VVeakelings are to be borne withall 71. b 36. ¶ VVelfare Mans fondnesse in mistaking his owne VVelfare and wherein the same consisteth 55. a 21. and 102. b 35. and 103. a b and 104. a b and 105. a 207. b 14. and 208. a b and 209. a The lyfe VVelfare of the Church is in the purenes of Gods word 77. a 6. ¶ VVisedome Our chiefe VVisedome 184. a 6. b. ¶ VVorlde VVhat is ment by the woorde VVorlde 15 a 10. 323. a 22. b. VVhat is ment by being seperated from the VVorlde 16. a 8. The meane to be seperated frō the worlde 16. a 30. b ¶ VVorde The sufficiencie of Gods VVorde without any other helpe 113. b 35. 114. a b. God hath not onely giuen vs his ▪ VVoorde but also diuersly confirmed it 313. a 9. b and 314. a The slacknesse of men in hearkening too Gods VVoorde and in following the same 213. a 23. b 214. a How wee ought to behaue our selues after the reading and hearing of Gods VVorde 213. b 34. 214. a Not the hauing but the Practising and following of Gods VVord is to our benefit 217. b 25. 218. a b The causes why we mislike of Gods word 23. b 28. All persons al things must stope giue place to Gods word 25. b 15. 26. a b 27. a b and 35. a b and 44. b. 13. and 45. a b and 78. b 28. and 79. a and 250. a 32. b. The tryall to knowe whether we be learned in Gods woorde or no 111. b 23. Looke more in Authoritie Credit and Gospell The verie Angels must stoupe too Gods woorde 26. a 7. b ¶ VVoorke and working VVhat is ment by the woorde VVorke 293. a 35. 294. a Our woorkes though they were neuer so perfect and holy can not binde God 135 b 28. and 136. a. b How and wherefore our wookes are accepted of God 129. b. 11. Of the woorking of fayth by charitie 242. a 25. b and 243. a The good woorkes of the Papists 83. a 21. b and 278. a 7. Looke more in Holynesse Deuotion and Vertue The accompt that the Papistes make of the woorkes of their ovvne inuentions 139. b 18. VVoorship and worshipping Looke in Honor and Serue ¶ VVrath VVhat is ment by the woorde VVrath 156 b 29. Z ¶ Zeale or Zealousnesse Of Christen Zealousnesse 256. a 11. b and 257. a b The Zeale of a Christian Minister 53. a 22. FINIS ¶ The fyrst Sermon vpon the fyrst Chapter PAule an Apostle not from men nor by men but by Iesus Christ and by God the father vvhich hath raysed him from the dead 2. And all the brethern that are vvith me to the Churches of Galatia 3. Grace be vvith you and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Chryst 4. VVho gaue himselfe for our sins to deliuer vs from this euill vvorlde according to the vvill of God our father 5. To vvhom be glorie for euermore Amen NOT WITHOVT cause doth S. Peter so earnestly warne vs to watch against our enimie who goeth about like a roring Lyon with his mouth alway open to swallow vp the pray that the fyndeth For although that on the one syde our Lord Iesus Chryst assure vs that God his father hath giuen him the charge of vs and that the thyng which he hath in his keeping shall neuer perishe yet doth it not follow that we shoulde therfore fall asleepe and in the meane whyle haue no care to call vpon God considering the need that wee haue to do so For fayth doth in suche wyse assure vs of Gods goodnesse and that the same shal neuer fayle vs that yet neuerthelesse we must haue an eye to our owne frayltie and thereby bee stirred vp too pray God to giue vs inuincible constancie It is sayd that faith shall always get the vpper hand of the whole world but yet it foloweth not that we shall not haue battayle Now on our owne side we haue no strength at all but we must be fayne to borowe it elsewhere and that we may so do it standeth vs in hande to pray vnto God For as I haue sayde alreadie it lyeth vs vpon to be stirred therevnto by reason of the great neede that we haue of it And therefore here is a myrrour offered vnto all the faythfull whereby wee maye fare much the better if wee can put it too our vse For Saint Paule had preached through all the countrey of Galatia which is a meetly large countrey and there had reered many Churches If euer man were filled with all the giftes of Gods spirite too winne men too the Gospell wee bee sure that S. Paule excelled all others or at leastwise all that were of his companie And it is certaine that he discharged his duetie Yet notwithstanding hee had scarcely so soone turned his backe but by and by Satan gaue a push to ouerthrow all and too make a horrible hauocke in the whole countrey and hee wonne so great a multitude there that the Gospell was as good as quite abolished euen among those that had bin taught so faythfully Sith wee see such an example ought wee not too cast downe our eyes and too consider that God warneth vs too flee vntoo him and to pray him so too strengthen vs as wee may holde out too the ende VVhich thing we cannot doo except wee bee vphilde by him Ye see then that the faultes which Saint Paule bewrayeth heere in the people of Galatia must serue for our learning For it is all one as if God shoulde in theyr person shewe what our constancie woulde bee if hee gaue vs it not Although then that wee haue bin faythfully instructed in the Gospell yet must God bee fayne too woorke from day too day or else wee shall bee so fickle minded that wee shall bee caryed away by and by and for euerie little occasion Furthermore as I haue fayde alreadie Satan is a dreadfull enimie And therefore it is not for vs too bee negligent seeing hee lyeth alwayes in wayte for vs seeking on all sides to inuade vs and that if hee spie neuer so little a hole by and by he taketh hys aduauntage too enter It shall not seeme that there is any gappe open for him and yet wee may bee taken tardie before wee bee aware VVherefore let vs marke well the warning that God giueth vs in this text and let vs make our aduauntage of it And on the other side wee see howe the Diuell hath at all tymes serued his owne turne with the name of God and made thereof a false cloke too disguize the truth and too turne it into a lie or else too sowe some discorde that by little and little the Gospell might quite fade away The Apostles as they that were chosen by our Lorde Iesus Christ too beare abrode his Gospell and to preach it through the whole worlde were well woorthie too haue bin reuerenced euerie where and to haue bin of
there was nothing but sin in vs God maketh vs parteners of the rightuousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ and all the obedience that hee yeelded is conueyed ouer vnto vs. As for example If I owe a summe of money and another pay it for me although I lay out nothing out of mine owne purse yet am I quitte I had not wherewith to pay but I found one that discharged me Euen so is it with vs who beeing destitute of rightuousnesse haue Iesus Christ for our suretie and he hath satisfied God his father for vs. By meanes whereof our sinnes are quite wyped out so as they come not any more to account or remembrance before God and therefore wee be iustified or blessed that is to say where as God must heeretofore haue hilde vs as accursed and damnable now he holdeth vs for his children And herein also we see the fondnesse of the Papistes who cannot finde in their heartes to be perswaded that we be iustified by fayth bycause that too their seeming fayth is not so excellent a vertue as some other are For a man shall not bee perceyued to doo much in holding himselfe too Gods promises and in resting vpon them Men will say verie well such a one is a wretched sinner and knoweth that hee had neede in deed to bee succoured by Gods goodnesse and that is the cause why he resteth therevpon But the man whose cōuersation beares a goodly show is magnified euery where shall be counted the rightuouser As for example if a man be liberall and deale freely of his goods and also shewe himselfe well dispozed in all other partes of his life such a one shall be counted more excellent than a beleeuer Besides this they doo also alledge S. Paules saying in another place howe that Charitie is aboue Fayth and Hope Yea truly but the question is not here whether of them is the greater higher or nobler vertue VVhen we say we be iustified by fayth it is not ment that there is any worthinesse or desert in our fayth as who shoulde say that God were bounde vnto vs and therefore receyued vs for it but that bicause God hath shewed himselfe mercifull towardes vs and promised to bee our Sauiour wee beeing first bereft of all trust in our vertues doo come vnto him by fayth knowing well that if hee consider vs in our selues he must needes curse and abhorre vs. Seing then that fayth bringeth not any thing on mans behalfe but receyueth all things of Gods mere and free goodnesse there is no questioning what woorthinesse is in vs. And so wee see that fayth not onely helpeth vs too the attainment of our saluation but also bringeth vs all perfection Nowe after that Saint Paule hath sayde that all the heathen are blessed in Abraham he addeth that it is togither with the faythfull Abraham As if he should say there is none other meanes to make vs finde fauour in Gods sight than onely fayth There is no seeking of helpe else where in that behalfe For that is yet too grosse an error wherewith the Papists are intangled For although they wote not what fayth meaneth nor what it is to be iustified yet are they inforced to say that fayth helpeth to saluatiō Howbeit they adde that it is but partly and that charitie and al other vertues worke together with it and that if men purpose to be allowed of God they muste deserue well at his hand so that all is nought worth without obedience and holinesse of lyfe It is true that fayth cannot be separated from the feare of God but the matter heere is nothing else but too knowe by what meanes God acknowledgeth vs for his children But if hee haue respect too oure woorkes wo bee to vs. Therefore he must bee fayne to turne away his countenance from the considering of our persons and to receiue vs alonely in our Lorde Iesus Christ or else in his looking vpon vs to marke nothing but our miseries that he may be moued and prouoked to mercie Ye see then that God hath a double respect in iustifying vs. The one is that he beholdeth our miseries for in asmuch as he seeth vs so plunged in all confusiō he is moued to pitie Again to the intent he may no more be an enimie and take part agaynst vs which are sinners he must be faine to looke vpon our Lorde Iesus Christ and vpon his rightuousnesse that the same may doo away all our offences Now S. Paule sayth heere that we can not be blessed but with faythfull Abraham As if he shoulde saye that Abraham though he were neuer so holy a man brought nothing of his owne with him when he obteyned righteousnesse before God Fayth as I haue saide alreadie doth vtterly bereeue a man of all the worthinesse which he supposeth himself to haue Seeing that Abraham had none other helpe than fayth it followeth that he renounced al his own works as which in very deede were nothing worth Then sith it is so let vs learne to leaue such mingling which bringeth nothing but corruption before God and let vs be contented that we be allowed at Gods hand if he finde vs faythfull If a man poze vs and say had Abrahams vertues no fauour in Gods sight It is easie too answere that Abraham of his owne nature had nothing but all maner of iniquitie He had bin a castaway if God had not plucked him out of the dungeon wherein he was sunken according as he him selfe sheweth in the last chapter of Iosua Consider sayth he to the Iewes from whence I tooke your father Abraham Did not his fathers serue Idols Then dyd I plucke him out of the bottome of hell So Abraham had not aughte whereof to boast For he coulde not haue done any good if God had not preuented him with his grace But nowe after that God had giuen Abraham so great and excellent vertues that he is become as a patterne of all holynesse yet were not those vertues able too iustifie him for there was alwayes some faulte too be founde in him eyther more or lesse Let a man inforce him selfe as muche as in possible too obey God and yet shall he always go limping Now there can not be so little a fault nor so small a blemish in our works but the same is inoughe to make them foule and lothsome before God Thus all Abrahams vertues if they had bin examined strayghtly coulde not haue brought him ought but damnation As muche is too bee sayde of Dauid and of all others Besides this when wee fall too scanning whether God loue vs and acknowledge vs for his children it must not bee thought he dooth it for two or three good deedes but for such a perfect obedience as we faile not in any one iote But surely although Abraham had some perfection in parte of his life yet could he not be iustified by it For he was continually a man that is to say a sinner and God hild him so at the
all the faythfull ones that haue bin since Abell to this day or which shall be to the worldes ende No doubt but the Papists will bragge ynough of their multitude yea but wee see that the Prophete laugheth all of them too scorne And why VVee must alwayes discerne which are the true children For what else we are all the Churches of the Papistes than Brothelhouses of Satan All things are infected nothing is there but fylthynesse Gods seruice is there vtterly marred and too bee short there is no soundnesse at all in them The Papists therefore for all that euer they can pretende too make themselues Gods Churche are but misbegotten Bastardes as they that are tyed too the Brotherlhouse wyth theyr mother that Sinagog of hell Ye see then how the cace standeth and it is not I that doth say it but it is the Prophete Esay that speaketh so and Saint Paule who is a faythfull expounder of Gods meening confirmeth the matter VVherefore let vs learne too ioyne with the true children of God which haue the infallible recorde of the holy Ghost and not follow the greater throng but let all these wretches go whiche cast themselues wilfully into Satans snares wander like brute beasts without any discretion But by the way wee haue to marke that such as are the children of the Church ceasse not to bee our fathers insomuch that besides the common brotherhood that is betwixt them and vs there is this moreouer that by their meanes we be begotten in the worde of God according as it is sayde that we bee Abrahams children and the true Israell of God as if we were discended of Iacobs race Therefore wee haue those for our fathers which are our brothers too and all of vs togither are the children of God and his Church For whereas our Lorde Iesus Christ is in verie deede the onely sonne of God he is to this ende called our head that we being knitte togither in him and becomming members of his bodie might be hilde and taken for Gods children becomming that thing by free adoption which we be not by nature And Saint Paule telleth vs that this befalleth vs by promise after the example of Isaac too expresse that wee must not haue any vaine confidence in our owne desertes or in any vertue that is in our persons but be vtterly voyde of all pryde knowing that all the woorthinesse which wee haue commeth of Gods mere grace and free gift Thus ye see that the thing wherein we differ from the bastard children which boast themselues falsly of Gods name is that whereas they be puffed vp with selfelyking and delight in their hypocrisie and are alwayes prating of their free will of their meritorious woorkes of their satisfactions and of their vertues as well cardinall as theologicall as they terme them and to be short haue nothing in them but pride VVe on our side sticke to the promise that is to wit that God hauing looked vppon vs with mercie hath drawne vs out of the dungeon of destruction wherein wee were and by his Gospell tolde vs and assured vs that he will be our father and that an heritage taryeth for vs which is purchased for vs not by our selues or by any mortall creature but by Iesus Christ who being verie God became man to the intent we might obteyne the thing in him which is not to bee found in all the world Yee see then in effect that the ende wherevnto S. Paules conclusioÌ„ tendeth is that if we mind to be well grounded in the doctrine of the Gospell and to be sure of a good stud and ankerholde of our saluation we must not intermedle any opinion of our own deseruings with it nor surmise that we be able to bring any thing of our selues but simply receiue that which God offereth vs and suffer Iesus Christ to be our sauiour wholly not by halues That is the thing whervnto the word promise tendeth as I haue declared more at large already But the law had also his promises howbeit with condition as I haue declared The promise that S. Paule speaketh of presently is the thing that abolisheth all mans pride and disgraceth the men them selues shewing them that there is nothing in them but vtter confusion and that all their welfare lieth inclosed in our Lord Iesus Christ so as we cannot come by it nor inioy it but by meanes of the Gospell Nowe the Gospell telleth vs that we must holde all of God and do him homage for our saluation bicause he giueth it vs and it is not a wages due vnto vs that he should by any meanes be bound vnto vs. And heerevpon S. Paule sayth that it is so euen yet still at this day according as Moyses declareth vnder the figure whiche he dyd set foorth this morning For in Abrahams house sayth he there was an elder some called Ismaell and he persecute â— Isaac which was the lawfull sonne Now then it behoueth vs to be so handled and delt withal that such as haue nothing but dissimulation hypocrisie in them which are but as bastardships and which are vtterly corrupt become strangers may neuerthelesse crake boast their fill set vp their bristles ageinst vs as though we were vnworthy to kisse their feete Suche maner of men then must perke vp in all pride and persecute vs but yet let vs be constant sayth S. Paule and let not our fayth bee shaken downe by such loftinesse nor by the wiles that are cast in our way by those hypocrites and falsifiers which haue peruerted Gods doctrine For in the ende the fame will happen too them sayth he which is reported of the house of AbrahaÌ„ namely driue out the sonne of the bonde woman for he shall not be â—â—ire All they then that vaunt them selues to bee faythfull and win needes bee taken to bee of Gods housholde shall be cut off as rotten members and not haue any part or peece of inheritance there And it is moreouer a righte excellent lesson which conteyneth a very profitable admonition euen to confirme the thing which I haue touched already which is that the pompes of this world must not bleare our eyes to carie vs away at a gaze when wee see great solemnities and gorgeous deckings If a man should beleeue no further than he sees when the Pope were in his Pontificalibus he might bee taken for a God he hath so many knicknacks glistering about him And no maruell though many be amazed at it as thoughe one had knocked them on the head with a club and become as good as brute beastes For why men are so giuen to iudge fleshly that they bee worse than little children in things that concerne Gods kingdome But yet for all this â—eholde Sainct Paule sayth that they whiche haue the primacie and are al in all and are dreaded of euery man and finally which beare the title of first begotten are oftentimes but Ismaelites so as they be but bastards alledge they their