peâ—uishnesse is a daungerous plague when wee will needes haue the custome of any one Churche too bee receiued for an vniuersall Lawe And that proceedeth of an vnaduised zele when wee bee so affectioned to some maister or place that without any iudgement we will bind all men to that one mannes minde or all places too the ordinances of that onely onâ—â—place as to a common rule Soothly there is alwaies ambition mingled â–ª with that maner of dealing or to speake more rightly suche ouer great waywardnesse is alwaies full of vainglorie But too returne too these false Apostles if their foolish fondnesse had led them no further than onely to assay too bring in the vse of the Ceremonies euery where which they had seene kept at Ierusalem they had done ill inough already For there was no reason why they should of a custome make by and by a common rule But there was yet a further mischief namely their wicked and harmefull doctrine whereby they ment too bind mennes consciences and to ground rightuousnesse in the keeping of Ceremonies Nowe wee vnderstand why S. Paule speaketh so earnestly in defence of his Apostleship and wherefore he setteth himself against the other Apostles He pursueth that matter till towardes the latter end of the second chapter where he openeth a gap to treate of his peculiar matter that is to wit that wee be iustified freely before God and not by the workes of the Lawe For the reason wherevpon he groundeth himself is this If the Ceremonies bee not able too iustifie a man then is not the keeping of them necessarie Howbeeit he treateth not only of Ceremonies but of workes in generall for otherwise it were but a very colde discourse If any man thinke that this is a drawing aloofe from the matter Let him consider twoo things First that the question coulde not otherwise bee resolued than by taking that generall principle that we be iustified freely by the only grace of God which principle excludeth not onely Ceremonies but also all other woorkes And secondly that S. Paule stoode not so much vpon the Ceremonies themselues as vpon the wicked opinion that folowed them that is too wit of purchacing saluation by woorkes Therefore let vs marke that the holy Apostle dealeth not impertineÌ„tly in beginning his matter so farre off but that it stoode him on hand too touche the welspring of the whole matter to the end that the readers might vnderstand that the thing whiche he dealeth with heere is no trifle but of most importance aboue all others too wit by what meane wee obteyne saluation They then doo mistake their marke which imagine that the Apostle standeth vpon the particular point of Ceremonies for that could not be well delt with alone by it self VVee haue a like example in the fifth of the Actes There fell a contention and debate about Ceremonies too wit whither â–ª they were needefull to bee kept or no. For the resoluing of this question the Apostles set downe the vntolerablenesse of the yoke of the Lawe and the free forgiuing of sinnes To what purpose doo they that For it seemeth too be an impertinent digression and that they leape out of the propounded matter without reason But it is not so For the particular errour could not be liuely disproued but by taking a generall proposition As for example if it behoued mee too reason in defence of the eating of flesh I should not onely make mention of meates but I should also arme my self with the generall doctrine and shew whither mennes traditions ought to binde mennes consciences and by and by I would take this ground That there is but one Lawegiuer which hath power too saue and too destroy To bee short S. Paule conueyeth his argument heere from the generall to the particular negatiuely which is a very ordinarie maner of reasoning most agreeable to nature that can bee Furthermore if we go to the bodie of the Epistle woe shall see by what textes and reasons he proueth this sentence that we be iustified by the onely grace of Christ This matter he handleth too the end of the third Chapter In the beginning of the fourth he treateth of the right vse of Ceremonies and wherfore they were ordeyned and there he sheweth also that they be abolished For it behoued him too preuent this absurditie which would haue run by by in euery mans head To what purpose then were the Ceremonies ordeyned VVere they vtterly needelesse did the fathers lose their labour in keeping them Hee dispatcheth both the one and the other in fewe woordes saying that they were not superfluous in their time but that they be now abolished by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ bicause he is the very truth and ende of them And therefore he sheweth that we must rest vpon him Also in that place he sheweth wherein our state differeth from the state of the fathers VVherevpon it followeth that the doctrine of the false Apostles is lewde and daungerous bicause it darkeneth the brightnesse of the Gospell with the old for worne shadowes He intermedleth certaine exhortations with his doctrine too moue mennes affections and towardes the end of the Chapter he beautifieth his discourse with a goodly Allegorie In the fifth Chapter he exhorteth them too keepe the freedome purchaced by the bloud of Iesus Christ too the ende they should not yeeld their consciences in bondage too mennes traditions Neuerthelesse he therewithall admonisheth them also wherein that freedome consisteth and which is the true and right vse of it And too the same ende he sheweth whiche bee the true exercises of christenfolke too the intent they should not lose their time in musing vppon Ceremonies and in the meane while leaue the chiefe things vndone FINIS ¶ A necessarie Table to this present worke gathered by order of the Alphabet where note that the first number signifyeth the Page the seconde the Line and the letter a signifieth the first side the letter b the secoâ—d side of the leafe A. ¶ Abraham ABrahams house a figure and Image of the Churche 215. a. 30. b. 216. a. b. Of vvhat valew Abrahams vertewes vvere before God 129. a. 11. Abrahams mariage with Agar was whordome 215. b. 1. A discription of the true children of Abraham 123. a. 12. b. 124. a. b. 126. a. 22. b. ¶ Abuse All abuses as well small as great are to be remooued vtterly out of the Chuche 76. b. 24. 77. a. The bringing in of Abuses and other Superstitions into Baptim and into the Lordes Supper by the Papistes and the cause therof 181. a. 2. 182. b. 19. Of bearing wyth Aubses 153. b. 10. and Looke more in Beare and Flatter ¶ Adde VVee must neyther Adde any thing too Gods vvorde and ordinaunces nor take any thing from them 248. b. 6. 149. aâ— â–ª b. 150. a. b. 151. a. b. 152. a. b. They that Adde too Gods vvoorde accuse him couertly eyther of vnaduizednesse or of
know 20. a 13 29. a 11. b 116. a 14. b. The full and perfect sufficiencie of the Gospell in all thinges 34. a 20. b The benefites that spring of the Gospell 23. a 27. Nothing is to be mingled or added to the Gospell 11â— a b 29. 117. a All thinges and all persons must stoupe to Christ and his Gospell 64. a 29. b 65. a b 67. b 1. and 68. b 28. and 69. a and 74. a 8. and 75. 33. To swarue neuer so little from the Gospel is the high way to distruction 122. b 22 VVhat is ment by another Gospell 28. b 22 To what ende the Gospell is Preached 96. a 21. b 113. a 5. 117. b 25. 118 a b. After what maner the Gospell killeth 100 a 1. b VVhy the Diuell laboreth by all meanes to hinder the Gospell 55. a 18. b Looke more in VVorde ¶ Gouernement No new Gouernement must be brought into the Church vnder preâ—eÌ„ce of mens rawnesse 180. b 1. and 181. a b The Gouernment of the church must depend only vpon God his word 68. b â—8 and 69. a and 180. b 1. and 181. a b. ¶ Grace VVhat the worde Grace signifieth 10. a 16 The two cheefe Graces or benefites which we receaue by IESVS Christ 99. a. 26. b. Gods Grace is not tyed to place nor to person 217. b 25. 218. a b 219. a b. No man can of himselfe come vnto God or receiue his Grace when it is offered 195. a 3 b and 196. a By what meanes God geueth vs his Grace and how we may atteyne it 237. b. 8. and 238. a. After what maner and with what minds we ought to receyue Gods Grace 328. a 23. b. By what meanes wee may be made partakers of all Gods Graces 321. b 26. and 322. a b The Popishe degrees of Grace 108. b 34. and 109. a Of reiecting Gods Grace 107. a 28. b ¶ Greffe How wee be Greffed into Iesus Christ 173 a 26. ¶ Growe Men must Grow in Christ by degrees 119. a 12. H ¶ Halting THe remedie of shrinking Halting in religion 321. b 26. 322. a b and 323. a b and 324. a b. ¶ Hande VVhat is ment by the word Hande 159. b 29. and 160. a ¶ Happinesse The Happinesse of Christians must not be esteemed by their outward state in this world 103. a 17 b 104. a b 105. a b. Our chiefe Happines by what meanes we atteine thereto 170. b 13. 171. a b and 172. a b and 173. a b and 174. a b 175. a b and 176 a b ¶ Hatred The cause of Hatred 261. a 19. Of Hatred and discorde the inconueniences thereof 260. b 27. and 261. a b The right cause why we should cease from Hatred 261. a 27. a b ¶ Heire Heritage VVhat is ment by the word Heritage or inheritance 153. a 28. b Only Christ is the Heire of all thinges and the onely stay for fayth too rest vppon 154 a 31. b How we inioy our inheritaÌ„ce with Christ 191. b 4. ¶ Hell Of Christes going downe into Hell 104 b 18. and 106. a 17. and 141. a 13. ¶ Helpe Euerie man hath neede of others helpe 310. a 23. b ¶ Hypocrisie An Image of Hypocrisie 241. a 36. b. ¶ Holinesse VVhat is ment by Holines 268. a 5. The Holines of Rome 218. b 7. 219. a The Holines of Papistes 273. a 13. and 274. a 29. b and 278. a 7. The full perfection of all Holines is conteyned in the law 134. b 28. Looke more in Deuotion Righteousnesse Fayth and workes and vertues ¶ Holidaye Of the keeping of feastes and Holidayes 197. b 19. and 198. a b ¶ Holy water VVhat Holy water is 63. a 6. ¶ Honor and Honoring In what thinges the true Honoring of God and of Christ consisteth 35. b 15. 36. a b 45 b 22 46. a. b. There is no Honoring of God without obedience to his word 45. b 22. and 46. a How we ought to be minded when wee heare Gods Honor defaced by anye meanes 226. b 35. 227. a b. The blindnesse and weetchednesse of the Papists in honoring the Apostles Maâ—â—irs and saints deceassed 45. b. 1 The greatest honor that can bee too man 120 b 26 Looke more in Serue and Seruis Authoritie Credit Reuerence ¶ Hope Christian Hope 189. a 29. b ¶ Humilitie True Humilitie and the meane to atteine therto 80 b 17. 291 a 11. 292. a 16 b 203. a b 296. b 31. 297. a b 298 a VVhereto Humilitie serueth 103. a 8. VVe can neuer come vnto Christ till wee be vtterly abaced and confounded in our selues 38. a 23. b. ¶ Hireling VVho be Hirelinges and how they be to be eschewed 314. b 15. 315. a b 316. a b 317. a b. I ¶ Idolatrie VHence Idolatry springeth 193. a 25. b ¶ Iewes The prerogatiue of the Iewes aboue the Gentiles and whereto it serueth 86. b 6. and 87. a b ¶ Images VVhich bee the true Images pictures or paintinges that lead vs to God 113. b 35. and 114. a b ¶ Indifferent Indifferent things may and ought to be vsed diuersly as oportunitie serueth 63. b 2. 64. a 318. b 23. 319. a Of admitting of Cerimonies and matters Indifferent into the Church 3. a b. To whom in what cases men must not yeld in things IndiffereÌ„t 63. b 27. 64. a Satans wylinesse in setting the Church at debate about small triffles and matters of Indifferencie 3. a 27. The Interim 61. a 27. ¶ Ioy Of christen Ioy or gladnes 276. b 10. ¶ Isaac How Isaac was persecuted by Ismaell 226. b. 18. 227. a VVhy Isaac is sayd too bee borne by promise and not of the fleshe 215. b. 18 â–ª ¶ Israelites VVho be the true Israelites or people of God 327. b. 11. VVho be Gods people after the opinion of the Papistes 327. b. 29. 328. a ¶ Iustice The orderly proceeding of Gods Iustice 297. b. 12. 298. a ¶ Iustifye and Iustification VVhat is ment by the worde Iustifie and why the Scripture vseth it 89. a. 17. b. 127. b. 25. 129. a God hath double respect in Iustifying of vs 128. b. 31. 129. a. No man can be Iustifyed by the lawe 86. b. 5. 87. a. b. 91. a. 7. b. 92. 93. 94. 95. 135. a. b. 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. a. 144. b. 16. 154. b. 14. 155. a. b. 156 157. 158. 159. a. b Looke more in Law and in workes VVhat is ment by being Iustifyed by faith 125. a. 2. 128. b. 1. 129. b. 9. 138. a 34. b. Of free Iustifycation by fayth without workes 81. a. 9 â–ª b. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94.
so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 11. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the second Chapter 14 But vvhen I savve that they vvalked not rightly after the truth of the Gospell I sayde too Peter afore them all if thou beyng a Ievv liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as the Ievves vvhy compellest thou the Gentiles to play the Ievves 15 VVee bee Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16 And yet for asmuch as vvee knovve that a man is not iustified by the vvoorkes of the Lavve but by beleefe in Iesus Christ vve also haue beleeued in Iesus Christe that vvee might bee iustified by the fayth of Iesus Christ and not by the vvorkes of the Lavve for no flesh shall bee iustified by the vvorkes of the Lavve IT hath alwayes bin a cōmon saying that looke what Law a man layeth vpon others he ought too keepe the same himselfe For it is nother right nor reason that a man should go scotfree himself and lay the burthen vpon other folkes shoulders And for that cause doth our Lorde Iesus Christ vpbrayd the Scribes and Pharisies that they passed not to lay heauy burthens vpon the poore people in the meane while tooke leaue to do what they listed themselues And commonly it falleth out through hipocrisie that he which is rough extreme in all rigour towards his neybours would haue other men to forbeare him and to dispence with him But if wee will needes presse our neighbours to do their duetie the true naturall order requireth that euery of vs should first begin at himself Ye see then how it is a most manifest hipocrisie when a mā will not a whit beare with his neibours but chalēgeth their dutie to the vttermost in the meane while offendeth grosly himself will not suffer any correctiō Yea somtimes also it falleth out that we would play the good fellowes at other mens cost Euen so fell it out heere in S. Peter For his inforcing of the Gentyles to keepe the Ceremoniall lawe came not of the foresayde hypocrisie of taking leaue too doo what he listed and of desiring too go quite and cleere before God for his constreyning of other menne too such a poynt but of dubblenesse for that hee was too desirouse too pleasure his owne countrymen He had already taken leaue too liue after the maner of the Gentyles that is to say too giue ouer the vsing of the Ceremonies of the Lawe For as I haue earst touched S. Paule speaketh not heere of the vnbeleeuers nor of the despyzers of God but of those Gentyles that had bin conuerted too the knowledge of the Gospell and were desirous to serue God yea euen without the old Ceremonies Now S. Peter had fashioned himself to their common trade and yet notwithstanding he was a Iewe and therfore he did the Gentyles too much wrong to put a streyter brydle vpon them than he receyued to himself as I sayd afore He did it not in respect of himselfe but playde on both handes as they doo whiche would feyne keepe fauour with all parties and are loth too mislike any man So wee see there was rightfull reason to rebuke him and too shame him before all the Church Now remayneth that he acknowledged his faulte by which example wee muste learne mildenesse That is to say for asmuch as there is none of vs all but he may step awry as they that haue not such perfect wisedome but that we may fall euen into grosse faultes and although we perceyue it not yet now and then we happen to swarue through infirmitie at leastwyze let vs not ieere at it when we be reformed as many proude stubborne folke do who eyther spew out their poyson or else rancle inwardly in their hartes when they bee rebuked Let vs learne first of all by S. Peters example that there is none of vs all so farre foreward in holinesse wisedome and vertue which may not ouershoote himself And therfore let vs patiently heare what is tolde vs that wee may fare the better by it and let vs not bee ashamed too caste downe our heades when we see our selues iustly accuzed and condemned Thus yee see what we haue to remember vppon the first part of this Text. Truely we haue seene already this mornyng how S. Peter had this honorable title to be called a chiefe piller in Gods Churche and in the spirituall Temple that was too bee buylded He was honored he and his fellowes had receyued the holy Ghost and although he had stumbled once afore yet had Iesus Christe set him vp againe and wiped away the remembrance of that fall in saying to him feede my Sheepe haue a care of my Lambes And yet for all this he walketh not the right way but steppeth aside VVherefore it behoueth vs too bee so much the warer that noman deceyue vs as though wee had profited so well in Gods schoole that wee were no more in daunger of doyng amisse Let vs beware of suche ouerweening and keepe continuall watch that wee bee not misledde by the wyles and traynes of Satan yea let it bee a suspicious matter with vs too desire too please men seyng that S. Peter fell intoo that extremitie True it is that his meening was too the contrarie and that his intent was too imploy himself wholly too the glorifying of Gods name He had stoutly withstoode it when he was forbidden too preache any more in the name of Iesus Christ It was the voyce of an Angelicall stoutnesse when he answered God must be obeyed and not men For he sawe there the rulers of his countrie he sawe them assembled with their pompe and there was the statelinesse of Magistrates which had bin able too amaze a poore man of no credite as he and his fellow Iohn were But not withstanding his stout answering that he woulde obey God maugre all those that pretended too haue preheminence ouer him yet he was deceyued in this cace whereof mention is made heere Therefore whensoeuer men doo the thing that may thrust vs out of the way and wee haue some fayre cloke so as it shall seeme too vs that wee doo not amisse too please them Let vs bethinke vs of this example that is set vs down heere and which is tolde vs too make vs euery of vs looke aboute him what his calling will beare and what God commaundeth without casting of our eye aside too purchace fauour in the worlde Let vs shet our eyes agaynst all that is about vs and looke onely at this marke that wee must in all caces and all respectes fashion our selues too the will of God And when wee shall haue looked rightfoorth too Gods ordinances and asked counsell at his mouth and prayed him too guyde and gouerne vs by his holy spirite and finally well considered the boundes of our vocation so as wee attempt not any thing otherwise than becommeth vs then shall wee bee able too
themselues froÌ„ al corruptions of the flesh and on the other side be led to our Lord Iesus Christ to repose their trust in him to rest wholly there So then as touching those that would haue the ceremonies of the Law kept as if it were of necessitie that meÌ„ should be precisely bound to theÌ„ vpon paine of deadly sinne as they terme it it is certayne that their meening was to set vp a seruis of God contrarie too his will and meening and that they were as good as Cousiners for why they peruerted the naturall meening of the Law Marke that for one schoole poynt Another is that they taught men to set vp their bristles to glory in theÌ„selues that was an abolishing of Gods glory for we caÌ„not chaleÌ„dge aught be it neuer so little to ourselues but we rob and rende away that which belongeth vnto him Ye see then how it is a diuelish trayterousnesse when men presume vpon their owne power as though they had any sparke of righteousnesse in themselues And besydes that it is an entering into the gulfe of hell when we weene to get saluation by our owne workes For we renounce the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste where we should seeke all our righteousnesse Agayne the Diuell maketh vs to beleeue wonders â–ª howbeit it is but to make vs to fall into destruction VVherefore let vs marke well that S. Paule treateth heere of the manner of iustification before God that is to say of the meane whereby we bee brought into his fauour bycause it is the principall poynt whiche we ought to learne and without that all the religion or deuotion that can be named is but smoke and leazings And it is not for naught that Sainct Paule entereth into that question For manye men make this allegation â–ª How now The cace concerned the Ceremonies of the law and why then doth Sainct Paule as ye would saye fling himselfe ouerthwart the feelds VVhy speaketh hee of righteousnesse of mans saluation of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and fynally of all the whole lawe Nowe on the one part it behoued hym too deale wyth all those thynges â–ª as for example when we in these dayes teache that men must not keepe the superstitions of the Papists nor any of the thyngs that haue bin so deuised by the witte of man wee shall not only debate whither fleshe may be eaten vppon frydayes or whyther suche a wake vigil or Sainctes euen bee too be kept or whyther thys thyng or that thing be to be done but we shall treate generally whither it bee lawfull for a mortall man to make lawes to bring mennes consciences into tyrannicall bondage For God hathe reserued to himselfe alone the authoritie and prerogatiue to be called the lawmaker to the intent that no man should vsurp any such preheminence in the Church Then seeing that the spirituall gouernement of our soules ought to be taken out of Gods pure word we may coÌ„clude that nother Pope nor any other man of what calling soeuer he be hath power to burthen vs with any lawes or ought to attempt any thing that is against the doctrine whiche we haue of God Then may we well enter into that generall discourse and that is bycause the reason of them is alike in all points If we should dispute onely about the eating of fish or flesh it would be but a fond disputation For euery man must eate according as is for his health or as hee can get and therefore such disputation shoulde not concerne the health of mens soules or the matter that were requisite for them to rest their conscience vpon But when we take in hand too shewe that it is not for any liuing creature to aduance himselfe so hygh as to lay lawes vppon mennes necks the other disputation is fully resolued and dispatched Againe when as men say that in babbling paternosters to buy out their sinnes and in gadding on pilgrimage to get there the things which in poperie are tearmed the workes of supererogation that is to saye workes of ouerplus that men do more than God commaundeth them they raunsome theÌ„selues and make him some recompence for the faultes that they haue committed If we speake simply of pilgrimages and go not to the ground and welspring of the matter it will be a cold and sleÌ„der discourse But if we declare how all our satisfaction is in the things that are purchaced for vs by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ and therewithall that God vtterly misliketh all that is of our owne inuention and that he will be serued with obedience then do we lay foorthe the cace as it ought to be and may bring it to a sure and certaine conclusion After that manner did S. Paule For he regarded not only what the Iewes sayd how it behoued them to forbeare the eating of swines flesh and to keepe suche a feast or such a feast and all the residue of the Ceremonies but he marked to what end they said it namely how they went about too shew that the keeping of the law was of necessitie of saluation and that was a yoke of bondage vpon mens consciences that could not be borne Againe he saw how the libertie that was purchaced vs by our Lord Iesus Christ was taken away and that was another point that compelled him to enter into that discourse But the cheefe point that he treateth of heere is that such as would haue had men to keepe the Ceremonies had a secret meening that the same was an acceptable seruis vnto God and of such importance as meÌ„ shuld purchace righteousnesse and soulehealth by it and to be short that it was a meritorious thing But S. Paule sheweth that it is impossible for meÌ„ to purchace righteousnesse before God by their works Now therefore we see for what cause S. Paule treated generally of our iustification when as notwithstaâ—ding hys aduersaries pretended no more but the keeping of the Ceremoniall lawe and the continuing thereof still as before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as men should still offer sacrifise and do the rest of the shadowes and auncient figures And heereby we see also what a follie it is for the Papists to thinke themselues escaped in saying that S. Paule speaketh heere but of the works of the law and not of the morall works True it is that they be not the first founders of that dotage For the Diuell hath always had his ministers to cousin the people But we must not rest vpon the authoritie of men specially of such as haue nother religioÌ„ nor feare of God in them Although that many of the Monkes haue bin reported to be men of greate skill yet notwithstanding they haue bin but fantasticall fellowes and neuer had any tast of the feare of God Euen those that were called the auncient doctors haue peruerted the kindly sense of the holy scripture and were as vtterly bewitched by Satan and yet the wretched
world hath bin so blynde that it could not perceyue it These kinde of men haue expounded this saying that wee bee not iustifyed by the deedes of the law to import that wee bee not iustifyed by the deedes of the law to import that we be not iustifyed by circumcision or by absteyning from any certaine kynds of meates or by keeping such a holyday or such a feast whereas notwithstanding S. Paule treateth of none of all those things He matcheth Gods grace against all our workes and finally sheweth that we cannot bring aught vnto God but that we must be faine to be admitted freely of him That is S. Paules drift And if we should not set the same marke before our eyes surely all the doctrine that is conteined in this Epistle would be but fond matter Furthermore let vs marke that S. Paule doth oftentimes say simply and without addition that wee bee iustified without workes like as in the thirde Chapter too the Romanes he sayth we haue a cleere and sure proofe of our righteousnesse namely that we bee rightuous before God through the remission of our sinnes and not by our workes Hee saythe not there by the workes of the lawe ▪ but he setteth it downe single without addition to the ende that all mouthes should be stopped and all startingholes be takē away ▪ Yet is it not without cause that he speaketh of the workes of the law to bring to nothing all the seruices that men can alledge too bind God withall as though they were able to become righteouse of themselues For as we shall see hereafter although we were as perfect as Angells yet could not that bind God at all if it were not for that he of his owne good will hath made this promis in hys law he that doth these thinges shall liue in them Then if we go about to get fauour at Gods hand for our owne works sakes we must not dispute philosopherlike that God oweth vs any wages or recompence for the seruis that we haue done him for we be his and we cannot bind him by aught that we can do How then may our works be recompenced as though they were auaylable before God Euen bycause he hath promised so to do It is the couenant whiche he hath made with vs in saying he that doth these thynges shal liue in them So then if we could performe the law to the full surely we should be righteous before God and deserue saluation ▪ howbeit not for any worthinesse that should be in our selues but by reason of the couenant that God hath made with vs. For we see that all the desert which can be alledged on mannes behalfe depēdeth wholly vpon the said promis And that is the cause why sainct Paule saith always the works of the law the works of the law For there are none other workes that deserue to be accepted of God and to haue any recompence Therefore let that serue for one point And we shall see heereafter how we be vtterly excluded frō that righteousnesse ▪ bycause we come short of it and that Goddes telling of vs that we shall be saued by keeping of the lawe is all one as if hee had sayde that we be all of vs damned And why For there is not any manne that dischargeth himselfe of it but all of vs are transgressers Ye see then that the lawe can bryng vs nothyng but deathe by reason of our infirmitie But thys shall bee layde foorth more at length in his order ▪ It is ynough for thys tyme that we knowe how Sainct Paules setting downe of thys doctrine is agaynst the Iewes which boasted themselues and were puffed up with pride as though God had bin bounde vnto them for their obseruing of the Ceremonies of the lawe No no saith he it is nothing worth and we shall see the reason of it afterwarde Furthermore S. Paules debating of the case of Ceremonies is bycause these hypocrites which tooke vpon them to match themselues with God and too haue the praise of their saluation themselues did always buzie their heads about small trifles and came not to the cheefe point which is to enter into their owne cōsciences Like as at this day in the Popedome they that do so much preach their owne merites and say that we must purchace Paradice by our owne works and that although we be sinners yet we haue a way to discharge ourselues to Godward by satisfactions what alledge they VVhen those great Rabines go about to set men after that maner vpon the stage to be honored as Idolls and when they haue made their great prefaces of free will of their owne vertues of their satisfactions and of their merites or deseruings what bring they Exhort they men to liue chastly without doing other men wrong or without any couetous desire so as euery of vs shoulde content hymselfe with that he hath be patient in aduersitie beare wrongs and reproches and in all thynges shewe ourselues to bee the Disciples of our Lorde Iesus Christe by forsaking ourselues There is not one word with them of these things But the good workes which they set afore vs are that we must go deuoutely too Masse take holywater before we enter into the Church be crosse ourselues kneele downe before a stocke worship a puppet gad on pilgrimages keepe suche a feastfull daye found a Trentall deale doales for the dead and do this and that So then all these hipocrites which will needes become righteous by their owne workes haue nothing but gewgawes and dotages and yet for all that they thinke themselues so holy and perfect that nothing is amisse in them They thinke that God ought to content himselfe wyth the great number of murlimewes and countenances which they make But that is not the coyne wherewith he must be paied for his lawe is spirituall He looketh not vpon the outward gesture nor vpō the things that carrie a faire glosse before men in somuch that if men set their minds too much vpon his owne Ceremonies he reiecteth it vtterly And that is a thing well worthy the marking For men seeke still some startinghole that they might not yeeld themselues to the obeying of God and they beare themselues in hand that when they haue once dispatched their fond deuotions then they be well discharged and all the rest of their sinnes must be forgotten bycause they raunsome them by that meanes The thyng therefore whiche we haue to marke heere is that Sainct Paule stroue heere against suche men as neuer wist what it was too serue God in good earnest nor neuer entered into their owne consciences And euen such are these Shauelings in the Popedome and those naughtipacks that haue their full scope there I meene not only the Cardinalls and these horned beasts the Byshops for men knowe that they be the filthinesse whiche infecteth the whole world but I speake also of those that are called doctors the vpholders of their Catholike faith It is certaine that they
hath good reason to hold them so at the staues end and if there were no law nor any such promis what would come of it VVe know that the heathen men would alwayes needes bee in Gods fauour for their owne vertues sake and yet in the meane while they knewe there were many faultes in them and for that cause they reteyned the vse of sacrifising It is true that they vnderstood not the end of them yet neuerthelesse their sacrifising was a playne confession that they were indaungered vnto God and had neede to be admitted into his fauour Likewise the Papistes do at this day packe togither a great deale of pelting trash to make attonement with God And so ye see that the heathen men did at all times keepe the same trade which the Papistes keepe at this day But howsoeuer they fared their intent was to bee saued at Gods hand for their owne deseruings Howbeit God telleth vs that if we thinke he oweth vs any thing of duetie we deceyue ourselues notwithstanding he promiseth of his owne free goodnesse that if we keepe the law we shall be reckened for rightuous before him But now do we keepe it No we come farre short of it in somuch that if we consider how much we fayle of it we must needs be abashed at it Yee see then how it is not without cause that God hath giuen vs that promis though we reape no profit nor aduauntage by it For it hath a respect to the correcting of the pryde wherewith we be so sore infected that wee must be clenzed of it by some violent remedie or else we shall burst And what remedie is that Behold God talketh to vs thus Go to yee murmur at me if I handle you not after your own lyking but I tell you that I will not only poure out my graciouse giftes and benefits vpon you in this worlde but also do lay vp an euerlasting heritage in store for you so yee serue me Serue me and make me a good account and then shall you be sure that I will recompence you both in this life and in the lyfe to come Gods speaking after that manner is to none other ende but to stoppe mennes mouthes and to make them acknowledge that if God punish them and send them neuer so many afflictions it is ryghtly done in somuch that all such as shall haue well sifted their owne liues shal be driuen to confesse yea euen vnfeynedly Alas if we be not worthie to eate bread for the sustenance of this transitorie life vpon earth how can we by our own deserts get the heritage of heauen whiche is a glory that belongeth only vnto God How can we atteyne to it by our owne strength Yee see then that mens combes are quite cut by Gods giuing of this so large and liberall promis vnto them And therewithall wee haue too note that the same promis is free of itselfe and yet fare wee neuer awhit the better for any peece of it till we haue vtterly let go our hold of it This would be darke if it shoulde not bee layde foorthe more at large The heathenmen as I haue sayde alreadie did fully perswade themselues that they should be recompenced at Gods hand if they liued after an honest and vnblamable fashion among men But that was great follie or rather starke madnesse For howe can God become indetted vntoo vs as it is tolde vs in the seuenteenth of Sainct Luke Though men could do better than the Angelles of heauen coulde they bynd God too them by it No for they bee his aforehand by nature accordingly also as our Lorde Iesus Christe alledgeth the similitude of a seruant not of suche seruants as are now adayes but such slaues or bondmen as were in those dayes If a bondslaue had bin slayne a hundred tymes for his master yet was it at his maysters will whither hee shoulde liue or dye still Therfore our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh his allegation in this wyse Go to ye bee but poore mortall creatures yourselues and yet if any of you haue a bondslaue hee will holde him as an Asse or an Oxe and when the seruant after sore trauell and labour with great payne all the day long returneth home at night his master will not make him too sit downe at the table with him for he hath done no more than his duetie and that which he was bound to do Now then shall God be of lesse authoritie or in worse cace than mortall mē For somuch as you are his although you indeuer to walke in his obedience yet can he not be any whit beholden to you And so as I haue declared alreadie wheras God hathe sayd in his law that he which doth these things shall lyue in them what moued him to such bountifulnesse as to promis vs euerlasting lyfe It was not for that he owed vs any thing Kill we ourselues a hundred thousand tymes to serue him yet cannot that bind him too yeeld vs any recompence Howbeit of his owne superabundant goodnesse he commeth and sayth Although I owe ye not any thing at all nor you be able to bring aught that may deserue any recompence for you be bound vnto mee in all poynts and all respects yet will I rewarde you for your labour Go to therfore settle yourselues to your duetie and do the things that I commaund you and you shall not be disapointed of your paiment Thus ye see in effect what wee haue too remember as I must tell you yet once agayne hereafter Now the Papistes will welynough graunt this in part but not commonly For the most part I meene of those that are the Popes right champions can no skil of those principles at this day Yet wil some of thē graunt that wheras God hath in his law promised the reward of lyfe to such as serue him it is to shewe that works are not of such value as to deserue euerlasting life but by reason of the promis But presuppose that God hath bound himselfe as he hath done and then they thinke that wee deserue and why For else say they Gods promising that he whiche doth those things shall liue in them is in vayne But they like wretched beastes as I sayd afore consider not that God sayeth it not to shew that men are able to purchace saluation by their owne deserts but rather to hold them conuicted and to bring them to true humilitie which they shunne continually through their foolish ouerweening and vain gloriousnesse Now then we see that Paules meening is in effect that if we go about to be iustified by the law and by our own works we must not leaue any thing behynd nor forget any thing for it is sayd he that doth all those things shall liue in them But now where is that mā which is so forward that he can boast of the full discharging of his dutie towards God None but hipocrities that are besotted in their owne diuelish pride or heathenish folke that skorne
too lay the brydle looce in our necke that wee might fall a scoterloping and playe the wylde beastes so as God shoulde not tame vs but rather too the intent wee shoulde repayre vntoo him with a good courage to obey him freely For if wee were not sure that he taketh vs for his children and beareth with vs so gently that the things whiche are nothing woorth are taken in good woorth at his hand for the fatherly loue which he beareth vs surely wee shall doo nothing but gnashe our teeth when wee intende too serue God But if wee bee persuaded that God casteth such a fauour towardes vs that although wee be full of infirmities and cannot doo any thing that may deserue too bee well lyked at his hande yet hee accepteth vs for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake must it not needes giue vs courage as thoughe our sayle were set vp and wee had the winde on our sterne Therefore it is certaine that our heartes must needes runne swiftly as a shippe that hath the full winde vppon hir sayles when wee knowe that wee are in Gods fauour and that hee accepteth our woorkes and intendeth not too bynde vs too any bondage but is contented too take vs for his children and accepteth oure willingnesse too obey his Now then when we be once sure of that we may serue our God with the better courage and bicause wee bee grounded vppon his grace it will cheere vs in suche wise as wee shall offer him the sacrifice of prayse and â—â—rayer assuring oure selues that hee wyll heere vs and therevppon yeelde hym thankes for that so great and inestimable benefyte which hee communicateth vnto vs euerie day Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowlegement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to make vs so to feele them as it may humble vs truely and make vs yeelde our selues wholly to our Lorde Iesus Christ and that when we be once come vnto him we may persist in the fayth of his Gospell without swaruing asyde in any wise and that he may so sustein vs in our infirmities as wee notwithstanding may be touched with true repentance too sigh and grone before him till hee haue taken vs out of this mortall bodye wherein wee bee hilde in prison vnder the bondage of sinne And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 32. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the fifth Chapter 4 Christ is become vnprofitable to you to all of you that are iustified by the Lavve and you bee falne from grace 5 For vve in spirite doo vvayte by fayth for the hope of Rightuousnesse 6 For neyther Circumcision nor vncircumcision is any thing woorth in Iesus Christ but fayth that vvorketh by loue WE haue seene heretofore that such as wil make a partnership betwene their owne workes and Gods grace do fouly ouershoot theÌ„selues for as soone as we come to reckening God must needes iudge vs with rygour Then if we go about too get his fauour and to purchace our saluation by our owne woorkes we must performe Lawe to the vttermoste without any missing But nowe let vs see if euer man discharged him 〈◊〉 so perfectly Surely we come verie farre short of it Therefore we must come emptie vnto God that hee may receyue vs too mercie and impute vnto vs the obedience of oure Lorde Iesus Christ auowing it in suche wise as wee lay asyde all our owne deseruings and bring not any thing of the Lawe with vs saue onely a single and pure confession that wee bee damned and forlorne till God pitie vs and burying all our faultes and transgressions do cloth and apparell vs againe with the rightuousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ his sonne And for that cause doth Saint Paule conclude heere that such as will iustifie themselues by the lawe are falne from grace and Iesus Christ shall profite them not thing at all If is not for nought that hee speaketh after that maner For the false packers that had partly corrupted the doctrine of the Gospell in the Church of the Galathians ment too mingle the one with the other that is to wit that Iesus Christ is giuen vs to supplie our wantes and yet notwithstanding that wee ceasse not to be rightuous in part by indeuering to do well For they did not vtterly renounce our Lord Iesus Christ neither sayd they that all the promises wherein God telleth vs that he wil of his goodnesse forgiue the faithful their sinnes are deceyt and mockerie but their intent was that men should labor to iustifie theÌ„selues that is to say to purchase fauour at Gods hand by their owne workes And forasmuch as wee be farre from perfection they ment that Iesus Christ should supply it as a second remedie that was their surmize Likewise nowadayes in Poperie they will not with opeÌ„ mouth vtter this blasphemie that Iesus Christ serueth vs to none other purpose but too teach vs the will of God his father they will afoorde to say that he hath redeemed vs and purchased the ground of deseruing for vs for he hath opened vs the gate of Paradice too enter in at and also that his death and passion do dayly profite vs too reconcile vs vntoo God dayly when wee haue offended him But howsoeuer the worlde go they will haue vs too deserue or earne the kingdome of heauen in parts and to redeeme our sinnes by diuerse meanes and thereof sprang all their satisfactions and finally that if a man cannot performe all during his life the rest shall bee fulfilled in Purgatorie Thus yee see howe Iesus Christ hath but halfe a place with them in receyuing vs vnto God and 〈◊〉 in the meane while they shoulder him in such wise that freewill merites workes of supererogation or ouerplus as they terme them and suche like things runne away at leastwise with the one half of our saluation But S. Paule telleth vs that God liketh no such partenership For either we must bring such a full performance of the Lawe as God may be contented with or else yeeld our selues giltie If there bee neuer so little a fault all the residue deserueth nothing at all For as I haue declared God promiseth not saluation too such as doo him halfe seruis or too such as serue him after a sorte but to such as keepe his Lawe throughout He that dooth all the things shall liue and contrarywise he that performeth not all shall bee cursed But it is so that no man dooth the things that are required and commaunded in the Law For what good zele or will soeuer wee haue too serue God there is alwayes much feeblenesse in vs and wee go too him halting and make many false steppes yea and oftentimes wee happen to steppe aside and too go astray and so are wee all shet out from the promis of saluation as in respect of our own workes and the curse wayteth for vs which we cannot escape For who is so
our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe if children be alreadie full of infections at their comming into the world what are we who neuer ceasse to offend our God and do drinke wickednesse as a fishe drinketh water as it is sayde in the booke of Iob Agayne when wee come too the Lords supper what come we to doo Come we to get any thing of God by our owne desert No but to confesse that we be like wretched dead men which come to seeke our life out of our selues and therefore must be fayne to haue the fleshe of our Lorde Iesus Christ for our meate and his bloud for our drinke and all things in him which we want in our selues Yee see then that the Sacraments serue not to puffe vs vp with any presumption but to make vs walke in humblenesse to the ende that beeing voyde of all selfe-trust our whole seeking may be to be succoured by Gods infinite goodnesse and by his pouring out of the treasures of his grace vpon vs according to our neede And our comming to them is that God should warne vs of our sinnes to be touched with them in good earnest And wee muste not acknowledge our selues sinners with the mouth onely or slightly and by way of ceremonies but wee must haue our hartes wounded inwardly with griefe that wee haue offended and feele howe dreadfull Gods wrath is too the ende wee may be sorie in our selues and not haue any rest till he haue shewed vs where wee shall finde it that is too wit in our Lorde Iesus Christ And when we come to this holy table let euer of vs looke well that he be so grounded in our Lorde Iesus Christ as that he hauing forsaken all the fonde illusions of Satan and all the deceiptes that he setteth afore vs too turne vs away from the grace of God and may imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christe with the merites of his death and passion assuring our selues that it is he in whom we haue the full performance of righteousnesse and saluation Moreouer forasmuche as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath called vs to be members of his body let vs knit our selues togither indeuouring to glorifie God as it were with one heart and one mouth and therwithall to liue in true vnitie with our neighbours lyke as the hande serueth bothe the foote and the eye So then let vs haue the sayde brotherlynesse in suche estimation as wee maye shewe that we intende not to separate our selues asunder as it were too â—eare Iesus Christ in peeces but that our desire is that he shoulde so knitte vs togither that not onely he may liue in vs and wee in him but also that he may so rule vs by his holy spirite as euery of vs may indeuer to serue and honour him first of all and afterward to employ him selfe in the seruing of his neighbours according to the abilitie which he shall haue And now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs feele them more and more that the same may alwayes stirre vs vp to better repentance and cause vs to continue therin to the ende and also make vs to grow in fayth to our Lorde Iesus Christ so as we may giue our selues wholly vnto him and in his name cal vpon God his father to the ende that he may heere vs and continue his gratious goodnesse towards vs till he haue drawen vs wholly too him selfe to make vs feele perfectly the benefite which is purchased for vs by his death and passion That it may please him to grauÌ„t this grace not only to vs but also to all people c. The twelfth Sermon which is the sixth vpon the second Chapter 15 VVee bee Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16 And yet for as much as vve knovv that a man is not iustified by the vvorks of the lavv but by beleefe in Iesus Christe vvee also haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that vve might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ not by the vvorks of the lavv for no flesh shal be iustified by the vvorkes of the lavve WE haue seene alredie and declared heretofore why S. Paule hauing to treate of the Ceremonies and shadowes that were before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ coÌ„cluded generally that men could not attaine righteousnesse before God to stand in his fauour but by keeping the whole lawe Nowe a man mighte deeme at the first sight that these were diuers matters Howbeit as I haue sayde afore it behoued Paule to come to the pure vse of ceremonies to shew that men do but beguyle them selues when they thinke to obteine fauour at Gods hand by their own merites Secondly also I declared why S. Paul doth expresly adde the word Law For although it haue alwayes bin a common opinion in the world that by liuing well men might binde God to be good vnto them yet did they fowlly deceyue them selues therein For doo what we can God shall not be any whit at all beholden vnto vs bicause wee owe vnto him what soeuer wee be able to doo Then is there not any deserte if there might bee any deseruing at all but by the couenant which God hath made in saying that he which fulfilleth the law shall obteine life and saluation For as muche as God hath spoken that worde no doubt but he accepteth the obedience that is yeelded vnto him as if it deserued saluation but yet is not that as muche too say as that wee can deserue oughte For there is none of vs all that dischargeth hys duetie as wee shall see heereafter That promise woulde bee too no purpose or at least wyse it woulde bee vnauaylable so as it shoulde neuer take effecte vnlesse God gaue vs another remedie that is too witte vnlesse hee forgaue our offences and accepted vs for righteous althoughe wee bee not so But howe so euer the cace stande when S. Paule sayth that wee bee not iustifyed by the workes of the Lawe hys meanyng is that if wee intende too clayme fauour and saluation bicause God hath promised that such as keepe his lawe shall be righteous and so taken to bee that will not serue our turne bicause none of vs fulfilleth the Lawe but wee are all of vs gyltie before God and must receyue sentence of damnation vpon our heads And for the better expressing heereof he maketh a coÌ„parison betweene the Iewes the Gentiles Although sayth he that we be Iewes by nature and not Heathen men yet doo we knowe that we shall not otherwise obteyne Gods fauour than by beleeuing in our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe it maye peraduenture seeme that although men beeing corrupted in Adam can not deserue ought yet notwithstanding the Iewes had a speciall priuiledge bicause God had adopted them as it were for his owne children and accompted them to bee as his housholde And that was the thing wherein the Iewes deceyued them selues For when the Scripture speaketh
of vncircumcision it meaneth the vnclennesse wherewith wee be compassed about in Adam in so muche as there is not any man which is not damned alreadie from his mothers wombe But the Iewes thought that God had set them free from that coÌ„mon curse and they made their boast therof Surely Gods chosing of them after that sort for his own people heritage was a great dignitie and worthy too bee esteemed aboue all worldly goodes But yet neuerthelesse it became them to haue acknowledged with all humblenesse that there was not any excellencie at all in their owne persons For according to our wonted maner of drawing Gods gracious giftes too muche to vayne ouerweening the Iewes did commonly ouershoote them selues by bearing them selues in hand that they were aboue all the rest of the worlde Verily as who should say that God had founde any thing in them why he should preferre them before those whom he had forsaken Therefore that dooing of theirs was a great pride whiche caried with it a shamefull thanklesnesse in that they imputed not to Gods meere goodnesse the things which they had of his free gifte but were puffed vp with ouerweening as thoughe God had knowne them to be better or worthyer of euerlasting saluation than the Gentiles But nowe S. Paule to dispatche all ouerweening sayth Go too wee be Iewes by nature As if he had sayde It is true that wee haue some fauour aboue the Gentiles whome God hath not vouchsafed to receiue into his Church VVhen he speaketh after that fashion it is not to giue the Iewes occasion to waxe proude but to lay before them the things which they had receiued frely of God wherin they had no cause at all to brag of them selues according as we see how that in the Epistle to the Romanes he vttereth two sayings whiche at the first â—lushe might seeme contrarie For on the one side Haue wee then sayth hee no priuiledge aboue the Gentiles Yes verily for God hath chosen vs for hys people he hathe giuen vs the seale of Circumcision too shewe that hee auoweth vs for his children hee hathe alyed him selfe vntoo vs hee hathe promised vs the Redeemer of the worlde and too bee shorte he hath sanctified vs in suche wyse that if wee consider the fauour whiche he hathe vttered towards vs there hath beene well wherwith to aduance and exalte vs aboue the residue of the whole worlde Thus on the one side Paule dothe there magnifie the goodnesse of God and afterwarde he falleth too questioning agayne and asketh what aduauntage haue wee then None at all sayth he for all men are shutte vp vnder Gods curse If the Gentiles bee too bee condemned wee bee too bee condemned double for there may be yet some likelyhoode that ignorance shall serue to excuse them But yet can they make no defence of that before God but shall perishe althoughe they neuer had any instruction or teaching Needes then must wee bee condemned by the lawe sayth he seeing that God hathe taughte vs and yet for all that wee cease not too sinne still and too transgresse his commaundements in so muche that we be plunged in greater and deeper cursednesse than the Heathen folk and vnbeleeuers Now then he sayth that the Iewes are in deede separated after a sort from the Gentiles not that the Iewes are of more worthinesse or that they haue any righteousnesse in them selues â–ª but bicause God of his own meere goodnesse voutsafed to chose them â–ª like as at this day the children that are borne of beleeuing pareÌ„ts are not better than the children that are borne of Paynims Turkes if a man coÌ„sider them both in their owne nature For we be all of a corrupted and cursed lumpe and God hathe so condemned vs as no man can iustly set vp his bristles to thinke him selfe of more value than his fellowes But yet neuerthelesse S. Paule sheweth that they be sanctified and that they be not vncleane as those are which are borne of vnbeleeuers or Heathen folke Heere shoulde seeme to be some contrarietie neuerthelesse all agreeth very well togither For there is nothing but vncleannesse and filthinesse in vs all without exception and that commeth of nature Howbeit there is a supernaturall gifte that is to say a remedie that God giueth whiche is that the children of the faythfull are dedicated vnto him and he acknowledgeth auoweth them for his Then like as now a dayes the children that are borne of the Churche are reckned too bee of the number of Gods people and of the companie of the chosen euen so vnder the lawe the Iewes were separated from the rest of the world And that is the cause why S. Paule sayth Wee bee Iâ—wes and not sinners of the Gentiles VVhereas he speaketh of Sinners he meaneth suche as continue in their filthynesse and are not clensed by the grace of God For Circumcision was a token and witnesse that God accepted Abrahams issue and ofspring for hys owne housholde and peculiar people The thing then wherein the Iewes differed in olde tyme from the vnbeleeuers was that althoughe they were all of one sute for as muche as they were all indifferently the children of Adam yet notwythstandyng God had chosen the one sort and left the other sort still straungers from his house If a man aske why he dyd so there was none other cause than his owne meere grace and yet were not the Iewes in the meane whyle the more excellent But nowe let vs followe the matter that S. Paule handleth heere Wee knowe sayth he that wee can not bee iustified by the deedes of the Lawe but by beleefe in Iesus Christ. In so saying he sheweth that the Iewes them selues what grace soeuer they had receyued coulde not grounde them selues vpon other men nor vpon them selues as thoughe they had deserued aught at Gods hande but must bee fayne to flee to his free goodnesse acknowledging that there is no saluation but in Iesus Christe who is come to finde out the thing that was alreadie loste And herein is fulfilled that which he sayth in another place howe that aswel they which were nere hande as they that were farre off were all gathered togither into one Iesus Christ is the peacemaker to cause God to loue vs and to receyue vs too mercy not onely those that were earst farre of as the Gentiles but also the children of Abraham what noblenesse or dignitie soeuer were in them for that came not of their owne nature And let vs marke that when S. Paule saythe that the Iewes whiche were conuerted to the Christen fayth knewe they coulde not bee iustified by the works of the lawe but by beleefe in Iesus Christ he maketh a comparison betweene fayth and the Lawe to shewe that wee can not bee iustified by grace excepte wee forsake all our owne merites and that is a thing well worthy too bee marked For the Papistes will well inoughe confesse that wee bee iustifyed by faythe howebeit they
Christ be set afore vs and till wee haue cast our looke vpon him so as all our senses be settled vppon him and as it were shet vp there Yee see then that the fayth whereby wee obtayne grace is that after we once know our selues to be wretched creatures and that there is nothing but loth somnesse in vs wee seeke the remedie of it in our Lord Iesus Christ and vnderstand that he was offered vp for vs to redeeme vs from the curse wherein we were plundged that he hath made vs cleane by his bloud that by his obedience he hath put away all our offences and that for the same we bee assured that God accepteth and receiueth vs for his children Thus ye see how this text is to be vnderstoode And whereas S. Paule sayeth that he himselfe and all the Iewes that were conuerted vnto Christianitie did looke too bee saued by the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ he addeth also the reason why namely bycause no flesh shall be iustified by the works of the Lawe He had well vsed that woord if he had applied it but to his owne countrymen but heere he speaketh of all men in generall And whereas he sayeth no fleshe at all first he betokeneth that the Iewes differ nothing at all from the Gentyles in the meane of obtayning saluation VVherfore although the Iewes beyng circumcyzed were taken as it were for Gods heritage and sanctified vnto him yet not withstāding they could not haue any hope of saluatiō but by his mere grace Lo how they be matched with the Gentyles and raunged in like degree with them Again S. Paule ment heere to deface vtterly all the ouer weening that men conceyue of their own vertues There are many which know they haue ouershot thēselues so farre that they cannot chalendge any glorie too them as though they had deserued aught at Gods hand VVretched drunkardes vnthriftes and such as haue giuen themselues ouer to all naughtinesse will be ashamed to auaunce themselues and too brag that they can bind God by their deserts and well doings for euen before mē they be fayne too hide themselues bicause of their leudnesse But as for those that haue some cloke of hipocrisie and shew some signe of holinesse before men they by by become drunken with it so harden themselues that they beleeue they deserue Paradyse and that God is greatly bound vnto them Of which sute are these Popeholy ones who although they be ful of al filthinesse so as there is nothing in them but ambition couetousnesse crueltie and suche other like things yet how soeuer the world go for asmuch as they haue good store of their Churchstuffe other counterfettings they beare thēselues in hand that God seeth not a whit intoo their leudnesse but perswade themselues that God ought to accept them for their owne merites sakes Also such as heare Masse deuoutly such as rūne from the Tauerne or from the Alehouse to the Chappell specially such as buy pardons and such other like stuffe and such as keepe fasting-dayes and holydayes wil be puffed vp with such an ouer weening as to thinke they haue bound God vnto them But S. Paule in naming all flesh sheweth that men must not shole out themselues asunder as though one were righteous though another were not so but must all stoupe and humble themselues and passe condemnation assuring themselues that all their vertues yea euē of the excellentest men of all are but filthinesse before God For although a man bee perfectly rightuous to our opinion so as he doth noman harme but hath stedfastnesse in himself to withstand all vices and is chaste and sobre and to be short is taken and esteemed to be as an Angell yet not withstanding he hath nothing in him but corruption And how can that bee Bycause wee may not reste vppon the outward apparance for as the Prouerbe sayeth all is not golde that glistereth It is not for vs to iudge what is vice and what is vertue except wee could enter into a man For if a man yeeld not vnto God that which belongeth vnto him what is to be sayd of it He robbeth not men but he robbeth God of his honour Agayne though men giue him neuer so great prayse clap their hāds at him yet shall he but burst for vaynglorie and pride and nothing shal be able too frame him too humilitie saue the knowing of our Lord Iesus Christ So then they which make a goodly outward show in their life shall neuerthelesse be still condēned before God This is the thing whereby S. Paule intēded to forestall all the vaine trust that men can cōceyue or nurrish cōcerning their own deseruings But there is yet more For he speaketh not only of such men as were after a fort forsaken of God and were not renewed by his holy spirit but when he sayeth All flesh ▪ he cōprehendeth the faithfull also For although Gods holy spirit dwell in vs after he haue drawen vs to the knowledge of his Gospell and greffed vs into the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ although say I that Gods spirit dwell in vs yet are we al comprehended vnder the woorde Flesh in respect of that which we haue of our owne S. Paule then giueth sentence heere that no flesh shall bee iustified bycause the faythlesse are condemned in Adam and abide in their condemnation and the faithfull are alwayes vnperfect so as they haue many vices and blemishes by meanes whereof they bee condemned as well as the other and so this condēnation is generall That he which will bee iustified by the woorkes of the lawe shall alwayes be found giltie yea euen the holiest men that euer were Let vs take Abraham who was a mirrour of all perfection let vs take Dauid who excelled in all vertue Let vs take Noë Iob and Daniell who are reckened vp for three rightuous men by the Prophete Ezechiell and let vs take such other like and yet neuerthelesse euen they also are raunged in the same aray that is too wit that they could not obtayne rightuousnesse before God but by Grace Nowe then I pray you what shall wee doo muste not the Diuell needes driue them headlong intoo terrible pryde which at this day doo stay still that they may bee iustified by their owne desertes or meritorious woorkes as they terme them For who is hee that can matche eyther Dauid Noë Abraham or Daniell Had not men neede too haue profited well in Gods schoole and to bee inflamed with a true zele of giuing themselues wholly vntoo him that they may bee vtterly conuicted that they bee yet very farre of from beyng come to the poynt whiche wee see Dauid Noe and Daniell too haue bin at ◠For asmuch then as wee knowe this lette vs marke that heere the holy Ghoste beateth downe suche as mount vp too highe too the ende wee should bee the more ashamed that wee haue not one drop of deserte of glorie and seeke all that pertayneth
staues end too the intent too humble him as he doth all the rest of the faithfull Then could not Abraham bring aught of him selfe for looke what goodnesse so euer he had he hild it of God and of hys free goodnesse And moreouer the same was yet still vnsufficient too saue him for by nature he was vtterly lost and damned as all the rest of Adams lyne is Therefore it stoode hym in hand that God shoulde receyue him through pardoning of his sinnes and looke vpon him singly in his faythe But let vs marke also that Gods iustifying of vs is by fayth that is to say by his owne meere and alonely goodnesse and that thervpon it behoueth vs to rest in his promise by the vertue wherof he alloweth and accepteth vs yea and our works also not in respect that they come of our selues but for that we do theÌ„ by the grace of his holy spirite and therfore dooth he accept them and allowe them as righteous yea euen so farre foorth as to rewarde them as the whole scripture doth plentifully witnesse And yet dooth all this also proceede of fayth For when wee bee iustified that is too say accepted for righteous before God then also are our works iustified that is to say God accepteth them for rightfull although there be not any worthinesse in them nor any cause at al why he should receiue them Then like as wee our selues are iustified by Gods onely free goodnesse when wee receyue his promises by fayth euen so bee our workes iustified by the selfe same meane After that maner was Abraham iustified in his person and then likewise were his workes also iustified before God But howsoeuer the world go if yee consider the originall cause and welspring of all yee muste needes conclude that nothing else was made account of but onely fayth For had God listed to sift Abrahams life he had bin coÌ„demned as all other mortall men are But his intent was to take him for his owne and nothing perswaded or moued him thervnto but his own mere mercy Also Abraham had his eyes shut agaynst all vayne trustes wherewith men deceyue them selues he knewe there was nothing able to bring him to lyfe saue the onely mercy of God To bee short like as Abraham had no regarde but of Gods meere mercie so God had no regarde but onely of Abrahams fayth and by that meanes was he iustified So then let vs leaue all things that men imagine to bring them selues in fauour with God by mingling this and that with fayth for they are all but falshods and illusions of Satan and let fayth haue such foundation as this that is too wit that with al humilitie we acknowledge our selues to bee then righteous when God forgiueth vs our sinnes and that by the same meanes our works also are reckned for good and righteous bicause God listeth not to sifte them narrowly but taketh them in good worth of his fatherly goodnesse Thus yee see what wee haue too gather vpon that text Now that the blessednesse of Abraham belongeth vnto vs and is ment vnto vs it appeareth by that which I haue touched alreadie and by that S. Paule auoucheth that all natiâ—ons should be blessed in Abraham And nowe remayneth too see the reason that S. Paule addeth on the contrarie part For men by their good wils can neuer finde in their harts too giue ouer the opinion which they haue of their owne righteousnesse excepte they bee compelled and inforced too it For althoughe wee bee saped in so many vices as is oughly to beholde yet the worst and deepest rooted vice in our nature is pride or presumptuousnesse whiche is a selfewilled weening that there is somewhat in vs in so muche that although God tell vs that we be right nought and that there is nothing in vs but leaudnesse filthinesse and vnclennesse and that all the vertue which we dreame vpon is but vanitie leasing yet can he not compasse to humble vs til we our selues perceiue our owne neede and haue it proued to our faces And therfore it behoueth vs to marke well the reason which S. Paule addeth heere to drawe vs to the pure fayth and to turne vs away from all the vayne trustes which we can haue in our owne deseruings All they sayth he that are of the law are accursed For it is written Cursed be he that continueth not in all the things that are written and conteyned in this booke too doo them VVhen as S. Paule sayth that all they which are of the lawe are cursed he meaneth that so long as men rest and muse vpon their owne works and thinke to obteyne grace by that meane before God they be cursed For as I haue declared heeretofore like as he that forsaketh him selfe and renounceth al that he hath of his owne and groundeth him selfe vpon the only mercy of God is of fayth so contrariwyse hee that thinketh too bring any seruice wherewith too binde God vnto him or imagineth to recompence him with his merites is of the Lawe But sainct Paule saythe that suche are cursed And why He alleageth the saying of Moyses Cursed bee hee that perfourmeth not all that is written heere It had beene sayde afore Cursed bee he that serueth straunge Gods Cursed bee he that blasphemeth God Cursed be he that breaketh the Sabboth day Cursed bee he that is stubborne agaynst his father and mother Cursed bee he that defileth another mans wyfe After the rehearsing of all these Curses and after the solemne vttering of them it behoued the people too answere Amen Amen as if there had passed some couenaunt and that God on hys side had made demaunde saying I wyll haue you too serue mee after thys maner yea euen without fayling in any poynte and in suche wise as yee keepe touche wyth mee through stitche in all things that I commaunde you and the people on theyr side shoulde answere Amen yea Lord we be contented to be all damned if we serue thee not and then afterward God should come and conclude Cursed bee he that performeth not all that euer is conteyned in this booke that is too say which misseth in any one poynt and the people should answere agayne sobeit Nowe seeing that the lawe curseth all suche as performe it not to the full let vs see if there bee any one that dooth it It is certayne that al men froÌ„ the greatest too the least are gyltie For why let vs consider the summe of the Lawe which is that wee should loue God wyth all our hart with all our minde with all our power and with al our strength and our neighbour as our self and then let euery of vs try his own life he shal neede none other iudge than him self to coÌ„demne him For although we loued God with an vncorrupted and sounde hart vnfaynedly yet can it not bee but that wee must bee drawen diuersly with many vanities Yea put the cace that a man were as perfect as an Angell