The Twenty First Sermon, which is the sixth upon the third Chapter, and the first upon the fourth -
everlasting heritage which He has purchased for us, according as it is His will that we, being made His fellow-heirs, should in the end come to the same perfection whereinto He has gone before us. That it may please Him to grant this grace, not only to us but also to all people. etc.
The Twenty First Sermon, which is the sixth upon the third Chapter, and the first upon the fourth.
20. Now unto him that is able to do most abundantly above all things that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21. Be praise in the Church through Jesus Christ throughout all generations forevermore. Amen.
The Fourth Chapter.
1. I therefore, who am a prisoner in our Lord, warn you to walk as becometh you in the calling wherewith ye be called.
2. With all lowliness and meekness, with patience, etc.
When God has done us never so much good, although we feel ourselves beholden unto him, and bound to yield him his due praise, yet can we not discharge ourselves of our duty with a free heart, except we hope that he will hold on still hereafter, and show himself the same to the end, which we have known him to be heretofore.
Now, without faith, we cannot hope, and so it is impossible that God should have his due praise at men's hands. Put the case we had found
God's help at our need, and whatsoever we could wish, and in the meanwhile, we think it was but a sudden bray which has vanished away out of hand, and that henceforth we may look for no more at his hand, and that it shall be in vain for us to require it: it is certain that we would come no more at him because we should be pinched and pressed with heaviness and grief. Therefore, that we may hold out in praising God's name, we must couple these two things together: that is to wit, that on the one side we bethink us of the good that we have received from him, and that on the other side we hope still that he will always be steadfast and constant in his purpose unto the end, and never cease to do us good. And that is the order which St. Paul keeps here, saying, Praise and glory be yielded unto God.
And how? Unto him, (saith he), which is able to do all things, beyond our asking, yea and beyond our thinking too. Now it is certain that here Saint Paul had an eye back to that which we have seen before, which is, that God did then utter the infinite riches of his goodness when he vouchsafed to have the Gospel (which is the message of salvation) published throughout the world. Nevertheless, he quickens up the faithful to discharge themselves cheerfully by telling them that they must not mistrust that God will withdraw his hand, as though his showing of himself liberal towards them had been but for once and away. His meaning then is that God will go through with his work, and therefore that we may give ourselves to the praising of his name without any stop, as well as in respect of the good that we have received already, as upon the belief that he will hold on without ever failing us. That is the effect of the matter which we have to gather upon this strain.
Now his saying is, Let glory be yielded to God in the Church: whereby he shows that it is not enough that every one of us do privately
acknowledge the benefits that God has bestowed upon him, but that we must also join together in that mind. For if the body be well at ease, surely no member will be so addicted to itself, but that it will have regard for all the rest. Now then, when God has made his
Church to prosper, so as the number thereof is multiplied, and it is also increased in spiritual gifts, not only they that have received those benefits, must enforce themselves to praise God, but also all the rest of the body, for as much as it becomes us to be knit together with the holy bond, whereof St. Paul will speak hereafter. That then is the cause why he speaks purposely of the Church: as if he should say, that seeing God does so utter his goodness, every man ought to be inflamed to glorify him because that look whatsoever he does to our neighbors, we ought to take it as done to ourselves. And verily he had an eye here to that which might hinder the praising of God with one true consent. For the Jews had always a certain disdain against the Gentiles because they thought it was meet that they themselves should keep still the birthright, and that they had wrong, if any of those were made equal with them, which had been utterly shaken off afore. And likewise the Gentiles perceiving the Jews to be given to foolish bragging of the law, which had taken an end, might have despised them on the other side. Saint Paul therefore tells them here, that inasmuch as God had called them as brethren to the inheritance of salvation, it became them to agree in such wise in the praising of him, as his praise might sound everywhere.
And he says, Let praise be yielded to God, yea even forevermore, from world to world, and by Jesus Christ. For as much as Saint Paul has treated heretofore of the grace that served to guide the faithful to the kingdom of heaven, therefore does he of good right say, that men must not only praise God for once and away, but also that there is cause to continue the same, not the life of one man but throughout all ages. Yea, and moreover St. Paul meant to do us to understand,
that the Church should be preserved forever, and that there should always remain some seed of it in the world, so as the record of salvation should never be fruitless, but there should be some people still to be gathered together, which should be a looking glass, wherein to behold the inestimable mercy which our God shows us in our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, we see Saint Paul's meaning, whereby we ought to be assured, that although Satan practices all that is possible, to wipe away the remembering of God, and to make havoc in the Church, as the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be as good as defaced, yet will God overcome all by his power, so as the Church shall continue still, and the death and passion of our Lord Jesus
Christ shall be available, notwithstanding the cruelty of Tyrants, and the practices of household enemies, and of such as would overthrow the whole building. And that also is the cause why Saint Paul sets us down the name of Jesus Christ. It is true, that we cannot yield God thanks but by that means: for it is certain that we should not be meet to receive one drop of good, but by the means of our Lord Jesus
Christ, because we be enemies to God by nature. Insomuch that although he be free-hearted even to the unbelievers, yet shall the same turn to their greater condemnation, so that they be double accursed, in being partakers of God's blessings: for to him that is unclean, all things are unclean, as saith Saint Paul in another place.
And therefore we can never give God thanks but in the name of Jesus Christ, by whom we receive all good things. Howbeit, Saint Paul's meaning was to do us to understand in this text, that God's once showing of himself to be a father to all men in the person of his only
Son, by ordaining him to make the atonement, which was to last forever, and to continue world without end, insomuch that we must assure ourselves (as I said afore) that God will maintain his truth in this world, and by that means have always some flock gathered unto him, among whom his name shall be called upon.
But let us come now to the second part. He showeth that it is not enough for us to have known God's goodness by experience in the time past, unless we be strengthened in such hope by it, as we doubt not but that God will show himself merciful towards us ever after.
And that is the cause why he saith, "To him that is able to do all things exceedingly abundantly, above our asking or thinking." Now we see here how St. Paul warneth us that if God hath used great mercifulness towards us heretofore, we must not doubt of his continuing the same because he is not like mortal men, who are fickle-minded; neither must we be afraid that his fountain will dry up when he shall have bestowed great benefits upon us already. Why so?
For he hath such a store of them, that the more we take to our contentation, the greater abundance hath he still. We see then the means to dispose ourselves to acknowledge the good that God hath done us, or at least to honor him for them, is to be always fully resolved and persuaded that we shall ever find him a Father, because he hath promised so to be.
And whereas he speaketh of God's power or might, we must not imagine it to be an idle power, as the worldlings do. They will grant well enough that God is almighty, but yet in the meantime, they trust never the more in him. To their seeming, he takes his rest in heaven, or else he disposes not of things in this world, but (at times) when he bethinks himself of them. But contrariwise, when God speaks unto us of his power, it is to the end that we should make it our shield against all the distresses, hindrances, and obstacles, which the devil casteth before our eyes, to make us distrust God's promises. Like as when it is said that Abraham believed that God is almighty: it was not generally and confusedly, but with an applying of God's infinite power to the thing that had been promised him: which was, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. Abraham, looking upon himself, saw he was a man as fast decaying as might be.
He drooped, and (as ye would say) dragged his wings after him; to be short, he was hard at death's door. His wife had been barren all her life long; she was past the age of bearing children anymore, insomuch that the thing which was told him by God's own mouth seemed utterly impossible. And why is it that Abraham does nevertheless believe assuredly that God will keep his promise with him? It is because he had an eye to his infinite power, which is able to overcome all obstacles and hindrances. We see then how Abraham applied God's power to his own behoof, assuring himself that God's truth and his power are inseparable. After that manner also does St.
Paul say, that he whom he hath put in trust with his pledge is mighty.
For he saw himself to be a poor and frail creature, he saw how he was hunted on all sides, he saw that he was shaken off and despised, he saw how the doctrine that he bore abroad was hated and abhorred, he saw how his life hung as by a thread, and he had such a number of troubles as were able to overwhelm him, yea, and finally to confound him and dispatch him quite. And how did he overcome all this, and remain invincible, yea, and even triumph over them, being in prison, and seeing himself at death's door? How could he have such victory against so many temptations and encounters? It was by knowing that God was the keeper of his soul, whereupon he conceived his infinite power, which is able to perform all that he appointeth. You see then that St. Paul imagined not a power in the air, but knew that God worked so in him that he should never fall but upon his feet (as men say). And why? For he had promise of it. Wherefore let us learn to put this lesson to use, as it is common in the scripture. The repeating thereof so often is not for nothing. For we see the frowardness that is in ourselves, insomuch that although God hath promised to keep us, yet if never so little a blast of wind comes upon us, we are dismayed by and by. And how so? Surely if we yielded God the honor that he deserveth, and acknowledge him to be almighty indeed, we should boldly defy all that seemeth to be against us. And why? For if God be
on our side, who shall be against us, saith St. Paul? And we see also how David defies both all his enemies and also death, saying: though
I should walk in the shadow of death, and within the grave, yet should I be safe, because God is my shepherd, and hath his shepherd's hook to guide me withal. And in another place he saith again, Though I were beset round about with a million of enemies, yet should I not shrink. And why? For God is with me. Were we then as well persuaded of God's almightiness as we confess it with our mouth, surely we should not be so soon dismayed, neither should our faith be shaken at every brunt. So then let us conclude, that inasmuch as we be so weak, and everything, even the slightest, will scare us out of our wits, there is nothing but hypocrisy in us, and our confessing that God is almighty cometh not from our heart. So much the more, therefore, it behooveth us to put this lesson to use, and to exercise it night and day, that we may taste it thoroughly. And that is the cause why it is so often mentioned unto us, for we take it not to be a matter of so great importance. But when our Lord doth so often tell us that he hath all things in his hand, that he disposeth of his creatures as he listeth himself, and that nothing is able to prevent his determination, nor the performance of the things that he hath promised: it is to the end that we should yield unto his promises, that which they assure us: that is to say, whenever we shall seem to be at the point of undoing, and the devil shall give us such whole skirmishes as we shall see no way to escape, nor any end of our distresses, let us think thus with ourselves: Who is he that hath spoken it? Who is he that hath promised to be our defender? Is it not he that is almighty? Could not he with one blast blow away all that the devil practiseth? Though all the world were against us, what could it do, so long as our Lord vouchsafed to maintain our part?
After that manner must we advance God's power above the whole world, that we may rest upon his promises. For (as I have said already) God's word and the power of bringing to pass the things
contained therein are inseparable. And we blaspheme God as often as we are in doubt and perplexity whether he be able to perform his defending of us or not. For since he hath promised it, out of all doubt he will perform it, or else should his power be shortened, which is impossible. And so you see why St. Paul hath spoken here of God's power. And that also is the cause why the prophets, in speaking of the succor which God hath always in readiness to rescue the faithful withal from death when they are plunged in it, have commonly said,
Is it not the God which hath made both heaven and earth? This should seem to be far-fetched. For the case is that I am in some trouble, and have no other refuge but only God's pitying of me, whereof I seek to be assured: and he telleth me, I have created heaven and earth. He seemeth to send me very far, and to make me leap out of God's blessing into the warm sun. But God's telling us that he created heaven and earth is to make us understand that it belongs to him also to rule his creatures, that he hath a care of us as of his children, that there is not anything above or beneath which is not subject to him, and that he turneth all things round about, and to and fro as he listeth. Saith he so? Then we must out of hand apply it to our benefit, so as we doubt not but that his power hath such preeminence, as he is well able to root out whatsoever seemeth to be against us. And so you see how you must always have the said chain to tie God's promises, and the truth of bringing them to pass together.
And S. Paul sayeth that he can do all things above our asking and our thinking. Not without cause hath he enclosed here all that belongeth to our salvation. For he that trusteth in God for one thing will not miss to enter into debating whether he will add a second benefit or a third. That therefore is the cause why S. Paul will have us to look for all things at the hand of our God. And he sayeth, Above our asking.
True it is that we must not fall asleep when we would be succored
and governed at God's hand, or be filled with his benefits: but if we believe in his word, we must also be moved to pray: for it is a true proof of our faith when we resort so unto our God. And for that cause it is said that the faithful must discharge all their cares into his lap.
For it is the true record of it when at all times of our need, we resort to him, who will have us to seek all our welfare in him alone. The faithful therefore must be diligent in praying, according as S. Paul sayeth in another text, where he exhorteth us to prayer and supplication and setteth down this diligence also, to the intent we should have no slothfulness to pluck us back. But albeit we give over all our wits to praying unto God, yet notwithstanding, considering the necessities that compel us to resort unto him, God must be faine to outdo our requests and to do much more for us than we require.
And for proof thereof, when any (of the faithful) feels his own infirmities, he will straightways humble himself and thereupon repair unto God, and that not for once only, but every minute of an hour. And afterward he will resort to him both for his body and his soul, and think thus: Alas, yet want I such a thing, I must to him again. Lo how the faithful do thoroughly sift out the miseries and wants whereunto they be subject, thereby to provoke themselves to pray unto God. But do not we think that the devil hath a hundred thousand wiles which we perceive not? And God must be faine to provide for them, or else what would become of us? For although we feel that diverse things do pinch us, yet there are many other things that are unknown and hidden from us. So then it will always be found true that God outgoeth all our prayers and all our wishes.
Mark that for one point. Therefore let us do what we can and endeavor to resort continually unto God: and yet therewithal let us be fully persuaded that he must be faine to watch over us and to be much more sharp-sighted than we, in spying what we have need of and the means also that are fit to compass it to our behoof: all these
things must God be faine to look to. And so must we cast all our cares upon him, as I alleged afore out of the Psalm.
And truly his adding of above our ability to think is to show that although men be enlightened by the Gospel, to distrust themselves, to walk in fear, yea, and to be abashed at the sight of their own wretchedness: yet perceive they not the hundredth part of it, but must be faine to refer the residue unto God and to look for more at his hand than they can wish. And herewithal S. Paul sheweth us that we cannot pass measure in trusting unto God and in asking him the things that we have need of. Indeed we must not use a foolish liberty to pray to God to give us this or that, as our fleshly desire provoketh us. For we must refer ourselves wholly unto him: and specially we must in praying fight against all our own lusts, that we be not too importunate in them. And in good sooth, we see what hath befallen to such as would needs have God to grant all their demands to pleasure them withal. The children of Israel were fed with flesh and were glutted with it, till they were ready to burst: but while the meat was yet in their throats, God's wrath and vengeance fell upon them.
It had been much better for them that their request had been denied than granted. Therefore when we pray, we must not take such liberty as to say that God should be subject to our affections and desires, but we must ask him the things that he hath promised us, assuring ourselves that he will like well of our requests. And (as I said afore) let us not fear that we shall be too excessive, for we see that he will do yet more, and so had he need to do. And let us not be afraid to be blamed of any presumption or malapertness in assuring ourselves of his promises. Indeed if men warrant themselves more than God's word will bear them out in or bear themselves on hand that they shall obtain whatsoever they imagine in their own brain, all such hope shall doubtless be a sloop. But if we ground ourselves upon God's truth, which is sure and undeceitful, let us hardily reach out
the trust far and wide which we have in him, and let us not doubt but he will perform it to the full, yea, and much more too, as S. Paul sheweth us here. You see then that the sum of the things which we have to remember in this strain is that we must behold God's benefits, not only those which we have had experience of but also which are seen through the whole world, that they may move us to praise God's name, and that there may be such an agreeable melody among all the faithful as they may honor God for all the benefits which he bestoweth generally upon the whole body of his Church.
And again, that we must hope that he will go through with all that ever he hath once begun: and that inasmuch as we have already felt how merciful he is unto us, so that he hath sought us out when we were strayed away from him and pulled us out of the bottom of hell: we must not doubt but that he will hold on still and increase the benefits more and more which we have felt already in part: And furthermore that in praying unto him, we must have an eye to the great number of necessities which move and constrain us to come unto him and thereupon consider that he will do much more for us than we can wish, and that we be so weak-witted and so unskillful that we wot not what is meet for us: howbeit that he remedyeth the same two ways, namely, by stirring up unutterable groanings in us, as is said more fully in the eighth to the Romans, and on the other side by supplying such unskillfulness so as he tarrieth not till we crave his succor, but preventeth us through his mercy, notwithstanding that we welter in our wretchedness and perceive not the tenth part of the things that we want.
Now hereupon Saint Paul exhorteth the faithful to walk as becometh their calling, wherein they be called. This is not only to the intent they should thank God with their mouths, as he warned them to do: but also to profit themselves by the spiritual gifts which they receive, and to put them to such use as God may be glorified by them. For if
we should set forth all God's praises, and in the meantime men could perceive no zeal of honoring and serving him in all our life, it would be but a feigning, and such a confession would be but an unhallowing of God's name, when our life were not answerable thereto. Not without cause therefore doth Saint Paul add here, that men should walk according to the calling whereunto they be called. And thereupon we have to mark, first that forasmuch as we be slow, and there is ever too much sloth and coldness in us, we cannot devise a better way, nor one which may touch us more to the quick, to make us go on forward in the obedience of God, than to think upon his infinite mercy which he hath showed towards us. According whereunto, Saint Paul in the twelfth to the Romans, intending to win the faithful to teachableness, and to put their trust in God, setteth before them the mercy that they had received at his hand. As if he should say, that whensoever we hear of the stone that ought to be removed, or think upon the inestimable goodness which God hath used towards us, in that he spared not his only Son, but gave him for our salvation, vouchsafing to have him offered up in sacrifice to put away the remembrance of our offences and misdeeds, it ought to cleave our hearts asunder. Therefore in this text he setteth God's calling of us before our eyes. Truth it is that we be sufficiently bound beforehand by nature to serve and honor God: for we have our life from him, and we live here at his cost, and we see how all his creatures serve us. That therefore is bond great enough when the ruling of our life according to God's will comes into question. But seeing he thinks it not enough to have set us in the world, and to give us sustenance for our bodies, but also takes us to be his own children, to bring us up in his Church, which is his house, and upon his adopting of us bequeaths us the inheritance of heaven, and to assure us of it, hath given us the pledge that I spoke of, that is to wit, our Lord Jesus Christ: seeing we know that God hath so many ways uttered the infinite love that he bare us, ought it not to inflame us to
run unto him, to the end that by renouncing ourselves more and more, we may endeavor to give ourselves so unto him, as he may quietly have the use of our whole life, and we mind none other thing than the exalting of his name? Ye see then whereat Saint Paul looked, when he saith, that he warneth the Ephesians to walk agreeable to the vocation wherein God had set them. So then, we have to gather upon this text, that to correct the slothfulness that is in us, and especially to subdue the stubbornness that hindereth our pleasing of God in all points (for it is certain that all our thoughts, and all the disposition of our nature are inclined unto evil, and do both draw us back and drive us far off from the obedience which we ought to yield unto our Maker), to correct all this thoroughly, and to come unto
God, we must learn to lift up our senses to the infinite grace that God hath showed us, in making us partakers of the spiritual goods of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by vouchsafing to have us to be members of his body, and to adopt us to be his children and heirs.
Furthermore, let us consider the end whereat he aimed, to the intent that God complain not of us, as he doth of the Israelites by his
Prophet Isaiah, because of the unthankfulness which they had showed towards him. He saith that he had taken them as his vineyard, or as a costly heritage. And he telleth them that, for all his manuring of them, they had brought him forth nothing but wild grapes and bitter fruit. Let us beware (say I) that God have not just cause to blame us nowadays, as well as he did them. For if the people of Israel received excellent gifts, much more are we bound unto God nowadays since the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For look what he gave to the Fathers of old time in figures and shadows: that have we at these days in truth and substance. We are in the full time wherein it was God's will to pour out all his benefits upon us to the full. Since it is so, we shall be the less excusable if we be unthankful
and acknowledge not the good that God hath done us. That is the thing which we have to bear in mind.
And moreover, let us consider that (as saith Saint Peter) our Lord hath drawn us out, and rescued us from the tyranny of death, and called us to his kingdom of light, to the intent that we should blaze abroad his virtues and bestow our whole life in magnifying him to the uttermost: according to this present text, where it is said that we must walk according to the vocation that God hath called us unto.
Now this importeth a gathering and drawing of us out by ourselves, as though God meant to make a new world of us. And in very deed the thing whereunto the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ tendeth is that we should be sholed out from the uncleanness of the world. Seeing then that we be as it were sorted out by ourselves, and God hath dedicated us to himself, intending to have us for his inheritance, let us learn not to disappoint him of his purpose. And if we be the children of light (as he saith in another place), let us walk no more in darkness, as the unbelievers do, but let us make the grace effectual which we have received. That is it in effect which we have to remember concerning the word "vocation" or "calling." To be short, we shall be much more blameworthy than the silliest ignorant and blind souls if we endeavor not to hold ourselves as it were locked up under God's hand and under his guiding. Truth it is that at this day there is no corner of the world but it is so corrupted, as is horrible to see: insomuch that even they who have had no taste at all of the Gospel, but have been nuzzled and imbued continually with superstition, shall not fail to be justly condemned at God's hand. And as for us, it is certain that we shall have a much harder account to make, for that God enlighteneth us with his word, and whereas other folks stray and wander in destruction, he showeth us the way of salvation, calling and alluring us daily unto him. Seeing then that we have such a privilege, we ought to bethink ourselves well that we
quench not the light by thrusting it underfoot, and so put away the special grace that was granted us, and which God vouchsafed to direct unto us, to the end we should be the more provoked to serve him.
But by the way, we must mark well how Saint Paul saith that this must be done with all submission and lowliness, with patience and meekness. Hereby he meant to express that it is not enough for every man to employ himself to the doing of his duty: but that we must also reach out our hands each one to his neighbor and brother, so as God may be served with one common consent among us. Let us mark well therefore (forasmuch as the residue cannot be dispatched at this time) that Saint Paul speaks not here to every man severally, but that he comprehends all the whole body and company of the Church. As if he should say, my friends, it is not enough for every one of us to withdraw himself and to abstain from all evil, and to show himself well-minded and zealous to live in the fear of God and in all uprightness: but we must also have a mutual care one of another, and be fully resolved that it is no serving of God if we endeavor not by all the means we can, that others may do the like. And so we see here how it is the rule of all the faithful (first) that every man look to himself, and though all the world be mad in doing evil, yet notwithstanding that he who is taught in God's school do hold himself in awe and under subjection, and consider whereunto he is called: and therewithal that if there be many of us, and God hath shed out his grace so as he hath gotten himself a Church, we must to the uttermost of our power seek to join with them whom God calleth, as well as us, so that he who goes foremost, reach his hand to him that is next him, and say, let us go altogether, and one of us encourage another, that he who goes faintly and hath infirmities in him, be tarried for by those that go swifter, and be borne up also if need be, so as we may all be drawn unto God. And this must not only
be done in every town and village, but also we must look yet further off, and consider that they whom we know not are nevertheless of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore we must serve them for looking glasses and examples, and confirm them so much the more to lead a godly conversation, by showing them the way that they may follow us. And let us also profit ourselves, so as if we see any other men more virtuous, zealous, and constant than we be, every one of us may be ashamed of it, and say thus to ourselves: How now? Is it meet that thou shouldest lag behind when other folks march on so fast before, and run so cheerfully towards God? Ye see then that the thing in effect which we have to bear away here is that, inasmuch as God hath not called us each one alone, and each another, as though he meant to set us asunder, but directeth his voice to all, and will have it serve for a holy bond unto all: we also must answer him, not only with our mouth but also with our whole life, and there must be true unity among us, and we must endeavor to bring to pass that God may be purely worshipped everywhere, and consider that since we are called all to one inheritance, there ought to be a right brotherhood among us, and that since we call upon God as our Father, it becometh us as his children to be joined to our head, that is to wit, to our Lord Jesus Christ. And when we be so joined unto him, it is certain that we shall not be cut off from those whom he will have to be of his body, neither shall the hand despise the foot, nor the foot hold scorn of the hand: but forasmuch as we know that our life resteth only in Jesus Christ, we shall endeavor as much as we can to uphold one another, and pray to God to strengthen us against all
Satan's assaults, and against all that he can practice to set us at odds, that we may maintain the battle, and with invincible constancy follow still the way which God hath showed us, until we attain to the heritage which he hath promised us, and purchased so dearly by our
Lord Jesus Christ.