¶The first Sermon.
What thynge God is.

IGnoraunce specially of the heauenly thinges, is the greatest lack that cā be in man, and aboue all other the ignoraunce or lacke of knowledge of god. For as it is impossible to attaine the science of Philosophye, Astrologie, Geometry or of any other like, without the ground or fyrst principals. So without the knowledge of God the true be ginnyng and princypall of true deuynitie is impossible to haue any lyght of the truth necessary & proffitable to the ghostly health And lykewise, as the knowledge of the first principals of one science, depēdeth y^e knowledge of all the trouthe and conclusyons that that science conteineth▪ So of the true knowledge of God, dependeth the know­ledge of all the circumstaunces and truthe [Page] of Theologie or Deuinite. Wherefore se­ing how much pestiferous and detestable the ignoraunce of God is, and how much necessary the true knowledge of him is▪ I haue thought it expedient, fyrst to consyder what thinge God is.

It is a most easy thing to know that god is, or that there is a God, sithens that there is no Nation, so barbarous, but that it be­leueth that there is a God, being a general knowledge that God hath so imprinted in y^e harts of al mē, that if the man haue any iudgement at all, it behoueth him wyth the hart to confesse that there is a God. For albeit there haue bene many wicked whiche wyth their mouthes haue sayde, there is no God. Neuertheles the self same, when they haue fallen into any peril or necessity, haue bene enforced of that only light and religi­on of god, to recommend themselues vnto him, so that we must of force repute hym a very ydeote,Psalm. xi [...]i. that denieth God. And being therfore an euident and easy thing to know that there is a God, we must now trauayle to know (though it be most hard) to knowe what that God is. Many haue bene of o­pinion that it is impossible that we shuld i­magin what god is, because infiniteli aboue all proporcyons, he excedeth the weakenes [Page] of our vnderstanding, specialli because our wittes are drowned in the body, occupyed of fantasies, & shadowed bi y^• darke vaines of thinges created, farre of from god. We be weake of sight, and sicke and impotente throughe the fall of Adam and oure owne synnes. Wherfore they say that we cā haue none other knowledge of God, but the ne­gatiue, that is to witte, we may know that God is not material, nor forme imperfecte nor yet soule of the worlde, that he is not Earth, Water, Ayre, Fyre, Winde, Sterre Mone, Sonne, Corporal [...] light nor any vertue spred abroade. He is not the beauty that we see, the swetenes that we taste, nor other thinge sensible, imaginable or intellygyble of vs, but that infinitely he exceadeth al creatures, and althinges that we vnderstand. In him ther is an inaccessible lyght such as they, which with theyr thoughtes in maner haue bene raysed so hyghe, that they haue founde what God is, haue deceiued themselues.Timo. vi And thei who imagin in their minds to haue found God, do fabricate an ydoll, oute of all measure dystaunt from the true beyng of God,Exodi. xx. as appeareth by his com­maundement to the Iewes▪ when he prohi­bited thē the sculpture or g [...]auing of idols, vnderstanding not of the materyal ydolles [Page] only, but also of the imaginable. For oure wittes are extreme darknes, in compary­son of gods inestimable fyrst light. So that it behoueth vs with Aaron to enter in Sāc­ta Sanctorum and with Moses into the ce­lestial cloud, if we wil know, that is to say, to know y^t we know not, in such wyse y^• the more feruentlye a man will professe not to knowe so much the better he doth know, & who presumeth to know, is farthest of frō knowledge. And why? because God in hys power aud [...]yght standeth so hid in darcke­nes frō vs, that with blyndnes, we se hym, with ignoraunce we know him,Psalme .i. with rety­ring or with going backe we comprehend him, infleing we find him, with scilēce, we prayse him. And it behoueth hym that wyll know what thyng God is, to study in the schole of simplicite and reast vāquyshed of that inestimable, in accessible and in com­prehensible lyght▪

And I confesse that we cannot compre­hend God, in such maner as God compre­hendeth him self▪ That is to say, we cannot haue an infinit knowledge of him, as do the blessed saintes, that is to sai, to haue as thei haue the cleare,s. Corint. i. naked, opē and visible sight of him, to behold him in the fountain of his bryghtnes, face to face in the very being y^e [Page] he is. But we mai very wel attaine a knowledge what God is though not so perfectly as we shal know in the other lyfe. Nor it is not possible we shuld know what thīg god is not, if fyrst we learne not to know what thing he is, and that his being is so perfect that it repugneth y^• imperfections of those thynges y^• be not. Wherefore cōsidering al y^• negatiues y^• ar rehearsed of god, ar groū ded vppon one posptiue and affirmatiue y^• we haue, we must saye of force y^t we know God more perfectly, in knowing that that is to be knowen, then in knowing nothinge at al. And therfore speaking of more hygh knowledge affirmatiue, that in this present life, the elect communly and without special priuiledge and miracle had of god, I say that fyrst thou oughtest to consider that the creature hath his beinge, although imper­fect. And God hath his being without any imperfeccion. Yea his being is infinitely perfect, wherefore to know what thing god is, it behoueth the to do as he doth that wil make an image. First he cutteth of many peces, before he parforme the forme that he desyreth, and afterwardes paynteth and apparelleth it.

So is it necessarye that with the minde, thou first consider the being of the creature [Page] And because thou shalt fynde hym repleate of imperfeccion, being terminable create, temporal, corruptyble and other like, ther­fore it behoueth the to clense puryfy & take from him al those imperfectyons, and ymagyn him i [...]finite, interminable, incorrupti­ble and in effect abstract and lift vp aboue al imperfectiō. Nether yet doth that suffice, but also it is necessary that thou florish and adorne him of al perfection possible, in such wyse that thou conceyue to see him a terne necessary, simple, immutable and infinite. Neyther yet doth al that suffise, but more­ouer it behoueth the with thought to pury­fy and clense of al inperfection the wyl and mynde created, the wysdom created the iu­stice, bounty, pity, power, charitye, truthe, beauty and al the other vertues and perfections, to which imperfectyon is contrary, and consequently to enrich him of infinite degrees of perfection, and so to behold him in God as a thing purified, to be vnto him diuine and infinite. But because those powers, vertues and operacyons with imper­fectyō in maner ruleth in vs, wyl not suffer our wittes to conceiue that creature in his being and to clense and spoyle him of al imperfections, aud so to make him infinit, we can not in our being se him in God, in whō [Page] there can be nothing imperfect, but it must suffice vs to se him in vertue and eminen­ci. So that albeit in gods proper being ther is the corporal vision, the imagination, cre­dulitie, opinion, discourses and other acti­ons essencially. Neuertheles it must suffice vs to se them in vertue and eminency. For to se God clerely it includeth & conteineth all perfection, lyke as the gold conteyneth the perfectyon of all other metals. He then that seeth that diuine being with al perfec­tion possible, seeth what thing God is, be­cause he seeth a spiritual light, moost pure, most clere, most simple and exellently fair, a terne, immutable, necessary and infinite­ly perfect, replete of celestial felicite, iustice power, bounty, veryte, wisdom, mercy, charitie and of al the other perfeccions & ver­tues, infinitely perfect and that in it, in vertue and eminenci be al the colours, odours sauoures, sonndes, songes, swetenes, faire­nes, honoures, dignities, treasures, plea­sures and felicities of the world, infinitely and without proporcion, more perfect then they be of them selues here.

And moreouer it behoueth the to knowe that the being of the creature is a shadow & a most slyght vanite in comparison of gods being, and the difference more. then is be­twene [Page] our shadow and our selues.Exod, iii. It is to be sayde of God, that surely he is only the thinge that is. Lykewise I say of our pow­ers, beauty, truth, charity, iustice, wisdome and of al our other vertues, that compared to the diuine they be as most vaine images and shadowes infinitely distaunt from thē of God. Also it behoueth to know, that god is not idel,Ihon, v. but that he continually worketh as (Christ saith) in such wise, that he hathe not only geuē vnto the world his being, but also continually conserueth al the thynges created, and al the vertues, that of al y^e mi­racles and straunge effectes, we knowledg only God to be author and to him we geue al thankes honor and glory. So lykewyse ought we to knowledge of him al the natu­ral effectes and operacions, and not to ex­tol or praise nature but God only, who ge­ueth and preserueth the being and vertue to all thinges▪ Neither ought there any other chaunce or fortune to be named, but al to be confessed of god, and he only to be thanked euen as he continually worketh for vs. And as hys power is neuer ydel, but contynual working in al creatures. So his wysdome continually seeth, disposeth and ordeineth al things most best, and his boūty lykewise continually communicateth vnto vs his benefytes [Page] and graces. Furthermore it is ne­cessary thou know that al that God hath wrought, worketh or shal worke in his cre­atures, is al for man, for whom they be created and preserued. For al the giftes and benefits that from the beginninge haue bene made or shalbe made to the creatures, man is bound to knowledge thē as made to him and accordingly therfore to thancke God▪ And especially the chosen or elect, to whom al creatures do serue, both the predestinate and reprobate. Yea the aungels and the de­uils, euen to the very sinnes. And because God doth here manifest and discouer hymself, with his omnipotēt wisdom, truth, iu­stice, bounty and his other vertues and perfectiōs, not onli in his creatures, but much more in his scriptures, & especially in christ on the crosse, chefely to them y^• by faith conceiue him with spirit. Therfore it behoueth him y^t wil know what thing God is, to be­hold him particulerly in Christ, & to besech him to geue him liueli & clere light to know him not only in his creatures, & scriptures but specially in Christ crucified to the ende that in him & by him, vnderstāding y^e great bounty of God, we may render vnto hym all honoure and glorye by oure Sauyoure Iesu Christ.

Amen.

¶The second Sermon
Howe to knowe God by hys creatures.

GOd in his maiesty apparelled with his perfeccions, and in the well of his brightnes (as saith Paule) is a certain light inaccessible and hid.i, Timo. vi. But here he some what discouereth him selfe by hys creatures, as who will enter into Rome must of force know bi y^e pillers, sepultures images and bi the great ruines that he shal finde there, that the Romains in times past hane bene of great power, dominion & wisdom.Esay. xv. So he which entereth into this world seing this great engine must of force know the maker therof to be the God omnipotē, And beholding the order of his creatures must not only se but also maruel at y^e wys­dome of God.Psal. i▪ iii. And with Dauid cry & say. Lord thou hast created al things in wisdō. And moreouer it behoueth him to say that God is best, seing that continually he dys­poseth new gyftes vnto his creatures. And seinge that by due meanes he leadeth them to theyr end, he is forced to confes gods deuine prouidence, and so in conclusion bi the thinges created, to come to the knowledge of god, & of al hys perfeccions, as far forth [Page] as they appeare in his creatures, & that because the creatures be vnyted so to gethers that eche one hangeth on other, & al of god, in such wise that they make a ladder to the vnderstanding of the natural, by the which they clime and ascend euen to God. They see that this inferyour world, is gouerned of the heauens, and that the heauens keepe their courses vniformely, by contynual mouing, and therof be constrained to consider that the vertue which moueth them, beyng [...]faticable and neuer wery, is spiritual, for if it wer corporal, it shuld end or at the least waxe weake. And so going farther, they cō syder that that spirytuall vertue, not being the supreame, is gouerned bi an other. And because they can not attayne the infinite e­uerlasting, they are forced to come to a first supreame intellygence, the whych moueth wythout beyng moued, and to a fyrst cause independent, and so they ascend to y^e knowledge of God. Moreouer, by the beauty of the creatures, they ascend to the knowledg of the beauty of God. By the order, Armo­ny and consēt that appear in the creatures they attain the consyderacion of gods infi­nite sapyence or wysdom. And so by the vi­syble workes of God (to the regard wher­of Dauid calleth vs,Psaim. lv. sayinge come and be­hold [Page] the workes of the Lord) they attain to consider the inuisyble perfeccyons of god, hys euerlastyng power and Deuinitie as Paule writeth.Roma. i Ther is no creature so bace nor so vyle, in whome there shineth not the glory of God, in which thou maist see hys greate power, wysdome, bounty, beauty & the other perfeccyons. And by how muche the creatures be more noble, hygh, worthy, and excellent,Psal, viii. by so much the more do they discouer God. Lyke as the heauens which particulerly do shew the glory of God. And the more perfectly we know the crea­tures. Yea God in them, so much the more we ryse to the knowledge of God, and by so much the more our vnderstandings who ly and wyth perfect light is vnited and co­pulate vnto hym. It is true that many consyder the creatures in them selues, without respect to hym that hath created them, and so conserueth and gouerneth thē. But those are of more grosse condicion then is y^• owl, which, because he can not behold the sonne, forceth him self and taketh pleasure to be­hold hym in the sterres. Aud they, not seing God in hys glory, seke not at y^• least wise, to se him in the mirroure of hys creatures.

But know thou fyrst that thys ladder of the creatures to clyme vuto God is peryl­lous, [Page] because that God hauing put in them a certayne beauty and swetenes, to the end that mans vnderstādyng of the taste of the swete running water shuld be prouoked to seke the fountayn or spryng, and therby to seke god with more vehemeucy. Many stai or rather fixe them selues in the degres, and neuer arriue to the heygth.

And some of the sight of the beauty crea­ted, fall into vyle, base, vncleane and fylthy thoughtes. And other swell in pryde of that theyr vayn science, without climing to tast the swetenes of gods bounty, fyxe them selues in the degrees, & ther shew them selues contented for reward to be sene and reputed for learned, of the blinde folysh and frā [...]yke world.

Furthermore, this ladder is very hard & imperfect because that by the sinne of our fyrst parentes we are so blynded of syght, that wyth great difficulty we may se god in the darkenes of things created, specyallye because the wyse of the world, couetyng to search al the properties, vertues and quali­tyes of the creatures, haue entangled them selues with their curious thoughtes to the vayn shadowes of the world, that fyrst thei are attrapped of death or euer they are a lit­tle eleuated their mindes towardes God.

[Page] It is also a very lōg ladder, for the great distaunce that is betwene the low sensyble creatures (at the which, as at the fyrst step or degree it behoueth to begynne to clyme) and God▪ For it requireth extreme labour to aryse to the knowledge of the materyall substaunces, and much more then to clyme with the thought to the knowledg of the in material. And when thou art arriued at the perfect knowledge of y^e supreame creature because betwene that and God there is in­finite distaunce, before that with y^• thought thou arriue at God, thy wits shalbe in mā ­ner so weakened that in the end thou shalte attayn none other but a weake, inperfect & darke concept. Therfore to haue suffycient light of God to the knowledge of him by y^• creatures, suffiseth not to our saluacyon▪

For though wythal natural lyght we did arryue by the creatures at the knowledg of God, yet cā we be none other but good Me [...]aphisici or natural theologiens, & not therfore good & supernatural diuines, because the world shuld alwayes haue more operatyon in vs and in our hertes the [...] god. We might wel leaue our goods for pleasure, & one an other for honour, as in tymes paste certaine Phylosophers haue done, whyche lefte one vyce perceiuing other. But no mā [Page] can willingly forsake the world, him selfe, and al thynge, and haue God for God, and for hys onlye laste ende, but he alone to whome the bounty of God is dyscouered, in suche wyse that he may more in hym, thē all the rychesses, pleasures and dygnytyes of the worlde.Roma. i. Whereunto suffyseth not the bounty of God dyscouered in hys crea­tures, nor all our naturall lyght, as Paule wryteth to the Romaines. Whome he she­weth that the naturall lyght, whyche lea­deth to the knowledge of God by the crea­tures, was not ynoughe, because there of they had no lyghte to gloryfy nor yelde the due thankes vnto God.

Wherefore they are not to be excused whyche thynkynge the naturall lyghte to suffyse, and trusting in theyr proper forces, or strengthes, demaunde none other lyght of God, but are to be reputed wycked. For as much as we al haue nede of the deuyne grace and lyght to knowe God suffycient­lye. Neyther is it ynoughe to beholde hym in hys creatures. But it behoueth wyth the spirite and supernaturall lyghte to vn­derstande hym in Christe, where he dysco­uereth hym selfe wyth so greate excessyue bountye, that hee rauysheth and draweth vnto hym the heartes, in suche wyse, that [Page] delyuerynge them of the worlde, he saueth them▪ Lette vs therefore fyxe oure eyes in that deuyne spectacle, to the ende, that fee­lyng in hym and by hym the bountye of the father, we may render vnto hym all honoure and glorye by our Sauioure Iesu Christ. Amen.

¶The .iii. Sermon.
If Philosophi serue to tru Theology or diuiniti, & in what maner

THere be some the whych denying al supernatural light thinke that in y^t world ther is none other Theology or diuitite but y^t natural, whiche they cal Metaphylica. And because that a man can not be a good Metaphysicus, vnles he be first a good philosopher, therfore thei be constrained to say that Philosophy serueth to Theology or deuinite. Some other, not being able to deny Theology or diuinity to be super [...]aturall, say that it is grounded vpon the natural, in such wise that (after theyr saying) as y^t kno­ledge intellectiue requyreth the sencytyue, because therof it hath original, groweth & hangeth or dependeth, so hath Theology or [Page] diuinitye nede of Phylosophy, because of it it taketh begining, groweth & is established

Philosophy then after their opinion, is the guide that leadeth vnto Santa Santo­rum, to behold the celestial things. The ladder by the whych it behoueth, to clyme to true Theology or diuinity. And mans rea­son is the rule to the whych (accordynge to theyr iudgmentes) resort al the knowledge of the deuyne lyght. And in so much they do allow them, in as much as they agree, not wyth the holy scryptures nor wyth the spy­rite, but wyth theyr blynde humayn iudge­ment, whiche they hold for the sceptre that sheweth al, euen to God.

But I say, that as our humain reason by the synne of our fyrst Parentes, is weake, blynde, frantyke and folysh. So is likewise theyr Philosophy. And that because that albeit after the synne, God left vnto a man a lyght of the natural thynges, necessary to the humaine lyfe and conuenient to our miserable state. Man neuertheles, in whom resteth a [...]ertayn pryde and curiosyty, wolde not contēt him self wyth so symple a knowledge. As whether a certayn Philosopher, geuing him self thyrty yeres to studye the knowledge of al the propertyes of the Bee could neuer perfectly attayn hys desyre. [Page] The others haue geuen thē selues to search the knowledge of al the propertyes, qualy­tyes, vertues and operacions of euery sen­sible thing and not only of the base and cor­ruptyble but also of the celestial bodies. Yea (and which is more) they haue enterprised to speake of the sonie, of the aungels, of God and of the thynges supernatural. In such wyse that (passyng the limites of their smal light, and walking blindely) eche one hath fabrycate in hys mynde hys own fan­tasye, and to the purpose haue so spoken & wrytten euery one according to his proper frenesy, wherof is growen so great variete of opinions, so many confusyons, errours sec [...]es and heresyes, that (as sainte Ierome iustly calleth them) the Philosophers are y^e Patryarkes of the heretykes, and the fyrst begotten of Egipt. And it is an old prouerb a great Phylosopher a great heretike.

The natural reason therfore, that is not healed by fayth, is frenetyke and folysh, as thou mayest wel thinke when thou consyde rest the presumptyon, in that it pretendeth to be the guyd, foundacion and ladder of y^e deuine knowleges. Wheras it f [...]rneth not to raise the man to the knowledge of God, but much lesse geueth hym cause to confes wyth Socrates that not only he knoweth [Page] not, but also that without the diuine grace he can do nothyng. Albeit that that Phylo­sophy is now so proud, that wyth the sup­pressyng and persecutyng of Christ, the gospel, the grace & faith, it hath alwayes mag­nifyed the carnal man, his light & hys powers. And is become so frenetyke, that onles it be healed by fayth, it wyll beleue nothing to be true, but that it thynketh good, nether is it possyble to perswade hym in any truth if fyrst declared vnto hym by hys frenetike reasons, it be not conformable to hys blind iudgement. Conclude therfore, that Philo­sophy lyeth low in the darke vale of vnder­standyng, and cannot lift the head to y^e high and supernatural thynges, in respect wherof, it is vtterly blynde, and knoweth not, nether by experyence nor reuelatyon, so that in it, it is impossyble to establysh the foun­dacyon of the faith. For as y^e feling passeth not the region of the sensyble thynges. So lykewyse cannot humayn reason nor Phy­losophy passe the regiō of the natural thinges▪ The natural man (as wryteth Paule) vnderstandeth not the thyngs of the spirit and because he is not capax, that is perseneth it not, he mocketh and scorneth it. Yea he persecuteth, banisheth with standeth, de­nyeth and repugneth the myracles, reuela­cyons, [Page] prophetes, the grace, fayth, the holye scryptures, God, Christ and his members. If they hear the Gospel preached of a faithful man,Ihon. x. they say he is mad, furyous or possessed of the deuel,Mark. v. as was said of Christ, If of a learned man, they say his great studye hath brought hym out of hys wyts, whych also was layed to Paule.Ace. vii. If of an ignoraūt how say they can he be learened that neuer studyed letters. And if of a pore wretch (as touchynge the worlde) they saye to hym as was sayed to the borne blynde man.Ihon. ix. Thou wast borne in synne, and wylte thou teache me? And so in effect can in no wyse abide to heare the thynges of God. Go read the holy scriptures, and thou shalt fynde that the carnal wysdome and humayne reasō hathe alwayes rebelled agaynst God. She is the same that fygured by the serpent, perswa­ded our fyrst parentes to tast of the prohibited apple, and that beleued not the word of God, and that afterwardes taughte them selues. That made Cain to slea hys brother Abel, and that perswaded the worlde in the tyme of Noe, that the general diluge or flud shuld not come. She caused the buyldynge of the towre of Babel. She prouoked Pha­rao to resyst God. She induced the people of God to murmure agaynst hym, and to [Page] worship the goldē calfe, & moued the Gentiles to ydolatry. It is that harlot y^t made Salomon, loose hys wittes, and stirred his father to kyl Vri [...]. And fynallye, she is the same that persecuted the Patriarckes, pro­phetes, Apostles, Martirs, & saintes of the old and new testamente. Beholde whether she be a wycked fole or not that put Christ on the crosse, and wher as Christ crucifyed is the ryght wysdome of God she accoun­teth it for a mere madnes. Sureli ther is no thyng that hath so much fauoured the kingdome of Antechrist as she which hath introduced all the supersticions, hipocrisies. I­dolatryes and euyls that haue bene cōmit­ted vnder color of holines. The faith hath not hadde a greater ennemy then she. The church of Christ was a paradyse whyles y^e symple fayth reygned. But takyng in hand the Scepter of humain reason, it is become a confused Babilō. And wheras the cleare, sure, and infallyble fayth, by geuyng light of the truth, magnyfying Christ, hys grace and the Gospell, doth adnichilate or bryng to nought the fleshlye man, and maketh the parson, symple, pure, immaculate, vertu­ous and holye. The darke, blynde deceitful frenetyke foolysh and heretical carnal reason, wysdome and Phylosophy, condem [...] ­neth [Page] and oppresseth the truth. And to proue and extolle the erroures, persecuteth, cru­cyfyeth and buryeth Christ, the grace & the gospel, and magnifieth the carnal man euē to the heauen. Al the harlots together haue not so much corrupted the world, as this only carnal reason, prudence and false Phi­losophye. No nor the symple ignoraunce hath not so much confused the world as y^• humayne scyence, wysdome and Philoso­phy, which maketh men bold, vnshamefast hoote, lyers, proud, contencious, frenetike folysh and wycked.Collos. iii. Wherfore Paul exhorted the Colossions to beware of her deceyt because (as God sayth by the Prophet E­say) she begyleth the parsons.Esay. xlvii. For the wise of the world be y^e most deceiued, most foles most wicked and most contrary to Christ. And it requireth a speciall miracle to con­uert one of thē. Read the christian histories & thou shalt fynde that those be they which euermore haue bene the first to persecute y^e gospel. And they are very wycked and fo­lysh that wyl ground Christ vpō Aristotel euen lyke vnto theym that wyll b [...]ylde a Iowre vpon a wheaten straw. Christ and not the Phylosophy is the only true foun­dation of his church and of the true super­natural diuinity of the which he is the onli [Page] workmaster and not Aristotell, I praye the what hath Aristotle to do with Christ. Many haue enforsed them selues to agre Aristotle wyth Plato, but they could neuer bring it to passe, because Aristotel, beginning at y^• lowest of the sensible thynges, ryseth in the ende to as hygh as maye be. And Plato be­ginneth wheras Aristotle endeth. Consyder now how it is possyble to agree hym wyth Christ, though many wyl make hym a pil­ler of the gospel & a ladder to clyme to hea­uen. Let vs therfore repute the sciences of the world as vain being lyke vnto the har­lots, that with theyr flattering wordes and deceites corrupt the mindes. And let vs cō ­syder that if the priestes of the old Testa­mēt wer prohibited to take a commune woman for a wyfe, how much more the Chri­stian that is al wholy consecrate and dedy­cate to God ought to flee and eschewe the vayne scyences and only seruing him self of them as of most vise handmaidens, to knit hymself in spyryte and wyth hart & mynde to apply hym self to that pure and immaculate virgin of the holy Theology or deuinity? To the intēt that euerlastingly we may render to God al laud honour and glorye, by oure Sauioure Iesu Christ.

Amen.

The .iiii. Sermon.
Howe we oughte to vse the ho­lye scryptures in attayninge the knowledge of God.

THe knowledge of the holy sc [...]ptures is not ynoughe to proue that we haue sufficyent lyghte of God, because it is possible that a man may by his prompt me mory attayn the holy scriptures and theyr interpretacyons in hys mynde, & by force of hys natural wytte, naturally vnderstād them, and be neuertheles for all that with­out fayth, spirit and lyuely lyght of God.Luke. xxi [...] For therto it behoueth hym to haue the spirite and supernatural lyght that God with hys fauour do open and penetrate y^t minde by hys deuyne grace. So that therefore we must not accōpt the holy scriptures for our last end, or for our supreame Quene or Emperesse, but for meanes that serue to y^• faith to the spirite and to the true knowledge of God, much more then the creatures. And we ought to serue our selues of them in dyuers wayes, for that they fyrst incyte and teach vs to repayre to God, sayinge in him is the cheif boūty, go to him, for he is faithful, and hath promysed to make you tast al vertue and goodnes in him. Yea, thoughe they do not make the lyuely to know God, [Page] yet worke they,Iohu. v. as the Samarita [...]e dyd, y^t sent the Samaritanes to Christ, who other wyse made them taste and feele that which the Samaritane had sayd of him vnto them in suche wyse that whē they returned, they confessed, saying: we beleued not at all by thy wordes, we our selues haue heard and know, that thys is truly the sauyour of the world. And so the holy scryptures do sende the to Christ, to the ende that he may open thy hart, and make the in spirit liuely to vnderstand that whych al ready thou hast red in the dead letter, that thou maist sai vnto y^• scriptures, we neuer beleued by thy words the which, being wythout spirite, could not make vs tast fin [...]ly the great boūty of god. It is true that by thy words, we haue bene prouoked to go to Christ, who speaking vnto vs in spirit, hathe made vs to fele in the ha [...]t, a more cleare, hy [...]h and deuyne effecte of that thou hast spokē. They erre therfore that fedyng thē selues of the letter and not of the spyryte do fyre them selues in the holy scripture [...], and seke none other light but that. Yea I say that for one houres studye, they ought to prai a thousand, & to demaūd of God the true vnderstandyng of theym▪ And lyke as the Pa [...]tonistes heald opinion that the sensyble thynges geueth vs occasy­on [Page] to study in the boke of the minde in whi­che (they say) is imprynted al the verity. So must we cousyder that the holy scryptures do cal vs to Christ, in whome (as Paul sayeth) be hyd al the treasures of wysdom and knowledge. This is no lesse then true, that lyke as if thou haddest a frend whom thou hast not tryed (though alwayes thou haste trauayled to proue hym) thou woldest not inwardly know hym for a frynde (though he wer euer in thyue eye) because the profe hath not roted hym in thy minde. So albeit the holy scriptures do cal and exhort the to seke God in spyryte, it is yet impossyble y^t thou shuldest fynde god in truth in y^e scryptures, if fyrst by spyryt, thou haue hym not at the harte.

They serue also an other maner, that many tymes happeneth. As wher god maketh the in spyryte wyth lyuely faythe to feele a [...]euyne truth. Afterwardes readyng the holy scryptures thou fyndest that crudulyty wrytten that thou haste so conceyued. And therof restyng contented, thou con [...]yrfmst thy self in the fayth of that truth, notwyth­standyug that it ought to suffyse the, of the fyrst inspyracyon of the holy ghoste. And so moreouer because that in Christ is y^e end of the law,Roma. x. ii▪ Cor. i. al the promyses fulfylled and al y^• [Page] Prophecyes veryfyed the shadowes, fy­gures and scryptures of the olde Testamēt he that readeth it and seeth all fulfylled in Christ, is forced to satysfy hym selfe of the truthe, and to establysh hym self in fayth. For Christ sēt the Iewes (that wold not beleue hym) to the holy scryptures, as to thē that wytnessed of hym. Afterwardes, albeit that in the church of God, to be satysfied grounded and establyshed in the deuyne, celestyal and supernaturall veryty, it beho­ueth in effect to come to the inward witnes of the holy ghost, without whome we can not know whych scryptures be of God, be holy and whych not. Neuertheles, after y^• our holy scriptures be of god, we ought to serue ourselues of them, as of a certayn in­fallyble & supreame outward rule to teach reprehend, correct and exhorte the others & to conuynce thē that speake agaynst it. For (as Paule wryteth) amongest the exteriour things we haue not a more sure,i, Timo. iii Titus. i cleare, perfect aud stedfast rule, then thys, wyth whi­che we ought in spyrit to rule al our words workes, dedes and lyfe.

The holy scriptures moreouer shew vnto vs (though farre of) our country. By her we haue lyght of God of hys promyses & also [...]hys threatenynges.Roma. ii. And they nou­rysh [Page] in vs, the fayth, hope, charyte fear and other vertues. They comfort vs in our trobles, aud in prosperyty exhort vs to be tem­perate. They discouer the va [...]ytyes of the world, our myseries and the boūty of god▪ And who that studyeth them must of force retyre or wythdraw hym self from y^e worldly thoughtes, and settle hys minde to mor­tyfy hys vyces, inordinate desyres aud affeccions. So that the study of them is very profytable to them that duly vse it, But it behoueth not to study as the Iewe (who fyxeth hym in the vtermost rynd of the letter, whiche as Paule sayth) kylleth, and beholding Moses wyth the face couered, and not en­teryng into San [...]ta Sanctorum, but as the true Christian, to whom is geuē the know­ledge of God celestyall Reygne or Kynge­dome, wythoute parables, that wyth the lyuely tast and feelyng of God in Christe, beholdynge hym wyth lyuelye fayth in the face discouered, and entrynge into Sancta Sanctorum, to se wyth clere supernatural lyght, the high resplendente secretes of god To whom be geuen all laud, honoure and glory by oure Sauyoure Iesu Christ.

Amen.

The .v. Sermon.
Of thin conueniences that are happened and daylye happen by the abuse of the holy scriptures.

THe holy scryptures of them selues be the good gyftes of God and of the holy Ghost. Neuertheles they may be v­sed of vs wel or euyl, as by experyence it is manyfest. For wheras gods elect serue thē selues of it to Gods honour, the reprobate contrarywyse serue them selues of it to his dyshonour, through theyr own faute & not of the scryptures, in so much that in respect of theyr wicked maligniti it hath perehaūce done hurt in som waies to y^e world, though At length, God of hys infynyte bounty re­duceth al thynges to hys honoure and glo­ry. For fyrst the scryptures annoyed them who haue bene diligent to gather together many bokes, and neglygent to study them. Thynkynge them selfes fully learned whē they haue had theyr lybrary ful of bokes. Other some studying, haue not attained to imprynte the truthe that they found in their myndes, and therefore haue wrytten it in papers, so that rea [...]yng moost ignoraunt, al theyr learnynge consysteth in theyr wry­tyngs, and losyng them, they also lose their [Page] scyence. Whych was one of the argumēts that caused Plato to condempne letters, sayinge that before scrypture was founde, the menne were much better learened then since, because they were forced to wryte in theyr myndes that that afterwardes they haue wrytten in paper. I passe ouer that many haue consumed theyr tyme in the dis­honoure of God, in readynge and wry­tynge of thynges curyous and peruycious to the health And that many transported of Curiosity, haue wylled to se so many bokes that in the end they remained cōfused with out frute. As doth the fyelde whereon they cast ouermuch seede. And of some that by those meanes haue lost their wits. But that whych importeth much more is that they thynke the true knowledge of Theolegy or deuynyty consysteth in letters, whych is vtterly false, because they geue not true and lyuely lyght of the supernatural thynges, y^• cannot otherwyse be knowen of vs but by spyryte, reuelatyon, fayth, spyrytuall taste, lyuely vnderstandyng and sure experiēce. For lyke as the Phylosopher wythout ex­peryence can haue no knowledge although he beare in mynde al that is wrytten, & not hauynge practysed, he must reast only in o­pynyon grounded vpon Arystotle, Plato [Page] and the other Philosophers, which moueth hym to beleue theyr wrytyng to be true, being neuertheles in very dede more ignoraūt then is the poore paisaunt or husbandman, that by labouryng of the earth, wythout sekynge letters, fyndeth the operacion of many natural thynges, that proueth hys scyence to be somewhat & theirs none, though well they study foreuer and wante expery­ence. So lykewyse one symple ydeot wyth­out learnynge, if he haue fayth, lyuely taste and spyrytuall vnderstandyng of God, is a greater deuyne then all the learened men of the worlde that be wythout spirite. Yea he is a deuyne and they none. For that of y^e heauenly supernatural thynges he know­eth so much as he tasteth, and experimēteth by fayth, and the learned man hath onlye a barrayne, ydle, colde and deade opynyon whyche standeth wythout faythe in despe­racyon and accompanyed of euery vyce. Now therfore it appeareth that of thys er­roure, by thynkynge that true Theology or deuynyty consysteth in learnyng, there are innumerable inconueniences growen, and chefely that many, wantynge letters, & not hauynge tyme to study, thynkyng that by other wayes it is impossyble to become dy­uynes, haue not dysposed them selues to demaund [Page] of God with meke hart and feruēt desyre the lyght of the deuyne thyngs. And moreouer they haue fled and wythdrawen them selues from the intellygence or vnderstandynge of the holy scryptures, as from aterryble ruyne, because theyr wyse leare­ned and holy men haue perswaded them y^• no man may vnderstand it but they only y^• are learned. Condempnynge them y^• wryte in the vulgare tongue, as if the true diuini­ty depended of the Hebrue Greke or Latin letters, or of that wytte that hath wel studied thē ▪ Behold now therfore whether thys be not a most rawe and wycked opynyon, beinge the verye cause that hath moued me thus to wryte in my natural tongue to thin tent that (knowing the true Theologi to be open to euery language and to the symple) our own nacion shuld not be pryuate, who haue none other but the mother tounge.

Ther be many that studying the holy scriptures wythout spyryt, lyuely fayth aud su­pernatural lyght, haue not only not attay­ued the true knowledge of the boūty of god and theyr owne proper myseryes, but the more they haue studied, the more, by the dri and deade letter, they are become blynde of God and of them selues. Yea vnfaythfull, vnkynde, proud arrogaunt presumptuous [Page] confencious and repleate of al othervices. Wheras the supernatural true Theology or deuynyty, shewing the great bounty of God, & declaring in our selues our own miseryes, maketh vs faythful, thankful, iust, humble, modest, gētle, quiet & conformable

And moreouer they be so blinde that not knowing theyr own wrētchednes, they not only forbeare to humble themselfes before God, and of hym hartely to demaund help lyghte and grace, but also leauynge prayer for theyr study, and the spirit for theyr lear­ninge, they presume to be masters of the o­thers as Paule writeth,Roma. ii. and so inflambed of theyr scyence, haue s [...]anndered the world wheras charyty edifieth. And being conse­quently without spirite, [...]i, Cor. viii. they study and vn­derstand the holy scriptures accordinge to theyr own iudgmēts, diuersli as their wits & study are variable, & euery one according hys fantasy expoundeth them, thinkinge he hath perfectly and iustly couceiued them, Wherof are growen infinite sectes and he resyes. In stead of y^•, if they had bene good and true deuines, and had had the spirit of gods gift, they had vnderstand thē in truth and veryty, whereof followeth none other [...]nt v [...]you of fayth both in spirit & charyty.

Many also beleuyng by the study of the [Page] holy scryptures, to attain true Theology & perfect knowledge of God, aud consequētly the chefe felycyty possible to the lyuynge man, haue geuen them selues to studye the scriptures, and walking by them to ioyn to the supreme felicity of gods knowledg, be­cause they wanted the spirit, they nether cā arryue at the true and liuely light, taste and spiritual vnderstanding of God nor yet to the true felycyty. Wherof it groweth that they fal to the bottome of infidelyty, in such wise, that thei beleue that ther is none other light, faith or deuinity then that their bar­rein and dead opinion, nor other felicity thē that theyr misery, and so, seming to haue at tayned the heygthe of vertues, before they haue once tasted of them, they despraise thē These and such other inconuenyences are growen and contynuallye growe throughe them that know not how they ought to vse the holy scryptures in such wyse, y^• by their default, and not of the scripture, they haue perchaunce done hurt to the world, But for that we ought not to condemne the letters (as many haue done) but the men y^• knowe not to vse them as they shuld be vsed to the honoure of God. To whome be al honour and glory by oure sauioure Iesu Christe.

Amen.

¶The .vi. Sermon.
If to be good deuynes it be­houe vs to haue the humain sci­ences or not.

THere be many that thinke it is not possyble to attayne the perfection of Theology, if fyrst a man learne not Gra­mer, Dialectica, Philosophy & Metaphi­sica, Yea Scotus Thomas Bonauenture & such other. I confesse my selfe to haue bene in that errour, and therfore am now moued to compassyon of them that reaste blynded wythal. If it wer as they say, we shulde be moost boūden vnto the inuentours of those scyences, syns that by thē we may be good deuynes, and wythout them not. And then I praye you if they happened to peryshe or those authours to be loste shoulde it not follow that also the world shuld lacke deuinity? And lykewyse if the learned menne i [...] those scyences be onelye the good deuynes, and consequentlye sainctes (the contrarye wherof is clearly seene) then might wel the simple and vnlearned people despayre of al ghostly health and the true and necessari diuinity hange vpon humayne scyences. So by that reasō it shuld behoue vs to say that the Apostles and in maner al the saynctes. [Page] Yea and the blessed virgin Mary were not good deuynes, not withstandyng that they haue taughte others. No nor Christe neuer learned those humayne sciences, & yet was he the most excellent deuyne.Ihon. iii. Therfore we must knowe that one humayne scyence leadeth v [...] to cly [...]e to an other, much vnwor­thy of the name of Theology or deuinitye, but rather to be called Metaphisica, y^• whiche neyther hath nor geueth so much [...]yght of God as can suffyse to our saluacion, be­ing a knowledge, that by force of mans wit climinge the degrees of humayne reason, may be attayned. Wheras the true a [...]d su­peruatnral Theology or deuynyty is a sci­ence of the spirit, a gift and light y^t by grace commeth from God aboue, in such wyse, y^• not he that hath the pregnaunt wytte, hath moost studyed and is best learned, is grea­test deuine, but he y^• hath faith, liuely lighte and vnderstandynge of god, that lyueth better and more christianly. And because faith is a gift of God,Ephe. ii. and the true deuinity a su­pernatural light, not attaynable or can not be attayned of vs, but geuen of God to his elect. Therfore euery symple ydeote and ignoraūt of the humain scyences, may by the grace of God,Act. viii. sodenly become a perfect deuine, and Christian, as in the actes of the A­postles [Page] it is red of the [...]unucho. It is possyble then, that a symple olde woman maye haue more of the true Theology or deuini­ty, then al the learned mē of the world. For the humayne sciences do fyl our mindes of smoke and pryde, and occupy them in such wise (that distract with Marta) they be not attentyue wyth Mary to receiue the knowledge of God It is sene by experyence that rather and more lightly the symple haue accepted the gospel then the learned men of y^e world. Yea where the symple, the ydeotes, the lytle chyldren & the Samarytanes magnified Christ, the learned scrybes and Pha­riseis persecuted hym to the deathe of the crosse. And when the world conuerteth, sel­dom the learned men come to the faith, but haue bene euer the last. Ther could none enter into Sancta Sanctorum by the old law but the high bishop. But Christ dying on y^e crosse,Collos. ii. hath ouerthrowen the vayle of the tē ple, so that the resplēdēt treasures of gods wysdome hyd in Christ are manyfested so openly, that the simple and ideotes, yea the Publicanes and commune womē haue vnderstauded them.Psal. cxviii Wherof Dauid speaketh saying. Thy wordes be open, they lyghten and geue vnderstandyng to the litle ones. That hygh and deuyne wisdom is become [Page] so low and open in Christ, that euery sim­ple may vnderstand. For that Christ is not come as an humayne man to teache vs let­ters, but is deuinely and spiritually descended to kindle the spirit, light chariti & grace in the hartes of his electe, and so hathe he made them to vnderstand, euen to the chil­dren which magnifi him,Math. xxi. saying: Blessed is he that is come in the name of the Lorde. And Christe reproued hys Apostles when they letted the chyldren of comming to him though now their be many that wil not al­low the holy scriptures to be had in the vulgare tounge,Luke. xviii nor red and declared to y^e sim­ple, as if they could not vnderstand thē, no [...] were not bound to know that which is conteyned in them. And yet it is certeyne, they conteyne none other but profitable and ne­cessary things to the health, and that being of the holy goste, those diuine verities be in maner so expressed, that in what tonge so e­uer it be written, so it be truly declared, and wyth pure hart herd and vnd [...]rstand, they must nedes edify without offending. Christ thankynge hys father, sayde vnto hym. I prayse the (father and Lord of heauen and earth) that thou hast hid these things from the wyse and prudent,Math. xi. and opened them vnto babes, not for that they haue studied, but [Page] because it hath so pleased the▪ Iere. iii. In this is fulfylled that that God promysed by his pro­phet Ieremy, that euē to the least of al they shuld know. Now behold if they be blynde or not, that wyll buyld the true Theologye vpon Philosophy, and vpon the humayne sciences, wheras Christ is the true founda­cion, and vpon him it behoueth to build, not woode, straw or hay, but syluer, gold & pre­cious stones, [...]. Cor. iii. that is to say, not the inuency­ons of man, but the only true reuelaciōs of God. Saint Ihō Baptist, and not Aristotle, was the precursor or forerunner of Christe. It is not possible with y^e light of a litle bur­ning candel to aug [...]ent the great light of y^• Sunne, and likewise Christ cannot be clarified by the humain sciēces.Ihon. v. He him self saith that he hath taken hys beauty, not of men but of hys father, who sayd vnto hym: And the I haue glorified,Ihon. xiii. and the I shal gloryfy And wilt thou then that Christ, which is y^• light of the world, shulde haue neede of the light of Aristotle? That theyr dry, cold and dead Theology serueth to make thē proud,Ihon. i. to presume of thē selues, to contend and to deceiue the blynd ignorāt people with per­swading thē falsly to reput [...] thē for diuines yea & to begile them selfes, that albeit y^t thei be darkenes in deede, yet they [...] thynke them [Page] selues to be the light of the world, and therfore humble not theyre hartes to pray vnto God to geue them light. I wil not say that we cānot serue our selues of al the humain sciences in the honoure of God, yea and of oure synnes, inasmuch as of them we may take occasyon of vertue. But I say in deede that they be not necessary to make vs good deuynes. For to that it behoueth a supernatural lyght of God, wyth clennes and purity of hart. And this lighte we oughte euer­more to dema [...]d of God with feruēt praier, we oughte also to seeke the hearynge of gods word, and with humility to exercyse our selues iu studying y^• holy scriptures, to the intente, that as true and good dy­uynes, we maye render vnto God all honoure and glo­rye by oure sauioure Iesu Christe.

Amen.

The .vii. Sermon.
Howe a Christian oughte to make his last wil and testament.

IT is common­ly the custome of men in their testamētes, and last wyls to sai: I leaue, I be­queath, I geue, wythoute once sayinge I take or cari with me wherein certes they be farre deceiued be­cause they take that, whych they ought to leaue be hynde thē, and go wythoute cary­inge that whyche is very behofeful and necessary. Wherfore to the entent they shuld no more erre on y^t behalfe. I wold we shuld consyder and weyghe how a true Christian shuld make hys wyll.

Men that be either fooles, mad, phran­tyke, neyther [...], nor yet know how to make a wyll, by reason they haue not wytte to descerne good from euyll, what is theires, or what is not, what to take, nor what to re­store or be queath, nor yet to whome nor in what manner. And if happely they go about [Page] to make theyr testamēt, it shuld be but vain and of no force God alloweth it not as a thing made of a parson witles. Wherefore he that is willing to make a testament effectual (as expedient is to him that will be sa­ued) behoueth to haue very good spiritual iudgment, a liueli faith in Christ, and an vnderstanding and light aboue a natural mā, he must also be the sonne, and lawful heyre of God.

And then he may say: I sound of mynde, and ready of spirit and remembraunce, al­beit as touching my flesh syck make my te­stament, and [...]equeath fyrst of al my being and substaunce to god: he gaue it to me and also preserued it, and of hym I recognise to haue it, and for it I render him thanckes. I leaue to him like wise the giftes, graces, be­nefites temporal, bodely and gostly, that I haue had, or shall heare after receyue: for they [...]e his, and from hym by grace I ac­knowledge to haue receyued all, as Paule sayeth, what hast thou, that thou hast not receiued at gods handes. Yea for asmuch as al the slaunders, misreportes, persecuciōs, sickenes, and misfortunes, which I haue already or shal from hence forth suffer, and e­uen death self, I confesse (by the vnderstanding that the Lord hath geuen me) that thei [Page] haue beue and shalbe his giftes and graces geuen and graunted of a great loue for my wealth and profit: wherfore as his deuyne rewardes I graunt to haue had thē of god, for them I thancke him, and as hys owne I leaue and restore them to him.

And for so much as I cānot but acknowledge that I haue gone alwaies backward from him so often as I wolde rule my selfe by my blynde iudgement, folyshe wisdome and deuelishe spirite, nether did so much as go one steppe forthe toward God, but whē I was moued, dryuen, and thrust forwarde of his holy spirit. Wherefore I commit to the highest God my most deare father, and to his gouernance, al the world and specially my self, in him (as I may) I wil help my selfe with myne owne wytte, and fredome, namely by makynge it obedyent to hym▪

Moreouer if euer I haue spoken or shal from hence forth vtter any word, if I haue done or shal do anye worcke, that is to hym pleasaunte, if I haue had or after this tyme shal haue thoughte desyre or wil, that good is▪ I geue it to God, and at hys handes I professe that I haue had al my goodnes, so that if it were gods wil, to take from me al that he hath geuen me, there shuld in me re­mayne nothynge but onely sinnes: those are [Page] myne own, and al other thinges he his.

Thus be my sinnes if I shuld go before gods presence. I were but dampned, if I were mynded to make satisfaction I could not, no nor yet anye sayncte that euer was, ther is none whose loue is so greate to take my sinnes vppon him and satisfy for them, and appease gods anger saue Christ alone, wherfore to him I bequeath my synnes. I leaue to hym my pride, vnkindenes, vnbe­leue, mistrust, arrogancy, enuy, wrath, am­bitiō, and al my vnnumerable wickednes, I geue to him my euil thoughtes, affectiōs, and desires: to be short I make one fagot & boundel of al my offences present, past and to come, and geue them to Christ hauynge sure fayth, and stedfast hope, that he wil accept them for his own, and hath euen already taken them, and for them hath satisfyed on the crosse, hys father layed them on hys necke,Esaye, lii [...]. and he did not ones agayn say it, but of great loue allowed them for hys, and to consume and burn them in the flame of his deuine loue, he bore them on his innocente shoulders vppon the crosse,i. Peter. [...]i. (as Peter wri­teth) and so was offered a sacrifice for vs. Now seing I haue left al my sins to Christ and geuen to God my substaunce, and be­ing, withal other giftes and graces, that he [Page] bestowed on me, I remayn naked wythout eyther good or euyl, and truly to say, I am rather nothyng. In that I haue restored to God my beinge that I hadde by creatyon and byrthe.

But for because it is impossible that he shuld saue me wythout being, and so it is y^• he wil saue me, therfore first I carye wyth me Christ him selfe, which is my life. God hathe so loued me, that he hathe geuen hymselfe to me.Ihon. iii. For so hath God loued y^• world that for theyr syns he hath geuen vs his on­ly begutten sonne. I cary also with me hys spirit, that was of his eternal father geuen me of his most roi [...]l liberaliti, as wel declareth Paule, wher he sayeth, God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our hartes wherby we cry and cal father,Gala. iiii. father.

And in that he hathe geuen me hym, he hath restored me to myself and former be­ing. With a new substance and nature spi­ritual, so that for the possibility of my saluaciō. I haue a being: but yet lacke I treasure to discharge my great dets, and to appeare rych in goddes syght, in consideraciō wher of I beare with me Christes watching, ab­stinences, trauayles, praiers, persecutions, slaunders, I take with me hys teares, hys swet, hys bloud, and al that euer he dyd or [Page] suffered in thre and thirty yeres is myne e­uery deale, and with liuely faith I embrace it as for mine own, I cary beside this with me hys pacyence, mekenes, loue, and al o­ther hys denyne vertues, his gifts and graces, hys treasures, and al that he hath mereted and des [...]rued, hys lyfe, passion, deathe, resurreccion and assension be mine, ye all y^t euer he hath done or shal from henceforthe do is mine, and what nedeth more to say, if God haue geuen vs his owne sonne, howe hathe not he with him geuen vs al thynges wherfore with faithe I embrace my sweete Iesus for mine owne,Rom. viii. he is my rightwyse­nes, wysdom,i. Corin. i. raunsome, and holines, he is my strengthe, he is my spirite, my lyghte, lyfe, hope, and al my goodnes, euen Christ him selfe in hyslaste wyl bequethed me all y^• he had of the father, Wherfore he sayth: I entertayne you at my table as my father hathe vsed me,Luke. xx [...]. as my father hath made me hys heyre so nowe I ordein you. I wil that as you be my brethren so you shalbe my fo­lowers. And in another place he sayeth: I haue loued you, as mi father hath loued me sithen I am nowe through Christe so ryche of treasures, vertuouse, and graces▪ I shal be hable not onely to satisfy for my dettes, but also to purchase infinite paradise, when [Page] soeuer they shalbe soulde.

Who shalbe nowe either to accuse or cō demne me, after that Christ hathe thus clo­thed me with his innocensy, rightwisenes, holynes, loue, with all his vertuse, graces, treasures, merites, and with his own selfe. I may with no lesse boldenes and suretye, then Christ, appeare before God, I am his sonne, as he is, and heyre of heauen, semblably I am innocent as Christ is now that he hathe satisfied for me, and payed my raun­some, and rewarded me wyth his innocen­cy, Christe saied: I hallow my self that they also maye be holye, euen he is oure holynes and we be his members. Wherfore it is as possible for God not to loue me, as it is possible that he shuld not loue Christ, by reason wherof Paule sayeth:Roma. viii. who shall deuide me from the loue of God that is in Christe Ie­su. It must nedes be that he be saued which wyth lyuynge faythe embraceth Christe for hys owne. And consideringe that the trea­sures, and merites of Christe are infinite, and able to enryche a thousande worldes, I entende not to carye with me anye other merites, nor spirituall ryches saue those that Christe hathe prouyded for me, for they be not onlye sufficient for me, but also ouer aboundaunce and vnmesurable.

Then shoulde I do no small iniurye to [Page] Christ, if I shuld search to store my selfe by any other meane or shift, although I might do it neuer so easely, nay rather wyth Paul wyl I recken al other thynges as myre and dyrt so that I haue Christe,Philip, iii. wyth whome a­lone I wil appeare before God, and of and by hym wyl I glorye and make boaste,Galath. vi. yea God for byd, that I shuld make my auaūte of any thing, saue of the crosse of our Lorde Iesu Christ of whome only hangeth al our health. And albeit al the saintes be ryche by meane of Christ, neuertheles, if they had merytes of theyr owne moste plenteouse, and wolde geue them to me, yet wolde I none, my Christ is inoughe for me, with him had I rather suffer, then take pleasure and ioye without him. It would be a thing pleasaūt to me, if euerye man shulde make prayer to God for me, not because I myght purchase or haue anye other treasures then those that I haue of Christ, but that I might by liuely faith euery day acknowledge, possesse and embrace those y^• I haue receyued of Christe and counte them for myne and so enforme my selfe, I my selfe were it not by Christe, shoulde not knowe what to aske, for in him is al and without him al other things be but mere vanitie, onely this peticion I make to him, that he vouchsafe euery dai to geue me light and vnderstandinge, that I may haue [Page] wyt to accounte and take hys treasures for mine owne. Wherfore if any man wil pray for me let hym not tarye tyll I be deade, for then I canne no more encrease in lighte and grace. Let him pray now, that I may grow in faith and more and more instruct my self of Christes riches. I am wel assured that in purgatorye I shall not come, bothe because there is founde no other purgatorye but Christe in whome at the full be purged and punished al the synnes of the elected, and al so because in case there were one, yet Christ not by my merites, but by hys mere good­nes dothe satisfie for al my synnes, trespas­ses, and paynes, and for as muche as hope neuer made any man ashamed, nor confounded anye persone,Rom. iii. that hadde it in hys harte (as Paul wrote) therfore am I sure and sec­ker that he wyll saue me without other pur­gacion. We cannot promesse oure selfes to muche of goddes goodnes, no we neuer can be h [...]te vs so much, but he wyll recompence muche more, I wyl not suffer therefore that after my lyfe anye good be done for me.

Truth it is that if I haue any goodes them must I leaue to the poore flocke of Christe, not because they shoulde praye for me, that am al readye saued, but for the vse of other that lyue,Ihon. vii and shalbe borne, as Christe dyd and also because the rather they maye lyue [Page] godly, and knowe that they shal neuer lack that be hys, and put theyr trust in hym. To whom be alwayes, honoure and glory through Iesu Christ our Lord Amen.

¶The .viii. Sermon.
Howe we shoulde answer the deuel when he tempteth vs & name lye in the ende of oure lyfe.

THe Deuel (as Peter wryteth) seketh alwaye to deuoure vs but chefelye he is busye at the houre of death,i. Peter. v. by reason then it standeth hym in hand so to do for his owne behooue, and our greater endomage and harme. Then vseth he al myght, power sleyghte, deceyte, and malice: wherefore I thynke good that we shulde search howe to make hym aunsweare and by the assistence and ayde of gods grace to vnderstand him aud get the vpper hande of hym.

He is constrayned speciallye when wee aproch nere to oure death, to throw vs into a bisse and pit of desperacion, or els to set vs in pride and presumpciō: if he shal perceyue that thou either put trust in thy self, or con­fidence in thyne owne worckes, he will not [...]oo in hande to make the despayre and mi­strust [Page] gods mercy, but rather stablishe the in that erronyouse opinion of pryde of thy dedes, on the other syde if he fele that thou hast all thy hope in God: then wyl he shew the on the one partie the multitude and wickednes of thy synnes, and on the other par­tie goddes wrathe and seuere iustice, he wyl tell the how thou art in a maze and perplexitie not able to be shaken of, or wonden out of, and by makyng the to fele thyne offen­ces, otherwise then euer thou dyddest in thy healthe wyll go aboute to take oute of thy harte the passion of Christ, and all the great goodnes, mercy, and loue of God, & finally to proue the damued, he wyl bryng for hys purpose, euen the holy scriptures.

But I wyll that al hys temtacions serue the to the honour of God and saluacio [...] of thy soule as they do serue the turne of the e­lected, to whom all thynges woorke to ge­ther for theyr wealth,Roma. viii. fyrste of all I warne the, that thou maintein not thy self for good but admit and graunte all the euill that he shall reherse of the and thynke, that he hath not saied so muche,i. Ihon. ii. but that it is much more and thanke God that now at laste he hathe bene so fauorable, to make the cōsider thy sinnes, wherin he vseth the deuel for an in­strument, to the entent that by the knowing of them, thou shuldest take occasion to humble [Page] thy selfe, and to cal Christ to thy remem­braunce, whyche to scoure and clense them hath not onlye reputed them for hys owne, but also dyed for them vpō the crosse, graūt thou hardely that thou art a greate rybalde and noughtye withoute excusynge thy selfe in any wise, and that thy sinnes are innumerable. Confesse that thou could neuer satisfye for one alone, and that thou were the most damned sinner of the world if Christe had not deliuered the, and styl prompte thy selfe with those matters, whyche maye fur­ther the to come into desperacion of thy self

But if the deuel wait to bryng the to despayre of Christ, thou may in no wyse cōsent therto, but stedfastly put thy trust in hym. And my mynd is that thou say to him thus: If it were good for me to mistrust Christ, y^u neuer wouldest haue perswaded me therto but rather haue drawen me from it, where­fore in that thou woldest putte me in mynde to mistrust Christ, thou makest me stronger in my hope and trust.

Thou shalt say to him, that when he caused iniustly Christ to dye, whych was an in­nocent, he lost al his interprise and inrisdic­tion, that euer he had or possible might haue ouer man. Aud if he procede forth to induce the to despayre, by settynge before the thy greate synnes. I wyll the to say to hym. Go [Page] to Christ, [...], Ihon, ii. which (as Ihon wryteth) is myne attournei and aduocate, he can make the an aunswere for me, reason there with hym, if thou haue any claime or title in me, as thou sayest, doest thou not know that he hath ta­ken my synnes for hys owne, and hathe for them made satisfactyon most plentuously, therfore hast thou no ryght in me at al.

If he chaunce to say his death is not i­nough to sane the, answere him: if Adam by tasting one apple with one only sinne was hable to damne me: how is it that so manye holy workes of Christ, which tasted for my sake of great loue the most bytter death, be not sufficient to saue me. If the disobedience of Adam had power to condemn me,Roma. vi. much more the obedyence of Christe is stronge i­nough to saue me, yea the gift of Christ is aboue and excedeth the synne of Adā, Christ hath more auayled and holpen vs, then A­dam annoied and harmed vs, by reason the light of Christ is of more force & effect then the darkenes of our fyrst parent, the good­nes of Christes surmounteth and passeth y^• malice of man, and his vertue preuaileth a­boue oure frailty: one teare of Christe hathe bene more pleasaunt to God, thē al the sins of the world be displeasaunt, Christ hath be able to do more to appeace hym, then we to prouoke hym to anger, Christes liuing was [Page] more formal and ordinary, then oures was out of order and frame. Christ hath doone more to the honour of God, then we haue done to his dishonoure. Wherfore I maye wel say, Christ that is my wisdom, right wisnes, holynes, and redempcion is sufficient inough to saue me.i. Corin, i.

And if haply he shuld say, it is not suffici­ent for thy saluacion to beleue in Christe, the be houeth to keepe his commaundementes, thou must loue God wythal thy hart, & thy neyghbour as thy self, and desire nor couet any thing worldly, which thinges because thou doest not, ergo, thou art dampned, if fayth only wer inough I also and al the de­uels shuld be saued, because (as it is writtē) euen the deuels beleue and feare.Iacob. ii. They be­leue that God made and created heauē and earth, and that Christ came, dyed, rose, ascē ­ded into heauen, that he sent the holy ghost, and that he shal come to iudge the quicke & dead, and yet are not we therfore saued, and that because we obserue not his deuine pre­ceptes. Wherfore thou also art but lost, he wyl thus labour to bring the vnder the law to thinke that thou must be iustified not by Christ, but by perfourminge and fulfillinge of the lawe, to the end y^t thou shuld despair.

But I wyl that thou make answere and say: if thou diddest beleue as by gods grace [Page] I beleue: that is, that God for thy wealthe hath created the worlde, and semblably preserueth it, in such sort that thou couldest fele in the creatures the loue of God, and lyke­wyse wold beleue firmely, that Christ came and dyed for thy sinnes, for to saue the, and for thy sake and profit, and in lyke manner of the other articles, thou also should be sa­ued, and then, when thou haddest a liuely feling of the goodnes and loue of God thou woldest loue hym, and thy neyghbour like­wyse, and beynge rauyshed into God wouldest begynne to set litle store by the world as al good Christen men and women do. If it fortune that he say:Deu. xxvii he is cursed that kepeth not and obserueth the lawe, wherfore thou arte one of myne,Galath. iii. Roma. vii. saye to hym agayne, for that cause Christ dyed on the crosse, for to delyuer me from all curses, and in so much as I am alreadye of Christ, I am deade to the lawe.

Agayne if he replye saying: wher be thy workes, whereby thou trustest to be saued? answer, I trust not to be saued bi mi works for they be such that if I shuld haue regard or respect to them. I feare me to be damned yea I were surely acertained of my damnacion. I hope only to be saued by Christ, and hys workes,Rom. viii. whyche be myne owne, and so much rather myne, then they I dyd myself [Page] as that the spirite of Christe geuen to me is more entyer to me then myne own life or a­ny other thyng.

Further if he shulde endeuour to proue the to be none of the elect, by reason of the innumerable, and outragiouse synnes that thou hast committed, for prosperites, or ad­uersities thou hast had, for the great euylles wherin thou art founde at thy deathe, or for the temptacyons thou haste susteyned, say­inge, that God preserueth his elected from the lyke euyls.Rom. viii. Make hym answer and say: rather dothe God practyse them in diuerse such manners, albeit of euerything they be certified to the honoure of God, thou shalt moreouer say to hym thus. I geue more credite and truste to Christe, whiche when he was deade for me on the crosse, tould me I was saued, then to the, that arte alwayes a lyer and father of erroures. I wyll thou tel hym, how thou geuest more fayth to Christ alone, then to al the reasons and authorities of the world: thou may by syde thys saye to him, the spirit of God beareth witnes to mi spirit, that I am the sonne of god and to him muste I rather truste then to the. When he shall saye, if thou were the sonne of God he would not leaue the in such punishmentes, as thou art in, but would geue the sonne re­lease and easement, answere hym: In case it [Page] were as thou sayest Christ shulde not haue bene the sonne of God, sithen on the crosse he had no comfort, nor sensual tast or feling so that he sayd: my God, my god why hast thou forsaken me:Mark. xv. it sufficeth to me that he sheweth me so much fauoure, for I am con­tented with all that pleaseth hym, as Christ also was, yea in his sufferinge, he felt exce­dingly the infinite loue of the father.

Beside these if he say: thou art the sonne of Adam,Ephesi. ii. ergo thou art accursed, Answere thou thus: I am blessed agayne by brynge borne of God,Ihon. i. and by meane of that blessed sede Christ as God long agone promised Adam when he sayed: In thy sede al nacyons shalbe blessed,Gene. xii. thou shalt tel hym: how thou art despoiled and bereft of the old Adam, & clothed with Iesu Christ as Paul teacheth and aduertiseth the,Roma. xiii.

What time as he shal declare to the that Christ is wroth, angry and sharp: make him answere how Christ is not such one, for he is the health and hope of sinners, and why­lest we be in this life present he is vttered to vs, pitifull, sweete, and oure Iesus, that is, our sauiour [...], and al be it he seme to speake sharpe, and cruel wordes to the woman of Canany:yet in heart he gaue her confidēce and boldnes,Math. xv. and shewed him self to her ful of swetenes and loue. In dede at the day of [Page] iudgement to the damned shall he be shew­ed angry, & wrathful but in the meane tyme till that day while we be here in this present life, he is shewed pitiouse to al, and prynci­pally to the greate synners.

And if it so were that he wolde saye thou art not truly confessed, nor hast rehearsed al thy synnes, and the circumstaunces of the same, ne hast examyned sufficiently thy conscience, nor yet haste no [...] [...]hat pure perfecte greate and vnsayned sorowe for thy synnes that thou of dutye shuldest haue, thou haste not satysfyed for those so great an vnnume­rable dettes, that thou haste towarde God, make hym thys aunswere aud say: thou art a seruaunt and not a iudge: or to saye more truly, thou art al ready iudged and condemned, seing thou beleuest not in Christ,Ihon. iii. & woldest thou iudge me? trouble thy selfe no lon­ger in prouynge that I haue failed in al, for sure I am, and fully I beleue to be saued, not by workes by reason they be vnperfect nor yet by the worthynes of my fayth, for in that also I am not perfect, because I beleue not with so great a faith as I oughte, but I beleue I shalbe saued by Christe, and not by my workes.

He wyl say: thou art not worthy to be sa­ued, say thou to him for a ful answer: the vnworthy be saued so often as they acknowe­ledge [Page] theyr owne vnworthines, go hartelye for healpe to Christe, by whose meane they be come worthye.

Where as he shal laye to thy charge that thou arte one of the worste of the world, say to hym on thys wyse: oure infyrmytyes be but small in comparision of the infinite me­rites of Christe, and of the incomprehensy­ble mercye of God: and the more great that my sinnes be and without number, so much greater shalbe hys glorye in deliuering me, and I with so muche the greater trust pray as that if he wyll heare me, it shall be more to hys honoure and glorye. And when I cō syder and call to remembraunce, that my sweete and louinge brother Iesus Christ the sonne of God, whyche for my sake dyed on the crosse, and wolde agayne innumerable tymes for me, if neede were, and that I am hys owne for so manye causes, and that he may determyne of me after his own mind. For so muche as hys father hathe geuen hym full power in heauen and earth: when I consyder thys, I say, I canne in no wyse doute of my saluacion.

If he efte soones reason thus: thou haste done no penannce for thy synnes, answeare on thys manner: that can I neuer doo, if I shoulde alwaye stande in the fyre, Christe hathe done that for me on the crosse moreo­uer [Page] Christe is myne, the father hathe geuen hym to me wyth al his merites, al the good worckes, that euer he dyd are myne, where­fore I maye with his deuine riches, aud tresures satisfy for al.

After thys manner I wolde thou shulde aunswere him, when so euer he setteth afore the thy sinnes, and infinite dettes, that thou oughtest to God for the benefites, thou hast receyued wyth dyuerse and sundrye vyces whyle he tempte the, but specyallye wyth desperacion, wherwith he tempteth euen y^e sayntes he wyll put the in mynde and mys­truste that Christe hathe forsaken the: but make answere that he neuer forsoke person that trusted in hym, but because he wold for sake none of vs, he was myneded to be for­saken him selfe on the crosse, and if he shuld at anye tyme forsake and refuse vs (the whiche is a thinge impossible) it shoulde be for more glorye of God, and we oughte not on lye to be contented, but also to take it for a synguler priuiledge and prerogatyue. It be houeth vs to stande stronge in the faythe, and thynke that afore God the passyon of Christ can do more to cause him to loue vs, then oure synnes canne procure hys hate to ward vs, we had nede to bewel armed with spirite, faythe, and grace, for learning suffi­ceth [Page] not to know how to answere, and wite thou well that Christe was tempted, and specyallye at the ende,Ihon. xv. wherefore he sayeth: the prynce of thys world is common, but he hathe gotten nothynge of me.

And if he canne not wyth these armoure hurte the, he wyll tourne ouer the leafe, and saye thus, and al because to deceiue the▪ Go to thou haste all readye vanquyshed me, I was myneded to bring the into desperaciō, but I coulde not. Thou art saued: & by & by wil y^• angels come to fet the.ii. Cor, xv. He wil appere to the lyke an aungel of light, and say to the as he did to saynte Hilarion. Haste thou ser­ued God so longe, haste thou done so many good deedes so greate penaunce, geuen so many good ensamples, saued so mani souls and albeit thou haste committed sinnes? yet arte thou cōfessed of them, thou haste done penaunce, thou haste taken pardons, thou haste gone for indulgences, thou kepeste the commaundementes, and besyde these done manye voluntarye workes that thou wast not bonnden to do, wherfore why shuldeste thou feare. Thou shalte be safe and sure, if thou be not saued, then shall none be saued. Yea thy good workes be ouer plusse, more then sufficeth,The Diuel is a lyar. whiche thou maye sel or geue to other, whiche if thou do not the church of [Page] Rome shalbe the heyre, and thou shalt en­rich their treasury of indulgence.Ihon. viii. What fe­rest thou therfore: hast thou happely gone another path or way. Albeit thou haue admitted synnes, yet seest thou not how thou art wel dispose [...] at the last, only stād stoutly in the trust of these thy great and many good workes suffer thys sycknes, and death for the remission of thy synnes, and thou shalt be more then saued, only oftē remember thy self. Of thy good workes. Then it is expedient for the to say thus, Thou wouldest that I shuld trust in my workes, and I haue no feare of being dampned, wer it not for my workes, I geue thankes to my Lord Christ Iesus, whych hath geuen me the grace to counte my workes for a thing of nought, & for such, that euery one of them I deserue to be punyshed, thou magnifiest my workes, to draw me backe from the confydence of Christ, but by gods grace, thou shalt not be able to do it, I fynde that I am vpon a litle bourd in the sea tossed with myghty wynds and haue embraced and be clepped a strōg pyller or rocke, and thou councelest me to leaue it, and to sticke to the rotten thynges whych I shuld do, the windes would ca­rye bothe me and them into the sea▪ Rather I wyl perish with Christ which is a thyng [Page] impossible I then lyue wythout hym, no I can not put my trust holy in Christ vnles fyrst al together I dispayre of my selfe and myne own works. Wherfore it is necessary that we despoile our selfes of al trust in our own workes, and by fayth and hope, clothe vs and arme vs with Christ and in hym put our hope, and although we haue not that great fayth, yet in no wyse ought we to des­payre, because if at the first he do not, yet at length he geueth it to hys elected at theyr death, as the Prophet Abacucke told a fore hand, when he sayed, Lord when they shal be neare to the death at the latter ende, be­twene thys way and the other, thou wylt make knowen to them Christ and his great benefits, and wilt open to them the bosome of thy graces by Iesu Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The .ix. Sermon.
☞ Howe aunsweare is to be made at the iudgment seat of god

A Felon or gylty person, that canne not flye, but of necessity must appeare at the sessions assise, or law day afort y^t barre, pycketh out and c [...]oseth him for hys ayed and succoure, attourneys, protectours and counsellers, and goeth deuising how he [Page] may be detended, namely in a matter tou­ching life and death: which thing it standeth vs in hand more to do. In so much as, that we being ful of sinnes, must appeare before the high iudgment seat of gods iustyce, and when iudgment by definitiue sentence is geuen against vs, we shal lose paradise, soule, grace, God, and al goodnes without reco­uery, and be throwen into the depe pit of hel therto remain and abide in fyre euer lastingly▪ Wherfore me semeth it wer expedient to imagin what way to take, what answere to make, with what reasōs to arme vs, that we may haue the matter to passe on our syde.Roma. v.

First of al an vndouted matter is it, that we al haue sinned in Adam and beside the originall sinne haue innumerable actuall, ne can be saued, onles first we be absolued and forgeuē, and that must nedes be whilest we be in thys lyfe for afterward is no more re­demcion at al.Luke. xvi. To the glotten was denyed one droppe of water.

Wherfore necessary is it to know y^e ther be two iudgment seates of God: the one is of ryghtwisenes, the other of mercy, grace, pitie, goodnes, loue swetenes, and liberalt­ty: as Paule speakynge of thys laste fayth: Let vs go boldly to the troue,Heb. iiii. and bench of gods grace at the first bench sitteth God, & [Page] Christe kepeth residence at the second. Now as for the synners, if they wil be saued they must go al to the bench of mercy to aske and cal for pity, and not iustice, for fauour & not strayghte reconyng, because we haue al ben vniuste, and withall oure rightwisnes, and good workes be not hable to withstād gods rightwisenes,Psal. cxliii. wherfore Dauid sayed, Lord none can be iustified in thy syght, if there thou wilte see a reconinge, and in another place. Lord if thou wilt punish our iniquy­ties,Psal. cxxix. Iob. ix. who shalbe hable to abide? & Iob saith I knowe that man can not be iustified if he stande face to face a fore God. And in ano­ther place, what thing is man that he shuld be cleane?Iob. xv. the heauens be not cleane in hys syght. And Ieremye wryteth thus: If thou washe the wyth Nitrus thou shalt neuertheles be stayned.Ieremi. ii. And Esaye sayeth: our right wisenes be lyke the clothes of an vncleane woman: and Salomon witnesseth the same, sayinge who is he that can saye my heart is cleane.Prouer. xx I am pure and innocent from sinne wherefore sayth God by Ieremy, why wyl you striue with me in iudgment: As though he shulde saye you are fooles, if you thynke your selfe hable to wythstande the iustice of God, seinge your ryghtwysenes is vnclene and that so muche vnclener, as that not only [Page] the woorckes, but also the verye inwarde thoughtes, affections, and desyres shalbe exammed, and tryed. Therfore sayeth God, I wyl searche,Sopho. i. trye and proue Ierusalem [...] wyth lanternes, it is moste profitable to go to the benche of mercy. And say with Da­uid,Psalm. xv Lorde I shall come a fore the, not wyth the multitude of my workes, but of thy mercye, and in case thou be somemoned and called to the throne of iustice. Appeale to the o­ther benche of mercye, for as from the iudg­mente of a Lorde subiecte to the Emperour a man maye appeale to Cesars iudgemente seate: so may a man appeale from the bench of iustice to the trone of merci as to the higher courte,Iames. ii. In as muche as Iames wryteth mercye excelleth iustice: it is seene that Eze­chias, after sentence was geuen vpō him at the benche of iustice,iiii. Reg. ii because he appealed to the other trone of mercye had graunted to hym, that he shuld lyue fiftene yeres longer And Dauid by appealynge to mercye cau­sed the sentēce to be reuoked,ii. Reg. xi. which was geuen that he shulde dye. And what tyme that seruaunte,Math. viii. of whome the gospell speaketh, sayed, haue pacience wyth me and geue me respyte: he appealed to mercy and was herd In lyke manner is it and hathe be of al sin­ners that be saued.

[Page] Nowe muste we doo in the same wyse, I meane when we be cyted to the court of iu­styce to render and yelde an accompte, then must we appeale to mercy, and saye: we be deade throughe Christe to the law, and therfore to iustice also,Rom. vii. which iudge after y^• law are we deade, then hathe iustyce no iurisdic­tion vppon vs at all, no thoughe it were the greatest synner of the worlde, saye thou to God, I am Christes, thou gauest me to him as Christe sayeth, they were thine, and thou haste geuen them to me.Ihon. xvii. Moreouer Christe hathe redemed me, therefore am I hys for manye causes, I wyll therefore stand to his iudgemente, thou haste geuen hym all pow­er in heauen and in earthe as hee hym selfe sayeth,Mat. xviii. to me is geuen all power in heauen and in earthe, wherefore he maye doo wyth me the thynge that lyketh hym, and as to hym semeth good, he is my iudge as Christ hym selfe sayeth, the father hathe geuen all iudgmente to the sonne,Ihon. xii. it is therfore his duty to iudge me. But as in another place he sayeth he came not to iudge but to saue the worlde, saye therefore to Christe, doo thyne offyce, saue me, for thou cammeste, and thy father dyd sende the for that intente, I feele all readye thy voyce, and in my hearte thou sayeste to me, that because I truste in the, [Page] thou wylte saue me, all readye by thy grace haue I put in the my confidence and hope, and he that beleueth in the,Exodi. xii. can not be dampned, saue me therfore according as thou art bounden by a couenaunt made. And al be it thy conscyence accused the, and all the de­uels besyde layed to thy charge, yea though iudgement wer geuen against the, yet so lōg as thou art in thys present lyfe, it is alwaye lawful to appeale to the mercy of God.

And if it wer so, that by force thou shuld he drawen to the court of iustice, crye oute wyth Esay, & say to Christ: O Lord I suffer violence,Es. xxxviii. make answere for me, healpe me, forsake me not, I chose and wil haue the for my attorney and speach manne: not because thou shuld defend my iuste accomptes, and true reckenynges, for I haue none such, but to the intente thou shuld take my synnes for thyne, and reward me with thine innocency holynes and ryghtwysenes. Thou hast all readye satissfied for me on the crosse and appoynted me by adopcion to be the sonne of God, wherfore I cānot be damned, no not one shalbe found that dare accuse me,Rom. viii. being one of goddes elected.

Moreouer if thou be myneded aud wyl­lynge to appeare wythoute daunger at the benche of goddes ryghtewysenes dyspoyle [Page] fyrste thy selfe of the olde Adam, and appa­rel the with Christe (as Paul exhorteth vs) & thou shalbe safe.Colloss. iii. For in so muche as thou haste embraced him for thine own, thou can not be damned although thou haddest committed al the sinnes of the worlde. As a wo­man greate with childe cannot be punished no more can thou,Apoca. iii. if thou haue Christ in thy harte,Ihon. iii. or rather (as Christe sayeth) he that be leueth in the son is not iudged he is so assu­red of hys saluacion, that there nedeth no examinacion to be hadde of him, he is one of Christes mēbers, and hath his spirit, wher­fore he can no more be dampned then Christ because he is knit to him by liuelye faythe.

If it be so that God woulde make there with the a reckenynge, saye to hym howe thou hast made it wyth Christ,Esaye. liii. for as he put on Christ al our iniquities and sinnes (as Esaye sayeth) and with greate loue accepted them for hys owne, and bounde him selfe to make satisfaction for them. Wherfore thou shalt say. Lorde if thou haste anye reconing or matter agaynste me, make it with Christ he knoweth wel how to answere aud can declare that he hathe satisfied for them.

In case be that any must be dampned for the synnes I haue doone, it is Christe, that muste be dampned, and not I good Lorde, [Page] for albeit I am he that commytted them, neuertheles Christe bounde hym selfe to satis­fye for them, and that by consente and good wyll of hys father, wherefore who so euer beleueth lyuelye in Christe is all to gether safe and sure.

Besyde thys if God wolde needes make the audite and accompt wyth vs, and wold saye: I am not contente wyth Christes satisfactyō for you. I wil that your selues make recompence for that you haue offēded (whi­che is a thynge impossyble) all readye from the beginninge he is contented, and hath accepted that deuine sacryfyce of the vndefy­led lambe Christe Iesus, whyche dyed on the crosse to be obedyente to hys father (as Paule hathe wrytten) al readye is the right wysenes of God satysfyed vp Christe more then suffycyente,Phillip. ii. and made his sonnes, and so consequentlye hys hepres he hath alreadye ge­uen vs paradyse,Roma. xi and when God hath once geuen a gyfte it neuer repenteth hym: wherfore the gyfte canne not be called agayne vp reason God is not chaungeable, I neuertheles althoughe (as I sayed) he shulde saye: I wyll that thou thy selfe satisfye. Answere hym on thys wyse: Lorde if I were as dere beloued to the, as is Christe, and had done [Page] and suffered lonynglye for thy honoure. All that Christ did and suffered, in this case woldeste thou not holde thy selfe sufficiently sa­tisfyed for me: in case he graunted thereto. Thou shulde make hym this answer. Then is it all readye done. Form that Christ suffered I myself suffered. By reason I am chā ­ged into Christ. Yea the true Christians, y^t haue Christ in theyr heartes (as Paule say­eth let Christe dwel in our harts) maye piti­ouslye lamente and complayne to of God,Rom. viii. and saye to him: thou hast punished vs more bytterlye then we haue deserued, cōsidering that we offended and not Christe, reasone wolde thou shulde haue punyshed vs, oure wyll, and oure lyfe and soule, and not that innocent and vndefiled lambe Iesus Christ and thou hast punished Christ which is the lyfe of my soule. The harte of my heart, the spirite [...]f my spirite (as Dauid sayth) God my fleshe and my hearte.Psal. lxxiii God of my hart. Thou shuldest, if my deathe had not bene i­noughe for my synnes, tourned me into no­thynge, and letten a loue that innocent, and iust Christ more deare and intier to me then myne owne soule wherefore I feele more that, that he suffered for me, then I shoulde haue felt, if I had suffered al y^• torment pos­sible on mine own body, but wel wyst thou [Page] that I could not by reason of my fraylty, abyde and suffer al, that I had deserued for my synnes, and therfore thou chose y^• myghty and strong Christ to suff [...]r for them in misteade, and moreouer hast set him in my hart to the intent that I shuld not only feele that he suffered also, but also that he myght geue me strength to be able to suffer,

Thou maiest also say: Lord albeit I haue synned. I am regenerate and bo [...]n again by Christ, I am no more y^t mā that synned, but I am a new creature: wherfore thou cannot iust [...]y punish me, because that spirit of mine that sinned,Galath. ii. is dead, and Christ liueth in me, I lyue no longer my selfe, but Christ in me. Punysh, kyl, and turne to nought that spy­rite of myne, that wyll of myne, spoile from me that olde Adam, that sensuliality, and al that in me hath synned: and punysh not me, sithen by the newe spirite, that I receiued of Christ I am his most innocent creature.

Moreouer thou Lord hast geuen me Christ withal his diuine treasures and graces,Rom. viii. and that to be more surelye myne, then I am my selfe, and in so much as he is myne entyer I am able to satisfy for al my dets.

What fearest thou then O synful soule. [...]eb. ii. Seest thou not that as the blud of Abel cri­ed for vengaunce, so this bloud of Christ calleth [Page] for mercy and he cā not but must nedes be heard, one depenes calleth on another I meane the bottomeles abisse of my synnes hath neede of the abisse of Christes passyon and the abisse of Christes passyon calleth to the abisse of the mercye of God.Psalm, xli. Saye therfore to Christ,Psalm, x. O Lorde make thy mar­cye maruelous and wonderful, thou sauest them that truste in the, cry saue me for thy mercye sake, take and embrace thine y^e right wysenes of Christ, and then canne I be contented thou say.Psalm. vii Iudge me Lord accordyng to my rightwisnes. Let euery man therfore go to the court of the mercy of God, and if we be called to the barre of iustice, let vs appeale alwayes to mercy, and see that neuer a man appeare before the throne of iustyce except fyrst he be clothed w^t Christ through fayth and then he may be presented boldly, as he that is armed with innocency & truth may be presented a fore any place of iudge­ment. And God shal accept them for ryght­wyse. To whome be all honoure and glory through Iesu Christ oure Lorde. Amen.

¶The .x. Sermon.
By what meane to come to heauen.

[Page] Experyence proueth that euerye crea­ture hathe naturallye a desyre and appetite to resort to it own proper place and mansyon, and namely man, because he is the most souerein creature of al other.

And for so much as our natyue country is not heare vpon the earth,Heb. xv. Collossi. i. but in heauen is our place of reast (consideringe that al men haue thys desyre to go to heauen) I take it to be expedyente to weigh and po [...]der how we maye go together.

God hathe geuen vs Christ for an only [...] mirrour, glas, squier, Maister, and guide, wherfore who [...]so [...]is willinge to walke thy­ther I meane to heauen, muste go the same path, that he hathe gone and troden before vs, because he knoweth y^e way most perfectly, and taught it to vs wythout any gile as wel by his examples, as by his words, therfore he that entēdeth, to go to heauen must follow him. And firste as he beynge in the shape and fourme of God was not proud, nor an arrogāt vsurper, nor ascribed to him self that he myght conueniently haue done,Phillip. ii. but contrariwise, was louely humble, of no reputacion, and to ke vpō him the shape of a seruaunte, or rather of a synner, and God layed on hym all oure wyckednesse,Esay. liii. ye and most louingly admitted and allowed them [Page] for hys own, as though he had commytted them hym self.

Now in lyke maner, a Christen man be­ing al ready regenerate and born agayn by Christ, & graffed into him by a liuing faith. Commeth down from heauen, that is from hys own pryde, and false excellency, for (as Christ sayeth) no man goeth vp into heauen but he that commeth down,Ihon. iii. that is the son of man and hys members. Wherfore by & by as a Christen man hath a liuely tast and feling of Christ, and his great bene fyt he is humble, counteth him self of no value & no­thing in his reputacion, for whē he seeth by deuine influence, the mekenes of Christ, his liberality, pacience, loue, goodnes, innocē ­cy, wyth other of his vertues, he is of force constrayned to feele his own pride, vnkind­nes, vnpacientnes, wyckednes, vngodly­nes, and his other iniquities. And as God put vpon Christ al our synnes, and he with most tender loue receiued them: so wil this Christen man ascribe to him self al the offē ­ces of the world: by reason that he percea­ueth, that if God had with drawen frō him hys grace and had not born him vp, but ministred to him occasion and oportunity to offend, ther had not ben a syn in al y^e world but he had don it wherfore he wyl attribute [Page] to hym self al, as though he had committed them in dede so that albeit in Christ, and by Christ he perceiueth him self innocent and safe, not withstanding of him self he taketh it, that he is most damned, and greatest syn­ner of al the world and is forced to say that (whych Paul spake long a go) Christ came into the worlde to saue synners,i, Timo, i. whereof I am one of the chefe.

The second act of Christ was, that, after he was thus humbled, clothed wyth oure frayle nature, borne, and shewed forth to y^e world, he liued al together for hys neygh­bour, and sought only y^• glory of his father and saluacyon of hys brethren, without any regard or respect to hym self (& cause whye is) for that he was so full of loue,Ihon. i. grace, fa­uour, truth, godlines, and all light, vertue, and perfeccion, wherfore cōsidering he had no nede to enrych hym self, he lyued holy to the wealth and benefyte of others, as Paul sayeth Christ hath not pleased hym selfe he was inflamed in such wyse wyth a feruent desyre to saue the world,Collossi. i. Rom. xv. for the glory of his father, that he being cleane swalowed vp in God, had no mynde nor consyderacyon of hym self. Nowe in semblable forte that true Christen man, that seeth hym self the sonne and heyre of God, as Lord of all studyeth, [Page] not to lyue to hys own vse, but is holy ben [...] to the benefitinge of hys brethren for gods glory, and beinge as it were chaunged into theyr nature feeleth al theyr good, and euyl as Paule dyd.

Next ensueth the thyrd acte, that lyke as y^e world persecuted Christ, so it pursue hym and that because in sauynge his neighbour and sekyng the glory of God, he auaunceth and set forthe the grace, the gospell, and the great mercy of God: thrusting down sub­mittyng, throwing down to the ground, & makyng nothynge of man: and because the world repyneth at thys, therfore immediatly foloweth persecutyon, in lyke case there­fore as the hoole life of Christ was one contynual persecution because it was godly, so chaūceth fytly and agreably to a true chri­stian, that magnifieth the greate benefyte, whych we haue receiued by Christe,Actes▪ ix. which thing is open and manifest in sundry pla­ces of the Actes of the Apostles. For immediatly as the Apostles had preached the gospel, they wer pursued, and so the case goeth in thys our time. More ouer as Christ was done on the crosse, from whence, he wolde not come down, althoughe in scorne it was sayed to hym,Mat. xxvii that if he were the sonne of God, he shoulde come downe of the crosse, [Page] and they woulde beleue hym, but because he was the sonne of god, he wold not come downe, but adyde there, and wyth his own death make perfect our saluacion, in lyke maner also a Christen man must be trans­formed and changed into Christ crucified, so that wyth Paule he may say I am cruci­fied with Christe,Galath. ii [...] in such wise also knitte to hym on the crosse, that nothinge is hable to part me from the loue of God,Rom. viii. whych is in Christe Iesus.

Furthermore as Christ dyed on y^• crosse so a Christen man, that lyueth in Christ, di­eth to the world in such sort, that he passeth not of riches, honour, dignity, kinred, frēds worldly pleasures, or prosperity cōsidering that he seeth by fayth that he is safe, happy, and sonne, and heyre of God, yea euen as Christ was buryed, so is he, so that y^• world counteth him not only for a thing dead,Rom. vi. but rotten, stynkyng and lothsome, wherfore he must say wyth Paule,Galath. iii the world is crucify­ed to me, and I to the world. He besyde this must ryse with Christe in newnes of lyfe, li­ntug after another maner then be did before that he was regenerate by Christe,Rom. vi. because he is be commen spirituall he lyueth to the glory of God.

And thus finally with Christ he ascēdethColloss. iii. [Page] into heuē stāding, as touching his thoughts affeccions, and desyres, aboue in his celesti­al country, so that he say with Paul our conuersacion is in heauen,Phillip. iii. where he enioyeth & taketh pleasure and comforte in God. To whome be alwayes al honoure and glorye, through Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen.

The .xi. Sermon.
Howe God hathe satysfied for oure synnes and hathe purchased Paradyse for vs.

GOd by hys absolute and free power myght haue saued vs without any sa­ [...]isfaction at al: In as much as the iu­stice of God is contented and pleased of al that is liking his good wil: neuerthelesse he hath appointed from euerlasting by his de­uyne minde and wisdom, neuer to saue sin­ner, onles first he wer fully satisfied, and se­then he perceyued that we coulde not dooe it our selfes, he was minded to send into the world his sonne to make for vs satisfaction and layed on hym the iniquities of vs al, as Esay wrot,Esaye. liii. And he right louingly, although he were a verye innocent, toke them for hys own, and was contented to satisfy for oure offences, to suffer that we had deserued, and dye vpon the cros, according to his fathers [Page] wyl, as Paule wryteth he toke our infirmi­ties for his own and he hath borne oure ini­quities and miseries, bi reason he came into the world as though he had ben an offender he toke a similitude of sin to serue our turne on the behalfe of our sinnes & as though we had ben most innocent, and he committed al the sinnes on his wil was to go alone to the death,Esay. xliii. and therfore he sayed to hys disciples in the garden: stand there in peace, rest, and wythout care,Mat. xxiiii and suffer me alone to enter into the battayle, and abyde on my boones that you haue deserued. And metynge the multitude he sayd to thē: whō seke you, they aunswered,Ihon, xiii. Iesus of Nazareth as thoughe they shuld haue said, we seke for him, which hath vpon him al the sins of the world, And Christ made answere▪ I am he, I haue takē on me al the sinnes, loue hath layed them on my shoulders, therfore if you seke for me as a man in whom be al the synnes let my dys­ciples and my elected passe as innocentes, ease, satisfy reuenge, & do your wurst to me which am cōtented to suffer for al one cause also, wherfore Christe beinge accused at the iudgment seat of Ierufalem, made no aun­swere was to shewe that they had agaynste him all actyons, in so much as he had ēbra­ced for hys owne al our synnes. It pleased [Page] hym also to be crowned wyth thornes, as kinge of al miseries, & set betwene. ii. thefes as the starkest errand thefe of all, lykewyse was he contented to be striken and beaten for our synnes, as (Esay sayeth) he was smiten for our infirmities and brused for our i­niquities, and offences:Esaye. liii. God hath chastised and beaten him for the sinnes of hys people and by his wounds, & passions we be made hole, he payed that he owed not, (as Dauid saied) I haue paied those things that I toke not.Psa. lxviii And Esay also dyd say in the parson of Christ,Esay. xliii. you haue put me to trouble for your iniquities. He was contended that vppon hym shuld come al those infrmies, slaūders & rebukes, which we haue deserued for our syns, which thing Dauid singnified in spi­rit in the parson of Christ where he sayeth,Psa. lxviii. the rebukes, and reproches, wherwith they slaunderd the, fel al vpon me, yea and those curses also, that wer due to vs fel vpō him, (as Paule sayeth) he hath redemed vs from the cursse,Galath, iii in that he became a curst for vs, And lyke a godly shepherd hauyng on hys backe the lost shepe (for he hath his kingdō vpon his shulders) hath he born our synnes on the crosse,Esay. vi. (as Peter sayeth) he hath born our synnes in hys body vpon the crosse and tree.i. Peter. ii. Vpon it as it had bene an altar, to condempne [Page] our synnes, wyth the syn that was imputed to hym, was he offered as a sacri­fice to be burned in the fyre & flame of gods loue, and to the Corinthians Paul writeth, he that knew no syn was made syn for vs.ii. Corin. v. It was gods wyl and mynd, that he which was most innocēt should be don on y^e crosse as though he wer not only a synner but euē lyn it self and thus (as Daniell prophesyed was iniquity consumed) and in one day god toke it out of the world, according to y^e pro­phesy of Zachary,Zachar. v. wherfore saynt Ihon saieth he appeared to take away our fyns,Ihon. iii. and saynt Ihon Baptist sayeth of Christ that he is the lambe of God y^t taketh away the sins of the world.Heb. i. Therfor when Christ suffered most louingly al that, which we haue deser­ued, he satisfied for vs, and purged vs from our synnes. He after the manner of the pro­dygal sonne, of an excedyng loue, y^t he bare to the soul, when he had geuen hys deuyne treasures of grace to the very open synners and harlots and had taken to hym selfe our synnes, as if he had done them hym self, he made prayer to hys father that he wold pardon them to hym, and to hym he pardoned them, for we were not worthy: nether wold he yeld vp hys spirit tyl fyrst he had bowed down hys head that is vntyl he had moued [Page] God, whyche is (as Paul writeth) his head to pardon vs to Christ therefore were our [...] sins ascribed so that iustly he meryted that death for hys syns,i. Cor. xi. not because he commit­ted them, but because he admitted them for his own & so hath he satisfied for thē, not on­ly sufficiently, but also more thē was requi­site. For to God is one teare of Christ more pleasaunt, then al the sins of the world dys­pleasaunt, and that lyfe & death of his were more to the honour of god, thē our life was to his dishonour, yea he hath not only satis­fyed for our synnes, but hath purchased for vs lyfe euer lastynge.

But happely wylt thou say, then nede I to take no paynes nor trauail to satisfy for my sins, nor to deserue paradise, I mai take myne ease, or do what euil that liketh me geuing me to plesure, and good chere, for if it be as thou saiest, I cannot but be saued. I answere thus. First I say y^t truth it is thou oughtest not to labour thy self for the entēt to satysfy for thy syns nor yet to deserue paradyse: for that is only Christes offyce, nor thou canst haue any such entent without doing greate iniurye and wronge to God, but wheras thou sayest, y^t thou wold lyue ide­lye or do euel, after that Christ hath now delyuered the from al euil, and purchased the [Page] the greatest felicity: I make the answere on thys wyse. If case wer that one were led to the gallowes for hys rybaldry and nough­tynes, and hys Lorde or maister of mere fa­uour and good wil shuld delyuer hym, and count him for his sonne, and yet would say: My Lord or master hath deliuered me frō al euell, and taken me for hys sonne & heyre therfore wyl I go my way and be idle, and in folowing myne own lustes, and wyll do hym wronge: how thinke you, in this case, be not these wycked wordes? euen the lyke sayest thou, Christ hath delyuered me from hel, and made me the son of God, and heyre of heauen, wherfore I wyl stand lyke an i­dle parsō, or rather do more euil, Christ cer­tes died not for the, nor satisfied for thy dets nor yet merited for the paradise to the intēt thou shulde stand idle, commit syn, and be­come a starke rybald, but that thou, seynge hys great loue, and how greatly synne dys­pleased hym seeing he was willynge to dye because to take them out of the world, shuld no more do syn, but honour hym, loue him, thanke hym, put thy trust in hym, and work vertuous and good works plenteously, not as a bonde seruaunte to escape hel, sythen Christ hath deliuered the, ne yet to get paradyce, the which Christe hathe purchased for [Page] the, but as a uatural sonne for the glorye of God, moued thereto by mocion of faythe, loue, and spirit, not by mans wytte, sensua­litie, or thy behofe or cōmodity. More ouer eyther thou beleuest that Christ hath satissi­ed for the or not, if thou beleue not, that he hath delyuered the from hel and gotten the Paradise, if thou be wyse, thou wylt search to healpe thy self, and so wylt thou not be y­ble, muchles wylt thou commit sinnes: but rather enforce thy selfe to make satisfaction for thy selfe and to deserue paradise, which is a thing impossible, but if thou beleue liue lye, that he had so loued the, that to saue the he died on the crosse, thou shuld be constrai­ned to loue hym agayne, and to doo for his glory, maruelous workes plenteously aud redily to beleue that we are saued by Christ maketh not vs negligent and naughtye but feruente and holye.

Let vs therefore render thankes to oure Lorde God, seinge he hathe wyth so greate loue saued vs by so hyghe rych, happy, & gloryous meane. To whome be alwaye all ho­noure, laude and glorye through Iesu Christ out Lorde.

Amen.

The .xii. Sermon.
¶Whether Predestyna­cion oughte to be wrytten, spo­ken, or thoughte:

THere are manye that woulde not [...]eare predestinacion spoken of, nor once named, & if they mighte [...]et it, it shuld neuer be preached, & that is because it semeth thē to geue offēce and ingender cōfusion amonge the people, ☞ I cannot denye, that many curiouse persons wyth theyr darcke natural lyght (wil­ling to se thynges supernatural that cannot be sene but by fayth) do fal into thousandes of errours, and cause other to fall into the lyke. Al that they maye imagine by force of wyt, pleasynge to theyr owne corrupt rea­son (of that hyghe secrete) they thyncke it to be true, wythout other testimonye of holye scripture. And thereby haue intangled their braynes, darkened theyr myndes, and offen ded theyr consciences. Curyosytye is an vnsatiable beast, it would pearce thorowe all thynges, and yet cānot get out of his darke and intricate laborinthes, nor once lyft vp­the heade to deuyne secretes. And if we suf­fer our selues to be guyded of it (in thinges speciallye supernaturall) neyther wyll it at [Page] any tyme be satisfied, nor we shall neuer perceyue the trueth. For immediatly after it passeth the borders of the natural lyghte, it goeth alwaies blinded and at aduenture. Therefore it must be put asyde and (bryng­ynge hys vnsaciable wyl to an ende) walke by fayth to deuyne secrettes honoring them wythout further dyscussion. And if we be prouoked to serch them out by the wanton­nes of humayne wyt: we oughte to remem­ber that,Proue. xxv which is written: He that searcheth the maiestie of God, shalbe ouercome with the glorye thereof. It is our offyce, to be cō ­tēt, with as much as God hath vouchsafed to open vnto vs in the sacred Scripturs, in the whych, he hath geuen vs lyght sufficy­ently, But note, that as it is euel to be curi­ouse in wyllynge to knowe more then that whych in the scripture is conteyned, and to vs reueled, so is it also euell, to be ignoraunt and not to seke to vnderstande as much as therin is: for that in them speaketh the holye gost who gyueth none offence but edifyeth In them is writen nothyng pernicious, vn­profitable, or vayne, but only commodious and necessary. Neyther ought it to offende any man, when it is spoken of, in the maner that Paulle speaketh of it. And we neyther maye nor ought,Galath. ii. to be more circumspecte in [Page] speakyng therof then Paule, ye then God, that spake in hym. Thynckest thou haplye that Paule (yea rather Christe that lyued in hym, and moued hym to wryte) dyd erre in y^t he wrote of it in suche sort, as he dyd? The holy ghost would neuer haue gyuen vnder­standynge thereof in the holy scripture, if it hadde bene euell. Thou wylte say, the prea­chynge of it in such maner as Paule wryt­teth: geueth offence, as it is euidente. I an­swere that Christ crucified, was an offence to the Hebrues:i. Corin. i. therfore the Apostles did e­uell to preache it, The gospel semed folysh­nes to the wyse of the world: And therefore it shoulde not be taughte. The truth is dys­pleasaunt to the false christians, they fynde offence of the gospell, and Iustificacion by Christ, should it then be kepte in silence?

Wherfore wilt y^u that we holde oure peace of that thyng whych Paule writteth? How can the wordes of the holy gost offend, that haue bene pronounced and wrytten onelye for oure saluacion? If thou be offended therwyth, it is not because it geueth the occasiō but for that thou takest it without any gift. Neyther oughte we thereof to ceasse, more then the Apostles left preachynge, thoughe many were offended therwyth. Thou wylt saye, to preache the Gospell is necessarye. [Page] Wherfore that oughte not to be lefte for of­fence: and I saye that predestinacion is a great parte of the Gospell. Wouldest thou not thynke thys a goodlye Gospell or glad tydynges, that God from wythout begyn­nyng, had by his mere grace, and by Christ crucified, elected vs to be hys chyldren, and that we be sure in hys handes? It is a thing moste necessarye, to preache those good ne­wes, in the whyche ther is discouered vnto vs the exceadynge goodnes of God, that aboue all other thynges doeth moue vs to be ennamored of hym. And he that is offen­ded wyth predestinacion, preached in the maner it ought to be, is also offended wyth the Gospell. [...]uowest thou (that whyche in dede doth hurt, althoughe it appeare not to the blynde and frantyke worlde) that anye man preacheth it after y^t humayne doctrin? But it maye be thou wylt saye, let vs come therefore to the particulars. Doeth it not seeme to the offence, to preach that god hath electe some and not other some? He that he­reth these wordes, wyll thyncke God to be parciall. I aunswere and fyrst I saye, that God cannot erre: nor wyll otherwyse then iustly: Yea hys wyll is so ryghte, that as he alway wylleth any thing, it is euen by that wyllynge most iust. Therefore none should [Page] be offended wyth hys workes, for as much as he maye dyspose vs after hys own way, and shewe hys pleasure vpō vs more then y^t potter vpon hys pottes: and al with iustyce & equite. For what bond hath god with vs? Moreouer,Roma. ix. by the synnes of Adam we are al lost, aud he myghte iustlye damne vs al, but he saueth as manye as hym pleaseth: and yet we complayne, where we are not worthy by sufferyng al punishmente to set furthe the bryghtnes of hys glorye. Yea it oughte to be preached that God hathe elec­ted some, and not other some: for to smite to the earth the wisdome of man, and to make him al humble and subiecte to God.Roma. iii. Nowe is it not necessary to be knowē that we shal not all be saued, and that many shalbe damned? And consequentlye God hath many e­lecte and manye reiected. Thou wouldeste saye, thys shoulde gyue no occacion of of­fence, if it were preached, that those that he hathe chosen, are chosen for theyr merites, and those he hath forsaken, are forsaken for their wickednes but thei say y^t those he hath elect, are elected by hys mere grace, wyth­out workes, and that oure election and sal­uacyon dependeth hollye vpon God. And thys gyueth the offence to the worlde.Ephesi. i. Roma. ix. I answere. If this be offence, Paul hath geuen it hym selfe, because it is the doctrin of him [Page] ye rather of the holy gost. Wylt thou be offended if Paule magnifie y^• fre mercye,Rom. viii. Ephesi. i. se­yng God hath elected vs to the laud of hys glory, as he wrytteth? We cannot magnify it sufficiently. But thou fearest it should be lauded aud exalted to much. If it were told thee thou were elected by thy workes, then would I thou shuldest be offended, for that it woulde make the beleue thy saluacion, to depend vpon thy selfe, wherby thou shoul­dest be begiled.Ose. xiii. For of thy selfe cōmeth thy damnacion, and of God thy saluacion, Yea as often as thou thynckest thy saluacion in anye parte to depende vpon thy selfe, it dri­ueth the, eyther to dyspare or to be exalted in presumptyon. And in such case thou can­nest neuer put in God al thy hoope, nor all thy loue, neyther haue perfect quyetnesse of mynde, nor of conscyence. Thou wouldest say, that who so knoweth that God aboue is resolued vpon all thynges: wareth colde in well doyng, and sayth, what nede I more to trauayle, God hath immutably determi­ned and resolued all that is to be, I maye passe my tyme in pleasure, for if I be electe I shall euery way be saued. And if I be re­probate, I cannot saue my selfe, thoughe I neuer ceased to axe it, on my bare kuees.

Thou perceyuest not, that he which sayeth [Page] so, doth dyscouer hym selfe shewynge that he neuer dyd good workes, & yet he would hys saluacion shoulde depende vppon hym selfe. Thys sort of men, if they do any good (as they call it) it is to wyn heauen, and not for the glorye of God. Therefore if they shoulde beleue that theyr saluacion and elec [...]yon dyd not come of them selues (as men that were not moued wyth the zeale of the honor of God) they woulde dwell in Idle­nes, yea, gyue theym selues to lyue lycenci­ouslye, and vngodlye, wythoute respecte of the dyshonoure of God, they are fearefull Seruauntes and hirelynges, and not son­nes of God, they serue theym selues and not God, and theym selues they worshyp. The electe doo neuer become colde, but are the more feruent, by hearynge that their e­lection and saluacion is onely in the hand­des of God, they knowe by fayeth, that the Lord loueth them so much (speciallye synce Christe hath dyed for theym on the crosse) that they are sure of theyr saluacion. Yea they feele so much the goodnes of God in Christe, and by Christ, that if it were possy­ble (whyle that spirituall felynge dyd re­mayne in them) that they could beleue them selues to be reprobate (for as muche as by thys,i. Re. xxvl [...] god is no lesse good) they would not any [Page] thyng the lesse loue hym, or trauayle to honor hym, euen as Saule ceased not most coragyously to fyght for y^t glory of God, although it was foretolde him of hys death. The elect vnderstand in spirit y^• they are the children of God.Heb. xii. Wherfore they are forced by strength of loue & learne to haue condicions cōuenient to theyr so hye estate: & are also a shamed to do a wicked worke, not seme [...] setting to y^• [...]ewty of their dignity. And so much more thē the other, do they feare to sinne, by how much more they know y^• god dothe in thys presente lyfe, punyshe hys le­gittimate childrē, more thē the basterdes. If an As trulogyer shoulde tell an ambycious man that he shoulde be pope, althoughe he dyd put vndouted trust there in, yet for all that he woulde not be Idell, but woulde set furthe hym selfe by all meanes possyble to come to y^t dignitie. Euen so y^• sōnes of God the suerer the [...] are of their elecciō so much y^e more they vnderstande the greate goodnes of God. They are alwaies forced therfore more & more by good workes, to make cer­teine to them selues the knowledge of their eleccion. [...]i. Peter. i. Euerye one wyll trauayle for the thinges of the world. There is none that saieth I wyl [...] Idle, or I wyll not eate for alwayes I shall lyue, and be rych and happy [Page] in the thinges of the world, if God haue for sene and determined it? Only in those thin­ges perteining to the soule, predestinacion hindreth them by making it ashylde to their wicked life. But know thou that those whi­che of such a benefit take occasiō to become worse, (though alredy with theyr hart they dyd the same thinges and wolde haue done it in worke if they had thought them sure of their saluacion) shew thē selues to be repro­bate,ii. Cor. xi. & not to feele in Christ the great good­nes of God. Sathan is he that being trans­formed into the similitude of an Aungell of lyght, trauayleth to perswade that our eleccion dependeth vpon vs. This was the opinion of Pelagius: and the Pelagians are they that be offended with this great mercy of God: they thinke that God nether may, can, or wyll do other then reason. Then of force muste it be good to be preached,Esay. lx. to the end it may be knowen, y^t the time is already come of the couenaunt and promised peace that he which hath eares to vnderstād, may vnderstād, as haue y^e shepe of christ y^t heare their pastour, It is also good to be spokē of to the ende y^t that be not hyd but declared,Ihon. x. which (by y^e wyll of God & for oure profit) is written therof in holye scripture: & y^t the special cure y^t god hath of vs, may be knowen, [Page] & how we shuld serue him frely as chyl­dren, & not as timerous seruauntes & hyre­linges. Yea & that it may be vnderstād, that God (being absolutelie the Lord) may do al that he wil, & what he willeth is iust, & to y^e end also, y^e in our electiō may be discouered to vs, in superabūdāt maner▪ his fre mercy, & that it may be sene how we are preuented by innumerable benifites, & also y^t mā maye know y^t he is only vaniti, & euer an vnprotitable seruaunt.Ps. xxxviii Paradise wer litle worth if with our workes we could wyn it, but it is the inheritaunce of sonnes, & not a rewarde for seruauntes. I wolde knowe what men wold say, if God shulde saye to them: chuse whether ye wyl stand to my eleccion and y^e which I haue determined for you, or y^t I disanulling (if this wer possible) al that I haue purposed to do with you, shulde resolue me holi to put it in you. And to saue you if ye do good workes and perseuer in them, & if you do y^e contrary to damne you. I am sure thē men shuld know their owne frailtye, igno­raūce & malice. And on y^e other party y^• exceding vo [...] ̄ty of God, & remit it holy to him again, & much more if they loued him, for the greater glory to God, yea and also for their own proper commoditie, for it shuld neuer be done, if it be depended vpon them selues [Page] And therfore for euery respecte, euerye one shuld stand to gods determinaciō, it it wer but to doo honoure to him. It is a thynge more magnificent, and to God more conuenient, to geue paradise by fre mercy, then if he shuld sel it: his liberality is therby most discouered. Then for his greater glorye I would alwayes saye, God hathe geuen me thys. And also for my owne commodytye, that wheras now I hold my saluacion sure (for that I know it hāgeth only vpon god) I wold thinke me dāned, or at the least pre­suming on my self, stande indoute, if in the least point it did repend vppon me, because God in comparably doth loue me more thē I can do my selfe. Yea, I am the greatest e­nemy & traitor to my self y^• mai be. Therfor mē ought by euery consideracion to cōtent then that their saluacion doth stād in the hād of God: yea in taking y^• whole cure of vs, he hath shewed vs most dere loue he hathe wylled vs to be sure of it. And therefore he wolde not trust to vs, knowinge we are so vnpefect, y^t if we had paradise in our hands we should let it fal to the earth wher nowe we are sure knowinge that al our syns can not let the deuine eleccion, neither quenche or diminish the diuine charitie. Yea, here of our sins toke occasion to be shewed with excesse [Page] of more loue.Rom. v. We are not by this inui­ted to more Idlenesse, nor to watche when we shall haue Manna from heauen, nether to be wickedly occupyed, but we are drawē and moued so much more to loue him, as he is discouered to vs by more bounty and charitie. But those that are not by Christe regenerate, ar of so base & vyle a minde through sinne, that they cannot thincke God to be so liberall as to geue heauē without our wor­kes. But they ought at the leaste to thynke, that to bye it the bloud of Christ is sufficiēt without adioyninge therto theyr workes to hoote: which surely are rich iuels to be mingled with hys. God is so frāke, that he hath geuen vs Christ, and in him al thinges, and canst thou not thinke he hath geuen the heauen?Rom. viii. It is also our greater glory, that God hath loued vs so muche, that hys own selfe hath willed to take the care & charge of our saluacion. And so to that ende hathe wylled his only sonne to die vpon the crosse, so that if with all our trauaile we might enter into heauen by our selues: the glory only of the crosse is a far greater glory then any other which by our selues we could attaine. Yea, there is no other trew glory, then to glorye to be so much loued of God, that he hath to saue vs, put his sonne vppon the crosse. He [Page] may not dwel in hys own loue, that willeth to be happy, and only glorye in God. If we myght glory of our selues, we should haue wherof to ware proude and prefer our sel­ues afore oure brethren, where otherwyse we should haue occasion to be humble, and geue to God all honoure and glorye as to him it apperteineth.i. Timo. i. And further such as beleue thē selues to be by grace elected, saued sonnes of God, heyres and sure therof, not only because ther remaineth no more to get (God in Christ hauing geuen them all) but also by the great vnderstandyng they haue of the goodnes of the Lord: they are cōstrained to worke as childrē for the glori of their father, and not for their owne gaine, and so also sure of their saluacion, with Christ thei turne them withal their force, to seke the saluacion of their brother: they demaund also grace with a bolder spirite and confidence, sence they are it not for theyr owne lucre, but for the honour of God,Ephe. i. Rom. vi. Psal. xxxii. and to his laud and glory: so that in the worldes to come, may be sene the abundant riches of his fre mercye. Moreouer such hoope to be hearde for that they thinke not to deserue grace, nether put their trust in their owne woorkes, but in the goodnes of God, beinge inspired and moued there to by the holye gost. Such [Page] also as feele that our saluaciō depēdeth not vpon vs, but our damnacion, and that it stā deth wholy in the hande of God: are forced to turne their backes to thē selues, & theyr faces to God, Wher as the cōtrary belefe, wold make y^• cōtrary operaciō, they would withdraw them from God, and seke to rest with hope in them selues: also if God had e­lected vs with this condicion: If we wolde do well, we should be vnder the lawe con­trary to Paul,Ephesi. i. neither we should be saued, for the law saueth not but worketh wrath, and is the minister of cursing and damnacion. Let him therfore that lusteth haue Christ for his iudge, for I wil none of him, but as a sauiour. If our election by fre mercy dyd harme vs, he wold not thē haue elected vs so. But note them that thinke to haue theyr eleccioon in their owne hands, & thou shalt se that thei are in their owne loue and trust, presumtuous, and full of vice: and yet for all thys they be so blind and arrogant, that they wyl haue heauen by iustice.

¶But let vs praye to the Lorde that he gyue them knowledge to the end they maye render to God all lande, honour, and glorye, throughe oure Lorde Iesus Christe, Amen.

¶The .xiii. Sermon.
¶Howe excellente oure eleccy­on is.

PAul magnifieth oure eleccion, firste in his behalfe that hath elected vs, saying We are elected nether by man nor An­gell, bnt by God: Hyer can not he go. Then concernynge hym that elected vs, our elec­cion is most excellente. And lykewise con­cernyng the circumstance of time, although aboue there is properlye no course of time. He elected vs (as Paule wryteth) before the constitucion of the worlde:Ephesi. i. meanyng from wythoute begynnynge, sooner coulde he not electe vs.

And moreouer he saith, that he elected vs which are most base, most vile, most abiect, worms in comparison of him. By the sinne of Adam we were all defyled, infected, in firme, frayle, blynde, malignaunte, full of venum cōtrary to god, enemies & rebels▪ so that a thyng more myserable coulde not haue binne chosen. Paule doth also magni­fye oure election, in respect of the dignitye, to the which we are elected, a [...]d sayeth, he hath not chosen vs to be hys seruauntes or frendes, but to be hys children, nothing to god cā be more nyghe, entire and deare, thē [Page] his children, nether is it possible to imagine a greater dignitie. It doth include al other vertues and goodnes, it is so hyghe and excellent. Being then elected from so misera­ble an estate, to be the sōnes of god. He hath also chosen vs to be the brethren of Christe & therby with him coheires of god:Rom. viii. yea the worlde is oures. Chryst with al his gyftes, al that is the fathers is the sonnes, therfore al is ours y^t is gods, whose goodes we mai dyspose as children their fathers. And by­cause we shoulde shame to be the sonnes of God, not hauinge the maners, graces, and vertues conuenient to such a dygnitie, ther­fore not onlye oure heauenlye father, hath chosen vs to be his sonnes, but hath blessed vs, not wyth wordes onlye, but wyth effec­tes, not as Isaac blessed Iacob or Esau▪ but wyth all spirituall blessinge in thinges celestiall.Ephe. i. Collossi. i. And so accordyng to Paule, hathe made vs mete to be partakers of y^e felowe­ship of lyght, & delyuering vs frō the pow­er of darkenes, hath ledde vs into the kingedome of hys beloued sonne: God then withoute beginninge did determyne to iustifye, glorifye,Roma. viii and magnifye those that he hadde elect, and euen so he hathe done: as Paule wryteth, who also exalteth our election for that cause, sainge: that it was not our good [Page] worckes, which God forsawe wythout be­ginning, that were the cause of our electiō, but he chose vs by mere mercye, accordyng to the decreed purpose of his owne wyll, to the laud and glorye of his mercie, we were not then chosen bycause we were Holye, but because we shoulde be holly bi his election, and to shewe in the worldes to come, the abundaunte riches of his grace.Ephes. i. ii. Paule also shewyth the worthines of our electiō, by respecte of the dignitie of the person by whose meanes we are chosen, and saithe, he hath willed, that betwene vs and him there shuld be our mediator, nether he wold it to be an angel,i. Timo. ii. Ephe. i. but Christ the sōne of God. He meaneth not onlie a mediator with wordes but with his owne bloud, and death Paule doth exalt our electiō as concerning y^e end. For bicause he hathe elected vs for his son­nes, to the end we may taste (not only in the life to come, but also in this present) thinges so highe, happye, rych, & pure, that the eye hathe not sene, nor the eare hath not heard, nor into the hart of man (being carnal) hath at anye tyme enterd,i. Corin. ii. he hath then elected vs to the ende (that regenerate by Christ Iesu) we shuld walke to God by good workes, y^• we maie be holye and inreprehēsible,Ephe. ii. before his presence. Our election is also excellente [Page] by the suerty therof, for that the elect are in the handes of God.Ephe. i. Ihon, x. Therefore shal not thei peryshe, as Christ saith, yea they can not peryshe, euen as they can not be pluckte oute of hys handes. Therefore oure election is mooste happye, so that nothynge oughte so muche to bee reioysed in, as to bee the elec­ted and chosen of God. Therfore it is read, the disciples returning to Christ, and reioi­singe with greate gladnes, that euen the ve­ray deuelles were subiecte to them,Luke. x. Chryste amonge the reste of wordes, bade them thei shulde not reioyse of the subiection of the deuels, but that their names were wrytten in heauen: by which wordes, he did shew, that we ought to make a synguler Ioye of our e­lecciō, for that includeth, and bringeth with it the sinne of all our wealth, since then that our eleccion is so excellent, ryche, sure, and hapy. Let vs pray to God to geue vs lighte and grace, to perceyue it, to the end, that ta­sting in it (with the spirit) the myghtie goodnes of God, we may render him al laud ho­nor: and glory, by Iesu Christ our lord, Amē

¶The .xiiii. Sermon.
Yf we may knowe in this present lyfe, whether we be in the grace of God, and one of his electe or not, and in what maner.

[Page] IT is not to be douted that God seeth all thinges,ii. Tim. ii. Ephe. i. specially his legittimate childrē, [...]ence he him self hath chosen them to that dignitie. Christ also knoweth, and knew thē alwayes,Thys hole sermō must be warelye red, & well vnderstan [...] Ihon. xvii. Ihon. vi. Mat. xiii. ded, or els it muste be takē but as persuasiue not as doc­tryne. that whych was very conuenient since hys father had geuen them to him for that he shulde be theyr gouernor, shepherd, and brother, and that he shoulde saue them w^t his own death: he knew thē, & doth know his shepe euen as him selfe sayd, yea frō the beginning he knew who should beleue. But it is not now conuenient, that we may or [...]an deserue distinctlye, the elect from the reprobate, to the ende we may be more fer­ [...]ent in exercisinge charite, withall men, as if they were brethern with vs in Christ, the which we would not do towarde the reprobate if we knewe thē distinctly: But in the ende, the fares shalbe seperate frō the good wheat: none then beinge in this present lyfe knoweth cert [...]nly of his neighbour, if he be of the [...]lect or not, nor also whether he be in the fauour of God: we may only haue ther of an obscure, confused, vncertein and fay­lyng knowledge by cōiecture of y^e outward lyfe and workes, of whom Christ speaking, sayd.Math. vii. Ye shall knowe them by their frutes. But for asmuch as we see not the hertes of [Page] men,i. Corin. ii. Luke. xvi. which oftentymes (although wythin they are vngodly and abhominacion itselfe in the syght of God, neuertheles coueringe them with the veyle of hipocrisie maskinge therin) they appeare to be sainctes. Therfore without speciall oracle, we can haue no certeine knowledge therof. But I saye y^t euery elect, whyle he is in this present lyfe, beinge come to the yeres of discression, maye, and ought to know it of him self, not by natural lyght (by meanes wherof thinges superna­tural can not be perceiued, as the excellente diuine wyl toward vs) but by faithe, with­out other speciall priuilege. And this not w^t hauing respect to them selues, where is no­thing sene but worthy damnation, neyther with cōsideringe or beholding thē selues in God without Christ, for in y^t case he muste shew himself to vs a iust iudgful of wrath, then we neither se our selues hys sōnes, nor in fauour. But with liuely fayth beholding both our selues, & God in Christ, we se our selues to be in the fauour of god, & his elect sonnes, & god to be pacified with vs in loue and our only father. Such then as liuely beleue, y^t Christ for thē hath died vpō y^e crosse, haue the holy gost within them, & are in the fauour of God, bicause that faith doth purifie the herte. And further I say, that al they [Page] which in this present lyfe do beleue liuelye in Christ (yea were it for a moment of time) shalbe saued. They are electe aud sonnes of God, and may be sure and certeine, of their saluation. And y^• this is true, the words of sainte Ihon ought to suffise, whiche saythe, that he is the sonne of God, therefore electe and saued, who so beleueth Iesu Christe to be the sonne of God.i. Ihon. v. And also Christ sayde who so beleueth in me hath lyfe euerlasting neuerthelesse it may clearlye be proued that none beleueth liuelye in Christe, but he that beleueth Christ to be wholy his rightwise­nes and that he is saued thorowlye by him, and he that seeth this with supernatural vnderstandinge hauinge no respect to him self nor his workes, but only to the goodnes of God discouered in Christ vpon the Crosse, cānot by any meanes be disceiued, because that light which he hath to be in the fauor of God, elect to saluacion, can not growe but onlye of the bountye of God, consydered in Christ, wherof can spring no false nor deceitfull knowledge. Full well may he be be giled and shalbe, that doth behold his wor­kes, and by them thincketh that he is in the fauour of God and his sōne. But seing him selfe in Christ saued, chosen & in the fauour of God, it muste nedes be said, that he seeth [Page] the truthe, and that which is once trewe al­though it were but for the twincke of an eie must be saide to be euer true, he then which beleueth in Christe, were it but a mynute of an houre, in perceyuynge of hym selfe elect by Christ, seeth that which is true, therfore shall it euer be true, that he is one of the le­gitima [...] sonnes of God, so that the same his faythe, be not in anye maner founded vpon him self, nor his own worckes, but in christ, and the diuine excellence, and that it be not a certeine trifleinge, lighte, baren and deade opinion, but a liuely faithe. It must be said then that Iudas had neuer perfect faith, nether was elect to saluaciō, although he was chosen to the apostelshippe, and the like say I of al y^• reprobate: al such thē as haue had at ani time liuely belefe to be saued bi christ may be sure of their saluation. And so also they, whiche haue once at the least bene perfectely geuen to God, and committed to his gouernaunce, vpon the couenaunte, that he shall serue him selfe of them accordynge to his owne purpose, and with truste that by Christ and his mere goodnes he hath accepted them for hys owne, they maye also be­leue that they are saued, bycause that he shal be no lesse God to them, then they shal be promysed of hym.

[Page] Therfore hauing had in that couenaunte lyuely faythe,Thys is not spoke [...] too declar y^t it is pos­sible for gods electe to be holly geuē to sin, but yf it were possi­ble, yet should the [...] recouer y^t pestileuce. that God wyll forgeue them as his Chyldren, in suche sorte, that he wyll conducte them to saluacion, althoughe they (as muche as lyeth iu them) were contynu­allye prompte to all euyl: yet is it necessary to saye, that sence God hathe taken theym for hys (as they knowe by the lyuely faythe that they haue hadde thereof) that they shal ouercome that wyckednesse and haue ho­noure thereby. For hys goodnes passeth their euelnes he wold not haue inspired thē to gyue them selfes, if from without begin­ning, he had not elected them and takē thē for his own. Some peraduenture wyl say, if we were onlye ones sure to haue ben for a litle time in the fauour of god to haue had his spirit in vs, and liuely faith in him, that we did beleue surely to be his elect: yet we know not if it haue bene a perfect fayth or not, wee feare it to haue bene a certeyne cold opinion and least we were begyled in beleuing to be in gods fauoure & elected of him. I answer that thys is an euidēt sygne, that ye neuer had hytherto liuely fayth and knowledge of Christ. For as it is vnpossible to haue fyre within the brest and not [...]ele it, so is it impossible to haue in the hart christ, [Page] the holy ghost, ardent charity and the fiery light of fayth, and not to perceiue it, & thys is, for that his lighte is so clere and effectu­ous, that not only it maketh them to se, and lyuelye to fele with the spirite, that Christe is deade for them vpon the crosse, that they are electe and saued, but also it dothe make them knowe, that it whyche they see, is by diuine inspiracion, that it is the holye spirit whiche testifieth vnto theyr spirite, that thei are the sonnes of God.Roma. viii. Whose testimonye is more clere, open, firme, and certein, then al the outward oracles and miracles of the world, which without the inward testimo­nie of the spirit, can leaue vs none other thē doutful. Now, y^t he that hath in him Christ and the spirite of God, doth fele, know, and perceiue it: it is clere by Christ which sayde that the world knew not the holy gost, but that he was knowen of them in whome he was. And by saynct Iohn, which sayd also In this we know that Christ is in vs,i. Ihon, iii. euen by the holy gost whiche he hathe geuen vs. Therfore sayd Paul,ii. Cor. xiii. trie your selues, make some profe of your selues, is it possible that ye should not knowe Christ in you, if ye be not reprobate? And in an other place▪ know ye not how ye are the temple of God, & that the holy gost dwelleth in you? The holy spi­rite [Page] goth searching throughout,i. Corin. ii. Esai. xxxii. Rom. xv. Luke. i. and iudgeth euery thing, & fayth is so clere, y^t it sheweth vs the profūditie of god: & thou wilt that it be blynde of it selfe. Yea Paul sayth, that the holy gost is geuen to vs, to the ende we might know those thinges that haue ben geuen vs of Christ.i. Thessa. i. The kyngdome of God is peace (as wryteth Esai and Paul) without seruile feare, in much certentie. Therefore as Chryst sawe, that he was in the fauoure of his father, and his beloued sonne, so also do the electe se them selues, all thoughe not wyth so cleare lyghte and certenty, but that they goo somtyme doubtynge, stumbling, and wauering, Bnt they ought wyth the A­postles to pray Christ to augmēt their faith And seke with their good workes continually to make knowē to thē selfs more perfect their saluacion and vocaciō, that therby as by the effectes or fruites they shuld come in to the ful riches of certein perswacion, and vnderstandinge of their election and salua­tion.i. Thessa. i. ii. Tim. iiii. Rom. viii. Galath. ii,ii. Cori iiii. Paule also knew he was in the fauour of God, in faith, hope and charitye, elected the sonne of God, safe and sure, and that he had the holy goste and Christ wythin hym, when he sayd that he was one of them that Christ was come to saue, and that he knew in whome he beleued, that he looked for the [Page] Crowne, that nothynge could seperate hym frō the loue of God, which had elected him before the constitution of the world, that he had the spirite of adopcion of the sonnes of God, and that Christe was he, who lyued and spake in him. Saint Ihō also saied: we are sure we know God, and that we liue in him, worldlie and carnall beastes are they, which know not God in the holye gost, nor those thynges which be his,Galath, ii. Ihon. xiiii. i. Cor. ii. euen as mē not regenerate, they are rustical paysaūts of so abiecte and base a spirite, that they can not beleue that God hath loued them so much, that by the death of his onlye begotten and most intierly beloued sonne, he would saue them, take them for his chyldren, and make them hys hepres: But astonied of theyr sin­nes, they are euer afrayed of hell. Where the regenerate fele in such sorte the charitie of God in Christ, that they knowe them selues to be saued, Neyther canne they once thyncke that Christe (who hathe all his fa­thers power and shall be theyr iudge) wyll refuse, lose, or dampne them, and geue sen­tence agaynst hys brethren and members, for whom he dyed on the crosse,mat. xxviii and would dye agayne if it were necessarie. They haue in them also the holye ghoste for an earnest of theyr saluation.Ephe, i. But if God had geuen [Page] vs nothyng but our beynge, should not we for that onlye benefite, feele so muche the greate goodnes of God, that we myghte be sure and certayne of our saluacyon? And nowe he in euery creature doth sparkle to­wardes vs loue, wyth innumerable bene­fites, yea in Christ vpon the Crosse, casteth he the flame of perfecte charitye, and shall not we feele so muche the goodnes of God that we should beleue to be hys electe? If one onlye shoulde be saued I wolde truste suerly to be he, if all the men & angels wold tel me that I were dampned. I cold not be­leue them, although they dyd alledge al the reasonnes possible, but I wolde euer gyue, more truste to Christe alone, who vpon the crosse, wyth hys bloude and deathe, doeth tel me I am saued, thē I wold to al the rest, for he alone, hath more power in me, thē all the reasons & authorities without him. Prouided only y^t I se him w^t liuely faythe, dead for my saluacion. Yea in that case seing my selfe, by Christe, to be the sonne of God, I wold with Paule excommunicate the very angels as superior to them,Galath. i. if they wold sai the contrary, or gainesaie the gospel, and y^• great loue and benefit, which in that case I shuld fele by Christ. Paraduenture y^u wilte say it semeth me not, that I cā be sure of my [Page] saluacion, because I am fre to do euell, so may I sinne and be damned. Our lyfe is in such sort variable, y^• to giue a certeyne iudgment, we must tarye the end, for euerye one wold haue thought, that Iudas shuld haue bene saued when he was called of Christ, & yet it is sene, that it is contrary. I auswere, thou begilest thy selfe, in thinking thy saluacion dependeth vpon the lykelyhode of thy worckes.Ephe. i. Paule affirmeth, that God hathe [...]ected vs by his mere mercy in Christe, not because we wer holy, or for that he fore saw oure good workes, but because we shoulde be holy, and should do good works, & perseueryng in thē, we should dye in his fauonr and grace: Inwardlye dothe God call hys electe, geueth them knowledge of hym, and doth iustifie & glorifie them.Rom. viii. Therfore doth Paul adde and say, if god be with vs, who cā be against vs? And he ment if we be once electe, we can no more lose our selues: mea­nyng, there is nothing that can let the elec­cion of God. Yea euery thing serueth to saluacion, euen sinne. Therfore wher thou sai­este, thou mayst sinne, it is true, and perad­uenture thou shalt syn. Neuertheles if thou be the electe, thou shalt algates ryse agayne and be saued, wherof thou mayst be certein and sure, so that once at the least thou haue [Page] perceyued thy selfe in Christ, and by Christ saued, neither thou oughtest so much to dis­payre in thy selfe, as that thou shuldest not muchemore truste in the goodnes of God, knowynge that the Gospel is not the lawe, but mercye, and knowe thou that when the electe fall in anye synne (whyche God doth not permytte but for the benefyte of them, and the other electe) whilest they are in that erroure, they fele in them selues, a certeyne hydden vertue, whyche wyth holdeth and refrayneth them, from doynge worsse, it bi­teth, nyppeth, and reprehendeth them of the euel fact, and doth enduce and spurre them to conuerte. There remayneth euer a cer­teyne hate of synne, althoughe they be some time ouercome of frailtye. So that they are neuer turne from God with al their power nor run wholy to vyce wyth a lose brydell. God hath them euer for hys owne, and go­uerneth them as hys lawefull Chyldren.

And speaking oftē in their hertes he saith y^• which he said to his Apostles:Luke. xii. feare not litle flocke, for it hathe pleased youre father, to giue you his kingdom of his mere goodnes although you be vnworthi. And if thou woldest bring in Salomō, who sayth, none knoweth whether he be worthy of hate or loue, I answere. It is clere (chyflie by the words [Page] whych folow) that he ment, that man were he neuer so iust & wise, was so blinde in this world, that he cannot know by the worckes of God, y^• is by prosperity or aduersiti, whether of him self, he be worthy of hate or loue And this is bicause God giueth his gifts so indifferently, to the good and euell, to thee­lect and reprobat. Thou wilt say yet, Paul said: mi cōsciēce doth not reproue me yet am I not therby iustified before God,i. Cor. xiiii. therefore it can not be knowen. But I answere, that thentent of Paul was to saye, that thoughe by grace of the Lorde he had ministred the Gospell, in suche sorte, that hys conscyence dyd not rebuke hym of any erroure (which was imputed vnto hym for a sclaunder of false christians) neuertheles he held not him selfe iuste for this, neyther was he iuste, he iudged him selfe iuste by Christ, and not by preaching the Gospel irreprehensibly in the syght of man, but yet not in the presence of God, for that he hath not preached it w^t the whole force of spirit, fayth, and loue. So y^• here Paul did condēne the opiniō of them which iudge thē selues iuste by theyr owne workes, but he doth not reproue the iudge­ment of those, which iudge thē selues righteous & saued by the bountie of God, & death of his only begotten sōne: but doth approue [Page] it. Wyth Paule also a greeth Iob, when he sayde,Iob. ix. that although he were iuste, he durste not iudge him selfe so, that is, he durste not holde hym for ryghteous, by hys owne proper ryghtuousenes and worckes, but by the iustice of Christe.

Sence then that it maye and oughte to bee knowen of vs, that wee are in the fa­uoure of God, and hys electe, lette vs force vs continuallye to encrease in more knoweledge of the goodnes of God: so that firme­lye established in the lyuelye faythe of oure saluacyon, we maye as children render him all honoure, laude, and glorye: [...]y Iesus Christe oure Lorde. Amen.

The .xv. Sermon.
Whether it be good or euell to beleue that we are elect.

SOme saye that it is euell to beleue that we are electe, bycause, that as the beleif to be reprobate, bringeth men in dispeyr so y^• belief of elecciō, is cause of presumpciō But the iust & the holy flye both y^e one & the other extremiti. They are not exalted in presūpcion, beleuing to be elect: nor fallen in y^e bottomles pytte of dyspeyre, wyth beleif of dampnacion, but kepe the meane waye, e­uer standing betwene both. And I say that [Page] it is true, that none ought to dispeyre, or [...] to presume, but assuredlye to hope and be­leue to be saued and elected: Mary by oure owne worckes, this is an euyll vyce, and ought to be fled, But to beleue to be elected and saued by the liberalitie of God, by the deathe of Christe vpon the crosse, and hys workes: thys is no presumpciō, but a hope which hath regard (as diuine & theological vertue) not to oure merytes, but onelye to God by Christ. And as we cā not loue him so much, but y^• we euer lacke of y^• perfectiō so can we not to much hope & trust in hym. Yea we lacke euer bycause we do not pro­mise of god so much as we should do, he y^• beleueth to be saued, becōmeth not proud nether magnifieth him selfe, nor his workes, but the goodnes of God, & the grace y^• we haue by Christ. Therfore is it not euel. Per aduēture y^u wilt saie one ought to stande in fere. I agre therto, in the reurēd & sōnelike feare, y^• which importeth obseruaūce of re­uerē [...]e to God, but now not so vile: for we ar no more seruātes but sōnes,Rom. viii. not Hebrues but Christians, we are not vnder the lawe but grace, we haue God for oure father, & not onelye for a Lorde. Therfore our office is to loue him like chyldren,Rom. vi. & not to feare him, as seruauntes, sence that we haue the [Page] spirit not of seruitude but of adopciō,Rom. viii. of y^• sonnes of God. If our saluaciō did depēde in any part vpon our selfes: I woulde saye we ought to fere our dānaciō yea to be sure therof: but sence it is al in y^• hādes of God. therfore beholdinge not our selues,i. Iohn. iiii but his goodnes discouered in Christ vpō the cros we may be sure and certayne of our salua­on. Perfect chariti chafeth away al seruile feare, & faith neuer douteth if it be perfecte the feare then of our dānacyon groweth of imperfecciō of our charitye, fayth & hope. We ought neuer to frare the mercyfulnes of God, but our owne wyckednes. Thou woldest saye, if we were wholie cōfirmed in grace, we shuld not nede to feare, but we synne dayly, therfore it is necessary to stād in doubte, I aunswere that yet thou gost a­boute, to builde my hope vpon my workes the whych shuld be no hope but a presumpcion. If we shoulde hope wyth condiciō if we do well, and perseuer therein, my hope shuld stande wyth desperaciun, for of my selfe I know I ought to despaire. If I had the synnes of the whole world, yet wold I most stedfastly beleue to be saued without any feare of dāpnaciou, neyther maye thys be sayde to be euell, for that I woulde not builde my hope but vpon Christe. If thou [Page] woldest say, y^• feare of d [...]mpnaciō causeth mē to abstain frō sinne, therfore it is good I aunswer, that it causeth men to refrayne in their own loue, as doth the fear of death wherby they become dayly more sensual in them selues, and therefore trulye, worse in­wardly. Feare worketh wrathe in God, e­uen as the law doth: and although it cause the abstaine frō some euill outward worke uenerthelesse the venime remaineth within the which is so much y^• worse, as it is more vnited to the inward partes, yea that feare geuen to the vngodly, is the scorge of God The electe (knowing that God in this pre­sent life doth punyshe more the legittimate childrē then the bastardes) abstaine also by thys feare more thē the other. But truly the loue of God, the quycke feelynge of hys great goodnes, to beleue firmely by Christ and his grace to be the sones of God, elect and sure in deede, are those thinges whiche mortifie vs to the world and to our selues, and maketh synne displeasaunt to vs, euen frō the botome of the hert, Therfore wher y^• seruice feare maketh Ipocrites, y^• sonlyke loue maketh true christiās. If y^u woldest say to beleue, so is a thynge verye perilous be­cause y^• hereof they take occasiō to lyue idle yea to geue thē self to alvice, saying I wyll [Page] make my paradise in this world, for euery wai I shalbe saued, sēce y^• alredi I am elect. I answer that whē one beleueth to be elect and perceiueth in spirit the mercifulnes of God in Christe, then God tasted in Christ hath in the hert such efficacie and strength, that he cannot offende, but is forced to dys­praise the world, & is rapt to so hygh estate that he falleth to obliuion of the world him selfe and his paradise, setting only God be fore his eies.Ihon, iii. Therfore sayth saynte Iohn. Who so hath thys fayth, sanctyfyeth hym self. So as thē of chariti springeth but goodnes▪ euen so is it, of thys faith & hope. Kno­west thou wherin is the paril? In beleuing to be elected, by their workes, and by bele­uynge in Christe not sted fastly, but to haue only a certaine barraine, idle and a dead o­pinion therof, the which stādeth in y^• worst life, in suche sorte that of that colde and vn­fruteful fayth, they maye take occasyon to geue thē to Idelnes, and al vice. But nowe not of that perfect fayth, the whych is effectuous in doing worckes by loue, being an enflamed lyght,Galath, v. the whiche is neuer wyth­oute burning. If also thou wouldest say in beleuinge to be elect thou shouldest perad­uenture be begyled, therefore it is euell. I wold yet answer, that I would soner geue [Page] faithe to the holy gost, whiche testifieth in y^e hartes of the electe, that thei are the sonnes of God (as Paule wryteth) then to the that woldest put me in doubt of it.Rom, viii. The electe to heare inwardlye in their hertes a spirituall voyce, quycke and deuyne, whiche biddeth theym not doubte, and that they are sure of theire saluacion, & that God loueth them, and hathe taken them for his chyldren,Ihon. i. and that they cannot perishe: the testymonye of God is greater then mans.

Therfore not onlie he is to be beleued afore man, but he deseruethe to haue giuen vnto him vndoubted credite, If thou woldest sai it might be, not the spirite of God but their imagynacyons. I saye, that what so euer it is they knowe better then thou, for that (as Paule saythe) none knoweth what is in mā but the spyryte of man,i. Cor. ii. that is wythin hym Farder I am sure, that the same spyryt whiche saith to me, I am elected is the spyrit of God because the faythe I haue of the eleccion, spryngeth not of my worckes, but onlye of the goodnes of god, vnderstād in Christe and for that of hys goodnes can growe ne­ther gyle nor falshod, therfore am I sure to be in the trueth. Deceites & falshedes, mai, & do come, of the belefe to be saued, by wor­kes, and elected: Moreouer the lyght why­che [Page] the electe haue of theyr saluacyon, is so cleare, that they do not onlye se them selues sure thereof, but they knowe also, that the lyghte and knowledge they haue, is super­naturall & deuyne. But we suppose as thou sayst, that in beleuynge to be electe only by Christe and the goodnes of God, I myghte be begiled (whiche is false and impossyble) yet wolde I styll say, let me be deceyued for it is good to be so begyled, sence I can fynd nothyng, that so much doth kyndel me into a syncere and pure loue of god, as to beleue to be elected bi his mere goodnes. Therfore vsinge it to make me inamored of God, I ought not to be wythdrawen, chifely for y^• I am happy, only by that fayth, of y^e why­che whosoeuer is voide, is not yet entred in to the kyngdom of God, wher is nothynge but ryghtuousnes peace and Ioie.Rom. iiii.

Finally Paul beleued to be elected as in many places he saythe, yea he gloryed ther­in (neuerthelesse in God) and so to beleue he induced others, the whiche, if it had bene e­uel, he wolde not haue done. Therefore if it be not euel, let vs also with Paule, glorivs by God in Christe,Luke. x. Math. xv. Math. xvi. who lykewyse induced the Apostles, to beleue y^• theyr names were writē in heauen, that theyr heauēly reward was plētuous, & that they shulde iudge the [Page] xii. tribes, & therby brought them to beleue they were elect, and that is also sure, that if that belefe had bene euell, he wold not haue caused it. Thou wilt saie, thou oughtest not to compare thy selfe, equall wyth the sainc­tes. I saie it is true that I oughte not to presume to be like them, or holy by myne owne worckes, for while I presume of my self, I muste of force become a deuell, but it is not euell to compare with the saintes in veritie for they were humble, and in beleuing that they were elect, they gaue to God all laude and glorye because they did not beleue to be of the electe for their merites, but for Chri­stes. And wold to God, I mighte beleue y^• firmelye and with stedfast fayth, the sacred scriptures are ful, that we ought not to des­peire of our saluacion, but that we ought to hope and beleue to be all readye saued, and dayly to certifie our selues therof bi doinge good worckes,ii. Peter, i. i. Ihon. iiii. which are a testimonie to vs of oure election, and that we shulde also in­crease in charitye, to take from vs all feare of oure dampnaciō to the end we may serue God without feare, in rightuousnes and holinesse as Zacharie sayde. And likewise we ought to demaūd perseueraūce in the good w^t faith to obtein it,Luke. i. Therfore to trust to be saued, & of the elected & to hope & beleue to [Page] be saued & of the elect, is not euel. Paul al so saith: oure hope was neuer confounded nor dyd shame to them that had it.

And lykewyse that fayth, was neuer begi­led. Wherfore then is it euyll that I bleue stedfastly to be saued by Christ? Let vs be­holde then with open eyes of liuely fayeth, Christ vpon the crosse, in whome we se presentelye the goodnes of God in the face in such sort, as we may beynge pylgrimes, to the ende we may render to him al laud, ho­nour and glory through Iesus Christ oure Lorde. AMEN.

¶The .xvi. Sermon
Whether it be necessary to saluacion to beleue that we are elec­ted or not,

FAyth is very necessarye,Heb. xi. Mar. xvi. Ihon, iii. because that wythout it, not onlye God can not be pleased, but he that beleueth not shalbe condempned, and is already iudged, But it is also impossible, that one that doth not beleue to be elected shoulde beleue as he ought to do any of the artycles necessarye to saluacion. And to proue that this is true, if thou beleuest not that thou art on [...] of the elect, thou beleuest not in god, in the maner that thou arte bound, bycause that it suffy­seth [Page] not to haue a certeine dead opiuiō that God is, but thou must effectuouslye beleue that he is thy God, y^t he loueth the, that he is propiciatory to the, y^t he is cōtinually be­neficial to y^•, that he hath most special cure of the & causeth euery thinge to serue the to saluacion, & therfore that y^u arte electe. Yea who so beleueth not that he is electe, doeth not fele in spirite, the benefyte of Christe. Therfore being without Christ,Ephesi. i. Galat. iiii. he is with oute God, and knoweth him not as Paule wryteth. Then how is it possible that thou mayst beleue perfectli that he is thy father if thou do not beleue that thou art his sōne, and therfore his heire & saued.Gala. iiii. Thou canst also neuer earnestly beleue that God is omnipotente, if thou vnderstande not, that cō ­tinually he vseth his omnipotēcy towards the, in doynge the good. Whyche when w^t the spirite thou didst proue, thou shouldest of force beleue thy selfe to be hys heyre, if thou beleue not thou art electe, how canste thou beleue that God hathe created the heauens, and the earth, & that he susteineth & gouerneth all to thy behofe hauing of the most singluler cure? it is nedeful, that with liuely fayth, embrasing al the world for thy owne, thou perceiue effectuallye the good­nes of God, in euerye creature. And when [Page] that is, thou shalte be inforced to beleue, y^• thou arte the sonne of God. Thou canste not also beleue in Iesu, that is that he is to the Iesus and sauioure, if thou beleue not that thou art saued, neyther canste tho [...] be­leue that he is thy Chryste, that is to saye a Prophete kyng and prieste, if thou fele not in spirite, that he doth illuminate aud lyghten the, as a prophet, rule the as a king, and as an only prieste is offred for the vpon the crosse. The which if thou dydst beleue thou shuldest also beleue to be elected. Howe shalt y^u beleue y^t Iesus is the only bego [...]te [...] sonne of God, thy Lord come into y^• world to saue the, aud genen to the, wyth al his deuine treasures and graces, if thou dost not beleue, thy selfe to be one of hys lambes? y^• canste not beleue (as thou art bounde to do) that he dyed for the, nor perceiue his ex­cessiue charitye, so that wyth Paul y^u maist saye,Rom. viii. nothinge can separate me frō the cha­ritie of God. It is necessarye to beleue, that Christ vpon the cros hath satysfyed for thy synnes, and that he hath reconciled the, sa­tysfyed to his father and saued the, & there­fore that y^u art the son of God: he that bele­ueth (as he ought) y^• Christ is rysē to instify vs, doth also know him self saued, & so he y^• perfectly doth vnderstand that Chryst our [Page] head is ascēded into heuē & entred for vs in possessiō of paradyse,Phillip. iii. perceiueth him self risen with Christ, & alredy bi hope being ascē ded into heauē,Ephe. ii. practiseth with y^• mynde in Paradyse, where Christ is sytting in peace able possessiō of things celestial: he sayth w^t Paul,Rom. viii. we are made safe by hope, it sufficeth not to beleue y^• he shal iudge the quick & the dead y^• which also y^e deuils beleue, but that the sētence shalbe al in thy fauour, hauing to thi iudge, him y^• died vpō y^• crosse forthe, We cānot liuely beleue y^• sēding of y^• holy ghost, if we feele it not in our selues: and if we do feale it, we shalbe forced with Paul to saye, the spirite of God rendrethe testy­mony to oure spirite that we are the sonnes of God, therfore heires and saued. Neither is it inough that there is a church of God,Rom. viii. but thou must beleue to be a porcion there­of, & one of the lyuely stones, & therfore one of the electe. And to beleue the cōmuniō of sayntes, thou must feele, that as a mēber of Christ, he doth perticipate his grace w^t the, and y^• thou art therby saued, y^u must also be leue y^e remission of syns, y^• is not ouly that he dothe pardon synnes, but that he hathe pardoned the thine, and so elected the. Euē so thou must beleue, that thou shalt ryse glorious, and haue life euerlasting, Thē there [Page] is no article of oure fayth, y^• can be beleued in suche sorte as it ought to be, of those whiche doo not beleue they are elected. To the Christian it is then necessary to beleue that God is hys God, and father: that he wor­keth all for his benefite▪ and that Christe is come, was borne, hath liued, dyed and risen agayne for his saluacion, so that w^t lyuelye faith he ēbraceth Christ wholi for his owne with al his treasure & grace. And lykewyse al his life, death, resurreccyon, assention & glorye, and perceiueth the charitie of God in Christ, as if there hadde bene no mo but only him selfe in the world, and that Christe for him onlye, wold haue wrought and suffered, no les then he hath done, The which when thou dost beleue, thou shalt perceyue thou art electe. Yea he that beleueth not he is electe, can not praye as he ought, beynge withoute fayth, wythout the whiche (after Paul) we cannot effectuously recommend vs to god,Roma. x. Iocob. i. bicause y^• we must ask in faith, if we wil askin veriti & be hard, now if y^u be­leue not to be his sōne & heir, how cāst y^u (as Christ taughte) saye our father, & as a sōne wyth cōfidēce aske him grace? Praier may wel be made, of inside ls and Ipocrits, but lyke folishe scoffers and mockers. Whē y^u saiest, halowed be thy name, thy kyngdom [Page] come, thou must haue in the, the spirit of a [...] opcion of the sonne of God. And as y^e sōne is moued of vehemente loue, pure and sin­cere, to desyre the kyngdome and glori of y^e father: so must thou (seyng the, the sonne of God) wyth a deuyne spirit, by the force of loue, aske and desyre that thy heauenly fa­ther be honored, and reygne in hys electe w^t out rebellyon. Lykewyse shalt thou neuer thanke God wyth all thy herte, if thou be­leue not to be one of y^e electe: yea if y^u shalte doubte therin, or thincke to be dampned in thy hart, and in thy lyfe, and paradnenture also with thy words, thou wylte dysprayse him, that he hath giuen the a beyng, that he hath create the world, sente Christe, and so the rest his benefytes, and wilt say. If I am not saued, what do these thyngs profit me? it had ben better for me, y^• I had neuer ben as Christ sayd of Iudas. If I shalbe dam­ned,Mar. xiiii. the death of Christ serueth me not, but doth inflame & burne, w^t al y^e rest of hys benefyts: y^u canst not in perfection thē thācke god, if y^u feare dāpnaciō. But who so bele­ueth he is one of y^e elect & therby y^• al thyn­ges serue hym to saluacion, [...]om. viii. euen the verye troubles, he holdeth for a specyall grace & benefyte, in theym perceyuynge the good­ [...]es of God, he gyueth hym thankes wyth [Page] all his herte. Who shal he be that commit­teth hym selfe holy to the gouernaunce of God (as euery one ought to do) if he beleue not that God is hys father, that he pardo­neth hym, & doth take of him most singuler cure? Otherwise they shall neuer truste in God, but wyth Adam shal feare hym, and flye, seking to hide hym selfe from the face of God, nether is it possyble to loue God in veryty, honor hym as he ought to be ho­nored and approue for iust and holy all his workes, and so delite wholye in hym, if he fele not in Christ so muche the goodnes of God, that he se hym selfe hys sonne & also heire.Galat▪ iiii. If he know not him self to be a sonne he shal feare as a seruaunt, & in al his wor­kes haue respect to him selfe, his pains, displeasures, incommodytyes, dyshonoures & hel, or els to this paradise, & not to y^e glori of God. As he y^• seeth hym selfe a sōne, lord of al & heire & sure therof: such a one wor­keth only by strēgth of spirit & vehemēci of loue to the glory of god, to whō he hath turned hys whole intent, & to that end ordreth his whole life. Also it can not be possible, to loue thy neighbour as thy self, as a brother in Christ, & mēber w^t the of the same bodye if thou do not beleue to be in the number of the sonnes of God. And fynally ther cānot [Page] one good worcke be done, but of them that are regenerate, sonnes of God, members of Christe, and haue in them the holy spirit which testifieth in their hertes, that they [...]e the sonnes of God. And mai parteli be sene howe false and vngodlye, is the doctrine of the antichristians, that where as it is cheifelye necessarie to beleue that we are elected, & also aboue all thinges most commodious thei force thē selues to withdraw euery one frō this fayth, perswading them to stand in doubte, as thoughe they had wherin to mi­struste the goodnes of God, vppon whome onlie dependeth oure saluacion,Ose. xiii. as our dāpnacion doth of our selues. But let vs praye to God to open oure eyes, to the ende they maye no longer blaspheme, but render to God all honoure, lande, and glorye, by Ie­su Christe oure Lorde. Amen.

The .xvii. Sermon..
If it be good to seeke to know wherefore God hathe some electe and some reprobate.

THy desyre maye be wycked, as it is in manye, to whome it appeareth that it should haue bene better, if God (who beinge of power as he is) had elected al mē ▪ and semeth theym, that in thys God hathe [Page] lacked of charitye, yea in theyr language, they saye in theyr heart secretely. If we had bene God, we woulde haue elected all, and would haue had more charitie thē he. Now behold, whether this be vngodlye, folyshe, proude plasphemy, or not. They Imagyne to haue more loue to the souls, then he, that for to saue theym gaue hys onlye begotten and dearlye beloued sonne vpon the crosse,i. Ihon. iiii. There are some other, to whome it semeth on the one syde, that God can not erre: and on the other parti, hearinge that he hath re­proued many, they thinke the cōtrary. Thei are not certeine by fayth, that God can not erre, and that al that he willeth, must nedes be iuste. Therfore to make it cleare, they go searchyng, wherfore he hath not elected all men, and they would fynd a cause where is none. If such were godly, they shuld quiete and satisfie thē selues, & shuld haue their fe­licitie in the deuine plesure, w^tout searching to assēd anyhier. It is euyl thē to seke wherfore god hath elected some, & other some not if this grow of the suspicion that God may or haue erred. The godly knoweth certeinli by faith y^t he cānot erre, & hereupō resteth. There are some that aske after it of arrogē ­cie and presumpcion. They woulde be an­swered, that god had elected them for theyr [Page] good workes, to haue wherein they myght glory of them selues. And whē they hear sai that God hath elected them by grace, it dis­pleaseth them, they gainsa [...]e it, seming them there resteth nothinge to glory in. And they perceyue not that this is the whole glory of the humble and true christiane, to be saued by the mere grace of God, and Christ crucified, and to glorye onlye in God by Christe and in them selues not to see, but thynges worthy to be a shamed of, to thend y^• to god only be honour and glory. It groweth also to many of vnreuerence,i. Tim. iiii. for if they coulde se howe inaccessible the maiestie of God is howe irreprehensible is hys wyll, and how incōprehēsible is his wisedome, they wolde not set them selues to dispute wyth god, specially if they knewe howe blynd, darke, frā ticke and folishe they be.Roma. ix. And who art thou sayd Paul, that wilt dispute with God, answer and contend with God? Paul was returned from the thyrd heauen, where he had heard secrets, so hygh that it was not law­full to speake to man. Neuertheles doynge reuerence to the diuine secret iudgementes he sayd: O profoūd riches of the wisdome and science of God, how incōprehēsible are his iudgementes? And man, blynd, folyshe and vngodly, is so high minded, that he wil [Page] do wronge to God, condēpning him, and reproue his holy, iust, & irreprehensible iudge­mentes. And how many are thei that seke to knowe, speake & wryte of it, aud he commē ­ded therfore? And al that they can Imagine by force of their owne wytte, and natural knowledge (which can not perce so high se­cretes) they put in wryting. And they are as arrogant, as if they wer in goodnes and sa­pi [...]nce superior to God: to be adored of the worlde, they condemne the workes of god. Ther are mani which ar not cōtēt to know asmuch as God hath vouchsaued to opē to vs, but they wold know also a greate deale more, But it is not the offyce of a good ser­ [...]aunt, to wyl to know al the secretes of his Lorde: yea the sonne oughte to content hym with the secretes of his father, and to know of it onlye, as muche as is reueled to hym & to be sure and certeine, that he wil not fail, to manifest al that shal be expediēt for him, euen so we ought to contente vs, to knowe that which God hath, and dothe reuele vs, knowing that he doth loue vs in suche sorte that we haue not wherein to doubte, that he wyll fayle to manifest vnto vs, all those se­cretes, the knowledge wherof shalbe profytable and necessari. Yea Christ him self said that he had made knowne,Ihon. xv. all that he hadde [Page] heard of the father, oure office is to seke, to taste and fele with the spirite, that which he hath opened to vs, and we maye also desyre to know all that pleaseth God to reuele vs, forthe benefite of oure soule, and his glory nowe for that God (to beate downe carnall man, to the ende that to him, be geuen al honoure, laude and glorye) hath vouche safed to open in the holy scriptures, wherefore he hath elected some, & other some he hathe not Therfore we mai & ought to seke to know it that we may so much y^e more honour god: but we oughte to beleue it to be so, as God hath declared, & to cōtent vs with that way God hath taken, in electing & reprobating, neither to thinke nor suspect, that god hathe erred, nor ought to despre anye other waye, but to be satisfied and pleased, with somuch as pleaseth the lord, without being curious in wyllyng to know more then that whych pleafeth God to reuele vnto vs, & al that to the end by Iesus Christ we may render him al honor, lande and glory. Amen.

¶Th .xviii. Sermon.
☞ Of the diuerse effectes that it worketh in mā to beleue that our eleccion is al in the hands of god and that of him only it depēdeth.

[Page] IT is seene by expeience, that of one selfe cause, doth grow sometymes contrary effectes. And is euydent by the sun, whych hardneth myre, and melteth waxe: and this is by theyr dyuerse disposicions. Euen so of the belief that our eleccion is wholye in the handes of God, dothe springe in men con­trary effectes, by theyr contrary disposicy­ons. The vngodlye perceyuyng that in the deuyne mynde is resolued theyr beynge, to be saued or dampned, they are wroth wyth God, they blaspheme hym wyth their heart they call hym parcyall and vniuste, they gyue them selues to do euell ynoughe, say­inge euerye waye: that shall be which God hathe infallyblye foresene, and immutably determyned, yea their faltes they cast in the face of God, thynkynge that he is the cause therof, many also despaire of their saluacy­on & presume more of them selues, then they hope in God, they beleue that they shuld be saued, if theyr saluacion dyd depende vpon them selues, and therefore if they could di­sturbe the deuyne counsayles, and make that theyr saluacyon shoulde not be in the handes of God, they woulde do it. And thys is for that they knowe not theyr owne greate myserye howe blynde, infirme, frail and vnprofytable, they are to God impo­tent [Page] of them selues to goodnes, & full of all wickednes, and that they dyd neuer worke (if it were put in y^e balēce of deuine iustice) that merited not to be punished, and so lyke wise they fele not y^• great goodnes of God, nor the benefits of Christ but thinke him to be Irefull, reuengable, disdaineful, proude, parpetual, vniust and malignaunt, as them selfes are, There are some whiche haue not perfecte fayth, but they are not so vngodly as the fyrst. Now these when they here say, or thincke y^t their saluacion is all in the handes of God, they remayne confused and e­uell contented. And this is also for want for knowledg of the goodnes of god, they trust partly in God, & partly in them selues, they loue not God, nor trust nor hope perfectlye in him they remain doubtful, and know not whether it be best to depend al vpon god or not, and it semeth them that it shoulde haue bene beste that in some part it shuld depend vpon them selues: and yet they thyncke it wel being al in the hands of God, troubled in such sort, that they canne not tel which to chuse: Therfore they liue in a great perplexiti. They consult sometimes w^t the holy scripture or w^t thē y^t haue y^t knowledge of y^• truth & they find that it is al in the hands of God, [...] they iudge (when their eies are somewhat [Page] opened to the goodnes of god & theyr owne miseries) that it stādeth wel, and that so it is beste, but then harkenynge to humane pru­dence, the whyche not being wholye mor­tyfyed, wolde haue parte of the glorye to it selfe (so proude it is.) And as that, that is blynd, and seeth not the impotencie and malignitie of man, it perswadeth hym y^t ma [...] might in some parte be saued by hym selfe, wher els he mai despair, if it stād al in y^t hād of God. Therfore it cōcludeth, that it were better if it dyd depend vpon vs, and chiefly for that men become negligēt, in thynkyng that it depēdeth whol [...] vpō God, wher thei wold styrre them selues to be feruēt, if they dyd beleue that in any part it rested in thē. And although such finde the contrary in the sacred scriptures, neuertheles they forcethē wyth y^e obscure lyghte of theyr blynde pru­dēce, to draw it out of the texte, expounding it as may best serue to theyr purpose. But y^• godly perceyue on the one syde, in such sort theyr own proper ignoraūcy, fraylty, impotency. & malice: And on the other partye the great boūty of god in Christ crucyfyed, y^t it contenteth them to be so, al in the hand of God, not only for y^t it hath so pleased god, but also for theyr own commoditie, because that wheras if in the leaste iote it depended [Page] vpon them, they should hold thē selues dā ­ned. Now they fele so much the excellencie of god, that certified of their saluacion, thei know thē selues elected, & hold it to be sure seyng by fayth that it is al in the hād of one their so mighty, sapyēt, excellēt & loving father. Wherfore by this benefite, thei ar stirred to loue hym singularly, to thāke, laude, and serue hym as childrē for his mere glori without respecte at all to them selues, their hel or heauen. And if god wold set in theyr handes, although he woulde be bound that they should be able to do al thinges w^t ease toward theyr saluaciō, yet they wolde not accept the bargayne: & that is because they knowe that they are contrary enemies and traitours to them selues: so that if they had para [...]yse in theyr handes, then they should let it fal to the ground. And also for y^t, they do make experiment and proue so gret cha­ryty of god in Christ, that it certifieth them of their eleccyon. They cannot thynke that Christ beyng theyr iudge, and dying vpon the crosse for them, should geue sentence a­gainst them: yea they know, that who so be leueth in hym shall not be iudged,Ihon. iii. but shal be so certayne of his saluacion, that he shal not nede to mak [...] disscussion of his lyfe, for there shal not be any to accuse hym, nether [Page] should it be cōueniēt that those which haue the spirite of God, and are hys sonnes, the brethren and members of Christ,Rom. viii. should be examined & iudged. But with Christe they shalbe iudges of the other. Therfore the e­lect, sure of theyr saluaciō, wolde not chāge Christ theyr udge wyth any in this world,Math. xix. although it were theyr deare frynd or [...]ere parent. Yea if God did put in their arbitrement to haue Christe for theyr iudge or els to be their owne iudges of thē selues, with full power to geue sentence in their fauour althoughe it were not iuste, yet to be approued, they wold for all thys, chuse Christe to be theyr iudge, for that they truste more in him then in them selues. Also thei loue god so much, that they wold not glory, but only in him by Christe, And this is al there true glorye. Yea if they could let or disturbe the deuine counsayle, or if it were necessary to be dampned they would chuse, rather to be in payne for the wyll of God, then in al the pleasures, disagreinge to the deuine wil (if it were possible) they count them selues vnworthy to suffer for the wyl of God. They holde themselues happye to honoure hym with sufferynge, and wyth beynge wher it pleaseth to theyr lord, they lamente only of the iniuryes they haue done to God, but of [Page] that whiche God wyl do of them with the spirite, they are contente, although y^t fleshe be repugnaunte and wold not suffer. Thys shuld be a hel to them, whē God (if it were possible) wold not dispose them to his glori but to vse them to his honoure they wolde satisfy them selues withall, and content thē to know it so to be the deuyne plesure: now those are in a continuall paradise by fayth al readye they haue had the sentence geuen in their fauoure, by hope they are ascended into heauē; saying with Paul: we are made safe by hope,Rom, viii. and by loue they enioy God. In them thē of y^• belief, that their elecciō is all in the handes of God, groweth firme [...] and hope to be saued, the loue of god, lei [...]e [...] pure, and christian vertues, w^t the frutes of good workes. I woulde haue pitie on the fyrst sorte, but their desperaciō groweth of an vngodlye mynde, yea it is most imp [...]tye, to despayre of the goodnes of God, moste perfecte, shewed in Christe crucified, as in one his Imeli image. I haue compassion of the second, and enuye at the thyrde. The seconde maye easelye be cured wyth shewynge them their frailtye, igno­rauncy, and malice, and on the other party the omnipotency, infinite sappence, perfect goodnes, pity, mercy and charity of God, [Page] shewed in Christe vpon the crosse. Of the first, I do not despaire vtterly, but I know well it is very difficile to cure thē, but God is of power,Math. iii. of the stones to rayse vp chyldren to Abrahā, they haue nede to be praied for, and that the Lord take frō before their eies, suche veiles of ignorauncye, & make them see their owne great miseries, and the incomprehensible goodnes of God, to the ende y^• reknowledgeing al their wealthe to come of God, they maye render hym al honor, laude, and glory, by Iesu Chryste oure Lorde. Amen.

¶The .xix. Sermon
Howe it ought to be answerd to thē that lament that God hath created them forseyng theyr damnacyon.

THere are many the whych althoughe of God they haue had their beynge, & many other benefytes, neuerthelesse they thanke hym not, but are vngratefull. They are sorye, and lamente of all the wealth they haue had of hym, saying: Lord if the beyng wher thou hast geuen vs, with the rest of thi gyftes, dyd serue vs to salua­cicō, we shuld thāk y^e therfore, But bicause they serue vs not, but to dāpnaciō, therfore [Page] we cānot but cōplaine vs of the. Nowe to these oughte to be of answered thus: Eyther you beleue to be y^t elect or not. If thei sai yea: it ought to be said to thē, ye shuld thāk God of so much grace, that he hath shew­ed to you alreadye, in chosynge you frō so base a being, to so high an estate, & you la­mēt your selfes: behold if your ingratitude be great. And if thei wold sai we are not sory for our selues, for we beleue to be elect, but for cōpassiō on those pore ons y^• repro­bate. Then I would to be sayd, it is no true pity to haue compassiō vpō them, y^t are vu godlye, agaynst the deuine goodnes shew­ed chiefly in Christe crucyfyed. Think you happelye, to haue more charitye thē God? take heede that youre demaunde, wherfore God hoth creat the reprobate, grow not of the doubte, that God can do them ani iniu­styce. Do ye feare y^t God, being very righ­tuousnes,Ephe. i. yea charitie it selfe, cā do thē any wrong? But if you lyuely & verilie dyd be­leue to be electe by Christ, by mere grace & mercye of God, ye shuld feele in such sorte the deuine goodnes, that ther could not en­ter into youre minde so vngodly conceyts. They are in good custodie, being in the hā ­des of God. They are in the power of one whych neuer did, nor may do one of y^e least [Page] cruelties, yea he neuer doth iustice, but it is wyth great mercie. Will ye know more of the deuine secretes then Paul? which rapt to the thirde heauen,i. Corin. i. heard thyngs so highe and so secrete, that to man it is not lawfull to be spokē of? ioCor. i. It suffised him only to know Christ crucified. Is it not thinke ye inough to you to know Christ crucified, in whom are hydden all the tresures of the wisdome and science of God? And if that suffyce you in Christ is sene none but the electe, the re­probate are wythoute Christe, & in Christe only ought we to contemplate and behold our eleccion, your offyce shuld be to attend to your selues, to encrese dayly by Christe in greater knowledge of the bounty of god and to make certayne to y^e worlde w^t good workes,i. Tim. iiii. youre vocacion and eleccion, and not to be so curyous of other, forgettynge your selues. And if they woulde saye, we dout & fere also least we he reprobat,ii. Peter. i. & therfore we complain vs, and wold know why he hath created vs, forseyug our dampnaciou: nowe these must be exhorted not to des­paire, but to contemplate & loke in Christ in whom they shall se them selues elected. And so they shal not haue wherof to take occasion to lament, after it must be said to thē for as much as ye do not beleue verely yet [Page] to be of the electe, it is a sygne that ye haue not lyuely lyghte of Christ, nor of his great benefite, & not knowyng Christ, it behoueth to saye wyth Paule that ye know not God iu veryty,Galat. iiii. and that ye are wythout him. And how is it possyble then that you being with out God and wythout the true knowledge of hym,Ephe, ii, should vnderstand and knowe hys high secretes? It is not possible to know so­ner the deuine iudgements then God. Ye be therfore wythout fayth, and I proue that it is true, because that if ye had faith, ye shuld se so clerely that God doth euery thyng wel and can not erre, that you wold aske none other reason. And for that who so is wythout fayth, is frantycke concernynge the deuyne thynges, it must nedes be sayd that you are euen so, and now is it a frausy▪ your demaū dyng a reason of the creacyon of the repro­bate, neyther should it be possyble to satisfy you, tyl such tyme your reason were healed by fayth. Yea whyle that ye are so wythout lyght supernaturall, beyng thereof not able to conceyue, he that shuld serch to quiet you with reasones, shuld also enter into a fransy with you. Humble then your selues to God and aske him faith and not reasous, because that thynges supernaturall, can not be sene but by fayth. Insatiable is the gyft of folish [Page] and franticke curiositie, the godly odo [...]e, the hygh & iucōprehensible iudgemētes of God and wyth humility, they are content to tast in them by faythe, some drop of the deuyne sapience & goodnes: wher the vngodly pre­sumyng wythout fayth, haue a wil to perce to the iuaccessible counsayl of God, and re­maynyng in darckenes become madde and folish: ye perceyue not that ye want the true conceiuyng of God. If ye thynke that God may erre or do anythyng vniustly: you wil perhappes adde lyght to that perfect lyght rule the diuyne sapyence, correct that infy­uite goodnes, iudge that iudgeles iustyce, and condempne that supreme mercye and charitye. If thou dyddest see the hyghnes and magnificence of God, and on the other syde, the basenes and vanity of man, & how in all thynges he dependeth vpon hym, ye shuld se that he neuer punished them in such sorte y^t they deserued not to haue a greater punyshmēt, beyng so frātycke & proude, ye are not capeable nor worthy to haue lyghte of the hygh iudgemēt of God, yea you de­serue to remaine so confused. And for that it is the iust iudgemēt of God, that for the earnest pain of your hell, ye shuld go euer with your troublesome thoughtes, cōpassyng by such darke & in extricable mases. Therefore [Page] although I could geue you a reasō of al the workes of God. I wold not do it. Humble you thē to God, & aske him faith, for with y^• only ladder, we ascēd to y^e intelligēce of the secretes of God. And thē whē ye shal haue faith, seinge wyth cleare and supernaturall lyght, that god doth al thynges wel, ye shal no more care for a further reason. And if al­so thou shuldest seke it, it shulde be wyth a godlye mynde to be so muche the more able the better to beholde God, in hys iuste and holye iudgementes. And then I wolde saye to you, that God myght haue saued al, but he hath not wylled it, yea foresing the dam­nacyon of the vngodlye▪ he created theym, not for to saue them,Rom. vi. or to the end thep shuld be saued, but to serue hym selfe of theym, so much the more to be shewed bright and gloryous,Pro. xix. to the worlde. The whych is a more beutyfull, more ryche, more happy, & more wonderfull ordynaunce, then if synne had neuer ben in the world. And this is because Christe and hys electe (of synne) haue taken occasyon, to honoure God more then if the world had neuer ben innocēt, and god with greatest sapience, dyd reduce all the dysor­ders, into a more meruelous order, then if the world had neuer heue disordred by sinne If sinne had not bene, the saintes had neuer [Page] bene persecuted, imprisoned, and slayne, no more Christe crucified. Where then shulde haue bene theyr vyctorye, theyr Palme, tri­umphes and crownes? And if the reprobate wold say: we are forced to confesse y^t God hathe done well to permit the synnes of the electe, that after as the prodygall sonne, of his errour & miseries, toke occasion to open his eies & know him self, yea, & to returne to his father, to humble him self to repēt with hart, & axe him pardō and therby to tast the fatherly charitie, when he pardoned him, in more perfecte maner, then he had done be­fore: so the electe, of theire sinnes take occa­sion the better to know themselues, and the bountie of God, and it is no small benefyte of God, that he suffer him selfe to be woun­ded of his children, and beare wyth it, to the eude that some day, opening their eies, they maye se their great ingratitude, and the ex­cessiue loue that he beareth them. God also of these, may be afterwarde surelye serued, at euerye noble and greate enterpryse, as of them that are altogether his, not only for y^• he hath created and preseruedthē, but much more because that by sinne being lost, with the bloud of his only begottē sonne, he hath recouered them. And so was Christe serued of Paul, & of his other mighti chāpions, we [Page] muste of force confesse also, that God doth well to permitte the synnes of the reprobat to exercise the elect in vertues, for the grea­ter tryumphe of Chryste and his glori. But it semeth that it shoulde haue bene better, y^• after that God had serued his tourne wyth them, he shoulde touche theyr hearte, and geue them his knowledge, and his grace, so that they also of theyr synnes shoulde take occasion, to reknowledge theyr vyce, and the goodues of God, so that they might be saued, to them ye ought to say: sen [...]e ye con­fesse, that God hath done well, to permitte the synnes of the reprobate, ye can not deny but that for thē thei deserue to be dampned. Ye are also forced to sai, that god dampneth them iusth, fence that thei haue sinned: God then doth wel to permitte them to sinne, and when they haue sinned, he may iustli damn thē because that voluntarilie thei did sinne, and the fa [...]te was theires and not Goddes. Ye can not then complayne you of God, if he dampne you, but are constrained to saye he doeth wel, And if they saye it is true, but yet it shulde seme vs to be better, and wyth h [...]s greater glory, if after he were ferued of thē, he wold saue them. To these I answer fyrst that is beste, whiche pleaseth God, & because it pleaseth him to dampne thē, ther­fore [Page] that is beste. Then if God in the end of the life, shuld geue light to al. And so at last euery one shuld conuerte, they wold do many more enormious sinnes thē they do. For the vngodlye wolde say, we may do euerye euell, let vs take oure pleasure and lyue frely, wythout any feare, for euery way in the end we shalbe saued. And for that one only sinne is worse thē al the peines of the dampned, therfore it is beste, that they be dampned. Theire dampnacion serueth also to the electe, in as much as that sernauute whiche when he seeth iustice done to his felowe seruaunte that before woulde haue strangled hym, knoweth the goodues of hys Lorde, and the malignity of the man: so the electe by seinge in the damyned the iustyce of god do come to more knowledge of hys mercye and iustice, and also of theyr owne miserye. God is serued then of the reprobate, to illu­strate and set forth hys glory, and vseth thē for instrumentes, not onlye whyle they are in thys lyfe, but in death and in hel. His glory also is more dyscouered (as Paule wry­teth) by hauynge in hys great house vessels of golde, of syluer, of wodde, and earthe, of mercy, & of wrath. But let vs thanke God that he hathe elected vs, and pray hym that he geue vs so muche lyght of his goodnes, [Page] and so muche feruencye, that althoughe he wold neuer be angry wyth vs, not only we should be content, but that we holde it fora synguler pryueledge, that he wyl vouchsafe in such maner to serue him self of vs, to the ende that in euery state, & for euer, we maye render him all laude, honoure and glorye, by Iesu Christe oure Lord. Amen.

The .xx. Sermon.
Wherefore God hathe elec­ted vs:

IT shuld be no lesse then a very folyshnes when one entendynge to speake of cou­loures, shoulde brynge in the opynion of one that is borne blynde, and not illump­nate by myracle. So is it madnesse in the thynge supernaturall, to alledge the iudge­ment of them that are not inspired but with naturall vnderstandynge. And by aduen­ture haue talked, of hygh, hydde and deuine secretes, euen as it hath semed well, in their owne blynde and darcke vnderstandynge, hauinge therby their eies euer open, to magnifie man. Now bicause that of the supernatural matters, ther is so much knowē as is reueled and opened to vs. Therfore loking in the holy scriptures,Ephe, i. I find that god hath elected vs by Christe, that is, that God lo­kinge [Page] in the progeny of Adam, saw nothing there that was worthy of oure election: but tourninge the regarde to his own goodnes and Christes,Math. iii. in whom he was so wel plea­sed, that by him he did electe vs,Ephe. i. he therfore chose vs not because we were holy, but be­cause we shulde be, so that the deuine grace founde no saintes but made saintes. Ther­fore did Paule geue thanches to God, that had made vs mete to the enherptaunce of sayntes. He chose vs then because it pleased him so, for he loued vs frelie without seinge in vs anythynge worthy therof. He elected vs (as writeth Paule) after the decreed purpose of his owne will,Ephesi. i. to the laud and glory of hys fre mercye and not for our worckes. So that not bicause we were iuste and wor­thy in hys syght, he did elect and cal vs, but (as Paule saieth) bicause he hathe elected,Rom. viii. therefore he doeth cal, iustifye and glorifpe vs. In such sorte▪ that he willed not the end for the begynnyng sake, but the begynnyng for y^e end sake. He hath saued vs after Paul not by the worckes that we haue done, but by his mercy. In another place he saieth, y^• he hath deliuered and called vs with his holye vocation not after our worckes but ac­cordynge to hys purposed mercie, giuen alreadie to vs before the creaciō of the world:i [...]. Tim. i. [Page] so then, as of the secretes reueled to the litel ones and hidden from the wise and prudent Christe did giue none other cause, but for y^• so it pleased the father,Math. xi. so of our electiō ther may no nother cause be alleged, but only because it is the pleasure of God. Paule wyl­leth that the purpose that God hathe made vs, maye not depende vpon our workes, because it shulde not be firme as it is, nor we sure, as Christ sayth we are, and Paul also. If thou woldest sai, that Paul to the Rom. spake of the eleccion of Iacob & Esau,Rom. ix. con­cerning the fyrst byrth,Iohn. x. & not cōcerninge the heauenly inheritaūce.Rom. viii. I wold answer that Paule with that trope,Rom. ix. doth declare the maner of the eternal eleccion to paradise, other wyse the elecciō of Iacob, shuld be in vain, in the which is sene (touching the things of the present life) nothing but calamiti & trouble. But the principall intent of Paul is to proue that although the carnal Hebrues be not saued, it resteth not therfore, that Iesus is not the Messias, for y^t the promises were made to the spiritual Hebrues, the which in faith do imitate & folow Abrahā, & they ar y^• elect.Mala. i. When God also in Mala. sheweth to the Iues that he hath loued thē, because he loued Iacob of whom they descended, and hated Esau: His reason had bene vnuailable [Page] if God dyd loue and chose by workes. For the Iewes might haue answered: if thou di­dest loue Iacob and the Hebrues, it was because thou dydest forese theyr good works: and in lyke case thou woldest haue done to Esau and the Gentils,Rom. ix. if thou haddest fore­sene and good workes in them. But Paule sheweth that the Messias is come also to y^e gētils, because God geueth hys gyfts with out hauinge respect to workes. If thou de­maund wherfore he hath elected thē. Paul answereth, because it is written: I wil shew mercye on whom it pleaseth me.Rom. ix. Therfore Paule doth in ferre and bring in, that para­dyse is not hys that wil, nor that runnethor laboreth by hym selfe to get it, but his that God wyl shew mercy vnto. He myght also haue answered, that althoughe God hated Esau before he was borne, & before he dyd sinne, he is not therefore wicked, for he had hym not in hate or he did forese his wickednes. But he saith that he doth indurate whō he wyl, to set forth the brightnes of his glo­rye. And to hys purpose he doth alledge the example of Pharao. Now tell me how it is possible that God can forse in vs any good, if he determin not to geue it vs. Thou wilt say, he saw that some could vse well frewil and some not▪ therfore he chose the first, and [Page] refused the seconde, they coulde not vse it wel, wythout his grace. Wherfore then did he determyne to geue y^t grace of wel vsyng to the one and not to the other?

It behoueth to returne to the deuine wyll, and say, because it pleased hym not: for the vsing wel of fre wyl is the effecte and frute and not the cause of election. Peraduēture thou wylte saye, he dyd determyne to geue grace to all, but he sawe that some wold vse it wel and those he chose, and some euel, and those he forsoke. But tell me, the vse of that grace is also the gyft of god, wherfore dyd he not determine to geue that grace to all, & also to vse it? Thou muste nedes sayat laste also, because it pleased hym not. If y^u wylte say, those that vsed it not well, was not be­cause they lacked y^• grace to vse it, no more then the other, but they dyd not occupye [...]t when they had it, the defalt was theirs and not of God, nor of the grace. If it were so, we shuld haue wherin to glorye in our sel­ues. But Paul is in the contrarie, & willeth that to God ought to be rendred all honour and glorye,i. Cori iiii. so as frō hym commeth al goodnes. We might also of our selues,Rom. iiii. seperate vs frō the reprobate,i. Timo. i. and so our hope shuld not be al wholy in God, our saluaciō could not be certeyn and sure,Iacob. i. as Christ saide: nor [Page] the cause of our eleccion so hidde,Ihon. x. as Paule saieth it is,Ro. viii. vi ix, and. xi. yea fre mercye shuld be no more fre merci, if we might be saued by worckes and paradise shuld be a rewarde, and not a gyfte cleane agaynst Paule. The Hebrues dyd mo worckes thē the gentils, and neuer theles he did chose the gentils, and reproued the Iewes, that soughte to be iustified by theyr workes. God from the beginning for sawe in vs nothing but repugnancy and re­belliō agaynst his grace, being by the sinne of Adam,Ephes. ii. the childrene of ire, prone and en­clined to all euyl.Gene. viii. Paul calleth our election the eleccion of fre mercye.Roma. xi. Dauid sayth: he saued me,Psal. xvii. ii. Reg. xxii because he loued me, and because it pleased him. He saueth then his electe be­cause he delyteth in them,Psal. xliii. i. Cor. ii. and dystrybuteth hys mercy, after his own wyl. Thē he hath begotten vs voluntarily by mere mercye,Iacob. i. and not by our workes:Ihon. xv. so that the, xii. Apo­stels dyd not chose Christe, but he chose thē to the Apostelship. So wee be not they that haue chosen God to saue vs, but God is he that hathe chosen vs to saluacion. Euen as Paul was called withoute workes by free mercy,Actes. ix. because it pleased God: so he was e­lected to shewe his mercye,Galath, i, i. Tim. i. and the aboun­daunt ryches of his glorie. It is humility it selfe,Ephes. ii. to beleue that we are chosen by grace [Page] Thys opynion geueth al glory to god, and to vs onlye confusion. And because we can not erre in glorifying to much the fre mer­cye and bountye of God, and a batinge the pryde of man. Therfore it is most sure, yea, although it stode not wyth the holye scryp­tures as it doth. And the more it displeaseth the carnal man, becauseit cōfoundeth al his glory, so much the more it is pleasing to the spiritual because it magnifieth God, Christ his fre mercy, & the gospel. And to say my opinion it pleaseth me best, to be all wholy in the hande of God. Yea if mine elecciō wer in my custody, I wold (if I myghte) render it vnto God, in whose hand it must of force be better and more sure. Yea woe to vs if in the least point it did depend vpō our selues. Sethen what becommeth of them that imagine (although falsely) that it dependith on­ly vpon the goodly workes that they do, to make thē selues elected again, wher on y^e o­ther partie, y^u shalt se that those which with lyuely faith, beleue to be by the mere mercy of God, and by the deathe of Christe, in the noumber of the electe, and sonnes of God (for that they fele in Christe and by Christ, the greate charitie of God) are by strengthe of the spirite and loue, forced to do worckes to bee wondered at: not seruile, for they see [Page] them selues heyres, but the workes of a son sincere and pure to the glory of their lyuely father, beynge preuented by soue. If thou woldest beleue, we ar [...] not worthy to be so elected by fre mercy, I wold answer, nether that Christ shuld suffer for vs vpō the c [...]osse but dyd he not therfore die? Christ hath not elected vs, because we were worthy therof, but for the glory of his goodnes:Ephe. i. The cause of oure eleccyon is not theu to bee soughte, but at the deuyne wyll.

Of the reprobat, I entend not to dyspute wherfore god hath cast them of, because it is nether nedeful to vs nor profitable to know It serneth to humble vs, and to knowe bet­ter y^e great goodnes of God, that we are e­lected by his grace, and not by our workes. The Christiane oughte to beleue to be one of the chosen,Ephe. [...]. i. Cor. ii. v. and it ought to suffise hym to haue Christe for hys booke, in the whych he seeth hymselfe electe, and to knowe that that apperteyneth to hym. And althoughe Paule to the Romanes spake a worde ther­of it was but incidently or by the waye, for it doth apeare it was not his pr [...]ncipal intēt to seke the cause wherfore God dothe reprobate and caste them of. It is inoughe for vs to thynke y^• the omnipotencyye of God, be­yng infinite, hath neither limites nor bōdes [Page] therfore may he do with his creatures with out contradiccion: and the deuine wyl may do of them, determine and wyll al that, that with his whole power he maye do, beynge the whole ruler, and necessarily most ryght in all hys wyll, yea the very ryghtuousnes it selfe. Wherfore honoringe the bright and lyght iudgementes of God, lette vs beleue that God dothe not condempne, but wyth iust and irreprehēsible counsayle, albeit the iustice of his iudgementes be to vs incom­prehensible, and that none is in hell, but by hys owne wyckednes: Our office is then to humble vs,Rom. xi. and cōtent vs in the deuine wil, reknowledgyng that we be not worthy, al­though we suffer al punishment, to setforth the brightnes of the glory of god, to whom, for al his workes, is due all honoure, laude and glorye by Iesus Christe oure Lorde.

The .xxi. Sermon.
Whether the electe can be damned or not.

AS it is written,Baru [...]. iii. i. Ihon, iii. ii. Thess. ii. god seeth frō y^e begin­ning & foreuer al things, & hath of al­certein & infallible science, & particu­larly knoweth his elect, their life & their end So then as god, by the necessiti of his being [Page] cānot be corrupted, nether diminish nor augment, being infinite and wythout ende, nor be altered, beyng most simple and pure, nor chaunge place, beynge vnmeasurable, fyl­lyng al places: so also maye not his determinacions be chaunged:Roma. ix. neither by ignoraūce for lacke of foresight and consideracion, neither for defaulte of power, since he can not be letted or weakened, nor his wyl resisted. Neyther may he chaunge by malyce, or for want of plētiful goodnes, for hys purposes are mooste good and fyrme.Mala. iii. God then is immutable in all hys doynges, chaungeth not as chyldren, nor lyke olde men, but as Dauid saith. The counsayl of the lord shall stande for euer: that must nedes be that god hath determined, neither is it in our power to chaunge his purpose, disturbe the diuine counsayles, destroye dyuyne ordinaunces, nor lete hys wyll, whych is Empresse, and oures of the hand mayden. Therfore what God wylleth, muste bee, and not y^• he must wyl after our phantasye. Nowe because we are not to be elected,Ephe. i. but (as Paul wryteth) God hath elected vs before the constituci­on of the worlde, and is in hys determanacions immutable, it is of force therefore to be as he hath determyned. So lyke wyse he se­eth and knoweth all thynges from the be­gynnyng, [Page] wyth cerreyne & infallible know­ledge: it is therefore necessitie that, that bee,whyche he hathe foreseene, or elles it muste nedes be that God maye chaunge, and that of oure lyte and eude he hathe no perfecte knowledge, but a doubtful opynyon, wher in also he may be beguyled, and that saying were a most wyckednes. Thou wylte saye to me, thou arte deceyued in imaginynge that aboue is tyme, and succession of tyme, and that God hathe foreseene and determyned all that is yet to be, so that hys determynacyon and knowledge is al ready passed, in suche sorte, that he can not other wayes, knowe, nor wyl, wythout hys chaunge whiche is impossyble. And therfore thou iudge­est it necessytye, that all that come to passe, whyche he hath foreseene and determyned, But it is not so, for aboue there is no ende or successyon of tyme, nyght nor daye, ney­ther was nor shal be, as there is here vnder­neath the heanens, ther is onlye all the pre­sente tyme, and onlye one mooste clere day of one inseperable instaunte, the whyche by hys eternitie extendeth to the succession and processe of all tyme. And I answere, that I knowe ryghte wel, that to▪ God euery thing is presente, although beyng vnder thys ce­lestial Shpere, where is folowing of tyme. [Page] to make vs better vnderstand, we vse wyth Paule to saye he hathe elected vs: but tell me, doest thou beleue that the eleccyon of those that are in thys present lyfe, and lyke wyse those that shall be, is nowe in beynge in effecte and presente before God, or not? If thou sayest no, thē shal it neuer be, for w^t him is no time to come. If thou sai yea, then maye it not be withoute mutacion in God, sence thou grauntest it once to be.

If thou woldest saye it myght be no be­ynge, yet it coulde not be no beynge, but in the instaunt of the godhead, in whych thou graunteste all thynges to bee, for as muche as aboue is no succession or course of tyme, and so iu that selfe instaūt in diuisible, thou woldest haue it possible, not to be any thing and yet a beyng: for asmuche as it is not so. Therfore if thou consente that God (I saye not hath sene) but doth se and determyne al thynges, sence that God is immutable, and his sciēce infallible, & that ther is no course of tyme, by all meanes, lykewyse it is to be sayde, that, that must nedes be, which God with parfect infallible knowledge doth for see, and stedfastly determyne. Because that (if with God there were any time past) euē as that coulde not be whyche God hadde foresene by his infallible precence, and im­mutably [Page] determined: no more cā that thing not be, which he doth presently se and determyne. Thou wylt say, I graunt that al that shal be, which God doth forese and ordeyn and so God shall not bee begyled, nor yet chaunge, but yet neuertheles it myght be y^t cōtrary although it shal neuer be. But thou [...]eest not how thou art deceyued, thou graū test that al the electe shal be saued, neuerthelesse thou saiest they may be dampned: And wherto serueth this, may be, if in effect thei shall not be dampned. Therfore thys argu­eth but in wordes, it is courtouse and vnpro­fytable. Nowe as if thou woldest graunte that an elect could be dāned, thou shuldest be forced to saye that God maye chaunge. Therfore thou sayest, that all may be saued whych argueth yet that the elect may be dā ­ned, and so thou muste nedes confesse, that god may also be begyled, & vary in his ordinaunce, which is impossible. That the elect then may be dampned, it is a thynge false, heretycal, and vnpossyble: it can not be verefied by no sentence compound nor deryued sence that in God cā be no mutaciō nor suc­cessiō. Therfore if he be elect, he must nedes be saued, and it must nedes be sayd; that the eleccion of them that shall be saued (I wyll not say hath ben but standing in that eterni [Page] is in beynge becaule that it is were not nowe should not be hereafter, sence there neither is, nor can be with God, but alway the present tyme. Then God hauing in his diuine mynde geuen vs paradyse from the beginning, and when he geueth neuer repē teth (as Paule writeth) it is of necessirye to say that the electe be saued.Roma. xi Paule wryteth that the elecciō of God is firme, and the di­uine purposes stedfaste, and that the Lorde knoweth his wyth perfect infallible knowledge,Roma. iiii. whych ought to be to vs a sure foun­dacyon,Roma. ix. whereupon we maye stablyshe vn­doubted fayth of our saluaciō. To this purpose Paule sayd, that those that God hath knowen for his, and therfore elected & pur­posed to saue them, those he hath predesty­nate to be conformable to the Image of his sonne, and those hauynge them after crea­ted, he doth call wyth an inward callynge,in such sort, that they aunswere agayne, for because they are the sōnes of God, therfore they heard hys voyce, and beleue by beinge ordeined to eternall lyfe. Yea he draweth them, and geueth them a newe hearte, and these that he calleth he iustifyeth, he geueth them Christ, and the [...]yght of hym, faythe, hope, and charity, and all other christyane vertues apparelynge them, he doth enriche [Page] them wyth many gyftes, treasurs, and graces, & afterward doth happely glorify them Therefore from the fyrste to the laste it fo­loweth, that the electe must nedes he saued. Paule added and sayd: if God be wyth vs, who can be agaynste vs: meaninge, if God hath elected vs, and determined to saue vs, he beynge omnipotente, and hathe taken vp on him this enterprise to saue vs, who shall let him? Yea he would haue sayde, no man, because that Christe sayde,Ihon. x. none can take them out of the handes of my father: it happeneth not to God as to man, whyche ma­nye tymes doeth wyll a thynge, seketh and canne not fynde,Roma. xi as the Hebrewes why­che sought theyr saluacyon, and coulde not atchieue it, and that because they foughte it not by Christ, by fre mercye, nor by faythe but by workes. It is not so wyth God, be­cause that he, when he wylleth any thynge, it commeth to passe, and his elecciō (as wri­teth Paule) commeth to effecte. Moreouer God hath geuen hys electe to Christe,Ihon. x. xi. and. xvii. and braweth them to hym, and those that go to hym drawen of the father, he chaseth not a­waye, as hym selfe sayde: he loseth them not, but knoweth them for hys shepe, he calleth them to hym, they heare hys voyce, he prayeth for them moste effectuously, and is [Page] euer hearde. For them he shed hys bloude, and gaue his life,Math. xvi euen as for them onely he was sent, and came into the world, to them he doth manyfest God, geueth theym lyfe, and maketh them happye. They are then in good handes, beinge in Christes, out of the whyche non [...] shall take them, as hym selfe hath sayde. They may peryshe that are the sonnes of perdicion,Ihon. xi. and. xvii. as Iudas, but not the chyldren of eleccion. The elect are sure, for ther was neuer one of them that peryshed nor neuer shal,Mat. xiii. yea it is vnpossible, for christ speking of y^• fals prophets which should be in y^• kingdō of Antichrist, said they shuld se­duce the very elect, if it were possible, for to shew that it was nor [...]ossible, yea for theyre sakes, those dayes shall be shortened.

Al that God hath wrought aud shal worke is for his electe, for whome he dyd create the world, & preserue the same, sente Christe into the world, and wylled that for them he shuld dye vpon the crosse, for them he hath moost speciall care. If God made suche ac­compt of y^t Hebrues,Deut. xv. y^t to thend their name shuld not be forgottē on y^t earthe, he dyd or­deine, y^t if y^• first brother died without chyld the seconde was bounde to rayse vp sede to his brother: thinkest thou y^t he wil not make rekning of his elect whose nams are writtē [Page] in heauen? Yea, I wyll thou know, that al­though Christe be he,Luke. x. by whose meanes all y^e elect are saued, neuertheles not by his impotēcy, being geuen to hym all power,Marke. x. mat. xxviii but because the thynge of it selfe is impossible. Christ cā not saue a reprobate, nor dam an elect▪ Now much lesse is it in oure power, if we be elect, to dāpne our selues, or if we be reprobate to saue our selues, yet ought we not to cease to worke well, because y^t if we are sure to be dampned, we are yet bounde euery way, for his infinite goodnes, mooste highly to honour him. Let vs then geue thā [...]ses to god that hath not only by mere mer­cy elected vs for his, but to thend we might be sure of our saluaciō, hath ordeyned y^t our dampnacion shal not lye in our own pow­er (beyng his electe) and wyth thys geueth vs such grace, that we may in thys presente life, render him al laude, honour, and glory by Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶The .xxii. Sermon.
Whether God do agrauate, harden and blynd the heartes of men or not, and in what maner.

IT is reade in the holye scriptures,ii. Reg. xvi iii. Re. xxix ii, Re. xxiiii that God put in Saul a wycked spirit to vexe him & a liyng spirit in the mouth of y^e prophetes [Page] to begyle Achab,Exod. i. vii x. xi. & xiiii Esay. xliii. Ihon. xii. ii. Cor iiii. Rom. ix. xi Galat. iii▪ & that by Sathan he moued y^e hert of Dauid to nūber the people agaynst his precepte. And moreouer he doth harden, blynd, and make grosse y^e her­tes of persons, and geueth them ouer into a peruerse mynd. And Paul wryteth, that he hath shut vp al mē in vnbeleif & sinne. And although manye helde for vngodlines this maner of speaking, & therfore thei do not only abstayn frō pronoūcing such like words but also go about to expoūd & make thē better, emēdinge them, forcecyng thē selues to bring them after their phantasye, to suche a way, y^t they haue a kind of godlines therin. And I thynke they are moued to do this, to thend y^t of these things men should not take occasion to thinke that God were the cause of synne, or els to imagine wyth the Mani­ches to be .ii. first beginnings, the one good cause of the good, the other euell cause of y^e euell▪ Neuerthelesse I will not, oughte not may not wyll to be more holye then God, that speaketh in holye scriptures. And it is more wyckednes to wyl to correct the tōge of the holy gost, because that none speaketh nor can speake more circūspectlye then he, nor with greater thyrst of our saluacion, w^t the zeale and honour of God. With al this euery one oughte to knowe that we are the [Page] cause of synne and not God: yea it can not be thought, that God is a God, if it be not thought, that he is wythout faulte, without euell infinitely good and iust. Therefore as to vs is due all coufusion, ignominie, disho­nor, reproch and euel, so to God al honour, laude, and glory. It is not euel then to pro­noūce these wordes, to the maner that they are writtē, saying that God doth agrauate, harden, and blynd, but it is good.

Thou wylte saie, tell me how these wor­des are to be vnderstande, that God dothe harden, blynd, aud such syke: so that there­by I may not take any occasion of offēce. I aunswere, that after the opynyon of some, God doth harden, and so blynde the hearte of a person, in as muche as he forese [...]th and fore preacheth his hardenes, as he did forese and foresay the obstinacye of Pharao. But knowe thou, that when he sayde to Moses, I wyll harden the hert of Pharao, he wold not onely saye, I forsee that he wyl be harde hearted, and I tel it the before, for then the wordes whiche he spake after, shoulde not haue agreed therwyth, whyche were: for to shewe my power, that my name may be de­clared throughoute the whole worlde.

But wyth those wordes he threatened to punyshe hym, as it is read that he punished [Page] mo people for theyr sinnes, wyth blyndyng them,Dent. ii. Esay. vi. Ihon. xii. Psal. lxxx. Roma. i, hardenynge them, wyth lettyng them do after theyr desyres of their owne hertes geuinge them ouer into a frowarde mynd, in passions and shamefull effectes.

Therefore there are some whyche saye that God manye tymes dothe harden and blynde sinners, when suffering, yea geuing them prosperitie, and distributyng his mer­cy and benefytes, when they ought to open theyr eyes to so greate be [...]ignityes of hym, and be inuited therby to repent and change theyr lyfe, they, of thys boūty of God take occasion to become worse, euery daye more blynde and indurate. But I saye that the vertue and also the vice standeth not in pro­sperity nor yet in aduersytye, but in the men them selues. So that as to the electe euerye thing worketh to saluaciō,Rom. viii. and by the speci­all grace that they haue of God serue hym in aduersitie as in prosperiti: so to the repro­bate, euery thyng serueth contrarye, & hur­teth, yet by theyr defalts as not only prosperity & aduersity, but also y^t preching of y^e gospell, & the miracles do hurt & hynder them. Therfore Paule said, y^t as to y^e elect Christe was the odour of life, so to the reprobate, he was the odour of death.ii. Cori. ii. It is nedefull then to say that God doth harden and blinde the [Page] heartes of the reprobate, not because he ge­ueth thē aduersiti or prosperiti, nor because he suffreth thē, & sheweth them many bene­fites, but for that he geueth them not grace to vse them, & the commodyte therof, to the glory of God: It may be truly sayd that he dothe hurden & blinde the hertes of the syn­ners, when he taketh from them, or gyueth thē not hys grace, nor the vnderstanding of hys wil because that in such case, it is force that mā wil remayne blynd and indurate, & that euery thynge serue them, to the dyshonor of God, where as if they hadde that inward grace euē of theyr synnes, they shuld ta [...]e occasiō to honour him, god doth blynd men, whē with drawyng hys lyghte, he hy­deth his face,Deu. xxxi. & as Moses was vayled, so spredeth he the vayle of ignorance ouer the hert of the reprobate:ii. Cor. iii. so that god in w^t drawing his lyght of his grace, blyndeth the hert of infydels, in suche sorte, that not onely the gospel is hyd from them (as Paul writeth) and they erre, but standynge in that darcke­nes, they cānot beleue, And so also doeth he harden,ii. Thess. ii. not for that he geueth prosperity or aduersity (of the which the elect also are partakers) nor because he withdraweth not the grace,Ihon. xii. but the swetenes and the sensuall fe­lyng therof, of the which many saintes wer [Page] voyde: nor yet for that he moueth their her­tes to euell, or cause in them any obstancye or euell qualite:Ezech. xi. but only in wythdrawynge hys grace, whych molifieth a herte of stone and maketh it fleshe, it is of necessitye y^t the hert remayn hardened. And so lykewyse he chaseth away y^t sinner, whē he doth not call hym, & draw hym to hym before, Yet for all this god sinneth not, for he is not holdē nor boūd to geue vs this grace, he may hardē & mollify after his owne pleasure, yea the sinner meriteth not only to be punyshed wyth payne and priuacion of paradyse, but also wyth priuacion of his grace: and that thys is true, iudge, if God had kylled Pharao, when he caused all the Hebrues chyldren to be caste into the floude: wouldest thou haue sayd that God had bene vniust? Surely no And yet if then he had dyed, he had bene dāned, & remayned obstinate for euer. Where fore myght not god execute iustly, the same sentence, as concerning blyndyng and har­dening, vpon others wyth wythdrawynge hys grace? And on the other partye (as they are preserued) that shalbe not amisse to pre­serue him in life for a few mo daies to be serued of hym, as of an instrument of wrathe prepared from the begynnyng, to excercise his people in vertue, to thende that delyue­ring [Page] them so diuinelye,Rom. ix. they myghte knowe the great goodnes, power, & iustice of god. And so beyng his name celebrate through­oute the world,Exo. xxiiii. he myght be feared & loued. And finally all to hys owne glory,Psal. lxxi. as wax­teth Paul & Moses. The iudgementes that we geue vpon the secrets of God, are verye madnes,Rom. viii. if by faith we do not enter into his santuarye. God doth inwardlye call the e­lecte, as Paul wryteth, and they beleue that god, as theyr only father, wyl neuer forsake them, but shall endue thē wyth such grace, that al thynges shal serue them to saluaciō, euen sinne, in the whych god wil neuer lette them fall, but for theyr benefyte. They art not offended to heare saye,Rom. viii. that god by ab­staining his grace from the vngodlye doth blynd and harden theyr hertes, but vnder­standinge by fayeth to be in the number of the electe, and knowing that god saueth not but by mercye, and dainneth not but iustly, so much the more are they moued to lyue in pure feare, to humble them selues, & render thankes to god, to whom be euer all laude, honour and glory, through Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶The .xxiii. Sermon.
¶How God doth dispose his grace.

[Page] THere are manye whyche thyncke that god to euery one cōtinuallie doth offer his grace, and that it is in the power of man to accepte it or not, as though [...] they had it in a boudget, & were in their arbytre­ment to open and take at their owne wyll. And that of thys their dead, false, & errony­ous opinion, groweth y^t they liue most wic­kedly, thynking & saying: god neuer faileth wyth hys grace, and it is at our choise to receyue it at oure wyll.

Therfore we may take leisure & lyue a vicious life after our owne way, for we shalbe saued always, a moment of time is enough for vs to repent & be saued, sence it is in our power. Therfore for to flye such an euell, I haue iudged it good to shewe y^t it is not so It is no doute y^t God hath created y^• world for his electe, so that if god had forsene that none should haue bene saued, he would not haue created it.Hebrues. i. i, Corin. i. Rom. viiii. For thē also he dyd preserue it, to them he hath geuen the Angels for ke­pers, and of them as a father he hath moste singuler care & prouidēce. God wil not suffer y^t they be tēpted aboue their power, yea euery thing worketh & serueth well to their saluaciō. Seuē times in a dai y^• iust shal fal & rise againe,Pro. xxiiii. because God is with thē, and [Page] helpeth them in such sort, that the more thei are in great perils & necessity, so muche the more is god beneficial to them. For thē god gaue the law to the world, sent Moses and the Prophetes, them he calleth inwardly in suche maner, that they heare his voice, and answere him of them he mollifieth the hert, and draweth them to Christ, as the adamāt doeth Iron: If they erre, he dothe correcte and chasten them as chyldren, as it is reade of Dauid,Psa. xxxi. to them he doth not impute theyr synne,Ihon. x. he doth quicken and glorify thē, and finally al that god hath wrought,Ihon. ix. and shall worke for him selfe, is for the elect, for them he sent Christ, and when he came, for them he toke vpon hym theyr synnes, only for thē he prayed, for them he wepte, preached, and dyd miracles, for them he shed hys bloude, dyed, rose, ascended into heauen, sent the holye goste, and shal come to iudge the quicke and the deade: yea all that he hath suffered wrought and shall worcke, is for the electe, whom he loueth in so excessiue maner, that he doth atribute to hym selfe al that is done to them,Ihon. x. God then beyng gratified with the elect in Christ, doth geue vnto them his spi­rite, the linelye lyghte of hym, faythe, hope, with al the reste of vertues & graces essen­cial & necessary to saluacion. And moreouer [Page] he geueth them grace to vse in the honor of god, and be serued in his glorye, of all the gyftes and graces which may be commune both to the good, & to y^e euel, to be vsed well & euel, as riches, honour, dignitye, healthe, long lyfe, chyldrē, frindes, sciēce, the gyfts of the tonge, to do miracles and suche lyke. Of them in parte, Paule made mencyon, writinge to the Corinthes.i. Cor. xii. And also geueth them grace to vse in his glorye, pouerty, ig­nommie, in fame, infirmitie, wyth al aduer­sity, and the priuacion of lyke gyftes, euen to the death, god geueth them such grace y^• wyth euery wind, they saile to the port, and they know that they are no lesse bounde to thanke god when they are without such giftes, and in all aduersitie, then when they haue suche things wyth the prosperitye of y^• world, sence that by the grace which god geueth them, al thynges worke to good.

Therfore they are euer contented to be in the state whych pleaseth the Lord, neyther wolde they chaunge it, if they myght (with out the wyl of God) and only for that they fele the deuine goodnes, no lesse in aduersi­ty then in the worldly prosperite. In thend when they are fallen to any sinne, god ope­neth their eies, & maketh thē se, not only the euell y^t they haue done, but also y^• he hath so [Page] permited [...] for then benefite, to thende they may the better know theyr owne miseryes and the bountye of God. But spekyng of y^e reprobate, I saye that it is inough for vs to knowe that god is not bonde, nor necessited to geue them hys grace for theyr good wor­kes: because that the grace findeth no good worckes, but doth make theym to be done, wyth hys creatures The bondes are all oures wyth god, and so muche the more as that we beyng all losse in Adam, he myghte iustly, not only obādon vs, but damne and punyshe vs. He is not also compelled of his perfect goodnes, mercy and charyty to not haue created the worlde, he myghte nowe brynge it to nothinge, and dyspose all crea­tures after hys owne waye beynge styll moste perfectelye iuste, as he is nowe, and was from without beginning, before he did create the worlde. God maye geue of hys grace as much as it pleaseth him, whē & to whome he thincketh good, yea, and not to geue it without beyng vniust, or doyng any iniury.Math. xx. God also hath ben of power wyth­out doing any vnrightuousnes to creat the reprobat, fore seynge theyr dampnacyon to serue his owne turne, and to vse them for in strumentes, or exercise the elect in vertue, to [Page] the ende that their victories and triumphs, & likewise Christes, myght be the more glo­rious, & finally al for his own greter glory.

And moreouer I saye,Ihon. vii. that Christe hy­deth hymselfe and hys grace manye tymes from persons,Prou. i. so that althoughe they seeke hym, crye after hym, and recommend them selues to hym, they fynde hym not, nor he heareth them not, notwythstandynge those such as are not moued to seke hym, or cōmit them selues to hym, by the spirite, nor for the zeale of the honour of God, but for their proper interest, yea and many times he doth blynde and indurate the people, and all is most iustly done. And although it be writtē y^• God hath [...]ure of al, calleth al, wold saue all, dyed for all, doeth illumynate all, dothe rayne and power his grace vpon all, & lyke sentences: I say, it is to be vnderstand, that he hath cure of al ingeneral, but of the elect in special, and so he calleth al, with a vocacion vniuersall, but the elect with an inwarde and singuler. When Paule sayd also, that he wold saue all, he vnderstode that, to be of euery sorte of persons. Hys death also was sufficient to saue al, but it is not effectuous but to the elect, and so where it is writtē, y^• he doth illuminat and geue grace to al▪ it is vnderstand of y^e elect of those that are illu­minate. [Page] Therfore sayde Christe to the Apo­stles, to you it is geuen to knowe the miste­ryes of the kyngdome of heuen,Math. xiii. Paule said lykewyse,Ephe. ii. that the faith which is the gift of God,ii. Thess. ii. is not al mēs. It is wel true also, that God doth illumynate al, in asmuch as ther is no person that hath not had some lyght & knowledge of God. Let vs then geue hym thankes, sence that of hys mere goodnesse, he hath cōnumerat vs among the elect, and praye we him that he geue vs so much light of his goodnes, that in euerye place & tyme we may render him perfect land, honoure and glory▪ by Iesu Christ our Lorde.

Amen.

The .xxiiii. Sermon.
If a man haue lybertye or not and in what maner.

SOme myght thynke it superfluous for a christian, to thynke whether he be fre or not, but that it is inoughe to force hym selfe to make al possible resystence agaynst euell, and hys beste power to do well, ge­uynge all honoure and glorye to God, be­cause that in suche a case they walke to god surely, neyther falling into the depth of idlenes. But herein cōsisteth the difficulty, in geuinge [Page] al the glory to god. Yea it is not possible that man while arrogātly he presumeth of hym selfe (thinkyng to do that whych he doth not) can geue al the glory to god. Therfore haue I iudged it necessarye to shewe what man can do, to thend y^t beyng hable to knowe and discerne betwene that which in dede is hys, and that that is goddes, he can and maye render all prayse and laude vnto him to whom of duty it belongeth. Fyrst, al though the beyng of the creatures, compa­red to the beyng of god (by beyng infinitely far from the perfecciō of the diuine essence) is but a shadowe,Roms. iiii. yea rather no beynge, so that truly it may be sayde that God only is that which is:Exod. iii. neuerthelesse wyth al thys, it can not be saide but that the creatures haue a beynge, although imperfect, in compary­son of the diuine. And so is it true, that they haue vertue, during the which they worke, although principally in the vertue of God.

Therfore when the Lord had created the world, he cōmaunded the earth to sprynge, and the waters to bringe forthe. Then false is the opinion of theym that Imagine that god, & not the sunne dothe geue lyght, & god not the fyre doth geue heate, and so of al the reste of thinges created, that God dothe worke in thē, & not the creatures, but euery [Page] creature euen to the moste vile, hath his proper vertue, duringe the whiche, it worketh. True it is, that in the creatures inferiour to man, there is no libertie at all, because that beinge not let, they muste of necessiti worke according to the vertue that thei haue in the disposition of thinges possible or sufferable directlye set before them as it is fene in burninge, and so it is necessarye, they moue ac­cordyng to theyr vertue, strength, and ape­tyte, the whyche is seene in the waters, that runne to the sea, nether it is in the power of lyuing soules vnreasonable, to moue or not to moue weaklye or strong lye, to the obiec­tes that they appetyte or desire. Take away the impedimentes, they muste of necessitye moue them selues there vnto, after the measure of the strength and apetyte they haue. Therfore in them is no libertie at al, as ther is in man, in whome I consider fiue sortes of mouynges and operacyōs. The fyrst are mere natural as if a mā sh [...]ld vol [...]ntarrlye throw hym self down, it shuld not be in hys lybertie to withholde him selfe, but shoulde be by his weighte, compelled like a stone to discende euen to the earthe. True it is that the same faul was in his liberti, in asmuche as he myghte not haue throwen hym selfe downe at all. The seconde monynges that [Page] I cōsyder in men, are vegatyue, as y^• [...]rowynge when they are chyldrē, and noryshyng and such lyke, the whych also doth plantes. And speakynge of chose, I say that they are not in the lybertye of manne, sauynge that he maye kyll hymselfe, and depryue hymof that lyfe whych he can not do.

The thyrde are operacions animall, as to see, heare, and taste, and suche lyke, of the whych speakyng, I saye that albeit it be in the power of man not to heare a voyce that is present wythout closynge hys eares, and so of the other lyke operacyous, neuerthe­lesse it is in hys lybertye to shut vp those sē ­ces, in the presence of the obiectes or pre­sent thyngs y^• delyght hym, & to wythdraw hym selfe frome them, and so not to moue, or to moue to one syde or another, softlye or strongly as he wyll, the whych the other a­nymalles or lyuynge soules can not do, be­inge necessytate, to moue accordyng to their apetytes. But speakynge of the foure ope­racyons whych are humayne, as to thynke one or an other thynge, to speake or not in thys maner or [...] y^t, to lerne thys or that scy­ence, to gouerne hym selfe or others in thys waye or in the other, yea not to do, or else to do always more or les to thys or that per­son (in case he haue goods in power) to fast [Page] watche, praye, to heare the word of God, to communicate or not, and so of all the other like operacions, I saye, that they are in the power of man, that is that men (without o­ther special grace and miracle but only du­ringe the generall influence of God) haue in their power to do them, & also not to doo them, and alwaies they shal do them, if thei effectuouslye shal wil to do them, not being letted of God, or of some other stronger thē they, and so also shall they not do them be­inge not forced, and not willinge to do thē, men are not images. Yea that they are free in thinges humane, it is so cleare, that it can not be declared by a rule more knowne, but speakinge of the laste worckes, that are ho­lie, spiritual and deuine, the which are grat­full and acceptable to God, as to haue liuely lyght, and spirituall knowledge and vn­derstandinge of god, to haue in hym fyrme faythe and hope, to loue him, honoure hym, aud reuerence hym, wythal thy hearte, to order all thy lyfe to his glorye, to obeye and commit thy selfe wholy to his gouernaūce wyth mortifying and denying thy selfe, the fleshe and his owne prudence, and to loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe, euen to thy enemies for the lo [...]e of god, wyth the hearte to praye for thē, and do them al the good possi­ble: [Page] And finallye to do suche worckes to the glorye of god is not in the lybertye of them that are carnal, & not regenerate by Christ, because that it is not in their power to haue the supernatural knoweledge of god, sence it is aboue all their myght.

It is not also in theyr power to haue liuely faythe in God, hope, and charitye, for as muche as they are the gyftes of god, diuine vertues & supernatural. Therfor it is not in theyr libertie to honour god in any wyse as is due to hym, and that thys is true, let thē proue to make experience in them selues, in deuoringe theym to haue more knoweledge of god then they haue, to haue in hym grea­ter faythe and hope, and to loue hym more, and they shal perceyue that it wil not come to effecte: wherof it foloweth that being not in y^t power of infidels, and not regenerate by Christ to loue God wyth al theyr hearte no nor aboue al other thynges, that also it is not in theyr power, not to loue the thynges created, but in Christe and by Christ, nether is it in theyr power, not to loue them selues dysordynatelye, or theyr parentes, fryndes, dygnyty, honoure, goodes, pleasures, & the reaste of thynges that are to them profyta­ble, commodyons and delectable, and more ouer it lyeth not in theyr power, not to hate [Page] their enemi [...]s, so y^t thou maist se [...] howe it is in theyr power to loue them specyally spy­rytuallye in Christ: and to the glory of God suche like passyons and effectes are not in oure power, as euery one hathe experyence contynuallye in hym selfe.

A wycked man myght absteyn from kyllyng hys enemy, when he might do it, yea & do hys best to healp hym, but it shoulde not be in hys power, to loue hym in hys hearte, and much lesse in Christe and to God.

Therefore all be it, it is in hys libertye not to kyll hys enemye and so to do hym good, neuerthelesse it is not in his power, to refrayne from kyllynge hym, or to do hym anye benefyte for the glory of god. The vngodlye myghte, wyth all hys connyng and power consyder all those thynges that serue to the dysprayse of the worlde, to the morti­fyinge of them selues, to the louing of theyr neyghbour and also god: yet by no meanes should they come to such lyght of the goodnesse of God, of theyr owne myseryes and vanyty of the worlde, that they should loue God to the hate of theym selues, and dys­prayse of the worlde, as he is bounde to do.

It is not then in the lyuertye of the car­nall man to do worckes spyrytual, he hathe neede of the grace of God, of faythe, and [Page] knowledge supernaturall, nor it is not [...] hys power to get, neyther in all nor in part any gyft of God, grace or spiritual vertue. Yea before that by Christ he be regeuerate, he can not neyther wyth thynkynge, desy­ring, or working, nor by any other meanes dyspose or prepare hym self neyther whole nor partelye, to one of the leaste graces of god: so that by those hys thoughtes, desires or worckes, he maye be worthye, or haue i [...] all or in parte deserued that grace.

And moreouer I saye, that as before hys regeneracion he is vngodly & wicked, euen so is sin al his thoughtes, desires, & workes and this is, bicause that while he is carnall, beinge the seruaunte of sinne and concupyscence whiche reigneth in hym, he is dead to God, and a lyue to him self, he neither doth worcke nor can worcke, to the glory of god as he is bound, for want of y^• liuely light of him, but being as he is carnal & in hys own loue he is moued to woorcke, onlye for hys owne interest, he sinneth then, not for doing almosse and lyke woorckes, but for that he doth them not for the glory of God. And althoughe the vngodlye absteine some tymes from robbinge and killinge, with such like wicked iniquities, yet alwais he sinneth (although not so muche) not in absteining, but [Page] that he absteineth not for the loue of God as he is bounde to do, but for hys owne proper accompte intereste and vtylitie. And so is it true in carnall manne, whyle he is car­nal, synne doth euer reygn, for that he cānot but sinne,Rom. viii. yea and euer doth synne contynuallye,Rom. ix. because that althoughe he absteyne from homicide,Roma, vii. thefte and committing such like iniquities, neuerthelesse he sinneth euer continually, in leauing behind him the loue of God wythall hys hearte, as he ought to loue his neyghbour as hym self, to worcke for the health of hys neyghboure & the glo­rye of God as he is bounde, absteining for hys honoure from all synne. Their synnes are then innumerable, and yet they thincke in confessyon to number them al being then al the worckes of the carnal, synne and worthye of punyshmente: see howe they can by any meanes be worthy to be rewarded, and how they may be true preparacions, or dys­posycyōs to grace? Therfore as a deade mā cānot rayse hym self, or worke toward hys resurreccyō, nor he that is not, worke to his creatyon,Ephes. ii. so the carnall man, that in Adam is dead,Rom, iiii, and as though he were not can not worke towardes hys regeneracyō and creation, yea euen as a humane bodye wythout the soule can not moue but downwarde, so [Page] the dead soule without the spirite & Christe, his life, can not lifte hym selfe vp, but must of necessitie descende euer downe, in regardinge his owne interest.Ihon. iii. Therfore he cānot but sinne, he must be borne again to do worsies spiritual and holye, and by oure selues we can not be regenerate by no meanes, for it is onlye the worcke of God. It is nedeful then that God creatinge in vs a cleane hert do geuē vs a new hert,Psalm, l. as Dauid dyd pray and God did promise bi his prophets, wyth oute me, sayth Christe, ye can do nothynge, that is spiritual, holi and grateful to God. Christe then is wholye our rightuousnes, & this is the more riche noble and happi rightuousnes, thē if we were iuste bi our selues, yea none shuld be iuste, if oure iustice did in any part depēd vpō vs nor our owne glory excluded,i. Tim. i. as Paul and Moses wylleth it to be.Roma. iiii. There are many that thynke that as mē chose to serue a Prince,Deut, viii. so we chose to serue god, but he him selfe in the contrary where he sayd, you haue not chosen me, but I you. Likewise they thinke, as they that best serue obtein most fauour of their Lord, & those y^t haue loste it, the more they humble them selues, the soner they recouer it: so they thynke of vs with god. Thus they build their good lyfe,Galath, v. not vpon Christe, but on them selues, [Page] and fall from the deuyne grace. And also it is clene contrary: for not for that we repent humble vs, and do good worckes, therefore he geueth vs hys grace: but because he ge­ueth vs hys grace, therfore we do worckes that are holy. So that, not for that the good theefe vppon the crosse dyd confesse Christ, therefore he dyd illuminate hym, but for that Christe dyd illuminate and touche hys herte, therfore he dyd confesse hym: and the lyke happeneth of all vs.

And what good worke dyd Paule when Christ conuerted him? He was most strong­ly agaynst hys honour, euen as we wer be­fore he called vs. These that are not regenerate, be wyth Saincte Peter in a darke pri­son, bounde wyth manye cheynes, in the power of the Deuell, a sleepe in synne, and wylte thou that they bee saued by them sel­ues? No, the Lorde hym selfe muste needes awake hym, the euell tree canne not brynge forthe good frute,Math. vii. as Christe sayde, no more canne the vngodlye good worckes. Before wee are by Christ regenerate, we are fleshe and that whiche spryngeth of the fleshe, is fleshe.Ihon. iii. Therefore canne we do no spirituall worckes, yea euen as Paule saythe, all the effectes and desyres of the fleshe are death, vncleane are all oure worckes whych pro­cede [Page] of our corrupte nature, and finallye he that is not with Christe, is agaynste hym.

God at the begynnynge made man free, but in synnynge he was made in suche sorte the seruaunt of sinne, y^• not only he can not, neither in al nor in parte, merite before god any grace, but he can not in hys lyght do o­therwyse but sinne: yet not for this he shuld leaue to heare the worde of God, to praye, to take counsayle, to seeke to bee corrected, to do almes and lyke woorcks, not for that he doothe deserue grace but punyshmente, euen as he that bi force is compelled to hū ­ble hym selfe, and are pardon of hys enne­mye, for that fayned humilitye, he meriteth not to be pardoned, but shoulde meryte so muche the more to be punished, as that, ha­uyng vniustly offended him, he ought wyth hys hearte, to haue humbled hym, and as­ked pardon, and hath not done it, Nowe so the vngodlye, in askinge mercy of God, doeth sinne, for he that asketh not for his glory as he is bounde, but for his owne gain, nor therfore he ought to ceasse from asking help of God, for that he sinneth not in prayinge but for not prayinge in spirite, for the glo­ry of God, and withal due circumstances in that case he did partlye obey God, for if he dyd not pray he shuld synne much more [Page] greuouslye. The Samaritane not onlye de­serued not to haue grace of Christe, for as­king him water, but for that her demaund she deserued to be punished, because she did it not in faythe, and to the glorye of God.

Neuerthelesse Christe would that she shuld aske, and that it shoulde passe by those mea­nes. Now so he wil that sinners aske grace, and do those worckes that he hath commaū ded them, albeit they do them not to the glory of god, beinge blinde to diuyne thinges, yea darkenes it self, as writeth saint Ihon. But after the sinners are regenerat bi christ thē as childrē of god,Ihon. x. Ihon. viii. they are free, and not the seruauntes of the deuell nor of sinne be­cause that althoughe in them remaineth the concupiscence of sinne, neuertheles they do not consente to it,Rom. vii. they obey not vnto it. It dothe not reigne in theym, but they haue so much lyght of god, & so much spirit (which helpeth their infirmitie) that thei are stirred to the glory of god,Rom. vi. thoughe not wholye as they wolde, for because of the repugnaunte fleshe. Therfore said Paul, I do not y^e good that I wold do,Rom. vii. but the euell that I woulde not.Psal. xxxi. But suche defectes are not imputed to them,Rom. viii. for that they are by faythe graffed in Christ. The regenerate by Christ are prone and readye to the good, god hathe illustrate [Page] their mind and toutched their herte, in such maner that wyth all their soul, voluntarely frely and gladly, they do holye worckes, to the glory of god, so that as god counsayled the soules of them that dyd elect Dauid to content thē selues in their herte to haue him for their kynge, fo he moueth the hert of the regenerate, willingly to haue god for theyr god, to cōmit them to his gouernaūce, and to delight to be gouerned of him, with hounoryng hym as a celestyal father. So thē as y^t sonnes of Adam, before they be regenerate are the seruauntes of synne, for that they cā not but sinne, & therfor because they can not worcke, wyl, desyre, nor styrre in any waye to the glorye of god, as they are holden, but only for their carnal cōmodity, by y^t whych al men not regenerate, are called fleshe, not only the body, but the soule, the wil, desires and thoughtes, wythal the rest, so after that they are regenerate, they be fre from synne, (for that they can work to the glory of god) and are seruauntes of ryghteousnes. Ther­fore although, as concerning the substaunce and being of the bodie and of the soule, thei remayne the same: neuertheles, where be­fore they were called fleshly men, and flesh for that they sought not but theyr own pro­per thynges, afterward they are called spi­rituall [Page] men and spirite, in as muche as they seke the glory of God, the which they maye do, for that God hathe geuen them by mere grace liuely lyght and spiritual feling, and knowledge of his goodnes, yea durynge in them that perfect light, not only they at fre from sinne, for that thei be able not to sinne but also they can not synne, for that they cā not but loue god and worcke to hys glorye.

And thys is the perfecte lybertye, the beinge fre frome the power to sinne, and beinge not of power to sinne, is not to sinne, Otherwyse, neyther the sayntes that are in the other lyfe, nor the Aungels shoulde bee perfectly fre, nether Christ nor god, for thei cā not sinne. It is veri true this, y^t god some time doth let his electe & holy men fal, with drawing his diuine light for a time (yet for their benefits) therfore we are not absolutely and wholy fre from the power to synne, as we shalde in the life to come, but thei are fre frō power to sinne with this cōdiciō, du­ryng in thē the liuely & actual lyght of god. So thē as the carnal, before their regenera­cion are in such sort the seruauntes of sinne, that they cā not but sinne, not therfore abso­lutely & without condicion, but so longe as they haue not the holy light of god, so there generate are in like maner fre frō sinne that [Page] they cā not sinne, yea they can not chose but work wel, yet not absolutely, but during in thē that liuely & actual light of god. And w^t al this, neyther the wyl of the fleshe is violē ted to wyl euel, nor the wyl of the spiryte to wyl wel. And this is, for that the wil cā not worke, but of wyl (therfore willinglye) but if it were possible that of any outward power it were forced thē by that violēce, it shuld worcke not voluntarilye. And on the other syde, it shuld worke willingly for y^t it could not worke but of the same wil y^t it is: there­fore it shuld worke vnwillingly & willingly the which in a maner is vnpossible, & implieth cōtradictiō and gainsaying. So thē as if one being a slepe wer throwne down from a hyghe place, and in the fallynge shulde a­wake, perceyuynge hys falle, shoulde wyl­lyngly content hym self, and haue pleasure so to fal down to the botome, when he were at the ground, he were well worthy to haue shame & punishement, not for that he might in his fal with hold himselfe, for it was not in his choyse nor lyberty, but for that he did so delight and cōtent him self with that fal with his ful wyl, & would it with the herte in such sorte, that al beit he myght haue had the power to restraine that fal, he wold not haue done it. Euen so the lyke becōmeth of [Page] al the chyldren of Adam, that beinge fallen in him, although when thei come to y^• yeres of discression, & begyn to discerne the good from the euel, they perceiue the sinnes that they do, euery way they do thē volūtarely, delighting therin, so that althoughe they be not of power, not to do thē, they ar neuertheles worthy of punishmēt, for y^t they insport cōmit them willingly, that if they had power not to do them, yet euery way they wold do them, beinge their wyll so malignaūt, as it is. Their wyll then is not vyolented or forced to do euel of ani outward power, but of his owne proper & entiere or inward malyce: And so the other party, the regenerate by the gladsome, entier, lyuely, & enflamed light that they haue of the boūty of god, thei are forced to eleuate thē selues, w^t an amo­rous violēce (Therfore volūtarily, & wyth perfect lyberty) to god, to whome for euer be all laude, honoure, and glorye, throughe Iesu Christ our Lorde. Amen.

The .xxv. Sermon.
Of the effectes wrought by the spirite of God when it entred in­to the soule.

EVen as Christ entring into y^• holy city of Ierusalē,Math. xxi. the whole citi was moued [Page] so moueth the city of the soule when Christ eutreth therin, specially, sence from that as from a fort and strong municioned rocke he hathe the greate deuyl to chase awaye. And if in the lunatycke sōne,Luke. xi. Luke. ix. there was a greate commocion, when Christ oute of his bodye wold haue drawen the malignaunte spirite y^t had possessed hym: thynck what commocion there is, when he chaseth hym from the soule, in the whyche he dwelleth more wyl­lyngely. And know, that it maketh a cōmo­cion not onli outward in ceremonies, as do cōmonly y^• false christians when it is neare Easter, but there is a cōmocion within the verye bowels of the soule, and inward part of the herte, there is nothing that so cā perce the soule, as doth the spirite of god, when it entreth into it by speciall slidinge. Not on­ly it spoileth vs of the olde Adam wyth hys concupisence,Rom. xiii. Ihou. iii. and doth cloth vs with Christ wyth all his vertues, but also maketh vs to be borne a new, that as if a poore man were sodenly made an Emperoure, he shoulde be wholy chaunged, so he that of a vile sinner, is made the sōne of God chaūgeth though­tes, effectes, desyres and wyll, chaungeth frenshipes, practises, wordes, worckes and life, and of humayne, beastly, carnal, earth, and deuelyshe: he becommeth heauenly, spirituall, [Page] angelicall, and deuine as did Paul goyng to Damasco, when Christ did enter hys hert. Ther was a mutacion, from the ryghte hande of God.Actes. ix. Psa. lxxvi. i. Regu. xi. Math. xii. When the spirite of the Lorde entreth in a person, he is chaun­ged into a nother man, for that diyng to the world, he beginneth to lyne to him self, And if when Christ dyd enter into the temple he purged it from those that bought and sold, thyncke if whē he entreth into the spiritual temple, he clenseth it from euery vnclennes of sinne,Rom. viii. there resteth not in it any thyng of dampnacion, he healeth it moste perfectly, so that if the vncleane woman was healed, at the touche of the hemme of Christs gar­ment, y^u mayst thinke what it is whē Christ in spirite entryng into the soule, and the person with lyuely fayth, imbraceth him who­ly for hys. Also as when the sonne beames enter into thy house, thou perceiuest in the ayre, euē to the smalest mote whych y^u coul­dest not se before, so whē in the soule do en­ter the beames of lyght of the diuine grace, the sinnes are perceyued in more cleare maner. Yea, as the prodigial sōne neuer knew nor perceiued truly his own errour,Luke. xv. til with such pitie he was imbraced of his father, & had profe how greate was y^e fatherly goodnes and charitie which he had offended: so [Page] the sinner when he conuerteth & begynneth with the spirit to taste the diuine goodnes, he beginneth also to know his malice, pride and ingratitude with the rest his vnlawful sinnes.Luke. xvi. He restoreth w^t Zacheus that which is not his, if Christ enter into his house and dyspenseth the superfluous thynges, yea beyng rych wyth the treasures of Christ, he leaueth al wyth vnmeasurable loue. He can not participate or take part of the bountye of god that doth not cōmunicate & distribut to others. The lyuelye flame muste nedes breake forth,Ihon. vii. or els beyng smoudered it quē ­cheth and the fountaynes that contynual­lye receiue rūning water must of force ouer flowe: so they that haue in them the holye gost,Rom. viii. by the testimony wherof they are sure to be the sonnes of God, haue contynual­lye one suche and so entire, sincere & pure gladnes (which groweth of the liuely knowledge y^t they haue of the greate goodnes of god) that they cā not expresse it, nor they cā ­not cōprehēd thē selfes.i. Peter. i. Therfore not being able to w^thold thē selues, they spring & leape for ioy with Iohn Baptist, with his mother they make exclamaciō,Luke. i. Exodi. iiii. Actes. iiii. Math. vii. & as to Zacharye, so are their tōges losed: so y^t although in pray­syng of god they perceiue with Moses that they stammer and are of an vnlearned tōg, [Page] neuertheles with the Apostles,Math. vii. they can not kepe scilence of that which they haue herd, sene, & felt, wyth the spirit, they must nedes speake by the superabundaūce of loue, that they haue, they desire wyth the woman of Samarye, that euery one shoulde taste that which they them selues haue had experiēce of.Ihon. iiii. And although for preachynge the gospell they be persecuted, for al that they do not desiste and leaue of, but triumphing in al, thei perseuer and go forth euen to the deth,Roma. v. they feele in such sorte in the herte the charity of god,Actes. v. that not onlye it is swete to thē to suf­fer for his loue, but wyth the Apostels they reioice therin. And for that they participate of that greate charitie of Christe, by beynge his members. Therfore wyth hym they pardon al men, beyng ready to shed their bloud and put theyr lyfe for their enemies,Roma. ix. Acts. vii. & with Paul also to be accursed from Christe. And this because that as to Stenen, so the hea­uens are opened to them, in suche sorte, that in spirite with clere & supernatural lyght of fayth, they se the glory of god, in hauing geuen his only begottē & dearly beloued sōne for them vpon the crosse, they rest also quiet as the shyp when Christ entered into it, they haue the peace of cōscyence,Mark. vi. Roma. v. knowing with certeyne fayth, that god by Christ & by hys [Page] mercy, hath pardoned them. They haue al­so quietnes of mynde, in suche maner, that thoughe they were in al the perils & necessyties of the world, yet alwayes aprouing for iust, the iudgemen [...]es of god knowing that he is their only father, that he hath most singuler cure of them, & that euery thynge ser­ueth them to saluacion, they stand most surely, quiet, in peace & trāquility. These suche for that they walke accordyng to the vocacion of god, haue honour of euery enterprise that they take in hand, they can not be letted or resisted, no more thē God. Yea it is force that euery one feare theym, as Herode fea­red Saint Iohn Baptyste,Ge [...]e, xxi. Ge [...]. xxvi. for that he had in hym the spirit of the Lorde, & as Abimelech did Abrahā & Isaac. They are daylye more firme & stablyshed in good purposes to doo euer better, beyng lyfted vp cōtinualy to a greater perfeccion with Paule, althoughe their mind be conuersaunt in heauen, neuertheles descendyng by Christiā pytye,i. Cor. i. to fele the miseryes of theyr brethren, they laboure also to drawe them to Christ, and moue thē to haue the spirite, & to be in veryty Christi­anes & not Ipocrites. As y^e very grape doth moue the birdes to taste therof, and not the pyt fal. And finally although with the Apo­stels, they neuer remayne wyth Christ and [Page] wyth the Canauite, whiche woulde not de­parte for his vngentle wordes, neuertheles they are prompte and ready for his honour and glorye, to leaue wyth the Samaritane hys swete presence.

And what is more to be sayde when the spirite of God doothe enter into a soule,Ihon. iiii he suffereth it not to slepe, nor stand in idle­nesse, but maketh it worcke thynges merueylous and inexplicable, for the loue of God: to whome be euer al la [...]d, honour and glory by Iesu Christe our Lorde.

Amen.