Faith in the goodness of God is our stay. again as soon as the rage of the first brunt is past, and his mind more quiet. And the goodness of his father, and his old kindness cometh unto remembrance, either of his own courage, or by the comfort of some other. And he believeth that his father will not cast him away or destroy him, and hopeth that he will no more do so. And upon that he getteth him home, dismayed. But not altogether faithless. The old kindnesses will not let him despair. Howbeit, all the world cannot set his heart at rest, until the pain be past, and until he have heard the voice of his father, that all is forgiven. THE MANNER AND ORDER OF OUR ELECTION. John xv. If we consider how merciful EVEN so goeth it with God's elect. God chooseth them first, and they not God, as thou readest John xv. And then he sendeth forth and calleth them, and sheweth them his good will which he beareth unto them, and maketh them see both their own damnation in the law, and also the mercy that is laid up for them in Christ's blood, and thereto what he will have them do. And then when we see his mercy, we love him again, and choose him and submit ourselves unto his laws, to walk in God is unto them. For when we err not in wit, reason and judgment of things, we cannot err in will and choice of things. choose but The choice of a man's will doth naturally and of her own selves unto accord follow the judgment of a man's reason, whether he judge right or wrong. So that in teaching only resteth the pith of a man's living. Howbeit, there be swine that receive no learning but to defile it. And there be dogs that rent all good learning with their teeth. And there be pope-holy, which, following a righteousness of their own feigning, resist the righteousness of God in Christ. And there be that cannot attend to hearken unto the truth for us, we cannot submit our his laws. rage of lusts, which when lusts abate, come and obey well enough. And therefore, a Christian man must be patient and suffer long to win his brother to Christ, that he which attendeth not to day, may receive grace and hear to-morrow. We see some at their very latter end, when cold fear of death hath quenched the heat of their appetites, learn and consent unto the truth, whereunto, before they could give none care, for the wild rages of lusts that blinded their wits. Christian men must be patient. Mercy waiteth ever on the elect. And though God's elect cannot so fall that they rise not again, because that the mercy of God ever waiteth upon them, to deliver them from evil, as the care of a kind father waiteth his upon son, to warn him and to keep him from occasions, and to call him back again if he be gone too far: yet they forget themselves ofttimes, and sink down into trances and fall asleep in lusts for a season. But as soon as they be awaked they repent and come again without resistance. God now and then withdraweth his hand and leaveth them unto their own strength, to make them feel that there is no power to do good but of God only, lest they should be proud of that which is none of theirs. God laid so sore a weight of persecution upon David's back that passed his strength to bear. So that David. he cried oft out of his Psalms, saying, that he had lived well, and followed the right way of God in vain. For the more he kept himself from sin, the worse it went with him, as he thought; and the better with his enemy Saul, the worse he was. Yet God left him not there, but comforted him, and shewed him things which before he wist not of, how that the saints must be patient, and abide God's harvest, until the wickedness of ungodly sinners be full ripe, that God may reap it in due season. Was God also suffered occasions, stronger than David, to fall upon him, and to carry him clean out of the way. he not ready for a churlish answer to have slain Nabal, and all the males of his house, so much as the child in the The elect of God patience and be long sufferers. must have his elect by suffering into temp. tation. cradle? howbeit, God withheld him and kept him back God trieth from that evil, through the wisdom of Abigail. How long slumbered he, or rather how hard in sleep was he in the them to fall adultery of Bathsheba! And in the murder of her husband Uriah! but at both times as soon as he was rebuked, and his fault told him, he repented immediately, and turned again meekly. Now in all that long time, from the adultery of Bathsheba, until the prophet Nathan rebuked him, he had not lost his faith, nor yet his love unto the laws of God, no more than a man loseth his wits when he is asleep. He had forgot himself only, and had not maliciously cast off the yoke of God's commandments from off his neck. There is no man so good, but that there cometh a time upon him, when he feeleth in himself no more faith or love and yet not forget God. unto God, than a sick man ofttimes feeleth the taste of his meat which he eateth. We may commit sin The apostles being amazed And in like manner the apostles of Christ at his passion were astonished and amazed, and in such a storm of tempwith temptations, for the sudden change from so great glory, into so tations for- vile and shameful death, that they had forgot all the mira gat all Christ's miracles. A great temptation laid upon the apostles. cles and all the words which he had told them before, how that he should be betrayed and delivered on the same manner unto death. Moreover, they never understood that saying of his death because their hearts were alway heavy, and overladen with earthly thoughts. For though they saw him raise up other, yet who should raise him up, when he were dead, they could not comprehend. Read what thou canst read, and thou shalt find no temptation like unto that from the creation of the world, or so great as it, by the hundred part. So that the wonderful sudden change and the terrible sight of his passion, and of his most cruel and most vile death; and the loss of whom they so greatly loved, that their hearts would fain have died with him; and the fear of their own death; and the impossibility that a man should rise again of his own power; so occupied their minds, and so astonished them and amazed them, that they could receive no comfort, either of the Scripture, or of the miracles which they had seen Christ do; nor of the monitions and warnings wherewith he had warned them before; neither of the women that brought them tidings that he was risen. The sword of temptations, with fear, sorrow, mourning, and weeping, had deeply pierced their hearts, and the cruel sight had so cumbred their minds, that they could not believe, until Christ himself came, death put off and overcome: The aposyea, and when they first saw him, they were astonished for wondering and joy together, that thoughts arose in their doubtful. hearts, alas, Is this he or doth some spirit mock us? He was fain to let them feel him, and to eat with them, to strengthen their faith. Howbeit there was none of them that was fallen in his heart from Christ. For as soon as the women brought word, Peter and John ran unto the sepulchre, and saw, and wondered, and would fain have believed that he was risen; and had longed for him; but could not believe, the wound of temptation being greater than that, that it could be healed with the preaching of a woman, without any other miracle. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, which while he yet lived, durst not be known of him, as soon as he was dead, begged his body and buried him boldly. And the women, as soon as it was lawful to work, prepared their anointments with all diligence. And the hearts of the disciples that went to Emmaus burned in their breasts to hear him spoken of. tles were very Christ, his tion. resurrec The Disci And Thomas had not forsaken Christ, but could not believe until he saw him; and yet desired and longed to see him, and rejoiced when he saw him, and for joy cried out My Lord, my God. There was none of them that ever railed on him, and came so far forth to say he was a deceiver, ples were and wrought with the devil's craft all this while, and see whereto he is come in the end: we defy him and all his works, false wretch that he was, and his false doctrine also. And thereto must they have come at the last, when fear, doubtful. not without faith, but yet the same was very Peter's faith failed not. Luke xxii. sorrow, and wondering had been past, if they had not been prevented and holp in the mean time. Yea, and Peter, as soon as he had denied Christ, came to himself immediately, and went out and wept bitterly for sorrow. And thus, ye see that Peter's faith failed not, though it were oppressed for a time: so that we need to seek no glosses for the text that Christ said to Peter, how that his faith should not fail. Yes, saith M. More, it faileth in himself, but was reserved in our lady. But let us see the text and their gloss together. Christ saith (Luke xxii.) Simon, Simon, Satan seeketh you to sift you as men sift wheat; but I have prayed for thee that thy faith shall not fail: wherefore when thou art come unto thyself again strengthen thy brethren. Now put this wise gloss thereto, and see how they agree together! Simon, gloss made Satan seeketh to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for A foolish by M. More. thee, that my mother's faith shall not fail; wherefore when thou art come to thyself again, according as my prayer hath obtained for thee, that my mother's faith shall not fail, strengthen thy brethren. Now say ye, is not this a proper text and well framed together? Do ye not think there is as much wit in the head of mad Colins, as in the brains of such expositors? WHETHER THE POPE AND HIS SECT BE 1. Pope. The pope and his sect are not the church of Christ. THAT the pope and his spirits be not the church may |