Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 51
The .viij. Sondaie after Trinitie Sondaie. The Gospell. Matth. vii.
BEware of false Prophetes, whiche come to you in Shepes clothyng, but inwardly thei are rauenyng Woulues, ye shall knowe thē by their fruictes. Doe menne gather Grapes of Thornes, or Figges of Thisties▪ Euen so eueryevery good Tree, bryngeth forthe good fruites: But a corrupte Tree, bryngeth forthe euill fruites. A good tree can not bryng forthe badde fruites, neither can a badde tree bryng forthe good fruites. EueryEvery tree that bryngeth not forthe good fruite, is hewen doune, and caste into the fire: wherefore by their fruites ye shall knowe them. Not eueryevery one that saith vntounto me, Lorde, Lorde, shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen, but he that dooeth the will of my father, whiche is in heauen, he shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen.
THE EXPOSITION.
THis our Gospell is part, of that long sermon, whiche our sauiour Christ made in the mountaine, described of the blessed Euāgelist S. Matthewe in the .v. vi. vii. Chapiters of his Gospell, and it is almoste at the latter ende of the aforesaied sermon. And the occasion of these his woordes, maie right well seme to bee this. The Lorde Christ knewe right well, that accordyng to our Englishe Prouerbe, where so euer GOD buildeth a Churche, there the Deuill will builde a Chapell iuste by: That is to saie,With the sede of gods word heresi alwaie groweth· where so euer the woorde of GOD is truely sette forthe, and sincerely preached: there the Deuill ceaseth not through his Tares of wicked heresies, and false doctrine to hinder and to lette, yea, to obscure and deface that good woorke,Math. xiii. as we maie se in the Gospell, that fewe or none maie receiue profite thereby, least his kyngdome should bee diminished, and he spoiled of his praie. Therefore in this our Gospell, Christe admonisheth, warneth, and chargeth vsus to beware of false Prophetes. As though he should saie: I hauehave set forthe my worde vntounto you, and diligently taught you, what ye ought to doe: how ye should rightly and truely, vnderstande the tenne commaundementes, praie, faste, beleue in GOD, giuegive almose. &c. This now remaineth, that ye diligently take hede, that ye by no meanes, suffer your selues to be plucked awaie, from this my doctrine, neither by the subtile suggestions, of moste subtile Satan, nor by the craftie conueighaunce, and fleshly perswasions of Antichrist, & his adherentes. For I sende you not forthe emong Angels,Math. x. but emōg Wolffes, neither dooe I sowe you emong Wheate, but emong Tares. Therefore take hede diligently that ye be not deceiued, nor allured from the waie of truthe, vntounto the rockes of errours and heresies.
We ought diligently and aboue al thinges, to holde fast the word of God.Wherefor Christ in this our Gospell, chargeth vsus aboue all thynges, that wee holde faste the sincere and pure worde of God, and suffer not our selues, so muche as the breadth of our naile, to bee plucked awaie from it, but whatsoeuer is contrary to that, to coumpte it as euill as the Deuill, and plaine abhominacion, who so euer be the aucthour thereof,Gala. ii. Ioan. epi. ii. Kyng, or Kesar, Pope, or Patriarche. For, as we heard before, wheresoeuer the worde is sincerely preached, there are the Wolffes at hande streight waies, with all their subtelties, deceiptes and craftie immaginacions, as we hauehave experience hereof, and diuers examples also, bothe in matters of the Churche, in affaires of the Common weale, and in housholde businesse. The Wolffe thrusteth hym self into all places, that he maie plucke vsus frō the worde, and so occupie the place hym self. In the Churche we hauehave the woorde of GOD: there laboureth the deuill to the vttermoste, to plucke it awaie frō vsus.Sectaries come of the Deuill. He stirreth vp one sectarie or other, to teache some newe thyng of Baptisme, of the Lordes supper, yea, of Christ hym self, whiche we neuer heard before. And then suche and so greate is our foolishenes, inconstancie, and leudnes, that out of hand we are desirous of newes, so that immediatly we cast awaie the woorde, and hauehave a singulare respecte, vntounto the aucthour of that newe doctrine, when notwithstandyng he dooeth nothyng els,Newe faugled Gospellers. then goe aboute to deceiue and destroye vsus. And vntounto this ende, that is to saie, that we should not bee seduced of suche Wolffes, doeth our sauiour Christe specially, direct this his admoniciō. As though he should saie: ye shall not wante Wolffes, whiche shall come vntounto you with goodly visars, and holy shewes, that ye shall thincke, ye neuer in your life, heard more Godly, or more excellent Preachers. And thus except ye take hede, ye shall bee deceiued, and fall into daunger, before ye beware. But who shall be in the faulte? Surely not I, whiche warne you to take hede, but ye your selues, whiche heare the woorde and hauehave it, and yet will you not kepe it, nor holde it faste. &c. For if a christian man being circumspect, and hauyng regard to himself,The Cathechisme necessarie to bee knowen of al degrees, and to his owne saluacion, had no more but the Cathechisme, that is to saie, the tenne Commaundementes, the Articles of the faithe, the lordes praier, the wordes of Christ concernyng Baptisme, and the Lordes supper: euen by these thynges onelyonly, might he defende hymself against all heresies and errours. But seing there is so greate negligence of hearyng the woorde, and so fewe that delighte in the same, with their wholle heartes: it is no marueile, though the Deuill take place in theim, and throwe theim hedlong into all kinde of wicked and vngodly doctrine.
Against this so greate daunger, Christe would hauehave vsus well enarmed,The woorde of God is a defēse against the Deuill and all his ministers. and strongly defensed, that we be not circumuented nor beguiled, yea, deceiued and destroied of those Wolffes: whiche shalbe, if we caste a waie this securitie and negligence, and fortresse our selues manly and valiauntly, with the worde of God. He setteth before vsus, the most certain deceiptes of the Wolffes, and how craftely thei goe about to beguile. We had nede therfore diligētly to take hede. And therefore saieth Christ: he that wil bee in saffegarde, and sette free from the rauenyng tethe, of the moste rauenyng Wolffes, let him holde faste my woorde, whiche is the true light, whereby he maie clerely, as in a moste cleare glasse, beholde, se,Ephe. vi. and perceiue the slye subtleties of subtle Satan: whiche also is the armour to defende vsus, againste the fierie dartes of the deuill, although he approch vntounto vsus neuer so craftely, euen cladde and garnished with the simple apparell, of a moste simple shepe. For this is the greatest ieopardie of all. When the Deuill cometh, he cometh not in his owne habite, but he taketh vntounto hym, some holie and religious garment, and pretendeth muche deuocion and godlinesse. After this sort came he vntounto Christe in the wildernes,Math. iiii. whē he saied vntounto hym: Fall doune and worshippe me, and I will giuegive thee all these thynges. These woordes were not mete woordes for the Deuill, but for the moste high Maiestie of GOD. This a lone is to be worshipped. This alone hath the right & power, of the kyngdomes of the worlde, and giueth them vntounto whō it pleaseth hym. Therfore Christ rebuketh hym and saieth: Hens Satan As though he should saie: Thou camest vntounto me in the apparell of GOD, but I knowe thee. Thou art the Deuill. Therefore the Shepes clothing ought to moue no man. For so maie we sone be deceiued, receiue and heare the Deuill in steede of GOD. In like maner, when the Deuill cometh vntounto vsus with his Sectaries, Schismatikes, and Heretiques,Sectaries, Schismatikes, and Heretikes. ii. Cor. xi. he first of all putteth vponupon him, a goodly countenaūce and apparelleth hym self like an Angell of lighte, that it maie none otherwise appere, but that those impostores, iuglars, and deceiuers are moste holy. moste religious, moste feruente in Gods cause, and moste zelous in matters of true Godlines, and yet it is the Deuill, as we hauehave plentle of examples, in the Arrians, Anabaptistes, Dauidians, Swenckfeldians. &c.
To be shorte,Carnal securitie openeth a waie to the Deuill, for to enter into the hartes of mē. where the Deuill findeth idle and carelesse heartes, there crepeth he into theim, as a Serpente, when menne slepe on the grasse, and fele nothyng. We maie not therefore neglect, caste awaie, and sette naught by the the faithfull admonicion, and warnyng of Christe, least through our negligence, we be deceiued of these glistering Hypocrites, and bee caried aboute with eueryevery winde of doctrine, but we ought rather, diligently to heare the woorde, hauehave our meditacion in that, and embrace it with high constancie, and by that expende weigh, discerne and iudge al doctrines, who soeuer be the aucthours of theim. If we would thus doe, the Deuill should not hauehave so greate power to deceiue vsus.
In the regimentes of common wealthes, wee maie beholde an example,Negligence of Princes bryngeth destruction of the common wealthe. and as it were a picture of Ecclesiasticall matters. For when Princes are carelesse and idle, and doe not their office, diligently and earnestly, as thei ought: Then is as the lande full of flatterers. For thei beleue generally al men: what so euer thei heare, thei thinke it straight wayes to be true.Note well. And this is the cause, why all thynges go to hauocke in their countries, and their subiectes bee moste miserably polled and pilled, as I maie speake nothing of their owne incommodities and losses. For it is not vndaungerous, to commit the handlyng of so waightie matters to all men, and the Princes them selues, nothyng at al regarde them. If thei them selues were presente, at the doyng of suche matters, knewe the accoumptes of their officers, and would beleue no more then thei knewe certainly to be true, it should go better with the common wealthe, then it doeth at this present.
Negligēce of housholders bryngeth destruction of housholdes.And euen so is it likewise, in families or householdes. Whē suche as should be gouernours of houses, are idle and carelesse, and commit all thynges to them of their houshold: losses chaunce soner then thei loked for. In deede, this is true: we ought not to despaire generally of all mennes fidelitie, and right vp behauiour. For it oftentymes chaunceth, that when a manne perceiueth, that he is not trusted, he sheweth hymself the more negligent, in doyng his duetie. As louelove with louelove, so faithe also is bought with faithe, and trust with trust. Notwithstandyng, this matter is to bee handled with measure and discrecion, so that we shall not rashly, and without good aduisement, commit all thinges to all men, neyther at all tymes, nor in all places. And men are so to be trusted, that not withstandyng they shall thynke, that the Father of the houshold hath also hymselfe an eye to his thynges, and that he wyll easily perceaue it, if any thynge be doone amysse of suche as he trusteth, or hath in his house. For the negligence of maisters, is many tymes the occasion, that seruantes are negligente, and geue them selues to a more licencious and retchelesse lyfe, when notwithstandyng the householde seruantes ought not to be carelesse, but studiously to obey the wyll and commaundement of theyr maisters, and not to suffer theym selues by any meanes thorough the counsayle of the wycked to bee broughte vntounto lewdnesse.Disobediente seruantes. For what good successe of thynges canne be there, where the maysters commaunde one thynge, and the seruauntes neglectyng theyr maysters commaundement thoroughe the wicked aduyse of certayne naughty persones do the contrarye: yea, geue theyr myndes to idlenesse, to plays, to pastymes, to dycyng, to cardynge, to drynkyng, to whooryng. &c. And yet many in these theyr lewde doynges wyll beare a faire face outwardly, as thoughe nothynge were amysse, but all thynges welle,The disobedience of seruauntes vntounto their masters com…th of the deuyll. yea as though they dydde theyr office, accordynge to theyr bounden duetie. But yet for all that, seynge disobedience is shewed to theyr maisters, it must nedes come of the deuyll, whatsoeuer they doo in this behalf. And many tymes seruauntes dwell with suche maysters, as by no meanes can abyde suche neglygente, lewde, and lyghte behauioure. But here commeth in the deuyll with hys subtilties and craftye deuices, whyche by somme naughtye packe, goeth about to persuade them, that suche seruice is myserable bondage, and therefore they oughte to caste awaye that captiuitie, and seeke more libertie, whyche they shall easylye and with greater profyt fynd in some other more conuenient place. Awaye therfore with the olde maisters, and seeke after newe. The vnwise seruantes thynke thys to be good councell, and to come from a louyng and frendly hearte towarde theym, and therefore they bothe obeye, and disobeye. The dyuell they obeye: God they disobeye,Ephe. 6. Coloss. 3. Tit. 2. 1. Pet. 2. whyche hathe commaunded to obeye theyr bodyly maysters in all thynges, yea and that with simplenesse of hearte. But the symple are soone deceaued, specially when frendeshyp is pretended, and those thynges vttered, which delite the foolyshe fancie of men.
But why make I many woordes? The wolfe is redy at all tymes both in weightie and in slender matters.The deuyll can not abyde gods ordinances. For all thynges that with trewe diligence and good mynde oughte to bee doone in the Churche, in commune wealthes, or in householdes, the deuyll by no meanes canne abyde: but all offices that are ordeined of GOD, hee goeth aboute to hynder and lette yea vtterly to subuert and to destroy them, that that, whyche is ordeyned vntounto the conseruation bothe of thynges presente, and of thynges to comme, maye be euyll spoken of, that no goodnesse maye ensewe thereof· We muste therefore dilygentlye take heede and marke, what the deuyll at all tymes goeth aboute, leaste wyth hys fayre face and pleasant countenance he deceaueth vsus, and bryngeth vsus into erroure. For all suche, as wyth whome wee hauehave to doo, are not syncere in Relygion, but manye are hypocrites: They doo pretende Relygion and godlynesse, but they hauehave not one poynte of trewe Relygion in them. Wherfore, it is harde for to knowe the wolfe thoroughly, except we be very diligent, circumspecte, and discrete.
But thys thynge is moste daungerous and grienous in the Churche. For scismatykes, sectaries,Scismatikes Sectaries, & Heretykes· and heretykes comme in wyth suche pretence, as though that earnestly and euen frome the verye hearte, they dydde regarde the saluation of mennes soules, and that they hadde a feruente zeale and greedy desyre to sette foorthe the woorde of GOD, and the truthe thereof. Whenne the symple sely shepe behold theyr shepishe garmentes, they suspect no euyll, no deceit, no crafte, no subtiltie. They streyght waies embrace them as trewe and godly teachers. For who woulde not greatly regarde suche and so noble professoures of Gods woorde and of the truthe? But the Christians must knowe thys, that the deuyll also is wont to bragge and boaste of the truthe and woorde of God, no lesse then the very godly. Therfore they ought to be so enstructed, that they myght say on this maner: The truthe and woorde of GOD I louelove fulle derely. Notwithstandyng, I wyll regarde no mans authoritie so muche,All mens doctrine must be tryede by the worde of god. but that I wyll conferre thys woorde, that he speakethe with my Catechisme, and wyth the doctrine, whyche I hauehave hytherto hearde. He that is so circumspecte, and is not moued wyth eueryevery newfangled fancie, but hath respecte vntounto the worde, he is without all danger, neither can he be deceiued. He that dothe otherwise, it is not possible, but that he must fall into bothe errours and heresies, and be seduced from the truthe of the worde.
Eue in Paradyse is an example for thys matter. The deuyls oration vntounto her was moste pleasaunte and full of sugred eloquence.Gen. 3. He paynteth foorth god to be so gentyll and meke, that he knoweth not what anger meaneth. Why (saieth he) hathe not God geuen all this gardeyn into your power, that ye shoulde doo wythall what ye wylle, and enioye the commodities therof after your owne luste and pleasure? Howe vnsyttynge then were it, that hee shoulde denye you this one only tree, whych can so greatly not hurt you, that by the benefyte thereof, ye shall gette wysedome comparable with the wysedome of God? Honylyke and mete to deceaue are these wordes, whiche were able in dede easyly to seduce Eue, that she myghte fall away, and forgette the commandement, whych God had geuen to her, and to her husbande. And although she hadde not forgotten it, yet she beganne to doubte of it. And there came in her myserie. Fyrste of all, whenne the deuyll assaulted her, she behaued her selfe wysely, and gaue the deuyll a repulse by the vertue of che commaundement, whyche GOD had geuen vntounto them. But when Sathan went an other way to woorke, because he hadde no good successe in the former enterprise, and broughte the matter to thys poynte, that if the commaundemente concernynge the tree were true, GOD muste nedes be malicious and full of enuy, whyche woulde not also grant them the lyke wysedome with hym: thenne she out of hand casteth awaye the woorde, plucketh the apple, and eateth. By the eatynge of the whyche apple, she and all we were most myserably,Ephe. 2. Rom. 5. yea for our disobedience, moste iustly, caste into all kynde of euyls. Nowe for the lyke peryll, because that we also shold not be deceaued on suche sorte, Christe warneth vsus, and saythe: Beware of false Prophetes. As though he should say: If ye bee deceaued hereafter, the faulte shalbe yours, and not myne. For I hauehave delyuered vntounto you my woorde whole and pure. See that it be your fortresse conforte, and lyghte. OnelyOnly prouide, that ye lette not this lyght go from your eyes, but holde fast the word.The word of god is a sufficient armour agenste the deuyll and antichriste. Whē any other word is brought vntounto you, that agreeth not with thys my worde, say: I am deaffe. This my lyght is of an other sort. And verily God hath sufficiently prouided for vsus agaynst the deuyll and Antichrist with all theyr complices, in that he hathe geuen vsus his worde. And he is excused, neyther can we putt any faulte in hym. But we are not excused, when we holde not faste the worde, but folowe the woorde of the wolfe, where as the very daunger of the damnation both of our body and soule oughte to admonishe vsus, that we shoulde not heare suche voyces.Gen. 3. Rom. 5. For it is the voyce of suche an ennemye, as onelyonly seeketh oure destruction, as he declared in Paradyse, concernynge our fyrste parentes Adam and Eue, when he threwe them headlonge with all theyr posteritie into synne, deathe, and wrathe of God: out of the whyche myserye oure moste mercyfull God and heauenly Father hath delyuered vsus by hys sonne, that we myght be enfranchised from synne and deathe. But nowe the second tyme our enemy layeth wayt agayn for vsus, yf he by any mean can pluck vsus from this grace, and throw vsus agayn into our old myserie. Therfore we must diligently watche, and with all mayn hold fast the word of God. For otherwyse can we by no meanes be free from daunger.
And thus muche hauehave we spoken concernyng this one sentence of the Gospell, wherein Christ commandeth vsus to beware of false Prophetes, and straighly chargeth vsus, that we holde fast the woorde, and by no meanes suffer our selues to be drawen from that, but whatsoeuer is contrary to the word, to flee from it as from the deuyll and the pestilence. And that shall suffise. For as it is tofore said: He that foloweth this lyght, and suffereth it not departe frome hys eyes, he may be sure to be saued. But Christ to shew how carefull he is for vsus and for our saluation, is not contente with this generall commaundement, but he also prescribeth to his christians two rules, which they ought to folow, that they may the more easily eschue this perill.The first rule The fyrst is, that they bee not deceaued with the shepes clothyng, and iudge accordyng vntounto that. For as wolues when they oppressed with hunger, practise the barkynges of dogges,The nature of wolffes. if by that meanes they may deceaue either man or beaste: so lykewise doo the false prophetes:Shepes clothynge is not to be regarded they beare a godly face outwardly, and pretende as they were the true prophetes and preachers of God, but no man ought to reste on that alone, least he be deceaued. This one rule is diligently to be consydered. For it is a matter of great weyght.
The clothing or garmēt signifieth this, that no false Prophete commeth,Shepes clothyng what it signifiethe. which plainely and openly declareth his sub…iltie & fals doctrine, but they hyghly commende and sette foorth theyr good wyll towarde the flocke of CHRIST, Flattiringe wordes.and that of a very zeale towarde the kyngdome of GOD, they are moued and enforced to preache: Agayn, that they can by no meanes suffer so greate an iniurie to be doone to the pore people, in kepyng them so longe tyme in blyndenesse, and in concealyng the truth of Gods word from them &c. The wilie sleights of such words, the simple people perceaueth not. Therfore they thinke by and by, that the matter is euen so, as they say and pretende. They thynke that these seductours and deceauers, beare an heartie good affection toward them, so that they commyt them selues to their tuition, beynge ready to beleue as they will hauehave them, and to receaue what so euer doctrine they teache. And by this meanes are the myserable poore ignorant people moste miserably deceaued. But a christen man must beware, as it hathe tofore ben said. For the dyuel sheweth not hymselfe in his owne likenes, terrible, blacke, foule,2. Cor. …1. euil fauored &c. but he pretendeth a certain godly maiestie, and chaungeth him selfe into an angell of light. Wolues likewise com not as wolues, but they put about thē shepes clothyng, that they whiche knowe them not, wold thynk them in dede to be symple, innocent, & harmeles shepe.Office, voc… cion title, &c.
Moreouer, shepes clothynge signifieth an office or vocation, and glorious titles: as we also hauehave proued by experience, that the Pope and byshops herein hauehave done much harme, and yet do, in that they bragge and boast of their office, and therfore would, that their traditiōs shold be of great authoritie. For although their life be such, that by it they can deceiue no man, yet this hath a great shew and a goodly outwarde face,Math. 23. yt they hauehave the ministery of the church cōmitted vntounto them: As Christ also reporteth of the scribes and Phariseys, yt they sit in the chaire of Moses. And we cā not make them to leaue this bostyng. We must nedes grant, that they hauehave yt ministery or office, & that it is of his owne nature true in thē, if they wold vse it wel & truly. But forasmuch as the Pope & ye bishops crake of their office & therfore require to be herd, as such as can not erre: a Christen mā must take good hede to himself, and saye: I knowledge the office. It is a very shepes clothing, But Christ commaundeth me not to be content with that,Marcke well when the shepes clothyng commeth foorthe, but that I also searche, boult out, and see, whether vnderunder that garment there lurketh and lyeth hyd, a rauenyng wolfe, or not.
In lyke maner this is also a shepes clothyng, when false Prophetes shewe outwardly a great holinesse of lyfe:Holynes of lyfe. Anabaptistes As we hauehave the Anabaptists for an exāple. They vse no vayne, wycked, or worldly talke: They swear not: They vse all simplicitie both in theyr diete and apparell: they speake muche of Gods worde: they pray continually: they suffer persecution paciently: they renenge not what soeuer is doone to them: they suffer no man to lacke that is of theyr profession, but hauehave al thynges common among them, as it was in the time of the Apostles. &c. These thynges of their owne nature are not euyll, and it were to bee wyshed, that all men were suche in these thyngs,Act. 2.4. according to the christen profession. But that their doctrine should be iudged trewe because of these thynges: That is contrarye to Christes counsell. For vnderunder a shepes clothyng, a wolfe maye hyde hymselfe.The errores and, heresies of anabaptistes. As when they after the maner of monkes put theyr truste in workes: when they make God a lyer, in that they be baptised twise and cast away theyr first and true baptisme, as vnprofitable, wicked, and naught: when they teach corruptly of the Lordes Supper, as though there were in it nothyng els, but bare bread and bare wyne: Agayne, that the receauynge thereof is an exercyse for the yong lynges and for the vnperfect folke of the christen Congregation, and not for suche as are perfecte and ancient in Christe: when they burden Christen men with thyngs not necessarie: when they disturbe whole housholdes, and make the husbande to forsake the wyfe, & the wife her husband, to ioyn them selues to their wicked and damnable religion: when they take away the proprietie and owneshyp of worldly goodes and possessions, and would hauehave all thynges common: when they contemne and condempne the politike and ciuile power as prophane and vngodly, and professe theym selues in dede ennemies to the congregation of God, to the ciuile power, and to the gouernement of families or householdes, This faire face also was set vponupon the rules of monkes and nonnes, so that by them also the whole worlde was in a maner deceiued. But this iugglyng is now vttered by the word of God, so that nowe the wolfe, whyche lurked vnderunder the sheepes clothyng is come to lyght, and knowen of all men.
Moreouer, great gifts lykewise ar shepes clothing, wherof Christ speaketh in the Gospell,Great giftes. that some shall come in his name, and prophecie or tel things to come some shall cast out deuils, and worke greate miracles. In these thynges also, there oughte to be no preiudice to the Christians, as though they ought not therefore to make inquisition of the truthe of the doctrine. The woorde muste bee consydered without any respecte had to the prerogatiue of any persone: and the wolfe is alwayes to be feared and suspected vnderunder the sheepes clothynge.
And this is ye first rule, whiche Christ prescribeth to his christians, that they diligently take heede & beware of shepes clothyng. For although their speeche be fayre and curteous, their office true: their outward life fautlesse: besides a great number of excellente vertues: yet we ought to mystrust, lest vnderunder them crafte, falshode, and deceyte, should lye lurkyng, forasmuche as vnderunder faire and sugred speche, there may lye hyd most deadly poyson: vnderunder a true office, a corrupt vsyng therof: vnderunder a religious lyfe, fraude, guile and deceipt: vnderunder great giftes, great wickednes. Therfore so soone as thou seest the shepes clothyng, thynke, that thou must take good hede and beware. For Christe hymselfe geueth warnynge, that wolfes hauehave suche clothynge to hyde them selues in. Wherfore thou muste diligently searche them, that theyr craftes and subtilties may be knowen. But howe shall that be doone? Ueryly that will the second rule teache,The seconde rule. whyche is: Thou shalt let passe the outwarde face and fayre shewe, wherof we hauehave hitherto spoken, and thou shalt consider the fruites.The fruites are to be considered. By their fruicts (saieth he) shall ye know theym. And he putteth forth a similitude. None of you (sayth he) is so madde, that he wold gather grapes of thorns or fygs of thistles. For such fruits grow in other trees In orchardes also men iudge by the fruictes of apple trees, of the good tree: but wher nothing is, they iudg the contrary. This trade doth Christ also put forth to vsus for to iudge of false teachers, that we be not deceaued at the first blushe, although the wolfe cometh clad with neuer so goodly and godly shepes clothyng.
But first of all, what is the fruit of a true prophet & teacher,The fruite of a true preacher or prophet. wherby he muste be knowen to be no wolfe, but a true shepe? Truely not the outward life, nor the office, nor the titles, nor yet the noble gifts. For Christ dothe testifie this, and experience techeth the same, that men by these are oftentimes deceaued. The true fruict is, as Christ sheweth in the ende, to do the will of the Father, whiche is in heauen. And here it is to be noted, that Christ speaketh not generally of all Cristians but onelyonly of Prophetes or teachers. This is trewe, that all men ought to do the will of the heauenly Father, & therby do they also get saluation. The Fathers will is, not only that we should do the ten cōmandementes, and by that meanes declare our obedience to God:What the wyll of god is (For seyng we can not do this perfectly in this lyfe. it is impossible for vsus to affirme, that we hauehave don the will of God, or that we hauehave any power of our selues to obtein saluation & the kingdome of God by our workes:) but also and moste specially this is proprely ye will of God, as Christ saith in the gospell of S. Iohn, that eueryevery one that seeth the sonne, & beleueth in hym,Iohn. 6. should hauehave euerlastyng life. And I will raise hym vp, saieth Cnriste, at the last daye. This is the only waie whiche all teachers and scholers muste walke, if they, wyll come vntounto euerlastyng saluation.
Christ speaketh here specially of techers or prophets whose propre and true fruict is,The fruite of true prophets and teachers. to set forth & to teache this wyll diligently, that God is gentill and merciful, and willeth not the death of a synner, but that hee repent and lyue: and that God hym selfe declared that mercye, when hee sente his onelyonly begotten sonne into this worlde to become man. He therefore that receaueth hym, and beleueth in hym, that is, he that hathe this hope and truste in hym, that God is mercyful vntounto him for his sonne Christes sake, and forgeueth hym his synnes, and will geue him euerlasting lyfe. &c. He that setteth forthe this doctrine syncerely and purely, & bringeth mē vntounto Christ, as the only & alone mediator betwene God & vsus: this man as a true techer doth the will of God. And this is the true fruicte, whereby no mā can be deceiued. For if it wer possible that ye diuell himself shold so teach, this doctrine could not be false, but that he, whiche doth beleue it, should surely obtein that, whyche it promyseth.
After this fruict, whiche is trewe, proper, and most certain, and can by no meanes deceaue: other also followe,Godly lyfe of the teachers. that is to say. that the lyfe be agreable, and not contrarie to that doctrine. But this seconde fruicte is then to be counted true, when the first, that is to say, the doctrine of Christe is presente. For it is possible, that the doctrine may be faultlesse,Not the lyfe but the doctrine of the preacher is chefelye to be consydered. when notwithstandyng the lyfe is euyll & sclandrous. Therfore we must not looke specially to the lyfe, but to the doctrine. For by that means shall we most certainly know, whether it be a wolfe or a shepe, that commeth to vsus in shepes clothyng. He therfore that will trie the Pope with his churche, let hym take his beginning of the first fruict, that is to say, of doctrine. For there shall he fynd, that the Popes doctrine of Remission of synnes,Howe the pope and hys churche are to be tryed. and of saluation is not onelyonly directed vntounto Christe, but vntounto all maner of workes, vntounto the vowes of Monkes, vntounto the syngyng of Masses, vntounto pardons and merits of sainctes.The doctrine and lyfe of the pope and hys churche. These are prickyng and hurtefull thornes, whiche come not foorthe in a figge tree, or in a vyne. Secondarily, lette theyr lyfe also be consydered. Here shall it be founde, that the Pope and all his, cast asyde all due obedience to God and theyr princes. Again, the Pope and all his complices doo moste extremely hate the worde of God, and the true professors of the same: they persecute them moste spitefully, they punish them most cruelly, where soeuer they can laye hand on them they lyue moste filthyly and abhominably: they labour not, but vnfruitfully waste and spend away lyke belly gods and Epicures, the goodes of the church. To be short, there is nothyng in their lyfe worthy to be commended. Looke therefore where these two thynges are, that is to say, where the lyfe and doctrine be both naught: thynk surely that there are thornes & thistles: and that if thou seeke there for grapes and fygges, thou shalte not onelyonly not fynde them, but thou shalte also departe with losse. For thys ought to offende no manne, that the vyne is so yll fauoured woodde, and the fygge tree so weake: And contrarywise, that all, whiche belongeth to thornes, is more beautyfull and syghtly, yea swete roses comme of them. For not the fayre syghte and pleasaunte looke is to bee consydered, but the very matter, and the fruict and commoditie that commeth thereof. Applye all thynges to this poynt, and to none other.
Nowe what shall be the punyshement of such false Prophetes?The reward of false prophetes. Christe sheweth by the similitude of a rotten tree, euen to be cut downe, and cast into the fire. This shall bee the ende of suche teachers, and also of theyr scholers, whenne they regard not true doctrine nor yet the fruites therof. Therfore lette vsus highly esteeme the woorde of GOD, diligentely heare and marke it, and endeuour our selues to the vttermost of oure power, to brynge foorthe good fruictes, and all false doctrine and wycked lyfe eschue and auoide, as the deuill and the pestilence.
The Lorde Iesus CHRIST, thoroughe the holy Ghost, geue vsus all grace so to do, and so to continue vntounto the ende.
AMEN.