Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 43

Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels · Sermon 43

An other Sermon on Trinitie Sonday. ¶The Gospell. Iohn. iii.

THis is a speciall good gospell, in the which is declared what is the true and only way to euerlasting life.The dignitie and excellency of this gospel. It appereth, that it was apointed to y^e feast of the Trinitie, because it maketh so plaine a distinction & difference betwene the persons in setting forth y^e high work of God, y^t god worketh amōg vsus men, whē he iustifieth & saueth vsus. For it is certainly pronoūced as touching y^e father, y^t he loued y^e world, & gaue vntounto it his only begotten sonne. These ar two distinct persons, y^e father & the son, & ech of them hath his propre worke. The father loueth the p. 303worlde, and geueth his sonne. The sonne is become a gift, and as Christe saith here,Iohn 3.John 3 the sonne geueth hymself to be lift vponupon the Crosse, as the serpent was exalted of Moses in the desert,N…mer. 2. that all that beleue in him should not perishe but hauehave euerlastynge lyfe. And to this worke also commeth the thirde person, the holye Ghoste, which by the water of baptisme, doth enkendle faithe in our heart, and so regenerate vsus vntounto the kyngdome of heauen.

Which doctrine is full of swete confort, & ought to fyll vsus with a great truste in God, when we see that all the thre persons, al the godhead tendeth to this end to preserue vsus against deathe and the deuill, and that Iustice, euerlasting lyfe, and the kyngedome of God, myght be prepared and made redy for vsus. What cause shold we hauehave therfore to feare in y^e presence of God for our syn?Gods good wyll towarde man. How can we doubt of his good will toward vsus? For if he had ben willyng to condemne vsus for our synnes, as we always feare, the father would neuer hauehave geuen vsus his onelyonly begotten sonne: the father & the sonne would neuer hauehave called vsus to baptisme the lauer of regeneration, vnderunder the gouernaunce of the holy ghost. And this only thinge do I notifie here, as concerning the testimonies of the Trinitie.

For as touching this article, and the doctrine that thervnto belongeth, we hauehave spoken in our former sermon more plentuously. Now therfore wil we entreae in order of this gospel, and all the partes therof. Christ entreth into a long disputation with Nicodemus, the chiefe of the Phariseis among the Iewes, and that of a matter, that Nicodemus coulde not vnderstande the doctrine therof, because it semed strange vntounto him, for lacke of custome therto,Nicodemus a louer of christ and because he was accustomed to an other kynd of doctrine. Nicodemus beyng no euyll man, declareth bothe by word and dede, how highly he estemeth Christ, where as he setteth so much by him, whom his own companions hate so extremely: and commeth vntounto hym (albeit by night) to testifie this openly before Christ, that he acknowledgeth y^e power of God to be in him, and doth not condemne him against his conscience as dyd the other Phariseis and Scribes. Neither is it to be counted blame worthy in this man, that he doth acknowlege Christ for the man of God, and thinketh him worthy to be receiued of all men, for that that he is sent from god. What is y^e cause then that Christ doth seme to receaue this man after an vngentyll sort, which gaue suche an excellent praise as concernynge Christe? Uerilye, there was a verye deadly error in this man, whiche ought not to be ouer passed of Christ: least that he should seme to consent to Nicodeme in such a great matter, wherof yet he was most blamelesse. For as touching the knowlege of god he shewed himself here, to be very perfect and certain, in this that he pronounceth, that he knoweth y^t Christ was sent from God to be a teacher, & in that he toke the miracles which Christ dyd, for the very workes of God. But Christ doth declare by his answere, wherein he reproueth Nicodemus opinion, as touchyng the kyngdome of God, what this knowledge preuayleth. Nicodemus therefore thynketh this, that he knoweth what is the kyngdome of God, bycause he knowethe God, and vnderstandeth how al things are wrought and gouerned by hym. It were true, that if he knewe GOD well, he muste nedes knowe hys kyngdome. But bycause the firste is false, CHRIST rebuketh him in the laste: that is, y^t he knoweth not what p. 304is the kyngdom of God, as he thynketh that he doth. Wherfore all the disputation standeth in this poynte, what is the kyngdome of God, and who dothe see it, and know it. Nicodemus neuer had other opinion before this tyme, but that the kyngdom of God had his description in the lawe, that out of it might be vnderstande the holynes and sanctitie of God, & the whiche ought to be performed and fulfylled of all mē, yf they wold liue with God most holy in his kyngdom.The opinion of nicodemus as touching y^e doctrine of saluacion. He neuer thought, how y^e synne can not be takē away by the lawe, and that the lawe should be but a testimony to declare to vsus our synne, that it myght be a begynning of a hygher knowledge, as concernynge God and hys kyngdome in vsus. For he that is ignorant of the kyngdome of grace, is ignorant bothe of God, and also of his kyngdome. Wherfore we muste not hauehave respecte to the iustice of our workes, but vntounto the remission of synne, if thou woldest know God truly and his kingdome And this kyngdome of God doth consyst in the reuelation of the promises and of the sonne of God.Iohn. 1.John 1 As Iohn sayth also: The only begotten sonne, which is in the bosome of the Father, hath declared vntounto vsus. Christ therfore setteth himself against this error, which belongeth not only to Nicodeme, but to al, which seke any other way to the kyngdom of heauen, & to saluation, then by remission of syn, which is ordeyned in the sonne of God, with the renuyng of the olde man. For it is not sufficient to bring vsus to the kingdom of God to behold the law of God & his cōmandements, after the reasoning of Nicodeme, & to do the workes therof and to obey God therby as muche as lyeth in our power. He thynketh that this is sufficient, and that god requireth no more of vsus.

And doubtlesse the Papistes and mounkes are not worthy with theyr trifles to be numbred with Nicodeme,The ryghte … papistes is not comparable with the ryghteousnes of nicodemus and amongest suche other Iusticiaries. For he with suche other goeth about to get righteousnes, accordyng to Gods law: where as the papists folow the dreames of mans traditions, euen as it were an appointed forme of worshypping, set forth by God: howbeit the law of God dothe nothing diffre from mans traditiō, whē it is applied to forgeuing of sins before God,Luc. 18.Luke 18 as in dede it was applied of y^e pharisei. Luke. 18. where he glorieth of his own rightuousnes before god as thoughe he were of the kingdome of God for hys workes sake whiche he dyd, according to the lawe. But Christ teacheth, that God requireth an other maner of thyng to the seyng of this kyngdome, then that thou shouldest thynke that thou myghtest purchase it by the righteousnes of the lawe: And so by this occasion he openeth vntounto hym,Rom. …. a high mysterie of the Gospell: that is, that God by the lawe hath concluded all vnderunder synne, that he might hauehave mercy of all men, and that he might bring them to the kyngdom of mercy, & that he hath no other kyngdom for men. This newe and strange saying of Christ, as touching the kingdom of God, troubled Nicodemus so greatly, that he could not tell whether to go.Why nicodemus came to christe. But there is no better way to make playn this matter then to cōpare thē both together. Nicodemus came not to Christ to bee instructed with the knowledge of the kyngdome of God, but to shewe hym, that he was not stubborne as his companions were, and that he was not out of the kyngdom of God, and he loketh for no other thynge of Christe, then to bee allowed for his wisedome. Hee coulde not thinke, but that he should be in hygh reputation with Christ: but Christ setteth nothyng by the frendshyp of Nicodeme, before he had instructed hym with suche a p. 305doctrine. that he myght perceaue the errour not onelyonly of the foolyshe and ignorant phariseis, but also of the wisest, as touchyng the Iustice of the lawe, and beginneth his disputation (wherewith he endeuoureth to confute Nicodeme, and all other, that had no true opinion of the kyngdom of God, and to enstruct them as concernyng the true iudgement of these thynges, by a holy othe, saying: Uerily, verily, I say vntounto thee: except thou be borne a new from aboue, thou canst not see the kyngdome of God.

This dothe Christ call into question, whiche Nicodemus neuer thought to moue. Wherfore by the sodeyn demandyng and contrarying in an vnknowen matter, he is so abashed, that he could not tell what to answere,The ignoranc of nicodemus. but that he muste nedes declare his own ignorance, wher as he knoweth nothyng at all as concernyng how a synner must be regenerate and newe born to the kyngdom of God. And now consyder here well the pithe of Christes sayinge, where he pronounceth, that no man can beholde and see the kyngdome of Christ, except he be borne a newe. For this is plainly determined, that what soeuer is borne of fleshe and bloud by our parents, with all their powers, as farre as mans power goeth, with al their reason, wil, & doings, with their laws, studies, disciplines, exercises, endeuors, facts, & works can not escape damnation. And hereby doth it appere, how ouerthwart they be, which shewe vtterly as though they taught of the kyngdom of God, and of saluation, and yet as touching the new birthe they speake nothing,The corrupte doctrine of the Pope concernyng saluacion. but as it is euident by the Pope, they enioyn them workes to do, and traditions to folowe, that thereby they may get saluation. But this is nothing agreyng with Christs doctrin. which teach plainly: if thou be not born again, thou shalt not be saued. And this thyng belongeth not only to Nicodemus, but it pertaineth to all mē, which can do great vertues and actes, as are the examples of the Gentiles, concernyng modestie and louelove towarde parentes or countrey, iustice, and liberalitie. &c. For all are not aduoutrers, nor fornicators, theues, and sluggish people: but there are notable woorkes and vertues, and surely the discipline therof is not to be despised, for as muche as God hathe greate respect and regard thervnto in the ten cōmandements. But when they come to this especiall matter to trie, what is the way to the kingdome of God, and what way bryngeth to saluation: the saying of Christ is playne, that all other thinges worke death and damnation, that are without the new byrth and regeneration. Only the new birth can chalenge the inheritance of rightousnes & saluation in the kyngdom of God, as Paule sheweth with euidēt words,Galat. …. saying: In Christ Iesu is neither circumcision nor vncircumcision, but onelyonly a newe creature.

The gathering and conclusion of reason is diligently to be marked in this, least we be deceaued. For it resoneth on this wise:Reason. If stealing▪ murder and aduoutry doth displease God: than must it nedes folow, that it is pleasyng to God to absteyne from such thynges. It is not to be denied but it pleaseth God, to auoyd syn, accordyng to the law, and therby to do good workes. And he doth promise and geue rewards for such workes and merits. But yet they can not se the kyngdom of God, which do such workes of the lawe, but onelyonly they that are regenerate and newe borne.Luc. 18.Luke 18 God dothe p. 306not hate the Phariseye. Luke. 18. because he was no robber, aduouterer, vnrighteous as other wer, and in that he fasteth, and payeth his tithes: but God would allowe these things, if they wer not done with a trust to obteyn rightuousnes & saluation before god therby

Wherfore these thinges are diligently to be distincted in teachyng. We must not disproue reason, will,workes saue not. & vertuous sayinges, nor the law, neither preceptes, maners, nor honest liuing for all these things are to be taken for the gifts of God. But when we entreat of this matter, how we must come to the kyngdom of God: there doth none of these thinges preuaile, neyther reason, nor will, nor lawe, nor good woorkes. But thys thing only is of strēgth, to be borne again: & wher this is lacking, there is no hope to come to the kingdom of God.An obiection concernynge good workes. All our powers with the lawes and preceptes are of no efficacie and strength. But thou wilt say: If it be so, I had rather doo no good worke at all, then to take muche peyne,Note this order. if I obteyne nothynge therwith in the kyngdome of God? But to thynke or saye this, is an euident token of vngodlines. Wherfore do both. Fyrst see diligently to the lawe with all his woorkes, then know thy self to be a synner, and that thou canst not by thy workes escape damnation: Then turne thy selfe to the doctrine of Christ, and hearken, what hee preacheth of the kyngdom of God, after that he hath declared, that the old man can not enter into the kingdome of God. Nicodemus perceaueth the straighte Iudgement of Christ, that without the newe Byrthe, there is no hope of the kyngdom of GOD, and he is soone reformed and persuaded, that the carnall byrth healpethe nothynge thereto. And therefore he asketh howe the newe byrthe might be. And CHRIST And doth redyly shew a notable doctrin therof, saying on this wise: Uerily, verily I say vntounto the. Except a man bee borne agayn, he can not enter into the kyngdom of God. Whatsoeuer is borne of the fleshe, is flesh, what soeuer is born of the spirit, is spirite.

This is the second sentence against the first byrthe shewyng that it is carnall & synful, and that it can not be encouraged to obteyne the kingdome of God: As though he should say: Thou demandest, whether thou shouldest otherwise be borne of thy mothers wombe: although thou were borne a thousande tymes of thy mothers wombe, yet thou shouldest not bee borne to the kyngdom of God. Ther is no nede of father and mother to the kyngdome of God: which are also them selues fleshe, but there is nede to hauehave water and the spirite: but he that hath ben so borne agayne, is a new man, and shall come to the kyngdome of God. This doctrine had Nicodemus neuer learned in Moses: He had learned there what he should doo or not do by the preceptes.The lawe bringeth no man vntounto perfection. But as touchyng this new creature, he had learned nothyng at all, not as muche as by a dreame. Wherfore he is so confounded that he graunt that all this while he had lerned nothyng at all. But the wordes of this sentence ar not so lyghtly to be passed ouer, the sentence is perfect, that good works must be done, and obedience is to be geuen to the lawe. But the seyng of the kyngdom of God cometh not hereby. But if we will come to the seyng therof, not good workes but a newe man is requisite thereto. And that is not doone by the carnall manne,water in this place of Baptisme. but by water, and by the spirite. They are the verye parentes that are mete to bryng forth this new chyld of God. Water is nothyng p. 307els but baptism.Marc. 16.Mark 16 For so saith Christ in y^• last of Marke He that beleueth, and is baptised, shall be saued. Thys strength of the water is not of his owne nature. For water is water, that is to say, an elemēt and creature, whiche can not change the hert, and wash away syn. But the water wherof Christ speketh here, and which we call the water of Baptisme, is not only water naturall, but water in the worde and promyse of God. Two things are here ioyned together, the water, & the word, and are so ioyned together, that they can not be sundred. If thou sunder the water from the worde, it is no baptisme. If thou sunder the word from the water, neither than is it Baptisme.The worde and the elemēt maketh a perfect sacramēt. But when the word and water ar ioyned together, this water is such with the whiche the holy ghost will come vntounto thee, and regenerate thee to the kyngdome of God. Whiche is as much to say, as to forgeue synnes, and to bryng saluation. This sentence therfore is not lyghtly to be regarded, and especiallye because of the Anabaptistes, whiche holde opinion,Anabaptistes▪ confuted. that the Baptisme of infantes is nothyng woorth, where as yet Christ in this place, applieth water to regeneratiō, & to the new birth, and ioyneth it as the cause therof with the holy ghost. If children therfore hauehave nede of this new byrth, and can not see the kyngdome of God without it, and seynge Baptisme is ordeyned of Christ as the cause of all that muste bee newe borne: It is not onelyonly an vnmercyfull thynge, but also violence in the kyngdome of god, and playne tyranny, to exclude them from Baptisme and from the kyngdome of God, for whome Christe dyed, and decreed,Rom. 6·Rom 6 that this benefite should be free to all them, that are newe borne, that they myght be baptised to dye with hym, and be borne agayn. Wherfore this newe byrth is also necessary for children, that they may see the kyngdome of God.Titus. 3.Titus 3 And although the water dothe nothing profite without the holy ghost, yet the holy ghoste by the water of Regeneration muste woorke in vsus, as Paule dothe so ioygne them bothe together: Accordyng to his mercy (saith he) he saued vsus by the water of regeneration, and renuyng of the holy spirite, the which he shed vponupon vsus abundantly. This lauer or washyng can not be without regeneration and renuyng of the holy spirite. Wherfore the errour is detestable that in certaine places dyuers preachers doo baptise chyldren without water. For it is not only requisite in baptisme to hauehave the word & spirite,Christes ordinaunce maye not be altered. but also to hauehave water. For so did Christ ordein, & no man hath power to change his lawe & institution.

The baptisme of water is seene with the eies, but the worke of Regeneration and new birth, whiche is wrought by the holy ghost inwardly, is not sene. Therfore this outward ceremonie of the water of baptism may not be omitted, because of the priuie and inuisible administration of the holy ghost. Christ sayth furthermore vntounto Nicodemus: Meruail not that I sayd vntounto thee, thou muste be borne again from aboue: the wynd bloweth wher he will, and thou hearest the soūd therof, but thou canst not tel frō whence it cōmeth, and whether it gothe So is eueryevery man that is born of the Spirite.

These wordes are very simple, as the ceremonie is it selfe. For it is not estemed with reason, when an infant, or an aged man is offered to make his confession on this wise, that foloweth: Behold, the yoke of synne and of the deuyll is so great, that there is no helpe or remedy against it, but that he, whether he be chyld or p. 308man, be baptised, and washed with water, in the name of the father, of the sonne, and of the holy ghost. But here must we rather marke, what Christ sayth, where he biddeth vsus rather to consyder what is done by priuie operation, then by the open ceremonie & outward signe. For the worke of the holy ghost is priuie & hyd from the eies. Wherfore we must beleue it as it is set forthe in the worde. Thou shalte neuer perceaue it by the eies. As it chanceth in the wynd. The sound therof is heard, but we can neither declare the risynge nor the slackyng therof. So is it in the newe byrthe. The outwarde ceremonie commeth by the water vntounto the eyes, and the word is heard, that the woorke is done in the name of Iesus vntounto the absolution and remission of synnes. He that regardeth not the worde and spirite, and the vertue thereof, and seketh it not after that sorte, as Christe hath appoynted, shall bee deceyued. For nothyng els is requisite to the getting of the newe birth and spirite, but that thou must be baptised with water, and take diligent hede to the word. This is the newe birth to the kyngdome of God, and no other way is there. What wil these sectaries say here which only crake of the spirite,The spritish… sectaries. and in the meane tyme lay asyde baptisme, the sacrament & worde? Wherfore Christ here doth not teache, but he sheweth by a plain demonstration, baptisme, & the word. And doth admonyshe vsus, that if we will not be content to vse the water and word, that we shall hauehave nothing of the holye ghost, neither shall we euer atteyne to the new byrth. Wherfore let vsus hauehave diligent regard of our baptisme and of the word, as of the chief part of our saluation. Where we know for a suretie that if we kepe that, we are new borne vntounto the kingdome of God.

And this doctrine, how we must be new borne, that is, how we must come to y^e kingdom of God, is strāge and not heard of in the world, and yet it is only true & vnfallible, where as of the contrary part, all other doctrines deceaue, seme they neuer so good by the iudgemēt of the world, & of reason. The life of the phariseis, the rules of monkes, the deuotion of the single shauelings, are very fantasticall. And the works of vertue & of the ten cōmandements do not a little cōmend them y^t hauehave them. Yet there is none of al these things that doth regenerate. It is only water and the spirite that doth worke these thinges, which spirite will no otherwise be knowen of vsus or felt, but as the wind is knowen by the sound. He that heareth the sounde, that is, beleueth,Marc. 16.Mark 16 & is baptised, he is new borne, & shalbe saued.

But Nicodemus is so deepely drownde vp in his phantasticall imaginations of the law and good workes, that he can not cōprehend this doctrine: as it doth also chaunce in those Papistes, that are moste wittie. For it hindreth them alwayes, when they think thus: should all this be nothing? should not this please God, that we fast, that we pray, that we geue almes? Wherfore Christ hādleth hym with the more austeritie, for y^t he wil not beleue & knowledge y^e true doctrine, & saith: Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these thinges?

As though he should say: How then doest thou thy dutie, as a maister of Israel, seinge thou knowest not the way of true saluation? This doctrine of the newe byrth and regeneration, is the doctrin of y^e prophets, & necessarie to saluatiō. Now art thou so ignorāt, y^t thou doest not knowe that vice in oure nature, whiche hath neede to bee abolished by regeneration? But for what purpose is this reprouing of a maister in Israell? p. 309Uerily that all preachers of religion and of true saluation may know, that all learninge, which is without the doctrine of regeneration, is naught and false. Not because it is a faulte to teache good workes, and to adhorte men therto. For so doth the lawe of god, and doth wel therby. But herin are they to be blamed, that beside this doctrine they teache men nothyng els, as though nothing els were requisite to euerlastinge life. For it is euident in this place, that although the lawe and good workes be done, yet they profitte nothynge to the attainement of the kyngdome of god, but that there muste nedes be the new byrth of water & of the holy ghost. And it is the spirite, which by the water & worde doth make other new men. The lawe and the workes do change, neither the men, neither y^e workes. Wherfore he y^t thinketh with himselfe how he might bring men to saluation, let him hauehave respect to y^e newe byrth, as Christ hath here: & let him not beginne it by good workes,Howe saluacion is to be taught. but let hym laye the fundation by that thing, that can make a new heart, that is, let hym lead men to baptisme and to the spirit, ye and to the word, by the whiche the holy Ghoste doth worke in mens heartes. For as the winde nothing is knowen but the sounde, so of the holy ghost nothyng is perceaued but the worde. That must ye kepe surely, and then looke for the operation of the holy ghost. Nowe what maner of worde this is, and how the holy Ghoste doth make a sounde, Christe here teacheth: No man goeth vp into heauen, but he that came down frō heauen, euen the sonne of man which is in heauen.

This begynninge of the sermon is of that, wherof Christe sayth: ye beleue not me, if I speake earthlye thinges to you, how wil ye beleue, if I speake heauēly things vntounto you? For this sermon can not be inuēted by any man, but the only begotten sonne which is in the bosom of the father, hath declared it vntounto vsus. Of this sermon or saying ther are two partes. The fyrste is somwhat harde.Iohn. 1.John 1 For of this it is certainely decreed: No man ascendeth into heauen but he y^t came downe from thence, the meaning wherof is all one with the saying before: Except a man be new borne, he cā not see the kyngdome of God. That is, No man can be saued,No man by hys owne strengthe cā be saued. or obtaine remissiō of his sinnes & rightousnes, neither by the law, neither by good workes, reason, or free wil. And he y^t hath no more then these things, although they be neuer so good, he is dāned & can hauehave no hope of saluation. It is a very euident & plaine sentence, whiche if the Iewes & papistes wold beleue, it wold make them to forsake al the trust that they hauehave in their owne workes and righteousnes.

For what man hath his birth from heauen? None no not the first that were, Adam and Eue. It is only the sonne of Mary, as Christe here saith. Therfore if none shal enter vp to heauen, but he y^t came downe frō heauen:By our fyrste byrthe we are all damned. it is plaine, y^t all men, as they be borne of their parēts, can not ascend into heauē. If they can not go vp into heauen, what place is there, for them? For they can not cōtinew in earth for death. If therbe no going vp to heauen, than can no man escape damnation. This is the iudgement of Christ as touching all the worlde, no man excepted, whether it be Adam, Eue, Abraham, Moyses, or Dauid, all they can not enter in to heauen. For he only ascēdeth into heauen that came down frō thence. What do we then preuaile by good, workes, merits, y^e law, or free wil? All these things are of no strenght, & they can not bring vsus to heauē. But thou wilt say: Are al condēned, & are al w^tout saluatiō? p. 310This sentēce is against al mē, neither can it be otherwise for asmuch as it belōgeth to al mē, of whatsoeuer cōditiō or state they be. There is but one way to heauē which we do not opē & make, but the son of god doth it. And of this speaketh christ now immediatly, saying: As Moses lyfted vp the serpent in the desert: so much the sonne of man be lifte vp that all that beleue in him may not perishe, but hauehave euerlasting lyfe.

This is y^e secōd part of this celestial & heauēly sermō & of y^e very soūd of y^e holy ghost, & now he mitigateth y^e sharpnes of his first sermō by these words. For it is an horrible & fereful sayīg, y^t no mā shal go vp īto heauē, & get saluatiō. But it is spokē to y^e intēt y^t we shold learne y^t our first birth is al sinful, & ther can nothing be foūde in vsus, y^t may seme worthy of euerlasting life, & y^t not only to put down our prid & carelesse liuing, but that we shold tourne, & hūble our selues before god, & aske grace And this is y^e beginning of y^e true gospell y^t according to my former sayīg,By faythe in christe are we saued. euē as no mā ascēdeth īto heauē so y^t here y^u maist know y^t al y^t beleue in Christ shal not perish but hauehave euerlasting life. This is a swete voice & soūd, by y^t which y^e holy ghost may be felt & perceaued. And both these doctrines are necessary in y^e cōgregatiō The first, of sin & of our corrupt nature,The doctrine bothe of the lawe and of y^e gospell is necessarye to be taugh & in the churche of christe. y^t we might despaire of our workes & of al things, that we shal neuer go vp into heauē for their sake. And whē our heartes are terrified & abashed by such wordes, then must that cōfortable worde be put forth, that Iesus Christ y^e son of god descēded frō heauē, came into the world, tooke our flesh & blood, & died for our sins y^t we might be free frō syn, & get y^e inheritāce of euerlasting life. He y^t beleueth this sayinge, & purposeth surely to sticke therto, is now saued, & shal not be forsakē of Christ nether in life neither in death, but shalbe takē vp vntounto hī into heauē.

This sermon is a heauenly thynge, which can not sufficiently be set forth & commended vntounto men, & especially to Nicodemes, that is, to them that thynke that the law must be obserued vntounto iustification, and that it is sufficient vntounto saluatiō. For these are they, which knowe not the firste doctrine of sinne, that although the lawe be iust,Rom. 7.Rom 7 holy, and good, yet we are so corrupt and euill, that for our naturall vice we can not obey the lawe, although to syght we do good workes.

Furthermore they muche lesse know, that we must ascend into heauen by this man the sonne of Mary, which only came frō heauen. And so it cōmeth of such ignorance, that they do not only thynke y^t they shalbe saued by their owne righteousnes before god, but also they persecute the righteousnes,The doctrine of iustificacion by faythe alone impugned of the papistes. which cōmeth of faith in Iesu Christ, as we see by the examples of the papistes, which can suffer nothyng lesse in our doctrine, & striue againste nothyng so much, as that we teache, that we are iustified only by faith and saued therby, & not by good workes. But compare our doctrine with the doctrine of Christ, and ye shal fynd no diuersitie.

In the fourth booke of Moyses, ther is such an hystorie:Numer. 21. The people of Israell, when they were werye of suche thynges as they had in the wildernes: They murmured against god & Moses, & despised Manna as a light meat. This sinne & trespas dyd god punishe after this sorte: He sent amōgest them ferye serpētes, & by and by at their styngyng followed a swellynge & an inflammation in their bodies, so that they fel down on heapes & died. Then came they to Moyses & said, we hauehave trespaced, in that we hauehave spoken againste God, and they pray hym that he wil take away from vsus these serpētes. And the lord spake vntounto him: Make p. 311a brasen serpent, and put hym vp for a signe, he that is stong and loketh vponupon it, shal liue.Christe figured be the brasen serpent. Christ here maketh mention of this historie, & applieth it to himselfe, that he must be lifte vp also as the serpent was. And he y^t looketh vponupon him that is, he that beleueth in hym, shal not perish, but hauehave euerlasting lyfe.

First let vsus learne the cause of this dreadfull iudgement, whiche Christ hath pronounced twise before againste all men: that is, y^t no man can go vp to heauen, but the sonne of man, that came downe from heauen. And again, except a man be borne again,When… ou…e damnacion comethe. he can not se the kyngdom of god. Wherof came this great misery to man, that he is thrust out of heauen, & should for his owne desert perish for euer? It came of no other thing than that the old serpent the deuil dyd so byte & hurte the first man,Gen. 3.Gen 3 and so corrupted him & infected hym by syn. That he is now in danger of euerlasting death, & can not by himself get any remedie against it: as the type & figure in the Iewes doth shew also: whosoeuer were stonge they died al. So is it with vsus also,Rom. 6.Rom 6 the reward of sinne is death. And looke wher synne is, ther must death nedes folow. For as much then, as al men,Gen. 2.Gen 2 as soone as they are borne, be sinners, this iudgement is geuen on thē, that they must dye: as god by name doth threaten Adam & Eue: whatsoeuer daye ye eate of this tree, ye shall dye the death.

But here doth God shew his merciemercy, in that he casteth not awaye men that are in this miserie, and so infected & damned to death, but euen as in the figure and tipe of the brasen serpent, he put forth a cōmandement, which serpent was in all points lyke other serpents, sauing that he had no poyson, & was a remedie against poyson: so doth he procure y^t his son shold be lyfte vp on the crosse that all that looke on him sholde not perishe, but escape the danger of death, & get euerlasting lyfe. Yea he himselfe on the crosse had y^• forme of a poysonful serpent, but yet hath no poyson but the lykelines therof. For although Christe had our fleshe & bloud,Heb. 4. 1. Pet. 2.Heb 41 Pet 2 yet that fleshe and bloud was without sinne: yea and is of such strength that it deliuereth vsus from poyson and sinne.

This is the very voyce and sound of the holy ghost, by the whiche he beginneth the newe byrth in oure heartes, that faith may conceaue, and that this serpent by true faith may be in our syght, and geue saluation. But this sight of Christ is not regarded, because of folishe reason. As it is very lyke, that so it chaunced thē also with y^e Iewes, which wold not be brought in beliefe y^t ther was so great vertue in sight of such a dead thing. They wold more sooner beleue y^t y^e poison might sooner be expelled by medicines. What doth it profite (saith reason) to saue the life, if a man beleue in Christ? The commandementes of the lawe must be fulfilled also, and synne must be auoyded, and than ther is hope of saluation.By faythe in christ comethe saluation. Therfore few men perceaue this, that all the meanes to come to saluatiō doth depende hereof, that we beleue in Christ. But som be made Monkes, they fast, they pray, &c. And eueryevery man seeketh saluation and lyfe by an other meanes, then by the syght and faith in Christ: But in this place marke this perfect sentence. The corruption an contagion, the which is ingendred in thee by the deuill, is greater, then that thou mayst be deliuered from euerlastynge death by thy owne power and might. Neiher mayst thou be deliuered from this greate euill by any other meanes, then by this syght, that thou beholde Christ lyfted vp p. 312on the crosse, how that he died for thee, and offred his owne lyfe for thee,Rom. 4.Rom 4 and by his death satisfied for thy sinnes, and so reconciled thee to God. If thou beleuest this, and be baptised, then no doubt art thou newe borne by the holy ghost to the kyngdome of god. For I …yd before that this new byrth is of this sorte, that there is nothynge open beside the sounde: that is to saye, we must sticke sure to the worde and beleue that most constantly.

And this is the plaine doctrine of this gospell, that first we are al sinners & damned to eternal death. Thē that by this we are deliuered from eternal death, whē we behold the man Iesus Christ on the crosse, that he made satisfaction for vsus, and vanquished death▪ and brought vsus at one with god, and made vsus partakers of euerlastinge lyfe. This is the doctrine that forgeth new men and new heartes, so that we may say in sin & death. Although I am deadly stōg of the old serpēt and can not deme it: yet this thing maketh me hauehave sure hope of saluation, that in the man Christe Iesu there is so great vertue, that if I loke vponupon him being crucified, I get therby sure deliuerance from sin, death and the deuill. Wherfore there is nothing that can feare me, be the bytting of the deuil neuer so great, defileth he all thinges neuer somuche with matter and blacke poyson. Christe on his Crosse doth confort me with his righteousnes. For his blacke wan woundes are there set for my health. And looke wher this confort is in the hearte againste this continuall poyson, forthwith will ther ensue an other maner of lyfe, that euen as we obtaine saluation be Christ:A newe lyfe. So lykewyse we are redie to seke the sauing of other men, by geuing helpe, succour, councel, confort, defence, &c.

And although a Christian man be hurte of other, yet he goeth not about to reuēge, but more rather he hath pitie. For he seeth the cause, that all those things come by the bytinge and poyson of the deuill, in all whiche thinges we could not but perishe, if it were not for the remedie prouided by Christ. Wherfore he leaueth nothynge vndone, but seketh alwayes possible, to bringe men to this felowship and companie of saluatiō, that they may be deliuered from this poison, as he was deliuered. So that this doctrine is the spring and fountaine, wherout floweth al vertues, confort, ioy, & tranquillitie. The almightie god and our most mercifull father, preserue vsus thorough Iesus Christ his sonne in this doctrine, and graunt vsus therin daylye to encrease, that this syghte may neuer fall out of our syght, and that by true fayth in Christ, we maye be deliuered from eternall death. Amen.

Here endeth the fyrste part of the Postille.