Sermons on Ephesians, Sermons · Sermon 10
The tenth Sermon, which is the second vppon the second Chapter.
3. VVee also vvalked vvith the disobedient, dooyng the pleasures of the fleshe and of the thoughtes, and vvere by nature the children of vvrath as others are.
4. But God vvho is rich in mercy, through his great louelove vvherby he loued vsus,
5. Euen at the tyme vvhen vvee vvere dead by sinne, quickened vsus toogither vvith Christ, by vvhose grace you bee saued,
6. And rayzed vsus vvith him, and made vsus sit vvith him in heauenly places in Iesus Christ.
I Began this morning too shewe you how S. Paule ment too stretch out Gods goodnesse vntoo all men, too the intent that none should hauehave cause too boast of himselfe, as though he had any woorthinesse alone by himself. And truly if euer there were any nation in the world aduaunced aboue others,Exod. 6. a. 6. it was the Iewes: forsomuchas God had accepted them for his owne houshold,Exod. 19. a. 5. and called them a holie linage and his owne inheritaunce. In that respect therfore the Iewes seemed well woorthie too hauehave preheminence aboue others.1. Pet. …. b. 9. Howbeit too the end that none should darken the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, he sayeth, that euer they also were the children of wrath, so as it stoode thē on hand …o lie drawen out of the dungeon of confuzion, wherof I spake this morning. Too bee short, S. Paule sheweth heere, that euen those whom men woold deeme too bee the excellentest, can bring nothing wherof too brag, or too purchace themselues estimation before God, but are all receyued too grace too bee made heires of the heauenly lyfe, by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ.
Now heere myght a question be demaunded, why S. Paule setteth the heathen men on euen ground with the Iewes, seing that God had set such oddes betwixt them. For it myght seeme that all the promises were disanulled: and that were a dooing of wrong vntoo God, rather than vntoo men. If wee graunt (as of necessitie and reason wee needs must) that Gods choozing of Abrahams ofspring, was not in vayne, and that his telling of them, that he accepted them too bee of his houshold & Church, was not too deceyue them: they must needes be neerer & more familiar vntoo God, and they must needes hauehave some marke wherby too bee gathered vntoo him. It seemeth then that S. Paule should not hauehave abaced the Iewes after that sort. But in another place he sheweth, that all this geere agrees full well, if wee consider the Iewes (on the one syde) in the state of (Gods) chozen and peculiar people: and (on the other syde) what they bee (of themselues) and what they hauehave deserued before God. For in the Epistle too the Romans,Rom. …. a. …. after that S. Paule hath giuen sentence vppon the whole world, shewing that there is not any one which is not damned and forlorne: he moueth this question: Seing then that God gathered Abrahams linage, and dedicated it wholly too himself, what shall become of them? Shall there bee no holinesse in them? For it seeemeth else that God had but dalyed, and that his saying in the holie scriptures, that he had not delt so with any other nation, was nothing woorth. But S. Paule sayeth,De…t. 4. …4. that of a truth men ought too commend the grace that God voutsafed too shewe foorth vppon his people: and so consequently that they are too bee preferred before all the whole world, so farre foorth as they be indewed with the benefytes which they had by Gods promises. Hewbeit he addeth foorthwith, that in asmuch as they bee descended of Adams race, and are sinners, as well as all other men, and there is nothing in our whole nature, but corruption and frowardnesse: all men must bee fayne too stoope, and all of vsus must needes acknowledg, that one of vsus cannot bee sholed out f…om another, according as wee hauehave seene hee…toofore in the second chapter too the Galathians,… where S. Paule told S. Peter thus: Yea, wee bee Iewes by nature, and it seemeth that wee ought too go alone by our selues, seing that God is our King, and hath sanctifyed vsus, and voutsafeth too dwel among vsus. Well then, it seemeth at the first blush, that wee should shake of the Gentyles, as vncleane persons, and such as hauehave none acquaintance with God. But let vsus come too account (sayeth he) a… there is none of vsus all but he is indaungered vntoo God, & must needes perceyue himselfe too bee a wretched sinner. Sith it is so, God must bee the iudge of all men, and we must needes sinke before his maiestie, till wee bee reconcyled vntoo him by our Lord Iesus Christ. Too bee short, S. Paules meaning in this text, is not too deface Gods grace, but too shewe that the Iewes had not any other meane in themselues whereby too obteyne the saluation and heritage of heauen, than onelyonly by beyng members of our Lord Iesus Christ, and that they must alwayes bee fayne too take themselues first for cursed and damned. For the woorthinesse which they hauehave is but as a wyndfall, & they be borne in sinne, and subiect too cursednesse, no lesse than all other men, and Gods accepting and choozing of them too himself, was a speciall and (as they saye) a supernaturall gift. Yee see then that by nature the Iewes are forlorne as well as the rest of the whole world, and yit neuerthelesse that God hath also receiued them too mercy.
By the way wee must marke, that vnderunder the word Nature, Saynt Paule sheweth, not only that wee bee sinners by custome, so as eueryevery of vsus thrusteth his fellowe out of the way, and wee bee too much inclyned too followe the euill, rather than the good: but also that there is a further matter in it, which is, that eueryevery of vsus bringeth sinne with him euen from his birth. Too eate and too drinke are things that accompany vsus: but yit is sinne more rooted in vsus, than all the things that belong too this lyfe. Truely the heathen men will thinke it straunge, that the young babes which are not able too discerne betweene good and euill, nor hauehave any discrecion or will, should alreadie bee sinners and damned before God, according too S. Paules saying, who calleth them the children of wrath: but yit must wee needes yeelde our selues too condemnation whether we wil or no. As soone as babes bee able too make any signe, it is certeyne that they will shewe inough and too much, that they bee froward and naughtie, and that there is a secrete poyson lurking in them▪ And that although they cast it not out at the first, yit they bee as a broode of serpentes. Sith it is so, let vsus vnderstand that Saint Paule dooth not without cause call vsus the children of wrath, as well as the Iewes, not excepting the very infantes out of the number, whom men terme innocents, and take them so to bee: For wee must not regarde our owne opinion, nor the things that wee see before our eyes, but wee must giuegive glory vntoo God, who is the competeent iudge thereof, although wee finde it incomprehensible. How soeuer the world go, wee must alwayes come backe too that which is sayd in the one and fiftith Psalme,Psal. 51. b. 7. namely that wee not onelyonly offend God dayly in diuerse manners: but also are lothsome too hym beforehand, yea euen before wee hauehave eyther done or thought any thing, bycause wee were begotten in sinne and cursednesse. And by that word Children of wrath, S. Paule meaneth that wee bee the heyres of death, and that God must needes bee our enemie, yea euen as soone as wee bee conceyued. Yit is not God cruell, nother hateth he the things that are of his owne making. That is trew, if we had such purenesse in vsus as was in our forefather Adam, according too this saying, that all things which God made were good, God then should hate his owne workemanship in vsus. But wee must conclude, that sith he hateth vsus, and is as it were armed to take vengeance on vsus all, we hauehave well deserued it. And that although sinne cannot be poynted out with the …inger, as yee would say: yit dooth God know it well ynough, and wee must hold our mouthes shet at it. That is in effect the thing that wee hauehave too gather vppon this Text, in applying it too S. Paules meaning. For if the Iewes, which seemed too hauehave or ought too hauehave some peculiar prerogatiue, are neuerthelesse included vnderunder the generall state of men: what can wee alledge which are borne Gentyles, if wee will presume too bring any brauerie before God? So then wee hauehave well wherwith to be confounded dubble, seing that they, in comparison of whom wee bee nothing, hauehave notwithstanding no enterance intoo the kingdome of God, but by his only free merciemercy, an… by being reconcyled by meane of our Lord Iesus Christ.
But there is yit one question or doubt more. For how should the Iewes be Gods enemies, seing he had auowed himself alredye to bee their father? Some man will say, that the seeing of the things that were figured, and the truthe …nd substance of them remayned as yit too bee accomplished. But wee hauehave too marke yit further, that although God had adopted the Iewes in Abraham: yit they were receyued in Iesus Christ, and that that grace was grounded vppon him, according too this saying, In thy seede shall all nations of the earth bee blissed.Gen. 22. …. …8. And wee hauehave seene in the Epistle too the Galathians, that the sayd seede must bee referred too our Lord Iesus Christ: for without him there is no vnitie,… but vtter s…attering asunder. Sith it is so, it is not too bee marueiled, that the receiuing of the Iewes into the Church, as well as the receyuing of the Gentyles, is fathered heere by Saint Paule vppon the onelyonly free bestowed goodnesse of God.
Howbeeit, there is yit a second poynt, which is not too bee forgotten: which is, that although the Iewes had obteyned such grace, yit they abode in suspens till the comming of the Redeemer. And for that cause wee shall see in another place, that those which were neere, and those that were farre of, were reconcyled by him. For wee know that there is no attonement too bee made with God, without sheading of blud. Now the Sacrifizes of the Lawe could not put away sinne,Leuit. 17. c. 11. &. Heb. 11. f. 22. nor pacifye Gods wrath and cursing. When men offered the blud of an Oxe, or of a Calfe, or of a Lamb, it was not too make attonement with God, there was no such power in the brute beastes: for the thing that is corruptible, atteyneth not too the soule. Therfore it is too bee concluded, that the Iewes were Gods children by hope, and yit that they were vtterly separated from him, till the attonement was made in the person of the Redeemer. And by that meanes did God shew himself fauorable towards them, as he did towards the rest of the world. And for that cause also dooth S. Paule adde, that God being rich in merciemercy, hath quickened them, as he did the Gentyls, euen according too his great louelove vvhervvith he loued them.
The cheef poynt (as I told you this morning) that S. Paule handleth, is, that wee should lerne too bee ashamed, yea and too lothe our owne wretchednesse, by resorting too our originall, and by considering in what plyght God findeth vsus, and out of what a dungeon wee passe, when God reacheth vsus his hand. And the second is, that wee should magnifie his goodnesse so much the more, bycause it is an vncredible thing, that he should voutsafe too cause the doctrine of lyfe too come downe too the bottome of hell too quicken vsus: for wee were sunk downe thither. Thefore wee must marke well these wordes, where it is sayd, that God being rich in merciemercy, quickened vsus when wee were dead, according too the great louelove which he beareth vsus. Trew it is, that this tytle myght alwayes agree vntounto God, bycause he nother abateth nor increaseth: and so shall God bee euermore rich in goodnesse. But we must therwithall marke the circumstance of the place, and the matter that S. Paule treateth of heere: which is, that God hath vttered the inestimable treasures of his merciemercy vpō vsus according too the greatnesse of our miseries. And For that cause also he addeth, the great louelove wherwith he loued vsus. For needes must there hauehave bin such a goodnesse in God, as is able to rauish vsus, seeing it surmounteth all our capacitie, and that wee bee not able too taste the hundredth parte of it, though wee giuegive our selues neuer so much vntoo it. And why? For when S. Paule sayeth that God loued vsus, he speaketh expresly of himself, and of such lyke, which had bin chozen from among that people, when as the greater part of them was cut of. For although the Iewes were the first borne, and had preheminence aboue vsus, as by ryght of inheritance, & that we be but as silly things borne out of season,1. Cor. 15. a. 8. as S. Paule speaketh of himself: yit notwithstanding wee see that they bee now banished from Gods kingdome, and are become as a president that ought too make the heare stand vp vppon our heades, when wee behold the wrath and vengeance of God that is vttered vppon them. Therfore wheras S. Paule and some small number mo were chozen from among the Iewes: it was through Gods louelove which had the greater apparance towardes them. Lykewyse nowe adayes, if the Gospell were preached purely throughe the whole world, & fayth giuen indifferently too all men, soo as there were none but he should be touched immediatly with the holy Ghost, and all of vsus were alyke: it woold seeme to be as the course of nature. And lyke as meat and drinke are common to all men, so it woold seeme that wee had this of our owne naturall motion, and that it were not a speciall grace of God. But when wee see so manie Countries hungerstarued, so as there rayneth not one drop of good doctrine vppon them, but rather the wretched people are fed with Lyes and trumperies of Satan: and that on the other syde God inlyghteneth vsus heere, and watereth vsus with his woord: whereof commeth that, but of the great louelove whereof S. Paule speaketh heere? Agein, many men hauehave their eares beaten with the Gospell, and yit it is apparant too mennes eyes, that they become hard harted by it, and waxe woorse and woorse. For it is certeine that a man shall not see so horrible monsters in the papacie, as where the Gospell is preached and professed, for they will say they bee reformed, and yit they seeme too bee diuells incarnate: and wee neede not too go farre to see such syghtes. So then, let vsus marke heere, that wee must not surmyze that any of vsus hath aught wherwith too please God, more than his felowes, nor presume too make any account of our selues: but that we must alwayes repayre too the fountaine that …annot bee drayned dry, and not go too the pits that are full of holes and can holde no water, or rather which hauehave nothing but s…id & filth in them, (for all the gloriousnesse and brauerie of men is no better) but drawe of the sayde louelove of our God, & confesse that God must not bee perswaded or moued by other folkes, but onelyonly that it pleased him too louelove vsus freely, by receiuing vsus vntoo him, and by inlyghtening vsus with his holy spirit in the fayth of the Gospell. And so yee see what Saint Paule ment too note heere.
Now on the other side, to the end that men (who are alwayes suttle witted, in seeking some shifts and starting holes or other: should not excuze themselues by being vnderunder the Tyrannie of the diuell, nor alledge that the same ought not too bee layde too their charge: Saint Paule sheweth that the sayd bondage ceasseth not too bee wilfull. I shewed you this morning, that notwithstanding all our free choyze, and notwithstanding our reason and will, yit we be as it were fettered too Satans seruice, so as wee can doo nothing but all naughtinesse, nother should wee bee any better by nature, than the arrantest theues in the world, if God had not pitied vsus, accordingly as Saint Paule setteth forth al other men vntoo vsus as a looking glasse, yea & euen such as despyze God and all order, and are driuen by Satan intoo all outrage: saying, that wee should bee lyke them, if God had not bin mercifull too vsus. But now there are many which grudge ageinst God, and which go too lawe with him, saying: If free will bee so defaced, what shall become of vsus? If men were able too giuegive themselues vntounto goodnesse, and yit notwithstanding made none account of it, but gaue themselues too euill: surely it were good right and reason, that they should bee hild for giltie. But if they cannot but doo euill: why should God condemne them? At leastwise they ought too bee borne withall, seing it is apparant that they bee hild vnderunder Satans dominion, euen from their mothers wombe. Loe what many men alledge, in hope to washe their handes. Yea, and they bee not contented too iustifie themselues by vayne shifts, but they doo also rayle ageinst God, as though he were the cause of their damnation. But S. Paul to preuent such s…aunders, sayeth, that they which are vnderunder the bondage of Satan and of sinne, ceasse not for all that too be condemned by good right. For they be not constreyned theruntoo by force: they bee subiect in deede, but that is with their owne good will. And that is the cause why he sayeth, that euen such as are brought backe agein to our Lord Iesus Christ, hauehave walked in the lustes of the fleshe: that is too say, that before God had chaunged them, and brought them too his obedience by his holy spirit, they walked in their owne wicked lusts. True it is that men will graunt their nature too bee sinfull, but yit they say, it suffizeth that the will bee otherwyse. All men will graunt that it is the will which putteth the difference betweene vice and vertue: But when the philosophers spake after that fashion, they were of opinion that wee hauehave a francke and free will. And that is the thing that deceyued them, bycause they knewe not that wee were marred by the fall of Adam, and yit notwith…anding ceasse not to be iustly accursed, forsomuch as our offending of God is with our owne good will. And therfore also he addeth agein, dooing the desires of our fleshe, and of our thoughts. As if he should say, that they which are possessed of Satan, and hild vnderunder the s…au…rie of sinne, cannot alledge any compulsion. For why? it is their o…ne will that dryueth them thereuntoo. Thus yee see in effect, how S. Paule ment too stop the mouthes of all misspeakers, too the intent, that men should not picke any quarrells too God, by pretending that they ought not too bee shent for their naughtinesse, seing they bee subiect too it by nature. But let vsus marke heerewithall how S. Paule hath matched thoughtes with the fleshe, too the end wee myght knowe that sinne reacheth throughout vsus, and that wee hauehave no peece of vsus cleane and pure, wherintoo infection is not spred. For the Papistes will well ynough confesse that wee bee corrupted in Adam: but they say, that wee doo in deede tend alwayes vntoo euill, when wee bee tempted vntoo it, and yit neuerthelesse, that if wee herken vntounto reason, and brydle our lustes by ruling them well, then wee shall see playnely that wee bee not altoogither vnable too doo good. And so the opinion of the Papistes is, that mans free will is not of such force as it was at the beginning, but that it is wounded, yea and sore maymed, howbeeit, that it hath yit still some lyfe, that is to say, some vertuousnesse, as they imagin. But wee hauehave seene this morning, that the determinate sentence of the holy Ghost is more generall: that is too wit, that wee bee not onelyonly sicke, but also dead, till wee be rayzed agein by Iesus Christ. Nowe S. Paule confirmeth the same thing, saying, that our wicked lustes, and the affect o…s that are termed the sensual appetytes, wherin wee resemble the brute beastes, are not the onelyonly things that harrie vsus heere and there: but that we must take the matter more strictly. What are all our thoughtes, all our determinations, and all that euer is deemed too bee best in man? They bee (sayeth S. Paule) starke wickednesse. For if God should let vsus go after our owne thoughtes: it is certeine, that there is not a more horrible confuzion, than that would bee. So then, wee see that men are not humbled heere by halues, too confesse onelyonly their frailtie, and that they hauehave partly neede too bee succored and helped at God… hand: but wee see they bee vtterly damned before him, sit… their thoughtes are heere called wicked and froward, and that they hauehave nothing in them which prouoketh not Gods vengeance ageinst them. So then, let vsus on the one side yeelde our selues giltie, assuring our selues that wee were iustly bereft of all Gods graces in the person of Adam: And agein, on the other side let vsus not take the same for an excuse, in hope too scape by such shifte, as who should say, we were not the bōdslaues of sinne, nor wee our selues any whit too blame for it, bycause wee bee hild downe in Satans snares and nettes euen from our birth. But it behoueth vsus to consider alwayes, that eueryevery of vsus shall fynde the welspring of his disease in his owne conscience. Men may hold plea as much as they list: but if they enter intoo themselues, and aske their owne consciences, yee shall see them condemned and confounded without any nay. When a man hath babled what he can, so as he thinkes he hath wonne the gole, by saying that he hath no free will of his owne, nor abilitie too resist God: there needeth no more but thys one woorde: what thinkest thou too bee the thing that prouoketh thee too euill? Ho, it is the diuell. Thou sayest well. But yit marke a little whether that dooth so fully excuze thee, as that thou perceyuest not ryght well, that thou wart stirred vp and driuen too it by thine owne selfmouing: knowest thou not that the welspring and roote of the mischiefe is in thy selfe? When thou art so rebellious ageinst God, that thy thoughtes are full of vntruth and vnbeleefe, and that so much the more bycause thy lustes are out of square, and imbattelled ageinst God and his rightuousnesse, euen too make warre with him: when thou seest all this, must thou yit hold plea further with him? So then, let vsus not seeke any starting holes, seyng wee carie a sufficient iudge with vsus, euen within vsus, namely seyng that eueryevery of our owne consciences rebuketh vsus. That is the thing that S. Paule amed at in this streyne. And thereby wee also are war…ed, not too presume aught at all on our selues, but too brydle all our senses and imaginations, and all the vnderstanding and reason which wee weene our selues too hauehave. For vntill wee hauehave so renounced our selues, it is certeine that we shall neuer bee meete too apply our selues too the seruing of God.
And S. Paule sayeth expresly, that those whom God hath quickened, are by that meanes made felowes with our Lord Iesus Chryst: for it is euen he in whom they hauehave theyr lyfe. Trew it is that we… ought too seeke it in Gods being: howbeeit forasmuch as that is too hygh for vsus, so as wee cannot come at it, no nor any thing nere it: therfore our Lord Iesus is called the way.Iohn. 14. …. 6. And he offereth himself, and tary…th not till wee seeke him as though he weere farre from vsus, but reacheth out his armes too allure vsus too him, insomuch that in his Gospel he sayeth, if any man bee a…hirst, let him come vntounto mee and drink. And this is fulfilled in his person,Iere. 7. …. 37. as hath bin said erewhiles. So then let this speeche bee marked, where S. Paule sayeth, that those which were dead afore, were quickened agein by Iesus Christ. And heere wee see yit better the thing that I touched shortly this morning: which is, that S. Paule speaketh not of a visible death, wherof men may iudge by outward syght: but of the corruption that is in our souls: for he fyndeth fault with vsus all. How then may wee atteyne too the heauenly lyfe. How shall we bee rayzed & quickened agein to possesse the heri…age that is promised vsus? Wee see on the contrarie part, how wee bee subiect too as many miseries as can bee. This therfore must needs bee ment of the newnesse of lyfe which he speaketh of in other places. Now it is certein that this lyfe is not yit perfeet in vsus: there is but a little enterance of it, which serueth too leade vsus further, and too bring vsus too the end, (which shalbee) when wee bee come too the full glorie that he speaketh of heere. And wee see also how S. Paule setting himself foorth for an example, alledgeth that he had giuen ouer all things for our Lord Iesus Christes sake, yea and euen the fond opinion which he had of his owne ryghtuousnesse: insomuch that although men esteemed him as a little Angell, yit notwithstanding he knewe that it behoued him too bee saued by Gods free grace in Iesus Christ. And in sted of all his honour and riches: he had suffred so many reproches, so many tortures, so many beatings, and so many imprisonings, that a man would hauehave said,Phil. 3. …. 12. he had bin lyfted vp aboue the world: and yit notwithstanding he addeth, not that I am yit come too my marke, but I streyne my self foreward, and forget the tyme that is past. For if I stay vppon the things I hauehave done alredy, saying, I hauehave ouercome so many incounters, I hauehave delt thus valeantly, I hauehave not ceassed too preach the Gospell eueryevery where, I hauehave wrought in such wyse, that the frute of my doct…ine is come to the whole world, I hauehave passed the sea, I hauehave bin among barbarus nations, where God and his Gospel were neuer erst heard of, I hauehave had a number of lets, and hauehave ouercome them all, I hauehave incountered with thus manie enemyes, and hauehave got the vpper hand of them all: If S. Paule say, I had had all these considerations with him, he had become cold: for it is an easye matter with vsus too shrink away when wee once think with our selues, …, I hauehave doone ynough for my part, now let others marche on in their aray. And so eueryevery of vsus woold take his leaue, when he had some thing or other, I …ot not what. But S. Paule sayth, that he forgets the tyme past, too the intent too cut of occasion of slothfullnesse, which myght come in his head, and sayeth, that he streyneth him self foreward, and holdeth his armes opē too atteyne vntounto it. And how long tyme did S. Paule streyne himselfe foreward? Euen too the end. Then let vsus mark well, that our glorie shall neuer bee perfect, that is too say, wee shall neuer throughly inioy the glorie that wee wayt for, vntill the end. And therefore it behoueth vsus alwayes too take warning of our owne wretchednesse, too moorne for it before God, and too confesse that wee be beholden too his only goodnesse for all things. Now then, howsoeuer wee fare, wee see that we be reformed vntounto newnesse of lyfe by Gods spirit: and that although wee dwell among vnbeleeuers, & bee subiect too manie miseries, yea and hauehave sin dwelling in vsus: yit there is none of vsus but he feeleth that the handsells which God hath giuen vsus of his holie spirit, are not vayne nor vnprofitable. If any man alledge, that before such tyme as Iesus Christ woork in vsus, wee hauehave alredye some lyfe, as is seene: answer was made shortly this morning: that forasmuch as all that euer men hauehave by nature, is not able too bring them vntoo God, but maketh them too rest vppon this world: none of it ought too bee made account of, when the heauenly lyfe commeth in question. Then let men calp their hands at vsus on all syds: yit are wee but dead men, when God layeth the brydle looce in our necks, and suffereth vsus too walk after our owne fancie and lyking. Man may well hauehave some reason: but what can it doo so long as it is in the owne nature? It will fyght ageinst God, and ageinst all truthe. Yit notwithstanding, man, say they, hath a will: howbeeit, that the same will bee wicked. Trew it is (as I hauehave sayd alredye) that it hathe no strength in it. Yit notwithstanding forasmuche as man is wicked and froward, and hath the cursed roote of rebellion in himself, so as he cannot but doo euill, he offendeth God willingly. And seing it is so, let vsus boldly conclude, that wee bee in death, till wee bee made partners of the lyfe of our Lord Iesus Christ,Esay. 6…. a. 1. and Luk. 4. c. 18. and that he deale vntoo eueryevery of vsus the spirit which he hath receyued, in such measure as he listeth: according as it is sayd that Gods spirit rested vppon him, and was giuen vntoo him in all plentie, and that as nowe he must deale it too eueryevery one of hys faythfull ones. Therefore according as our Lord Iesus Christ maketh vsus too taste of his holy spirit, and according as he strengtheneth thereby: so are wee quickened in him and with him.
Now heeruppon he addeth, that he hath made vsus too sit in the heauenly places vvith our Lord Iesus Christ. This serueth too magnifye the grace that we hauehave hithertoo spoken of, yit so much the more. If he had sayd in one woord, that wee were q…ickened: it had bin ynough, and it ought well too hauehave inflamed our hartes to sing Gods prayses, and too occupye our selues therin, and too apply al our indeuers theruntoo. But heere is a greater vehemencie, bycause of our coldnesse and lazinesse. For S. Paule hath shewed on the one syde, that wee were dead and hild in bondag vnderunder the tyrannye of Satan. Alas, these are terrible things. And now he setteth downe on the other syde, that God hath not only loued vsus, but also glorifyed vsus in himself, and that wee bee lifted vp from the bottom of hell, aloft vntoo the kingdome of heauen, where he hath lodged vsus, and giuen vsus seates among his Angells. Seing then that wee heare this, needes must wee bee to much doted, & our witts too much brutish, if we make not in good earnest too glorifye the inestimable goodnesse of our God, and too conclude, that wee bee so beholden and bound vntoo him, that although wee should doo nothing else all our lyfe long, but preache the grace that wee hauehave felt by experience at his hand, yit it were nothing at all. And so yee see why S. Paule hath purposely set downe, that wee be lifted vp too heauen wi…h Iesus Christ. And heeruppon wee hauehave a very profitable exhortation too gather, which is, that although we bee heere in the myre, and do but craule lyke poore frogges: yit ought we to beare this state paciently, for somuch as on the other syde God hath lyfted vsus vp so hygh, euen vsus that were nothing, yea and cursed creatures too. And therfore whensoeuer wee be fayne too suffer hunger & thirst in this world, or be mocked by vnbeleeuers, or put to the abiding of manie outrages, let vsus resort too that which is sayd heere: namely, that yit neuer…helesse wee be set alredy in heauen with Iesus Christ, howbeeit not in such wyse, that it is apparant vntoo our eyes. For in this behalfe wee must giuegive place too hope, and vntoo that which is sayd in another text,… namely that our lyfe is hid, and that we must hold our selues quiet, till it appeere at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus then you see in effect, how it beehoueth vsus too vnderstand the things that are spoken heere of the diuers state of Gods children, after they bee called too the fayth of the Gospell. But by the way, we must not imagin an earthly paradyse in this world, where we shall hauehave nother trubble nor greef: wee must make our reckening, that wee shall neuer liue heere at our …ase, but wee must make roome for fayth, as I sayd afore. And besydes this, wheras the holye Ghoste auoucheth by the mouth of S. Paule, that wee shalbee lifted vp on hygh: i… standeth vsus on hand too cast downe our heades, and too suffer our selues too bee oppressed by our enemyes, and too bee ouermaystered by them with all pryde: we (I say) must suffer these things, and yit in the meane whyle bee fully perswaded, and throughly resolued of this doctrine, that wee for all that shal not fayle too inherit the kingdome of heauen, for it is vnpossible that the head should bee separated from the m…mbers, and our Lord Iesus Christ is not gone thither for his owne sake alone. Wee must alwayes repayre too that principle. Our confessing that Iesus Christ is rizen from the dead, and gone vp intoo heauen, is not alonly too glorifye him in his owne person. Trew it is, that first of all it must come to passe,…hil. 1. b. 10. that all knees must bow before him, and that all creatures both in heauen and earth, yea and euen in hell, must doo him homage. But yit notwithstanding, the vnion wherof wee hauehave treated heertoofore, is fulfilled in this, that Iesus Christ hauing gathered vsus intoo his bodie, hath begunne that thing in himself, which he intendeth too performe in vsus, namely when conuenient tyme commeth. So then, Iesus Christ is gone vp intoo heauen, too open vsus the gate in these dayes, which was shet ageinst vsus by Adams sin: and that is the verye maner of our sitting with him alredye. And therwithall S. Paule sheweth in one woord, what he intended. In deede this saying shalbee declared more at lenth in his dew place, where S. Paule himself will treat of it more at large in the next Sermon. Yit notwithstanding wee may see wherat he amed, too the end wee may hauehave a sure and ryght marke too shoote at: which is, that wee bee saued by grace, and that noman is able too clayme any thing of his owne. Neuerthelesse it is not ynough for vsus too hauehave confessed in one woord, that our saluation commeth of Gods free fauour, and too hauehave felt it also within our selues: but wee must also therwithall bee taken in louelove with the infinite greatnesse of the same grace, by considering what wee bee, how all euill commeth of our selues, and that there is no saying nay, bycause our faultes doo too much conuic… vsus, in somuch that if God should execute a hundred tymes more rigour ageinst vsus than he dooth, wee could not contend with him, nor dispute with him, but that wee should alwayes hauehave this record of our owne consciences, that wee bee iustly woorthie of death, and that the same is dew vntoo vsus by our desert. Then seeing it is so, let vsus hold fast this doctrine, for wee shall hauehave profited greatly for our whole lyfe, if wee once know, that there is not only some one naughtie touche, but an infinit number of euils in vsus. Therefore let vsus lerne too mislyke of our selues, and too hate and abhorre our selues, and afterward when wee bee come too the grace that is shewed vsus in our Lord Iesus Christ, let vsus vnderstand, that without that, the diuell should needes hauehave full and whole possession of vsus, and reigne ouer vsus, as he had doone afore. Also let vsus beware that wee profit our selues by such grace, so as it may serue too put away all our cursednesse. And then let vsus assure our selues, that not only all our miseries shall turne too our benefyte by our Lord Iesus Christ, but also that he will giuegive vsus such strength, as wee may well glorie in our state: and although wee bee driuen too fyght ageinst manie temptations, and that wee bee frayle on our owne behalf: yit neuerthelesse wee shall ouercome them in such wyse, as wee shall hauehave cause too yeeld God thankes by our Lord Iesus Christ, insomuch as being ioyned vntoo him, wee cannot fayle too come too the full perfection of all good things.
Now let vsus cast our selues downe before the Maiestie of our good God, with acknoweledgement of our faults, praying him too make vsus so too feele them, as it make vsus not onelyonly too confesse three or foure of them, but also too go vp euen too our birth, and too acknowledge that …here is nothing but sinne in vsus, and that there is no way for vsus too bee reconciled to our God, but by the blood, death, and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. And therefore as oft as wee feele any hartbytings too …urne vsus aside from the grace of God, too cite vsus too his iudgement s…ate, let vsus hauehave none other refuge, than too the sacrifize wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath made attonement betweene God and vsus. And w…ensoeuer wee bee weake, let vsus desire him too remedie it by his holy spiri…, which is the meanes that he hath ordeyned too make vsus par…kers of all his gracious giftes by: and let vsus so continue in the same, as wee may bee an example vntoo others, and labour too drawe them … vsus too the fay…h and vnitie of the doctrine, and by our life and good conuersation shewe that wee hauehave not gone too schoole in vayne, in so good a schoole as the schoole of the Sonne of God. That it may please him too graunt this grace, not onelyonly too vsus, but also too all people. &c.