Sermons on Ephesians, Sermons · Sermon 30
The .xxx. Sermon, which is the tenth vppon the fourth Chapter.
23. Bee yee renewed in the spirit of your mynd,
24. And put yee on the newe man vvhichwhich is created after God in rightuousnesse and holynesse of truth.
25. VVherefore put avvay lying, and speake truth eueryevery of you too his neyghbour: for wee bee members one of another.
26. Bee yee angry, and sinne not.
WEe hauehave now too lay foorth the second part of the well ordering of our lyfe set downe heere by Saint Paule: which is, that wee must walk in newnesse of lyfe, bycause it behoueth vsus too bee reformed by Gods spirit. And too the intent wee may knowe that our chaunging must not bee in part only, but in whole. Saint Paule taketh heere the thing that seemeth most excellent and most estemed in mannes nature: namely knowledge, vnderstanding, wit, reason, and all maner of abilitie of mynd. Then if there bee any wisdome in vsus, Saint Paule sayeth, it must bee corrected. And why? Trew it is that our reason of it self is alwayes commendable: but wee bee so corrupted by Adams sin,…. cor. …. b. …. that we hauehave not the skil to think so much as one good thought, which is not crooked, and full of malice and rebellion ageinst God. And although this be not perceyued openly: yit will there euer be some secret hipocrisie lurking, which is ynough & to much to condemne vsus before God. Yee see then that the thing wheruntoo wee must inforce our selues, if wee purpose too please God, is that being rid of all our owne conceits and affections, wee get vsus a new guyde, that is too wit, Gods spirit: according wh…untoo he vseth a lyke maner of sentence in the twelfth too the Romanes,Rom. 12. a. 2. in speaking of Christian lyfe. It behoueth vsus too bee transformed, not only in our affections which are sinfull, as eueryevery man may iudge: but euen in the thing which seemeth faultlesse, that is too wit, in the Reason that wee hauehave spoken of. Too bee short, wee must bee sacrifyzed, or else our lyfe will bee alwayes vnholy and vncleane. And this sacrifyzing is expounded by Saint Paule in the text before alledged, to be the laying away & mortifying of al that we hauehave of our selues. Our trew perfection then is that fyghting ageinst al that is of our owne nature, wee suffer our selues too bee gouerned by Gods spirit, so as it may bee perceyued that wee bee vtterly chaunged. For it is not ynough that our lyfe hauehave some honestie too the worldward, so as it may bee commended and had in good reputation among men: but also ambition and all other vyces that ly lurking within vsus, must bee clenzed away, and our Lord must hauehave the guyding of vsus.
And for that cause also doothe he adde that we must be reformed according too God, namely in trew rightuousnesse and holinesse. Lyke as heertoofore he had condemned the old man, which (as I hauehave told you alredie) is all that euer wee bring from our moothers womb: so now he sayeth, that wee must bee new creatures. And for the same cause dooth he send vsus too the example of our Lord Iesus Christ in the sixth too the Romans, saying, that wee must bee crucifyed and dye with him, namely in respect of the old man, and also bee fashyoned lyke too his rysing agein, too walk in newnesse of lyfe. It is trew that he vseth other woords there: howeeit all commeth too one, which is, that lyke as our Lord Iesus is the second Adam, so must he bee as a patterne too vsus, and wee bee fashyoned after him and his image, that wee may be lyke him. Now surely this wil not come too passe of our owne nature: but yit is not this exhortation more than needeth, bycause that when the holie scripture bringeth vsus too our Lord Iesus Christ, it meaneth not that wee should bee as blocks of woode, but that wee should come and offer our selues too God that he may woork in vsus. And in very deede, these twoo things agree v… ry well: that the power which is in vsus should come of God: for it is he that moueth vsus vntounto good, it is he that bringeth vsus to it, it is he that giueth vsus both the wil & the abilitie to performe the wil, as we hauehave seen in another text.Phil. 2. b. 13. And yit God worketh so in vsus, that of his gracious fauour the good works that are done, are called ours. And in good sooth, when we be so led by him, wee go. And it is not too bee woondered at, that Gods goodnesse stretcheth so farre, as too make the things ours which are his, and whereof he only deserueth the prayse. For wee call the bread that wee eate our owne, though wee hauehave it but by tytle of gift. For although men take payne for it: yit could it not stand them in any stead, but through Gods free blissing. Then looke what is giuen vsus, wee call it our owne. Euen so S. Paule exhorteth vsus too put on the newe man, not that wee can doo it of our selues, for Iesus Christ must bee fayne too clothe vsus with his ryghtuousnesse, as well as make vsus parttakers of the giftes of his holy spirit. And I praye you what is ment by putting on of the new man? I hauehave tolde you already, that it is the vtter chaunging of vsus both in our thoughts and in our desyres, and (too bee short) in all the partes of our soule. Now is not such an alteration the speciall woorke of God, and the gift of hys holy spirit? Saint Paule therefore meaneth not that wee can doo any thing as of our owne power: but yit that eueryevery of vsus ought too streyne himselfe too followe whither soeuer he calleth vsus. And therewithall he warneth vsus that all our lyfe is very daungerful vntill wee chaunge, and that the newnesse appeere in vsus.
Now Saint Paule sayeth, that the nevve man is created after God and his image. And therin he confirmeth the matter which I go about too touch: that is too wit, that although wee streyne our selues too the vttermost that wee can, yit can wee doo nothing, vnlesse wee bee preuented by Gods grace. Which of vsus can bee his owne maker? Wee knowe that that honour must bee reserued vntoo God alone. But heere the cace standeth vppon a new creating. That therefore cannot bee in mans will, nor yit in his power. And Saynt Paule also hath dispatched that doubt and scruple, in saying that the newe man is created of God. As if he should say, my frendes, In dede ye ought not to abuse the grace that is offered you by the Gospell: but yit for all that, assure your selues that when yee hauehave streyned your selues what yee can, too dedicate your selues too Gods seruice, yee can doo nothing furtherfoorth than he woorketh in you by his holy spirit. According whereuntoo he sayeth in another place, that we doo woorke our owne saluation,Phil. 2. b. 12. 1…. euen as though we could doo somwhat of our selues: but yit he addeth, that it must bee in feare and trembling, that is too say, with putting away of all presumption, knowing that it behoueth vsus too depend vppon another: and he addeth the reason, for it is God (sayeth he) which giueth both the will and the abilitie too performe it, and all of his owne free goodnesse. After that manner then must wee indeuer our selues. But yit must wee not therfore conceyue a vayne ouerweening in the meane whyle, as though we had some shift, and were able on our owne syde too doo neuer so little without Gods grace: Saynt Paule exhorteth vsus rather too feare and warenesse. And why? For seeing wee bee as weake as may bee, and not only that, but also starke dead, and as good as rotten caryons in all caces of our saluation, & hauehave not so much as one good thought of our owne: seeing (I say) that wee hauehave all at Gods hand,2. Cor. 3. b. 5. and that he must bee fayne too woorke it by the power of his holy spirite: let vsus learne too walke in humilitie. And moreouer, let vsus not ceasse too make his grace auaylable, assuring our selues that his woorking by his power shalbe alwayes in such wyse, as the prayse must euer redound too him alone, and no drop of it remayne ouer too our selues. Yee see then what wee hauehave too remember vppon this speeche, where Saynt Paule sayeth, that the newe man is created. Yea verily, and therin he sheweth how wee bee falne from our originall, and from the state whertoo wee were aduaunced by Gods grace in the person of our forefather Adam. As if he sayd, that Adams fall is vntoo vsus as a spirituall death, wherby wee bee cut of and cast awaye from the number of Gods creatures. And not without cause dooth God so oft vtter this dreadfull saying,Cene. 6. b. 6. that he repenteth him that euer he made man. For therin he detesteth the corruption and sin that are in vsus. Not that God hath any humane passions in him: but too shewe vsus that he vtterly mislyketh vsus, vntill his image bee renewed in vsus.Gene. 1. d. 31. It is sayd, that God looked vppon all that he had made, and all was exceeding good and faultlesse. But when our father Adam was once falne, and had made himselfe a straunger to the fountayne of life: by & by he was stripped stark naked of all goodnesse. For beyng separated from God, what could he be but vtterly forlorne, & past hope of recouerie? Shall wee fynd eyther lyfe, or ryghtuousnesse, or holinesse, or soundnesse, or vpryghtnesse out of God? No: Yee see then that Adam was as it were cut of from the aray of creatures: he was not woorthie too bee reckened euen among the Frogges and other vermine of the earth. Brag wee as much as wee list, that is our nature: wee beare a greater curse of God, than is in all the Lyce and Fleas, and in all the woormes of the earth. That is the cause why S. Paule sheweth vsus, that God cannot acknowledge vsus for his children, vntyll his image bee repayred in vsus: which thing is doone by this newe creation.Iohn. 11. c. 25. For lyke as Adam drew vsus all downe, and plundged vsus with himself in the gulfe of death: so are wee created new agein by God in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ. And for that cause doth he name himselfe the resurrection and lyfe. For wee must ryze agein in him, if wee wyll liue in deede. Which thing cannot bee, except wee hauehave first bin deade, as was declared more at large this morning. Therefore wee ought too hauehave this reason alwayes with vsus, that wee weene not our selues too bee rightuous, or too make our lyfe allowable before God, but bee euer fully resolued and perswaded, that God wyll take nothing in good woorth at our handes, but that which he knoweth too bee his owne. For as I sayd, without him, there is nothing but euill. For by that meane was his image defaced in vsus by Adams sinne: and therefore it standeth vsus on hand too bee made new ageyne in Iesus Christ.
Now he sheweth vsus how that may bee doone, saying in Ryghtuousnesse and holinesse. By the woorde Rightuousnesse, he meaneth soundnesse and vprightnesse, so as we liue with our neyghbours without deceyt, & without malice or harme dooing, yeelding too eueryevery man that which is his. Now when such a soundnesse reigneth in vsus, thē shal wee shew by our deedes that we be fashioned agein after Gods image in ryghtuousnesse. But it is not ynough that men hauehave their ryght, except God also hauehave his. For too what purpose is it for vsus too bee no theeues (towardes men,) and yit to be traytrous towardes God? or to absteyne from stealing away our neighbours goods, and in the meane whyle to rob God of his honor? Therfore must ryghtuousnesse be matched with holynesse. For the twoo tables of the lawe are inseparable. And vnderunder the woord Holynesse, S. Paule comprehendeth all things that belong too the seruing of God. The newnesse of our lyfe therfore, is this: namely too walke purely before God, too eschew all corruption and vncleannesse, too separate our selues from all the defylementes of the world, and too offer our selues in sacrifyzce vntoo God: and (on the other syde) too walke soundly and vprightly with our neighbours. The performance of these two things is all that is requisite to the perfection of a Christian life. Now it is certein that Gods lawe hath not taught vsus by halues, what wee hauehave too do, but God hath there shewed vsus a right rule, wherunto there may bee nothing added, nor aught taken from it. For in those two poynts is all our rightuousnesse conteyned: namely that God bee honored in all feare and reuerence at our handes, and that we serue one another without doyng any harme. Agein, forasmuch as men are inclyned pitiously too feyning, and do euer thinke it ynough to set some faire countenance vponupon the matter: therfore dooth S. Paule adde Truth. As if he sayd, that wee may be takē for the holyest folk in the world, and yit neuerthelesse be condemued before God, if we be not clenzed from all hypocrisie, so as God may bee our witnesse and iudge, that wee bee not dubble mynded, nor hauehave any bumbasting in vsus, but that we go on in right meaning simplicitie before him. So then, although our hands be cleere from theft, extortion, & all other things that are ageinst charitie, if we hauehave lusts lurking within vsus, surely we shal bee still vncleane before God. Not without cause therfore doth S. Paul adde the word Truth, notwithstanding that he had comprehended the whole perfection of our lyfe, in the two former poyntes. For it is bycause we would alwayes content God with some gay outward showe, according too the vanitie and leazing wherwith wee be fraught. Therefore it behoued this too bee added, that lyke as God is a spirit, so must wee also bee faythfull and trew before him. For he abhorreth all dubblenesse of hart, which the scripture termeth Har… and Hart. If wee fall too making of partitions, and keepe some backshoppe behynde: all that euer commeth from vsus, must needes bee filthie and corrupt, as springing from an euyll and infected fountayne. Then if wee desire too hauehave our hartes allowed of God, the fountayne must first bee scoured, and truth must reigne in vsus. Nowe wee see in effect wheretoo it behoueth vsus too apply all our indeuer as long as wee lyue heere beneath. For, too boast our selues too bee Christians, and not too consider on what condition Iesus Christ is our head, and hath knit vsus vntoo hym: is a turnyng of all thinges vpsyde downe, as hath bin sayde this morning. Then looke what manner a ones wee couet too bee counted and esteemed among men: the same must wee bee before God and his Angels.
Therefore wee must fyght ageinst our owne vyces, vntyll all that is of our owne nature bee doone away. Not that that can bee doone in one day: but that wee must go towardes it continewally more and more. And further let vsus assure our selues, that our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen vsus for a patterne and example: and moreouer, that it is his office, too reforme vsus so by the spitit of God his father, as wee may walke in newnesse of lyfe, and become Gods creatures, and as all that euer wee hauehave drawen from the corruption of Adams sin, may bee quyte clenzed away. Therwithall let vsus consider also what is the pith of the things that God alloweth, & which is the rule of good lyfe: namely first too honour and serue God, and afterward too walke (neyghbourly) one with another, indeuering too doo good too such as hauehave neede of vsus, and absteyning from dooing all manner of euyll and harme. This doctrine were easie ynough too conceyue, so wee were not vtterly peruerted by our wicked affections. And soothly, there is not that man which is not a great Doctor in preaching vntoo other men: but yit as cleere and apparantly knowen as these things are, no man can apply them too his owne vse. Yit shall there bee no excuce for vsus, when wee shall be fayne too come too account before the great iudge. Wherefore let vsus beare this doctrine well in mynd, yea and let vsus gyue good heede too it, seeyng it is so yll put in vre through the whole world.
Among the Papistes there is talking ynough of Gods seruice, and of liuing holily: but yit the world seeth how those wretched soules stand buzzing about a sort of pelting tryfles: and that for all their … uerlaboring of themselues, they bee neuer the forewarder, but rather the further of from God. And what is the cause of it? Euen this: that eueryevery man of his owne head deuizeth a rule too his owne liking: and in the meane whyle God speaking familiarly and without any darkenesse, is not heard at all, but men doo rather giuegive themselues to the things that cannot auayle them. As for vsus although wee hauehave the lyght of the Gospell, and can say that the superstitions of Papistrie are but trifles: yit are wee neuerthelesse farre of from this doctrine. And if a mā should sift our lyues, where is this trew holinesse? Where is this Ryghtuousnesse? For as for the Gospell, most men take what they like of it, and tread Gods truth vnderunder their feete as oft as they li…t. Too bee short, yee shall fynd that they which brag most of their reformation now adayes, are vnholy and vncleane people, yea and (for the most part) euen Dogges that barke ageinst God, despyze his truth, and rayle at his woord, vnlesse it be when they let it s…ip, bycause they thinke it nother heere nor there. That is the holynesse of a number that would bee counted now adayes great Christians and pillers of the Churche, insomuch that they would make themselues greater than God, if they could: yea and although they bee but woormes and woormes meate, yit ceasse they not too blaspheme so farre, and to cast foorth their thunderboltes and madnesse, as too say, that men shall speake as they will hauehave them, or else they wyll conquer God for it.
And as touching the sayd Rightuousnesse, where shall a man fynde it? EueryEvery man sayes, there is nothing but deceyt, nothing but craft, nothing but forswearing, extortion, outrage, and violence. EueryEvery man complaynes of his neyghbours, and his neyghbours of him. Howsoeuer the cace stand, we see that Rightuousnesse is as good as banished out of the world. And therefore inasmuch as the name of Iesus Christ & of his Gospel is so shamefully vnhalowed by such as abuse it falsely: wee hauehave so much the more neede too remember what S. Paule sayth heere: namely that God will disclayme vsus, vntyll we beare his mark, and bee created new agein in Iesus Christ. As how? Too bee truthfull▪ … or (as I hauehave sayd already) though wee were esteemed as Angels: yit shall our hypocrisie bee alwayes lothely before God, if wee bee not clenzed of it, and indeuer with a trew and ryght meaning affection, too imploy our selues too the seruing of God, and too the helping of our neyghbours.
Now heeruppon he deuydeth this doctrine intoo seuerall poynts, applying it too particular exhortations. For first he sayeth, that eueryevery man must leaue lying, and speake the truthe to his neyghbours, bycause wee bee members all of one bodie. Not without cause doth Saint Paule heere lay foorth things particularly, which he had erst spoken generally. For wee would alwayes shift our hands of the doctrine, that it myght vanish away in the aire, and not come at vsus. Not that Gods speaking too vsus in generall myght not suffyze vsus, if wee were teachable as wee ought bee, too receyue instruction at his hand: but bycause we bee so snarled in our vanities, that if God doo but say generally that wee must bee reformed according too his image, and vtterly renounce … selues: it toucheth vsus not at all, but wee let it passe. Therfore is he fayne too decyfer it by parce…meale, as if hee should make an anatomie of our thoughts and affections, and bring too lyght the vyces which wee would fayne hoord vp in huthther muther. That is the thing which Saint Paule goeth now about. He had sayd, that it behoueth vsus too bee reformed after the image of God by our Lord Iesus Christ, who is the new man, and the head wheruntoo wee must be lyke fashyoned. Now if he had gone no further than so: that doctrine had bin receyued without geynsaying, but in the meane whyle no man had fared the better by it as by a lyuely instruction. But now will hee speake of whoredome, of Theft, of deceytfulnesse, of drunkennesse, of hatred, of hartburning, and of the suttle flyghts that passe betweene neyghbour and neyghbour. When things are thus layd foorth by particulars, men are the more wakened: and although eueryevery man shrink back & inuent excuces, & deuyze shifts: yit, wil we, nyl we, we must needs feele some hartbytings in vsus. That is the order which Saint Paule keepeth here. Wherfore let vsus make well, that it is not ynough for vsus too hauehave bin taught our dewtie in one woord, and as it were at a glaunce: but God had neede too warne vsus, and too shewe vsus flatly as well the vyces wherto we be subiect and inclyned (of our owne nature:) as also the vyces whertoo the diuel draweth vsus by his temptations and wyles. To be short, God must be fayne to guyde our hands, our feete, our eyes, our eares, and our mouthes: he must bee fayne too make vsus see that wee may ouershoote our selues in this sort and that sort, too the end wee may bee well armed on all syds, that the diuell fynd not any gap open, nor bee able too make any breache intoo vsus. That is it which wee hauehave too beare in mynd, too the intent wee take not our selues too be so able folks, as that the once hearing of a matter is ynough for vsus. For wee shall woonder too see how the diuell will neuerthelesse ouerreache vsus many wayes. And therfore let vsus bee well ware that wee giuegive good eare too all the warnings that are giuen vsus, bycause it is not any whit more than needeth.
And forasmuch as Saint Paule had spoken of truthe: he sayeth, Put away lying, and speake eueryevery man the truthe. He setteth the woord Truthe in another sense heere, than hee did afore. For in calling holinesse and ryghtuousnesse truthefull, he ment that there ought too bee no glozing nor disguyzing, but a ryght meaning simplicitie, that when God looketh as a witnesse intoo our harts, he may fynde no dubble dealing in vsus. After that maner was the word Truth taken afore. Now he speaketh of the truthe that ought too reigne among vsus▪ when wee traffik or bargaine one with another. Then must … bee faythfull and trustie in all our businesse and dooings, and we must vse no wyles nor deceyt. And yit that is not ynough: but wee must mark, that this truth wherof Saint Paule speaketh, is such a playn dealyng, as wee lay open all that is in our hart, if neede requyre, and in any wise go not about too get other mens goods too vsus by suttletie and craftinesse, nor too profit our selues by another mans losse. And on the contrary part, vnderunder this word Lying, he comprehendeth not only the lyes that are made in speache, as when a man sayeth, that whyte is blacke, as for example, if one should aske a man the pryce of a thing, he would sell that for a crowne, which is not woorth a shilling. Saint Paule speaketh not of the Lyes that are so grosse & farre out of square, that euen lyttle children are able too condemne them: but by the name of Lying, he meaneth all manner of counterfetting and cousining, and too be short, all the pollicies and shiftes that men hauehave, and wherein they glory. Looke what the world termeth wisedome or policie: that dooth Saint Paule call flat Lying. And why? For a man is not counted too bee wittie now adayes, except the can filche and deceyue, I meane by bywayes & couert cōueyances, which mē shal not perceyue. But this ge…re is woorse than the picking of a chest, and the breaking a sunder of the yron woorke, too get away the money, or than the murthering of a man, when a theefe commes with a naked swoord too cut a poore wayfarers throte. Therefore these politike murtherers, which will needes be counted honest men, may disguyze themselues as much as they list by their hypocrisie: but yit are they called (heere) both deceyuers, and theeues and murtherers. Not that they appeere so before men: but God who seeth deeper than wee doo, will iudge of their dooings as they bee in deede. And what shall men gayne by excuzing themselues? (Nothing.) Then is wee marke this geere well, we shall see, that in speaking of Lyes, S. Paule condemneth the things that men make most account of, as suttletie, and wittinesse, and skill to behaue a mans selfe in all companie. For (the world sayes) a man must hold with the hare, and hunt with the hound: he must beware that hee bee not ouerraught: and he must alwayes preuent rather than be preuented. The fashion of the world then is, that eueryevery man stand so vppon his gard, as he hauehave his nettes ready too intrap other men, and to intangle them a hundred times ere they bee aware of it. But Saint Paule sayth, wee must vse such a soundnesse and playne dealing, as wee must speake truthe one too another. And he bringeth vsus backe too that which he had … after, too another purpose: namely, that wee bee all but one body.
Now then, let vsus come too our owne members. If my one hand should play legierdemayne, and conuey all things too it self, too the hurt of the other: if my foote should conspyre ageinst my legge, or if my bellye could woorke some pretie slyght ageinst my stomacke: what a thing were it? Now then, if wee bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ, is it not a separating of our selues from his bodie, when wee vse such fyne shiftes and pretie slyghtes, notwithstanding that they be not condemnable afore men? No doubt, but wee will protest ynough with our mouthes that wee bee Christians: but whatsoeuer wee pretend, Iesus Christ will not bee misfashyoned after our fancie. Lyke as he is but one: so will he hauehave vsus to be all one in his bodie, yea euen with this conditiō, that eueryevery of vsus serue his neyghbours: which cannot bee doone, except all counterfetting …ee first put away, as wee see that the hand dooth yeeld it self simply too the seruice of the rest of the body: and lykewyse the foote and eueryevery other member dooth his dewtie. If anye one bee in daunger, the rest will not sinke asyde, but all imploy themselues too succour it. (Among them▪) there is no profer of deceyt, but all cling toogither, according too the order of nature. Euen so ought wee too proue our selues too bee the members of Iesus Christ by lyke playne dealing. Saint Paule then applyeth too this particular exhortation, the thing that he had spoken in generall: namely, that if wee bee clenzed from all hipocrisie and fayning before God: wee will shew it in our whole lyfe. For when wee hauehave too doo one with another, wee will vse no guyle, but walke playnly. That is for one poynt. And therof springeth another: which is, that wee must not prouoke or anger one another. For wee see that if a man but moue vsus a little, by and by wee bee in in a chafe, and our passiōs are so excessiue, as there is nother reason nor measure with vsus. And when men are so caryed away, they doo so forget themselues, as nothing can wey with them, vse what perswasion yee can. And therfore Saint Paule sayeth, that if we be not quiet one with another, wee cannot bee knit intoo the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ, and (besydes that,) as much as lyeth in vsus, we deface Gods image in vsus, by giuing head so too our passions too chafe after that fashyon, and too bee so hot one ageinst another. Now it should seeme by al lykelyhod that he ment to take this common saying as drawen out of the fourth Psalme: not that he alledgeth the Psalme too report the naturall sense of it: but too apply it too his owne purpose. For wee may well take many textes of Scripture, and apply them too dyuers things, howbeeit without altering of any thing in them, and yit notwithstanding they shall abyde in their naturall sense styll. Euen so, too the end that S. Paules saying myght bee the better receyued: he sayeth, Bee angrie, and sin not, as though it had bin a common saying, and so well knowen, as it had bin taken almost for a prouerb. Now, Dauid vseth a woord which signifyeth properly too chafe and storme: howbeeit that was in rebuking such as persecuted him wrongfully, bycause they were hardned in theyr malyce, and forepossessed with so great and venemous rage ageinst him, that they made no conscience too oppresse him. Forasmuch therfore as he sawe such wilful stubbornnesse in his enemyes, he sayeth vntoo them, Bee yee angrie, and yee shal not sin. Whereby he dooth vsus too wit, that the cause why they were so caryed away with rage ageinst him, was, that there was nother feare of God, nor honestie, nor conscience that could hold them backe any more, but that they were become as wyld beastes. And that is the cause why he sayeth, Bee angrie: that is too say, Enter a little intoo questioning and reasoning with your selues: examin what yee bee dooing: and then will yeee not sin any more. If eueryevery of you will go intoo his chamber, and bethinke himself aduyzedly: yee shal perceyue, that hithertoo yee hauehave bin driuen by diuelish rage. Now this doctrine is ryght necessarie for all men, bycause wee see what headinesse there is in vsus, insomuch that wee hauehave no sooner conceyued any toy in our head, but that by and by without inquyring of Gods will, or without asking counsell at his mouth, as the Prophet Esay exhorteth vsus too doo: wee take the thing that wee hauehave conceyued,Esay. 30▪ a. 2. for good, and will needes subdewe all men too our lyking. And therefore the cause why wee ouershoote our selues so much, is, that wee enter not intoo examination of the matter with our selues, that wee myght discerne betweene the good and the euill, euen by yeelding God his due authoritie, in giuing eare with all reuerence and modestie, too the things that he sheweth vsus by his woord. Then hauehave wee neede too bee angrie, that is too say, too bee greeued with our selues, and too complayne of our selues, that wee sooth not our selues as wee hauehave bin woont too doo. If wee doo so, wee shall not sin: that is too say, the great malapartnesse that is so deeply rooted in vsus, will soone bee abated: for wee shall abhorre too fyght ageinst God: and if our affections get aforehande with vsus, God will set in foote ageinst them, and say, how nowe? will yee make warre ageinst mee vnawares?
Now heeruppon Saint Paule sayeth, Bee yee angry, and sin not. As if he should say, my frendes, what maketh you too storme so one ageinst another? For if neuer so little a fault bee committed ageinst you, yee bee streyte in a chafe, and would rend vp heauen and earth too bee reuenged of the offence, and yit in the meane season yee hauehave matter ynough too bee offended eueryevery one with himself. Neuer go from your owne persons too seeke cause of anger: for how many wayes offend you God eueryevery day? Yee ceasse not too prouoke him early and late. And yit if one touche but the tip of your finger, yee are by and by in a pelting chafe. And what is the cause therof, but that (as it seemeth) yee hauehave conspyred with Satan too tormente your selues so? You beare your selues on hand yee shall bee well in quiet when yee hauehave reuenged the wrong that hath bin doone vntoo you. But it is a cursed quietnesse, when men are so at rest, by being reuenged vppon those that hauehave offended them. The way then too asswage all these wicked heates, is for eueryevery man too thinke with himself, that he shall surely hauehave ynough wherfore too bee greeued with himself, and too bee angrie with himself, and too bee reuenged of himself.2. Cor. 7. c. 10. 11. According wheruntoo, Saint Paule in the second too the Corinthians, declaring what trew repentance is, alledgeth the sorinesse which wee conceyue vppon the knowing of our sinnes, saying that the said sorines bringeth with it a greef, which suffereth vsus not to be in quiet and rest, but maketh vsus to fall to stomaking ageinst our selues, in consideration of the terriblenesse of Gods wrath which wee hauehave prouoked ageinst vsus, and yit notwithstanding suffereth vsus not too ceasse too bee still of good hope, by resting vppon Gods goodnesse and merciemercy. Therfore if one bee once come too the poynt that they can bee angrie with themselues, when they knowe they hauehave sinned, and seeke not too bee reuenged of their enemyes, but rather are redie too doo them good, and doo pray for them: that is a good exercyze, and eueryevery man ought too spend himself in that battell: for surelye they bee good and holye passions, when a mans anger proceedeth of a zeale too Godward, and of a louelove that he beareth towards him. And if wee doo so: that is too say, if eueryevery of vsus bee greeued at his owne vyces: certeinly wee shall neuer fynd leysure too be at emnity with other folkes, or too spyte our neyghbours: but if wee hauehave a trew zeale too Gods honour: vndoubtedly wee will forget the offences that are committed ageinst vsus, and not bee so hastie as too say, I will mayntayne myne honour or honestie. For wee shall hauehave another greater and woorthyer let too hold vsus backe: that is too wit, the reuenging of the fault which wee our selues hauehave committed ageinst God, and whereby he hath bin dishonored as much as in vsus lay, and the forgetting of the offence that hath bin committed ageinst our selues. Thus yee see in effect what wee hauehave too consider vppon this, where Saint Paule sheweth vsus, that men must turne their eyes away from the occasions which they may conceyue too bee reuenged of others. For if a fly doo but come ouerthwart our eyes, wee bee by and by in a spytefull choler, in so much as there needeth no more too make vsus fall out with eueryevery body that doth any thing which mislyketh vsus. So then let vsus learne to forsake our selues, and to thinke eueryevery of vsus vppon our owne faultes, that wee may bee so displeased with them, as it may rid away our cholericknesse, wherethrough wee fall too fyghting ageinst God, and make vsus too bee angry at the great number of vyces whertoo wee bee too much giuen. That is the thyng which wee hauehave too remember in the first place. And as touching the second poynt, wee will delay it vntill next the Sunday, at which tyme it shall by Gods leaue bee discoursed at length.
Now let vsus fall downe before the maiest…e of our good God, with acknowledgment of our sinnes, praying him too make vsus perceyue them more and more, and therwithall too inlyghten vsus so by the doctrine of the Gospell, as wee may espye our owne sinnes and shamefulnesse, and bee ashamed of our selues, and also behold the ryghtuousnesse which hath bin shewed vsus in our Lord Iesus Christ, and tend thereuntoo with indeuer too bee fashyoned therafter, so as wee may come dayly neerer and neerer theruntoo, vntill wee cleaue throughly vntoo it: and that in the meane tyme he beare with our infirmities, graunting vsus the grace too amend them from day too day, in hope that he will shewe himself mercifull toowardes vsus, so wee play the Iudges ageinst our owne selues in condemning all the vyces which wee perceyue too be in vsus. That it maye please him too graunt this grace, not onelyonly too vsus, but also too all people and Nations of the earth. &c.