Collected Sermons, law and gospel
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER, WHEREIN IS ENTREATED OF THE LAWE AND THE GOSPELL, AND OF THE DIFference betwene them.
Luke 10.
Verſe 23. AND he turned to his Diſciples and ſayd ſecretly, Bleſſed are the eyes, which ſee that ye ſee.
24. For I tel you that many Prophets and Kinges hauehave deſired to ſee thoſe thinges, which ye ſee, and hauehave not ſeene them: and to heare thoſe thinges which ye heare, and hauehave not heard them.
25. Then behold, a certaine Lawyer ſtoode vp & tempted him, ſaying, Maiſter, what ſhall I doe to inherit eternall life?
26. And he ſayd vntounto him: What is written in the law? how readeſt thou?
27. And he aunſwered and ſayd, Thou ſhalt louelove thy Lord God with all thine hart, and with all thy ſoule, & with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thy ſelfe.
28. Then he ſayd vntounto him: Thou haſt aunſwered right: this doe, and thou ſhalt liue.
29. But he willing to iuſtifie him ſelfe, ſayd vntounto Ieſus, Who is then my neighbour?
30. And Ieſus aunſwered & ſayd: A certaine man went downe from Hieruſalem to Ierico, & fell amōg theeues, & they robbed hī of his raimēt, & woūded hī, & departed, leauing hī half dead.
31. Nowe ſo it fell out, that there came downe a certaine Prieſt that ſame way, and when he ſaw him, he paſſed by on the other ſide.
32. And likewiſe alſo a Leuite when he was come neare to the place, went and looked on him, & paſſed by on the other ſide.
33. Thē a certain Samaritan, as he iornied, came neare vntounto him, and when he ſaw him, he had compaſſion on him.
34. And went to him, and bound vp his woundes, and poured in oyle and wine, and put him on his owne beaſt, and brought him to an Inne, & made prouiſion for him.
35. And on the morrowe when he departed, he tooke out two pence, & gaue them to the hoſt, and ſaid vntounto him, Take care of him, and whatſoeuer thou ſpendeſt more, whē I come again, I will recompence thee.
36. Which now of theſe three, thinkeſt thou, was neighbour vntounto him that fel amōg the theues?
37. And he ſaid, He that ſhewed mercy on hī, Thē ſayd Ieſus vntounto him: Go, and do thou likewiſe.
I Hope well that ye doe nowe rightly vnderſtande this Goſpell, foraſmuch as it is preached of eueryevery yeare: notwithſtanding becauſe occaſion is now againe offered, we muſt againe entreat and preach of it. Firſt the Euangeliſt ſayth, that Chriſt tooke his Diſciples aſide, and ſayd vntounto them ſecretly after this ſort: Bleſſed are the eyes which ſee that ye ſee. For I tell you that many Prophets and Kinges hauehave deſired to ſee thoſe thinges which ye ſee, and hauehave not ſeene them, and to heare thoſe things which ye heare, and hauehave not heard them. To ſee and heare is to be vnderſtoode here ſimply of the outward ſeeing and hearing, to wit, that they ſawe Chriſt come in the fleſh, heard his ſermons, and were preſent at thoſe miracles which he did among the Iewes. The Iewes ſawe the ſame according to the fleſh, yea and felt them alſo: yet did they not truely acknowledge him for Chriſt, as the Apoſtles did, and eſpecially Peter in the name of all the reſt did confes him, ſaying: Thou art Chriſt the Sonne of the liuing God. We graunt in deede, that there were ſome among the Iewes, which acknowledged him, as the Apoſtles did, but the number of them was very ſmall, wherefore he taketh his Apoſtles here ſeuerally vntounto himſelfe. Many Prophets and Kings hauehave ſeene Chriſt, howbeit in the ſpirit, as the Lord himſelfe ſayth to the Iewes of Abraham, Ioh. 8:How ye faithful ſaw Chriſt before his incarnation. Your father Abraham reioyced to ſee my daye, and he ſaw it, and was glad. The Iewes thought then that he had ſpoken of the bodely ſeeing, but he ſpake of the ſpirituall ſeeing, whereby all Chriſtian heartes did behold him, before he was borne. For if Abraham ſaw him, vndoutedly many other of the Prophets, in whom ye holy Ghoſt was, ſaw him alſo. And although this ſeeing ſaued the holy Fathers and Prophets, yet did they alwayes with moſt inward and heartie affection deſire to ſee Chriſt in the fleſh alſo, as is commonly ſhewed in the Prophets. Wherefore the Lord ſayth here vntounto his diſciples, which ſawe him both in the fleſh, and in the ſpirit: Bleſſed are the eyes which ſee thoſe thinges that ye ſee. As if he ſaid: Now is the acceptable yeare and time of grace: The matter which is now in hand is ſo weightie and precious, that ye eyes are worthely ſaid to be bleſſed, which ſee it. For now was the Goſpell preached openly and manifeſtly both by Chriſt himſelfe, and alſo by his Apoſtles, whereupon he here calleth them all bleſſed, which ſee and heare ſuch grace. Of which grace I hauehave preached much & a long time vntounto you, I would to God ye did keepe that which I hauehave ſpoken thereof, freſh in memorie.
When the Lord ſpake theſe thinges, a certaine Lawyer ſtart vp, ſhewing himſelfe as though he had bin ſome thing, who tempting the Lord ſayth: Maiſter, what shall I do to inherit eternall life? This lawer was endued with wiſedome, and not vnſkilfull of the Scriptures, which euen his aunſwere doth declare, yet in this place he is proued a foole, yea he is brought vntounto ſhame and ignominie. For Chriſt taketh awaye all his glorying euen in one worde. He was of this mynde, that he had obſerued the whole Lawe, and that he was a certaine chiefe one in reſpect of other, as vndoutedly he was, and thought himſelfe ſufficient worthy by reaſon of his godlines and learning to be conuerſaunt with the Lord. But what doth the Lord in this caſe? the text folowing declareth.
And he ſaid vntounto him, what is written in the Lawe? how readeſt thou? And he aunſwered and ſaid: Thou shalt louelove thy Lord God with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoule, and with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy mynde, and thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Then he ſaid vntounto him, Thou haſt aunſwered right: do this, & thou shalt liue. Me thinkes that the Lord gaue this good mā a hard leſſon: he dealeth verie ſtraitly with him, it may ſeeme to ſome that he ſhould hauehave ſpared him a litle, he putteth him to ſhame opēly before all: he proueth that he had done nothing, who notwithſtanding thought that he had done all thinges. He aſked what he ſhould do: but I thinke he had enough and ouermuch to do, if he had bin able to do more then he was. If I had time, manie things might be ſpoken of theſe two commaundements. For they are the chiefe and greateſt commaundements in Moſes, on which the whole Lawe, and all the Prophets do hang, as Chriſt himſelfe ſayth in Matthew:Matth. 22.40. Notwithſtanding we will entreat ſomewhat of them. If we conſider all the commaundements of Moſes, they hauehave reſpect altogether vntounto louelove. For this commaundement: Thou shall hauehave none other gods in my ſight, we can no otherwiſe declare or interpret, then, Thou ſhalt louelove God alone,Deut. 6.4.5. ſo Moſes expoundeth it in Deuteronomie, where he ſayth thus: Heare O Iſraell, the Lord our God is Lord onelyonly. And thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy ſoule, and with all thy might: from whence the Lawer tooke his aunſwere. But the Iewes vnderſtand this commaundement ſo, that they thinke it to extend no further, then that they ſhould not ſet vp, nor worſhip idols. And if they can ſay and witnes in mouth, that they hauehave one God onelyonly, and do worſhip none but him, they thinke they hauehave obſerued this commaundement. After the ſame ſort did this Lawer vnderſtand it, but that was an euell and a wrong vnderſtand thereof.
How the firſt cōmaundement is to be vnderſtood and obſerued.Howbeit we muſt otherwiſe conſider & vnderſtād this precept: Thou shalt hauehave none other gods in my ſight. Thou, it ſayth, with all that thou art, but eſpecially it requireth all thine heart, ſoule and ſtrength. It ſpeaketh not of the toung, not of the hand, not of the knees, but of the whole man, what ſoeuer thou art and haſt. That no other God may be worſhipped of me, it ſhalbe neceſſary that I hauehave the true and only God in myne heart, that is, I muſt louelove him frō myne heart, ſo that I do alwayes depend on on him, truſt in him, repoſe my hope in him, hauehave my pleaſure, louelove and ioy in him, and daily remember him. Euen as otherwiſe, if we take pleaſure of any thinge, we ſay, it doth me good inwardly at the heart. And if any ſpeaketh or laugheth, and doth it not in good earneſt, neither from his heart, we are wont to ſay: Thou laugheſt in deede, but it cōmeth not from thine heart. The louelove of the heart in the Scriptures ſignifieth a vehement & ſpeciall louelove, which we ought to beare toward God. They which ſerue God with mouth, hands, and knees onelyonly, are hypocrites, neither hath God any care of them. For God will not hauehave part, but the whole. The Iewes did outwardly abſtaine from idolatrie, and ſerued God alone in mouth, but their heart was farre remoued from him, being full of diffidence and vnbeleefe. Outward they ſeemed to be verie earneſt in ſeruing God, but within they were full of idolatrie. Whereupon the Lord ſaid vntounto them Matth. 23: VVoe be to you Scribes and Phariſees, hypocrites, for ye are like vntounto painted ſepulchers, which appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all filthines. So are ye alſo: For outward ye appeare righteous vntounto men, but within ye are full of hypocriſie and iniquitie.
Theſe are thoſe wicked ones, which glorie of the outward thinge, which go about to iuſtifie and make themſelues good by their owne workes, after the maner of this Lawer. Conſider how great the pride of this aſſe was, he commeth forth as though he could not be blamed or rebuked of the Lord, he thought, yea it ſeemed vntounto him, that the Lord would here commend and praiſe his life before the people. He thought not to learne any thing of the Lord, but he ſought onelyonly his owne commendation, he would willingly hauehave had Chriſt to ſet forth his praiſe, toward whom the eyes of all were bent, and who was an admiration to all. So all hypocrites do, outwardly they pretend excellent,The qualitie of hypocrites. great and weightie workes: they ſay that they hauehave reſpect neither of glorie nor praiſe, but within in their heart they are full of ambition, and wiſh that their holines were knowen to the whole world, ſhewing a goodly ſigne of their religion, by the byting of their lippe, if they heare any ſpeake thereof. But our Sauiour Chriſt ſheweth here no kyndnes or gētlenes to this Lawyer, inaſmuch as he putteth him to ſhame: that great holy man notwithſtāding continueth ſtill in the ſame mynde, and ſuppoſeth that he ſhall receiue great honour, & ſingular praiſe becauſe of his precious life, thinking that he had fulfilled the commaundement, whereupon alſo he looketh for a ioyfull aunſwere, that the Lord ſhould ſay: Good maiſter, your maiſterſhip hath done all thinges. But Chriſt aunſwereth him: Do this. Which in deede is as much to ſay as: Thou art altogether a naughtie felowe, thou haſt neuer in all thy life fulfilled ſo much as one letter thereof, ſo ſhewing vntounto him how euell and naughtie he was.
Like vntounto this Lawyer are all they which do moſt grieuouſly offend againſt the firſt commaundement, and thinke that God is to be loued no more then the wordes ſound for, and that thereby it is fulfilled: the commaundement therefore remaineth in their mouth, and doth as it were flote aboue the heart, and pearſeth it not:How God muſt be loued of vsus. but I muſt go much farther then ſo, I muſt louelove God ſo, that I can be content to forſake all creatures for his ſake, and if it ſhall ſeeme good vntounto him, my body and life, I muſt louelove him aboue all things, for he is ielous, and can not ſuffer that any thing be loued aboue him, but vnderunder him he permitteth vsus to louelove any thinge. Euen as the huſband can ſuffer, that his wife louelove her maydes, the houſe, houſhold thinges, cattel, and ſuch like, howbeit he ſuffereth her not to louelove any with that louelove wherewith ſhe is bound vntounto him, but himſelfe, yea he will hauehave her leaue all ſuch thinges for his ſake. Againe the wife requireth the ſame of her huſband. After the ſame ſort God can ſuffer that we louelove his creatures, yea therefore they are created, & are good. The ſunne is a goodly creature, gold and ſiluer, and whatſoeuer by nature is faire, procureth vsus to louelove it, which maketh it deare vntounto vsus, neither is God offended thereat. But that I ſhould cleaue vntounto the creature, and louelove it equally with him, that neither will he, neither can he ſuffer: yea he will hauehave me both to deny and forſake all theſe thinges, when he requireth it of me, and will hauehave me content, although I neuer ſee the ſunne, money, riches, &c: The louelove of creatures muſt be farre inferiour to the louelove which we muſt beare toward him. As he is the ſoueraigne good, ſo will he alſo be chiefly loued before all other good thinges, If he will not ſuffer that I ſhal louelove any thing equally with him, much leſſe will he ſuffer that I ſhall louelove any thing aboue him.
Thou ſeeſt now as I thinke, what it is to louelove God with all the heart, with all the ſoule, with all the mynde.What it is to louelove God with all the heart. To louelove God with all the heart, is to louelove God aboue all creatures, that is, although creatures be verie amiable and deare vntounto me, and I take great delight in them, yet muſt I ſo louelove them, that I do contemne and forſake them, when my God and Lord requireth that of me.
To louelove God with all the ſoule,What it is to louelove God with all the ſoule. is to beſtow our whole life & body at his pleaſure, as if the louelove of creatures, or any tentation aſſaile thee, or would ouercome thee, thou mayſt ſay: I will rather part from all theſe then I will forſake my God, whether he caſt me of, either kill me, either drowne me, or whatſoeuer through his permiſſion ſhall come vntounto me, I had rather leaue all thinges then him, I will depend on that my Lord, rather then vponupon all creatures, or vponupon any other thing whatſoeuer it be. Whatſoeuer I hauehave and am, I will beſtow, but him will I not forſake. The ſoule in the Scriptures ſignifieth the life of the body, & whatſoeuer is done by the fiue ſenſes, as to eate, to drinke, to ſleepe, to wake, to ſee, to heare, to ſmell, to taſte, and whatſoeuer the ſoule worketh by the bodye.To louelove God with all the ſtrength. To louelove God with all the ſtrength, is for Gods cauſe to renounce all the members and limmes of the body, ſo that one will offer to perill whatſoeuer he is able in his fleſh and body, before he will commit that which is againſt God. To louelove God with all the minde,To louelove God with all the mynde. is to enterpriſe nothing but that which many pleaſe God, whereby he vnderſtā deth the thought, which is in man, that that alſo be referred to God, and to all thinges that be acceptable vntounto him. Thou perceiueſt now what this commaundement of God containeth in it. Thou ſhalt louelove God, Thou, Thou ſayth he, and that wholy, euen euerie part of thee, not thy handes, not thy mouth, not thy knees alone. They which do theſe thinges, as it is ſaid, do truely fulfill it: but no man liueth in the earth which doth ſo, yea we do all otherwiſe. Wherefore the law doth here make vsus all ſinners, ſo that not ſo much as the leaſt iote or point thereof is fulfilled of them that are moſt holy of all in the world. For no man doth ſo cleaue with all his heart vntounto God, that he can leaue all thinges for his ſake. We (alas) are gone ſo farre, that we can not ſuffer ſo much as a litle word, nay we will not forgoe the value of a halpenie for Gods cauſe.
We are farre of from louing God as we ought.How can it be that we ſhould louelove God, when his will is not ſetled in our mynde? If I louelove God, I can not but louelove his will alſo. Now if God ſend ſicknes, pouertie, ſhame, and ignominie, it is his will, whereat what do we? we murmur, we grudge, our mynde is caried hither and thither, we take it moſt vnpatiently, and yet is this the leaſt. What would we do, if we ſhould leaue our body and life for God & Chriſt his ſake? then would we ſhew our ſelues after an other ſort. But in the meane ſeaſon we do like vntounto this Phariſe & Lawyer, we lead an honeſt life outwardly, we worſhip God, we ſerue him, we faſt, we pray, and behaue our ſelues in outward appearaunce iuſtly and holily. But God doth not require that of vsus, but that we ſhould bend our ſelues to do his will with pleaſure and louelove, cheerefully & louingly. Wherefore whatſoeuer the Lord ſayth here to the Lawyer, he ſayth it to all vsus, to wit, that we hauehave yet done nothing, but that all thinges do yet remaine to be done. All men therefore are giltie of death and ſubiect to Satan: All men are lyers, vaine, filthie, and whatſoeuer they pretend, it is nothing worth. We are wiſe in our owne matters, that we may ſcrape togither money and goods, and we can ſpeake moſt ſweetely and fayrely before men, and cūningly propound or ſet forth our matter. What doth God care for theſe thinges? He requireth of vsus that we louelove him with our whole heart, which no mā liuing is able to performe, whereupon of this place is inferred, that we are all ſynners, but eſpecially they, whoſe life hath a goodly outward ſhew onelyonly. This is the former part of this text, namely, the preaching of the law: Now followeth the other part, which is the preaching of the Goſpell, which declareth how we may fulfill the lawe, and from whence that fulfilling is to be taken, which we ſhall learne of that Samaritane.
What doth the Lawyer moreouer, after that the Lord had thus delt with him? He, ſaith the Euangeliſt, willing to iuſtifie himſelfe, ſpake vntounto the Lord & aſked him as followeth: Who is then my neighbour? He aſketh not: Who is my God? As if he ſayd: I owe nothing vntounto God, neither do I want any thing before God, yea it ſeemeth vntounto me, that I do neither owe any thing to any man: neuertheles I would willingly know who is my neighbour. The Lord aunſwering him, bringeth forth a moſt goodly ſimilitude, whereby he declareth that we are all neighbours one to an other, as well he that giueth a benefit, as he that receiueth and needeth one: although by the text it ſeemeth to appeare, that he onelyonly is a neighbour, which beſtoweth a benefit vponupon an other. But the Scripture maketh here no difference, ſometime calling him our neighbour, which beſtoweth a benefit, ſometime him that receiueth a benefite. By this ſimilitude the Lord inferreth in theſe wordes: Go and do thou likewiſe, ſo that that Lawyer had offended not onelyonly againſt God, but alſo againſt man, and wanted not onelyonly louelove towardes God, but alſo louelove towardes his neighbour, vntounto whom he had not done that good which he ought. This wretched felow is brought into ſuch a caſe that he is found wholy euell, euē from the head to the feete. How came it to paſſe that he being moſt ſkillfull of the Scripture could not beware of this? So fell it out: he led a phariſaicall, hypocriticall, and counterfaite life, which had not regarde vntounto his neigbour, and to ſuccour and helpe others, but ſought thereby onelyonly glorie and honour before men, and ſo looked by negligent & diſſolute liuing to come to heauen. But ye hauehave heard verie often, that a Chriſtian life conſiſteth in this,A Chriſtian life. that we deale with faith and the heart in thinges that pertaine vntounto God, but vſe our life and workes towards our neighbour, and that I muſt not looke while my neighbour ſeeketh a benefite, and requireth ſome thing of me, but according to my duty muſt preuent his aſking, & of myne owne accord offer my liberalitie vntounto him. Now we will ſee what the parable containeth in it.
The Samaritane in this place is without all doute our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who hath declared his louelove toward God and men:The louelove of Chriſt toward God & men. Toward God, in that he deſcended from heauen, and was incarnate, and ſo fulfilled the will of his father: Toward men, for that by and by after baptiſme, he beganne to preach, to worke miracles, to heale the ſicke, neither was there any worke that he did, which did concerne himſelfe onelyonly, but all his workes were directed to his neighbour, being made our miniſter, when as notwithſtanding he is aboue all, and equall to God: but he did all theſe thinges, for that he knew that they did pleaſe God, and that it was the will of his father. When he had aſcended to the heighth of the commaundement, that he loued God with all his heart, he left and committed the life of his body, and whatſoeuer he had to the pleaſure and will of his father ſaying: Father, behold all thinges that I hauehave, my life and ſoule are readie at thy will: I leaue for thy ſake the glorie and honour which I hauehave had among men, yea and all thinges how good ſoeuer they be, that the world may vnderſtand how greatly I louelove thee: My father let for thy ſake my wiſedome be contemned, that the worlde may count me for the fooliſheſt of all: Now make I my ſelfe moſt cō temptible of all other, who was before praiſed of ye whole world: Now am I as a moſt wicked theefe, who before was liberall, profitable, and beneficial to the whole world: My father, I make no account of all theſe thinges, that I may be found obedient to thy will. This is that Samaritane, who being deſired by no prayers, came, & fulfilled the law with his whole heart, he alone hath fulfilled it, which praiſe none can take from him: he alone hath deſerued it, and to him onelyonly it appertaineth.
But whereas he is touched with care of the woūded man, hath compaſſion on him, byndeth vp his woundes, bringeth him with him into an Inne,The wounded man, & the theeues that ſpoiled him. prouideth for him, that pertaineth vntounto vsus. The man which lieth half dead, wounded, beaten, & ſpoiled, is Adam, yea and all we. The theeues which ſpoiled vsus, wounded vsus, and left vsus halfe dead, as yet a litle pāting, are the Deuels. The horſe and his ſitter do here fall downe, we are not able to helpe our ſelues, and if we ſhould be left lying ſo, we ſhould die, through great anguiſh and diſtres, our woundes would become feſtred, and our affliction miſerable and exceeding great. This excellent parable is ſet before our eyes, liuely painting forth vntounto vsus, what we are, what is the ſtrength of our reaſon and free will. If that wretched man had gone about to helpe himſelfe, his caſe would hauehave bene made worſe, he would hauehave hurt himſelfe, he would hauehave opened his woundes with rubbing, & ſo would hauehave fallen into greater calamitie. Againe if he had bin left lying, it had bin all one. So it commeth to paſſe when we are left to our ſelues: our ſtudies and endeuour ſurely are nothing, howſoeuer we ſet vponupon the matter. Hitherto ſundrie waies & diuers meanes hauehave bin inuented, whereby we might come vntounto heauen, and amend our life, this man found out this, an other that, whereupon hauehave increaſed innumerable ſortes of Orders, letters of indulgences, pilgrimages to ſaincts, which did alwayes make yt ſtate of Chriſtianitie worſe. This is the world which is painted forth in this wounded man, he being wholy laden with ſynnes, fainteth vnderunder ſo heauie a burden, and is not able to helpe him ſelfe.
But the Samaritane who hath fulfilled the Lawe, and is perfectly ſound and whole, commeth, and doth more, then either the Prieſt or Leuite, he byndeth vp his woundes, poureth in oyle and wine, ſetteth him vponupon his owne beaſt, bringeth him with him vntounto an Inne, maketh prouiſion for him, and when he ſhould depart, diligently commendeth him to the hoſt, and leaueth with him ſufficient for expenſes, none of which either the Prieſt, or Leuite did. By the Prieſt the holy Fathers are ſignified,The Prieſt & Leuite which paſſed by ye woūded mā which flouriſhed before Moſes. The Leuite is a repreſentation of the Prieſthood of the old Teſtament. Now all theſe could do nothing by their workes, but paſſed by like vntounto this Prieſt and Leuite. Wherefore although I had all the good workes of Noe, Abraham, yea and of all the faithfull Fathers, they would profit me nothing. The Prieſt and Leuite ſaw that miſerable man lie wounded, but they could not helpe him any thinge: they ſaw him lie halfe dead, but what was that to the purpoſe? they could not giuegive him any remedy. The holy Fathers ſawe men drowned and plunged in ſynnes euen vp to the eares, they alſo felt the ſting and anguiſh of ſynne, but what could they doe hereunto? they could make the caſe worſe and not better. And thoſe were the preachers of the Lawe, which ſhew what the world is, namely that it is full of ſynne, and lieth halfe dead, and can not euen any whit helpe it ſelfe with his ſtrength, reaſon, and free will. But Chriſt is that true Samaritane,Chriſt the true Samaritane which helpeth the wounded man. Oyle. who is touched with as great care of that miſerable man as of himſelfe. Neither doth the Samaritane call him vntounto him, for he hath no merit, but enioyeth the meere grace and mercy of Chriſt, who byndeth vp his woundes, and hauing great care of him, poureth in oyle and wine, that is, the whole Goſpell. He poureth in oyle when grace is preached, when it is ſayd: beholde O miſerable man, this is thy incredulitie, this is thy condemnation, thus art thou wounded and ſicke: but abyde, I will ſhew thee a remedy for all this: Behold, ioyne thy ſelfe to this Samaritane Chriſt the Sauiour, he will beſt helpe and ſuccour thee, and beſide him nothing. The nature of oyle, as he know, is to make ſoft and mollifie: ſo the ſweete and gentle preaching of the Goſpell maketh my heart ſoft and tender toward God and my neighbour, ſo that I dare beſtow my body and life, for Chriſt and his Goſpell, if God and neede ſo require.Wine. Sharpe wine ſignifieth rhe holy croſſe or affliction, which forwith followeth. Neither is there any cauſe that a Chriſtian ſhould looke farre about and ſeeke the croſſe, for it ſooner hangeth ouer his head then he is aware of, as Paul witneſſeth 2. Tim. 3: All that will liue godly in Chriſt Ieſus, shall ſuffer perſecutiō. This is the cogniſance and badge of this king. He that is aſhamed of this cogniſance, pertaineth not vntounto him. Moreouer that Samaritane putteth this wounded man vponupon his owne beaſt: this is our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who beareth vsus, we ly vponupon his ſhoulders, vpō his necke & body. There is ſcarce a more amiable & comfortable hiſtorie in the whole Goſpell, then where Chriſt compareth himſelfe to a ſhepeheard, which carieth againe the loſt ſheepe vponupon his ſhoulders vntounto the flocke.
The Inne whereunto ye wounded mā is brought, & the hoſt to whom he is committed.The Inne is the ſtate of Chriſtianitie in this world, wherein we muſt abide for a litle time. The hoſt is the miniſters & preachers of the worde of God, and of the Goſpell, whoſe charge is to hauehave care of vsus. This therefore is the ſumme: The kingdome of Chriſt is a kingdome of mercy and grace, where is nothing els but alwayes to be borne and to beare. Chriſt beareth our defects and infirmitie, he taketh our ſynnes vponupon himſelfe, and beareth our fall willingly, we daily lie vponupon his necke, neither is he wearied with that bearing of vsus. It is the dutie of the preachers of this kingdome, to comfort conſciences, to handle them gently, to feede them with the Goſpell, to beare the weake, to heale the ſicke: Moreouer they ought fitly to applie the worde according to the neede of euerie one. This is in deede is the dutie of a true Biſhop and preacher, not to proceede by violence and iniurie, as it is the cuſtome of our biſhops at this daye, which vex, torment, and crie out: goe to, goe to, he that will not willingly, ſhalbe compelled to doe it againſt his will. We muſt in no wiſe doe ſo. But a Biſhop or preacher ought to behaue himſelfe as a healer of the ſicke, who dealeth verie tenderly with them, vttereth verie louing words vntounto them, talketh very gently with them, and beſtoweth all his endeuour about them. The ſame muſt a Biſhop, or miniſter of any particular pariſh do, and thinke no otherwiſe, but that his biſhoprike or pariſh is as an hoſpitall, wherein are ſuch as are combred with diuerſe and ſundrie kyndes of diſeaſes. If Chriſt be thus preached, then faith and louelove come togither, which fulfill the commaundemēt of louelove. Now foraſmuch as the knowledge of the Lawe and the Goſpel, and of the difference betweene them is verie neceſſarie, I will intreat of them ſomwhat more at large.
Of the Lawe and the Goſpell.
I hauehave verie oftē admoniſhed your brotherly charitie,The wlole Scripture diuided into ye Lawe & the Goſpell. that the whole Scripture deuideth it ſelfe into two parts: into the Lawe, and the Goſpel. The Law is that which teacheth what we muſt do, what the will of God requireth of vsus. The Goſpell teacheth where that is to be receiued, which the Lawe cōmaundeth. Euen as if I ſeeke to take phiſicke, it is one art to tell what the diſeaſe is, & an other to miniſter that which is good and wholeſom to remedie it. So ſtandeth the caſe here: The Lawe reuealeth the diſeaſe, the Goſpell miniſtreth the medecine. Which is manifeſt euē by the text whereof we hauehave already intreated: The Lawyer commeth, and being verie deſirous of eternall life, aſketh what he muſt do. The Lawe declareth it vntounto him, ſaying:The office of the Lawe. Thou ſhalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy ſoule, with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy minde, and thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. He that readeth theſe workes after a bare and ſclender ſort onelyonly, as this Lawyer did, vnderſtandeth them not. We muſt pearce into the Lawe, and euerie one behold his face and heart therein. God muſt be loued of me from the bottom of my heart: Againe, I muſt louelove him with all my ſoule, that is, from the depth of my ſoule, ſo that I throughly feele in my ſelfe that I louelove him. For to louelove with the ſoule ſignifieth in the Scripture ſuch louelove as a yong man beareth toward a mayd, which he feeleth throughly in his minde, Moreouer, with all my ſtrength, that is, with all my members. Alſo with all my mynde, that is, all my ſenſes, cogitations & thoughts muſt be directed vntounto God: Now I finde in my ſelfe that I do none of theſe. For if I muſt louelove God with all my heart, ſoule, ſtrength and minde, it is requiſite, that myne eyes ſhew no angrie twinckling or motiō, yt my toūg ſpeak no angrie word, that my feete, handes, eares, &c. ſhew no ſigne of wrath, that my whole body euen from the crowne of the head to the ſoles of the feete, & all things belonging thereunto, do walke in charitie, be as it were rauiſhed with louelove and pleaſure toward God, & alwaies ſerue & worſhip him. Wherfore who is he which by the pleaſure & louelove of vertue is chaſt & righteous? there cā not be one ſuch foūd in ye earth. For we alwayes finde our ſelues readier to wrath, hatred, enuie, worldly pleaſure &c: then to meekenes & other vertues. I finde in me not onelyonly a ſparke, but euen a fierie fornace of wicked luſt: for there is no louelove in myne heart, no not in all my members. Wherefore here in the Lawe as it were in a certaine glaſſe I ſee whatſoeuer is in me, to be damnable and curſed. For not one iote of the Law muſt periſh, but all muſt be fulfilled,Matth. 5 18. as Chriſt ſaith: Truly I ſay vntounto you, till heauē & earth paſſe, one iote or title of the Lawe shall not ſcape, till all be fulfilled. Now thou fyndeſt not this in thee, that thou doeſt with all thy ſoule and heart, with cheerefulnes and pleaſure, whatſoeuer the Law exacteth and requireth of thee. Hereupon thou art damned and vnderunder the dominion of Satan.
The Lawe therefore ſerueth vsus thus farre, to teach vsus, that we are condemned: for by it we fynde all wicked deſyres in vsus, and yet not ſo much as a ſparke of them ought to be in vsus. Howbeit our Scholemen not marking this, hauehave taught, that if one do according to his abilitie, God doeth giuegive his grace vntounto him. They are blynde guides: They graunt themſelues, that a man is caried with no pleaſure or cheerefulnes to that which is good, and yet do they alſo teach, if one worketh, although it be with griefe, difficultie, and ſlouthfulnes, that it is well with him before God. But Chriſt hath taught otherwiſe in this place, that we ſhould worke that which is good with pleaſure and louelove, readines and facilitie. Whom therefore ſhall we rather beleeue, Chriſt or the Scholemen: but I leaue that to your iudgement. Of ſuch corrupt and euell vnderſtanding of the Lawe, Monaſteries afterwardes came, whereby entred in this opinion, that it was thought to be ſufficient to ſaluation, to liue in a Monaſterie, and to follow the orders thereof, although that were done euen with griefe of mynde.We muſt worke with pleaſure and cheerefulnes, not wt grudging or griefe. So they taught: But Chriſt will hauehave vsus to worke with pleaſure and cheerefulnes, ſo that if any thinge be done with burden or griefe of conſcience, it is ſynne: remoue thy ſelfe therefore quickly from ſuch a worke. Wherefore thus it might be ſaid vntounto them: Behold O man, thou miſerable creature oughteſt to be caried with a certaine delight to the doinge of the lawe of God, but thou commeſt with no pleaſure or cheerefulnes hereunto, now ſee that thou ſhew thy pleaſure and louelove herein, otherwiſe thou ſhalt be the enemie of God, and the friend of Satan: thus men leauing their owne raſhnes, might come to the knowledge of themſelues, and might then ſay: Therefore, O God, am I condemned, and that not vniuſtly. Hereupon it followeth, that we are all vnderunder Satan, as long as we feele in vsus this difficultie and hardnes to doe that which is good. Wherefore if I ſhould ſpeake the trueth, I ſhould ſay thus, I fynde in deede ſomethinge that is good in the lawe of God, but it is my death, and if it could be, I would wiſh that it were not. So are all men affected in their heart, as S. Paule plainly teacheth Rom. 7. If we ſhould remaine in ſuch condemnation, we muſt needes periſh for euer.
There is therefore an other part, that is, the Goſpell,The office of the Goſpell. which ſheweth comfort and ſaluation, declaring where that is to be had, whereby the Lawe is fulfilled. When therefore I know by the Lawe that I am a condemned man, then ly I halfe dead among theeues, Satan hath ſpoiled my ſoule, and hath moreouer in Adam taken away all faith, all righteouſnes, and hath left nothing but bodily life, which is alſo qulckly extinguiſhed. Then come Leuites and Prieſtes, which teach this and that, but can helpe nothing, and ſo paſſe by. But when the Samaritane commeth, he helpeth: that is, when Chriſt commeth, he ſheweth his mercy vntounto vsus, ſaying after this ſort: Behold thou oughteſt in deede to louelove God with all thine heart, but thou doeſt it not, now beleeue onelyonly in me, & thou ſhalt enioy my obedience as thine owne: this onelyonly helpeth me: Then he putteth me on his owne beaſt, that is, on himſelfe, and carieth me into the Inne, that is, into the Church of the faithfull, then he by and by poureth his grace into me, that is, oyle, that I may feele my ſelfe to be layd vponupon his ſhoulder, that at the laſt maketh me to be of a good cheere, & quiet & well affected in conſcience. Afterward he poureth in wine alſo, which with his ſharpnes may abate & tame the force of old Adam. And yet am I not ſo wholy reſtored vntounto health, health is in deede poured in & begon, but not yet wholy finiſhed: then Chriſt hath care of me, & by his grace poured into me, doth purifie me, that frō day to day I may become more chaſt, meeke, gētle, faithfull, &c: vntill I wholy dy, for then I ſhalbe altogether made perfect. So when we ſhall come to God the father, and be asked of him, whether we beleeued in God, whether we loued him, &c: the Samaritane Chriſt our Lord, who hath layed vsus on his owne beaſt, will come forth and ſaye: Loe Father, although they hauehave not wholy fulfilled thy Lawe, yet hauehave I fulfilled it, ſuffer thou that to turne to the commoditie of them that beleeue in me. So is it needefull that all the Saincts albeit verie holy, be layed vponupon the backe of Chriſt. If ſo be that the holieſt of all, as the Prieſtes and Leuites could not ſatiſfie the Lawe, how ſhall we go about with our fained workes, as with ſhauing, habit &c, to fulfill the ſame? O wretched & miſerable calamitie. Theſe things ſhall now ſuffize to hauehave bin ſpoken concerning this text: Let vsus pray vntounto God, that he will giuegive vsus his grace. *** *