Sermons on Ephesians, Sermons · Sermon 42
The .xlii. Sermon, which is the tenth vppon the fifth Chapter.
31 For this cause shall a man leaue father and moother, and bee ioyned too his vvyfe, and they shalbee twoo in one flesh.
32 This is a great secret. Yea, say I, in Christ and in the Church.
33 Therefore, doo yee so, as eueryevery man may louelove his wyfe as himselfe, and let the wyfe feare hir husband.
GOd dooth so dispoze his woorkes, as wee hauehave occasion too behold a woonderfull wisedome in all his dooings, and too receyue such instruction by them, as may be too our benefyte: as (for example) in that which Saint Paule alledgeth here, namely that the woman was drawen and taken out of the substance of the man. For God could well hauehave created Eue after the same manner that he created Adam. But he …, and commaundeth woman too bee sha…ed therof. And whertoo tendeth this, but that there should bee such an vnion betweene man and wyfe, as he myght thinke, this is my flesh, this is my bone: and shee, whence hath God giuen mee lyfe? whence hath he shaped mee? Euen of a rib that he tooke out of man. Wee see then that God did not without cause vse such diuersitie in creating man and woman. It was too the end it should bee continually mynded in wedlocke, so as the husband myght knowe that he breaketh the whole order of nature, if he bee not vnited in good agreement too his wyfe: and the wyfe lykewyse, if shee submit not h…selfe quietly too hir husband, acknowledging him too bee hir head. But Saint Paul applyeth this further, to the vnion which is betweene our Lord Iesus Christ and his Church. For (as was declared vppon Sunday) wedlocke is as a figure of the knitting toogither which is betweene vsus and the sonne of God. And therefore he cryeth out, saying, It is a hygh misterie, that is too say, a secret which wee ought too take very good heed of, Yea (sayeth he) in Iesus Christ and in his Church. There are then twoo things too bee noted here.
The one is, that wee see how God euen from the beginning, hath knit man and wyfe togither in vnseparable bond. The other is, that he intendeth too leade vsus yit hygher: that is too say, that forasmuch as there is nothing in our selues but all maner of wretchednesse, wee should bee knit too the sonne of God, who is the fountayne of all goodnesse, and from thence drawe our spirituall lyfe, and hauehave all our strength and power of him.Gene. 2. d. 24. And forasmuch as S. Paule hauing alledged the sayd text out of Moyses, addeth, that this misterie is great, in that the sonne of God hath made vsus bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh: some hauehave imagined it too bee as a prophesie of that which hath bin sayd. But there is no reason nor colour of reason, why they should think so, and it is euident that the text should bee mard, if it bee not taken simply as it lyeth: that is too wit, that God intended too warne man and wyfe what their dewtie and charge is. Let that then serue for one poynt.
The Papistes hauehave foully ouersho… themselues in this cace, and bewrayed such ignorance, as little children myght well spit in their faces for it. Bycause the woord Sacrament was an ordinarie woord (in old tyme) too betoken Secrets, misteries, and all maner of hygh things that are woorthie too bee had in admiration of vsus: therfore the sayd woord Sacrament was … in heere (…) It is a greate Sacrament, sayeth Saint Paule, that is to saye, a great misterie or secret.1. Tim. 3. d. 16. And heerof there is no doubt, no more than when he sayeth, it is a great Sacrament, that God was manifested in the flesh: It is a greate Sacrament that the Gospell was published through the whole world,Rom. 16. d. 25. and that the wretched Gentyles and vnbeeleuers were matched with the ofspring of Abraham.Ephe. 3. a. 3. b. 9. So in this text, the infinite goodnesse of our God is a (Sacrament,Colost. 1. d. 26. that is too say, a) hygh thing, and well worthie to bee looked at of vsus. Hereuppon some folks hauehave bin so verie beasts as too saye, Then is Wedlocke or Matrimony a Sacrament, as well as Baptim, or as the Lords supper. And bycause they vnderstood not the word: to their seeming there was somwhat to be found here, like as in Baptim, the water betokeneth that we bee washed by the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ: and in the Supper, the bread and wyne are warrants and pledges of his body and of his blud. They were of opinion, that as much is doone in mariage. Now when wee see that such doltishnesse hath crept in through the whole world, and that these greate doctours had neede too bee set agein too their Apcies, for so much as they knew not euen the things that they ought too hauehave iudged by their naturall reason: therin we see that ther… lyeth a greate vengeance of God vppon such as hauehave corrupted the trew religion, and made minglemangles in the woord of God, after their owne fancyes. And therwithall wee hauehave too thank our God so much the more, for that he hath drawen vsus out of such dungeons. And seeing there was so horrible confuzion in such as are reported themselues to be the Lampes and pillers of the Church, & were taken so to bee: sith wee see that God did dull them so vtterly: wee ought not too be afrayd too separate our selues from their company and si…agogue. And seeing he hath graunted vsus the grace too bee no more mingled with them: let vsus keepe on our course, and walk foorth soberly. For there wee hauehave a warning too hold our selues in awe, that wee being Gods trew schollers, wee may distrust our selues, and not go seeke fyue feete in one sheepe (as they say), but handle the holy scriptures with such reuerence, as God may guyde vsus too the trew vnderstanding of it by his holy spirit.
But now let vsus come too Saint Paules intent. It is certeine that he alledgeth the record of Moyses,Gene. 2. d. 23. too shewe that the … beare with his wyfe, as with a portion of his owne bo…ie, and the one half of his owne person: … them. The cause then why Eue was shaped of one of Adams ribbes, is, that God ment to stablish such a concord betweene man and wyfe by that meane, as there should bee no bond in the world so streyt as that. For the chyld ought in deede too honour his father: for he is his seede, and he is his blud: but yit is the bond of wedlocke preferred before it. And by whom? It commeth not of mens lyking: but according as Adam had spoken, and as God had pronounced the sentence, so is it an inuiolable order, that man should bee knit vntoo his wyfe, yea and that in such wyse, that if he should needs forsake the one or the other, his father should not bee so neere him as his wyfe.
Yit is not this as much too say, as that God ment too breake that yoke, and too giuegive children leaue too bee stubborne ageinst their fathers and moothers, when they bee once maryed. God chaungeth not any whit of the things that he hath ordeyned. Therfore he that hath a father or moother alyue, ought too bee still subiect too them, without ceassing of from dooing his dewtie, according as the scripture sheweth, and as nature also teacheth eueryevery man too doo. For wee hauehave it ingrauen in vsus, and wee cannot wype it out. Thus yee see that maryed folks ceasse not too bee alwayes subiect too their fathers and moothers. But heere the cace standeth vppon the comparing of the one with the other: as if he should say, If a yong man should forsake his father, & hauehave him in any contempt or dis…eine, or be stubborne ageinst him, or yeeld him no reuerence: would not the world say, hee were a monster? Now if God hauehave commaunded in his lawe, that stubborne and disobedient children should bee stoned,Deut. 21. d. 21. and that men should roote such villanie out of the world: what a thing is it, when a man shall forsake his wyfe, or the wyfe hir husband? Surely it is an outrageous cryme. Then if it be intollerable that the chyld should ryze vp ageinst his father: (No doubt but) the bond of wedlocke is yi… much holyer, and more expresly commended too vsus of God. Seeing it is so: it standeth eueryevery man on hand, too looke that he discharge his dewtie. For if a woman hauehave a froward head of hir owne, so as shee must bee brawling eueryevery minute of an houre, and wil not be subiect to hir husband: also if the husband be churlish & cruell, so as he disdeyneth his wyfe: it is not a doing of wrong to a humane creature, but to God, who is the author of mariage, & hath ordeined it with such condition, as we heare of here. And so ye see what we hauehave to remember vpō the first part of this text.
But this extendeth yit further: that is too wit, that eueryevery man should louelove those that are alyed too him by meanes of God. As for example, a man hauing no more but his wyfe, is bound notwithstanding too acknowledge that God hath vnited vsus all toogither. And when he created Eue the moother of all men out of Adams syde: it was too the end that the same should extend euerywhere, and that wee should knowe that he will hauehave vsus to liue in such concord, as none of vsus should for all that separate our selues from other. No man then ought too bee so cruell as too say, Tush, shee is not my wyfe. But wee must consider, that forasmuch as it is our Lords will that there should bee a generall concord among all men, and that eueryevery man should think him self bound too his neyghbours: it is as though mankynd were compounded of twoo sortes, so as there were both malekynd and femalekynd. Then are wee all bound one too another. Trew it is that matrimony (as I sayd) is reserued by it self: but yit for all that, men are bound towards women, too succour them, seeing that our Lord hath shewed it by deede euen in the first creation. And women also must behaue themselues soberly among men, although they bee not their husbands.
Also there is further, that they shalbee twoo in one flesh. Heerby our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth vsus, that the man which is maryed ought too hold him self contented with his owne wyfe, and the woman lykewyse rest wholly vppon hir husband, so as they let not their lusts raundge abrode, nor giuegive themselues the brydle to chaunge any thing in the order which our Lord hath set, and will hauehave too stand in force to the worlds end. Men hauehave so passed their bounds in all ages, that they hauehave forgotten both kynd and all kyndnesse. And they hauehave not onelyonly despyzed God and his woorde, but also forgotten with what condition they were created, in the worlde: and they knewe not euen that which naturall reason could hauehave shewed them. And they had not come too that poynt, if they had not bin doted in their lusts lyke woode beasts. And surely there is no such rage as the reigning of inordinate lusts in our flesh, when they bee not repressed by the feare of God. Thereof it came that in many countries it was lawfull for men too hauehave three or foure wyues a peece, as it is permitted still at this day among the Turks. The Iewes also, notwithstanding that they had the Lawe of Moyses, did put away their wyues for eueryevery small occasio… that came in their heades. If a woman were not fayre ynough, or if shee were not rich ynough, by and by shee was diuorced. Trew it is that our Lord had prouyded for it, howbeeit but halfe.Math. 19. a. …. And in deede our Lord Iesus Christ declareth, that God had a regard of the hard hartednesse of that people, which was past amendment or taming. Therefore when any of them listed too put away his wyfe, he was bound too giuegive hir a Testimoniall, that shee was no harlot, but that shee lyked him not: and he choze rather too susteyn that shame, than to keepe the fayth of mariage. For in putting away his wyfe after he had plyghted hir his fayth too liue and dye with hir, he shewed himselfe forsworne and vnfaythfull. Therefore it was a reproch too them too put away theyr wyues after that sort. But yit for all that, diuorces were common. And our Lord Iesus sayth, that in so dooyng the Iewes were backestyders from the lawe of God, and therfore he telleth them, it was not so from the beginning. They tooke that libertie on that it was sayd, that he which found not himselfe well at ease with his wyfe, should giuegive hir leaue too depart. But our Lord Iesus telleth them, It is trew that God graunted it too your fathers: howbeeit that was bycause he was fayne too deale with them as with wyld beastes. So then, he graunted them more than was lawfull: but yit knowe yee, that although he punished them not with rigour, yit is it not ment that you should therefore take occasion at it too doo yit woorse. Therefore hauehave yee an eye alwayes too the beginning, when God created Adam, and shaped Eue out of his syde: he sayde (at that tyme) that twoo should bee one fleshe. He then that taketh twoo wyues, is woorthy too bee cut asunder, and he that takes three, is woorthy too bee cut in three peeces: for it is all one as if he would defye God and nature, seeyng God hath printed a marke in the person of man and wyfe, too the intent that wedlocke should bee kept as it ought too bee. Wherfore if a man disanull the ordinance of God, deserueth he not to bee wyped out quyte and cleane? The thing then which we hauehave yit still to beare in mynd, is, that a man must brydle all his senses, and not cast his eyes wandering heere and there, least his mynd bee caryed away when he sees a wooman that seemes fayrer too him than his owne. And let the wyfe also not looke vppon any man but hir husband, otherwyse than with simplicitie. And let them alwayes thinke, wee bee but twoo, yea and yit one fleshe: I can not bee a whole person, except I bee with my husband. And let the husband also on his syde thinke, I am but halfe a creature, when I am asunder from my wyfe, seeyng that God … yee see what wee hauehave too remember vppon this saying, that … shall bee one fleshe.
Now theruppon Saint Paule concludeth, Therefore let the husband louelove his vvyfe, and let the wyfe honour or feare hir husband. For the woord that he vseth, signifyeth too feare: but it is taken heere for the reuerence and subiection which the wyfe oweth to hir husband. And heere wee hauehave too marke the difference that is put betweene the dewtie of the husband, and the dewtie of the wyfe. God commaundeth not the husband too feare his wyfe, but he commaunde… him to… louelove hir. There is yit more in the woman: that is wit, that shee must bee subiect. If a man demaund, How then? Dooth the husband owe none honour too his wyfe? It is not possible to louelove ryghtly and with a pure hart, where there is no reuerence: for a man will n… uer louelove him whom he despyzeth. The world dooth in deede call it louelove, but (too speake properly) if I louelove a wanton person or a iester, bycause he makes mee some sport or pleaseth mee, that is no trew louelove: but there must bee a linking togither, and an agreement in good manners, so as a man hauehave alwayes good estimation and opinion of him whom he loueth. In lyke cace is it betweene a man and his wife. For when I thinke with my selfe, Shee is a portion of my selfe, shee is the one halfe of my person: is it possible that I should despyze hir? The man then must honour his wyfe, howbeeit not by subiection that hee shoulde not alwayes abyde in his state as heade, and hauehave the gouerning of his wyfe. That is the cause why Saint Paule requyreth nothing at the husbandes hande, but that he should louelove his wyfe. In another text too the Colossians he addeth,Colo…. …. d. 19. that they should not be bitter too them. For if there bee louelove, surely he that loueth, wil beare with many faults and infirmities of his freend. And if wee doo it one too another: much more ought the husband too doo it towards hir whom he knoweth too bee giuen him of God, that he should louelove hir as his owne bodie:1. Pet. …. b. 7. And therefore Saint Peter sayeth expresly, that men must hauehave discretion and wisdome too helpe their wyues infirmities, by bearing with their frayltie. If a man take a toy in his head, that his wyfe is vnconstant and lyght: or too bee short, if he despyze hir vnderunder pretence that shee is not a man: it is an ill regarding of hir. For though shee bee frayle, he must consider that there is the lyke in himselfe, and thereuppon beare with hir, as he would bee borne withall himselfe. Thus yee see how this is too bee defyned that Saint Paule speakes of here. He meaneth not that a man should bee doted in fond louelove, as it falleth out oftentymes. And the last Sunday I alledged the examples of such as pretend too bee very hot in mayntenance of their wyues quarelles (abrode,) and yit are diuelles to them at home. So then, the louelove that Saint Paule speaketh of, is a right and good affection which the man beareth too his wyfe, bycause hee knoweth that God hath knit them togither, as though he had put them togither with his owne hand, and sayd, lyue you two togither in peace and concord.
Agein, as touching the wyues, bycause they bee loth too beare the yoke that God hath layed vppon theyr shoulders: therefore in the other text Saint Paule did put them in mynd, that God is the author of wedlocke, and that it is he which hath set downe this condition, that the wyfe should bee subiect too hir husband, and suffer hirselfe too bee ruled by him as by hir head, and beare him reuerence. For a woman will alwayes find matter ynough in hir husband too despyze him. If he hauehave any goodnesse, shee will go about too deface it, that shee may hauehave occasion too say, why should this man hauehave preheminence ouer mee? For he is no more able too rule than I. And wee knowe what ouerweening there is in men and women. For eueryevery one thinkes himselfe more able than his fellowe. The wyues therfore would feyne gouerne and hauehave the maystrie. For that cause dooth Saint Paule tell them, that they must abyde in the state that God hath put them in, (that is too wit, in subiection,) and that they must not stand scannyng what is in their husbandes, too examin whether they bee woorthy too hauehave authoritie and superioritie or no: but that they must consider what God hath ordeyned, and obey the same without geynsaying or replying. They must not inquyre, why is this, and why is that? too the intent too fynd some excuce too exempt themselues from the obeying of God and of his commaundementes. Therfore wee must giuegive eare to him, and eueryevery of vsus must without geynsaying receyue the things that he commaundeth vsus. Thus yee see how the things are too bee vnderstoode, which are spoken here concerning the feare & subiection that wyues owe too their husbands. This doctrine is cleere and familiar ynough of it self: but yit for all that, how is it practyzed in the worlde? Folke would fayne alledge excuce of ignorance, too shift off the performance of their dewtie, by saying, this is to hygh & to hard to be vnderstoode, when as it is sayd, that men ought to louelove their wyues▪ needeth there any gloze too expound what the holy Ghost ment? No: the thing is euident ynough of it selfe, and eueryevery man knowes in himself that he vnderstandes it well ynough. But if yee looke vppon the louelove that men beare too their wyues, scarsely shall yee fynd one among a hundred, which could not fynd in his hart too giuegive it ouer, and which hath not some wandering fancies in his head. The women also are so lyght mynded, that they could fynd in their hartes too bee vnmaryed twentie tymes in a yeere. And wherof commeth that? Euen of that they hauehave not an eye vntoo God, who is the author of Mariage? Truely though wee had no scripture at all (as I sayd:) yit would the brutishest man in the world reuerence mariage. And why is that, but …ycause it was our Lordes will too leaue that record ingrauen in mens hartes? His meaning then is too shewe, that sith the most ignorant and grossest sort vnderstand that man and wyfe should ioyne in good louelove eueryevery one in their degree: men must bend that way. But now, wee hauehave teaching, and wee hauehave exhortations added too spurre vsus the further foreward, too the intent wee should not …latter our selues in our vyces: and yit what are wee the better? It is too bee seene dayly, that men storme at their wyues, and wyues checke at their husbandes: it is an ordinarie matter in eueryevery house, and euer among there flye and flyng out cursings and bannings: too be short, there is nothing but frowardnesse and dis…eyne. Now where these things are, it is vnpossible that the man and wyfe should hauehave any accesse too come vntoo God. For after what manner ought our repayring vntoo God bee, that wee myght receyue mercy, and be vnderunder his protection, and he hauehave a care of vsus? It is by prayer.
Now Saint Peter sayeth expresly,1. Pet. …. b. 7. that when a man is ouersharp and rigorous too his wyfe, and the wyfe also on hir syde is stubborne, so as he is not able too weeld hir by any meanes, nor shee willing too submit hir self as shee ought too doo: then are their prayers broken of. As if he should say, wretched folk wheron think yee? Are yee not verie miserable, seing the gate is shet ageinst you that yee cannot call vppon God? Now then what will become of vsus, when wee cannot betake our selues intoo the hand of our God? It were better for vsus too bee drowned a hundred thousand tymes. Seeing then that God loueth the quietnesse bothe of the men and of the women, in commaunding vsus too liue in peace and concorde, and moreouer …iddeth them come vntoo him, saying: when the husband gouerneth his wyfe quietly, and the wyfe on hir syde dooth hir dewtie too: then if yee call vppon mee, I will heare you as it were out of … mouth: seeing (say I) that our Lord calleth vsus to him for our owne benefyte and welfare, when he commaundeth vsus too call vppon him with a pure hart: must it not needs be that we are possessed of the diuell, and hauehave forgone al our wits, if wee accept not so good and profitable a conditon? Therfore let vsus mark wel, that if the husband intend too discharge his dewtie, and the wyfe lykewyse: bothe of them must hauehave an eye vntoo God, and hold their mariage of him, assuring themselues that they met not at al aduenture, but that the Lord cuppled them toogither, too the end that the husband should bee as a companion too his wyfe, and receyue hir as a part of him self: and the wyfe yeeld the degree of honour…too hir husband, as belongeth too him in respect of God, and submit hir self too him as too hir head. Thus the best may too herken vntounto God, and too obey him in this cace, is too take him for the authour of wedlocke, too bee ruled by him in all things. And let not the husband trubble him self too much in looking vppon the faults of his wyfe, too say, what shall I doo with this caryon? For wee knowe that reproches are lothsome and heynous. Also let not the wyfe looke at the things that are in hir husband, to say, he is a very diuel, and cannot bee wonne by any meanes: but let hir hold hir to the condition that shee is bound vntoo, and let hir not ask why, nor wherfore God hath put hir so in subiection, nother let hir make hir self glorious in setting vp hir bri…es ageinst God, for putting hir so in subiection too hir husb…nd.
But now let vsus come too the second poynt, and speake yit more of the hygh misterie, which Saint Paule magnifyeth so much heere. It is (sayeth he) a great misterie, yea betweene Christ and his Church. By these woords it is easie too discerne, that Saint Paule ment not too call mariage or wedlocke a Sacrament: for he expoundeth him … afterward. And (as I told you) the only thing that is treated heere, is the expressing of Gods inestimable goodnesse, insomuch that in sted of executing the office of a teacher, too shewe and declare how wee bee knit too our Lord Iesus Christ, Saint Paule him self … is astonished, and as a man rauished intoo woonderment, confe…sing that the wan…eth fit and sufficient wordes to expresse wel Gods grace, in vou…saf…ng too knit and vnite vsus too his only sonne. I hauehave told you … alredy, how wee …ee … of our Lord Iesus Christs …, and how wee bee his flesh. It is not that wee bee taken out of his bodie, for wee come of the linage of Adam: but bycause wee liue of his owne substance,Iohn. 6. f. 55. according too this saying, that his flesh is our meate, and his blud our drink, wherby he meaneth that wee liue in him, howbeit spiritually. In deede wee hauehave a common lyfe both too talke and too walk with all men, which proceedeth not of the speciall grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. But yit the mouing which wee hauehave common with the brute beasts proceedeth also of him, according as it is sayd, that he was the lyfe of all things.Iohn. 1. b. 12. Yea and Saint Iohn passeth yit further, saying, that the woord, (that is to say, our Lord Iesus Christ,) was too quicken men, in that God hath giuen them this speciall priuiledge of hauing some vnderstanding and discretion. But when the spirituall lyfe which wee hauehave with the sonne of God is spoken of: that is a thing aboue nature. For although wee hauehave not any woorthinesse or excellencie when wee come out of our moothers womb: yit remayneth there alwayes some print and image of God. And yit for all that wee bee so cursed in our owne nature, and so miserable, that wee bee called euen deceassed and dead. And that is the cause why our Lord Iesus Christ sayeth,Iohn. 5. …. 25. that the houre is come, that the dead which are as rotten carkesses in the graue, shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God. And Saint Paul hath sayd in the second Chapter, that when wee bee reformed by our Lord Iesus Christ, then wee lyue, whereas erst wee were dead in our sinnes and trangressions, bycause wee receyue that from our father Adam as it were by inheritance. The maner therfore that wee bee of Iesus Christes flesh, and bone of his bone, is that wee bee graffed intoo his body, accordingly as Saint Paul also vseth the same similitude of graffyng.Rom. 6. a. 6. Lyke as a sine that is set intoo a stocke, taketh his sustenance from the same: so must wee by being graffed intoo our Lord Iesus Christ. Trew it is, that we doo not yit bring foorth good fruite of our selues: for his purpose heere is but too shewe that as a braunche withereth which is broken of from the roote and so let alone, but receyueth sap and nurrishment frō the roote, if it bee graffed intoo another: euen so is it with vsus, that is too wit, that if wee continew such as wee bee by kynde, then are wee in death, bycause wee bee separated from our Lord Iesus Christ? but if wee bee incorporated intoo him, and it please him too communicate himselfe vntounto vsus, then doo we feele in very deede, that bread doth not more nurrishe vsus whē wee eate it, nor wyne strengthen vsus better when we drink it, than wee verily receyue lyfe and strength by the body and blud of our Lord Iesus Christ.
Now then, that this is a hygh misterie, eueryevery man is able to iudge of himselfe. When wee hauehave debated neuer so much, and scanned the matter in our hartes, is there any of vsus that can comprehend how wee bee knit too our Lord Iesus Christ, and how wee bee made all one with him, so as wee can assure and warrant our selues, that wee shall by that meane bee parttakers of Gods glorie, and that euen at this day wee liue in our Lord Iesus Christ: According too this saying of his,Iohn. 14. c. 19. bee of good cheere, for as I liue, so shall you also. Can this (say I) enter intoo so small a roome as our sensuall reason is? No surely. And that is the cause why a number of men cannot admit this poynt, that wee bee the flesh of Iesus Christ, and bone of his bones, but content themselues with their owne imaginations, which is an abacing of Gods grace, which Saint Paule was not able too expresse, but rather shewed vsus that it ought too rauish our wittes too woonder at it. Many then may happen too hauehave a rouing, and as it were a heathenish imagination, that we bee knit vntounto our Lord Iesus Christ, that is too say, that wee bee saued by his grace. But the Scripture goeth further: and though there were no more but this saying, That it is a great misterie: yit let vsus beware of limiting it after our owne fancie, for it were al one as if wee would make Saint Paule a lyer. All such as despyze this spirituall coniunction which wee hauehave with our Lord Iesus Christ, would shewe that there is no such secret nor wonderfull power of God, nor aught else, as wee heare spoken of heere. And the holy Ghost vseth such speeche, too humble vsus, and afterward …oo exalt vsus agein. Therefore wee must on the one syde confesse that all the wisedome and wit which wee hauehave, dooth fayle vsus in that behalfe: and afterward ryze vp agein, for that we heare our Lord Iesus Christ call vsus too him, and tell vsus that wee bee so knit vntoo him, that he hath not any thing of his owne, which he maketh not common too vsus, and wherof he will not hauehave vsus too bee parttakers. Therfore if wee hauehave any contrarye motions in our selues, and it come intoo our heades too say, how is it possible that our Lord Iesus Christ who is in heauen, should nurrish vsus with his owne substance, so as his body should bee our meate, and his blud our drinke? I say, if wee fall intoo such fancies: we must repulse them all with that which is sayd here, namely that it is a great Secret, and wee must rebuke our owne folly and rashnesse, in intending too measure the thing that is infinite. Our Lord sheweth vsus, that when he hath knit vsus too his only sonne, he hath doone so high and profound a woorke, as surmounteth all our capacitie. Seeing it is so, let vsus alwayes conclude, that although wee fynde it a straunge matter: yit must wee rest vppon the thing which is spoken by God himselfe, specially when he sayth, that he will woorke after so hygh a fashyon, that wee shalbee vtterly rauished at it.
Wherefore let vsus learne generally vppon this text, that all the benefytes which wee receyue by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ, thereby too atteine too the heauenly lyfe, are and doo proceede of the fayd fountaine of Gods incomprehensible wisedome, so as it is not for vsus too bee so foolish and presump…uous as too say, I will knowe what it is, and agein, I will see what pleaseth mee. Let vsus restreyne our selues from such presumption, for it will make vsus vnwoorthy of the misterie of fayth, bycause it is a saying that importeth a great secret. The end (say I) whereat wee must begin, if we mynd too fare the better by Iesus Christ, and too bee parttakers of all his grace: is too vnderstand, that Gods woorking in our saluation is a great misterie or secret, according too the text that I alledged heertoofore out of the Epistle too Timothie. It is a great misterie (sayth Saint Paule) that God was manifested in the flesh.1. Tim. …. d. 16. For what a great distance is there betweene God and man? Wee be but wormes and rottennesse, and Gods maiestie is so hygh, as no man can say what it is, nor conceyue the hundredth part of it in thought, but wee must be fayne too bee rauished too woonder at it. Seeyng then that God hath so linked himselfe vntoo vsus, that he is the trew Emanuell (as he is named in Esay,Esay. 7. c. 14.) and that the things which seeme to be so farre asunder, are knit togither in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ: Let vsus conclude theruppon, that there is nothing but mysteries and secretes in all the grace which wee receyue of our God, and specially in our incorporating or graffing intoo our Lord Iesus Christ, who hauing taken our nature vppon him, and clothed himselfe with our fleshe, will hauehave vsus too bee graffed into him as into our roote, too bee quickened by his spirit, and too bee parttakers of his lyfe, so as he hath nothing peculiar too himself alone, but will hauehave all to be common vntounto vsus. Will wee then receyue our Lord Iesus Christ with all the benefytes which he bringeth vsus, and will wee by his meanes ouercome all the temptations that can crosse vsus? Wee must tast throughly of the thinges that the holy Scripture telleth vsus and setteth afore vsus, and giuegive such reuerend credit vntounto thē, by acknowledging that God woorketh in vsus by our Lord Iesus Christ, as the same may content vsus, and make vsus too forsake all our owne naturall vnderstanding.
Now let vsus fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God, with acknowledgment of our sinnes, praying him too voutsafe too pardon vsus in such wyse, as wee may bee rid of them, and he so gouerne vsus by his holy spirit, as we may indeuer to liue according to his holy wil, and reforme our whole lyfe according to his holy commaundementes, and he beare with all our infirmites, vntyll hee hauehave wholly reformed vsus, too bring vsus too the perfection whertoo wee labour as now too atteyne. And so let vsus all say, Almyghtie God &c.