world hath bin so blynde that it could not perceyue it These kinde of men haue expounded this saying that wee bee not iustifyed by the deedes of the law to import that wee bee not iustifyed by the deedes of the law to import that we be not iustifyed by circumcision or by absteyning from any certaine kynds of meates or by keeping such a holyday or such a feast whereas notwithstanding S. Paule treateth of none of all those things He matcheth Gods grace against all our workes and finally sheweth that we cannot bring aught vnto God but that we must be faine to be admitted freely of him That is S. Paules drift And if we should not set the same marke before our eyes surely all the doctrine that is conteined in this Epistle would be but fond matter Furthermore let vs marke that S. Paule doth oftentimes say simply and without addition that wee bee iustified without workes like as in the thirde Chapter too the Romanes he sayth we haue a cleere and sure proofe of our righteousnesse namely that we bee rightuous before God through the remission of our sinnes and not by our workes Hee saythe not there by the workes of the lawe ▪ but he setteth it downe single without addition to the ende that all mouthes should be stopped and all startingholes be takē away ▪ Yet is it not without cause that he speaketh of the workes of the law to bring to nothing all the seruices that men can alledge too bind God withall as though they were able to become righteouse of themselues For as we shall see hereafter although we were as perfect as Angells yet could not that bind God at all if it were not for that he of his owne good will hath made this promis in hys law he that doth these thinges shall liue in them Then if we go about to get fauour at Gods hand for our owne works sakes we must not dispute philosopherlike that God oweth vs any wages or recompence for the seruis that we haue done him for we be his and we cannot bind him by aught that we can do How then may our works be recompenced as though they were auaylable before God Euen bycause he hath promised so to do It is the couenant whiche he hath made with vs in saying he that doth these thynges shal liue in them So then if we could performe the law to the full surely we should be righteous before God and deserue saluation ▪ howbeit not for any worthinesse that should be in our selues but by reason of the couenant that God hath made with vs. For we see that all the desert which can be alledged on mannes behalfe depēdeth wholly vpon the said promis And that is the cause why sainct Paule saith always the works of the law the works of the law For there are none other workes that deserue to be accepted of God and to haue any recompence Therefore let that serue for one point And we shall see heereafter how we be vtterly excluded frō that righteousnesse ▪ bycause we come short of it and that Goddes telling of vs that we shall be saued by keeping of the lawe is all one as if hee had sayde that we be all of vs damned And why For there is not any manne that dischargeth himselfe of it but all of vs are transgressers Ye see then that the lawe can bryng vs nothyng but deathe by reason of our infirmitie But thys shall bee layde foorth more at length in his order ▪ It is ynough for thys tyme that we knowe how Sainct Paules setting downe of thys doctrine is agaynst the Iewes which boasted themselues and were puffed up with pride as though God had bin bounde vnto them for their obseruing of the Ceremonies of the lawe No no saith he it is nothing worth and we shall see the reason of it afterwarde Furthermore S. Paules debating of the case of Ceremonies is bycause these hypocrites which tooke vpon them to match themselues with God and too haue the praise of their saluation themselues did always buzie their heads about small trifles and came not to the cheefe point which is to enter into their owne cōsciences Like as at this day in the Popedome they that do so much preach their owne merites and say that we must purchace Paradice by our owne works and that although we be sinners yet we haue a way to discharge ourselues to Godward by satisfactions what alledge they VVhen those great Rabines go about to set men after that maner vpon the stage to be honored as Idolls and when they haue made their great prefaces of free will of their owne vertues of their satisfactions and of their merites or deseruings what bring they Exhort they men to liue chastly without doing other men wrong or without any couetous desire so as euery of vs shoulde content hymselfe with that he hath be patient in aduersitie beare wrongs and reproches and in all thynges shewe ourselues to bee the Disciples of our Lorde Iesus Christe by forsaking ourselues There is not one word with them of these things But the good workes which they set afore vs are that we must go deuoutely too Masse take holy-holywater before we enter into the Church be crosse ourselues kneele downe before a stocke worship a puppet gad on pilgrimages keepe suche a feastfull daye found a Trentall deale doales for the dead and do this and that So then all these hipocrites which will needes become righteous by their owne workes haue nothing but gewgawes and dotages and yet for all that they thinke themselues so holy and perfect that nothing is amisse in them They thinke that God ought to content himselfe wyth the great number of murlimewes and countenances which they make But that is not the coyne wherewith he must be paied for his lawe is spirituall He looketh not vpon the outward gesture nor vpō the things that carrie a faire glosse before men in somuch that if men set their minds too much vpon his owne Ceremonies he reiecteth it vtterly And that is a thing well worthy the marking For men seeke still some startinghole that they might not yeeld themselues to the obeying of God and they beare themselues in hand that when they haue once dispatched their fond deuotions then they be well discharged and all the rest of their sinnes must be forgotten bycause they raunsome them by that meanes The thyng therefore whiche we haue to marke heere is that Sainct Paule stroue heere against suche men as neuer wist what it was too serue God in good earnest nor neuer entered into their owne consciences And euen such are these Shauelings in the Popedome and those naughtipacks that haue their full scope there I meene not only the Cardinalls and these horned beasts the Byshops for men knowe that they be the filthinesse whiche infecteth the whole world but I speake also of those that are called doctors the vpholders of their Catholike faith It is certaine that they
wee knowe that the greatest number perisheth in their sinnes bycause they refuse the remedie that is offered them in the Gospell And why then doth Sainct Paule speake of all It is asmuch as if hee should saye there is none other help for vs but only Gods looking vppon vs with pitie of his owne meere goodnesse that pardoning our offences and receiuing vs into his fauour he take vs for his children too bring vs to the heritage of the kingdome of heauen VVe see then that Sainct Paule did not without cause say that God will haue mercy vpon all not that euery man is comprehended vnder that word all but to exclude and put away all selfrightuousnesse of man Moreouer we see how the meane is expressed heere namely that wee must obteyne the promis by fayth according as Sainct Iohn sayth that God so loued the world that hee spared not his onely sonne to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting VVill wee then enter into the treasure that is shewed to vs heere Faith must be as a keye to open vs the dore For God calleth vs to it but it is not ynough for vs too be called only it behoueth vs to answer according to this saying you are my people yea Lord and thou art our God VVhen hee sayth you are my children let vs answer Lord we come to thee as to our father But surely we cannot answer so of our owne proper motion it must be giuen vs of the holy Ghost Howbeit the question is not heere whither fayth come of mens selues or no. Sainct Paule doth no more but declare that to be quit before God and to be drawen out of the dungeon of cursednesse wherein wee are all of vs plunged we must not bring any thing of our owne as though we would go about to bind God and that it were meete for vs too imagine any desert of our owne but come too craue hys fauoure which is offered vs freely without any duetie to vsward and settle our trust there so as we hope not for any welfare otherwise than bycause God sheweth himselfe mercifull towards vs. I haue declared already wherefore this serueth Surely men would alwayes fayne cloke themselues with some presumptuousnesse as wee see that Adam dyd who though hys owne sinne vpbrayded him so as he was afrayde of Gods maiestie did neuerthelesse seeke fig-leaues to couer himselfe withall At the same poynt are we Howbeit it is but a beguiling of ourselues too come before God lyke whytelimed walles and to thinke to be accepted at his hand for he hath an eye to the soundnesse of the hart which is not to be found in any man For so long as he letteth vs alone in our owne kinde wee bee naughtworth how fayre a show soeuer wee make too the worldward Againe when he hath reformed vs and giuen vs a good desire too walke in his feare whiche thyng all the faithfull must needes haue it doth not follow therefore that our affection is full and perfect no it commeth farre short of it And yet that which we haue we hold of his meere grace So haue we not any thing to glory of or to rest vpon howsoeuer the world go wee cannot ground ourselues vpon our owne deseruings True it is that the faythfull must seeke to gyue themselues wholly vnto God for wee cannot bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ except wee be sanctifyed by hys holy spirite as wee shall see in tyme and place hereafter And our Lorde Iesus Christ cannot be deuided nor cut in peeces as infinite as he is Although our sinnes bee forgiuen vs by hys death and passion and washed away and clenzed by hys bloud and that the same washing be gyuen vs to fashion agayne the image of God hys father in vs so that we must bee made new creatures in hym yet notwithstanding howsoeuer we fare it is not for vs too preace boldly before God as though we were worthy to be receyued or as though wee brought him any thing wherewith to binde him For if we presume to alleadge one thing or other to him first and formost all that we haue commeth of him Agayne on the otherside we be conuicted of a hundred thousand faultes and when we go about any good worke we shall no sooner haue done it but it shall be infected with some spot or other so that if it bee tried rigorously it shall always be subiect to condemnation Then must we needes keepe our mouthes shut so that if wee will haue God fauorable and mercifull to vs we must bring nothing with vs but onely fayth no but only fayth Neuerthelesse it is not meant that euery man shoulde take the bridle in his necke too do euill as I haue declared already heeretofore it is not meant that wee shoulde bee voyde of Goddes spirite nor that wee shoulde welter in all wickednesse no but heere the cace concerneth onely oure trust wherevppon wee may ground ourselues too call GOD our father that we may be sure of the eternall heritage If we go to our owne works as hath bin declared afore there will be no certeintie at all For why it is not a worke or twayne or three that is required but a perfect obedience which was neuer yet found in any mortall creature Truly if the Angells should come to account before God they could not answer to that perfection of rightuousnesse much lesse were it possible that we which are but wormes and which sucke vp sin as a fish doth water as Iob sayth should be so sound that God should receiue vs for our worthinesse To bee short wee must quite and cleane giue ouer the trust of our owne works and acknowledge that there is nothing but condemnation in vs if we mind to haue the promis performed towards vs. Thus ye see in effect what Sainct Paule meant too declare in thys text And now he addeth immediatly that before faith came we were kepte vnder the law and as it were shet vp till the faith was reueled Heere the words Lawe and Faith would be somewhat darksome if they were not opened more at large For sometimes when the scripture speaketh of fayth it meeneth all religion and comprehendeth all the instructions that are giuen vs in Gods booke Sometimes it meeneth the certeintie of beleefe which we ought too haue when wee come to pray vnto God bycause wee may not step to him at al aduenture but accept the grace that he offereth vs. Then in asmuche as Gods promises depēdeth not vpon our deserts but is altogither freely and frankly giuen vnto vs and we are made partakers by our Lorde Iesus Christ if we imbrace the same our so doing is called fayth and so hath Sainct Paule taken it hitherto and likewise in his Epistle to the Romanes and in all other places where he discourseth or treateth how we may be iustifyed before God or how we may come in his fauour for
vnder our feete thinke we that God wil suffer his grace too be so lightly esteemed and hild skorne of No. For wee cannot despise the doctrine of the Gospel but we must vnhalow the bloud of Gods sonne which he did shead for our redemption for the one cannot bee separated from the other VVhensoeuer and how often soeuer God speaketh to vs and offereth vs forgiuenesse of oure sinnes shewing himselfe readie to receiue vs to mercie so often is the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christe sprinkled vpon vs. All the teaching in the world cannot do vs any good except our Lord Iesus Christ be with it to apply the sheading of his bloud vnto vs. And if we despise the doctrine of the Gospel it is all one as if wee did spit at the holy bloud of Goddes sonne which thing is an intolerable trayterousnesse Therfore let vs looke narowlier to our selues and wey wel this text to the intent we stand stedfast and for asmuch as God hath called vs to so great a good turne and we do now know that is not by haphazard that the Gospel hath bin preached but bycause it was Gods will to vtter the infinite riches of his goodnesse towardes vs let vs stand in it and so sticke too it as nothing may thrust vs from it nor by any meanes euer shake vs down Lo in effect what we haue to beare away in this text Moreouer we be warned also which are the true pictures or peintings to leade vs too God The Papists say we must haue rememberances to teache vs and that images are the bookes of the vnlearned which are not apt to conceiue higher doctrine but hath Sainct Paule spoken heere but to three or four folke No It is generally and to all Christians without exception as well to great as small that he sayth that wheÌ„ the Gospell is preached then Iesus Christ is peinted out liuely and we must looke vpon him not with the fleshly eyes of our bodyes but with the spirituall eyes of our faith Then seeing it is so let vs learne that we haue no neede of Images and puppets to teach vs what is necessarie for our saluation nother neede wee a peece of wood stone or other suche pelting stuffe too put vs in rememberance of God for in all those things there is nothing but vanitie and leasing but we haue neede to haue Gods word preached and to indeuer and trauell to make the same familiar too vs that wee may there beholde God in his liuely image that is to saye in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ his only sonne according also as Sainct Paule sayeth in the second too the Corinthians where he protesteth that the doctrine which he brought vntoo them was not hidden from anie but the vnbeleeuers suche as perish whome the Diuell possesseth and which haue their eyes sealed vp And no wonder though they see not awhit in the open light But yet in the meane while the doctrine is so manifest vntoo vs as we may easly perceyue Gods will For he sheweth vs it familiarly ynough as oft as the Gospell is preached in somuch that wee neede not to make much running vp and downe not too fetch farre wyndlasses wee neede no more to say who shall stie vp aboue the Cloudes who shall go beyond sea who shall go downe intoo the deepe Haue we Gods word at leastwise haue wee it preached purely Then is Iesus Christ as it it were in the middes of vs and sheweth himself as it were hanging vppon the Crosse witnessing what hee dyd for vs when he suffered death to reconcyle vs to God his father There hee setteth vs downe a sure and vndeceyuable pledge or warrant and let vs content our selues with it For when we haue pleaded neuer so muche it will not excuse vs oure cace wyll alwayes go againste vs if wee bee not well assured in oure consciences that wee haue whollye leaned vntoo Goddes word which as I sayd bringeth vs so neere vnto God that it is the very vnion itselfe whiche we haue with him in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ And in good sooth we see how God dothe as it were stoup to our rudenesse and infirmitie For doth he speak in so loftie and darke a stile as we can vnderstand nothing No but contrariwise he abaceth hymselfe and therto thinkes it not ynough to haue spoken but also addeth Sacramentes to his worde whyche are the true pictures that we ought to haue Like as when we see the water of baptim it is a picture which sheweth vs that we be â—ull of filth and vncleannesse till we be washed and by whome VVe must seeke our washing from aboue Besides this it sheweth vs that we must be renued by the holy Ghost of God That then is a good picture And why Bycause it beareth Gods marke and is matched wyth hys worde As much is to bee sayde of the Lordes supper VVhen we see the morsells of bread and the droppes of wyne Very well they bee the Creatures whereof wee haue bin wont too take nurrishmeute and sustenaunce for our bodies but the same do leade vs to the lyfe of our soules and gyue vs to vnderstand that we haue no lyfe but in our Lorde Iesus Chryste And the cause why the wyne is added is to shew that he hath such vertue in him as we neede not to seeke any part of the thynges that we want any otherwhere but that he serueth vs for meate and drinke and all These I say are the good images that God hath set afore vs and now if we bee still soring in the aire and gadding after our owne lusts to say I would fayne haue more it is a disdeyning of the grace that is offered vs. So much the more therefore doth it stande vs on hand to marke well this streine where Sainct Paule by the poewr and in the name of God condemneth yea and with the power of the holy Ghost thundereth against all suche as haue bin taught the Gospell faithfully and afterward do turne aside and slip away from it And therevpon he addeth that he woulde fayne haue it knowen by what meane the holy Ghost is receyued For if they had receiued the holy Ghost by the works of the law Sainct Paule would haue graunted that there was some righteousnesse to be had by it But forasmuch as they had receiued him by the Gospell it must needes be concluded that they ought to haue rested vppon the record that God gaue them so apparantly And for the better vnderstanding of the thing that he meant too saye heere let vs marke that Gods spirit is giuen in common to all the faithfull for somuch as they be regenerated and made new creatures Besides this â–ª there are spiritual gifts which God destributeth according to such measure and portion as hee thinketh good but yet they redound all to the common welfare of the Church If we bee Christians we must needes haue Gods spirit as wee shall see
Yee see then that wee cannot inioy any thing at all vnlesse wee bee Gods children And for the same cause also Sainct Paule in the fourth too the Romanes thinkes it not ynough too set downe the heauenly lyfe and euerlasting saluation but also nameth the heritage of the worlde and sayeth that Abraham was made heire of the worlde and that the same was not for that man alone but for all menne in generall Therefore whereas God adopteth vs and telleth vs that he will be gracious vntoo vs it is too the end that while wee liue heere beneath wee should bee fedde by his hand and he in giuing vs foode make vs too taste aforehand of the loue whiche he beareth vs and of the care that he hath ouer vs. Too bee shorte wee may and ought also too beholde Gods fatherly goodnesse in all his creatures Doo wee open our eyes and looke vpon the light of the Sunne Euen there dooth God shewe himselfe a father towardes vs. VVhen wee eate and receyue our sustenance God reacheth out his hande too shewe that wee bee alreadie fedde by him as his owne children Too bee shorte in all things and by all meanes he maketh vs too taste his fatherly loue aforehand too the intent wee shoulde bee confirmed in the things that he sheweth vs in the Gospell that is too wit that he hath reserued a better heritage for vs as for his children whom he hath adopted Then must all creatures direct vs vntoo heauenward But surely wee doo the cleane contrarie for wee apply Gods creatures to our owne lustes so as wee behilde downe still by them heere To bee shorte looke how many helpes God hath giuen vs too drawe vs too him so many lettes haue wee too holde vs backe in the worlde For wee neuer passe too knowe howe wee should bee reckened for Gods children so wee may liue at our ease in this worlde that is ynough for vs. But yet for all that it standeth vs greatly on hande too perceyue that God dooth alreadie in this worlde shewe himselfe a father towardes vs and intendeth too doo vs too wit what a care he hath of vs too the ende wee shoulde learne too referre our selues wholly vntoo him and there too reste Yee see then that by this woorde Heritage or Inheritance God sheweth firste that whatsoeuer he offereth vs is of his owne meere free bounteousnesse and secondly that wee bee so cursed that wee haue no righte too any thing no not euen too a droppe of water excepte God make vs his heyres and that muste bee done all onely for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake And therefore we must once againe call to rememberance how wee haue heretofore seene that the promis was made too Iesus Christe Then is not Abraham the stay and shoote anker thereof And for that cause also is our Lord Iesus named the heyre of all things and looke what he hath peculiar too himselfe that doothe he communicate too vs as too the members of his bodie In that respect also doth S. Paule say that the saying whiche is written in the seuenth verse of the eyght Psalme whiche is that he is made Lord of all things ought too bee applied first of all to his persone True it is that the sayd text is spoken of all men according as wee see how God hath put all beastes of the earth in subiection to man so as they bee fayne too die too giue vs sustenance and too clothe vs and keepe vs warme Againe we see how the earth yeeldeth vs frutes Therefore the lordship of the worlde is giuen vntoo vs how beit that is but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christe For as I haue touched alreadie if wee bee separated from him wee bee forthwith so cut of from Gods house that the inheritance of them belongeth no more vntoo vs than too the furthest straungers in the worlde But nowe let vs come too the chiefe poynt that is contayned heere S. Paule sayeth that this heritage commeth not of the Lawe but of Fayth VVhereas he vseth these twoo speaches and cuppleth them toogither they bee things flat contrarie as I haue tolde you heretofore Not that the lawe is contrarie too fayth but bycause that too bee iustified before God and too obtayne fauour and mercie at his hand cannot come too passe by the Lawe The Lawe was not giuen too that end as we shall see in the next Sermon but too the cleane contrarie So then seyng that the heritage commeth by fayth we must conclude that our woorkes can doo nothing and that wee must bee fayne too come to God vtterly emptie as poore beggers too craue too bee filled by him bicause wee haue not one drop of goodnesse in our selues Yee see then whereat S. Paule ameth when he sayeth that the inheritance cōmeth of fayth and not of the lawe according also as God gaue it vntoo Abraham in respect of fayth And let vs marke that if wee bee not able too deserue any nurrishment in this worlde what shall wee bee able too doo towardes the possessing of the kingdome of heauen VVhen there is any talking of corruptible sustenance it is nothing in comparison of the heauenly glorie For it is sayde that wee shall bee made parttakers of the glorie of our God and that then wee shall bee all in all things But as now wee cannot deserue so much as one bit of bread for the inheritance cōmeth of fayth that is to say all that euer God hath promised men is of his owne meere free goodnesse And howe can wee then purchace the Realme of Paradice what a pryde is it for men to presume to come to it by their own strength must it not needes be that they are caried away with a terrible rage Moreouer in saying that God gaue all things to our father Abraham in respect of his fayth S. Paule doth yet better expresse and shewe that which I haue told you alreadie namely that man is able to deserue nothing of himself and that he must bee fayne too haue all of free gift He had sayd afore as we haue seene already that the promises were made and vttered but here he vseth the woord Giuing As if he should say here is not a bargayne betweene partie partie too say I will do this and thou shalt do that I wil sell and thou shalt buy but God doth freely giue and man doth but onely receiue Seing then that we must come vnto God to receyue that which he offereth vs and that we haue not any other title to the things that we looke for at his hand than only by free gift let vs forget all the worthinesse which we imagine to be in our selues and acknowledge that we be nothing And surely S. Paule vseth one other maner of speach which serueth to expresse better the thing that is ment here which is that if the heritage came by the Law the promis were disanulled and so consequently faith Therefore to be