rather giue themselues to the things that cannot auayle them As for vs although wee haue the lyght of the Gospell and can say that the superstitions of Papistrie are but trifles yit are wee neuerthelesse farre of from this doctrine And if a maÌ„ should sift our lyues where is this trew holinesse Where is this Ryghtuousnesse For as for the Gospell most men take what they like of it and tread Gods truth vnder their feete as oft as they liâ—t Too bee short yee shall fynd that they which brag most of their reformation now adayes are vnholy and vncleane people yea and for the most part euen Dogges that barke ageinst God despyze his truth and rayle at his woord vnlesse it be when they let it sâ—ip bycause they thinke it nother heere nor there That is the holynesse of a number that would bee counted now adayes great Christians and pillers of the Churche insomuch that they would make themselues greater than God if they could yea and although they bee but woormes and woormes meate yit ceasse they not too blaspheme so farre and to cast foorth their thunderboltes and madnesse as too say that men shall speake as they will haue them or else they wyll conquer God for it And as touching the sayd Rightuousnesse where shall a man fynde it Euery man sayes there is nothing but deceyt nothing but craft nothing but forswearing extortion outrage and violence Euery man complaynes of his neyghbours and his neyghbours of him Howsoeuer the cace stand we see that Rightuousnesse is as good as banished out of the world And therefore inasmuch as the name of Iesus Christ of his Gospel is so shamefully vnhalowed by such as abuse it falsely wee haue so much the more neede too remember what S. Paule sayth heere namely that God will disclayme vs vntyll we beare his mark and bee created new agein in Iesus Christ. As how Too bee truthfull â–ª 〈◊〉 or as I haue sayd already though wee were esteemed as Angels yit shall our hypocrisie bee alwayes lothely before God if wee bee not clenzed of it and indeuer with a trew and ryght meaning affection too imploy our selues too the seruing of God and too the helping of our neyghbours Now heeruppon he deuydeth this doctrine intoo seuerall poynts applying it too particular exhortations For first he sayeth that euery man must leaue lying and speake the truthe to his neyghbours bycause wee bee members all of one bodie Not without cause doth Saint Paule heere lay foorth things particularly which he had erst spoken generally For wee would alwayes shift our hands of the doctrine that it myght vanish away in the aire and not come at vs Not that Gods speaking too vs in generall myght not suffyze vs if wee were teachable as wee ought bee too receyue instruction at his hand but bycause we bee so snarled in our vanities that if God doo but say generally that wee must bee reformed according too his image and vtterly renounce 〈◊〉 selues it toucheth vs not at all but wee let it passe Therfore is he fayne too decyfer it by parceâ—â—meale as if hee should make an anatomie of our thoughts and affections and bring too lyght the vyces which wee would fayne hoord vp in huthther muther That is the thing which Saint Paule goeth now about He had sayd that it behoueth vs too bee reformed after the image of God by our Lord Iesus Christ who is the new man and the head wheruntoo wee must be lyke fashyoned Now if he had gone no further than so that doctrine had bin receyued without geynsaying but in the meane whyle no man had fared the better by it as by a lyuely instruction But now will hee speake of whoredome of Theft of deceytfulnesse of drunkennesse of hatred of hartburning and of the suttle flyghts that passe betweene neyghbour and neyghbour When things are thus layd foorth by particulars men are the more wakened and although euery man shrink back inuent excuces deuyze shifts yit wil we nyl we we must needs feele some hartbytings in vs That is the order which Saint Paule keepeth here Wherfore let vs make well that it is not ynough for vs too haue bin taught our dewtie in one woord and as it were at a glaunce but God had neede too warne vs and too shewe vs flatly as well the vyces wherto we be subiect and inclyned of our owne nature as also the vyces whertoo the diuel draweth vs by his temptations and wyles To be short God must be fayne to guyde our hands our feete our eyes our eares and our mouthes he must bee fayne too make vs see that wee may ouershoote our selues in this sort and that sort too the end wee may bee well
will not serue too acquit vs but that wee must set our hand too labour that wee may earne our lyuing lawfully and forbeare too profit our selues by other mennes losse Finally besydes as it were the bynding vp of our handes from dooyng any man wrong and from vsing any pretie shiftes slyghtes too get other mens goods let vs haue a regard too doo good Yea and let vs haue a speciall care too succour such as want howbeit so as it bee with the thinges that God hath giuen vs of our owne For those are the offerings and sacrifices which wee must make vnto him in acknowlegment of his benefytes And wee knowe that Almesdeedes are called Sacrifyces Therfore when wee doo them wee must protest with an vnfeyned and trew meaning hart that wee come too doo homage too God for the things that wee hold of him And if there bee any theft in our hands it is certaine that our sacrifyzes shall bee vncleane our almesdeedes shall bee turned intoo lothsomnesse Then let euery man beware that he doo not pill and poll with the one hand too giue of it anone after with the other but let euery of vs haue both our handes cleane Nother let vs haue a dubble hart but labour with all vprightnesse to earne our lyuing in such wise that if God send vs any profit by it wee may take it as his free gift And in good sooth Moyses also forbyddeth vs too father any peece of our gayne vppon our owne running or vppon the labour of our handes for God will haue vs to bee beholden to him for all Therefore when wee doo any almesse let it bee with this protestation not onely with mouth but also in hart and deede namely that according as our Lord hath shewed himselfe liberall vntoo vs and bestowed vppon vs and giuen vs ouer and aboue wherwith too serue our owne neede wee bee willing too doo him homage with it and let vs shewe in deede that wee intend not too keepe too our selues the things that he hath giuen vs but doo put them too the vse whertoo he hath ordeyned them that is too say too the releeuing of those that haue neede of them Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs feele them better so as wee may bee sory for them and aske him forgiuenesse of them and profit more and more in his feare that beyng withdrawen from our fleshly affections wee may continue in his feare and loue too the intent too profit more and more in the keeping of his holy commaundementes And so let vs all saye Almighty God heauenly father c. The .xxxii. Sermon which is the twelfth vppon the fourth Chapter 29. Let no filthie speeche proceede out of your mouthes but onely such as is good too edifye as neede shall require that it may giue grace too the hearers 30. And greeue not the holy spirit of God vvherby you bee sealed for the day of redemption SAint Paule correcteth a vyce heere which is very daungerous and yit notwithstanding so common as can bee among men bycause they see not at the first what harme it bringeth and therfore doo take leaue the easlyer too doo it For it will bee sayd that too hold pleasant talke and in the meane whyle too think no man no harme is a thing that may bee abidden as who should say it were possible too poyson our neyghbours mynd and yit for all that it should bee no harme And hardly may men bee perswaded that it is so notwithstanding that the holy Ghoste haue sayd it I say that when there is any lyght or leaud talk or tending too giue libertie vntoo euill it is all one as if talk were ministred too poyson mens soules Nowe then it behoueth vs so much the more too mark what is told vs heere for Saint Paule termeth it filthie and leaud talk which cannot but infect Men will deny it as I sayd afore but experience sheweth sufficiently how it is not without cause sayd in another place that euill woords corrupt good manners Though wee weere neuer so modest chaste cleane mynded and giuen too good yit if wee admit wanton talk it perceth euen too the bottom of the hart and wee bee atteynted with it before wee perceyue it insomuch as it marreth vs vtterly And in very deede if a woman giue eare too the messages that are brought hir tending too seduce hir a man may well say shee is a harlot alredie and the thing it self is manifest ynough Then is it certein that all vnchaste and leaud speeches are baudie tricks and although the parties that are so giuen too casting foorth of such leaud talk doo it not alwayes of that mynd yit of what intent so euer they doo it Satan is the author of it And as I sayd afore if such vnchaste and looce talk haue full scope needs must wee bee poysoned out of hand and the mischeef haue his course And therfore not without cause dooth Saint Paul forewarne vs that no Vncleane speeche or as I sayd afore no filthie speeche proceede out of our mouth And on the contrarie part he setteth downe that wee haue sufficient matter too talk of one with another that is too wit too edifye that men may fare somwhat the better by our communication Accordingly as euen the heathen men can say that it dooeth one good too bee in such a mans companie And why For he shall euer heare some good sentence and he neuer goes from him without carying away of some good And it is nature that moneth them to say so Therfore let vs learne too abhorre and shun such plaginesse when a man shall haue his tung so looce too speake woords that smell of the pump as men say and one shall hold the one syde and another the other and that in stead of receyuing good a man shall feele himself too bee stung by Satan And in deede of a very truthe when such words enter into our harts ere we be aware of them they be stings that Satā giueth vs in secret vnespyed Seing then that they be so can it be sayd that such a man is worthie too bee heard Should wee not hate him rather as a deadly plague Yee see then that the thing which we haue to mark in the first place is that our Lord hath giuen vs tungs too make one another priuy of our myndes and that is too the intent we should make them serue too the benefyte of our neyghbours and therabouts ought wee to imploy them wholy And the tung which is the meane too vtter our harts and mynds one too another ought too guyde all the residew as hauing the superioritie ouer them On the other syde not without cause is it termed by the name of glorie too shewe wherabouts wee ought too imploy it and too what vse namely too the honoring of god Therfore if wee looked well vppon the
must bee fayne too make his sonne shyne that is too saye lyke as he hath commaunded and ordeyned his woord too bee preached vntoo vs so also must he giue vs eyes too inioy the same lyght For though the sunne shyne neuer so bright in the skye yit should wee fynd nother frute nor profit by it vnlesse wee haue eyes which are as instruments to receyue the lyght that commes from aboue So must God bee fayne too giue vs spirituall eyesyght to conceyue the things that are taught vs by his woord Yee see then that the meane how wee become lyght in the Lord is that on the one syde God sheweth vs the way of saluation by the preaching of his woord vntoo vs and therwithall giueth vs a new spirit or mind too the intent wee should not abyde in the ignorance wherin all of vs are by nature And Saint Paule vttereth his meaning yit better when he addeth that vvee should vvalke as children of lyght Nowe wee see that heere he not onely prayzeth and commendeth Gods grace too stirre vs vp too gloryfye him for it as wee bee bound too doo but also therewithall sheweth the vse of it As if he should say beware in any wyse that yee thrust not Gods grace vnder foote ne make it vnauaylable vntoo you For his calling of you too the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ was too the intent yee should bee wholly chaunged tod bee brought vntoo this lyght For if wee would haue the sunne but onely too stande ydly gazing vppon it lyke folke out of their wittes what a thing were that Wee were better too haue continuall nyght But the Sunne must serue vs to apply our selues too the buzinesse which we haue too doo and too labour in getting of our liuing euery man according too his charge office and calling Yee see then that wee should abuze the sunne which bringeth vs so great benefyte if we should not euery of vs occupie our selues in the things that wee knowe too bee our dewtie Now Saint Paule applyeth this similitude too the spirituall daysonne that is too wit too the doctrine of the Gospell saying that it shyneth howbeeit not for vs too giue our selues too ydle speculations but too the end wee should set our hand too the plough and euery of vs looke wherwith he can and ought too doo seruice and theruppon make the lyght auaylable that is offered him Furthermore Saint Paule in one place calleth vs Lyght and by and by he addeth Chyldren of light Both of them come too one end But yit is it not for nought that he termeth vs Lyght For it serueth too expresse the better that Gods grace is not only offered vs but also imprinted in vs so as wee bee after a sort new shaped by it And it is not only heere that he dooth it but also in the Epistle too the Philippians Now wee haue too marke first of all that that tytle belongeth properly too none but too our Lord Iesus Christ according as he himself sayeth I am the lyght of the world he that walketh in mee shall neuer stray Yee see then that our Lorde Iesus Christ is sufficient of himself alone too giue vs lyght and that if wee keepe our selues aloofe from him we shall fynd nothing but darknesse nother in heauen nor in earth nor in any creature else For if wee speake of Gods maiestie it is aboue all the heauens yea and the very Angels haue no lyght but that which they borrowe of our Lord Iesus Christ. And that is the cause why Saint Iohn Baptist is excluded from that honour when he sayth that he was not the lyght but that that dignitie belongeth peculiarly to the sonne of God who inlyghteneth all men that come intoo the world Agein the Apostles and all such as preache Gods truthe are also termed lyght in their degree when as it is sayd yee bee the lyght of the world Not that that belongeth properly vntoo them but bycause God serueth his own turne by them when he deliuereth them his word to guyde others by and to shew them the way of saluation Now if he that beareth the Candle too lyght other men doo reele and stumble and stray heere and there what a thing is it Therefore in asmuch as God hath giuen vs the charge too preache his woord wee bee warned too walke in such wyse as euery man may bee edifyed by our lyfe And yit in the meane whyle this is no derogation at all too the honour of our Lord Iesus Christ for they that are inlyghtened by him must not thrust forth themselues to be fellow and fellow lyke with him but he alone must continewe the lyâ—ht still and wee inlyghten one another according too Saint Paules saying in the text that I alledged afore where he sayeth thus too all the faythfull You bee as Lampes burning in this world euen by hauing the woord of god The lyght then which the Scripture allotteth as well too the teachers as too them that are taught is that all of vs must haue Gods woord which must bee as a candle set vp aloft and our lyues must so ruled thereby as the vnbeeleeuers may bee drawen too the fayth and reformed or else confounded and put too shame when they see that our Lordes calling of vs too profit in his scoole is not in vayne And so yee see in what sense S. Paule sayeth that wee bee lyght in the Lord namely bycause Gods woord ought too bee as a burning Lampe vntoo vs not only too guyde our selues by but also too shewe the way too all such as otherwyse should go astray Hereunto he addeth that vvee bee children of lyght to doo vs to vnderstand that our lyght commeth from elsewhere than of our selues and that wee borrowe it of him that is the lyght of the world as I haue alledged before According whereuntoo it is sayd that God is the father of lyght and so also dooth the Scripture name him Agein our Lord Iesus Christ is the trew lyght wherby God appeered vntoo vs and whereby it is his wyll too inlyghten vs Therefore are wee the children of lyght that is too say wee bee so iâ—â—yghtened that Gods lyght is in vs namely bycause wee bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ as I sayde afore and communicate with him and he guydeth vs by the lyght of his Gospell and inlyghteneth vs also by his holy spirit And forasmuch as our Lord woorketh in vs by fayth he dreepeth it intoo vs by measure as he himselfe thinketh good as we haue seene in the fourth Chapter Howsoeuer the cace stand let vs esteeme Gods grace as it is woorthy and as it deserueth and theruppon turne it too our owne benefyte that it be not disappoynted through our rechlesnesse but that wee may walke that is too saye consider whertoo God hath called vs and euery of vs imploy and inforce himselfe theruntoo Now hereuppon Saint Paule giues a warning that the frute of
before God bycause all things that beare a great glosse and countenance too the world doo vanish away when they come before the souerein iudge On the other syde also heere followeth that which is sayd in another text namely that they which are faynt harted must bee comforted for else they myght quayle bycause it would seeme too them that God regardeth them not I speake of such as are despyzed too the worldward Therefore it must bee told them that God hath not forgotten them though it bee his will too keepe them lowe for aâ—yme It behoueth euery of vs too apply this too his owne vse according too the state that God shall haue set vs in For when wee bee trubbled wrongfully when men make none account of vs when men shake vs of if wee imagin that God hath giuen vs ouer too wee cannot call vppon him And on the other syde also wee cannot serue him with a free hart bycause wee thinke it is but labour lost too no purpose Therfore when we be assayled with such temptation let vs call this lesson too rememberance which is that though wee bee now afflicted in this world and men laugh vs too scorne and spit in our faces and too bee short though wee indure all the reproche that can bee yit wee fayle not for all that too bee in the safe keeping of our God bycause he esteemeth vs setteth store by vs and will in the end shewe that he dooth so insomuch that although wee linger and pyne away and he withhold himselfe as it were hidden from vs and a man myght deeme according too naturall vnderstanding that wee bee as yee would say razed out of his rememberance yit neuerthelesse after he hath hild vs vnder for a whyle and tryed our humilitie obedience wee shall fynd that our walking faythfully and vncorruptly in his feare shal bee admitted in our account in the end and that we haue not labored for mooneshyne of the water as they say That is the thing in effect which we must beare in mynd when the great personages of the world exalt themselues in their pryde and are able to trample vs vnder their feete Howbeeit let all such as haue superioritie ouer others aduyze themselues well and consider that God hath not giuen them the brydle without reseruing his owne ryght too himselfe but that both great and small must bee fayne too appeere before his iudgment seate and there there wil be no accepting of persons Wherfore let such as are riche let such as are in authoritie let such as haue any aduantage aboue their neyghbours remember wel this saying that there is no accepting of persons before God but that although that in this world one man goes before another followes after yit when the Trumpet soundeth so as wee must all come before the great Iudge then there shal bee no more any such difference And for the same cause are euen Kings and Princes brought too that poynt and too that consideration in the Psalme where it is sayd Yee bee Gods and yee bee children of the hyghest which is bycause God hath ordeyned theÌ„ to be as his leeutenants and set them in hygh degree Trew it is that this must stand in force for a tyme but yit shall yee dye as men sayeth he and as any one of the common people and then shall yee bee driuen too knowe that yee were but mortall men For all these great and gay shewes shall then bee layd awater And of a truth the setting downe of the woord Person ought too put vs well in mynd that they bee but temporall things and that wee cannot bring any of them with vs before God as though they were our owne Trew it is thaâ— in our common speech we take the woord Person it another sense for we call a man or a woman a person But when the Scripture speakes of it it meaneth all things that are without vs as riches states offices nobilitie great birth and all things that men possesse in this world and whereof they may also bee bereft Therefore when it is sayd that there is no accepting of persons before God it is as much too saye as he will iudge vs simply as mortall men and as brittle and frayle creatures and that wee cannot sheeld our selues with one thing or other insomuch that the richest cannot bring their treasures landes and possessions with them to aduaunce themselues with them aboue others They that haue bin in any great dignitie shall not say how so Euery man trembled vnder mee Such geere shall bee nothing woorth afore god All the greatnesse and all the authoritie of the world will serue too no purpose but euery man shall be taken as a chyld of Adam So then let such as haue any occasion too exalt themselues beare well in mynd that all the thinges which haue any gloriousnesse too the worldward and are esteemed and had in reputation shall fade away lyke smoke and bee consumed too nothing when wee come too bee iudged of our god And therefore let all men both great and small lyue in humblenesse and trust And that is the câ—â—se why Saint Iames sayth let him that is small glory in his hyghnesse Why so Bycause God hath adopted vs too his children and although wee bee but poore earthwoormes and euen men themselues account vs as filth and dung yit hath God voutsafed too print his marke in vs that wee myght bee knowen too be his children and that he hath giuen vs leaue to call vpon him as our father with full mouth Therefore wee haue iust cause too glory notwithstanding that wee be of lowe degree For wee haue a hyghnesse whereby God exalteth vs aboue all the world And on the contrary part Saint Iames sayeth that he which is great must glory in his lowenesse For wheras the vnbeleeuers are so bewitched with pryde that they despyze God and as I sayd afore doo beare themselues on hand that they bee exempted from all lawe and that their state is set alone by it selfe from all the rest of the world the beleeuers must vnderstand that all the dignitie and excellencie in the world serueth but for a tyme and passeth away and that when wee come before God wee shall haue nother one thing nor other to clothe our selues withall Too bee short the things which the scripture calleth Persons are as apparels and clothings Let vs take this similitude If he that is richly apparelled thinke too scape from God vnder colour that he gazeth at his owne gay fethers and that the world woondereth too beholde him he deceyueth himself very much For all those things must bee layd asyde when God calleth vs too iudgement Agein the poore folke that scarsely haue wherwith too couer halfe their body yea and that but with a fewe ragges and torne cloutes must not thinke themselues the lesse esteemed of God for all that For there shall bee no more persons that is too say
vp our carefulnesse too make vs resort vntoo God and too pray him that he forsake vs not ne suffer vs too bee giuen vp as a pray too our enemies And finally too make euery man too streyne himself knowing that although wee our selues doo nothing yit dooth God woork in such wyse by vs as he wil not haue vs too bee as blocks but he will haue vs exercyze our fayth and too bee as men of warre too serue him in battell so as the stoppes that wee incounter restreyne vs not from keeping on our course still but that wee outstand all the ambushes and assaults that are put too vs Thus yee see in effect how wee must put this text in vre And he concludeth agein that wee must hold our owne too resist the wicked dayes vntill wee bee fast settled after the performance of all Heere he putteth vs in mynd agein that it is not ynough for vs too haue fought â—toutly for a mooneth or for a yeere but that wee must hold out too the end yea euen all our lyfe long For God hath set vs in this world too maynteyne the battell vntill wee bee come too the rest of heauen The earth then is not only as a pilgrimage too the faythfull but also as a Camp where wee must alwayes haue enemies too trubble vs nyght and day without ceassing That is the cause why Saint Paule sayeth expresly that wee must resist till wee haue finished and performed all things And by the euill dayes he meaneth all our lyfe but specially the tymes when our lord suffereth vs too be pinched more than ordinarie For although God trye vs too the end yit doth he forbeare vs now and then For if he had not pitie of our weaknesse what would become of vs It is trew that wee must noâ— take truce with Satan but yit dooth God sometymes giue vs respits so as we bee not greeued with extremitie The euill dayes therfore are when there bee greate and in maner extreme temptations and tryalls howbeeit that all our whole lyfe is comprehended vnder the same words It is true that that impeacheth not our continuall happinesse but that God taketh vs still for his people and heritage but yit shall there alwayes bee that euilnesse wherof Saint Paule speaketh heere Then let vs not make our account of an earthly paradyse heere beneath or too reape heere the frute of our victorie or too liue in rest but rather let vs assure our selues that miseries are prepared for vs without ceassing or number Wherfore let vs bee armed too abyde them and too ouercome them And it is no pleading ageinst Gods will in this behalf It is verye trewe that he could handle vs much gentlyer and that hee could so set vs alone by our selues as our enemies should not come at vs nor wee suffer any vexation but it lyketh him not too doo so Therfore wee must bow downe our necks and euery of vs buckle himself too the battell that God calleth vs vntoo For as sayeth Saint Peter it is good reason that our fayth which is much preciouser than gold and siluer should bee tryed Seeing that a corruptible mettall is fyned by fyre should our fayth which is much more excellent bee kept from comming too his purenesse and perfection Therfore let vs think wel vpon that which is sayd here namely that wee must finish things or go through with them And that is to the end that no man should cocker himself when he hath hild his owne for a whyle and taken greate peyne in imploying him self too Gods seruis but that he should walk on still to the end put the thing in vre which S. Paul sheweth vs in another place euen by his own example For although he had doone so notable things as a man myght say that God should haue hild him quite giuen him some rest for his ofteÌ„ fyghting both by sea and by land dyuers wayes yit notwithstanding he sayeth he forgetteth all that is past and streyneth and inforceth him self still foreward till he may atteyne too the fellowship of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus christ For what causeth a number too take so greate libertie but that they think themselues too haue doone ynough and may giue others leaue too take their turne why not say they It is now a twentie or thirtie yeeres that I haue taken extreme peynes without ceassing and the world hath seene my faythfulnesse zeale and care which I haue had too serue God and my diligence in dooyng the things that my charge requyred And theruppon they conclude that now therefore they may well take rest Wee must not so indent with god But whatsoeuer wee haue done wee must forget that which is behynd sayeth Saint Paule and looke foreward to the thing that is yit too come that is too wit that wee bee not yit come to the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ but that there are many infirmities in vs styll and our fayth is not yit so throughly well fyned but that it had neede too be brought ageien too the furnace and the fyre And therfore let vs hold out tyll wee haue finished all things And what is ment by this All that hauing lyued in the obedience of our God wee dye lykewyse when it pleaseth him and according too his wyll For it is not ynough for vs too lyue in awe of him but wee must also euen in our death yeeld record that wee bee wholly his and wee must not couet too lyue heere vntyll wee bee wery of our lyfe but wee must alwayes haue one foote lifted vp too depart when it pleaseth god So then all is then finished when wee haue lingered in this world as long as pleaseth God and euery man indeuered too lyue according too his calling and bin pacient too the end Finally bee it that wee lyuâ— or bee it that wee dye and let vs alwayes bee trewe sacrifyzes to offer our selues vntoo God and let vs seeke nothing but to yeeld vp our soules and our bodyes intoo Gods hand Therefore let vs stand fast sayeth S. Paul that is too say that we may be able to shew our selues before our God. Hereuppon he sheweth with what maner of Armour wee must bee fenced and furnished that is too wit vvith Fayth vvith Ryghtuousnesse vvith Truth vvith Gods vvoord and vvith the Gospell Now wee must not bee curious in seeking heere why Saint Paule giueth the tytle of Helmet too one the tytle of Brestplate too another and the tytle of Sheeld too another For in the first Epistle too the Thessalonians he toucheth the same doctrine briefely howbeeit without following the similitude throughout saying that wee must bee armed with the helmet of fayth and charitie But he speaketh otherwise in this place If any man would say there is some contradiction the doubt would soone bee dissolued namely that Saint Paules intent heere was not too decyfer particularly all the peeces of a Christen mans armour but too
hauing borne out the brunt of all wyndes and weathers continueth vnblowen downe through the violence of tempests haue shaken off all the leaues broken off some braunches sliuered dyuers bowghes riuen the bark yea and inforced the top of it too stoope now and then too the ground euen so that fayth or beleefe is too bee counted stedfast and well settled which continueth vnuanquished too the end though in the meane time it haue bin neuer so sore shaken and battered with the assaultes of temptations aduersities and crosses both of body and mynd They therfore which haue atteyned to this grounded growth in Iesus Christ may safely and comfortably deale with the doctrine of Election and Predestination without guyde such may haue neede of exhortation admonition warning and incoragement by reason of the naturall fraytlie which alwayes followeth and oftentimes ouertaketh eueÌ„ the strongest but not of instruction otherwise than by the woord it selfe for as sayeth S. Iohn the inward anoynting that is to wit the inlightening of the holy Ghost teacheth them all things But as for the other sort which are yit but as new borne infantes in Christ whether it bee in respect of â—yme or in respect of knowledge or in respect of both forasmuch as this doctrine is of such nature as it cannot bee learned by any preceptes or perswasions of wisdome vntill the knâ—wledge and loue of God in Iesus Christ be first well felt and throughly digested by fayth in the bowels of mens hartes they haue neede too bee both cherished and trayned foorth by degrees and as it were by parcelmeale too the right conceyuing and vnderstanding of so great a mysterie For although Gods free Election and Predestination according too the purpose of his owne good will euen before all time bee in very deede the first cause and onely originall welspring of our saluation or endlesse welfare and of all the things that further or accompanie the same yit is it not the first poynt in doctrine wherby too bring men to saluation nor the first Loadestarre that men must looke at as soone as they bee entered intoo the way of saluation Which thing appeereth sufficiently by the continuall order of teaching vsed throughout the whole holy scripture where both the Prophets and Apostles and Christ himselfe doo alwayes begin the ministration of saluation at the preaching of repentance and so proceeding too fayth and free forgiuenesse of sinnes too newnesse of lyfe and the right vse of Sacramentes too the rizing agein of the dead and the euerlasting iudgment doo finally deliuer foorth the doctrine of Election and Predestination as a sheeld ageinst all assaultes to make meâ— perseuer and hold out to the end in the way of saluation through all aduersities tormentes and temptations as shall appeare more plainly hereafter This doctrine then is as yee would say the roofe of Christianirie which beyng orderly substancially and workemanly reered vppon the rest of the building is as a couering and safegard too the whole defending it froÌ„ all iniuries anoyances of wynd weather and giuing it continuance with perpetuitie so that whatsoeuer is added afterward may well make too the adorning and beautifying of it but not to the safetie and strength of it â–ª And therefore if it bee set vppon a false or ouerfeeble foundation or while the building is yit greene and vnperfected bâ—fore the stones bee well clozed settled and dry the weyght of it beareth downe the whole house to the ground to the great losse and but if the more grace of God bee too the vtter and vnrecouerable vndoyng both of the buylder and of the building What then will some man say Is it not too bee taught Is it not to bee learned Yis verily and that with all earnestnesse and indeuer of mynd howbeeit not at al aduenture not in haste not rashly not presumptuously but with singular circumspection reuerence warenesse and humilitie as al the godly haue vsed to doo least whyle wee take vppon vs too swim without a bladder before wee haue learned too beare our bodyes vppon the water wee bee caryed away with the violence of the streame or sink for fayntnesse ere wee can recouer too land agein or least which worse is whyle wee bee ouercurious in medling with the secretes of Gods Maiestie wee bee ouerwhelmed of his glory How then may wee wade safely in it too our benefite Euen by seeking of our selues in Iesus Christ. Let vs see if wee can fynd our selues there For the scripture assureth vs that there is no saluation but onely in Christ Iesus nor no damnation to them that are in him Now therefore like as too knowe the originall cause of our death and damnation wee must not raundge beyond the fall of our first father Adam bycause that by him sinne entered into the world and by sinne death so to fynd our recouerie and saluation wee must not seeke elswhere than in Iesus Christ bycause he is ordeyned to bee the onely propitiation and attonement for our sinnes and there is not any other name that is to say any other person or meane giuen vs wherby to bee saued than the onely name of Iesus For he is the way the the truth and the lyfe He is the lyght of the world He is the resurrection and the lyfe God is in him reconcyling the world vnto himselfe In him dwelleth the whole fulnesse of the Godhead bodily God hath made him our Wisedome Rightuousnesse Holinesse and Redemption And he through his once offering vp of himselfe vppon the Crosse hath perfected them for euer which are to bee sanctifyed and is become the author of euerlasting saluation too as many as obey him Inasmuch then as Iesus Christ is both God and man and hath all power both in heauen and earth and all knees must bow before him whosoeuer seeketh saluation out of Iesus Christ dooth but wander away after his owne deceytfull imaginations neuer to fynd the thing that he seeketh bycause that as sayeth Saint Iohn he that hath not the sonne hath not the father and he that hath not the father is a straunger too the couenauntes and promises of saluation without hope and without God in the world and so consequently in stead of the substance he ketcheth but a shadowe or a dreame or rather nothing at all Nay rather he ketcheth euerlasting damnation according to this saying He that beleeueth not in the sonne shall not see light but the wrath of God abydeth vppon him And agein this is damnation that is to say the cause of damnation that wheras light is come into the world which lyght is Christ men haue loued darknesse better than lyght that is to say they haue loued the blynd imaginations and inuentions of their owne ignorant mynds better than the lightsome truth of Christes Gospell Wherefore putting away all flatterie and soothing of our selues and taking to vs
the touchstone of Gods word which is quick and effectuall and sharper than any two edged sword entering in to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the sinewes and marie and sifting out the thoughts and conceytes of the hart let vs examin our owne consciences whether wee bee in Christ and Christ in vs or no. Our owne consciences at leastwise if they bee not blynded with ignorance or hypocrisie will certifie vs of the truth in that behalf And if any man haue not the record thereof in himselfe he wanderâ—h yit still in errour and knoweth not whyther he goeth noâ— iâ— what cace he standeth For they that are in Christ haue Christes spirit in them and that spirit assureth their spirit that they bee the children of god Now let vs see if wee haue this warrant in our selues wee shall discerne it by these markes following and such other lyke The scripture telleth vs that those which are in Christ Iesus are become new creatures That they bee rooted buylded and setled vpon Christ by fayth That they walke as he walked fashioned themselues after his example That they haue put off the old man that is to say their owne naturall disposition which is corrupted with deceitfull lustes and beyng renewed in the spirit of their mynd that is to say in the inward working of their hartes they haue put on the new man that is to wit a new disposition of mynd which is shaped lyke vntoo God in true rightuousnesse and holinesse That they walke after the spirit and not after the fleshe that is to say that they liue not after the lyking of their owne wit and will but in obedience to the wisdome and will of God That they haue mortifyed their earthly members that is to say ouermaystred and subdewed their sinfull lustes and lykinges That they bee crucifyed too the world and the world to them that is to say that they bee no more intangled with the fond loue and sinister affection of the world and worldly things than if they were already dead and had no more neede of them at all And finally that they bee dead vnto sinne but alyue vnto rightuousnesse Of all which sayings and of a number mo tending to the same purpose the pith and effect is this consisting of two members Namely that such as are rightly and vnfeynedly in Christ haue vtterly renounced their owne wit will wisdome strength reputation and rightuousnesse yea and quyte and cleane forsaken themselues togither with the world and all worldly things and haue giuen ouer themselues as it were in bondage all wholly vnto Christ taking him for their onely God Lord Sauiour Father Mayster Teacher Guyde Defender Stay Light Rightuousnesse Holinesse Redemption Wisdome Strength Reconciliation Sacrifize Alter Temple high Priest and all in all and therefore depending alonely vppon him in all things putting their whole hope trust and confidence in him wayting vppon him as the seruant vppon his Mayster or as the handmayd vppon hir mistresse or as the chyld vppon his father seeking his onely honour and glory in all caces contenâ—ed to beare the crosse with him in suffering all manner of harmes wrongs losses despytes reproches myseries and torments for his sake that is to wit for the truth of his Gospell and for the rightuousnesse of his kingdome and finally making full account that as they on their part lyue not in themselues but in him nor to themselues but to God so he on his part will most plenteously and bountifully reward their labours beyond all that they can hope or conceiue and neuer fayle them or withdraw himself from them euen in this world at their neede Out of the which roote of trew and liuely faith springeth foorth this fruite which is the second part or member that I spake of to the full confirmation of our consciences to the open warranting of our beyng in Christ namely that for the loue of him wee imploy our whole lyfe to glorify God by indeuering continually to edefy profit and comfort our neyghbours both in word and deede earnestly faythfully and cheerefully without respect of our selues or of our owne commodities â—ase profit pleasure yea or lyfe which is in dede the perfect charitie If wee fynd this disposition of mynd throughly rooted in vs then may wee boldly and certeinly conclude that wee bee in Christ and Christ in vs that the life which we lyue as now in the fleshe that is to say in this world wee lyue by beleefe in the sonne of God or rather that it is not wee that lyue but the sonne of God which lyueth in vs that wee bee led by Gods spirit and consequently that wee bee his children and heyres of his blessed and euerlasting kingdome with Christ as chozen and predestinated therto in him before all worlds Howbeit forasmuch as wee carrie the old Adam continually about vs who cannot bee put quyte and cleane away but by death And the flesh not onely lusteth but also wrestleth and fyghteth so myghtily ageinst the spirit that oftentymes it weakeneth woundeth ouerthroweth yea and as sayeth Saint Paule leadeth vs captiue to the lawe or seruice of sinne Insomuch that there is not so stout a souldyer in Christ but he is compelled to say with the same Paule The good that I would doo I doo not but the euill which I hate that doo I by reason whereof the greefe and anguish of his mynd inforce him too cry out at leastwise in his hart 〈◊〉 that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinâ—â— The weake conscience of the frayle sinner fynding how farre he commeth short of the trew effectes and fruites of perfect Christianitie heretoofore described is stryken in great heauinesse and dwelleth in doubt whether he bee yit in Christ or no. By meanes wherof he not only taketh no comfort in the doctrine of Gods eternall election and predestination but also is the more abashed and dismayed at it In this cace wee must not resort for remedie too fleshe and blud that is too say too the perswasions of worldly wisdome or of mans owne natural reason and vnderstanding but too Gods holy woord which beyng the very foode and healthfull salue of our soules alonely is able to pacify the vexed conscience and to cheere vp the drooping and dying hart This besydes other comfortes wherof mo shall bee reherced hereafter in place more conuenient telleth vs that there are ages and degrees in Christ and Christianitie and that our lyfe is a continuall warfare wherin wee must mainteyne battell not onely ageinst the trubbles and aduersities of this world but also ageinst our selues that is to say ageinst the vices and affections of our owne corrupt and sinfull nature yea and as sayeth Saint Paule in this present Epistle too the Ephesians ageinst principalities and powers ageinst the Lordes of this world which are the rulers of the
aâ— all Now herein God sheweth that he will punishe such as take scorne too bee taught in his schoole So then let vs labour too come too the myddle age whereof S. Paule spake not long ago And although wee cannot atteyne too perfection so long as wee bee in this world yit let vs not bee starke idiots and altoogither vnlearned nother let vs bee euer nouices but let vs shewe that God hath not lost his tyme in beeyng so gracious too vs as too beate our eares with his woorde That is the thing which wee haue too beare away Furthermore let vs vnderstand also that it is long of none but our selues that wee be not wel armed ageinst all the wyles of the diuell and the world namely by laboring too profit in the Gospell and in Gods woord For from thence must wee fetch armor and weapon too furnish our selues withall when wee bee weake That is the way too withstand at the cosinages and falshoods of Satan that is the meane for vs to beate backe all his assaultes that is to wyt by hauyng the said worde which wyll serue vs for Swoord Target and Headpeece â–ª as wee shall see in the syrt Chapter Too bee short wee shal be well armed too withstand all bruntes Therefore if wee bee fickle headed and therupon it please 〈◊〉 too punish our vnthankfulnesse accordyng too his threatnyng by Moyses in the thirteene of Deuteronomie where he saith that if he styrre vp false Prophetes and the people gyue eare too them it is a token that they loued hym not and that they which continue in his feare wyll abide firme and stedfast I say if wee bee so light and fickle mynded let vs arme our selues with these exhortations and as saith Saint Paul if heresies spring vp let vs vnderstand that it is for the tryall of suche as bee rightly mynded And therefore let vs marke well that it is long of nothing but of our own rechlesnesse that wee bee not alwayes stedfast in Gods woorde and that our fayth dooth not alwayes get the vpper hand of all temptations as saith Saint Iohn in his first Epistle This ought too prouoke vs too take paynes not onely too get ordinary foode to sustaine our soules withall but also too withstande Satan and all his champions and too beate backe all assaultes that shal bee made vpon vs. And forasmuch as our Lord matcheth his Sacramentes with his woord let vs make our profit of them altoogither And wheras wee are too receyue the holy Supper the next Sunday let vs vnderstand that it is our spirituall armour wherwith it behâ—ueth vs too bee fenced ageinst Satan and is added for a further strengthning of vs after wee haue bin instructed in Gods woord Wherfore â—et vs not through our vnkyndnesse and vanitie suffer the meanes too serue for nothing which God hath giuen vs and which he knoweth too bee fit for vs but let vs followe this counsell of Saynt Paules And on the one syde let vs consider that wee bee weake aâ—d that wee haue neede too bee releeued and that Gods comming after that fashyon vntoo vs is too drawe vs vntoo him that wee myght yeeld him thankes for the louing kyndnesse which he vseth And for our owne parte let vs indeuer too put foreward our selues the more by matching the woord with the Sacramentes and the Sacraments with the woord so as wee may bee prouoked thereby too resort too our God that he maye so further vs in the way of saluation as it may appeere in the end that wee haue not walked in vayne nor bin disappoynted of our expectation Now let vs foll downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs so too feele them as we may vtterly misâ—yke of them and bee alwayes prouoked too trew repentance and not onlye bee sory that wee haue offended but also resist all the wicked lustes of our flesh which hinder our trew obedience in ruling our lyfe according too his holie woord and that forasmuch as the ryght way too atteyne thertoo is too profit in his woord it may please him too graunt that wee may neuer bee destitute of that benefyte and that when wee haue it in our handes wee may vse it well labour too profit in it and he woorke in such wyse in vs by his holy spirit as it may not be a sound that vanisheth away in the aire but a roote that groweth fast in vs to yeeld frute in our lyfe euen too the end that wee way bee so grounded in him as his loue and fearâ— may growe more and more in vs vntill he haue gathered vs togither intoo his heritage That it maye please hym too graunt this grace not only too vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .xxvii. Sermon which is the seuenth vppon the fourth Chapter 15. But too the end that follovving truth vvith Charitie vvee myght grovve in all things in him that is the head too vvit Christ 16. By vvhom the vvhole bodie being knit togither and ioyned by euery ioynt throughout vvith furniture according too the operation of eche part in measure taketh the ful growth of a bodie too the buylding vp of it self in loue WEe haue seene heeretoofore that wee must keepe the order which God hath set among vs that wee maye profite in Gods schoole all the tyme of lyfe For in asmuch as God hath not ordeyued any superfluous thing we must conclude that we shall neuer atteyne too so perfect learning whyle wee lyue in this world but that wee shall haue neede too go further styll and which is more wee shall neuer bee at our wayes end till wee bee come too the end of our lyfe For asmuch then as wee knowe that wee haue yit but a peere of the thing which wee must haue and that our fayth will alwayes bee weake let vs stryue so much the more too bee strengthened and too drawe neere vnto god And then shall wee not bee lyke little children and such as wauer and flote too and fro with euery wynde and haue no stedinesse in their fayth For if we be diligent to profite in Gods woord surely wee shal bee armed and fenced to withstand all the wyles of Satan and of the wicked men that would beguyle vs For although God bring vs not to perfection oâ—t of hand but hold vs styll in some feeblenesse yit shall wee neuer bee destitute of good remedie if wee receyue the things that he offereth vs be not rechlesse in applying theÌ„ to our behoofe The meane to bring which thing to passe is shewed vs here namely that wee followe the truth loue one another As if S. Paule should say that the knowledge of God â—he loue of our neyghbours are twoo things that ought not too bee sepâ—rated asunder And he putteth truth foremest purposely bycause our linking toogither would not boote vs at all vnlesse Iesus
mischeefe dooth easly take roote in vs bycause wee bee inclyned and almost wholly giuen too it of nature But yit wee bee not so soone chaunged when wee haue continewed along tyme in dooing euill For it happeneth vntoo vs as vnto sicke folkes whose diseases hauing once gathered strength doo so sticke too their bones as they can by no meanes bee purged away Now a great number of folke 〈◊〉 giuen to naughtinesse and beare with themselues in many vyces before they bee called of God and touched too the quicke with repentance Therefore wee haue neede too practyze the doctrine that Saint Paule teacheth vs heere that is too wit too knowe that when wee haue hild aloofe from God and strayed from the way of saluation wee must not flatter our selues in it nor make a buckler and excuce of it bycause it is become an ordinarie thing with vs For wee must not pardon our selues a whit the more for all that but rather consider that God hath pityed vs and that his drawing of vs from the euill wherein we were was too the end too chaunge vs and too make his power and grace the better knowen by our lyfe in that it beareth witnesse that wee bee no more the men that wee were before That is the cause why Saint Paul sayth in this text Yee vvere once darkenesse but novv hath God inlyghtened you As if he should say that wee must not respect eyther what others doo or what hath befalne in our selues too hope too bee iustifyed and acquit of our faultes by that meanes For when it hath once pleazed God too reache vs his hand and too shewe vs such mercie as too adopt vs for his children and to make vs heires of the heauenly lyfe in sted that wee were forlorne cursed and damned afore that grace ought too preuayle greatly in vs too make vs become new creatures And as for them among whom wee liue if God giue them the brydle and let them alone as men forsaken let vs vnderstand that it was his will too shole vs out from so miserable taking And therefore let them bee as looking glasses vntoo vs too behold what a wretchednesse it is for men to followe their owne lustes So little then ought the offending and sinning of a multitude too couer our faultes that wee ought rather too take warning by them to withdrawe our selues and too hold our selues as it were fettered vp vnder the feare and obedience of our God seeing he sheweth so speciall fauour vntoo vs wherof the residew which abyde still ignorant and vnbeleeuing are depryued Howbeeit for the better vnderstanding of the whole let vs marke first that Saint Paule hath shewed vs heere what the state of all men in generall is vntill God haue drawen them too him And he telleth vs there is not any cause at all why wee should â—ooth our selues in our vertewes insomuch that this only speeche of his where he sayeth that wee be darknesse that is too say that there is nother lyght reason nor any gouernement in vs but rather that wee bee become stark beasts â—ught well too make vs all too cast downe our eyes and too submit our selues with humilitie In deede many shall haue some showe of wisdome and bee commended of the world as well aduyzed men and as able not only too guyde themselues in their whole lyfe but also too counsell and direct others Yit notwithstanding God auoweth that in stead of hauing ryght wisdome and reason wee bee but brute beastes as in respect of him Now lyke as this saying warneth vs to sygh and grone before God so also doth it prouoke vs too seeke the remedie that is necessarie for the well ruling of our lyfe that is too suffer God too bee our maister and teacher by his woord as shal bee declared more at length anon and also too pray him that his holy spirit may so woork in vs and that wee may not bee led with such ouerweening as too count our selues wyse in our owne conceyt and fancie And so yee see in effect what wee haue too remember vppon this streyne where Saint Paul intytuleth men by a reprochefull name saying that they bee darknesse and that there is nothing but vtter brutishnesse in them And hereof I haue treated alredy in the last chapter where Saint Paule shewed that men discerne nothing ne go but too their destructions vntill such tyme as they bee reformed Now on the contrarie part he sayeth Lyght in the Lord too shewe that all the wisedome which wee haue commeth of a supernaturall grace as they terme it that is too say wee haue it not by inheritance nother can wee father it vppon our selues but it is altogither of Gods woorking and wee must bee linked too our Lord Iesus Christ too bee parttakers of such a benefyte For it is not for naught that the scripture sayth that Gods spirit was giuen vntoo him too rest vppon him with full perfection Therefore let vs learne too distrust our selues to know that all that euer wee can bring of our owne will stand vs in no stead but to turne vs from the way of saluation and that we haue no wisedome except it bee giuen vs of Gods free goodnesse too the intent too gather vs vntoo him and too make vs members of our Lord Iesus Christ his sonne who is our trew lyght as wee shall see anone Too bee short it is all one as if S. Paule should saye that by nature wee bee but onely darknesse in Adam and that wee bee inlyghtened agein in our Lord Iesus Christ. Now as I sayd afore it is too the intent wee should seeke none excuce by alledging that wee cannot put off our olde skin nor vtterly forsake the thinges that are so printed in vs for those shiftes are but tryfling and they 〈◊〉 passe in account before God but contrariwyse too the intent wee should learne too examine well what wee bee and what our state is tyll God haue redressed it and too consider what wee haue of our owne namely that wee bring nothing but cursednesse with vs from our moothers womb and therwithall make the grace effectuall which God hath giuen vs that it bee not as yee would say choked through our vnthankfulnesse and malice but that wee consider well to what end our Lord â–ª hath reached vs his hand and shewed himselfe so pitifull towardes vs namely that wheras wee were plundged in darknesse it was his will to bring vs agein too lyght And wee bee called lyght in the Lord not onely bycause wee haue the woord of his Gospell which is as a burning Cresset too guyde vs by but also bycause that he himselfe is as the spirituall Daysonne and dooth therewithall inlyghten vs inwardly by Gods spirit For wee see by experience that men fare neuer a whit the better by hauing their eares beaten with the doctrine of truth for one may take payne too teache them and yit it shal bee but labour lost Therfore our Lord