Sermons on Ephesians, Sermons · Sermon 41
The .xli. Sermon, which is the nyenth vppon the fifth Chapter.
28. Men ought so too louelove their vvyues as their ovvne bodyes. He that loueth his vvyfe, loueth himselfe.
29. For no man euer yit hated his ovvne fleshe, but (rather) he nurrisheth and cherisheth it, as the Lord also dooth the Churche.
30. For vvee bee members of his body, of his fleshe, and of his bones,
SEeing that the holy scripture exhorteth vsus to be kynd harted, meeke, and patient one too another, and setteth vsus downe the example of God, who is reconcyled too vsus in the person of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, and sheweth vsus therewithall that Iesus Christ spared not himself, but shewed the louelove that he bare vsus, and the care that he had of our saluation, in that he gaue himselfe too so hard and bitter a death: it must needes bee that our hartes are harder than steele, if they bee not meekened by it. And yit notwithstanding, all these exhortations cannot suffyze vsus, by reason of our wylfulnesse and corruption. God therfore, too put vsus too the greater shame, sendeth vsus backe too the order of nature: as if it were sayd, that although we had neuer heard any word of Gods mouth, nor neuer had had any teaching by holy Scripture: yit ought eueryevery of vsus too enter intoo himselfe, and too consider his own state, for that wyll be ynough too hold vsus conuicted, without any other witnesse. And that could the heathen men tell vsus full well: who hauing nother beleefe in God, nor any Religion, could notwithstanding well skill too saye, that the wyld beastes make not warre one ageinst another. For one Woolfe eateth not another: the Beares and Lyons that lyue abrode in the wyld woods, hauehave a certein thing that holdeth them in order, so as they hurt not one another. And yit hauehave they no discretion as is among men: but they hauehave as it were a naturall …ouing which driueth them too louelove one another, so as eueryevery of them lyueth (quietly) with his fellowe▪ Now then, must it not needes bee that men are altoogither out of square, and doo despyze God and nature, seeing they lyue like Dogges and Cattes (as they say,) and eueryevery man is as a Woolfe or a Foxe too his neyghbour, so as there is nothing but craftinesse and malice, or else vtter crueltie? That is the cause why God telleth vsus that wee bee all of one fleshe, and of one kynd. And Esay vseth the same reason, too perswade vsus too succour our neyghbours, and too hauehave pitie and compassion of them they stand in any neede. Thou shalt not despyze thine owne fleshe (sayeth he.) For the furthest straunger in the world is neuer the more separated from vsus for all that,Esay. 58, b▪ 7. but both he and wee spring both out of one fountayne, and wee ought too acknowledge him too bee our image. Therefore whosoeuer disdeyneth any man, surely he foregetteth himselfe too much, and he knoweth not what he is, nother is woorthy of the honorable degree wherin God hath set him. And why? Bycause he peruerteth all order. Now if this reason ought too take place in generall: much more ought men too bee touched too the quicke when it is told them what they bee, specially seeing they bee linked toogither in a much streyter bond. As if a man should saye too a father, How now? If thou bee so farre out of louelove with thy sonne, that thou art vnwylling too see him, and disdeynest too talke with him, and he can fynd no meanes too come too attonement with thee: what a crueltie is that? For he is thy fleshe and thy blud. And how then canst thou bee so blynded in thyne excessiue moode, as not too consider that God hath giuen him thee as though he had come out of thyne owne person? And too a sonne it will bee sayde lykewyse: How now? Is it meete that thou shouldest bee borne intoo the world, and hauehave roome and place among Gods children, and in the meane whyle forget thy father that begate thee, and by whose meanes God sent thee intoo the world?
Now the holyest band that God hath set among vsus, is the bond betweene man and wyfe. That is the cause why Saint Paule sayth, that a man cannot louelove his wyfe, but he must louelove him self: and contrariwyse, that if he despyze his wyfe or hate hir, it is all one as if he fall at oddes with him self. And is that possible? Heretoofore he had exhorted husbands too doo their duetyes, by hauing an eye too the example of our Lord Iesus Christ. And he had alledged, that the sonne of God had giuen him self too the death too wash his Churche: so that although it was poore and miserable, and ful of filth and vncleannesse: … suffered that which was needefull for ou… saluation, he lefte vsus moreouer a record of the grace which he hath purchaced …or vsus. Insomuch that in B…btim wee hauehave a visible token, that the blu… of our Lord Iesus Christ is our washing and cle…zing. Can we think vppon all these things, and not bee moued too some gentlnesse? Yea if wee consider first of all that wee …ee but wr…tched woormes of the earth, and (too be short) that there is nothing in vsus but vtter miserie, so as wee may well …ee called vermin, and caryons full of all corruption and lothsomnesse: and afterward compare our selues with the sonne of God: ought there too bee any such pryde in vsus, as too esteeme and commend our selues, and too …read others vnderunder our feete? Now if this bee generall too all men (as I sayd:) what shall it bee betweene man and wyfe? For the knot that God hath knit betwixt them is such, that the husband is (as yee would say (but half him self, & may no more separate him selfe frō his wyfe, thā the wyfe may separate hir selfe frō hir husband, but eche of them must hauehave regard too their owne state, as shalbee declared in the end, and hath bin partly declared alredie. The husband is in deede the head, but the woman is the bodie. And wheras the head hath preheminence and souereintie ouer the bodie, it dooth not therefore follow, that he should hold scorne of it, or bee glad too hauehave it shamed or reproched: for dooth not the honour of the head extend too the whole body? But now forasmuch as husbands are not sufficiently moued with the reason that is taken of our Lord Iesus Christ: Saint Paule bringeth them backe too their originall.
And for asmuch as the heathen folk and vnbeleeuers were acquaynted with mariage, and had giuen indgment of it: therfore wee neede no holy scripture (sayeth he) too teache vsus in this behalf, for the ignorant soules which had but natural vnderstanding, and walked as their moother wit directed them, knew that the wyfe is a peece of the husband, and that there goeth an inseparable bond betwixt them, and that the one ought not too forsake the other, vnlesse they will teare themselues in peeces. Seeing that the blynd wretches perceyued this: what a shame is it for such as are inlyghtened by Gods woord, and hauehave bin taught familiarly as household folk, euen as a father hath his eye vppon his children: (too bee ignoraut of it?) Seeing (say I) that God speaketh so familiarly too vsus, and as it weere month too mouth, so as he sheweth vsus his will, and telleth vsus our deutie: must it not needs bee that we are woorse than the I…fidels, and much more greeuously too bee condemned than they, if wee continew hard har…d, or stop our eares least wee myght receyue the aduyce that he giueth vsus? Then let vsus marke well, that seeing Saint Paule hath set vsus foorth our Lord Iesus Christ (for an example,) and told vsus that he is so giuen vsus: it is good reason (considering how wee bee linked vntoo him) that wee should shewe our selues willing too follow him, and fashyon our selues lyke vntounto him, by pitying such as are in distresse, by bearing paciently with the vyces and infirmities of our neyghbours, and by releeuing such as hauehave neede of vsus, if wee may conueniently, and hauehave wherwithall. Let vsus think well vppon that.
Agein, forasmuch as heere is mention made of man and wyfe, let them that are maryed, consider what damnation is prepared for them, if they bee not moued and touched too the quicke by the things that are told them heere: namely that on the one syde the heathen folk shall ryze vp to giuegive witnesse ageinst them at the latter day, and that (on the other syde) the order of nature teacheth them what they hauehave to doo: so that if they liue not in concord and freendship, as is shewed them here, they doo (as it were) wilfully withstand God, yea and vtterly forget themselues, and become woorse than brute beastes. And furthermore let them knowe also, that forasmuch as mariage is a figure of the holy vnion that is betweene the some of God and al the faythfull: the same ought also too hold them in the greater reuerence: and although there happen many contentions, yit ought they too subdew them, and too let them lye as dead, and too consider that sith our Lord Iesus sitteth ouer them, it is too shewe that wedlocke was blissed in such wyse by God his father at the first, that he himselfe also hath ratifyed the same blissing by his death and passion, yea and reconcyled vsus too God, in such wyse as the husband may perceyue as it were in a (lyuely) picture, that he is all one with his wyfe, howbeeit in such wyse vnderunder the obedience of God, as both twayne of them ought too serue him with one accord, euen vntyll they bee so farre foorth as they bee come too hym, too cleaue too him throughly in all perfection. Now although such warnings ought too bee of great force among vsus: yit are very fewe touched with them according…y. And the world sees it. For let a man looke intoo all housholdes one after another: and where shall he fynd such freendship as may resemble Iesus Christ and his Church? (Nowhere.) But the man and his wyfe are (rather) euer iarring and disagreeing. And if there happen too bee some fond …, yit is there no feare of God, and the least occasion in the world wyll bee ynough too set them at oddes, so as they shall forget all that is conteyned heere: Or (too say the truth) they neuer once thinke of it. The louelove that is betwixt them is led and prouoked by their lustes, and not grounded vponupon any knowledge that they hauehave of the discharging of their dewtie, that the husband considereth how he ought too beare with his wyfe, how he ought too guyde hir in the feare of God, and how he ought too louelove hir as a helper allotted vntoo him (for his ease) that he myght walke as hee ought too doo: Nor that the wyfe humbleth hir selfe too hir husband, or bendeth hir wittes too please him, bycause shee perceyueth that shee is expressely giuen vntoo him, too bee a furtherance and not a hinderance vntoo him. There is no talke nor inckling of al this: but if all bee well considered, (I say) the common and most ordinarie state is, that in eueryevery house a man shall fynde diuelishnesse, cursyng, banning, blasphemie, swearing, spytefulnesse, and harming. And although some w…man bee a feend towardes hir neyghbours, as well as shee is towardes hir husband: yit if hir husband had any wealth or goods by hir, he must take hir part without discretion, and maynteyne hir quarrell, be it good or bad. I say, a man may see, that this peruersenesse reygneth welneere euerywhere.
Agein, eueryevery man complaynes of his wyfe, saying: I cannot liue with hir, it is a mad beast, there is nothing in hir but pryde and peeuishnesse, and there is nothing in hir but froward stubbornnesse. I cannot speake a woord too hir, but shee payes mee agein with foure for it. Now surely, such as men make their wyues, such hauehave they of them. For were there no more but this that I spake of, namely that men doo (as it were) in spyte of God maynteyne their wyues wrongfull quarelles: ought not God too yeeld them their deserued hyre, and too make it rebound backe vppon their owne pates? Whatsoeuer I say, if a man marke well e…ery mans ordinarie trade of lyfe: he shall fynde that there may bee a sorte of fond loues, and a forte of excessiue affections, but as for well ordered frendship, such as dependeth vppon God, and is grounded on his woord: hardly shal he among a hundred houses fynd one, where the husband and the wyfe are so well qualifyed. Yit notwithstanding wee bee vnexcuzable, if wee profit not in this doctrine. So then, eueryevery of vsus must fyght ageinst his vnruly affections: & if a man hauehave not such a wyfe as he could wish, let him vnderstād, that God intendeth to try his pacience by that meanes and let him consider wel, that he behaueth himselfe woorse towardes our Lord Iesus Christ, who is the husband, too whom all of vsus are maryed. And therefore let him not bee rigorous towardes his wyfe, seeing that he himselfe deserueth too bee so humbled. Too bee short, let eueryevery man so mynd this doctrine, that when the husband hath not all things in his wife that he desyreth, he may thinke thus with himself: yit am I bound vntoo hir, yea and I am not onelyonly bound vntoo my wyfe, but also vntoo God, who is the mayster of mariage, and too our Lord Iesus Christ, who is as a mirrour and lyuely image of it vntoo vsus. Therefore am I bound too doo my duetie towardes hir, and both too louelove hir, and too beare with hir, although there bee vyces in hir. Yit is it not ment, that the husband should foster and feede his wyues vyces. For as wee must warne and counsell one another: so must there not bee any such neerenesse or linking toogither, but that if the husband see any thing amisse in his wife, he must at leastwyse tel hir of it, yea and rebuke hir, and labour and indeuer too bring hir intoo the right way, as much as he can possibly.
But yit howsoeuer the world go, so long as wee bee maried, this standes continually, that wee cannot chaunge the order which our Lord hath set, yea euen too bee vnuiolable. Therfore wee must not passe what the persons are: insomuch that although a woman hauehave too rough & sharp a husband, & such a one as dealeth ouer hardly with hir, yit must shee alwayes consider, that he is hir husband, and that when God matched them toogither, he allotted hir that portion, bycause shee was woorthie of it: and let hir also enter intoo examination of hir sinnes, that shee may pray God too take away that rod, and too deale more gently with hir. Then lyke as the wyfe must on hir syde continue the bond of mariage, and submit hir selfe, euen without respecting what hir husband is: so when the husband hath not a wyfe too his lyking, let him thinke lykewyse, my wyfe dooth not hir duetie, I cannot lyue with hir: but yit dooth wedlocke dure styll. Who ordeyned it? God. Then if I forget my duetie, and reuenge mee of my wife, or fall too stoutnesse without regarding what belongs too my charge: it is not ageinst a mortall creature, that I shall bend my selfe. When the husband ouershootes himselfe after that sorte, surely he fyghteth ageinst God, and indeuereth too disanull the thing that is inuiolable by nature. So then let eueryevery of vsus put this doctrine better in vre on his owne behalfe, and let not onelyonly maryed folkes, but also all men in generall vnderstande, that wee cannot estraunge our selues one from another, and become vnkynde, mercilesse, and vnpacient one toward another, but wee must bee as witlesse creatures that hauehave no reason nor regard from whence they come, or to what end wee liue in this world. That is the effect of the things which we hauehave too beare in mynd.
And if wee rgarded well the Prophets reason,Esay. 58. b. 7. surely wee shoulde bee more moued with this exhortation that is set heere: No man euer hat…d his ovvne flesh, but nurrisheth and cherisheth it. If eueryevery of vsus gaue himselfe too consider what care he hath of his owne person, how tenderly he cherisheth all the partes of his bodie euen too the least toe of his foote, how carefully he forecasteth that nothing may want him, and how prouident he is in all respectes for it, so as if any member bee ill at ease, he indeuereth too remedye it, that he may maynteyne himself in health: I say, if eueryevery of vsus bethought himself throughly after that fashyon: surely then would it bee a good teaching too vsus too doo the lyke too our neyghbours, that is too say, too al men: and much more consequently, the fathers too their children, and the children too their fathers, the husbandes too their wyues, and the wyues to their husbandes, and so foorth mutually according as it hath pleased our Lord too linke vsus in neerer bond, as I hauehave sayde afore. And if any body reply heereuntoo, …ush, he, or he is not my selfe: (I answer,) then must it needes followe that thou art no man. For (as I sayde afore) Gods creating and maynteyning of vsus, are with condition, that wee should bee all as one masse. For though there bee many fingers and many s…ewes in a mans bodie: yit is that no let but that they bee all one thing, nother is it any impeachment why one member should not succour another as well as it selfe. For it is vnkyndly that the bodie should fall too banding, and too deuiding of it selfe intoo factions: nother is it possible that it should so. Then if eueryevery of vsus bee so wedded to his owne profit, that in the meane whyle he disdeyne others through pryde, or else bee cruell, so as if hee see all the miseries in the world, he hath no compassion too releeue them, nor can fynd in his har… to beare with any thing, or to forgiue it: is it not a signe that wee hauehave forgotten our owne nature?
Wherfore too the intent wee may fare the better by this doctrine, let vsus wey well these woordes of Saint Paule, that neuer any man hated his owne fleshe, but that eueryevery man nurrisheth and cherisheth it. Neede wee a schoolemayster too teache vsus this? Needeth God too send vsus his Angels from heauen, or neede wee too take much payne too learne this art or cunning? (No:) wee bee but too much giuen to it alredy by nature. Sith it is so, eueryevery of vsus beares his owne euidence rolled in record ageinst himselfe, and his owne indytement redie framed: there shall neede no long examination before God. For the more carefull that men hauehave bin for their owne bodyes, the more forecasting they hauehave bin for the mayntenance of it, and (to bee short) the mo signes that they shewe of louing themselues: the greeuouslyer shall they bee condemned before God, bycause they hauehave not doone the lyke towardes them which are their owne flesh, yea though they were most vnknowen and of the furthest countrie in the world, as I sayd afore. And if this bee generall for all: what shall become of it, when the sonne setteth himselfe with all outrage and stubbornnesse ageinst his father, so as he hath no meeknesse too suffer himselfe too bee gouerned by him, but euen vtterly shaketh him of, for whom he ought to spend himselfe euen too the death? Also when the fathers on their syde vse nothing but bitternesse toowardes their children, or gouerne them in such wyse, as they do but prouoke them to impacience: When the husbandes deale so roughly with their wyues, as it may vtterlye discorage them, and cast them intoo sorrowe, so as they shall let themselues looce, and fall disorderedly too all manner of leaudnesse: When the women lykewyse bee stiffenecked, and cannot bee brought to good order: I say, when these disorders are among vsus: let vsus assure our selues there needeth none other record too condemne vsus, than the care that eueryevery of vsus hath had of himselfe, in that wee hauehave bin myndfull of our owne welfare, and labored (earnestly) for it, and in the meane whyle broken the bond that our Lord had set among vsus, and eueryevery of vsus drawen alone by himself, and forgotten all duetie of louing kyndnesse, insomuch that wee would (if wee had could) hauehave made eueryevery of vsus a new world. Truly there is no man of that abilitie, that he can forbeare the helpe of his neyghbours: and yit are wee loth that our neyghbours should dwel with vsus, yea or that they should bee counted in the number of men: there is not that man which would not reigne alone lyke a Lord. But this vnkyndnesse and leaudnesse are sufficient too shewe that wee bee not woorthie too inioy the benefytes which God dealeth too vsus in this transitory lyfe. For sith wee bee too much wedded vntoo it, and mynd it more carefully than wee should do: wee bee so giltie, as there is not that man which may open his mouth too reply or too alledge any excuce for himselfe.
And Saint Paule hauing told vsus what wee ought too knowe, yea and too iudge of our owne nature, returneth agein too that which hee had touched afore, that is too wit, that such as professe themselues too bee members of the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ, ought to bee perswaded by his example, too liue quietly, freendly, and agreeingly with their wyues. No man (sayeth he) loueth him self, but he loueth his wyfe (also.) Uerely God hath ordeyned wedlocke, in such wyse, as the wyfe must bee as the bodie of hir husband. Therfore if a man louelove him self, his wyfe must bee matched with him, or else it shalbee a monstruous louelove. It is a thing that men ought most too abhorre, that the thing which is most holy in mans lyfe, should bee vtterly abaced. Seeing it is so, he that loueth him self, will louelove his wyfe. For wee bee of his flesh, wee bee of his bones. Heere he toucheth a thing that hee spake not of before. For when he did set downe the example of our Lord Iesus Christ, it was in alledging that he spared not him self, but did shead his blud to wash vsus from our filthinesse and vncleannesse. We then were defyled & stayned before God, & our Lord Iesus Christ found the meanes too bring vsus in his fauour agein. And how? Euen by his owne bludshed. But heere hee alledgeth another reason, too confirme the matter yit better: which is, that wee bee bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh. In so saying, he dooth vsus too vnderstand, that when men doo theyr duetie, it is too theyr owne benefyte. For therby they may taste the inestimable and infinite grace of God, in that eueryevery man accordyng too his degree, dooth in his mariage represent the vnion that is betweene them selues and our Lorde Iesus Christ.
The thing therfore which Saint Paule intendeth, is yit agayne to remoue the ha…dnesse of our hartes, by shewing vsus that wee cannot inioy the grace that is purchaced vsus by our Lord Iesus Christ, vnlesse wee lyue in freendshyp togither, accordyng to the image therof which wee hauehave in the louelove that he bare vsus in his death and passion, whiche surmo…nteth all the louelove that wee can hauehave (one too another.)
Howbeeit, before wee goe any further, let vsus see why and in what sense Saint Paule saith, that wee bee of the bones of our Lord Iesus Christ, and of his flesh, and members of his body. For he is descended of Adams linage,Rom. 1. a. 3. and is called the seede of Dauid. And although he was conceyued after a woonderful maner in the wombe of the Uirgin, yit tooke he mans fleshe vponupon hym, and became very man. Howbeit he saith, that he is the sonne of Man, too shewe that he hath taken a nature that is common too vsus, wherein he hath made hym selfe familiar with vsus.Hebr. …. b. 14. And in deede (as saith the Apostle in the Epistle too the Hebrewes) he is not ashamed too call vsus brothers.
But now let vsus come too that which is sayd heere. It seemeth that Saint Paule would make Iesus Christ as it were the roote of mankynd, so as wee should descend of him: for he calleth vsus his ofspring. But wee hauehave too marke, that for asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ was shaped of the seede of Abraham, too performe the thyngs that were promised, yea and that he could not bee the Mediator betweene God and vsus, except he had byn of our nature: (for he could not hauehave amended our misdoinges wherthrough wee were bounde too endlesse damnation, vnlesse he had clothed hym selfe with our body, and had also a soule, too the end too present hym self in the person of al men: and so it behoued our Lord Iesus Christ too bee our flesh in our body:) wee may say that he is of our bones and of our flesh. And why? He is descended of Adams race, as I sayd afore. But howsoeuer the cace stand, he was conceyued maruelously by the holy Ghoste. Howbeeit there is another respect. For yit for all this he ceasseth not too bee the second Adam,1. Cor. 15. c. 21. 22. as Saint Paule termeth him, in making comparison betweene the grace wherethrough wee were set agein, and the deadly fall wherthrough wee were all forlorne. He sayeth, that the first Adam did by his transgression make vsus enemies too God, so as wee hauehave no accesse to him, but should be thrust back, if we preaced to him, and that iustly. For where sin reigneth, there must needes bee as it were vnrecoucylable diuision. God being the fountayne of all ryghtuousnesse, cannot match with our iniquities and corruptions. Then is there also a second Adam, which cōmeth to remedie al, that is to wit, our Lord Iesus Christ. And how is he the second Adam? For (as I told you afore) it is not ment that wee should bee so bold as too think too preace vntoo Iesus Christ, as though wee were linked too him of our owne nature: but that is done in the power of his holy spirit, & not in the substance of his body. Behold then, Iesus Christ is become very man, and hath takē vponupon him the selfsame humane nature that ours is: but yit is it not of nature that wee bee his flesh and his bones: (for wee bee not descended of him as touching our own substance) but it is of his diuine power. Then must wee come too this poynt, that wee bee bone of the bones of our Lord Iesus Christ, bycause wee bee restored in him, and hauehave in him as it were a new and second creation.
And Saint Paule (as wee shall see heerafter) hath an eye too the originall of Eue: for shee was taken out of Adams substance, and shaped of one of his ribbes. Now then, are wee restored by our Lord Iesus Christ? If wee consider our first birth wherby wee bee brought intoo this world too bee mortall men: wee cannot say, such is our flesh, vnlesse wee bee of the seede of them that were afore vsus: but whatsoeuer wee bee, in that seede wee bee accursed. It is trew that Adam was created after the image of God: but yit was that image defaced by sin, so as wee bee not worthie too bee counted among Gods woorkes. And the same horrible condemnation is pronounced wyth his owne mouth,Gene. 6. b. 6. where he sayeth, that it repenteth him that hee had made man, as though he disclaymed vsus all, bycause wee doo but infect the earth, and are not so woorthy too bee mustered in the aray of hys creatures, as are the woormes, lyce, fleas, dogflyes, and all other vermin of the world. That then is the benefyte which wee hauehave by Adam: and as oft as it is sayd, that wee be of his seede and of his fleshe, it serueth too shew vsus, that there is nothing in vsus but a gulf of cursednesse. Now hereuppon, if wee come too our Lord Iesus Christ, wee bee restored agein,…. Cor. 5. …. 17. and (as the Scripture speaketh of it,) wee bee made new creatures in him. Yee see then, that it is by power of the spirit, and not by order of nature, nor by any common fashyon, that wee bee of the bone and of the fleshe of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the cause why wee bee members of his body, is that God his father hath ordeyned and stablished him as our head. Howbeeit (as I sayd afore) that is doone by a secret power, which wee comprehend not but by fayth. Then do both these things agree very well: namely, that Iesus Christ is of our bone and of our fleshe, in respect that he hath taken our humane nature vponupon him, and clothed himself with it, without the which wee should hauehave no alyance with him. For if wee cannot atteyne too the Angels: how shall wee atteyne too him that is the souerein head of them? But wheras he is come in such wyze vntoo vsus, that he hath voutsafed to bee knit in the bond of brotherhood with vsus: that is doone specially when he woorketh so by the power of his holy spirit, that he is our head, and wee are gathered toogither in him, and hauehave a heauenly state, and wheras afore wee had nothing but of the earh, and consequently had nothing in vsus but corruption, now wee bee lifted vp on hygh, and are made the children of God by the grace that is spoken of heere, wheras erst wee were heires of his wrath, which wee hold from our father Adam when wee followe his nature, bycause wee are all lost and peruerted in him. Thus yee see in effect how the twoo things are too bee agreed, wherin there seemed too bee some diuersitie. And in deede if wee hauehave not that, what would become of vsus? How miserable would our state bee? I hauehave shewed alredye, that if any man looke well what is in himselfe: he shall fynd nothing there but matter too separate him from God. Now then, vntyll wee bee of the substance of our Lord Iesus Christ, God must needes hate vsus and abhorre vsus, and not knowe vsus too bee of the number and company of his creatures.
Now remayneth too see how it commeth to passe that wee bee of the bones of Iesus Christ, and of his flesh. For he is in heauen, and wee are heere beneath on earth. Agein, when wee bee begotten, eueryevery of vsus is begotten after the order of nature, he hath his father and his mother too come of, and they bee of the same race that he is. How then are wee of the bones of Iesus Christ? It is not in respect of substance: for if wee looke vppon our owne flesh, nother the skin, nor the bones, nor the gristles that wee hauehave, doo come of the body of our Lord Iesus Christ: but it is in respect that the cursednesse which wee bring from our moothers womb, and is spred ouer all Adams linage, is taken away by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ, and that therwithall he hath so sheaded foorth the grace of his holy spirit vppon vsus, that wee bee inlyghtened by it. Therfore it is as a qualitie (as men terme it) & not a substance. EueryEvery mā shal descend of such linage, and God letteth the common order runne on styll which he appoynted at the beginning, namely that men beget one another from issew too issew: but in the meane whyle Iesus Christ renueth those whom God his father hath chozen, and such as are the members of his owne body, and riddeth them of the corruption which they had taken from Adam. And afterward he giueth them such a power, as eueryevery of them feeleth by fayth that he is vnderunder the head that is set ouer vsus, and that wee bee gathered all toogither in him, and his lyfe is giuen vntoo vsus, too the intent wee should no more liue too our selues,2. Cor. 5. …. 15. nor too the world, but rather … he should liue in vsus, as Saint Paule sayeth of him. Yee see then that Iesus Christ needeth not too come downe from heauen, too make vsus members of his body, nor too diminish his owne flesh too make vsus too growe out of him, and too bee shaped of him. For all is doone by the woonderfull power of his holy spirit. Wee drawe no… any thing from the flesh, nor from the body wherwith he once clothed himselfe: for that is in heauen, too the intent that wee should bee fashyoned lyke vntoo the glory that is now in him. But yit for all that he woorketh in such wyse, as wee hauehave all our strength continually of him. And lyke as trees drawe both their flowers, their leaues, and their fruites from their roote: and lyke as the body of man feeleth his strength too flowe downe from the head, so do wee feele the vertew and force of the coniunction that is betweene vsus and our Lord Iesus Christ, and yit he continueth still in his full state al the whyle. Nother doth that hinder vsus too inioy the inestimable benefite that S. Paule magnifyeth so much in this text. And therwithal let vsus beare this poynt in mynd, that it is much when wee bee (inwardly) stird vp to doo eueryevery man his duetie: for thereby wee tast the grace of God which concerneth the saluation of our soules.
The matter that is in hand heere, is that men should liue freendly and agreeingly with their wyues. And when a husband considereth the things that are spoken heere, he ought too bee prouoked, not only too discharge him selfe of the bond wherein he is bound too God and his wyfe: but also too thinke thus with him selfe: This is such a state that although it bee corruptible, and serue but for this transitorie lyfe, yit hath God set it afore vsus as a lyuely image wherein I see that Iesus Christ is my head, and that I belong too him, and that not onelyonly I am his, but also he is myne, so as his lyfe belongs too mee, and (too bee short) I am as if I were a member of his body. Seeing then that men in dooing their duetie towards their wyues, and wyues also in obeying their husbandes, may behold how they bee ioyned vntoo Christ, and that they doo the things that belong too the heritage of the kingdome of heauen: must it not needes bee that wee bee too vnthankfull, if wee consider not how our Lord Iesus Christ laboreth by all meanes too win vsus, and too make vsus walke vnderunder his yoke? And moreouer he not onelyonly allureth vsus by gentle and louing meanes, too the intent wee should take the better corage too serue him, and too doo the things that our calling and state requyre: but also draweth vsus too him, and euen in this world, & in the transitorie and earthly things, setteth vsus foorth the euerlasting saluation that is prepared for vsus in heauen, & which was bought so deerly for vsus by the blud of his only sonne, to the intent that in the end wee should bee parttakers of the effect and vertue that proceedeth therof.
And now let vsus fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God, with acknowledgment of our faultes, praying him too voutsafe, so too reforme our hartes vntoo goodnesse, as wee may seeke nothing but too serue him, and too yeeld our selues wholly too the obeying of his holy will, and that it may please him therwithall so too beare with vsus in our feeblenesse, as wee hauing receyued pitie and merciemercy at his hand, may in the end bee able too stand vp before his face. And so let vsus all say, Almyghty God heauenly father &c.