Sermon XVIII
CONCERNING GOOD WORKS, THE FRUITS OF FAITH
ROMANS 13:11–14. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed, &c.
THE apostle in this text teacheth, not of faith, but of works the fruits of faith, and showeth how the life of a Christian ought to be ordered and framed according to the flesh outwardly among men. For how we must live in the spirit and before God, faith doth teach, whereof St. Paul a little before this place hath at large and even apostolically treated. Yea, if we consider this text well, it doth not so much teach as provoke, exhort, move, and stir up them which are already taught,
what they must do. For St. Paul divideth the office of preaching into two parts, into doctrine and exhortation, Rom. 12. Doctrine is, when one teacheth that which was not known before, whereby men are instructed and come to understand. Exhortation is when the preacher moveth and provoketh unto that which is already known, and either is necessary to be done of him, who will Christianly perform the duty of preaching. Wherefore St. Paul doth very earnestly apply himself to both; and that his exhortation may be more effectual, and may more acceptably enter into the minds of them whom he hath purposed to exhort, he useth certain elegant and figurative speeches, and doth, with an adorned manner of speaking, allure their minds unto him. For the words sleep, darkness, light, waking, armour, works, the day, the night, which he here useth, are all spoken figuratively, by which other things are signified than their nature and propriety do bear: for he speaketh not of the natural night, day, darkness, armour, waking, and sleep, &c., but he resembleth by these natural things a certain likeness to our mind, whereby he may more forcibly provoke and bring us to those spiritual things; as if he said, ye see how men, to get the riches of the present time, which do soon perish, rise early, and, laying aside the works of darkness, apply themselves to the works of the day, after the night is passed and the day is come. With how much greater diligence ought we, shaking off our sleep, to rise early, and casting away the works which we did while it was yet dark, to apply ourselves now to those works which are agreeable to our light, forasmuch as the night is now passed, and the day of our salvation hath appeared?
By sleep he signifieth evil works which are void of faith: for sleep is a work properly meet for the night, and that he meaneth thus, he sufficiently declareth, when he by and by after addeth, "Let us cast away the works of darkness." So on the contrary to awake and to rise, signify good works which come of faith. For as sleep pertaineth properly to the night, so to rise is properly agreeable to the morning and day. Whereupon it is said, 1 Thess. 5:4–10, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the
night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." It is sufficiently manifest, that the apostle doth not in these words, forbid us the sleep of nature, nevertheless he draweth a similitude from natural sleep and waking, to spiritual, that is, to a good and evil life; and to be brief, to rise out of sleep is here the very same thing that the apostle writeth, Titus 2:11–13, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ." For that which he called in these words, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, he calleth in this text which we have in hand, to arise from sleep; and that which he termeth to live soberly, and righteously, and godlily, that he called in our present text, to watch and to put on the armour of light; and whereas he saith, the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared, that he calleth here the day and light, of which we will hereafter speak more at large.
Now let us see what likeness there is between natural and spiritual sleep. He that sleepeth naturally, neither seeth nor feeleth any of those good things that are in the world, but lieth among those things which are even next adjoining unto him as it were dead, serving to no use, neither regarding any thing at all. For although he live in himself, yet is he as dead to all other. Again, instead of true things, he is in dreams wholly occupied with vain images and forms of things, which appear true, and is so foolish, that he embraceth those vain forms, and thinketh them to be true things; but when he waketh, those images do together vanish away, and the man beginneth to be occupied with true things. After the same manner almost it is, when
one is as it were swallowed up of ungodliness, for he sleepeth and is like a dead man before God, neither seeth he, neither feeleth any of the good things, which are good things indeed, namely, those spiritual good things which are promised, and offered him by the gospel, although they be just by him; for those things are seen and felt by faith alone, otherwise they are removed from all sight and feeling. Wherefore so long as by reason of the sleep of his unbelief, he can have neither any regard or sense of true good things, which are very near him through the gospel, he busieth himself with the false good things of this world, as riches, promotions, and pleasures, which being compared unto eternal life, unto heavenly joy, and that perfect salvation which cometh to the godly, are altogether as dreams and as those vain visions, compared to natural things, whereof they are only representations; but when a man awaketh, and hath received faith, all regard and desire of those false good things of this present life vanisheth away, and he acknowledgeth that they are nothing else but mere vanity and falsehood, even as those visions do fade away quite as soon as a man awaketh out of a natural sleep. Hereof the 76th Psalm speaketh, ver. 5, "They have slept their sleep; and none of the men of might have found their hands," and Psalm 73:20, "As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image." And Isaiah 29:8, "It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against Mount Zion." See how contemptuously and disdainfully the prophet speaketh of the chief power, riches, and pleasures, and promotions of the world, and likeneth them to dreams and most vain visions, wherewith they which are asleep are deluded. What other durst say, that the good things, riches, and power of these kings, princes, and rich men are nothing else but dreams, whenas for them men mingle earth with heaven, fire with water, raging without measure and end in the world? but the cause hereof is, for that they yet sleep, therefore they do yet see nothing hereof, as they want faith, so also are they destitute of the light.
"For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." What mean these words? Did we believe before, and do we not believe now? Here we must call to mind that which Paul writeth, Rom. 1:1, that God promised the gospel "by his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord," that all should by him be saved according to that which was said unto Abraham, Gen. 22:18, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." This blessing promised to Abraham in his seed, is nothing else but grace and salvation in Christ offered to the whole world by the gospel, which Paul so interpreteth, Rom. 6 and Gal. 3. For Christ is that seed of Abraham, that is, as he is man, his flesh and blood, by whom and in whom shall be blessed, as many as believe in him, and call upon him. This promise was afterward by the prophets continually more and more declared and preached, for they did all write of the coming of Christ, of the grace which he should bring, and of the gospel, which Peter also witnesseth, Acts 4.
This promise of God all the faithful believed which died before Christ was born, who by this faith were saved, and obtained salvation in Christ and through Christ. Hereunto Paul now had respect when he said, "Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed;" for that which he saith is this much in effect: We believe in time past, that the promise made unto Abraham should be fulfilled, now it is fulfilled, and those things that we believed should come to pass are now present: Christ is come, the gospel is revealed and published, and the blessing which we looked for is spread over the world; all things which we tarried for and believed, being promised, are come. And hereby the Apostle signifieth the spiritual day, whereof he speaketh afterwards, which is properly the beginning and manifestion of the gospel, whereof we will hereafter speak. Now by this, that those things we believed should be fulfilled are now fulfilled, our faith is not any whit made void or frustrate, but much more sound or perfect; for as they of the old time before Christ's incarnation believed the promise of God which should be fulfilled, so we believe that the same is fulfilled, and the faith is altogether the same in itself, but that our faith followed theirs, as the fulfilling followeth also the
promise; for either faith trusteth in the seed of Abraham, that is, in Christ, theirs before his incarnation, ours after it. Wherefore he that should at this day believe with the Jews that Christ is to come, should make God a liar, as though he had not fulfilled his promise, which he hath fulfilled, and being fulfilled would have it published and preached; so also should salvation be yet far from the believers which we should look for being as yet to come, in the time that shall hereafter follow. Of this double faith, Paul speaketh, Rom. 1:17, "Therein (that is, in the gospel) is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." What meaneth this, from faith to faith? Nothing else, but that although the faith of the fathers and our faith is the same, whereby it is believed in Christ either to come, or which hath already appeared; yet the gospel doth lead from their faith to ours, so that it is now necessary not only to believe the promise that was to be fulfilled, but also that it is fulfilled, which it did not behove Abraham and the other fathers to believe, although they had the same Christ which we have; for there is one faith, one spirit, one Christ, one communion of saints, this difference only there is between us, that they went before Christ, we follow him. We have therefore believed, and we do also believe, viz., the fathers and we, with a like and common faith in the same Christ, although not after the same manner, as it is said. And as by reason of this communion of faith which we have alike in the same Christ, we say, We have believed, or we did believe, whenas not we, but the fathers have believed, or did believe; so they again did say, that they should hear, see, and believe in Christ, whenas not they, but we do live in that time.
We read not in a few places of the scriptures, that they which were before the incarnation of Christ, took upon them the person of them which are after it, and they which are after it, of them which were before it, because of the communion of faith, and the same Christ, which they have in common, and so there is as it were one company of believers. Now whereas the Apostle saith, that salvation is now nearer unto us than when we believed, that is, when our fathers those ancient believers did look for it to come, we must not understand it of the nearness of possession, as though we now had it
nearer and more certainly than they, for the fathers had altogether the same faith, as it is said, and the same Christ, wherefore salvation was as near unto them as unto us; "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever:" Heb. 13:8. Christ continueth the same from the beginning of the world even unto the end, by whom all are saved alike. But Paul speaketh of the nearness of revealing, that whatsoever things were said before concerning Christ, they were now fulfilled; death being overcome, The Lord did sit at the right-hand of the Father, the gospel was preached abroad in the world, by which Christ did come unto all in the whole world; for this cause Paul saith, that our salvation is nearer than when it was hidden, and known unto few men because that Christ being not yet glorified, it was not meet that the preaching of salvation should be made public or common. Whereas therefore the Apostle saith, our salvation is now nearer us, he saith the same thing in the Epistle to Titus, chap. 2:11, in other words: "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared," that is, hath sprung forth, and is every where commonly preached; although it was not hid before in any of the saints, notwithstanding it was not commonly known unto the world.
After the same sort the scripture speaketh in many places, when it sometimes saith that Christ is to come, sometimes that he is come, although he always hath been, and is in all the elect; howbeit because he hath not before his resurrection come to all by public preaching, the scripture speaketh diversely of his coming; for because of his public preaching he came in the flesh, being made man, for his incarnation had not been profitable to any, if the gospel had not thereupon been preached, by which he came into the whole world, and whereby it is commonly known why he was made man, whereby that blessing promised to Abraham is now published, and made common to all which by the gospel believe in Christ. Hereupon Paul saith very well, Rom. 1:2, that the gospel was promised of God, &c., as though he would say, although God hath promised everywhere in the writings of the prophets his Son in the flesh, yet forasmuch as all that should be done, that the gospel might be preached abroad in the world, whereby he cometh spiritually to the minds of the believers,
(which coming only bringeth salvation, and is far to be preferred before that coming in the flesh, inasmuch as it was done because of this,) I say rather that God promised by the prophets in scripture the gospel concerning his Son; for God considered the gospel and our faith in all these things; for which he would also have him to be made man, that the gospel might be preached of him, that being made man, he hath saved us by his death, and that the salvation which he hath wrought, might go into the whole world and be made near unto all. Some have taught four comings of Christ, according to the four Sundays in Advent, as they call it, but this coming of Christ by the gospel, which is most necessary of all, and of which all do depend, of which Paul here speaketh; this coming I say they could not see, inasmuch as they are ignorant both what the gospel is, and to what end it was given. They babble many things of the coming of Christ, and nevertheless they drive him further from themselves, than heaven is distant from the earth: for what can Christ profit any man which doth not possess him by faith; or how can any man possess him by faith, where the gospel is not preached?
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand." His meaning in effect, is, that salvation is at hand; for by the day Paul understandeth the gospel, namely, that it is that day whereby our hearts and minds are enlightened; therefore such a day being sprung, our salvation is certainly at hand, that is, Christ and his grace promised in time past to Abraham, hath shined forth by preaching in the whole world, giveth light unto all men, raiseth all out of sleep, showeth true and eternal good things, wherein we may be hereafter occupied, and may walk honestly in this day. On the contrary, by the night all doctrine is to be understood, which is not the gospel, beside which none can bring salvation; but if thou do a little more exactly weigh the words, thou shalt see that Paul describeth that part of the day which is most delectable of all, and most full of all pleasantness, namely, the joyful and amiable morning, and the rising of the sun; for it is the morning when the night is gone and ended, and the day is now come, whereupon all things are marvellously cheered and recreated, the birds sing, other living creatures do stir up with alacrity and
joyfulness; men being as it were made alive again, do go forth to their labours; all things, the day springing, and the morning shining, are so affected, as though the world were renewed, and all things restored to life again.
Wherefore in many places of the scripture, the joyful, prosperous, and quickening preaching of the gospel, is likened to the morning, and to the rising of the sun, as it is here by Paul, who calleth the gospel-day springing or arising. Also Psalm 110:3, "Thy people shall be willing, in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth." Here also the gospel is plainly called the womb of the morning, and the day of the power of Christ, wherein we are conceived and born the children of God, as dew, to wit, without the labour of men, by the only grace of the Holy Ghost from heaven: the most pleasant comfortable sun Jesus Christ maketh this day, whom the scripture hereupon calleth the sun of righteousness. God saith, Mal. 4:2, "Unto you that fear my name, shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;" for as many as believe in Christ, do receive of him the beams of his grace and righteousness, and do obtain salvation under his wings. Whereupon it is said, Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it;" as though he had said, this corporal sun maketh the corporal day, but God himself maketh this day, even he is that sun, from whence those beams and that day come, wherewith the whole world is enlightened. Finally, hereupon he calleth himself "the light of the world," John 9:5. And Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God," that is, even as these bodily heavens do bring the sun and the day, and the sun is carried in them, so the apostles have in themselves, and bring by preaching, the true sun, which is Christ, &c. Whereupon it followeth: "In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." All this is said of the exceeding pleasant beginning or rising of this day, that is, of the gospel, which the scripture every where marvellously setteth forth;
for it is a word which quickeneth, maketh glad, willing, cheerful, and ready to do good works, and finally it bringeth with it all good things. Wherefore it is called the gospel or glad tidings, for that it is a pleasant and prosperous message of the grace of God, and of all good things; but who is able to rehearse all those things, which this day revealeth and maketh manifest unto us? For it teacheth all things, what God is, what we are, whatsoever is past, and to come, of heaven, hell, the earth, angels, and devils; by this lamp is showed unto us, how we ought to behave ourselves in all these things, and toward all, from whence we are, and whither we go. Yet nevertheless Satan hath deceived us miserable creatures, that neglecting such a day, whereby all things might be clear and manifest unto us, we seek the truth of philosophers and heathen men, who have not so much as by a dream known any whit of these things, and so we have suffered ourselves to be blinded with men's traditions, and to be thrust back again into the night; for it is not light, whatsoever is not this day, otherwise Paul and the whole scripture should in vain extol this day alone, and call all other beside it the night. Surely the burden of God's displeasure must needs be most grievous, for that, contrary to so plain and manifest places of scripture, we have sought another light, although the Lord himself calleth himself the light and sun of the world; and if other proofs were wanting, this one is sufficient, that universities do so impudently both set up and glory of Aristotle as a light unto them, in whom they exercise themselves much more than in Christ, yea, nothing in Christ, but altogether in Aristotle.
"Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." As Christ is the sun, and the gospel the day, so faith is the light whereby to see and watch in this day; for it would not profit, although the sun did shine and make the day, if the eyes did not perceive the light. Wherefore although the gospel be begun and preached in the whole world, yet none are lightened, but they that receive it, and by faith being made capable of the light, do arise out of sleep; but to such as yet sleep this sun and day bring no profit, of which they receive no light, no more than if no sun or day had shined. And this is that season and hour, whereof he speaketh; "And
that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep," &c. It is a spiritual time and season, although begun in this outward time, as it doth daily also come, wherein we ought to arise out of sleep, and lay aside the works of darkness; whereby Paul showeth that he doth not speak to them which are yet void of faith, for, as it is said, he teacheth not faith here, but the works and fruits of faith, when he saith, we know that the time is come, and that the night being passed, the day is at hand; they which believe not, cannot know these things.
Now if thou object and say, what reason or cause is there that he should write these things to the faithful, inasmuch as they know that it is time? &c. thou must call to mind that in the beginning of the exposition of the text of the Apostle, we have said that the office of preaching is of two sorts, one of teaching, another of exhorting and moving; now a man cannot attain unto that knowledge, that it should not be needful that he be always moved, and kept in a continual and fresh meditation of those things which he hath learned, lest the devil, the world, and the flesh, (which are enemies that never grant truce, neither slack their assault,) do make him weary and slothful, that he may at the last sleep, and become altogether negligent in good things; for the devil, saith Peter, is such an enemy, as goeth about continually like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Wherefore he saith, 1 Pet. 4:7, "Be ye therefore sober, and watch." Paul also will have us do the same thing here, for seeing that the devil, the flesh, and the world, keep no mean, and make no end of fighting against us, neither must there be any mean kept, or end made of exhorting, provoking, and moving us to watch and work. Hereupon the Holy Ghost is called an exhorter, inasmuch as he inviteth and moveth us unto good; for the same cause Paul also useth here chosen words. The works of darkness he calleth not armour, but the works of light he calleth armour, not works; undoubtedly that he might show that there is a fight, that labour and travail is required; and that it cannot be obtained without peril, to watch and live well, forasmuch as so mighty enemies, the devil, the flesh, and the world, do without ceasing fight against us, wherefore Job saith, "The life of
man upon earth is a fight and temptation." Now it is not a small matter to stand all our life long in the battle, wherefore there is need of very shrill trumpets and warlike drums, that is, of earnest admonitions and exhortations, whereby we may be stirred up and encouraged to persevere valiantly in the fight.
Hereupon now it appeareth, why he calleth good works armour or weapons, and calleth not the works of darkness so, which notwithstanding, if we consent unto them, are also weapons, Rom. 6:13, "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness." Again, it is before said, that by light is here signified faith, which from the day of the gospel, by the sun, Christ shineth into the hearts, and enlighteneth them, therefore the armour or weapons of light are nothing else but the works of this faith; on the contrary, darkness, infidelity, or unbelief, which is by reason of the absence of the gospel as of the day, and of Christ as of the sun. This darkness the devil doth rule, which cometh from the doctrine of men, and the judgment of man's own reason; wherefore the works of darkness are the works of infidelity, for as Christ is the Lord and governor of the light, which we said to be faith, so Paul, Ephes. 6:12, calleth Satan the prince of darkness, that is, of them which are without faith, and refuse to be obedient to God, as the same Apostle witnesseth, 2 Cor. 4:3, "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the god of this world (namely, the devil) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." But what both this armour or weapons of light, and works of darkness are, it is now taught of the Apostle, "Let us walk honestly as in the day." No man worketh those things in the day, which he is wont to work in darkness; every one feareth another, and endeavoureth himself to live honestly.
It is commonly said, the night is void of shame, which is true, and therefore men do those things in the night, which they would be ashamed to do in the day; but the day is not without shame, and requireth an honest conversation. After the same sort ought a
Christian life to be. A Christian ought to commit nothing whereof he may be ashamed, although the whole world should see his works and doings; for he that liveth and worketh so, that he is unwilling that all his works and doings should be seen and heard of all men, and his whole life be manifestly known unto all, liveth a life unworthy of Christ, according to that which our Saviour himself saith, John 3:20, "Every one that doth evil, hateth the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." Hereby it appeareth how necessary it is, that we should be provoked and exhorted to watch, and to put on the armour of light; for what one is there at this day among Christians, which can abide that all his works should be published openly in the light. Now what a Christian life is this, how hypocritically do we live, whenas we cannot suffer our life so much as to be disclosed before men, which now is disclosed before God and all his angels, and in the last day shall be disclosed before all creatures? Wherefore it behoveth a Christian to live so, as he desireth to appear in the last day, and before all. Hereupon Paul saith, "Walk as the children of light: the fruit of the spirit is goodness, and righteousness, and truth." And Rom. 12:17, "Provide things honest in the sight of all men." And 2 Cor. 1:12, "Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world." Howbeit such a life shall nothing at all appear, where faith is not, but where a lively, a cheerful, and a strong faith is, there such a life cannot be wanting, forasmuch as such a faith is not wearied with well doing, neither sleepeth; wherefore it is no less necessary, to preach to them that have received the doctrine of faith, whereby they may be provoked and stirred up to go on in the good life which they have embraced, and that they suffer not themselves to be overcome by the assaults of the raging flesh, the crafty world, and most subtile Satan. Then it is meet that the doctrine of faith be preached to them that be as yet ignorant of Christ.
"Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." Here he rehearseth the works of darkness by name, one of which he named also before, to wit, sleep, according to that saying, 1 Thess. 5:6, "Let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober." Not that he forbiddeth natural sleep, but spiritual, which is infidelity, whereof those works of the flesh proceed: howbeit, natural sleep also is a work of darkness, if it be used for pleasure, and through immoderate filling of the belly, so that it is a hindrance to the light, that is, faith, and to the armour thereof. Moreover, these six works of darkness which he here rehearseth, do comprehend all the rest; for Gal. 5, and Coloss. 3, he reckoneth up more of them; but we will divide those which he here rehearseth into two sides, the right and the left. On the right side these four fight with the spirit, gluttony, drunkenness, chambering, and wantonness; on the left side, forasmuch as the left side in the scripture signifieth adversity, those things which proceed from thence do fight, as are wrath, contention, and such like, but the right side signifieth prosperity, and those things which ensue thereof, as delights, gluttony, drunkenness, and overmuch sleep, &c. Now it is sufficiently manifest, that Paul under two works of darkness here rehearsed, namely, contention and envying, doth comprehend the rest also of that sort, among which are, "bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking," Ephes. 4:31. And those which he rehearseth in the Epistle to the Galatians, "Hatred, debate, emulation, sedition, heresies, murders," &c. In fine, hereunto pertaineth whatsoever come of evil, anger, either in words or deeds, all which cannot be numbered. After the same sort under those four, gluttony, drunkenness, chambering, and wantonness, he comprehendeth the vices of lust which are wont to be committed as well in words as works, which also no man is able to number. And so the present words of the apostle do show, neither needeth it any further declaration, that by these six works all things are to be understood, whereby they that are void of faith, and are yet in darkness, do live impurely as concerning themselves, and unjustly toward their neighbours; whose whole life is disordered and out of course both toward themselves and toward others; for there is no
man that knoweth not what it is to be gluttonous and drunken, that is, either to eat or drink above a measure necessary for the body; it is well-known what it is to sleep in chambers, and to be wanton, that is, to follow the pleasure of the body, both with sleeping above measure, and with other lewd and unchaste gestures and works, which are wont to be committed in chambers of full-fed, well tippled, idle, and slothful bellies, as well in the day as in the night, as well when they are alone, as in the resort and company of others. All which things do require even natural darkness and secret places, and are signified of St. Paul, by chambering and wantonness.
"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ." In these words, as it were in fine, he showeth all the armour of light, whenas he exhorteth us to put on Christ. Now Christ is put on of us after two sorts; first, when we are clothed with his righteousness, which is done by faith, wherewith he that is endued, believeth that Christ for him died, and fulfilled all things. For not ours, but Christ's righteousness hath reconciled us to the Father and delivered us from sins; and so to put on Christ pertaineth to the doctrine of faith, which teacheth that Christ was given unto us, and is unto us instead of a pledge. Whereof St. Paul speaketh, Gal. 3:27, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." The other manner of putting on Christ is, when we weigh and consider that he is given unto us, also instead of an example, that we should show ourselves serviceable toward our neighbours, being endued with the same virtues, with which we by faith acknowledge that he being adorned, did serve us, that so we may resemble him in all points: and of this manner of putting on Christ St. Paul speaketh here. The same also he willeth us to do, 1 Cor. 15:49, when he saith, "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." And Ephes. 4:22, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind: And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness, and true holiness."
Now in Christ we see nothing but the armour of light, no gluttony, no drunkenness, but fasting, temperance, keeping under the flesh by divers labours, travelling, preaching, praying, and doing well to all men: in him was no place for slothfulness or superfluous sleep, much less for wantonness; but a marvellous chastity and purity; he accustomed himself to watch, to rise early, to lie on the ground in the field, having neither house, chamber, nor bed; in him was no wrath, contention, or brawling, but altogether goodness, sweetness, meekness, charity, mercy, patience, &c. Wherefore as St. Paul saith here briefly, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ;" it is as much as that we should set him before us as an example to follow. He teacheth the Colossians the same thing in somewhat more words after this sort, Col. 3:12: "Put on therefore (as the elect of God holy and beloved) bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." And Philip, after that he had exhorted them to love one another, and that every man should esteem other better than himself, and seek to pleasure, and do for other, he also setteth Christ before them as an example who showed himself to us as our servant, and saith, Phil. 2:5, "Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus; who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man," &c.
The sum thereof is this: the armour or weapons of light are good works, contrary to those works of darkness, gluttony, drunkenness, chambering, wantonness, contention, and envying; such works are, to fast, to watch, to pray, to labour, to suffer hunger, thirst, cold, heat, to be chaste, to use modesty, temperance, goodness; and that I do not thrust in too many of mine own words, let us hear St. Paul himself rehearsing them in order, Gal. 5:22, "But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." But he rehearseth them far more at large, 2 Cor. 6:1, 2, saying, "We beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain; for he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation;" as if he said, Our salvation is now nearer unto us than when we believed, to wit, that it would come to pass, that these days of salvation, in which the gospel is preached abroad to the whole world, should appear. It is time therefore to arise out of sleep, verses 3, 4, &c. "Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering; by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned; by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." See what a plentiful and very golden stream floweth out of the mouth of St. Paul. Hereof I think we most plainly perceive, what is the armour of light, wherewith we must be fenced and fortified both on the right hand and on the left. Now this most fitly agreeth with the matter, whereas he setteth before us a most excellent and perfect example, namely, the Lord himself, saying, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ;" for he is a sluggish beast, and not a man, who when he seeth his Lord fast, suffer hunger, labour, watch, and to be weary, yet giveth himself to gluttony, sleep, and pleasures. What lord could take these things at his servant's hand? nay, what servant durst presume to do these things?
So it cannot be, that a Christian man should not be ashamed, when he beholdeth Christ, and seeth himself so unlike unto him, yea, occupied in quite contrary things. For whom the example of Christ
himself doth not stir up, exhort, and move, who can bring or stir up him unto goodness? What would the leaves of words do with their small noise, if these thunderings of the example of Christ do not move; and surely for this cause, St. Paul of purpose adjoined this word, Lord, saying, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ," as if he said, Count it no great nor burthensome thing, to stand and fight in this armour of light, ye that are servants, behold your Lord, who when he had no need, did notwithstanding, so well and valiantly use this armour, and fought in it for you. "And make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." The apostle in these few words hath noted two cares of the flesh; one is natural, whereby necessary food and apparel is provided for the body, that it may live, and be able to sustain his labour, lest that it be by overmuch abstinence weakened, and made unprofitable to work; the other care is joined with sin, when the body is provided for to fulfil the lusts thereof, and that it may be delighted; this care the apostle here forbiddeth, for it engendereth the works of darkness, so to pamper and make of the flesh, which is continually to be chastised, that it may be obedient to the spirit, and may not shake off the saddle, like unto an untamed horse, although that chastising is so to be tempered, that the body notwithstanding may do his duty and bear the saddle. For the "fodder, a wand, and burdens are for the ass: and bread, correction, and work for a servant," Eccles. 33:24. He doth not say, that thou shalt flea or slay the ass, neither that thou shalt kill the servant, or cast him into prison; so unto the body, the chastising and labour thereof is due, and necessary food is not to be withheld from it, St. Paul himself saith, "I keep under my body, and bring it unto subjection." He saith not, I cast it into sickness or I kill it, but I subdue it to the spirit, that it may serve, and be obedient thereunto. Moreover these words, "to fulfil the lusts thereof," St. Paul added because of two sorts of men, whereof the first, under a pretence of natural necessity, do satisfy their pleasure, and cover that practice under this false pretence. We are so prone and ready unto this, that even many of the saints have very much complained of this evil, and because of it, have oftentimes above measure afflicted their bodies: for the flesh is so crafty and marvellous subtile to prepare delights
for itself, that no man can sufficiently take heed of it, yea, it is needful that a man here do never leave off to care and fear.
The other sort of men are those blind holy ones, which think that the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof consisteth in meats and drink, and in chosen apparel, and do besides their own works regard nothing; when they have so fasted, that they have made their head diseased, and their stomach distempered, and do bring unto their body some great infirmity, or sickness, they then think that they have been marvellous holy, and have wrought incomparable good works. But St. Paul saith, "meat commendeth us not to God, for neither if we eat are we the better: neither if we eat not are we the worse." And Colos. 2 he writeth thus much in effect: Beware of worshipping of angels, which have a show of wisdom, because of humbleness and superstition, whereby they spare not the body, while they withdraw from it the measure of food due unto it, bestowing nothing upon it whereby it may be fed. This preposterous worshipping of angels, yea, indeed superstition, did so deceive Gerson, otherwise a notable man, that he praised the Chartreuse monks, for that they did so constantly abstain from flesh, that even when they were sick, they would eat none, although they might preserve themselves even from death thereby. But what if God should judge them as killers of their own body? For there can be none at all either ordinance or order, yea, or vow, contrary to the commandment of God, and if there be any such, surely it ought to be of no force, even as if thou hadst vowed adultery.
Now God both here by St. Paul, and elsewhere, hath commanded that necessary provision should be made for the body, and hath forbidden, that we should procure the death of it: wherefore those things that are profitable to preserve it, whether they be flesh, or eggs, or any thing else, must be given unto it, in what day, or time soever, whether it be the sixth or first day of the week, whether it be in Lent or after Easter, in the mean season, whatsoever orders, laws, and vows, yea, even of the Pope being neglected. For it is not lawful for any man, no not for the angels to forbid anything against the
commandment of God. Howbeit, this madness proceedeth from that darkness and blindness, whereby miserable men do regard the work only, and think that they shall obtain salvation through the greatness and multitude of works. But St. Paul willeth, that our fastings and other chastising of the flesh be the weapons of light, whereby the works of darkness may be overcome, and not the body destroyed; wherefore there ought to be no other, use among Christians of fastings, watchings and labours. As it is alone before God whether thou eat fish or flesh; whether thou drink wine or water; whether thou wear red or green garments; all these are the good creatures of God, made unto this end, that we may use them, have regard only to this, that thou mayest use them with a mean and mayest abstain thyself so much from them, as shall suffice to overcome the works of darkness. Wherefore it is impossible that a common manner of this abstinence should be appointed indifferently to all, for the constitution of all men's bodies is not alike, it is above measure to one, which to another is under measure; one hath need of much, another of little, and therefore it is meet that every one have regard of himself, and govern his own body, according to the present doctrine of St. Paul, whereas he saith, "Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof," that is, obey the wisdom thereof so far that ye deny not the necessary things which it requireth, but grant it not those things which it requireth to the fulfilling of the lusts thereof, more than necessity to pleasure only. If a better rule of moderation could have been given beside this, St. Paul would not have concealed it.
Hereby thou seest, that the popish ordinances, which forbid the eating of flesh and certain meats, are quite contrary to the gospel: which St. Paul hath plainly foretold, 1 Tim. 4:1, "Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving." No man surely can deny that these words do briefly reprove the orders of
Monks, and sacrificing priests, so clear and manifest are both these words, and also their preposterous religion. Moreover thou seest here also, godly reader, that St. Paul doth not teach that dotage and womanly holiness of certain, which choose unto themselves certain days, wherein to fast to certain saints, one to this, another to that, all which are blind proceedings, and builded upon their own works. True religion is without choice of meats and days, all the life long to use modesty and sobriety. For seeing that these must be the armour of light, and that it is requisite that our life be undefiled and chaste, it behoveth us surely never to put off this armour, but we must be found always sober, temperate, watching, labouring, and praying. But those doting holy ones, one day eat nothing but bread and water, and afterward three whole months they daily be drunken and eat excessively, even until they be not well in their wits. Others fast so that at the evening they eat no meat, but in the mean time they make themselves drunk with drinking. Who is able to rehearse all their dotages, and all their works of darkness; all which proceed from hence, for that foolish men consider and regard the work, and not use the use of the work, they make their armour of glass, they are altogether ignorant whereunto it is profitable to fast and abstain; they are like unto him which carried a sword, unto the end that he might look upon it, and knew not how to use it when he was beaten. These things may suffice to have been spoken for the exposition of this text.