we come to hand strokes that is when we feele our miserie and calamitie there remayneth no comfort or helpe then my hart can not lift it selfe aboue the heauy burden wherewith it is pressed downe but it must needes faint and be discouraged But if I conceiue a trust and doute nothing that Christs natiuitie is mine that my sinnes be taken away by him I become exceding ioyfull am confirmed with comfort whereby all heauines and sorrow is shaken of True comfort and ioy This onely is that comfort and no other which maketh a good conscience which feareth neither death nor hell for it alwayes resteth vpon the word of God which giueth Christ vnto vs. Wherefore it is a thinge altogether miserable and lamentable if such a good conscience be sought in any other thinges then here Thou shalt find no ioy no peace of conscience neither in heauen nor in earth but in this Christ be thou certaine and sure thereof Wherefore let all other thinges passe and cleaue vnto him onely if thou desire to be bold and couragious against sinne death the deuill hell all thinges that are against thee He is the Lorde Sauiour Ye vnderstand I trust this right wel forasmuch as ye haue now heard it so oftē But I doe with so great earnestnes as it were beate it into your mindes that ye may see that there is but one thing taught in the whole Scripture which I would haue to sticke firmely and vndoutedly in you this is that which I haue sayd that the vse of this natiuitie be knowne They which seeke any other thing and vse not this natiuitie are in a desperat case as ye haue heard Which ye haue very wel expressed in this songe the author whereof whosoeuer he was did nothing erre from the purpose to witte that the onely childe Christ is our comfort Which wordes surely are of very great importance and deserue most diligently to be weyed For ye did sing after this sort A child highly to be praysed is borne vnto vs this day of a chast virgin to the comfort of vs wretches If that child had not bin borne we had perished all Is it not sayd here that there is no comfort beside only Christ which in deed is most true Without dout the holy Ghost taught him that made this song to singe after this sort If the case stand thus it followeth that Monkes Nunnes Sacrificing Priestes and all which leaue this child and seeke to come to heauen by other wayes and works be cōdemned For such say that they neede not this child otherwise they woulde confesse that their owne workes be nothing worth These therefore do nothing but deceiue and seduce of whom mens harts are procured to depart from Christ and are led away vnto Satan In the aforesayd song is contayned moreouer He is the saluation of vs all oh sweete Iesu Christ forasmuch as thou art borne man defende vs from hell I greatly desire that ye did well vnderstand this It is soong abroade euery where but there is none that throughly beleueth it Whereupon it commeth that some doe oppugne these things especially they which know sing and babble very much of them that truely I feare that Christ is neuer more blasphemed then at this feast of his natiuitie and at other great feastes that it should be no maruel if when he is so blasphemed he should suffer the whole world to be swallowed vp but the last day is at hand Wherefore endeuour that ye may sound this excellent song in your hart and as ye sing it in mouth so ye may also beleue it If the case stande thus that all thinges without this child are vaine No meanes but by Christ to come vnto heauen what neede is there then of much busines why doost thou runne this way that way and endeuorest to do workes whereby thou mayst prepare thee a seate in heauen which they especially doe that murmure vp many Rosaries and doe continually extoll the mother of God in mouth onely but in hart thinke more euil of her then of all others not onely of her but of Christ him selfe also the Lord and Sauiour Wherefore commit this so to memorie that ye may be certainly perswaded that whatsoeuer dependeth of any other then of that child it is all damnable otherwise the Angell had lyed This must be compted for most certaine without any addition neither are these trifles to be weied to witte that this sufficeth not that thou doost beleeue moe thinges are to be added Forasmuch then as the Angell sayth that this child doth all and that he is the Sauiour and if he be not that all labour is lost tell me how can it follow that some thing is to be done of thee when it is already done before Doost thou goe about to doe any thinge that thou mayst obtaine him That child suffereth not him selfe to be apprehended and obtayned by workes for albeit thou heape together workes notwithstanding thou doost not yet enioy the child Moreouer thy works be vncleane by which such a great treasure can not be gotten no though they were euen holy But he is to be apprehēded in hart so that thou beleeue and say to the Angel I beleeue that it is true which thou sayest and nothing at all douting I count this childe for a Sauiour borne vnto me And this part wherof we haue now spoken pertaineth to faith Now we haue here also an other part pertayning to Christian life namely charitie that workes may not be reiected If thou wilt doe workes doe them not in that respect that thou perswade thy selfe that thou doost obtayne any thing of God by them A most excellent example to be followed of all Christians in doing of good workes But follow this example such a one as Christ hath shewed him selfe to thee be thou also towarde thy neighbour If thou doe more nearely consider the example of Christ thou shalt finde nothing but meere loue Whereas he humbleth him selfe and is borne in so great pouertie that declareth nothing but loue toward thee which moued him to become a seruaunt for thy sake as Paule Philip. 2. sayth who knew that he might remayne in diuine glory Now this he did for thy commoditie he bowed his eies to thy miserie and calamitie which art so miserable a man wholy damnable abounding with sinne thy natiuitie is vncleane thy misery is on euery side most great thou hast deserued nothing but the wrath of God eternall damnation If thou hadst bene a Carthusian Monke a thowsand yeares thou couldest not deliuer thy self from this miserye and damnation But Christ is able to helpe thee he is rich and hath strength sufficient seeing therefore he can doe such thinges he doth them willingly and with pleasure Loue enforceth him so farre that he employeth all thinges for thy sake and bestoweth whatsoeuer he hath for thee Forasmuch then as Christ sheweth so great loue toward thee and giueth vnto
and indignation For if there were moe beloued sonnes he would not so set forth shew this sonne alone saying This is my beloued sonne neither would turne his eyes vnto him onely and glory of him alone as though he knew no other For the words seeme to shew that he did diligently looke about yet founde none beside him of whome he sayth this is he as if he sayde Here at the last I haue founde such a one as pleaseth me and is my beloued sonne all other generally are not such Moreouer these wordes are not so onely to be vnderstood that it is shewed by them that Christ is very God as the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth Vnto which of the Angells sayd he at any time Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee and againe I will be his father and he shall be my sonne c. For it is most certaine that Christ in these wordes is declared to be the true and naturall sonne of God seeing that this word was neuer sayd to any creature Howbeit he had bene as well the sonne of God and had so remayned for euer as he hath bene from euerlasting although this had not bene spoken vnto vs from heauen neither is any thinge added or taken away from him by this name but we must thus thinke perswade our selues that so excellent a praise and so noble honour of Christ was spoken for our cause For he him selfe witnesseth in Iohn Ioh. 12.30 that this came not because of him selfe but for our sakes He hath no neede that it should be sayd vnto him that he is the sonne of God He knew this before hath from euerlasting by his nature that which he heareth Wherefore when that is conceiued by voyce and word it pertaineth to vs and not vnto Christ Christ without the word is such as he is said to be We haue the word without him of whom it is spoken Wherefore we must lay fast hold vppon the word without the essence euen as he hath the essence without the word But what doth this word it teacheth vs to know Christ in which knowledge our saluation consisteth as Esay Paule and Peter doe witnes But how doth it teach vs to know him so that he is the sonne of God and doth especially please God his father by which wordes God cheereth the hartes of all the faithfull and greatly delighteth them with mere comfort and heauenly sweetnes Howe is this done When I knowe and am sure that this man Christ is the sonne of God and doth in all things please the father whereof I must be most fully perswaded forasmuch as the diuine maiestie doth confirme this by his voyce from heauen which can not lye whereby I am certaine that whatsoeuer that man doth speake and worke they are the mere wordes works of the beloued sonne which are aboue measure approued of God This therefore I doe singularly well marke and lay vppe in the bottom of my harte When as therefore I doe hereafter heare Christ speake or see him doe any thing and that for my commoditie which surely he euery where doth for he sayth that he doth and suffereth all thinges for vs that he came to serue and not that he should be serued then I remember these wordes of the father that he is the beloued sonne then I am enforced to thinke that all that Christ speaketh doth and suffereth and that for my sake doth singularly well please God Nowe howe can God poure out him selfe more liberally or shew him selfe more louingly and sweetely then by saying that it doth please him from the hart that Christ his sonne doth speake so gently with me doth with so great affection looke vnto my commoditie and with such vnusuall loue suffer dye and do whatsoeuer for my sake Doest thou dout that if mans hart did with due sense feele such fauour of God in Christ to wit that he doth so much for our sakes it would not for ioy burst into most small peeces for then it woulde looke into the depth of the diuine breast yea and into the exceeding and eternal goodnes and loue of God which he beareth toward vs and hath borne toward vs from euerlasting But we are too hard harted and cold the flesh doth lye more heauy vppon vs then that we are able to comprehend such wordes we doe not wel consider of them with our selues neither doth our hart come neare to feele how maruelous and vnspeakeable loue and ioy they contayne in them otherwise without dout we should perceiue that heauen and earth are full of the fire of the diuine loue of life and righteousnes full of honour and praise whereunto the fire of hel whereunto sinne death being compared are nothing but as it were a thing painted or pictured But we are colde sluggish vnthankfull wretches for we passe ouer such precious words as things of no importance as vttered of man as being contayned in a booke or writtē in paper as things vtterly decayed and now long since growne out of vse by long custom as though they pertayne onely to Christ and to vs nothing at all And being dull and senseles we doe not see that they belong nothing to Christ but were committed to writing and are extant onely for our sake Seeing therefore that Christ the beloued sonne being in so great fauour with God in all thinges that he doth is thine and doth in the same serue thee as he him selfe witnesseth without dout thou art in the same fauour and loue of God that Christ him selfe is in And againe the fauour and loue of God are insinuated to thee as deepely as to Christ that now God together with his beloued sonne doth wholy possesse thee and thou hast him againe wholy that so God Christ and thou doe become as one certaine thing Hereunto make many sentences of the Gospell but especially in Iohn as this If any man loue me Iohn 14.23 my father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him Also Where I am there shall also my seruaunt be Againe Iohn 12.26 Iohn 17. I pray that they may be one in vs as thou and I are one I in thee and thou in me and they in me But where is Christ In the fauour of God in the depth of his hart there also are we if so be that we know and loue Christ there I thinke we are sure enough there our refuge is placed high enough whither no euill can come as it is in the 91. Psalme But thou seest that faith is required hereunto and that vnto these thinges no law no worke no merit doth preuayle Hereupō it commeth to passe that so precious wordes are so abstruse and vnknowen to reason For it hath bin gouerned of Satan from the creation of the world when as in Paradise it would be as God presumed after honour which God here attributeth to Christ alone forasmuch as he is his sonne
on the crosse leapt at one leap two and forty degrees and came sodainely to Christ So did many Martyrs also and other holy men Notwithstanding none can goe so great a iorney with small griefe vnlesse he be caried with a great winde that is by the holy Ghost We must goe fayre and softly from Abraham to Isaac from Isaac to Iacob and so forth But we must begin at Abraham that we may be found endued with like faith as he was and obtaine the blessing promised vnto him then we shall more easily and cheerefully goe from one Patriarch to an other That is we shal passe ouer one affliction after an other vntill we be called out of this trauell and iorney vnto our rest Why the godly must suffer afflictions in this world For a man must be so long exercised with afflictions and so oft renounce his owne will vntill at the last he be brought vnder and his flesh by this meanes be subdued that it may obey the spirit and walke ioyfully in the will and obedience of God Wherefore let no man purpose with him selfe to come vnto heauen by leading a quiet life Luk. 18.25 and following pleasure thus Christ sayth in Luke It is easier for a camell to goe through a needles eye Act. 14.22 then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God And in the Actes of the Apostles Paule teacheth that we must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God Againe Luk. 16.25 in Luke Abraham sayd to the rich glutton Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines nowe therefore he is comforted and thou art tormented So it behoued Christ also to suffer by the crosse to enter into his glorie 2. Tim. 3.12 And S. Paule sayth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Hereupon we may learne that all that is poyson which is according to the lust of the flesh Rom. 8.13 Wherfore Paule sayth to the Rom. If ye liue after the flesh ye shal die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodye by the spirite ye shall liue The flesh striueth against the spirit The spirit which is of God is ready to suffer but the flesh resisteth This Iesus signified by his aunswer vnto Peter when he shewed vnto his Disciples that he must goe vnto Ierusalem Matth. 16.21 and suffer many thinges of the Iewes and be slayne also Peter tooke him aside and sayd vnto him Maister pitie thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee But Christ turned him backe and sayd vnto Peter Get thee behind me Satan for thou sauerest not the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men Here it is manifest that the reason of man doth flatly striue against the will of God God will haue vs enter into glory by the crosse and persecution but the flesh resisteth and is troubled in afflictions Moreouer they that are endued with the spirit of God doe reioyce if they be afflicted for God his sake Act. 5.41 as it is writtē of the Apostles They departed as Luke sayth from the councell reioycing that they were coūted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name Iam. 1.2 Wherefore Iames sayth in his Epistle My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse tentations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect worke that ye may be perfect and entier lacking nothing O how necessary is patience for a Christian man that we may possesse our soules by patience Luk. 21.19 as Christ sayth in Luke otherwise we shall lose them Wherefore we must enter into a new kinde of life and if at any time calamitie commeth we must not by and by burst forth into euill speeches take it vnpatiently but we must alwayes lift vp our hart to God and beare his will with a patient minde he will well deliuer vs in his time when it seemeth good to him God euen when he chasteneth and correcteth vs doth loue vs and care for vs. Heb. 12.5 and we must alwayes thinke that he beareth a fatherly affection toward vs euen when he sendeth persecutions anguishes afflictions and aduersities as the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth Ye haue forgotten the exhortation which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth him selfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for vvhat sonne is it vvhom the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be vvithout correction vvhereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes God giue vs his diuine grace that we may courageously passe these two and forty degrees with the Lord Christ be regenerate into a new life Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE HYMNE OF ZACHARIAS COMMONLY CALLED BENEDICTVS Luke 1. Verse 68. BLessed be the Lord God of Israell because he hath visited and redeemed his people THat godly man Zacharias speaketh here of things as already done when he sayth he hath visited and redeemed his people c. For he was certaine of them now the childe Iohn was come being about to begin to preach of our redemption as the Angell had foretold of him that he should goe before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hartes of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedom of the iust men to make ready a people prepared for the Lorde this promise he knew should assuredly come to passe Wherin this redemption consisteth I thinke it is already sufficiently knowne vnto you namely in this that God visiteth and deliuereth vs. Which visitation and deliuerance is accomplished neither by sworde nor violence but by the worde alone wherein consisteth more then in the blood and death on the crosse * That the word promises of God might be accomplished and fulfilled For because of the worde Christ shed his blood on the crosse It was the word that Iohn preached when he shewed the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde that is when he declared our visitation and redemption which Christ hath purchased with his blood This Iohn was the first Messenger which preached the Gospel Wherefore to vs to whom the Gospel was not before preached it is as if Iohn him selfe did nowe preach it for now is first set forth vnto vs redemption sweete consolation deliuerance from sinnes death hell and all euill To visit is nothing else then to come vnto vs to bring and declare vnto vs the word of saluation by which we are saued Zacharias conceiued so great ioy and pleasure in his hart that he could not cōtaine him selfe but he must needes burst forth into those words which in this Hymne he vttereth not onely because of the
death sinne and Satan why and free from Satan Howe commeth this to passe After this sorte Your brotherly charitie hath oftentimes heard heretofore that God leaueth in vs an appearance and feeling of death and the deuill so that my sinne disquieteth me and troubleth my conscience and would driue me vnto desperation Moreouer the iudgement of God terrifieth me death assaileth me as if it would deuoure me Satan is at hande and seeketh to suppresse me God suffereth these to remaine taketh them not quite away For this appearance must continue that we may perceiue and feele that we are nothing else of our selues but sinners subiect to sinne and Satan And yet vnder this appearance lieth hid life innocencie and dominion and victorie ouer sinne Satan hell c as Christ him selfe sayth Matth. 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it he sayth not they shall not assaile it nor fight against it for these two remayne to sinne and death Nowe it is also expedient that I feele the biting of sinne the terrour of the wrath of God the horrour of death yea and death it selfe But all this is a certaine outward appearance before my sight and the sight of the world The cōfort of Christians against sinne death and Satan which knowe and iudge none otherwise but that sinne death and Satan are present Notwithstanding in the meane season vnder that assault and terrour the word and spirit are encouraging me preseruing me assuring me that God is not angry with me that my sinne is forgiuen me that I shall neither dye nor be forsaken Vpon this foundation hope my hart doth wholy rest And no man hauing such a confidēce in God remaineth vnder sinne neither is drowned in death but is made a conquerour of sinne and death This is not to preuaile or ouercome for that albeit Satan attempteth yet he doth not get the victorie We call the house of Dauid a mortal house sinnefull and subiect to the deuill according to the maner of all flesh and blood and yet notwithstanding the horne of saluation is raysed vp in the same The kingdom of faith that men of that kingdom may enioy saluation and felicitie Hereby ye see that this kingdom is the kingdom of faith which can not be touched nor outwardly perceiued of any which one can not shewe to an other but euery one must haue it in him self that when he shall draw neare vnto death shal feele sinne or euen see death before him he may then in faith lay hold on this kingdom beleue that his sinnes are forgiuen him For Christ therefore died that thou mightest be in this kingdom of faith Wherefore sinne shal encounter with thee in vaine death is taken away Christ is with thee who can hurt thee who can do any euill vnto thee Here life and death sinne and innocencie Christ and Satan doe fight one with an other but Christ life innocencie doe ouercome and conquer This is soone spoken but not so easily felt yea the contrary surely is rather felt Wherefore if thou wilt esteeme and consider this kingdom according to the iudgement of the world thou shalt vtterly erre and be deceiued The world calleth that a good peaceable kingdom where all thinges are quiet prosperous and goe well forward where is safetie peace and innocencie outwardly But here is the kingdom of saluation and grace although it alwayes appeare otherwise Wherefore all these thinges are to be vnderstood in spirit and faith not to be iudged according to the person or outward appearance Neither ought it to seeme straunge that this kingdom doth flourish in the middes of sinnes the force of Satan death wherof Zacharias here singeth euen from the bottom of his hart and knoweth well how it commeth to passe faith and the spirit reuealing it Concerning sinne I haue seene or knowen none in whom it is not Euen the most holy are not free from sinne Rom. 7.18 Whomsoeuer thou settest before thee sinne will by and by appeare Paule a most holy Apostle affirmeth of him selfe that he feeleth sinne in his members VVill sayth he is present with me but I find no meanes to performe that which is good For I doe not the good thing which I would but the euil which I would not that do I. He wished in deede to be free from sinnes but yet he could not but liue in them And I and such like are also desirous to be exempted from sinnes but that can by no meanes be brought to passe we doe onely represse and keepe them vnder when we haue fallen into sinne we rise againe But as long as we are clothed with this flesh and beare the burden thereof about with vs so long sinne is not extinguished nor can be wholy subdued We may well goe about and endeuour to subdue it notwithstanding old Adam will leade his life also vntill he shall dye and come vnto the graue What shall I neede to say any more The kingdom of Christ is a certaine speciall kingdom wherein euery one of the Sainctes is compelled to make this confession Almighty God vnto whose power all thinges acknowledge them selues subiect I confesse my self to be a miserable sinner reuenge not I beseech thee my old iniquities Al also must sing this song Our father c. forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Other righteous holy ones which knowe no measure or ende of their righteousnes and holines doe vnderstand nothing hereof and therefore this Gospell is not preached vnto them seeing that they thinke the kingdom of Christ to be such that there is no sinne at all in it but that all thinges in it are cleane pure they require such a Christian as is wholy cleane from all filth of sinne and without sinne as Christ him selfe such a one they shall neuer be able to finde Now he is a Christian who being a sinner confesseth him self a sinner who hateth the feeling of sinne striuing against it from his hart He is not a Christian which thinketh that he hath no sinne neither feeleth any But if thou knowest any such he is an Antichristian and not a true Christian The kingdom of Christ therefore consisteth among sinnes it is established there where he hath set it that is in the house of Dauid Yea set Dauid him selfe before your eyes and ye shal finde him to haue bene a sinner who notwithstanding is bold to glory that he is a seruant acceptable to his Lord. There is none of the faithfull which ought to be ashamed of this maner of praying vnto God or of any other not much vnlike vnto it Lorde forgiue vs our sinne is it therefore true that they haue sinne because they say so yea truely for if they should lye they should be the children of Satan But godly Christians are weary of this life greatly desiring the life
to come Now it is not giuen vnto them in this earth to goe so farre that they may say We are subiect to no vices we are cleane from all sinne if they shall goe so farre it is Satan that deceiueth them Notwithstanding they are sorie for their sinnes and doe lament them yea it grieueth them to the hart that they must beare the miserable burden of this flesh and they crie out together with S. Paule Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death This shrite crie all the faithfull doe giue for that feeling sinne they doe most earnestly desire to be deliuered from it And in this feeling knowledge of sinne the kingdom of Christ consisteth so that euen in sinne there is no sinne That is albeit I doe both acknowledge and feele sinne Though the godly haue sinne in thē and feele the grieuousnes thereof yet it doth not hurt them yet saluation and the kingdom doe so firmely abide in my conscience that God sayth vnto me I will forgiue thee thy sinne for that thou hast faith and beleeuest in Christ my especially beloued sonne who was deliuered to death for thee neither shall thy sinnes hurt thee Others which feele not their sinnes but trust in their workes and complaine nothing of their faultes and offences thinking them selues cleane such are giuen to Satan not receiued or admitted into the kingdom of Christ for they which are partakers of this kingdom can not be without conflicts and tribulation Death Satan and the world doe somewhat trouble the godly but the godly at the last ouercome them Psal 118.18 And that I may speake more plainly recken I pray thee any of the Sainctes whom death doth not trouble yea I know thou shalt not finde one which is not afraid and trembleth not at the horrible sight of death But the conscience taketh comfort here by the Prophet Dauid who sayth The Lorde hath chastened and corrected me but he hath not giuen me ouer vnto death it fighteth against vs in deede but it preuaileth not Thus a Christian wrapped in sinnes is both vnder sinnes and aboue sinnes at the last notwithstanding obtaineth the victorie After the same sort also must he haue to doe with Satan with whom he must wrastle all his life and at the last ouercome him So in the world also he must suffer many conflicts and troubles and yet at length become victor For although it be a kingdom of saluation which hath neither rest nor quietnes but suffreth the force of hel death the deuill sinne and all maner of aduersitie and tribulation yet they which be in it doe with an inuincible courage endure and at length ouercome all euills But God therefore permitteth these thinges that our faith may be exercised and shew forth it selfe Moreouer that is a pleasure to the conscience and bringeth vnto it comfort and ioye that it hath such a kingdom that it may say Blessed be the Lord God who hath visited and redeemed vs and hath raised vp a kingdom in the house of Dauid That is for that he visiteth vs by his word deliuereth vs from sinnes and maketh vs conquerours ouer death and Satan Thus he haue heard both that a kingdom is raysed vp in the house of Dauid and also that a Christian is both dead and yet aliue is innocent in the middes of sinnes and although he be subiect to Satan yet notwithstanding hath dominion ouer Satan For both are true for that sinne death hell doe assaile the flesh but doe not ouercome forasmuch as this kingdom of saluation triumpheth ouer them all Wherefore as it were with a certaine great boldnes or confidence he calleth it a horne that is a stronge and puissant kingdom Which hath no rest or truce but being assailed of many and stronge enemies is alwayes diligently occupied in defence of it selfe and doth notably repell the force of the enemie So a Christian laying hold on this horne ouerthroweth sinne death and Satan Neither consisteth this horne in our strength neither are we makers thereof for God hath made and raysed it vp by the ministerie of his word whereby we are saued Wherefore Zacharias so singeth that his songe hath respect not to his own sonne but to Christ Yea he celebrateth this kingdom as pertaining to the Iewes onely and declareth that it shall be glorious and maketh no mention of the Gentiles how they also should come vnto it as beside others Simeon in his song the beginning whereof is Lorde nowe lettest thou c. did prophecie that we Gentiles also are chosen into that kingdom But here he foretelleth of a kingdom raysed vp of God to the Iewes euen a kingdom of saluation and blessednes and that in the house of his seruaunt Dauid Wherefore he sayth moreouer Verse 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue bene since the world began Therefore he hath raised vp this kingdom that he might confirme his promise whereby he had foretold that he would sometime rayse vp a kingdom c. And now that time is come wherein he will fulfill that his promise So Zacharias reduceth the horne of saluation the kingdom of Christ to the olde Testament that out of it he may bring witnesses of so strong and puissant a kingdom The Prophets foretold of the kingdom that should be raysed vp in the house of Dauid For the Prophets from the time of Dauid did all prophesie that the seede of Dauid should haue a kingdom in the earth yet a spirituall kingdom and aboue the rest Esai and Ieremie foretold that it should be such a kingdom that the gouernment thereof should consist in the spirit worde to these especially Zacharias hath here respect The other as Osee Micheas and the rest doe speake of the same kingdom but not so manifestly Verse 71. That he would deliuer vs from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs. The Euangelist hath hitherto generally rehearsed what that kingdom of Christ is whereof the Prophets prophesied Wherein this kingdom of saluation consisteth Nowe he speaketh of it also but particularly declaring wherein it consisteth First in this that he deliuereth vs from the handes of our enemies yea and from all them that hate vs. Ye see here and vnderstand most dearely beloued that this verse doth witnes most plainely declare that we which are his people and kingdom doe liue amongst enemies and that no other is to be looked for of vs but to be hated of them That also the force qualitie and nature of this kingdom consisteth in this that it deliuereth vs out of the handes of all them that hate vs as the Prophet Dauid sayth Psal 110. The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion be thou ruler in the middes of thine enemies And Psal 45. Thine arrowes are very sharpe euen in the middes of the Kings enemies It is a delight vnto Christ
thinges surely I ought to glory of if I be a true Christian But this seemeth difficult and hard God admitteth no sinne my fearefull and weake conscience is against me How am I his seruaunt when as notwithstanding I feele in my selfe that I serue the deuill and doe not knowe that I am holy I speake not here of the common sort of Christians such as I and such like are but of sincere Christians which haue a good conscience and in whose hartes the spirit of God abideth whose conscience albeit it be frayle and weake and they feele their sinnes yet they are enforced to say Howsoeuer sinne is yet I know no sinne by my selfe neither am I subiect to death and hell and for this cause they striue and at the last ouercome that therefore they would euen die in that confidence But I finde it farre otherwise if I set my life before my sight Here life and the word must be separated farre asunder If thou wilt consider life I will set also before thee the liues of S. Peter Paule or Iohn thou shalt finde euen them not to haue liued without sinne When thou desirest to be holy before God We must trust not to our life and workes but to the mere mercy and grace of God trust not to thy life vnlesse thou wilt perish for euer For thou must trust to onely mercy and grace and not to life or workes otherwise thy case will be very ill Wherefore our hart must be so affected that it say Lorde if thou shouldest call me to an account I should not be able either by life or workes to stande in thy sight no although I were euen Iohn the Baptist Neuertheles therefore I glory that I am godly thy seruaunt for that thou doest giue vnto me continually and also for that as thou hast promised to Abraham thou doest for thy Christs sake vouchsafe to shew thy mercy vnto me if so be that I of my selfe be not godly and righteous yet he is godly and righteous for me If I be prophane he is holy if I be not the seruaunt of God he is the seruaunt of God if I be not without feare and carefulnes yet he is voyd of all feare and carefulnes that so I may as it were transferre my selfe from my selfe and perse into him glory that in Christ by Christ I am good Thus he will haue vs to glory that we are godly and holy but not by our owne merit for we must glory of our selues as of most desperate wretches And that this may be plaine marke our life consider our good conuersation and maners weye how foolishly men apply them selues to the Gospell that I am almost in dout whether I should preach any more or no. For as soone as these thinges are taught in a sermon that saluation consisteth not in our works or life but in the giftes of God euery one is slow to doe good no man will liue an honest life and be any more obedient they falsly affirme euery where that good workes are inhibited Neuertheles God requireth of vs that we lead an honest life outwardly and he that doth not so shall at length finde his due punishment Nowe if it happen that we liue godlily and honestly outwardly Satan by and by frameth his wickednes Neither doe I know at this day how to order my selfe in this matter not because of my owne person but because of life For if we preach of an honest and godly life the worlde by by furiously attempteth without iudgement * They endeuour by their good works to attayne to saluation We must neither presume of good workes nor neglect to leade a godly life to build ladders to heauen which God neither can neither wil by any meanes suffer Againe a dishonest and ignominious life doth not become Christians neither doth a delicate life become them What therefore must we then doe They which haue respect onely to an honest and fayre life it were better for them to be adulterers and adulteresses and altogether to wallow in the myre And yet notwithstanding God will not haue vs to lead our life filthily and dishonestly For neither can he suffer that adiudging thee euen vnto hell therefore if thou so doe And if thou lead an honest life thou wilt sticke in it and arrogate vnto thy selfe which againe he can not suffer Thou must therefore so prouide that thou remaine in the middle pathe declining neither to the right hand nor to the left and that thou lead a quiet fayre and amiable life in the sight of the world which also may be acceptable before God and yet that thou doe not therefore so greatly esteeme it nor count so of it as though thou doest merit any thing of God thereby Thus a Christian continueth the holy seruaunt of God without feare not by his good workes and holy life but by the grace of Christ Blasphemous to affirme our selues holy by our works But he that affirmeth that he is holy by his workes is blasphemous against God robbeth God of his honour and denieth Christ for whom it were better that he were ten times an homicide or an adulterer then that he should thereby affirme him selfe to be a Christian yea godly and holy for he doth plainly dishonour Christ and it is as much as to affirme that there is no Christ for he is therefore called Christ for that he is our grace mercy redemption and holines If I should not attribute to the diuine mercy that God him selfe doth saue me what should this be else but to say that he is neither holy nor blessed Wherefore if I be a Christian I must confesse that I am holy and a Christian for this cause for that Christ him selfe is holy And albeit my conscience doth reproue me of sinne yet I must still perseuer in this that his holines is greater then my sinnes Thus I must liue honestly outwardly but inwardly rest and trust in him alone It followeth moreouer how Zacharias turneth his speech to the child and sayth Verse 76. And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the most High for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes This shall be thy office Thou shalt be the first and shalt first begin that is thou shalt be the Prophet of the most High But what maner of prophecie shall that be how shall it be done After this sort Iohn the forerunner of Christ Thou shalt be the forerunner of the Lorde shalt prepare his wayes When any Prince commeth certaine goe before him to prepare way and place for him and say Giue place depart out of the way Iohn doing the like runneth before and crieth vnto the people Goe aside turne out of the waye giue place the Lorde him selfe commeth Such a seruaunt is Iohn whom the Lord by and by followeth Such thinges no Prophet at any time hath spokē but they haue prophesied of these things that a Prophet
S. Paule hath gathered very briefly and as it were into one short summe when he sayth Rom. 4 Christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Whereof thus much at this time shall suffize A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE GOOD SHEPEHEARD Iohn 10. Verse 11. IEsus sayde vnto the Iewes I am that good shepeheard that good shepeheard giueth his life for his sheepe 12. But an hyreling he which is not the shepeheard neither the sheepe are his owne seeth the woulfe comming and leaueth the sheepe and fleeth and the woulfe catcheth them and scattereth the sheepe 13. So the hyerling fleeth because he is an hyerling and careth not for the sheepe 14. I am that good shepeheard and know myne and am knowne of myne 15. As the Father knoweth me so know I the Father and I lay downe my life for my sheepe 16. Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this folde them also must I bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one sheepefold and one shepeheard THis text is full of consolation which in a goodly parable setteth forth Christ our Lord teacheth what maner of person he is what be his workes and of what affection he is toward men Neuertheles it can not be vnderstood but by comparing togither light and darkenes day and night that is a good and an euill shepeheard as the Lord also doth in this place Ye haue nowe oftentimes heard that God hath instituted and ordeined in the worlde two maner of preachings The preaching of the law One is when the word of God is preached which sayth Exod. 20 Thou shalt haue none other gods before me Also Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adulterie Thou shalt not steale doth also threaten that he which doth not keepe those precepts shall dye But that preaching doth iustifie no man For although a man be thereby compelled to shew him selfe godly outwardly before men notwithstanding inwardly his hart is offended at the law The preaching of the Gospell and had leuer there were no lawe The other ministerie of the word is the Gospell which sheweth where that is to be receiued which the lawe requireth it neither vrgeth nor threatneth but allureth men gentlely it sayth not doe this or that but it sayth thus Goe too I will shew where thou mayst receiue and take whereby thou mayst become righteous Behold here is Iesus Christ he will giue it thee Wherfore these two disagree one with an other as much as to receiue and giue to exact and reward And this difference is to be well vnderstood and marked To hardened and vntractable men To whom the law must be preached which feele not the Gospell the lawe is to be preached and they are so long to be vrged till they begin to be mollified and humbled and doe acknowledge their disease which when it is done there is then place to begin to preach the Gospell These two sortes of preachinges were instituted and ordayned of God besides these there are other which were not ordayned of God but are traditions inuented by men ordained of the Pope and his Prelats wherewith they haue peruerted the Gospell These are not worthy to be called either shepeherds or hirelings but they are those which Christ calleth theeues robbers and wolues For if we will rule and guide men rightly and well that must needes be done by the worde of God whereby if it be not done we surely labour in vaine Furthermore Christ entreateth here of that second ministerie of the word and describeth of what sorte it is he maketh him selfe the chiefe yea the onely shepeheard for that which he doth not feede doth surely remayne vnfed Ye haue heard that our Lorde Iesus Christ after his passion and death was raysed from the dead is entred into and placed in immortalitie not that he might sit idle in heauen and reioyce with him selfe but that he might receiue a kingdom might execute the function of a gouernour and king of whom all the Prophets yea the whole Scripture doe speake very much Wherfore he is to be acknowledged to be vnto vs continually a present gouernour and ruler neither must we thinke that he is idle in heauen but that he doth from aboue both fill and gouerne all thinges as Paule sayth Ephes 4. who hath an especiall care of his kingdome which is the Christian faith hereupon it must needes be that his kingdom doe florish amonge vs here in earth Of this kingdom we haue elsewhere sayd that it is so ordeyned The kingdō of Christ increaseth not by force and power but by preaching of the Gospell that we all encrease euery day and become purer and that it is not gouerned at all by any force or power but by outward preaching alone that is by the Gospell And this Gospell commeth not from man but Iesus Christ him selfe brought it and afterward put it into the hartes of the Apostles and their successors that they might comprehend it and into their mouthes that they might speake and publish it Hereby is his kingdom gouerned wherein he so reigneth that all the power thereof consisteth in the word of God Now whosoeuer shall heare beleeue this The force efficacie of the word of God doe pertaine to this kingdome Moreouer this worde is afterward made so effectuall that it giueth all thinges which are necessary to man bringeth a certain abundance of all good things which may be had For it is the power of God which is able to saue euery one that beleeueth as Paul witnesseth Rom. 1 When thou beleuest that Christ died for thee to deliuer thee from all euill so cleauest vnto the worde it is sure and certaine that no creature is able to ouerthrow thee For as none is able to ouerthrow the word so none is able to hurt thee when thou stickest vnto it By the word therefore thou doost ouercome sinne death Satan hell and thither thou must resort and flie where the word is that is to eternall peace ioy and life and briefly thou shalt be made partaker of all such good things as are promised in the word Wherfore the gouernment of this kingdom is maruelous the word is published preached through the whole world but the power thereof is very secret neither doth any man marke that it is so effectual that it so much profiteth them that beleue howbeit it must be felt and tasted in the hart We therfore of the ministerie are able to performe no more then that we are the mouth of our Lorde Christ and the instrument whereby he openly preacheth the word For he suffereth the word to be published abroad that euery one may heare it But faith maketh that it is felt inwardly in the hart yea and it is the secret worke of Christ whensoeuer any knoweth that it is his duety and is also willing to doe according to his diuine will
wherunto it is yet also prone and inclined and setteth it selfe against these words the words againe are against it For because Christ is here declared the only sonne of God it is mightely ouerthrowne whatsoeuer maketh it selfe god But who be they that make them selues god surely Satan and man which please them selues and loue them selues they seeke not after God but striue to attaine vnto this that they also may become gods But what will God say vnto these Truly a certaine contrary thinge to that which he sayde vnto Christ Christ is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased seeing that he glorifieth not him selfe and maketh not him selfe God although he be God But ye are wretches in whome I allowe nothing seeing that ye glorifie your selues and make your selues gods albeit ye be creatures and men and not God So this sentēce giuen of Christ doth humble the whole world doth shew them to be all voyd of diuinitie and ascribeth it to Christ and that all for our commoditie if we will and do admit this sentence or to our condemnation if we will not and do contemne this sentence so that I may say at once without Christ there is no fauour nor any beloued sonne but very wrath and sore displeasure of God Certaine sentences out of the Scripture concerning Christ vvhereby is declared that through him vve are loued of the Father and vvithout him are refused Ioh. 1.16.17 Of his fulnes to wit Christes haue all we receiued and grace for grace For the law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Ioh. 3.13 No man ascendeth vppe to heauen but he that hath descended from heauen euen the Sonne of man which is in heauen Ioh. 3.16.17.18 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begottē sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued He that beleueth in him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of that onely begotten Sonne of God Ioh. 3.35.36 The Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his hande He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life he that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that euery man which seeth the Sonne beleueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioh. 7.37.38 Now in the last great day of the feast Iesus stoode cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleueth in me as sayth the Scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life Tit. 3.4.5.6.7 But when that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Many other such sentences there be especially out of the Epistles of Paule which euery one may gather by him selfe A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE GENEALOGIE OR PEDEGREE OF CHRIST Matth. 1. Verse 1. THis is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham 2. Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and his brethren 3. Iudas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar Phares begat Esrom Esrom begat Aram. 4. Aram begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begat Salmon 5. Salmon begat Booz of Rachab Booz begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse 6. Iesse begat Dauid the king Dauid the king begat Salomon of her that was the wife of Vrias 7. Salomon begat Roboam Roboam begat Abia Abia begat Asa 8. Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Hozias 9. Hozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achaz Achaz begat Ezekias 10. Ezekias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begat Iosias 11. Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the time they were caried away to Babylon 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begat Zorobabel 13. Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliacim Eliacim begat Azor. 14. Azor begat Sadoc Sadoc begat Achim Achim begat Eliud 15. Eliud begat Eleazar Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob 16. Iacob begat Ioseph the husband of Marie of whom was borne Iesus that is called Christ The summe of this text 1 MAtthew beginneth his booke with a title or inscription by which the beleuer is prouoked with greater pleasure to heare and reade it For he sayth thus much in effect Whom the Law and Prophets haue hetherto promised preached Iesus that is a Sauiour and Christ that is an eternall king that he according to the promise of God should springe and come of the seede of Abraham and Dauid euen him doe I describe in this booke to wit that he is now borne and made man and already come into the world This I handle through this whole booke 2 Three lines or degrees are here rehearsed In the first is contained the stocke of the fathers in the second of the kings in the third is contained the decaying stocke of Dauid after the decay whereof it behoued that Christ should come For so the goodnes of God is wont to doe when all thinges seeme euen past hope and recouerie then at the last he commeth 3 Matthew omitteth one in his rehearsall but that maketh no matter seeing that he obserueth this one thing that he counteth by the right line from Dauid by Salomon to Ioseph the husband of Marie Luke counteth otherwise and vseth an other order The exposition of the text WHen Adam our first father hauing fallen by a notable offence was gilty of death with all his children as well in body as in soule it was notwithstanding promised vnto him although obscurely that both he and his posteritie should be deliuered in those wordes which God spake to the Serpent Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie betwene thee and the woman betwene thy seede her seede and it shall treade downe thy head Of these wordes Adam tooke comfort that a woman should come by whose frute such guile and sutteltie of the Serpent shoulde be againe amended and Adam redeemed This comfort did vphold Adam with his posteritie vntill Noe. For then the promise was renued whē God made a couenant with the sonnes of Noe and set the rainebowe for a signe of the couenant whereby men might conceiue a trust and confidence that God is yet fauorable vnto them and doth not purpose their destruction whereby mankinde was againe vpheld and comforted euen vntill
Abraham In the time of Abraham God did somewhat shewe forth his mercy he declared that he would send a Sauiour who should deliuer vs againe from death both of body and soule for albeit the body should dye yet it should not alwayes remayne in death but rise againe with the Lord Christ The wordes which God spake to Abraham Gen. 22. are thus In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Here miserable men had a cause to hope and looke for a Sauiour which should deliuer them From that time all the Prophets did diuersly foretell of this aboue measure flowing fountaine of all mercy that is of this seede of the Lord Christ how that he at the last should come that all which beleued in him might obtaine saluation by that promise which can not be reuoked If so be that men would now open their eyes they must needes confesse and say that a straunge and incredible thinge is done with vs that man being in the state of damnation cursed desperate should be restored by the natiuitie of one man Hereupon the Prophets cryed out with ardent prayers and vnspeakeable groning that God would vouchsafe to sende the Sauiour whom he had promised By faith in this Sauiour the Israelites afterward obtained the lawe and this honour before all people that they were called the elect people of God By which ordinances written of Moses the anointed was plainely figured and signified whom this text which we haue now in hand setteth forth what he is from whence he is and by the afore sayd faith all obtayned saluation from Abraham vnto Dauid euen as many as were saued In the time of Dauid God made the comming of the Messias to be more manifestly declared that it might be certainly knowne of what stocke he should come namely of the stocke of Dauid as when God sayd vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12 VVhen thy dayes be fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy body and wil stablish his kingdom He shall build an house for my name and I vvill stablish the throne of his kingdom for euer I will be his father and he shall be my sonne And yet more plainely in the Psalme The Lord hath made a faithfull othe vnto Dauid Psal 132.11 and he shall not shrinke from it Of the frute of thy bodye shall I set vppon thy seat Here Christ is described that he shall be a king and an eternall king Psal 45.6 as it is mentioned of him in an other Psalme Thy throne O Lord endureth for euer the scepter of righteousnes is the scepter of thy kingdome Who pertaineth to the kingdom of Christ and who to the kingdom of Satan Howebeit he is a spirituall king which ruleth the worlde by his worde and whosoeuer receiueth his word pertaineth to his kingdom But he that is not vnder this scepter neither heareth his worde is not of God neither pertaineth to his kingdom but is subiect to the kingdom of Satan vnder whose tyrannie we all are vntill the Lord doth deliuer vs from it defend vs with his scepter which is then done when we beleeue in him Forasmuch therefore as our saluation doth come meerly by the promise of God let euery one assuredly perswade him selfe that he shal neuer obtaine saluation wtout this promise although he should do the workes of all Sainctes yet they should profit him nothing hereunto Contrariwise if we lay hold on the scepter of this king that is of the promise of God we shal not perish although the sinnes of the whole world should lye vpon vs they shal be all swallowed vp in him albeit no good worke be done of vs. As we see in the theefe which hong by the Lord on the crosse who layd hold on the word of God beleued in Christ and therefore he obtayned the promised Paradise Here is no dout left let vs onely beleue that it is so and it is so in deede all thinges which men teach or which we haue done or can doe being set aside Here all thinges must giue place at the comming of this new king that he alone may rule reigne in vs. Let a man intermedle with those thinges that are written of this king as being his owne matters and as pertaining all vnto him Whatsoeuer is written of Christ it is written for our comfort For whatsoeuer is written any where of Christ it is written for our comfort that we may thereby feede and cherish our faith To the establishing of such faith God hath mercifully left vnto vs his promise written and hath suffered to be published that he will performe that which he hath promised Whosoeuer apprehendeth this in his hart it must needes be that with sighing he thirst for such Scripture and promise of God who of his grace being not prouoked of vs offereth vnto vs and bestoweth vpon vs such goodnes and mercy But let vs now come to our present text which not with words only but also with a certeine force pearseth the hart and poureth into it loue pleasure ioy gladnes c. As if an Angell should now come from heauen and say vnto vs miserable and condemned wretches after this sort Behold O man thou hast sinned wherfore thou hast deserued to be condemned for euer This being heard the hart must needes tremble Now although all this be true yet neuertheles God of his grace hath mercy vppon thee sendeth to thee a Sauiour as he promised to Abraham and his seede Be of a good cheere and giue thankes to God Loe here is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ who is the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham so that this is not onely done but also written that thou mayst be certaine thereof Neither will he neither can he deceiue beleue onely and thou shalt haue all things Now it is to be noted that Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham although the promise was first made to Abraham and came afterward to Dauid which promise made to Dauid the Prophets did afterward publish more abroad and did by it comfort the people As in the 11. chapter of Esai where the Prophet sayth thus There shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Iesse and a graffe shall growe out of his roote Ieremie likewise sayth thus chap. 23. Behold the time commeth sayth the Lord that I wil raise vp the righteous braunch of Dauid which king shall beare rule and he shall prosper with wisedom and shall set vp equitie righteousnes againe in the earth And many other such prophecies there are to be found in the writings of the Prophetes which they foretold of Dauid that his kingdom should be raysed vp as that Angell also declared vnto Marie when he sayd Luke 1.32 The Lord God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid Why Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham Luke 1.54 he shall
should somtime come which should erect a kingdom that should continue for euer c. But all dyed not one remayned which did behold this being aliue But this Prophet doth liue euen at that tyme when the Lord him selfe commeth and by and by followeth him For the Gospell was begon to be preached Baptisme was begon to be ministred by the comming and ministery of Iohn who ceassing Christ began both almost in the same yeare Now what shall be his office This truely The office of Iohn to prepare a way for the Lord. Which preparation is nothing else but to bring people to the Lorde the Sauiour Christ is the grace gift King and horne of our saluation This Lorde and King no man receiueth vnles he be first humbled that he thinke nothing of him self For he can not otherwise attaine vnto Christ neither can stand together to receiue the grace of God by gift and also to merit the same Iohn therefore in this part teacheth men nothing else but that they are sinners and altogether nothing He now which acknowledgeth him selfe and feeleth him selfe a sinner before yea and to be nothing well vnderstandeth the voice of Iohn which is prepare ye a way for the Lorde Giue place to him He is at hande that followeth me who is greater then I him ye shall heare him ye shall obey The other office of Iohn which followeth is that he bringeth men to the knowledge of saluation and sheweth with his finger that pascall Lambe that taketh away our sinnes that he may fasten them to the crosse with him selfe and abolish them Whereof Zacharias now goeth on to speake Verse 77. To giue knowledge of saluatiō vnto his people by the remission of their sinnes That is thou shalt begin the office and ministery of the word whereby is taught and learned how one is saued Wherein blessednes consisteth Which saluation or blessednes consisteth in this not howe we may be famous through great aboundance of riches glory and power in earth as the Iewes haue hitherto vnderstoode it but that we may obtaine remission of sinnes and be made partakers of the grace of God Now where remission of sinnes is there is no merit no reward or satisfaction otherwise it could not be called remission of sinnes So that this knowledge is to vnderstand how God forgiueth vs our sinnes without workes and merits and saueth vs by meere grace and mercy as it followeth Verse 78. Through the tēder mercy of our God wherby the day springe from an high hath visited vs. Here it appeareth that they which teach and obserue lawes workes and merits doe striue against both the mercy of God knowledge of saluation Forgiuenes of sinnes cometh not by any merit or worke of ours but through the tender mercy of God For he sayth not that forgiuenes of sinnes hath come by the prayers or workes of the fathers or of any of the Sainctes but through the bottomles mercy of God which Luke calleth the tender mercy and such mercy as commeth from the most inward affection and bowells Notwithstanding this forgiuenes of sinne which commeth vnto vs by mercye is not without merit although it commeth to passe without our merit but a Mediatour commeth betwene who hath in our steede deserued it for vs which is Christ our Lorde For God would that satisfaction should be made vnto him for our sinnes and that his honour and lawe shoulde be performed here we were able to doe nothing But Christ alone both was able and satisfied for vs who of the infinit mercy of the father was sent for the same cause and that to vs that he might dispatche it Therefore he sayth Through which infinit bottomles mercy the day springe from an high hath visited vs. Without all dout it was no merit but only vnmeasurable mercy that Christ came to vs and merited and obtained for vs such remission of sinnes vnto eternall saluation Now he calleth him the day springe from an hie which signifieth vnto vs his diuinitie And this is his meaning on hie that is aboue all creatures where nothinge is hier but heighth alone there is Christ in his diuinitie as the morning or day springe For he proceedeth from the father as the beames doe from the sunne whereof we haue elsewhere spoken at large Verse 79. To giue light to them that sit in darkenes in the shadow of death to guide our feete into the way of peace Many of the fathers vnderstood this of Lymbus as they call it but Luke agreeth here with the saying of Esai where he sayth The people that walked in darkenes haue seene a great light Esai 9.1 How Christ is the light of the world c. His meaning therefore is this Christ therefore came that he might be the light of the world and by the Gospell might enlighten mens hartes and allure them to him selfe which were held captiue vnder Satan in the blindnes and darkenes of incredulitie that so he might guide our feete into the way of peace How Christ guideth our feete into the way of peace that is he might gouerne our conscience well quietly and cherefully in the kingdom of grace that we may be afraid neither of Satan neither of sinne death hell nor of any aduersitie who heretofore haue rested parte of vs in filthy vices parte in good workes notwithstanding we could on neither side enioy any quietnes or peace but were compelled to despeire vnder Satan and the feare of death neither did we knowe howe to finde that way which leadeth vnto peace according to the saying of the foureteenth Psalme The way of peace haue they not knowne c. Thus ye haue heard how Zacharias doth in most goodly and fit wordes most liuely paint out the Gospel and kingdom of Christ with all the frutes colours conditions thereof that it is a word and kingdom of grace of forgiuenes of sinnes also a kingdom of peace ioy quietnes saluation and all goodnes God graunt that we may throughly know and feele the same Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE MEDITATION OF CHRIST HIS PASSION FIrst some doe so thinke vpon the passion of Christ that they are incensed with anger against the Iewes and doe inueigh against wretched Iudas in songes and reprochfull wordes and thus they are content and thinke this to be sufficient euen as they are wont in lamenting the case of other to take pity on them and to accuse and condemne their aduersaries But that can not be called a remembring of the passion of Christ but rather of Iudas and Iudas his wickednes Secondly some haue noted in their mindes diuerse commodities and frutes proceeding of the meditation of Christes passion that saying which is ascribed to Albertus being commonly in their remembrance that it is better to thinke vpon the passion of Christ superficially or once then if one should fast the space of a whole yeare and daily in praying goe ouer the whole Psalter
Lord knoweth the wayes of the righteous and their inheritance shall endure for euer They shall not be confounded in the perilous time and in the dayes of dearth they shall haue enough And againe I haue bene yonge and now am old and yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging bread All which thinges Christ bringeth with him for that we are and are called his brethren not because of any merit but of meere grace If we would print these things in our hart that we might throughly feele them it should goe well with vs but they goe in at one eare and out at an other This is that wherof S. Paule so greatly glorieth Rom. 8. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The same spirit beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God if we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Moreouer this title ascendeth so high that mans mind is not able to comprehend it For vnles the spirit the comforter did impart this grace vnto vs no man should euer be able to say Christ is my brother For reason can not be bold so to say albeit one repeat it in wordes very often as the new spirits doe It is a higher thing then that it can be so spoken for except the hart feele it as it is requisite it should it shall be nothing but onely flatterie But if thou feele it inwardly in thy hart it will be so excellent a thing vnto thee that thou wilt much rather say nothing of it then speake and talke of it yea by reason of the greatnes of so good a thinge thou wilt perhaps dout as yet and be in an vncertaintye whether it be so or not They which onely cry out thus Christ is my brother are fanatical spirits who vainly pronounce words without any frute The case standeth farre otherwise and farre more maruelously with a true Christian so that he is thereby enforced to be amased neither dareth he either say or confesse any thing sufficiently thereof Wherefore we must endeuour that we doe not heare this onely with fleshly eares but that we feele it in our hart for then we will not be so rash but we shall be forthwith caried into an admiration thereof True and sincere Christians enter into the viewing and feare of them selues thinking thus O wretched and defiled creature which am drowned in sinnes am I now made worthy that the sonne of God should be my brother how doe I miserable wretch attayne to such a thing Thus he is by and by astonied and doth not well vnderstand the thing But a great studie and endeuour surely is required that a man may beleue this yea if it were felt as it ought in very deede a mā should forthwith dye thereupon For he can not vnderstand it according to his flesh and blood and the hart of man in this life is more narrow and straight then that it is able to comprehend so great thinges But in death when the hart shall be stretched out then I say we shall trie what we haue heard by the word In the Gospel of Iohn chap. 20. Christ doth farre more plainly declare vnto Marie Magdalen this vse and frute both of his death and also of his resurrection when he sayth Goe vnto my brethren and tell them I ascende vnto my father and your father vnto my God your God this is one of the most comfortable places whereof we may glory and boast As though Christ should say Marie get thee hence and declare vnto my Disciples which did flee from me which haue throughly deserued punishment and eternall condemnation that this resurrection of myne is for their good that is that I haue by my resurrection brought the matter to that passe that my father is their father and my God is their God They are but a fewe verie short wordes in deede but they containe great matter in them namely that we haue as great hope confidence reposed in God as his owne sonne him selfe Who can comprehend such exceeding ioye I will not say vtter it that a wretched and defiled sinner may be bolde to call God his father his God euen as Christ him selfe The author of the Epistle to the Hebrues chap. 2. did well remember the wordes of the Psalme and weied with him selfe how it speaketh of Christ who as he sayth is not ashamed to call the beleeuers brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middest of the Church or congregation will I sing prayses to thee If any worldly Prince or noble man should humble him selfe so low that he would say to a theefe or robber or to one that is infected with the french pocks thou art my brother it would be a certaine notable thing which euery one would maruell at But whereas this king which sitteth in glory at the right hand of his father sayth of some poore man this is my brother that no man layeth vp in the bosome of his brest neither doth any man consider of it in his mind wherein notwithstanding our chiefe comfort and confidence consisteth against sinne death the deuils hell the law and against all sinister successe of thinges as well of the body as of the mind Moreouer forasmuch as we are flesh blood and therefore subiect to all kindes of aduersitie it followeth that the case should stand so also with our brother otherwise he should not be like vnto vs in all thinges Wherefore that he might be made conformable and like vnto vs Christ like vnto vs in all thinges except sinne he tasted and had experience of all things euen as we haue sinne only excepted that he might be our true brother and exhibite him self openly vnto vs. Which the Epistle to the Hebrues doth liuely set forth chap. 2. where it sayth Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh blood he also him selfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the deuil that he might deliuer all thē which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage For he tooke not on him the Angells nature but he tooke on him the seede of Abraham VVherefore in all thinges it behoued him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be mercifull a faithfull hie Priest in thinges concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted The profit The frute of Christes passion and resurrection vse and frute of the Lordes passion resurrection
thy selfe from him all goodnes and loue Secondly thou plainly seest this also how by all maner of outward signes meanes he poureth forth his ioy and vnspeakeable goodnes and also hauing found his sheepe how louing he sheweth himselfe For surely he dealeth not with it by any law as by his right he might deale and driue it before him as he doth the rest or suffer it to go by him Howbeit he doth none of these but layeth it vpon his shoulders and all the iourny carieth it through the desert taking all the labour and trouble vpon himselfe that at the lest wise the sheepe may rest Neither doth he it grudginly but willingly for he is full of ioy for his sheepe recouered Now marke this also how wel it goeth with the shepe with how great quietnes and ease it lyeth on his shepeheards shoulders neither doth it vnwillingly see it selfe resting so sweetly being deliuered from the difficulty of the iourney as also voyd of all feare both of dogs and woulues that is of all errours and lyes yea and of all perils and mischiefes And this surely deserueth to be called a very pleasaunt picture exceeding amiable and comfortable to be looked vpon No otherwise doth our Lord Iesus Christ deale with vs whiles he deliuereth vs which he hath once done corporally by his passion and death but now doth eftsoones the same by his power and spiritually by the preaching of his word Wherefore he layeth vs vpon his shoulders carieth and defendeth vs so that we are safe from all perils of death and the deuell which albeit they terrifie vs and shew themselues so as though they would denour vs yet preuaile they nothing For whereas we are caried it is a safegard vnto vs and the same exempteth vs from all daungers and putteth awaye all feare As the shepe lying vpon the shepeheards shoulders is litle careful though the dogs barke much and the woulfe craftily goeth vp and downe but rather hanging downe the head is quiet and sleepeth soundly If we beleue assuredly in Christ Iesus we need not feare the deuell rage he neuer so sore So we also if we stand and abyde vnmoueably in this article I beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord who suffred died rose againe for vs c. there is no cause why we should be carefull lest we perish or be deuoured of the deuell though he open his iaws neuer so wide For we are not then in our own waye neither walke we vpon our owne feete but we hange vpon the necke of our shepeheard and lye vpon his shoulders where we are safe enough For sinne death and hell although in deede they be terrible yet dare they not set vpon him otherwise if it were not for this we should be miserable shepe which should forthwith be brought into a lamētable and wretched case For euen as a shepe can not take heede and foresee to it selfe that it stray not out of the way vnles it be led of the shepeheard when it hath strayed and is lost can not by it selfe come againe to the shepeheard but must be sought and enquired for of him vntill he hath found it and so must be layd vpō his shoulders and brought home againe lest that it be againe frayed and chased from him or catcht of the woulfe and rent in pieces So we also our selues can profite our selues neither by helpe nor counsel that we might obtaine peace and quietnes of conscience and escape out of the hands of the deuell death and hell except Christ himselfe repeat his word vnto vs and call vs againe vnto him And although we come vnto him and now stand in faith yet is it not in our powre to keepe our selues therein or to stand by our owne strength vnles he eftsoones by the power of his Word hold lift vp and carie vs for that the deuell alwayes imagineth and purposeth deceit and destruction toward vs and goeth about like a roring lyon seeking whom he may deuour as S. Peter witnesseth Wherefore here is no place to boast of free will or of our owne strength which is none neither in beginning any thing neither in going forward therein much lesse in perseuering or continuing in it but Christ our shepeheard alone doth all things Howbeit we are sure hereof that whiles we lye vpon the shoulders of Christ we shall remayne safe from all terrour and misfortune For he will not suffer vs to be plucked or taken from his necke neither will he himselfe cast vs of being so glad and ioyfull that he hath found his lost shepe and brought it againe to the rest of the flocke And in a summe here is no terrour or trouble or exaction but mere life and grace whereby he handleth his shepe most louingly and gently But on the contrarie Moses not as a shepeheard of miserable and weake sheepe but as a maister of stronger cattell driueth his heards with a staffe and a rod three dayes iourney through the desert vntill they be tyred and wearie with walking of this shepeheard those hardedened and wilde ones are to be tamed and bridled And we also when we shal be vnder Moses to wit according to the flesh and the outward life must goe and do that which the law requireth But in that we are and are called Christians we must by no meanes suffer that any worke be layed vpon vs yea or exacted of vs but must giue our selues onely to Christ to be caried and gentlely lifted vp not vpon horses and charrets but euen vpon his onely shoulders Whē Christ carieth vs vpō his shoulders Which commeth to passe as I haue sayd when he suffreth the word to be preached vnto vs and we also beleeue the same that he died for vs that on the crosse he bare our sinnes in his body that he hath ouerthrowne the deuell death and synnes and put them vnder his feete and hath made and opened vnto vs entraunce to eternall life Wherefore we must not haue respect to our owne life how righteous and strong we are but we must studie vpon his one thing that we may rest lying vpon his shoulders In this circle we must haue no care of synne death life or pensiuenes inasmuch as we haue all things to the full in Christ who beareth and keepeth vs. Now he is not content with all these things both that with such great trauell he seeketh his shepe and also that hauing found it Exceeding ioy because of the sheepe which was lost and is foūd againe he carieth it with incredible ioy but it being brought againe he maketh festiual dayes exceedingly reioyceth calling togither his neighbours and friendes that they may reioyce with him Yea he affirmeth that God also in heauen with the whole heauenly host do reioyce ouer one synner that repenteth In which wordes he sheweth and declareth who he is which deserueth to be called his lost shepe namely such a synner as being led by repentaunce of his former life doth
guide other whē thou thy selfe art blinder thē a moule so that he which foloweth thee doth fall with thee into the ditch Of such as iudge themselues to excell others thinke themselues to be followed more thē the word of God S. Paul speaketh Rom. 2 Behold saith he thou art called a Iew restest in the law gloriest in God knowest his will and triest the thinges that dissent from it in that thou art instructed by the law perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darknes an instructer of them which lacke discretiō a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest A mā should not steale doest thou steale thou that sayest A man should not cōmit adulterie doest thou cōmit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols cōmittest thou sacrilege thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the law dishonourest thou God Whereupō he also sayth in the beginning of the same chapter to hypocrites Therefore thou art inexcusable O man who soeuer thou art that cōdemnest for in that that thou condemnest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condemnest doest the same thinges But we know that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O thou man that cōdemnest thē which do such things doest the same that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Loe this is to speake the truth to hypocrites who go about to shew the way to other which they themselues know not leading so other mē into the ditch with thē Therfore the Lord saith The disciple is not aboue his maister but who soeuer wil be a perfect disciple shal be as his maister This is a common prouerbe I can learne no more of my maister then he knoweth himselfe Wherefore doth the Lord speake this prouerbe because of two sortes of maisters the one is blynde whom if I shall follow I also my selfe shall become blynde he himselfe falleth into the ditch and I follow The other maister is the mercifull father of whom we must learne mercy whom if we follow we also do become mercifull like as he is if we were mercifull daily we should also become perfect as he is perfect but that commeth not to passe as long as we are in this life The second part of mercy is The second part of mercy to forgiue that we forgiue them which haue endamaged vs or hurt vs by any meanes A Christian can neuer be so hurt but he ought to forgiue not onely seuen times but seuenty times seuen times as the Lord sayd vnto Peter Matth. 18. Wherefore God forgiueth a Christian his synne or infirmitie that he also may forgiue other their infirmitie which Christ setteth forth els where in a most goodly parable which he cōcludeth in these wordes Matth. 18.35 So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts ech one to his brother their trespasses And so we praye daily in the Lords prayer with an addition saying forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Is this a hard matter if I a wretched synner do forgiue my neighbour his trespasses and his infirmitie whereas the Lord will forgiue me my synnes and my infirmities If one had killed my father what were this being compared to my synne wherewith I haue offended God and prouoked him to anger The third part of mercy is The third part of mercy to giue to the poore needy that we giue to them that be in miserie and neede and that we helpe them Whereof Iohn speaketh thus 1. Iohn 3 VVhosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him For where the loue of God is it is moued to shew it selfe euē in outward works Hereunto also pertaineth the saying of Christ Matth. 5 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Wherefore the Lord addeth a promise in the Gospell saying Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken togither running ouer shall men giue into your bosome And continuing on his speech he sayth For with what measure ye meat with the same shall men meat to you againe Thus much shall suffice concerning the partes of mercy which we ought to shew to our neighbours Matth. 7.12 Vnto which the speciall wordes of Christ ought to exhort vs who when in the Gospell of Matthew he had spoken much of a Christian life and of loue to be shewed to our brethren thus concludeth saying VVhat soeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Now euerie one is so affected that being cast downe and in distres he would wish all the world to helpe him If I be a miserable sinner drowned in sinnes bearing a burdened and troubled conscience I would that the whole world should comfort me should helpe and succour me should couer my sinne and shame So I also ought to behaue my selfe toward my neighbour not to iudge him not to condemne him but to forgiue him his offences to helpe him to prouide for him to lend vnto him giue him euen as I would wish to be done vnto my selfe if I were driuen into distres necessitie exile or pouerty And herein truly Christians are knowne if they loue one an other if one do such workes of mercy vnto an other as Christ sayd vnto his disciples at his last Supper I giue you a new commaundement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you By this shal all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other Thus ye haue the meaning of this text it remaineth that we call vpon God for grace A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE SVMME OF CHRISTIAN LIFE 1. Tim. 1. Verse 5. THE ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfeined 6. From the which thinges some haue erred and haue turned vnto vaine iangling 7. They would be doctours of the Lawe and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme IT is well knowne vnto you dearely beloued brethren Gods worde must be heard and learned with how great seueritie God hath commaunded his worde to be heard and learned For he most highly esteemeth it and hath bestowed much labour in defending it and publishing it to the world He hath suffred all the Prophets to come into perils and daungers at the last also he sent his owne sonne because of his worde whom he suffered to die euen the death of the crosse And what persecutions haue not the Apostles themselues abode for the wordes sake what afflictions haue
be that he will suffer them to be bestowed on him and pray vnto God for him so I may enioy peace and haue no trouble or contention with any man and perhaps I may so profit him that he wil change his life vnto the better and amend Otherwise surely loue being diuided or separated I haue more bitternes and sorrow by them whom I hate then I haue ioy and profit by them whom I loue and keepe companie with And this is sayd to trouble the fountaine or water from whence pure loue can not flowe As it is certaine that the Iewes also did against whom Paule speaketh in this place for they loued them onely of whom they were loued whereby they defiled the synceritie of loue with mans affections and therefore their hart could not be pure But whereby is the hart purified I aunswere Wherby the hart is purified it can not be purified by any other thing better then by that soueraine puritie which is the word of God Receiue that into thy mind and order thy life according to the rule thereof and thy hart is purified As in this place see thou set the word before thee Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe follow that which it commaundeth and by and by thou shalt see whether it purgeth clenseth whatsoeuer desire there is in thee of thyne owne profit or whatsoeuer loue of thy selfe For commaunding thee to loue thy neighbour it maketh exception of none either friend or foe Albeit some man be euill and hath bene oftentimes iniurious vnto thee notwithstanding he doth not therefore lose this name that he is not to be called thy neighbour but neuertheles remaineth thy fleshe and blood and is comprehended in these wordes thou shalt loue thy neighbour c. Therefore I say if thou shalt consider him and so behaue thy self toward him as the word teacheth thee then is thy hart made pure and loue sincere so that thou makest no false difference of persons neither otherwise considerest him then an other which is good and one of thy familiars In deede we can not deny this to be true that an honest man is more worthy to be loued vnto whome also euery one doth more willingly applye him selfe by nature then vnto the conuersation of wicked men whose familiaritie there is no good man that doth not abhorre howbeit flesh and blood is the cause that true and Christian loue is not among vs. For a Christian must not deriue his loue from the person as the world doth as some yong man seeing a maide is in loue with her because of her fayrenes and beautie and a couetous man taketh his loue and desire of his money a Lorde or Prince of honour and power c. For all such loue is sayd to be feyned and proceeding not from whence it ought cleauing to the good thinges wherewith he seeth the person adorned neither doth it continue any longer then that which he loueth continueth and as long as he may enioy it True loue But true loue ought to be such as floweth out of a continuall fountaine and proceedeth from the bottom of the hart as a fresh and continuall water alwayes springing forth which can not be stopped and is neuer dryed vp This loue sayth after this sort I loue thee not for thy honestie or dishonestie for I doe not deriue my loue from thy honestie as from a strange fountaine but out of myne owne fountaine that is out of the word of God which is planted in my hart which commaundeth me to loue my neighbour From hence loue plentifully floweth open to al which haue neede thereof watering all both friendes and foes yea chiefly prepared and ready for foes inasmuch as they haue more neede that they may by my meanes be brought to amendement I praying for them and doing according to my abilitie that which I am able that they also leauing their euill wayes may be deliuered from sinnes and the snares of the Deuill And this is sayd to be loue flowing from the hart and not deriued from without for he that is endued with such loue findeth no such thinge in him whom he loueth from whence he should deriue it But because he is a Christian because he layeth hold on the word which is altogither pure by it selfe by the power of it his hart also is made pure and replenished with true loue Whereupon he poureth forâ—h the treasures of his loue toward euery man neyther is he moued or turned awaye with the person of any whether he be good or euill Behold thus should they preach which will rightly teach loue required of the lawe whereof our bablers knowe nothing neither haue any regard thereof albeit they talke many thinges of the lawe and dispute much of loue They doe not see no they doe not so much as once thinke that loue must be such that it flow out of the hart that the fountaine must be first pure and cleare This neuer descendeth into their hart although they heare read and teach many things of it They are occupied with very vncertayne and vnprofitable cogitations yea rather with dead dreames Wherefore whatsoeuer is preached of workes and of a good life True good workes that onely is well done which proceedeth from the worde of God a pure hart and a true faith This thou mayst see in all states how euery one ought in his calling to doe the office inioyned him and exercise the workes of loue A seruaunt labouring thinking no more then thus My Lorde or Maister payeth me my wages for which onely I serue him otherwise I would not vouchsafe to looke vpon him c hath not a pure hart for he doth not serue but for a peece of bread or for his hyre which being taken away his seruice also ceasseth How a good seruaunt ought to be affected But if he were a right true Christian he would rather be thus affected I will not therefore serue because my Maister payeth me wages because he is honest or vnhonest c but therefore Ephes 6.5 because the word of God doth thus speake vnto me Seruaunts be obedient vnto your Maisters as vnto Christ c. This seruice proceedeth of it owne accord out of the hart which layeth hold on the word and greatly esteemeth it saying I wil serue my Maister and take my wages but this shal be the chiefest thing for which I do this seruice that I may serue my God and Lord Iesus Christ who hath layd the condition and state of a seruaunt vpon me which I knowe doth please him in me c. Here thou seest a true worke proceeding out of a pure hart So also let a Lord or Prince and they which haue the charge of gouerning the common weale thinke thus God hath committed vnto me the office of a Magistrate that I should be a ruler now if I will haue regard vnto this onely that I may enioy my dignitie riches and power it is
which strengthneth the knowledge that God hath taught him to wit that God is nothing els but a Sauiour abounding with grace who will be fauorable and mercifull to all them which call vpon him in this his Sonne Therefore the Lord sayth moreouer Verely verely I say vnto you He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life I am that breade of life Your Fathers did eate Manna in the vvildernes and are dead This is that bread vvhich cōmeth dovvne from heauen that he vvhich eateth of it should not die I am that liuing bread vvhich came dovvne from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I vvill giue is my flesh vvhich I vvill giue for the life of the vvorld In these wordes the soule findeth a table daintily furnished whereby it may stake all hunger For it knoweth assuredly that he that speaketh these wordes can not lye Wherefore if it commit it selfe confidently vnto him and cleaue to the word it resteth vpon him and so departeth not from this goodly table This is that supper to the preparing whereof the heauenly Father killed his oxen and fatlings and hath bidden vs all vnto it The liuing breade whereof the Lorde here maketh mention Christ the liuing bread whereon we must feede by faith is Christ him selfe whereby we are so fedde If we lay hold but of a morsell of this bread in our harts and keepe it we shall be satisfied for euer neither can we euer be plucked from God Moreouer such an eating is nothing els but to beleue in the Lord Christ that he is made vnto vs of God as Paule sayth 1. Cor 1. wisedom righteousnes sanctification and redemption He that eateth this meat liueth for euer Wherefore by and by after this text when the Iewes were at contention about these his wordes he sayth Verely verely I say vnto you Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you VVhosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternall life I vvill rayse him vp at the last day Manna which the fathers did eate in the desert as Christ here sayth could not saue from death but this bread maketh vs immortall If we beleeue in Christ death shall not hurt vs any thing at all yea there is no more death This the Lord meaneth by these wordes in an other place where he sayth to the Iewes Verely verely I say vnto you Ioh. 8.51 if a man keepe my word he shall neuer see death where it is certaine that he speaketh of the word of faith and of the Gospell But some man may say that holy men die notwithstanding An obiectiō for Abraham the holy Prophets are dead as the Iewes sayd vnto him I aunswere The death of Christians is onely a sleepe The aunswer as the Scripture also commonly calleth it for a Christian tasteth seeth no death that is he hath the feeling of no death For this Sauiour Christ Iesus in whom he beleeueth hath ouercome death that afterwards he shoulde not feele or tast it but death is vnto him onely a passage and gate to life as Christ him selfe witnesseth Ioh. 5 Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my vvord beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Wherefore the life of a Christian is merie and on euery side replenished with ioy and the yoke of Christ is easie sweete But that it semeth heauy and grieuous vnto vs this is the cause for that the Father hath not yet drawne vs hereupon it commeth to passe that we take no pleasure thereof neither is the Gospell comfortable vnto vs. If so be that we would lay vp the wordes of Christ well in our hart they would be vnto vs an exceeding comfort And thus ye haue heard howe we must feede on this breade which came downe from heauen that is on the Lord Christ to wit by faith which we then do when we beleeue in him that he is our Sauiour The whole chapter out of which this text is taken commendeth vnto vs nothing els but spirituall meat For when the multitude followed Christ that they might againe eate and drinke which the Lord him selfe signifieth he taketh occasion of the corporal meat which they sought almost through the whole chapter speaketh of spirituall meat as he sayd The wordes which I speake are spirit and life Wherby he would signifie that he therfore fed them that they should beleeue in him as they did eate the bodily meat so they ought also to feede of the spirituall Here let vs weie and marke this that the Lord doth so gently and graciously apply him selfe to vs and offer him selfe in such gentle wordes that it ought worthely to moue our hartes to beleeue in him to wit that that bread was therefore giuen for vs inasmuch as it was behouefull that he should tast death and suffer hellish paines Also should beare sinnes which he neuer had committed as though he had committed them and had bene his owne and he did also the same willingly for our sakes and tooke vs as brethren and sisters The will of the heauenly Father This if we beleeue we doe the will of the heauenly Father which is nothing els but to beleeue in his Sonne so be saued As Christ him selfe sayth a litle before This is the will of him that sent me that euery man which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life It now therfore appeareth that he that hath faith doth the will of God and eateth of this heauenly bread As Augustine sayth What doost thou prepare thy mouth beleeue and thou hast eaten Of this spirituall supper the whole new Testament speaketh but especially in this place of Iohn The Sacrament of Christes body blood is a certaine testimonie and pledge of this true supper whereby we ought to strengthen our faith and to be assured that this body and this blood whereof we feede in the Sacrament deliuereth vs from synne death Satan and all euell But how may a man perceiue and know How a man maye know whether he be called to this spirituall supper that he also doth pertaine to this heauenly bread and is called to this spirituall supper let him consider the case in his owne heart which if he fynde so affected that it doth as it were feele a sweetenes in the promise of God and is vndoutedly perswaded that he is of the companie of them which pertaine to his supper he is assuredly such a one in deede For as we belteue so commeth it vnto vs. Such a man hath also by and by a regard of his neighbour Charitie towarde our neighbour the frute of true faith and helpeth him as his brother careth for him giueth vnto him lendeth him comforteth him briefly doth no otherwise to him then he
of God is left in the earth euen as Christ being made man liued in the earth that he might do for vs as he witnesseth of him selfe I came not to be serued but to serue Matth. 20.28 and to giue my life for the ransome of many The Allegories of this deede In this deede Christ hath set forth the life of Christians and the state of such as preach and teache the worde of God The ship signifieth the Church the sea the world the winde the deuill the Disciples of Christ are the Preachers and godly Christians Christ the truth the Gospell and faith Now before that Christ and his Disciples enter into the ship the sea is calme the wind quiet but when Christ with his Disciples are entred in by and by ariseth a tempest This is that which he sayd Matth. 10.34 The world can not abide the sound and sincere preaching of the Gospell I came not to send peace but the sword For if Christ would suffer the world to liue after his owne maner and would not reproue the workes thereof it would be quiet enough But now seeing that he preacheth that they which are counted wise men are fooles they that are counted righteous are sinners they that are counted rich are not blessed but miserable it rageth is in great furie So thou maist at this daye finde wise men of this worlde which in deede would suffer the Gospell to be preached if the wordes of the Scripture shoulde be simply declared and in the meane season the state of Ecclesiasticall persons not reproued but as soone as thou shalt begin to condemne by the Scriptures all those thinges which haue bene hitherto brought in vnder a false name of religion and to teach that they are to be reiected as being of no importance thou preachest seditiously and troublest the world with vnchristian doctrine But how doth the present text pertaine vnto vs A great tempest did arise where that ship went wherein Christ and his Disciples were Other ships did passe the sea quietly nothing tossed of the windes this ship onely must be tossed and couered with waues because Christ was caried in it For the world can suffer any kind of preaching beside the preaching of Christ the cause is for that he condemneth all thinges of the world Why the world can not abide the preaching of Christ Matth. 12.30 Ioh. 16.8 and chalengeth all righteousnes to him selfe according to that which he saith He that is not with me is against me and againe The Spirit will reproue the worlde of sinne of righteousnes and of iudgement He sayth not will preach but will reproue and not this or that man but the world and whatsoeuer is in the world Against this ship of Christ all this tempest is raysed and it is brought into daunger For the world doth not suffer his owne thinges to be condemned but Christ can not allowe them if he should allow them he had come in vaine For if the world were wise by it selfe and did knowe and followe the truth what neede had there bene that Christ his Disciples should preach Wherfore it is not a small comfort to Christians A comfort to true Preachers that they knowe before that they shal suffer persecution especially to Preachers that they are certaine before that as soone as they shal begin to preach Christ to the world they must suffer persecution that it can not be otherwise So that it is a sure signe and therefore to be wished that it is true Christian preaching if it be tried with persecution especially of the holy learned and wise men of the worlde As it is an vndouted signe also that it is vnchristian preaching if it be praysed commonly and honoured of the world according to that saying Luke 6 Blessed are ye when men hate you and put out your name as euill for the Sonne of mans sake for so did their fathers to the Prophets Now marke how our spirituall men do behaue them selues and of what sort their doctrine is They haue got into their subiection the riches glorie and power of the world and they that prayse them enioy the honour and pleasures thereof their case in all thinges agreeth with the case of the false Prophets and yet they dare boast them selues to be Preachers and Teachers of Christ and worshippers of God Of whom the Preachers of Gods word must looke for desire helpe in the time of trouble and persecution The next thinge whereby this deede doth comfort and encourage the Preachers of Christ is that it sheweth where helpe is to be asked when a tempest is risen to wit not of the world for not mans wisedom or power but Christ him selfe and he alone is able to helpe them Him they must call vpon in euery distres with full confidence in him they must trust as his Disciples here did For vnles they had beleeued that Christ was able to take away the daunger wherein they were they would not haue awaked him and prayed him to saue them although their faith then was very weake and very much diffidence was in them for that they did not confidently commit them selues with him vnto daunger douting nothing but he was able to deliuer them out of the middest of the sea and from death it selfe Hereof therefore let it be acknowledged as certaine that as no Iudge or Moderator can be giuen to the word of God but God onely so there can be had no other maintainer or defender thereof who as he sendeth it out whether he will without any merit or counsell of men so he alone also will defende preserue it without the ayde or strength of men and therefore he that seeketh ayde vnto this word of men shall without dout fall being forsaken as well of men as of God Whereas Christ did sleepe it giueth vs to vnderstand that in the time of persecution he doth sometimes withdraw him selfe Christ sometimes in the time of persecution and trouble with draweth him self differreth his help for a while seemeth as though he slept whiles that he giueth not strength power valiantly to resist the peace and tranquillitie of minde being now disturbed but suffereth vs to wrastle and labour with our infirmitie for a while that we may acknowledge how we are altogither nothing and that all thinges doe depend on his grace and power As Paule confesseth of him selfe 2. Cor. 1. that it behoued that he shoulde be so pressed and troubled out of measure that we should not trust in our selues but in God which rayseth the dead Such sleepe of God Dauid oftentimes felt and maketh mention thereof in many places Arise awake O Lorde why sleepest thou why doost thou forget vs c. In a summe the present text offereth vnto vs two principall thinges full of confidence and godly boldnes The first that when persecution is risen for the word of God we may say We knew that it would so
come to passe Christ is in the ship therefore the sea so rageth the windes trouble vs the waues fall vpon vs as though they would drowne vs. But let them rage and be furious as much as they may it is certaine the sea and the windes doe obey Christ which is the other principall thinge which this text offereth Persecution shall extend no farther nor rage any lenger then he will and albeit the waues doe euen ouerwhelme vs yet must they be obedient at his becke He is Lorde ouer all wherefore nothing shall hurt vs he onely endue vs with his grace that we be not ouercome by vnbeliefe and so despeire Amen Whereas the men merueiled and praysed the Lorde as vnto whom the sea and windes doe obey The Gospel is more spread abroad and faith increased by persecution it signifieth that the Gospell and word of God is so farre from being extinguished by persecution that thereby it is spread farther abroad and faith also is increased and becommeth stronger Wherein it appeareth howe diuers the nature of this diuine good thinge is from the good thinges of the world which decay by calamitie and misfortune and are increased by prosperitie and fortunate affayres But the kingdom of Christ is increased and strengthened by tribulation and aduersitie but is diminished and weakned by peace and tranquillitie Whereupon Paule sayth 2. Cor. 12 The Lordes power is made perfect through weakenes which God performe in vs also Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS ENTREATED OF THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN 2. Cor. 6. Verse 1. SO we therefore as workes togither beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine 2. For he sayth I haue heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee beholde nowe the accepted time behold now the day of saluation 3. Let vs giue no occasion of offēce in any thing that our ministerie be not reprehended 4. But in all things let vs behaue our felues as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses 5. In stripes in prisons in tumults in labours 6. In watchings in fastings in puritie in knowledge in long suffering in kindnes in the holy spirit in loue vnfeyned 7. In the word of truth in the power of God by the armour of righteousnes on the right hand and on the left 8. By honour and dishonour by euill report and good report as deceiuers and yet true 9. As vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold we liue as chastened yet not killed 10. As sorrowing yet alway reioicing as poore and yet make many rich as hauing nothing yet possessing all things THis is an admonition and exhortation to the Corinthians to apply them selues to those thinges which they did already knowe The wordes surely are easie to be vnderstood but hard to be done and in vse most rare For in such merueilous order and colours he painteth out Christian life as it can not be pleasaunt to the flesh to behold First he sayth The Ministers of the word workers togither with God As workers togither we beseech you He calleth the Ministers of the word togither workers as 1. Cor. 3. he also sayth VVe togither are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandrie and Gods building Which is thus much in effect We preach and labour in the worde among you by teaching exhorting but God inwardly with his spirit doth blesse and giue the encrease lest that the outward labour in the word be in vaine And so God is the inward and true Maister which bringeth to passe all thinges whom we serue in the office of outward preaching Now he calleth him selfe his fellowes such togither workers lest they should contemne the outward word as though they either had not neede of it or had already sufficiētly attayned to the knowledge therof For although God can alone by his spirit without the outward word worke all things in the mindes of the elect yet he will not doe it but rather will vse togither working preachers worke by their word when where it pleaseth him Forasmuch therfore as it seemeth good vnto God to giue to Preachers this office name dignitie that they be counted workers togither with him it is not lawfull for any man to chalenge either that learning or holines vnto him self that he neglect euen neuer so simple a sermon wherein the word of God is preached much lesse that he contemne it for we know not when that time will come when God by his Preacher will vouchsafe to accomplish his worke in vs. The preaching of the Gospel doth not long cōtinue in one place sincere vncorrupt Secondly the Apostle admonisheth of the daunger of losing the light of the Gospel when he sayth that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine Wherby he giueth vs to vnderstand that the preaching of the Gospel is not a perpetual continuing permanent doctrine but rather that it is like raine that sodainly commeth soone passeth away when as the Sunne and heat come by and by and take away al the moisture that is left thereof and afterward scorch and hurt thinges neuertheles This very experience proueth for no man shall be able to bringe forth euen one place in the world where the Gospell hath remained pure and sincere aboue the age of one man but continued and increased while those liued by whose ministerie it began they departing hence that also almost wholy departed and by and by after followed heretikes and false teachers with their delusions and false doctrine peruerting and corrupting all thinges So Moses foretold his Israelites that by and by after his death it should come to passe that they should depart from the way of the Lorde and corrupt their owne wayes which the booke of Iudges witnesseth to haue come to passe Moreouer the same booke sayth that as often as any iudge which had called againe the word of the Lord did die they fell againe forthwith to their vngodlines made all things worse and worse So Ioas the king continued in his dutie so long as Iehoiada the Priest liued who being dead he began by and by to be a King vnlike him selfe Act. 20 29. left the office of a good and godly King Neither fell it out otherwise after Christ had receiued his Apostles to him selfe almost the whole world was filled with heresies and false doctrine Which Paul pronounced before I know this saythes that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in among you ▪ not sparing the flocke c. So standeth the case at this day also the pure and sincere Gospel hath shined vnto vs the day of grace and saluation and the acceptable time are present but they shall shortly be ended if the world stand Moreouer to receiue grace in vaine can be nothing els What it is to receiue the grace of God in vaine then to heare the
them of my self forasmuch then as they are Gods I will commit them vnto him he shal best preserue them For euen otherwise I must leaue them wherfore I will refuse to suffer no perill and to leaue whatsoeuer I haue for his sake if the case so require If he will haue me so to doe he can giue me other thinges for he hath promised that he will giue sufficient to them that beleeue both here and in the time to come If he will not haue me to liue here I owe death vnto him when he shall require me I will be ready for his wordes sake He that shall not doe thus denieth God and is notwithstanding compelled to lose both this fraile life and eternall life The stinking belly which we make our god is the cause Immoderate care for the belly the cause of diffidence and distrust of Gods care prouidence that we doe not cleaue to the word of God for I will first be certaine howe I may feede my selfe and where my goods be The Gospell sayth Trust in God but I prouide for my belly and if I haue one noble in gold I thinke I haue sufficient to sustaine nourish me for ten daies trusting vnto that which I haue layd vp I trust not in God that as he hath hitherto fedde me so he will nourish me still Is not this a detestable thinge that I trust to one peece of coyne onely whereby I looke to haue my foode and sustenance to morrow Fy what a cursed thing is such care for the belly Shall a vile peece of coyne be more esteemed of me then God him selfe in whose power are heauen and earth who giueth vnto vs ayer and water maketh graine to growe vnto vs and sendeth all thinges necessary It is more detestable then that it can be expressed by the voice of man that God is not esteemed of vs so much as a litle money Why doost thou not thinke God who hath made me will well nourish me if he will haue me liue If he will not well then shall I haue no neede But sayth the belly I finde no god in my chest Thou foolish asse who can assure thee that thou shalt liue till tomorrow It is vncertaine whether thou shalt keepe thy belly till to morrow and desirest thou to know where foode and sustenance is If this did pearse our hart we should see how deuilish a thing incredulitie is Is it not a horrible thing that I doe not make so greate account of God who feedeth so many mouthes as to trust in him that he will nourish me yea that I do make more account of one noble in golde then of God him selfe who poureth forth his good things so aboundantly The world is full of the blessings and workes of God he is on euery side with his good thinges notwithstanding we doe not yet commit our selues to him or receiue his visitatiō O cursed world which can not trust to God euen one day and yet trusteth to a peece of gold Thus we see as I thinke of what sort the world is how it despiseth God for the bellies sake which notwithstanding it is compelled to lose O how great contemners of saluation are we we ought rather to detest the world but we are too deepely drowned in olde Adam The world is as it were a figure of hell yea a very deuilish kingdom an entrance to hell Wherefore Christ with weeping eyes exhorteth vs to knowe our saluation and to receiue his visitation lest that a plague scourge follow which vndoutedly shall come vpon them which thinking them selues in safetie doe not beleeue and trust in God God giue vs his grace whereby we may knowe him It followeth moreouer in the text He went also into the temple and beganne to cast out them that soulde therein and them that bought saying vnto them it is written Mine house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a denne of theeues This is the second part of this text wherein is declared how the Lord going into the temple beginneth to driue out the byers and sellers therein The former part was nothing else but an exhortation and inuiting to faith but here the Lorde insinuateth what the temple of God is and bringeth a place out of the Scripture hereunto appertaining namely out of Esai Esai 56.7 where he sayth Myne house shall be called an house of prayer for all people This is a stronge saying whereas the Prophet sayth for all people against the Iewes who trusting vnto that temple at Ierusalē thought that this house made with hand should continue for euer supposing it to be vnpossible that God would either destroy this temple or leaue the citie desolate because the word of God can not lye Wherefore they stoned Steuen for that he spake against that holy citie and affirmed that Iesus woulde destroy it and chaunge the ceremonies giuen of Moses For they sayd The Prophets haue greatly praysed this house and doe you Apostles preache that it shall be destroyed Howbeit this saying is thus to be vnderstood that the citie Ierusalem the Temple and the People should continue vntill the time of Christ whereunto all the Prophets tend which referred all thinges vnto Christ that as he should doe so it should be and so it should continue Wherefore the place of Esai extendeth no farther then to the comming of Christ which all the Prophets also witnes affirming that there should come a kingdom which should extend farre and wide ouer the whole worlde as it is in Malachie Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place incense shall be offered to my name and a pure offering for my name is great among the very Heathen sayth the Lorde of hostes Here the Prophet speaketh of the spirituall kingdom of Christ who would builde vnto him selfe an house of prayer in the whole world It is true that God him selfe did confirme and sanctifie the temple at Ierusalem not because it was furnished with precious stones and goodly buildings or halowed of the Priestes which maner of trifles and dotages we vse at this day but because he had consecrated and halowed it with his worde when he sayd This house is my house The true house of God for his word was preached in it Wheresoeuer the worde of God is preached there is his true house where the worde of God hath his course and proceeding there vndoutedly God dwelleth with his grace where his Gospell is there is the holy house of prayer there prayers both may and ought to be made vnto God God also will heare vs as Christ sayth Ioh. 16 VVhatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you hitherto haue ye asked nothing in my name aske ye shal receiue Contrariwise where the word is not there is Satan wholy Now whereas we imitating the Iewes haue builded
did Iesus againe after he was come out of Iudea into Galile AN excellent example of faith is set forth in this text of what sort it is of what nature and qualitie namely that it is not a resting or idle thinge but liuely and voyd of idlenes A true fayth is not idle but increaseth more and more which goeth not backe but proceedeth on and still more and more increaseth Which if it be not done it is no faith but onely a dead opinion of God in the heart For a true and syncere faith which the holy Ghost poureth into the heart can not be idle which I say for this cause that no man be therefore secure albeit he hath obtained faith neither that he stay there It is nothing to beginne vnlesse we increase by continual going forward and come to greater knowledge of God For on the contrarie side it is the nature and qualitie of our aduersarie Satan not to be idle as S. Peter sayth Satan sleepeth not but goeth about as a roring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure If so be that the Deuell is neither idle neither sleepe commeth vpon him neither shall it be meete for a Christian to be idle or put his handes in his bosom forasmuch as he hath the Deuell his enemie who is stronger then himselfe for he is called the prince of the world as it is mentioned in the Epistle appointed to be read in the Church on this day Ephes 6.12 VVe wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the worldly gouernours the princes of the darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in hie places This prince gouerneth the world furiously and fiercely rageth and can not suffer the prosperous succes of a Christian Neither is it for his profit to be suffered of him for an entrie being made hereby his kingdome is burst into and his net torne in peeces out of which as much as he is able he suffereth no Christian to escape Moreouer when the fire of faith is kindled and the flame fostered and Satan trieth and marketh that by and by he practizeth deceit against it for he knoweth how much hinderaunce his kingdome shall take thereby wherefore as earnestly as he can euen with all his power he defendeth his kingdome laboureth to keepe all in obedience to him True Christians are not free from tētatiō for the deuel bēdeth his force especially against them Wherefore it is most certaine that when a Christian hath begon to beleeue by and by tentation and persecution will assaile him Which if it come not to passe it is a signe that his faith is not yet sound and that he hath not as yet truly receiued the Gospell For wicked Satan hath a verie sharpe sight he by and by spieth out where is a true Christian wherefore he applieth himselfe wholy vnto this that he may enforce him to fall and may besiege him and assaile him on euerie side for he can not suffer that any should reuolt from his kingdome It is perilous therefore for a man to beleeue for the Deuill is ready that he may set vpon him and ouerthrowe him which sometime chaunceth euen to verie holy men which vnderstand the word of God well The Saincts of God doe sometimes fall euē grieuously when they stand vpright and thinke themselues safe that priuie wicked fende commeth vpon them by litle and litle and wrastleth with them so longe till he ouerthrow them and cast them to the earth Set before thine eyes Moses and Aaron who were guides of the Iewes they had an excellent fayth when they brought the people out of Egypt and all the people in fayth passed through the redde sea death the wide wildernes and many other meruelous thinges whereby they shewed their fayth but at the last they fall grieuously they feare that they shall perish with hunger Is it not a thinge most miserable that by so great signes they shew their faith they goe into death and through death wrastle with it and ouercome it and yet while they thinke them selues surest they fal and suffer themselues to be ouercome of the belly murmure against God and are so grieuously tempted that they fall all togither Wherefore it is not certaine and sure if one begin to beleue and doth not alwayes more and more increase in faith Yea that godly man Moses who had so great and so strong a faith did fall also when as he should bring water out of the rocke with a staffe he douted and talked thus to the people Come let vs see whether we can bring water out of the rocke That good Moses which had shewed so many and so great signes falleth into reason and carnall vnderstanding fearing lest the incredulitie of the people would hinder so great a miracle signe But it had behoued him to cleaue fast to the word of God and to thinke it higher greater stronger and mightier then the vnbeleefe of the people that great man was tempted he stumbled and was ouerthrowne We haue like examples in the newe Testament Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fall Peter was hardie and firme in faith when he beheld Christ vpon the water he sayd vnto him with a strong faith Lord suffer me to come vnto thee committing him selfe to the water euen as to the ship he thought assuredly that the water would beare him Then was there an excellent faith in Peter and great courage which durst commit him selfe wholy vnto death in the middest of the sea reposing his hope freely boldly in Christ But when he thought him self most safe a storme and tempest ariseth he forgetting the word suffereth his faith to faile and he him selfe also falleth suffering Satan to plucke faith out of his hart Faith truely is a subtill and delicate thing a small thing maketh vs to stumble and fall Satan is alwaies watchfull and circumspect and doth by by obtaine his purpose if we doe not diligently watch How earnestly did the common people followe Christ they thought that he was a Prophet and did so cleaue vnto him and so defend him that the Princes of the people were made astonied neither durst they so much as lay hand on him But when they apprehend him proceede against him fasten him to the crosse the people forsake him all that they may and come no more at him A Prophet is present and no man any more assisteth him but they rather crie out against him crucifie him crucifie him and that which is most detestable of all his owne Disciples reuolt from him What is become now both of their faith and holines So is it at this day in our time at the first when the Gospell began to shine the preaching thereof was acceptable and pleasant then many seemed willing to embrace it but when Munkes sacrificing Priests Nunnes c. began to be spoken against and the Masse to be confuted all a meruelous
me That is ye beleeue that God loueth you and will glorifie you beleeue that he will do it after that sort that ye see me glorified and beleeue that this my death is life to the glorifying both of me and of my whole body that is of all Christians and that this death satisfieth for the synnes of the world as the Apostles afterward witnessed of him in their writinges 1. Iohn 2.2 Thus Iohn sayth Christ is the reconciliation for our synnes and not for ours onely but also for the synnes of the whole worlde Wherefore thou seest that Christ here will haue heartes confirmed by faith and by no other outward thinge He sayth moreouer In my Fathers house are many dwelling places These dwelling places haue bin prepared from euerlasting neither is there any neede that they should be prepared of him Why therefore doth he say I go to prepare a place for you This is nothinge els but that he goeth and is made Lord of all whereby he may prepare vs vnto such dwelling places For as long as we are not prepared neither are the dwelling places prepared for vs although they be ready by themselues Wherefore Christ meaneth thus much There are dwelling places but not yet prepared rightly and as they must be Howbeit then shal they be rightly prepared and appointed whē as I haue taken away the kingdome of death by my death and am now gone to reigne and that by the holy Ghost which by fayth shall prepare and wholy make ready you also vnto such dwelling places So that this is the simple and plaine meaning of these wordes There are dwelling places to wit where the Father glorifieth but those dwelling places are not yet prepared for that the kingdome of death is not yet taken away This Christ signifieth when he sayth If it were not so I would haue told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also In these wordes the Lord declareth how these dwelling places be prepared namely by the death of Christ as it is sayde by which he came vnto glorie and ruleth ouer all thinges which are in heauen and earth By which death he hath obtayned the holy Ghost for vs which as is before sayde may prepare vs vnto these dwelling places For through his operation and working in vs he maketh vs beleeue the Gospell by which beleeuing or faith we are prepared Which could not be done if Christ should not depart and dye and so possesse a kingdome ouer all This therefore is the summe of this text They are foreseene whome the Father will glorifie but they can not be glorified but by Christ who vnles he take away death and sinne all shall be in vaine Here thou seest that all tend vnto this that Christ is he which prepareth the dwelling places and that we can not be glorified but by Christ so that the whole drift of this text is that we are not iustified by mans strength nor by our owne merits but by Christ which the whole Epistle to the Romanes effectually declareth as also that which is written to the Galathians almost all that Paule doth in his Epistles tendeth to the same ende It followeth moreouer And whither I goe ye knowe and the way ye knowe For ye beleeue in me and haue shewed signes in my name whereby ye ought nowe to be certaine who I am and what I doe and wherefore I am come Ye haue also seene and heard the testimonie of the Father of me Wherefore ye may nowe knowe that the Father will glorifie me and beleeue that I and the Father are one it shoulde be therefore superfluous to speake more of these thinges But the Disciples albeit they were well instructed of the Lorde him selfe and had seene his miracles yea and they them selues also had preached the Gospell and wrought miracles were notwithstanding as yet somewhat grosse in vnderstanding neither did they perceiue whereof he here spake and what was that way and whither the Lorde did prepare to depart Wherefore Thomas bursteth forth into open wordes and confesseth freely that he is ignorant hereof and sayth thus vnto the Lord Lord we knowe not whither thou goest hovve can we then knovve the vvay Here ye heare and see that albeit there was faith in the Disciples notwithstanding they were not as yet persuaded that Christ shoulde be crucified and by his death shoulde enter into his kingdome and that the same kingdom should be spirituall which they did not vnderstand euen after the resurrection of the Lord Act. 1.6 Lorde say they wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israell Those good men were as yet persuaded that it should be a carnall worldly kingdom Such grosse things may here and there be found in the Gospels by meanes whereof the Disciples did sometime notably stumble and erre Comfort for them that be weake in faith and sometime through infirmitie fall All which were committed to writing for our comfort confirmation that we should not be by and by discouraged when we haue sometime stumbled in faith and can not at the first apply our selues to the workes and word of the Lorde If this happened to these great mē which afterward shoulde become pillers of Christianitie there is no cause truely that any should meruell if we also sometime faint in faith yea and let no man be afrayd although it falleth out that sometime through infirmitie he so doe It is the worke and matter of the Lorde he will amend these thinges when it seemeth good vnto him Now of the wordes we mind to entreate somewhat at large Not much before when Christ would confirme his Disciples in faith he promised them that they should be glorified Here he addeth and declareth how and by what meanes they must be glorified affirming that that must be by his departure that is by his death that by that meane he must obtaine his kingdome This he had often repeated vnto them so that now it did become them to know and vnderstand it Therefore he sayth VVhither I goe ye know and the way ye knowe but they did not yet throughly vnderstand it as the wordes of Thomas doe declare Now it is certaine that there was faith in the Disciples which the wordes of Peter proue who aunswered Christ in steede of the rest when he asked them whether they also would goe away Peter sayd Maister to whom shall we goe Ioh. 6.68 Thou hast the wordes of eternall life and we beleeue and knowe that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God This appeareth also by the wordes of the Lord which he had sayd to them a litle before at his supper Ye are cleane which he would not haue sayd if they had not beleued they knewe Christ therefore that he is the way to the Father So they knew the Father