whom God worketh the wealth of the people Hée that despiseth him that is sonte despiseth him that sendeth Hée that honoureth the deputie séemeth to giue more honour to him that appointed the deputie than to him that is the deputie Moreouer Salomon in the 16. of his Prouerbes saith Prophecie is in the lippes of the kinge therefore his heart shal not go wronge in iudgement And in the 8. of that Preacher I must keepe the kings commaundement because of the othe that I haue made to God for the same Againe Prouerbes 24. My sonne feare thou the Lord and the king and keepe no companie with them that slyde backe from the feare of them For their destruction shall rise soudeinly And Paule said Whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God but they that resist shall receiue iudgemente to themselues Of this sorte I haue rehearsed certaine testimonies in the exposition of the fifte precept Secondarilie let subiectes pray for their Princes and magistrates that that Lord may giue them wisedome knowledge fortitude temperaunce iustice vpright seueritie clemencie and all other requisite vertues and that he wil vouchsafe to lead them in his wayes and to preserue them from all euill that wée may liue vnder them in this world in peace honestie This doth Paule require at the handes of subiectes in the seconde Chapiter of his first Epistle to Timothe and Ieremie in the tweÌ„tie ninth of his prophecie I haue in an other place recited their veâ—ie words therefore at this time I let them passe The mindes of many men are herein verie slowe and carelesse and that is the cause many times whiâ— they feele the thinges that willingly they would not and beare the burthens with griefe enough that other wise they should not and woorthilie too For if they would but doe their duetie willingly in praying for their magistrate earnestly their case vndoubtedly would bée farre better than it is But how feruent a desire they in the Primitiue Church had to pray for their magistrate we may gather euen by these wordes of TertulliaÌ„ in the 30. chapiter of his Apologie Wee pray alwayes saith hee for all Emperours desiring God to giue theÌ„ long life a sure reigne a safe house valiant armies faithfull counsellers honest subiectes a quiet worlde and whatsoeuer else a man or Emperour may desire Let the people also obey the good vpright lawes of their princes or magistrates yea let subiectes obey them holilie reuerently and with a deuout minde not obeying their lawes as the lawes of men but as the lawes of the ministers and deputies of God himselfe for Peter biddeth vs obey them for the Lord and Paule saith Wée must not obey them for anger onely but for conscience sake also that is we must not obey the magistrate onelie for feare least our conteÌ„pt and disobedience doe bréede our punishment but wée must obey him least we sinne against God himself and so our owne conscience do argue our wickednesse But in the fifte commaundement I proued by testimonies and examples out of the scriptures that wée oughte not to obey godlesse magistrates so oft as they commaund any wicked thing which is flatly contrarie to the word of god The Apostles and faithfull meÌ„ of the primitiue Church did choose rather to be shut vppe in prison to bée sent in exile to be spoiled of their substaunce to be caste to wilde beastes to be killed with the sword to be burnt with fire and to be strangled than to obey any wicked commaundements That blessed martyr bishop Polycarpus answeared the Romane Proconsul and said Wee are taught to giue to Princes and to the powers that are of God such honour as is not contrarie to true religioÌ„ And S. Iohn Chrysostom said to Gaina It is not laweful for a godly Emperour to assaye any thinge contrarie to Gods commaundementes Lastlie lâ—t subiectes pay tribute to their magistrates yea let them if necessitie so require not sticke to bestow their bodies and liues for the preseruation of their magistrate and countrie as I haue alreadie taught you in the fifte commaundement The Lord in the Gospell doth simplie say Giue to God that which beloÌ„geth to God to Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar They therefore are worthilie blamed that pinch grudg at or defraude the magistrate of any part of his tribute Tares and tributes are due to the magistrates as the hire of his labour as it were the synewes of publique tranquillitie and coÌ„mon weale For who goeth to warrefare of his owne proper coste Euerie man lyueth by that labour wherin hee is occupied The Prince taketh paines in gouerning the common weal and preseruing it in peace hée neglecteth his owne priuate and household businesse whereby hée should liue and prouide thinges necessarie for himself and his familie by looking and attending on his countries affayres it were against reason therfore but that hée should be fedde and mainteyned vppon the publique treasure and cost of his country It is requisite also that kingdomes and coÌ„mon weales be sufficiently furnished with money and substaunce to helpe in distresse either of warre famine fire and other miseries or else to the setting vppe againe of men fallen into pouertie or putting away of greater calamities I say nothinge now touching the kéeping in reparation of common buildinges as the citie walles bulwarckes trenches ditches gates bridges highe wayes wells conduits iudgement halls and markette places with many more of the same sort There are also certeine common persons as sergeants watch meÌ„ and such like which are to be nourished and mainteyned of the coÌ„mon coste and treasurie And vnlesse that money be stil at hand and in readines there can no kingdome nor any common weale stand longe in assuraunce They therefore that grudge to paye tribute denie the hire of the magistrats labour and goe the next way to work to subuert the common weale and to bring it to nought The men that in the coÌ„mon weales affayres as some of custome be are negligent and carelesse sinne not against any one Lord but against the whole common weal and therefore thou maist sée that such slouthfull workemen are séeldome times inriched with the good blessinges of god But now here by the way all magistrates and Princes must be admonished to loue the people subiect to their charge and gouernmeÌ„t to beare with them bountifullie and not to nip them with immoderate exactions which is easille done if they themselues willâ— thriftâ—e and keepe themselues moderately from riottous gluttonie and ouer sumptuous pride Let a good Prince consider what a sinne it is to haue his Palace abound in riottousnes and surfettinge while his cities and townes are tormented and pined with famine and hunger Let magistrats consider that tributes and subsidies are not the priuate goods of them in authoritie but the publique substance of the whoale coÌ„mon weal. God hateth pilers and robbers God abhorreth immoderate exactioÌ„s God curseth polling tyrauntes but blesseth
worke and toyle There are also workemen to whome the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to paye the hire that is their due A woorke also is the thing which is made or expressed by the artificer or workeman For the Prophet Ieremie speaking of a potter saith He made a worke vpon a whéele Moreouer a woorke doth signifie an office or duetie For Paul saith do the worke meaning the office of an Euangelist And the holy Ghoste speaking in the church at Antioche saith Separate me Paule and Barnabas for the woorke whereunto I haue chosen them Furthermore the workes of the Lorde are the mightie déedes of God whereby he doeth declare his power and goodnesse vnto men and in that significatiō heauen earth and man him selfe are saide to be the workes of Gods hands Workes also are the benefites of God bestowed vppon vs men For in the Gospel he saith I haue shewed you manye good workes as if he should haue said I haue done you many good turnes There are also euil workes I meane workes of iniquitie Wherevppon some men are called woorkers of iniquitie whose déedes are the woorkes of the fleshe and of darknesse Againe there are good workes I meane sundrie vertues the fruites of faith of which sorte are iustice temperaunce charitie patience hope c. For the Lorde in the Gospell saide Let your light so shine beefore men that they may see your good workes and glorifie the father which is in heauen The Apostle saith that wee are made for good workes to walke in them Those same are called the fruites of repentance and woorkes worthie of repentance They are called the works of light and the fruites of the spirite The same are the workes of humanitie beneuolence and charitie suche are commended in Tabitha which is read to haue beene full of good works Paule saith Let vs woorke good while we haue time to all but especially to them of the houshold of faith Such a like worke of humanitie and charitie did Marie bestowe vppon Christe our Sauiour who saide She hath wrought a good worke on mee This beeing thus declared wee will nowe describe good woorkes in their colours and qualities Good workes are déedes or actions wrought of those which are regenerate by the spirite of God through faith and according to the worde of God to the glorie of God the honestie of life the profite of their neighbour This briefe description I will prosecute by partes and expounde so well as the Lorde shall giue mee grace First of all I will by proofe shewe that there is none other welspringe from whence good workes do flowe than God him selfe which is the author of all good thinges For the Prophet saith All men are lyars God alone doth speake the trueth And the Lorde in the Gospell saith None is good but God alone Good woorkes therefore must haue their beginning not of man who is a lyar and corrupt but of God him selfe the welspring of all goodnesse And God doeth by his spirite and by faith in Christe Iesus renue al men so that they being once regenerate doe no longer their owne that is the workes of the fleshe but the workes of the spirite of grace and of God him selfe For the woorkes of them that are regenerate doe growe vpp by the good spirite of God that is within them which spirite euen as the sappe giueth strength to trees to bring foorth fruite doth in like manner cause sundrie vertues to budde braunch out of vs men as the Lorde him selfe doth in the Gospell testifie saye I am the vine ye are the braunches As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the vine so cannot ye also vnlesse ye abide in mee Whosoeuer abideth in mee and I in him hee bringeth foorth much fruite for without mee ye can do nothing To the same cause is that to be referred whereas wee say that a good worke is done by faith For faith is the gift of God whereby wée laye holde on Christe throughe which wée are both iustified and quickened as the Scipture saith The iust shal liue by his faith And in another place saith Paule By faith Christe dwelleth in our heartes And againe I liue yet now not I but Christe liueth in mee And the life which now I liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who loued mee and gaue him selfe for mee Nowe he that liueth doeth the workes of life through him no doubt by whome he is quickened and he that is iustified doeth the woorkes of righteousnesse through him that iustified him that is the righteous do through Christe woorke righteousnesse and righteousenesse conteineth the whole companie of vertues So then God alone remaineth stil the onely welspring and author of good woorkes But let vs nowe see the testimonies of Scripture by which wee may euidently learne that the workes of them that be regenerate are attributed to God him selfe who by his spirite and by faith doeth woorke in the heartes of the regenerate Moses testifieth saying The Lord shall blesse thee and the Lorde thy God shal circumcise thy hearte and the heart of thy seed that thou maist loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hearte and with all thy soule that thou maist liue Lo here the cause the godly men doe rightly loue the Lorde doth procéede of the circumcision of the heart Now who I praye you doth circumcise the hearte beside the Lorde The Prophet Esaie doeth more plainly saye Thou Lorde shalt ordeine peace for euen thou haste wrought all our workes in vs. In the Gospell after Sainct Iohn our Sauiour saith He that worketh veritie commeth to the light that his workes may be seene because they are wrought by God. And againe Whosoeuer abideth in mee and I in him he bringeth foorth much fruite For without mee ye can do nothing Paule also to the Philippians saith To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him And yet againe more plainly It is God that woorketh in you both to will and to doe accordinge to the good purpose of the minde Likewise also Sainct Iames saith Euerie good giuing and euerie perfecte gifte is from aboue and commeth from the father of lightes Moreouer Sainct Peter ascribing all the partes of good woorkes so God deeth saye The God of all grace who hath called you to his eternall glorie through Christe Iesus restore vpholde strengthen and stablishe you For wée are not able as Paule in an other place saith Of our selues to thinke any thinge as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. Therefore God alone remayneth still the onely welspring of all good workes from whome as from a spring head good works do flowe into the Sainctes as into sundry streames and chanels Yet here by the waye this muste be added that good woorkes although they doe in deede procéede from God and are in verie true and proper phrase of
the first precept thou shalt referre the feare the faith loue of God with assured hope perseuearing patience constancie inuincible in trouble and afflictions To the second belongeth the true and sincere worship wherwith God is pleased with the vtter refusall of all superstition and peruerse religion Vppon the third doeth depende the reuerence of Gods Maiestie the frée confession of his might the holie inuocation of his name and the sanctification of the same In the fourth is comprehended the moderate conseruation of the Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies y preaching of Gods word publique prayers whatsoeuer else doeth belonge to the outward seruice or externall worship due to god To the fifte thou mayest annexe the naturall loue of children toward their parents of men toward their countrie kinese-folkes the due obedience that we owe to the magistrates and all in authoritie and lastly the offices of ciuil humanitie To the sixte thou shalt ioyne iustice and iudgement the protection of widowes orphanes the deliuering of the oppressed and afflicted weldoing to all men and doing hurt to no man To the seuenth thou shalt add the faith of wedded couples the offices of marriage the honest and Godly bringing vp of childrē with the studie of chastitie temperance and sobrietie To the eighth is to bee reckoned vpright dealing in cōtracts liberalitie bountifulnesse and hospitalitie Vnder y ninthe is couched the studie of trueth through al our life time faith in words déeds with decēt honest profitable speach In the tenth and last thou mayest remember good affections holie wishes with all holy and honest thoughts And so this is the compendious platforme of good workes Nowe if thou desire to haue it more briefly expressed than this that thou séest then turne thee selfe hearken to the wordes of Christ our Lord who gathereth these 10. into two principall points saith Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with al thy soul with al thy mind thy neighbour as thy selfe Whatsoeuer therefore yee would that men shuld do to you euen so do ye to thē Vppon these precepts of the Lord let all the faithful which desire to doe good works most surely fixe their eyes and minds that too so much the more diligently and constantly as they doe more surely and euidently perceiue see that God in the lawe the prophets doeth require nothing else nor any other works at the hands of his electe chosen seruants Go to now therefore let vs heare out of the holy Prophets some such euidēt testimonies touching good woorks as do consent wholie agree with the lawe of the lord Moses in Deut. crieth And now Israel what doeth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walk in al his wayes to loue him to serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule That thou keepe the cōmandements of the Lord and his ordinances which I cōmaund thee this day And the kinglye Prophete Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh this questiō Lord who shal dwel in thy tabernacle And presently answereth it himselfe saying Euen hee that walketh vprightly doeth the thing that is iust right And so forth as is conteined in the 10. cōmaundemēts Esaie also in his 33. cap. moueth the same question and answereth it euen so as Dauid had done before him Ieremie in the 21. chap. doth vrge and reiterate these woords to the Iewes Thus the Lord cōmaundeth Keepe equitie and righteousnes deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent do not greeue nor oppresse the strāger the fatherles nor the widow and shedd no innocent bloud in this place And Ezechiel in his 18. cap. knitteth vp a beadrowe of good workes in no point vnlike to these sauing only y it is somewhat more largly amplified In Osée the Lord saith I desire mercie more than sacrifice the knowledge of God more than whole burnt offerings Micheas doth diligently inquire what the worshipper of God should do to please him with all what workes he should doe to delight the Lord and immediatly by the inspiration of the holy Ghoste he maketh aunswere saying I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee namely to doe iustly to loue mercie and with reuerence to walke before thy God. In like maner the Prophete Zacharie to them that demaunded of him certaine questions touching vertues such good woorkes as please the Lord gaue this answere saying Thus sayeth the Lord of hostes Execute true iudgement shewe mercie and louing kindenesse euerie man to his brother doe the widowe the fatherlesse the straunger and the poore no wronge Let no man imagine euill in his heart against his brother neither bee ye louers of false othes for these are the thinges which I do hate sayeth the Lord. With this doctrine of the Prophets doth the preaching of the Euangelists and Apostles fullie agrée teaching in euerie place that charitie righteousnesse and innocencie are the scoape summe of all good woorkes The Apostle Iames sayeth Pure religion and vndefiled before God and the father is this To visite the father lesse and widowes in their aduersitie to kepe himself vnspotted of the world It remayneth now for me to drawe to an end and in the rest that is yet be hind to be spoken touching the descriptiō of good works to confer places of the Scripture for the confirmation plaine exposition of the same Now therfore we said y good works in déed are wrought by them that are regenerate to the glorie of God the ornamēt of our life and the profite of our neighbour For the Lord in the Gospell prescribeth this end to good works where he saith Let your lighte so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen The Apostle Paul also oftener than once exhorting vs to good woorks doth as a most effectuall cause to sett them forward add That by those workes of ours we may adorne the doctrine of oure Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus And euen as a comelie and cleanely garment adorneth a man so doe good workes in déede set foorth the life of Christian people For herevppon it riseth that the Apostles of Christe did so often persuade vs to put off the old man and put on the newe which is created to the similitude and likenesse of god For thereby wee obteine both honour and glorie We both are and are called the seruaunts yea and the sonnes of oure Lord and God whose propertie and vertue shineth in vs to the glorie and praise of his holy name And as hée doth require good works at our hands so if we do them we on the one side do please and delight him and hee on the other doeth honour vs againe as may bee proued by many testimonies of the holy Scripture But the thing it selfe is so plaine
God as I declared in my laste Sermon and though man obtaine it by harkning vnto the word of God yet neuerthelesse it is wholy impated to the grace of god For vnlesse this grace do worke inwardly in the heart of the hearer the preacher that laboreth out wardly doth bring no profit at al. We reade in the third chapter of S. Augustins booke De praedestinatione SanctoruÌ„ That once he was in an errour bicause he thought that that faythe wherewith we beleeue in God is not the gift of God but that it was in vs as of our selues and that by it we do obtain the gifts of God wherby we may in this world liue rightly and holily But this he confuteth in that booke at large and that substantially So then true faith whiche bendeth on God alone and is directed by the worde of God is formall enough or sufficiently in fashion Verily the forme of fayth is ingrauen in the heart of the faythfull by the holy Ghost And althoughe it be small and dothe not growe vp to the highest degrée yet notwithstanding it is true fayth hauing force in it as it were a graine of mustarde seede The theef that was crucified with our Lorde beléeued in the Lord Iesus and was saued although the force of fayth was strong in him but a very small season and brought not foorthe any great store of the fruit of good works finally that faith of the théefe was not any whit diuers or contrarie from the faith of Saint Peter and Saint Paul but was altogether the very same with theirs althoughe their faith brought forth somwhat more aboundantly the fruite of good works Peter and Paul were franckly and fréely iustified althoughe they had many good workes fréely was the théef iustified although his good works were very few or none at all Let vs hold therefore that true fayth is one alone which notwithstanding doth increase is augmented and again may decrease be extinguished There remaineth nowe for me to declare the vertue and effect of true fayth This hath the holye Apostle Paule done very excellently well yea that most absolutely too But although in the eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues he had sayd very muche he is compelled notwithstanding to confesse that he can not reckon vp all therfore at this time I meane to rehearse a few vertues of fayth leauing the rest dearely beloued to be sought out and considered of your selues True fayth before al things bringeth with it true knowledge and maketh vs wise in déed For by fayth we knowe God and iudge aright of the iudgementes and workes of God of vertues and vices The wisdome that it bringeth with it is without doubte the true wisdome Many men hope that they can attaine to true wisdome by the studie of Philosophie but they are deceiued as farre as Heauen is broade For Philosophie dothe falsly iudge and faultily teach many things touching God the workes of God the chiefe goodnesse the ende of good and euill and touching things to be desired and eschued But the very same things are rightly and truely taught in the word of God and vnderstoode and perceiued by fayth Fayth therefore is the true wisdome and maketh vs wise in déede For Ieremie also sayth Behold they haue cast away the worde of the Lorde what wisedome therefore can there be left in them The wisedome of Solomon is worshipfully thought of throughout the whole compasse of the world And yet we reade that the Lord in the Gospell after S. Math. vttred this sentence against the Iewes The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it bycause she came from the endes of the worlde to heare the wisdome of Solomon and behold there is one in this place greater then Solomon Christe is preferred before Solomon and the wisedome of Christ before the wisdome of Solomon But it is well known that the wisedome of Christ the sonne of God can not be attained to without fayth Fayth therefore bringeth with it the most excelleÌ„t wisdome But herein this wisdome of ours deserueth a singular prayse bycause they that desire it are not sent to forreine nations with great cost laboure to learne it as to the priests of Egypt the Gymnosophistes of India the Philosophers of Greece or to the Rabines of the Iewes God hath dispersed the worde of God throughout the whole world so that now the word of faith is in the hearts of all the faithful For Paul the Apostle sayth Thus saith the iustice that is of faith say not in thy heart who shall descende into heaueÌ„ that is to fetch Christ downe from aboue Or who shal descend into the deepe that is to bring Christe from the dead againe But what saith he The word is nighe vnto thee euen in thy heart this same is the worde of faith which we preach for if thou coÌ„fesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and doest beleeue with thy heart that God hath raised him from the deade thou shalt be saued Faith therefore doth not only make vs wise but happy also the Lord him self bearing witnes thervnto saying to his disciples Happy are the eyes that see the things that ye se For I say vnto you that many Prophets and Kings haue desired to se the things that ye se and to heare the things that ye heare and heard theÌ„ not We shal therfore finde in faith a most certaine determination of the most notable question stirred in since the beginning of the worlde of learned most excellent wits which is by what meanes a man may liue be happy attaine to the chief goodnesse be ioyned to the chief goodnesse so be iustified There haue ben yea yet are diuers opinioÌ„s touching this matter contrary the one to the other But we do briefly truely affirme that by true faith a man doth liue is happy attaineth to the chief goodnesse is conioyned to the chief goodnes also iustified so the god dwelleth in vs we in him that by faith we are both happy and blessed What I pray you could haue ben spoken more excelleÌ„tly worthily or diuinely touching true faith for se faith quickneth vs maketh vs happy ioyneth vs to the chiefe goodnes so that he in vs we in him may liue faith doth also fully iustifie vs But nowe it is best to heare the testimonies out of the scriptures Faith maketh vs happy For to S. Pet. coÌ„fessing the Lord Iesus by true faith it is saide Happy art thou Simon the son of Ionas Flesh and bloude hath not reuealed this to thee but my father which is in heaueÌ„ S. Paule for the proofe of faith bringeth in that sentence of Dauid Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiuâ—n whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the maÌ„ to whoÌ„ the Lord shal impute no sin Faith quickneth or maketh aliue Eor the iust liueth by faith This doth Paule very often in his
in their SermoÌ„s did sharply accuse and euermore crie out vpon And in that sense and for that cause the people of Israel is many times called a carnall people not that all the Patriarchs and fathers before the comming of Christ were carnal or fleshly but for because they did as yet liue theÌ„ vnder those externall shadowes and outward figures and for because there were peraduenture amonge the people some that did not perceiue the spirituall thinges shadowed vnder those external figures and did thincke perhaps that they were acceptable to God for the woorking and doing of that externall woorke The second vse and an other office of the lawe is to teache them that are iustified in faith by Christ what to followe and what to eschue and how the godly and faithful sort should worship god For the lawe of God doth comprehend a most absolute doctrine both of faith in GOD and also of all good woorks For in the first vse of the lawe I declared how the Morall and Ceremoniall lawe doth teache vs faith in God and Christ his sonne and howe it bringeth man to the knowledge of himselfe that he may vnderstand how that in himselfe that is in the nature of man there is no good thing nor any life but that all the gifts of life of vertues and saluation are of God the father the onely wellspring of all goodnesse through Christ his sonne our sauiour In this second argument of the ende the vse or office of the lawe of GOD we must acknowledge all the formes of vertues and the treasure of all goodnesse to be set foorth vnto vs in the lawe of the Lord and that the Apostle applieth the precepts of the law to exhortation and consolation The first of the two tables of the Morall lawe doth teache vs what wee owe to God and how hee will be worshipped of vs The second table frameth the offices of life and teacheth vs howe to behaue our selues toward our neighbour The Ceremonies also doe beelonge to religion And the Iudicialls teach the gouernement of an house or a common weale so that by them wee may liue honestly amonge our selues and holilie to Godwards Therefore the lawe doth teach all iustice temperance fortitude and wisedome and in structeth a Godly man in euery good woorke wherin it is necessarie that an holy woorshipper of God should be instructed Wherfore so often as the holy Prophets of God would set vpp againe and restore the worship of God and true religion that was decayed so often as they would crie out vppon and rebuke the faultes and errours of men and lastly wheÌ„ they would teach them to doe those good woorkes which are good woorks in déed they led them alwayes vnto the lawe and cited all their testimonies out of the lawe Whereof we haue euident examples in the 15. Psalme of Dauid and in the first and 33. Chapiter of Esaies Prophecie and in the 18. of Ezechiel also Paule in the 13. to the Romans referreth all the offices of our life to y lawe of charitie For the Lord himselfe before Paule had done the same in the Gospell Moreouer the Prophete Dauid in the 94. Psalme crieth Blessed is the man O Lord whome thou instructest in thy lawe And in the 78. Psalme Hee made a couenaunt to Iacob and gaue a lawe in Israel that the posteritie might knowe it and put their trust in the Lord not forgett the woorkes of God but keepe his commaundements Againe in the 19. Psalme he saith The law of the Lord is an vndefiled lawe conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple the statues of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart the commaundement of the Lord is pure and giueth light vnto the eyes The feare of the Lord is holy and endureth for euer the iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to bee desired are they than gold and pretious stone sweeter than honie and the honie combe And to this end tendeth the sense of all the Alphabetical Psalme which is in order of number the 119. The third vse or office of the lawe is to represse the vnrulie and those whome no reason can moue to orderlinesse the lawe commaundeth to constraine with punishment that honestie peace and publique tranquillitie may be mainteyned in ChristiaÌ„ common weales For some there are and that no small number of people which doe refraine from doing euill and liue somewhat tollerablie not so much for the loue of vertue as for the feare of punishment that will ensue their inordinate liuing Therfore it pleased the goodnesse of God by giuing the lawe to put in a caueat and to make a prouiso for the tranquillitie of mankind And to this it séemeth that the Apostle had an eye when he said Wee knowe that the lawe was not giuen to the iust but to the vniust to the lawelesse and disobedient to the vngodly and to sinners to vnholie vncleane to murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers to manslears to whoremongers to them that defile themselues with mankind to mansâ—ealers to lyers to periured and if there bee any other thing that is coÌ„trarie to hoalsome doctrine c. After the declaration of the vse the end and the office of the lawe I haue next to teache you howe and by what meanes the lawe of God is fulfilled It is vnpossible for any man of his owne strength to fulfill the lawe and fully to satisfie the will of God in all pointes For it is manifest that in the lawe there is not required the outward woorke onely but also the purenesse of the inward affections and as it were as I said euen nowe a certaine heauenly and absolute perfectnesse For the Lord himselfe in one place crieth Be ye perfect eueÌ„ as your father whiche is in heauen is perfecte But so absolute a perfectnesse is not found in vs so longe as wée liue in this fleshe For the fleshe euen to the very last ende of our life doth kéepe still her corrupt disposition and although it doth many times receiue an ouerthrow by the spirite that striueth against it yet doeth it still renue the fight so that in vs there is not found nor in our strength there doth remaine that heauenly and most absolute perfectnesse But let vs heare the testimonie of the holy Apostle Paul touching this matter who saith Wee knowe that the lawe is spiritual but I am carnall solde vnder sinne For that which I doe I allowe not For what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. And againe I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to wil is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good Againe I delight in the lawe of God after the inward man but I see an other law in my members rebelling against the lawe of my mind and subduing me vnto the law of
Indulgenciaries and the Pope him selfe whose Hierlings they be We must confesse verily that they are the fellowes of Simon not Peter but Magus For Peter did by the iust sentence of God curse such kinde of merchantes Your money saith he perish together with you This is a heauie and terrible but yet a moste iust iudgement of the moste iust god The same Apostle Peter foreséeing that in the church there would be many such merchants doeth in his last Epistle say There were false Prophets among the people euen as there shal be false teachers among you which priuily bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themseâ—ues swift damnation And many shall followe their damnable wayes by whome the way of trueth shal be euil spoken of And with couetousnesse through seigned words shall they make merchaÌ„dize of you For what is it with fained words through couetousenesse to make merchandize of the miserable idiotes if this is not when they say that they doe giue full remission of sinnes vnto all them that are contrite and doe confesse their sinnes For if any man doo acknowledge his sinnes and with a true faith conuert him selfe to God through Christe euen without theire Indulgences he doth obtaine plenarye remission of all his sinnes Those foxes therefore make mony of smoke deceiuing simple soules and selling for coyne the thinge which they neuer had neither possibly can be purchased with money And thus much hetherto of bought and solde Indulgences Of which other writers haue made very long discourses I suppose that by this little any man maye easily vnderstand how to iudge of them a-right We are now at length come past those rocks and shelfes to whiche we did of purpose saile that when we had viewed the moste perilous places we might admonishe the vnskilfull passagers to take héede howe they strike vpon them for making shippwrack of their soules by thincking that in these Indulgences doeth lye she true force of sufficiente Repentaunce wherein there is nothing but the vtter displeasing of Godes moste holye maiestie Therefore letting that alone as it is we doe now returne to declare she last member of repentance whereby we said that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued spiritutually First of all therfore it séemeth good to tell what the olde man is what the newe or regenerated manne is and what the power or strength of man is For by the demonstration thereof we shall the better vnderstand what it is to mortifie the olde man to be renued in the spirit We say that the olde man is all that which we haue of nature or of our first parents to wit not the body only or the flesh I mean the grosser and substantiall parte of the bodye but euen the verye soule with the strength the power and faculties of the same Therefore wheras in some places of the holye Scriptures the fleshe is put for man we must not onely vnderstand the massie substance and grosser parte of the bodye but the very fleshe together with the soule and all the faculties thereof that is the whole man not yet regenerate For the Lord in the Gospell saith That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit And this he speaketh concerning regeneratioÌ„ which is not according to the fleshe as Nicodemus did falsely imagine but according to the spirit The woord Flesh therfore dooth importe the naturall power and faculties of manne euen all that I meane which we haue or take of our first grandsyre Adam The new man is said to be he that is regenerate by the spirite of God in Christe or is rerenued according to the image of Christe with all the giftes and vertues of the holye Ghoste And as the flesh is vsually put for the olde man so is the spirit by an Antithesis commonly vsed and taken for the newe man. Now héere the very place requireth to discourse somewhat of the power or vertues of man Of whiche although I haue else-where disputed all redye as in the Sermon of Fréedome and bondage and of sinne yet héere againe I wil touch suche points as I thinck to suffice for this present Argument There are two partes or faculties of our soule Vnderstanding Will. Vnderstandinge doeth discerne in things obiect what to receiue or what to refuse and is as it were the light and guide of the soule Will chooseth for in it dooth lye bothe to will and to nill which are againe impeld by other powers and faculties Nowe the vnderstanding is of two sortes For we vnderstand either Earthlye or Heauenly thinges I call those Earthly things which do apperteine not to the life to come but to the life present whervnto we referre all liberall artes and handicrafts the gouerning of publique weales and the ruling of priuate houses By heauenly things I vnderstand God himselfe eternall felicitie and life euerlastinge the knowledge of God and all kindes of vertues faith hope charitie righteousnes holynes and innocencie of life Now let vs sée what this vnderstanding of man is able to doo and what power it hath The Iudgement and vnderstanding of man in Earthly things is not altogither none at all but yet it is weake and verye smal God wot The vnderstanding therefore that is in man dooth come of God but in that it is small and weake that commeth of mans owne fault and corruption But the bountifull Lord doeth augment in men those giftes of his whereby it commeth that mans wit bringeth woonderful things to passe For which cause we read in the holie Scriptures that the artes wittes of men are in the handes of god But in the knowledge or vnderstanding of heauenly matters there is not one small sparke of light in man his witt of it selfe is nothing but darckenesse which at the beginninge was created by God moste sharpe lightsome but was afterwardes by mans corruption vtterly rebated and darkned againe For therefore it is that Christe in the Gospell sayed No man commeth to mee vnlesse my father drawe him And in the prophets it is written All shal be taught by GOD. And Paule saith The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him Neither can knowe because they are spiritually discerned The naturall man that is that olde man which is not yet regenerate by the holie Ghost is not a blocke altogether without all sense or féeling For if he were vtterly without all the discourses of reason then how should the preaching of the Gospell séeme foolishnesse vnto him He doth therefore by the gifte of God heare and vnderstande the wordes and sense of the holie scripture but by reason of his naturall corruption he is not touched with them he doth not rightly iudge of theÌ„ they seeme méere follie vnto him neither doth he perceiue that they must be discerned spiritually because
vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead your members as instrumentes or weapons of righteousnes vnto god For sinne shal not haue power or dominion ouer you And therefore when the prince of this world yea and the world it self and the flesh and sinne the wicked affection therof doe what they can to drawe vs againe out of freedome and bondage we must because we are kings valiantly resist them and continuing in conflict vanquishe and ouer come theÌ„ by the vertue of Christe reigning in vs For Saint Iohn the Apostle saith All that is borne of God ouercoÌ„meth the world And this is the victorie which hath ouercome the world euen our faith Hitherto belongeth the doctrine of fréedome and bondage whereof I intreated in the former Decade By al these we gather that the principall duetie of Christians is always to stand in battell array and to kéepe their place to watche and endeuour by all force and meanes least at any time being ouercome of their enimie sathan they be spoiled of their royal or kingly dignitie and be hailed downe into the bondage of hell Truly if we ouercome in Christ and with Christ wee shall reigne together with him that is we shal liue with him and all the saints in glorie for euer and euer And thus are we kinges in Christe Thus are we Christians Againe because we are christians that is to say annointed surely wee are priestes also and therefore according to our priestly office we teache we admonishe we exhorte and comfort all our brethren and al men that are â—oÌ„mitted to our charge Where notwithstanding we doe necessarily make a difference betwéene the christian priesthood and the Ecclesiasticall ministerie All Christians truly as well men as women are priestes but we are not al ministers of the church For we can not all one with another preach publiquely administer the sacramentes and execute other dueties of pastors vnlesse we be lawfully called and ordeined thervnto This our priesthood common to all is spiritual and is occupied in common duties of godlinesse not in publique and lawful ministeries of the church Whervpon one may and ought to instructe and admonish another priuately and while he so doth he executeth a priestly office as when the goodman of the house instructeth his childreÌ„ at home in godlinesse when the goodwife of the house teacheth and correcteth her daughters to be shorte when euery one of vs exhort euerie neighbour of ours to the desire and studie of godlinesse For the Apostle Paule sayeth Exhorte ye one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardened through the deceipt fulnesse of sinne Moreouer since we be priestes we must offer sacrifices worthie of our god And we haue sufficiently testified that after Christ our highe and onely priest or bishop in all ages in all the whole worlde none doeth offer a satisfactorie sacrifice to take a way sinne For when he offered vp himself he offred a sacrifice but once howbeit alwayes effectual to cleanse the sinnes of all Therefore we offer vnto him thankesgiuing praise celebrating the memorie of that one only sacrifice we offer prayers wée offer our selues that is to say our bodies a liuely and a reasonable sacrifice to God together with all kinde of godlinesse and well doing For Paule sayth By Christe we offer the sacrifice of praise alwayes vnto God that is the fruite of lippes confessing his name To do good to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is wel pleased But touching these sacrifices I haue spokeÌ„ more in my former sermoÌ„ wherin I entreated what the true seruice of God is But since all sanctification is riseth from one highe priest Christe Iesus wée can sanctifie our selues no otherwise than with honest and pure conuersation of life which thing is required at our handes namely that we be holy and that we sanctifie the name of our God with an innocent life that it bée not euill spoken off throughe vs by men but that they may sée the good workes of the faithfull glorifie the Father which is in heauen There is none but may sée that all the duties of a Christian man are compreheÌ„ded in these pointes wherein vnlesse we exercise ourselues earnestly I do not sée that we are worthie of so excellent a name That this most holy name was first giuen to the faithfull at Antioch in Syria Luke is witnesse which yet let no man so vnderstande as if that name afore had béene altogether vnknowen to all men For now it is become moste common in time past it was the name only of most excellent and holy men and of suche as rather were so in déede than so acâ—ounted thoughe also by name they were in some manner so acknowledged For Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical history maketh mention the y ancient fathers Adam Seth Noe Abraham other like vnto these were all Christians therefore Christian religion to be the verie purest perfectest and the auncientest The wordes of Eusebius if any require are these The nation of the Hebrues is not new but vnto all men in antiquitie famous and knowne to all Their bookes and writings do coÌ„teine auncient fathers of whome they make report before the floude rare indeede fewe in number howbeit in godlinesse righteousnes and in all kinde of vertues most excellent after the floud of other of the sonnes nephues of Noe as of Tharam A-Abraham of whoÌ„ as their capteine progenitour the posteritie of the Hebrues do boast So that if any man shal say that all these from Abraham him self euen to the first man being beutified with the testimonie of righteousnes through their works though not in name were Christians truely hee should not stray farre from the truth For a Christian signifieth a man whiche excelleth other in the knowledge and doctrine of Christ with moderation of mind and righteousnesse and continencie of life and through fortitude of vertue confessioÌ„ of Godlinesse toward the one and only God of all creatures And this name those auncient fathers did no lesse esteeme than we doe Neither had they care of the corporall circumcision as we also haue not neither of keeping the Sabbaoth day as we also haue not nor of absteining from meates nor other differences whiche thinges afterwardes Moses first of al ordeined and figuratiuely deliuered them to be perfourmed as suche thinges also euen at this day perteine not to Christians But they sawe plainly the Christ or annoynted of god As also it is declared alreadie before that hee both appeared vnto Abraham and gaue aunswer vnto Isaac and Israel and spake to Moses and after him to the prophetes Wherby thou shalt finde that these godly men also obteined the name of Christ according to that saying spoken of them to wit Touche not my Christes or mine annointed and do my prophets no harme Therfore it is
word Colere is in Latine of large signification For we say Colere amicitiam to mainteine frendship Colere literaruÌ„ studia to loue learning Colere arua to till or husband our lands and Colere senes to reuerence olde men We in this place vse Colere for Seruire that is in all pointes like a seruant to be dutifull and to shewe him selfe obedient to reuerence or haue in veneration and to â—e worshippe The Hebricians vse their worde Abad which the Latine interpretour translateth Seruiuit coluit or sacrificauit that is he serued worshipped or sacrificed In the booke of Kings thou dost reade And Achab serued Baal worshipped him The GreciaÌ„s cal this seruice either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one is taken for the other though in déede Seruire to serue be more than Colere to worshippe For thou canst abide without any adoe to worship some man but to serue the same thou canst not so well away withall We say therefore that the seruice of God is a seruice whereby men submit them selues reuerently vnto God and obey him and according to his will worship him They therefore serue God which serue him earnestly behaue them selues duetifully in obeying him seruing him inwardly and outwardly as he hath appointed For the seruice of God is two-fold or of two sortes The true and the false TheÌ„ true is called true religion true fayth and godlinesse The false is called superstition idolatrie and vngodlinesse For that is the true seruice of God which springeth from the true feare of God from a sincere fayth whiche submitteth it selfe to God alone and applyeth it selfe in all things to the will of god The false seruice consisteth in the contrarie Touching the whiche we will say more when we come to speake of superstition The true seruice of God is diuided againe for perspicuitie or plainenesse sake into the inward seruice of God and the outward The inwarde seruice is knowne to God alone who is the searcher of heartes For it is occupyed in the feare of God and perfect obedience in fayth hope and charitie from whence doe spring the worshipping of God the calling vpon him thankesgiuing patience perseueraunce chastitie innocencie weldoing and the rest of the fruites of the spirite For with these giftes of God and spirituall thinges God who is a spirite is truly serued Without these no seruice is allowed of God howe so euer in the sight of men it séeme gay glorious and pure This seruice of god hath testimonies both diuine and humane but firste of all of the Lawe the Prophetes and the Apostles For in the lawe Moses sayth And nowe Israel what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou shouldest feare the Lorde thy God and walke in all his wayes that thou shouldest loue him and that thou shouldest serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soul that thou shouldest keepe the commaundements of the Lord and his ordinaunces whiche I coÌ„mand thee this day for thy welth Micheas the Prophet bringeth in one asking questions concerning the true seruice of God in what thinges the same consisteth and he maketh answere I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the lord doth require of thee surely to do iustly or iudgement to loue mercy and to huÌ„ble thy selfe to walke with thy God. S. Paule the Apostle sayth I besech you brethren by the mercies of god that ye giue vp youre bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God whiche is your reasonable seruing of god And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged by the renuing of youre minde that ye may proue what is the wil of god and what is good and acceptable and perfect The same Apostle comprehending in few words the true seruice of God to be a turning from Idols vnto God and the fayth of Iesus Christ sayth They of Macedonia and other nations or quarters shewe of you how you are turned to God from Idols that ye might serue the liuing and true god and loke for his sonne from heauen whom he raysed from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come Moreouer S. Iames the Apostle saith Pure religion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visite the fatherlesse or orphanes and widowes in their aduersitie and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde These diuine and euident testimonies of holy scripture declare plentifully enough dearely beloued which is the true inward seruice of god Humane testimonies neuertheles nothing disagréeing from diuine verie many and euery where found in Ecclesiasticall writers Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 9. sayth Therefore the knowledge of God and his seruice is all in all In this consisteth all the hope and saluation of man this is the first step or degrée of wisedome that we shoulde knowe who is oure true father that we should reuerence him alone with due godlinesse that wee should obey him and most deuoutly serue him and to obteyne his fauour let all labour care and industrie be bestowed Of this kinde the same authour citeth other testimonies also largely in the tenth chapter of the same booke and in the firste chapter of his booke De vero Dei cultu he giueth vs manifest But in stead of many we like well the citing of that one testimonie touching the true seruice of God fréely vttered by the mouth of a Romane martyr before iudge Asclepiades at y Romane Consistorie For after he had both couragiously and religiously tolde what God was in person and what in substance he addeth Thou knowest God nowe vnderstand as well The fourme and man-ner how he serued is What kynd of Church it is where he doth dwell What gifts to giue he thought it not amisse What vowes he askes whome he beside all this Will haue his priestes and in his Church like-wise What he commaundes to bring for sacrifice Vnto him selfe euen in the minde of man A Church he hath vouchsafed vp to reare A liuely feeling breathing Church which can Not sundered be faire beautifull and cleare And neuer like destructions dint to feare With loftie top and painted pleasantlie With coloures fresh of great diuersitie At th' holy porch a priest is standing there And keepes the doores before the Church which beene Fayth is her name a virgine chast and cleare Her haire tyed vp with fillets like a Queene For sacrifices simple pure and cleene And which she knowes are pleasing bids this priest Offer to God and to his deare sonne Christ A shamefast looke a meeke and harmelesse hart The rest of Peace a body pure and chaste The feare of GOD which sinners doth conuart The rule like-wise of knowledge truly plaste A sober fast from all excessiue waste Of Gluttonie an hope which doth not faint A liberall hand which giues without restraint From these oblations a vapour doth
arise Which sauours sweete by vertues force compelles It doth ascend and pearce the azure skies The sent of Baulme and Safron it excelles Yea Franckincense and Persian spices smelles From earth to heauen it mounteth vp aloft And pleaseth God therewith delighted oft And so foorth as followeth to this purpose These things I thinke sufficient concerning the inward seruice of God wherein I confesse in the mean while to be somwhat which may be referred also to the outwarde seruice of God. The outwarde seruice of GOD springeth from the inwarde neyther is it knowne to God alone as this other but is open to the iudgement of man and it is a kéeping or executing of the rites instituted of God himself whereby we doe both testifie vnto men the inward seruice and practise them to the glory of God and our profite Of this kynde were among the ancient people the temple the priesthoode and all the ceremonies instituted of God which are very often called the seruice of god And this seruice had his appointed limits For it was not lawfull for euery one to feigne a seruice of God after their owne pleasure as is shewed at large in the lawe and in the holy historie Nowe that outwarde seruice serued to the glory of God and the profite of the faithfull Which thing I haue declared when I was in hand with the Iewish ceremonies Furthermore as Christe abrogated those olde rites so in their stead he placed againe a very fewe For he instituted an holy assembly wherein his will is that his worde should be preached and expounded out of the holy scripture to his owne glory and to oure profite common prayer to be made and the sacraments to be ministred and receiued To which things a conuenient place is necessarie fit time due order and holy instruments Where again the godly do in nothing followe their owne wils For from the worde of that God whom they serue they fetch the whole manner and order of seruing him Whereof somewhat is spoken in the fourth commaundement of the first table and shall be spoken more at large in due place and order To be short they serue god with outward seruice who by faith and obedience gather themselues into the holy assemblie at limitted times who kéepe the Ecclesiasticall discipline deriued out of the worde of God who heare the word of God or the holy exposition of the sacred scriptures who praye publiquely with the Churche who religiously participate the sacraments and obserue other lawful and wholesome rites or ceremonies By this their seruice they glorifie God among men and receiue of God no small rewarde namely his blessing and increase of heauenlye giftes There is no néede I thinke in this place of testimonies of the Scriptures to confirme these thinges that we haue hetherto spoken touching the outwarde seruice of god For euery where in the historie of the Gospell in the Actes and Epistles of the Apostles very many are to be found For the Lord Iesus doth euery where gather together holie assemblies to whome he preacheth the Gospell and commendeth prayer Of Marie sitting at his féete and hearing his preaching he sayth This one thing is necessarie Marie hath chosen the good parte whiche shall not be taken from her And in an other place Blessed are they saith he which heare the word of GOD and keepe it Surely the Lorde him selfe instituted and put in vse the sacraments For to Iohn not consenting to baptise him at his asking and saying I haue neede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to me he answered Let it be so nowe For so it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse Wherevppon the Apostle Paule likewise diligently commending Ecclesiasticall discipline to the Churches ordeyned most decently holy assemblies The places are very well knowne vnto all 1. Cor. 11. 14. 16. Likewise 1. Tim. 2. and elsewhere But before I conclude this place I will shewe that onely God is to be serued And surely the seruice it selfe whereof we haue hetherto intreated can not be bestowed vppon any creature neyther Angels nor celestiall Saintes to GOD alone it agréeth Wherefore there is none so blinde but may sée that God alone must be serued with these And when God requireth of vs his seruice or dutie he requireth our whole hearte nothing therefore is left vs to bestowe vppon other Moses full of the spirit of God sayth in his lawe Ye shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him his commaundements shall ye keepe and ye shall hearken vnto his voyce and ye shall serue him and cleaue vnto him Neither makes it any matter that here the word Alone is not added séeing that the words are vttered with an Emphasis or force For when he saythe Him shall ye serue and to him ye shal cleaue what other thing do we vnderstand than to him and not to any other therfore to him alone Furthermore in the sixt chapter of Deuteronomie thou doest not read Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serue and thou shalt sweare by his name But Thou shalte feare the Lorde thy God and him Emphatically shalte thou serue and thou shalt sweare by his name Furthermore the Lord in the Gospell bringing these wordes of the lawe against the tempter and making the emphaphasis playne It is written saith he Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Which testimonie doubtlesse béeing most effectuall and pithie is only sufficient for oure demonstration that God alone is to be serued I will moreouer adde herevnto the testimonie of a man howbeit established by diuine authoritie which we also elsewhere set downe in our bookes S. Augustine De quantitate animae doth shewe that GOD alone is to be serued in this sort Whatsoeuer the soule doth serue as God needefull it is that she think the same better than her selfe But wee must beleeue that neyther the earth nor the sea nor the starres nor the moone nor the sunne nor any thing at all that may be felt or seene with these eyes to be short not heauen it selfe whiche can not be seene of vs is better than the nature of the soule yea rather that all these are farre worsse than is any soule assured reason doth conuince And anon If therefore there be any otherthing of those that god hath created something is worsse something is as good worsse as the soule of a beast equall as the Angels but nothing is better And if happily something of these be better this cōmeth to passe by sinne and not by nature By which sinne notwithstanding it becommeth not so yl that the soule of a beast is eyther to be preferred before it or to be compared with it God therefore alone is to be worshipped of it who alone is the author of it And as for any other man though hee bee most wise and most perfect or any soule indued with reason and most blessed they are only