,the ,world's ,great ,sermons           
,,volume ,i    ,,basil ,,to ,,calvin    
,by ,grenville ,kleiser           99    
99       99       99       99    ,,power
  ,,personality ,,in ,,speaking         
#a4be1 net2 by mail1 #a4dj    ,,how ,,to
 ,,speak ,,in ,,public    #a4be1 net2 by
 mail1 #a4dj    ,,humorous ,,hits1 ,c4  
#a4jj1 net2 by mail1 #a4aa           99 
99       99       99       99    ,,funk 
,,wagnalls ,,company ,,new ,,york ,,and 
,,london          ,,the ,,world',s      
,,great ,,sermons      ,compiled ,by    
,,grenville ,,kleiser      ,formerly of 
,yale ,divinity ,school ,faculty2       
,author of ,how to ,speak in ,public1   
,etc4      ,with ,assistance from ,many 
of the ,foremost ,living ,preachers and 
,other  ,theologians      ,,introduction
 ,,by ,,lewis ,o4 ,,brastow1 ,d4,d4     
,professor ,emeritus of ,practical      
,theology in ,yale ,university          
,,in ,,ten ,,volumes      ,,volume4     
,i--,,basil ,,to ,,calvin               
,copyright1 #aijh1 ,by ,funk  ,wagnalls 

,company    ,printed in the ,united     
,states of ,america          ,,preface  
,the aim in preparing this work has been
 to bring together the best  examples of
 the products of the pulpit through the 
,christian centuries1  and to present   
these masterpieces in attractive and    
convenient form4 ,it  is believed that  
they will be found valuable as          
instruction to ministers  of to-day4    
,they should also be helpful to others  
who1 tho not preachers1  yet seek       
reading of this kind for the upbuilding 
of personal character  and for          
strengthening their ,christian faith4   
,the sermons have been chosen in some   
cases for their literary and  rhetorical
 excellences1 but in every case for     
their helpfulness in  solving some of   
the problems of ,christian living4 ,no  
two persons are  likely to agree upon   
the best of anything1 and readers will  
probably  wish in particular instances  
that some other clergymen or sermons had
  been included4 ,it is confidently     

believed1 however1 that the list here   
given is fairly representative of the   
preaching that characterized the  age to
 which each sermon respectively belongs4
    ,while some of the sermons of the   
early centuries may not seem exactly    
fitted to modern needs1 it is thought   
that those presented will repay  careful
 perusal1 since they each contain a     
distinct message for later  generations4
 ,moreover1 a comparison extending over 
the whole field of  sermonic literature1
 such as the preacher may make with this
 collection  before him1 should prove   
most valuable as showing what progress  
and  changes have come over homiletic   
matter and methods4 ,such a comparison  
should in fact throw much light on the  
spirit and conditions of various        
homiletic periods4    ,in choosing      
sermons by living preachers considerable
 difficulty has been  found1 not only in
 deciding upon sermons1 but upon        
preachers4 ,the list  might have been   
extended indefinitely4 ,whenever        

possible the preacher1  when living1 has
 himself been consulted as to what he   
considered his  most representative     
sermon4    ,thanks are due1 and are     
hereby acknowledged1 to numerous        
clergymen1  publishers1 librarians1 and 
others who have generously assisted the 
compiler in this undertaking4 ,most     
grateful acknowledgment is also made  to
 the ,rev4 ,epiphanius ,wilson and the  
,rev4 ,w4,c4 ,stiles for valuable       
editorial assistance4    ,,grenville    
,,kleiser4    ,new ,york ,city1         
,october1 #aijh4          ,,introduction
      ,collections of sermons by noted  
preachers of different periods are not  
an altogether uncommon contribution to  
literature4 ,italy1 ,germany1  ,holland1
 ,france1 ,great ,britain and the       
,united ,states have in this way        
furnished copious illustrations of the  
gifts of their illustrious  preachers4  
,such treasures are found in the ,latin 
and even in the ,greek  ,church4        
,protestant communions especially1 in   

line with the supreme  significance     
which they attach to the work of the    
pulpit1 have thus  sought to magnify the
 calling and to perpetuate the memory   
and the  influence of their             
distinguished sons4 ,still more         
comprehensive attempts  have been made  
to collate the products of              
representative preachers in  different  
,protestant communions1 and thus to     
bring into prominence  various types of 
sermonic literature4 ,it is in this way 
that the  ,christian world has come to  
know its pulpit princes and to value    
their  achievements4    ,the collection 
contained in the volumes before us is1  
however1 more  varied and comprehensive1
 reaching as it does from the fourth to 
the  twentieth century1 than any        
collection known to the writer4 ,in the 
selection ,professor ,kleiser has       
brought to his task a personal knowledge
  of homiletic literature that is the   
product of much observation and  study  
during many years1 and an enthusiasm for

 his work that has been  fostered by    
close intercourse in professional       
service with preachers and  theological 
students4 ,he has had the assistance    
also of men whose  acquaintance with    
homiletic literature is very extensive1 
whose critical  judgments are sound and 
reliable and who may be regarded as     
experts in  this branch of knowledge4   
,these volumes1 therefore1 may be       
accepted as a  judiciously selected     
collection of sermons by many of the    
most notable  preachers of the ancient  
and modern ,christian world4 ,their     
value as  illustrating varieties of     
gift1 diversities of method1 racial1    
national  and ecclesiastical            
peculiarities1 and above all progress in
 the science  and art of preaching1 may 
well be recognized even by a generation 
that  is likely to regard anything that 
is more than twenty-four hours old as   
obsolete4    ,,lewis ,o4 ,,brastow4     
,yale ,university1 ,new ,haven1 ,conn41 
,october1 #aijh4          ,,contents    

,,volume ,i      ,,preface              
,,introduction    ,,basil 7#cbi-cgi74   
,the ,creation of the ,world            
,,chrysostom 7#cdg-djg74                
,excessive ,grief at the ,death of      
,friends    ,,augustine 7#ced-dcj74     
,the ,recovery of ,sight by the ,blind  
,,wyclif 7#acbd-achd74       ,christ's  
,real ,body ,not in the ,eucharist      
,,savonarola 7#adeb-adih74       ,the   
,ascension of ,christ    ,,luther       
7#adhc-aedf74       ,the ,method and    
,fruits of ,justification    ,,latimer  
7#adhe-aeee74       ,on ,christian ,love
    ,,melanchthon 7#adig-aefj74         
,the ,safety of the ,virtuous    ,,knox 
7#aeje-aegb74       ,the ,first         
,temptation of ,christ    ,,calvin      
7#aeji-aefd74       ,enduring           
,persecution for ,christ                
,,basil    ,,the ,,creation ,,of ,,the  
,,world      ,,biographical ,,note      
,basil1 bishop of ,caesarea in          
,cappadocia1 and styled ,the ,great1 was
 the  founder of ,eastern monasticism1  

defender of the ,nicene doctrines and   
doctor of the ,church4 ,he was born at  
,caesarea in #cbi1 and was thoroughly   
educated in all that a teacher like     
,libanius could impart at ,rome1 and    
,himerius at ,constantinople4 ,returning
 home1 he plunged into the  pleasures of
 social life1 but was induced by his    
sister to visit the  hermits of ,syria1 
,palestine and ,egypt4 ,attracted during
 his travels to  the religious life1 he 
secluded himself in a lonely spot in    
inclement  ,pontus4    ,during his      
monastic life of seven years 7#ceg-cfd7 
he formulated the  monastic rule still  
observed by ,eastern monks4 ,ordained   
presbyter in  #cfd1 he labored in       
founding religious institutions of      
various kinds4 ,he  attracted notice by 
his growing ,nicene predilections1 and  
was elected  bishop of his native town  
7#cgj7 and virtual primate of ,asia     
,minor4 ,his  conduct in dealing with   
the ,arians was uncompromising yet      
conciliating4  ,as a theologian he      

stands next to his brother ,gregory and 
to ,athanasius1  but he excels them both
 in the literary charm and variety of   
his ,greek  style4 ,he died in #cgi4    
,,basil  #cbi-cgi    ,,the ,,creation   
,,of ,,the ,,world    ,the earth was    
without form and void4--,gen4 i1 #b4    
,in the few words which have occupied us
 this morning we have found such  a     
depth of thought that we despair of     
penetrating farther4 ,if such is  the   
forecourt of the sanctuary1 if the      
portico of the temple is so grand  and  
magnificent1 if the splendor of its     
beauty thus dazzles the eyes of  the    
soul1 what will be the holy of holies8  
,who will dare to try to gain  access to
 the innermost shrine8 ,who will look   
into its secrets8 ,to gaze  into it is  
indeed forbidden us1 and language is    
powerless to express  what the mind     
conceives4    ,however1 since there are 
rewards1 and most desirable ones1       
reserved by  the just ,judge for the    
intention alone of doing good1 do not   

let us  hesitate to continue our        
researches4 ,altho we may not attain to 
the  truth1 if1 with the help of the    
,spirit1 we do not fall away from the   
meaning of ,holy ,scripture1 we shall   
not deserve to be rejected1 and with    
the help of grace1 we shall contribute  
to the edification of the ,church  of   
,god4    ,the earth1 says ,holy         
,scripture1 was without form and        
void--i4e41  invisible and unfinished4  
,the heavens and the earth were created 
together4 ,how1 then1 is it that the    
heavens are perfect whilst the earth  is
 still unformed and incomplete8 ,in one 
word1 what was the unfinished  condition
 of the earth and for what reason was it
 invisible8 ,the  fertility of the earth
 is its perfect finishing2 growth of all
 kinds of  plants1 the up-springing of  
tall trees1 both productive and         
unfruitful1  flowers' sweet scents and  
fair colors1 and all that which1 a      
little  later1 at the voice of ,god came
 forth from the earth to beautify her1  

their universal mother4    ,as nothing  
of all this yet existed1 ,scripture is  
right in calling the  earth without     
form4 ,we could also say of the heavens 
that they were  still imperfect and had 
not received their natural adornment1   
since at  that time they did not shine  
with the glory of the sun and of the    
moon1  and were not crowned by the      
choirs of the stars4 ,these bodies were 
not  yet created4 ,thus you will not    
diverge from the truth in saying that   
the  heavens also were without form4    
,the earth was invisible for two        
reasons3 it may be because man1 the     
spectator1 did not yet exist1 or        
because1 being submerged under the      
waters which overflowed the surface1  it
 could not be seen1 since the waters had
 not yet been gathered  together into   
their own places1 where ,god afterward  
collected them and  gave them the name  
of sea4    ,what is invisible8 ,first of
 all1 that which our fleshly eye can not
  perceive--our mind1 for example2 then 

that which1 visible in its nature1  is  
hidden by some body which conceals it1  
like iron in the depths of the  earth4  
,it is in this sense that the earth1 in 
that it was hidden under  the waters1   
was still invisible4 ,however1 as light 
did not yet exist1  and as the earth lay
 in darkness because of the obscurity of
 the air  above it1 it should not       
astonish us that for this reason        
,scripture calls  it invisible4    ,but 
the corrupters of the truth1 who1       
incapable of submitting their  reason to
 ,holy ,scripture1 distort at will the  
meaning of the ,holy  ,scriptures1      
pretend that these words mean matter4   
,for it is matter1 they  say1 which from
 its nature is without form and         
invisible--being by the  conditions of  
its existence without quality and       
without form and figure4  ,the          
,artificer submitting it to the working 
of ,his wisdom clothed it with  a form1 
organized it1 and thus gave being to the
 visible world4    ,if the matter is    

uncreated1 it has a claim to the same   
honors as ,god1  since it must be of    
equal rank with ,him4 ,is this not the  
summit of  wickedness that utter chaos1 
without quality1 without form or shape1 
ugliness without configuration1 to use  
their own expression1 should  enjoy the 
same prerogatives as ,he who is wisdom1 
power1 and beauty  itself1 the ,creator 
and the ,demiurge of the universe       
enjoys8 ,this is  not all4 ,if the      
matter is so great as to be capable of  
being acted on by  the whole wisdom of  
,god1 it would in a way raise its       
hypostasis to an  equality with the     
inaccessible power of ,god1 since it    
would be able to  measure by itself all 
the extent of the divine intelligence4  
,if it is insufficient for the          
operations of ,god1 then we fall into a 
more absurd blasphemy1 since we condemn 
,god for not being able1 on  account of 
the want of matter1 to finish ,his own  
works4 ,the  resourcelessness of human  
nature has deceived these reasoners4    

,each of  our crafts is exercised upon  
some special matter--the art of the     
smith  upon iron1 that of the carpenter 
on wood4 ,in all there is the subject1  
the form and the work which results from
 the form4 ,matter is taken from        
without--art gives the form--and the    
work is composed at the same time  of   
form and of matter4    ,such is the idea
 that they make for themselves of the   
divine work4 ,the  form of the world is 
due to the wisdom of the supreme        
,artificer2 matter  came to the ,creator
 from without2 and thus the world       
results from a  double origin4 ,it has  
received from outside its matter and its
 essence1  and from ,god its form and   
figure4 ,they thus come to deny that the
 mighty  ,god has presided at the       
formation of the universe1 and pretend  
that he  has only brought a crowning    
contribution to a common work2 that he  
has  only contributed some small portion
 to the genesis of beings2 they are     
incapable1 from the debasement of their 

reasonings1 of raising their  glances to
 the height of truth4 ,here1 below1 arts
 are subsequent to  matter--introduced  
into life by the indispensable need of  
them4 ,wool  existed before weaving made
 it supply one of nature's              
imperfections4  ,wood existed before    
carpentering took possession of it1 and 
transformed  it each day to supply new  
wants and made us see all the advantages
  derived from it1 giving the oar to the
 sailor1 the winnowing-fan to the       
laborer1 the lance to the soldier4      
,but ,god1 before all those things which
 now attract our notice existed1  after 
casting about in ,his mind and          
determining to bring into being that    
which had no being1 imagined the world  
such as it ought to be1 and  created    
matter in harmony with the form which   
,he wished to give it4 ,he  assigned to 
the heavens the nature adapted for the  
heavens1 and gave to  the earth an      
essence in accordance with its form4 ,he
 formed1 as he  wished1 fire1 air1 and  

water1 and gave to each the essence     
which the  object of its existence      
required4    ,finally he welded all the 
diverse parts of the universe by links  
of  indissoluble attachment and         
established between them so perfect a   
fellowship and harmony that the most    
distant1 in spite of their  distance1   
appeared united in one universal        
sympathy4 ,let those men1  therefore1   
renounce their fabulous imaginations1   
who in spite of the  weakness of their  
argument1 pretend to measure a power as 
incomprehensible to man's reason as it  
is unutterable by man's voice4    ,god  
created the heavens and the earth1 but  
not only one-half of each2 ,he  created 
all the heavens and all the earth1      
creating the essence with the  form4    
,for ,he is not an inventor of figures1 
but the ,creator even of the  essence of
 beings4 ,further1 let them tell us how 
the efficient power of  ,god could deal 
with the passive nature of matter1 the  
latter furnishing  the matter without   

form1 the former possessing the science 
of the form  without matter1 both being 
in need of each other2 the ,creator in  
order  to display his art1 matter in    
order to cease to be without form and to
  receive a form4 ,but let us stop here 
and return to our subject4    ,the earth
 was invisible and unfinished4 ,in      
saying ,in the beginning  ,god created  
the heavens and the earth the sacred    
writer passed over  many things in      
silence--water1 air1 fire1 and the      
results from them1  which1 all forming  
in reality the true complement of the   
world1 were1  without doubt made at the 
same time as the universe4 ,by this     
silence  history wishes to train the    
activity of our intelligence1 giving it 
a  weak point for starting1 to impel it 
to the discovery of the truth4    ,thus1
 we are told of the creation of water2  
but1 as we are told that  the earth was 
invisible1 ask yourself what could have 
covered it and  prevented it from being 
seen8 ,fire could not conceal it4 ,fire 

brightens  all about it1 and spreads    
light rather than darkness around4 ,no  
more was  it air that enveloped the     
earth4 ,air by nature is of little      
density and  transparent4 ,it receives  
all kinds of visible objects and        
transmits them  to the spectators4 ,only
 one supposition remains3 that which    
floated on  the surface of the earth was
 water1 the fluid essence which had not 
yet  been confined to its own place4    
,thus the earth was not only invisible2 
it was still incomplete4 ,even  to-day  
excessive damp is a hindrance to the    
productiveness of the earth4  ,the same 
cause at the same time prevents it from 
being seen and from  being complete1 for
 the proper and natural adornment of the
 earth is its  completion3 corn waving  
in the valleys1 meadows green with grass
 and  rich with many-colored flowers1   
fertile glades and hilltops shaded by   
forests4 ,of all this nothing was yet   
produced2 the earth was in travail  with
 it in virtue of the power that she had 

received from the ,creator4  ,but she   
was waiting for the appointed time and  
the divine order to bring  forth4       
,darkness was upon the face of the deep4
 ,a new source for fables and  most     
impious imaginations may be found by    
distorting the sense of these  words at 
the will of one's fancies4 ,by darkness 
these wicked men do  not understand what
 is meant in reality--air not illumined1
 the shadow  produced by the            
interposition of a body1 or finally a   
place for some  reason deprived of      
light4 ,for them darkness is an evil    
power1 or  rather the personification of
 evil1 having his origin in himself in  
opposition to1 and in perpetual struggle
 with1 the goodness of ,god4 ,if  ,god  
is light1 they say1 without any doubt   
the power which struggles  against ,him 
must be darkness1 darkness not owing its
 existence to a  foreign origin1 but an 
evil existing by itself4 ,darkness is   
the enemy  of souls1 the primary cause  
of death1 the adversary of virtue4 ,the 

words  of the prophet1 they say in their
 error1 show that it exists and that it 
does not proceed from ,god4 ,from this  
what perverse and impious dogmas  have  
been imagined6 ,what grievous wolves1   
tearing the flock of the ,lord1  have   
sprung from these words to cast         
themselves upon souls6 ,is it not  from 
hence that have come forth ,marcions and
 ,valentinuses and the  detestable      
heresy of the ,manicheans which you may1
 without going far  wrong1 call the     
putrid humor of the churches8    ,o man1
 why wander thus from the truth and     
imagine for thyself that which  will    
cause thy perdition8 ,the word is simple
 and within the comprehension  of all4  
,the earth was invisible4 ,why8 ,because
 the deep was spread  over its surface4 
,what is the deep8 ,a mass of water of  
extreme depth4  ,but we know that we can
 see many bodies through clear and      
transparent  water4 ,how1 then1 was it  
that no part of the earth appeared      
through the  water8 ,because the air    

which surrounded it was still without   
light and  in darkness4 ,the rays of the
 sun1 penetrating the water1 often allow
 us  to see the pebbles which form the  
bed of the river1 but in a dark night   
it is impossible for our glance to      
penetrate under the water4 ,thus1  these
 words1 the earth was invisible1 are    
explained by those that  follow2 the    
deep covered it and itself was in       
darkness4 ,thus the deep  is not a      
multitude of hostile powers1 as has been
 imagined2 nor  darkness an evil        
sovereign force in enmity with good4 ,in
 reality two  rival principles of equal 
power1 if engaged without ceasing in a  
war of  mutual attacks1 will end in     
self-destruction4    ,but if one should 
gain the mastery it would completely    
annihilate the  conquered4 ,thus1 to    
maintain the balance in the struggle    
between good  and evil is to represent  
them as engaged in a war without end and
 in  perpetual destruction1 where the   
opponents are at the same time          

conquerors and conquered4 ,if good is   
the stronger1 what is there to  prevent 
evil from being completely annihilated8 
,but if that be the case1  the very     
utterance of which is impious1 ,i ask   
myself how it is that  they themselves  
are not filled with horror to think that
 they have  imagined such abominable    
blasphemies4    ,it is equally impious  
to say that evil has its origin from    
,god2 because  the contrary can not     
proceed from its contrary4 ,life does   
not engender  death2 darkness is not the
 origin of light2 sickness is not the   
maker of  health4 ,in the changes of    
conditions there are transitions from   
one  condition to the contrary2 but in  
genesis each being proceeds from its    
like and from its contrary4 ,if1 then1  
evil is neither uncreated nor  created  
by ,god1 from whence comes its nature8  
,certainly1 that evil  exists no one    
living in the world will deny4 ,what    
shall we say1 then8  ,evil is not a     
living animated essence3 it is the      

condition of the soul  opposed to       
virtue1 developed in the careless on    
account of their falling  away from     
good4    ,do not1 then1 go beyond       
yourself to seek for evil1 and imagine  
that  there is an original nature of    
wickedness4 ,each of us--let us         
acknowledge it--is the first author of  
his own vice4    ,among the ordinary    
events of life1 some come naturally1    
like old age and  sickness2 others by   
chance1 like unforeseen occurrences1 of 
which the  origin is beyond ourselves1  
often sad1 sometimes fortunate--as1 for 
instance1 the discovery of a treasure   
when digging a well1 or the  meeting of 
a mad dog when going to the             
market-place4    ,others depend upon    
ourselves2 such as ruling one's         
passions1 or not  putting a bridle on   
one's pleasures2 the mastery of anger1  
or resistance  against him who irritates
 us2 truth-telling or lying1 the        
maintenance of  a sweet and             
well-regulated disposition1 or of a mood

 fierce and swollen  and exalted with   
pride4 ,here you are the master of your 
actions4 ,do not  look for the guiding  
cause beyond yourself1 but recognize    
that evil1  rightly so called1 has no   
other origin than our voluntary falls4  
,if it  were involuntary1 and did not   
depend upon ourselves1 the laws would   
not  have so much terror for the guilty1
 and the tribunals would not be so      
pitiless when they condemn wretches     
according to the measure of their       
crimes4    ,but enough concerning evil  
rightly so called4 ,sickness1 poverty1  
obscurity1 death1 finally all human     
afflictions1 ought not to be ranked  as 
evils1 since we do not count among the  
greatest boons things which  are their  
opposites4 ,among these afflictions some
 are the effect of  nature1 others have 
obviously been for many a source of     
advantage4 ,let  us be silent for the   
moment about these metaphors and        
allegories1 and1  simply following      
without vain curiosity the words of     

,holy ,scripture1 let  us take from     
darkness the idea which it gives us4    
,but reason asks1 ,was darkness created 
with the world8 ,is it older than       
light8 ,why1 in spite of its            
inferiority1 has it preceded it8        
,darkness1  we reply1 did not exist in  
essence2 it is a condition produced in  
the  air by the withdrawal of light4    
,what1 then1 is that light which        
disappeared suddenly from the world so  
that darkness should cover the  face of 
the deep8 ,if anything had existed      
before the formation of this  sensible  
and perishable world1 no doubt we       
conclude it would have been  in the     
light4 ,the orders of angels1 the       
heavenly hosts1 all intellectual        
natures named or unnamed1 all the       
ministering spirits1 did not live in    
darkness1 but enjoyed a condition fitted
 for them in light and spiritual  joy4  
,no one will contradict this1 least of  
all he who looks for celestial  light as
 one of the rewards promised to         

virtue--the light which1 as  ,solomon   
says1 is always a light to the          
righteous1 the light which made  the    
apostle say1 ,giving thanks unto the    
,father1 which hath made us meet  to be 
partakers of the inheritance of the     
saints in light4 ,finally1 if  the      
condemned are sent into outer darkness1 
evidently those who are made  worthy of 
,god's approval are at rest in heavenly 
light4 ,when1 then1  according to the   
order of ,god1 the heaven appeared1     
enveloping all that  its circumference  
included1 a vast and unbroken body      
separating outer  things from those     
which it enclosed1 it necessarily kept  
the space  inside in darkness for want  
of communication with the outer light4  
,three things are1 indeed1 needed to    
form a shadow3 light1 a body1 a dark    
place4 ,the shadow of heaven forms the  
darkness of the world4 ,understand1  ,i 
pray you1 what ,i mean1 by a simple     
example--by raising for yourself at     
midday a tent of some compact and       

impenetrable material1 you shut         
yourself up in sudden darkness4 ,suppose
 that original darkness was like  this1 
not subsisting directly by itself1 but  
resulting from some  external causes4   
,if it is said that it rested upon the  
deep1 it is  because the extremity of   
air naturally touches the surface of    
bodies2  and as at that time the water  
covered everything1 we are obliged to   
say  that darkness was upon the face of 
the deep4    ,and the ,spirit of ,god   
moved upon the face of the waters8 ,does
 this  ,spirit mean the diffusion of    
air8 ,the sacred writer wishes to       
enumerate  to you the elements of the   
world1 to tell you that ,god created the
  heavens1 the earth1 water and air1 and
 that the last was now diffused  and in 
motion2 or rather1 that which is truer  
and confirmed by the  authority of the  
ancients1 by the ,spirit of ,god he     
means the ,holy  ,spirit4 ,it is1 as has
 been remarked1 the special name1 the   
name above  all others that ,scripture  

delights to give to the ,holy ,spirit1  
and by  the ,spirit of ,god the ,holy   
,spirit is meant1 the ,spirit1 namely1  
which  completes the divine and blessed 
,trinity4 ,you will always find it      
better1 therefore1 to take it in this   
sense4 ,how1 then1 did the ,spirit  of  
,god move upon the waters8 ,the         
explanation that ,i am about to give you
  is not an original one1 but that of a 
,syrian who was as ignorant in the      
wisdom of this world as he was versed in
 the knowledge of the truth4    ,he     
said1 then1 that the ,syriac word was   
more expressive1 and that1 being  more  
analogous to the ,hebrew term1 it was a 
nearer approach to the  ,scriptural     
sense4 ,this is the meaning of the word3
 by moved the  ,syrians1 he says1       
understand brooded over4 ,the ,spirit   
cherished the  nature of the waters as  
one sees a bird cover the eggs with her 
body and  impart to them vital force    
from her own warmth4 ,such is1 as nearly
 as  possible1 the meaning of these     

words--the ,spirit moved3 that is1      
prepared the nature of water to produce 
living beings3 a sufficient  proof for  
those who ask if the ,holy ,spirit took 
an active part in the  creation of the  
world4    ,and ,god said1 ,let there be 
light4 ,the first word uttered by ,god  
created the nature of light2 it made    
darkness vanish1 dispelled gloom1       
illuminated the world1 and gave to all  
being at the same time a sweet  and     
gracious aspect4 ,the heavens1 until    
then enveloped in darkness1  appeared   
with that beauty which they still       
present to our eyes4 ,the air  was      
lighted up1 or rather made the light    
circulate mixed with its  substance1    
and1 distributing its splendor rapidly  
in every direction1 so  dispersed itself
 to its extreme limits4 ,up it sprang to
 the very ether  and heaven4 ,in an     
instant it lighted up the whole extent  
of the world1  the north and the south1 
the east and the west4 ,for the ether   
also is  such a subtle substance and so 

transparent that it needs not the space 
of a moment for light to pass through   
it4 ,just as it carries our sight       
instantaneously to the object of vision1
 so without the least interval1  with a 
rapidity that thought can not conceive1 
it receives these rays of  light in its 
uttermost limits4 ,with light the ether 
becomes more  pleasing and the waters   
more limpid4 ,these last1 not content   
with  receiving its splendor1 return it 
by the reflection of light and in all   
directions send forth quivering flashes4
 ,the divine word gives every  object a 
more cheerful and a more attractive     
appearance1 just as when  men pour in   
oil into the deep sea they make the     
place about them smooth4  ,so1 with a   
single word and in one instant the      
,creator of all things gave  the boon of
 light to the world4    ,let there be   
light4 ,the order was itself an         
operation1 and a state of  things was   
brought into being than which man's mind
 can not even imagine  a pleasanter one 

for our enjoyment ,it must be well      
understood that when  we speak of the   
voice1 of the word1 of the command of   
,god1 this divine  language does not    
mean to us a sound which escapes from   
the organs of  speech1 a collision of   
air struck by the tongue2 it is a simple
 sign of  the will of ,god1 and1 if we  
give it the form of an order1 it is only
 the  better to impress the souls whom  
we instruct4    ,and ,god saw the light1
 that it was good4 ,how can we worthily 
praise  light after the testimony given 
by the ,creator to its goodness8 ,the   
word1 even among us1 refers the judgment
 to the eyes1 incapable of  raising     
itself to the idea that the senses have 
already received4 ,but if  beauty in    
bodies results from symmetry of parts   
and the harmonious  appearance of colors
 how1 in a simple and homogeneous       
essence like  light1 can this idea of   
beauty be preserved8 ,would not the     
symmetry in  light be less shown in its 
parts than in the pleasure and delight  

at the  sight of it8 ,such is also the  
beauty of gold1 which it owes1 not to   
the  happy mingling of its parts1 but   
only to its beautiful color1 which has  
a charm attractive to the eyes4         
,thus1 again1 the evening star is the   
most beautiful of the stars3 not  that  
the parts of which it is composed form a
 harmonious whole1 but  thanks to the   
unalloyed and beautiful brightness which
 meets our eyes4  ,and further1 when    
,god proclaimed the goodness of light1  
it was not in  regard to the charm of   
the eye1 but as a provision for future  
advantage1  because at that time there  
were as yet no eyes to judge of its     
beauty4    ,and ,god divided the light  
from the darkness4 ,that is to say1 ,god
 gave  them natures incapable of mixing1
 perpetually in opposition to each      
other1 and put between them the widest  
space and distance4    ,and ,god called 
the light day1 and the darkness he      
called night4 ,since  the birth of the  
sun1 the light that it diffuses in the  

air when shining  on our hemisphere is  
day1 and the shadow produced by its     
disappearance  is night4 ,but at that   
time it was not after the movement of   
the sun1 but  following this primitive  
light spread abroad in the air or       
withdrawn in  a measure determined by   
,god1 that day came and was followed by 
night4    ,and the evening and the      
morning were the first day4 ,evening is 
then  the boundary common to day and    
night2 and in the same way morning      
constitutes the approach of night to    
day4 ,it was to give day the  privileges
 of seniority that ,scripture put the   
end of the first day  before that of the
 first night1 because night follows day3
 for1 before  the creation of light1 the
 world was not in night1 but in         
darkness4 ,it  is the opposite of day   
which was called night1 and it did not  
receive  its name until after day4 ,thus
 were created the evening and the       
morning4 ,scripture means the space of a
 day and a night1 and afterward  no more

 says day and night1 but calls them both
 under the name of the  more important3 
a custom which you will find throughout 
,scripture4  ,everywhere the measure of 
time is counted by days without mention 
of  nights4 ,the days of our years1 says
 the ,psalmist2 few and evil have  the  
days of the years of my life been1 said 
,jacob2 and elsewhere all  the days of  
my life4    ,and the evening and the    
morning were the first day1 or1 rather1 
one  day4--7,revised ,vers74 ,why does  
,scripture say one day1 not the first   
day8 ,before speaking to us of the      
second1 the third1 and the fourth  days1
 would it not have been more natural to 
call that one the first  which began the
 series8 ,if it1 therefore1 says one    
day1 it is from a  wish to determine the
 measure of day and night and to combine
 the time  that they contain4 ,now1     
twenty-four hours fill up the space of  
one  day--we mean of a day and of a     
night2 and if1 at the time of the       
solstices1 they have not both an equal  

length1 the time marked by  ,scripture  
does not the less circumscribe their    
duration4 ,it is as tho it  said3       
,twenty-four hours measure the space of 
a day1 or a day is in  reality the time 
that the heavens1 starting from one     
point1 take to  return thither4 ,thus1  
every time that1 in the revolution of   
the sun1  evening and morning occupy the
 world1 their periodical succession     
never  exceeds the space of one day4    
,but we must believe that there is a    
mysterious reason for this8 ,god1 who   
made the nature of time1 measured it out
 and determined it by intervals  of     
days2 and1 wishing to give it a week as 
a measure1 he ordered the  week to      
resolve from period to period upon      
itself1 to count the movement  of time1 
forming the week of one day revolving   
seven times upon itself3  a proper      
circle begins and ends with itself4     
,such is also the character  of         
eternity1 to revolve upon itself and to 
end nowhere4 ,if1 then1 the  beginning  

of time is called one day rather than   
the first day1 it is  because ,scripture
 wishes to establish its relationship   
with eternity4 ,it  was1 in reality1 fit
 and natural to call one the day whose  
character  is to be one wholly separated
 and isolated from all others4 ,if      
,scripture  speaks to us of many ages1  
saying everywhere age of age1 and ages  
of  ages1 we do not see it enumerate    
them as first1 second1 and third4 ,it   
follows that we are hereby shown1 not so
 much limits1 ends1 and  succession of  
ages as distinctions between various    
states and modes of  action4 ,the day of
 the ,lord1 ,scripture says1 is great   
and very  terrible1 and elsewhere1 ,woe 
unto you that desire the day of the     
,lord3  to what end is it for you8 ,the 
day of the ,lord is darkness and not    
light4 ,a day of darkness for those who 
are worthy of darkness4 ,no2  this day  
without evening1 without succession1 and
 without end is not  unknown to         
,scripture1 and it is the day that the  

,psalmist calls the  eighth day1 because
 it is outside this time of weeks4      
,thus1 whether you  call it day or      
whether you call it eternity1 you       
express the same idea4  ,give this state
 the name of day2 there are not several1
 but only one4 ,if  you call it eternity
 still it is unique and not manifold4   
,thus it is in  order that you may carry
 your thoughts forward toward a future  
life that  ,scripture marks by the word 
one the day which is the type of        
eternity1  the first-fruits of days1 the
 contemporary of light1 the holy ,lord's
  day4    ,but while ,i am conversing   
with you about the first evening of the 
world1  evening takes me by surprize and
 puts an end to my discourse4 ,may the  
,father of the true light1 who has      
adorned day with celestial light1 who   
has made to shine the fires which       
illuminate us during the night1 who     
reserves for us in the peace of a future
 age a spiritual and everlasting  light1
 enlighten your hearts in the knowledge 

of truth1 keep you from  stumbling1 and 
grant that you may walk honestly as in  
the day4 ,thus  shall you shine as the  
sun in the midst of the glory of the    
saints1 and  ,i shall glory in you in   
the day of ,christ1 to whom belong all  
glory and  power for ever and ever4     
,amen4          ,,chrysostom            
,,excessive ,,grief ,,at ,,the ,,death  
,,of ,,friends      ,,biographical      
,,note    ,chrysostom 7that is1 ,of the 
,golden ,mouth7 was a title given to    
,john1  ,archbishop of ,constantinople4 
,he was born of a patrician family at   
,antioch about #cdg1 and owed much to   
the early ,christian training of his    
,christian mother1 ,anthusa4 ,he studied
 under ,libanius1 and for a time        
practised law1 but was converted and    
baptized in #cfh4 ,he made a profound   
study of the ,scriptures1 the whole of  
which1 it is said1 he learned to  repeat
 by heart4    ,like ,basil and ,gregory 
he began his religious life as a hermit 
in the  desert4 ,after six years he     

returned to ,antioch1 where he gained   
reputation as the greatest preacher in  
the ,eastern ,church4 ,raised to the    
metropolitan ,see of ,constantinople in 
#cig1 his fulminations against the      
corruptions of the court caused him to  
be banished1 after a stormy  ministry of
 six years4 ,he was recalled in response
 to popular clamor1  but removed again1 
and shortly after died1 in #djg4 ,he was
 a great  exegete1 and showed a spirit  
of intellectual liberty which           
anticipated  modern criticism4 ,sermons 
to the number of one thousand have been 
attributed to him4        ,,chrysostom  
#cdg-djg    ,,excessive ,,grief ,,at    
,,the ,,death ,,of ,,friends    ,but ,i 
would not have you to be ignorant1      
brethren1 concerning them  which are    
asleep1 that ye sorrow not4--#a ,thess4 
iv41 #ac4      ,we have occupied four   
days in explaining to you the parable of
 ,lazarus1  bringing out the treasure   
that we found in a body covered with    
sores2 a  treasure1 not of gold and     

silver and precious stones1 but of      
wisdom and  fortitude1 of patience and  
endurance4 ,for as in regard to visible 
treasures1 while the surface of the     
ground shows only thorns and briers1    
and rough earth1 yet1 let a person dig  
deep into it1 abundant wealth  discovers
 itself2 so it has proved in respect to 
,lazarus4 ,outwardly1  wounds2 but      
underneath these1 unspeakable wealth2 a 
body pining away1  but a spirit noble   
and wakeful4 ,we have also seen an      
illustration of  that remark of the     
apostle's--in proportion as the outward 
man perishes1  the inward man is        
renewed4    ,it would1 indeed1 be proper
 to address you to-day1 also1 on this   
same  parable1 and to enter the lists   
with those heretics who censure the ,old
  ,testament1 bringing accusations      
against the patriarchs1 and whetting    
their tongues against ,god1 the ,creator
 of the universe4 ,but to avoid         
wearying you and reserving this         
controversy for another time1 let us    

direct the discourse to another subject2
 for a table with only one sort  of food
 produces satiety1 while variety        
provokes the appetite4 ,that it  may be 
so in regard to our preaching1 let us   
now1 after a long period1  turn to the  
blest ,paul2 for very opportunely has a 
passage from the  apostle been read     
to-day1 and the things which are to be  
spoken  concerning it are in harmony    
with those that have lately been        
presented4  ,hear1 then1 ,paul this day 
proclaiming--,i would not have you to be
  ignorant concerning them which are    
asleep1 that ye sorrow not even as      
others which have no hope4 ,the parable 
of ,lazarus is the evangelical  chord2  
this passage is the apostolic note4 ,and
 there is concord between  them2 for we 
have1 on that parable1 said much        
concerning the  resurrection and the    
future judgment1 and our discourse now  
recurs to  that theme2 so that1 tho it  
is on apostolic ground we are now       
toiling1  we shall here find the same   

treasure4 ,for in treating the parable1 
our  aim was to teach the hearers this  
lesson1 that they should regard all  the
 splendors of the present life as       
nothing1 but should look forward in     
their hopes1 and daily reflect on the   
decisions which will be hereafter       
pronounced1 and on that fearful         
judgment1 and that ,judge who can not be
  deceived4 ,on these things ,paul has  
counseled us to-day in the passages     
which have been read to us4 ,attend1    
however1 to his own words--,i would  not
 have you to be ignorant1 brethren1     
concerning them which are asleep1  that 
ye sorrow not1 even as others which have
 no hope4 ,for if we believe  that      
,jesus died and rose again1 even so them
 also which sleep in ,jesus  will ,god  
bring with him4--,i ,thess4 iv41 #ac1   
#ad4    ,we ought here1 at the outset1  
to inquire why1 when he is speaking     
concerning ,christ1 he employs the word 
death2 but when he is speaking of  our  
decease he calls it sleep1 and not      

death4 ,for he did not say1  ,concerning
 them that are dead3 but what did he    
say8 ,concerning them  that are asleep4 
,and again--,even so them also which    
sleep in ,jesus  will ,god bring with   
,him4 ,he did not say1 ,them that have  
died4 ,still  again--,we who are alive  
and remain unto the coming of the ,lord 
shall  not prevent them that sleep4     
,here1 too1 he did not say--,them that  
are  dead2 but a third time1 bringing   
the subject to their remembrance1 for   
the third time called death a sleep4    
,concerning ,christ1 however1 he did    
not speak thus2 but how8 ,for if we     
believe that ,jesus died4 ,he did not   
say1 ,jesus slept1 but ,he died4 ,why   
now did he use the term death in        
reference to ,christ1 but in reference  
to us the term sleep8 ,for it was  not  
casually1 or negligently1 that he       
employed this expression1 but he  had a 
wise and great purpose in so doing4 ,in 
speaking of ,christ1 he said  death1 so 
as to confirm the fact that ,christ had 

actually suffered  death2 in speaking of
 us1 he said sleep1 in order to impart  
consolation4  ,for where resurrection   
had already taken place1 he mentions    
death with  plainness2 but where the    
resurrection is still a matter of hope1 
he says  sleep1 consoling us by this    
very expression1 and cherishing our     
valuable  hopes4 ,for he who is only    
asleep will surely awake2 and death is  
no more  than a long sleep4    ,say not 
a dead man hears not1 nor speaks1 nor   
sees1 nor is conscious4 ,it  is just so 
with a sleeping person4 ,if ,i may speak
 somewhat  paradoxically1 even the soul 
of a sleeping person is in some sort    
asleep2 but not so the soul of a dead   
man2 that is awake4    ,but1 you say1 a 
dead man experiences corruption1 and    
becomes dust and  ashes4 ,and what then1
 beloved hearers8 ,for this very reason 
we ought to  rejoice4 ,for when a man is
 about to rebuild an old and tottering  
house1  he first sends out its          
occupants1 then tears it down1 and      

rebuilds anew  a more splendid one4     
,this occasions no grief to the         
occupants1 but  rather joy2 for they do 
not think of the demolition which they  
see1 but  of the house which is to come1
 tho not yet seen4 ,when ,god is about  
to  do a similar work1 he destroys our  
body1 and removes the soul which was    
dwelling in it as from some house1 that 
he may build it anew and more           
splendidly1 and again bring the soul    
into it with greater glory4 ,let us     
not1 therefore1 regard the tearing down1
 but the splendor which is to  succeed4 
,if1 again1 a man has a statue decayed  
by rust and age1 and mutilated in  many 
of its parts1 he breaks it up and casts 
it into a furnace1 and  after the       
melting he receives it again in a more  
beautiful form4 ,as then  the dissolving
 in the furnace was not a destruction   
but a renewing of  the statue1 so the   
death of our bodies is not a destruction
 but a  renovation4 ,when1 therefore1   
you see as in a furnace our flesh       

flowing  away to corruption1 dwell not  
on that sight1 but wait for the         
recasting4  ,and be not satisfied with  
the extent of this illustration1 but    
advance  in your thoughts to a still    
higher point2 for the statuary1 casting 
into  the furnace a brazen image1 does  
not furnish you in its place a golden   
and undecaying statue1 but again makes a
 brazen one4 ,god does not thus2  but   
casting in a mortal body formed of clay1
 he returns to you a golden  and        
immortal statue2 for the earth1         
receiving a corruptible and decaying    
body gives back the same1 incorruptible 
and undecaying4 ,look not1  therefore1  
on the corpse1 lying with closed eyes   
and speechless lips1  but on the man    
that is risen1 that has received glory  
unspeakable and  amazing1 and direct    
your thoughts from the present sight to 
the future  hope4    ,but do you miss   
his society1 and therefore lament and   
mourn8 ,now is it  not unreasonable1    
that1 if you should have given your     

daughter in  marriage1 and her husband  
should take her to a distant country and
  should there enjoy prosperity1 you    
would not think the circumstance a      
calamity1 but the intelligence of their 
prosperity would console the  sorrow    
occasioned by her absence2 and yet here1
 while it is not a man1  nor a fellow   
servant1 but the ,lord ,himself who has 
taken your relative1  that you should   
grieve and lament8    ,and how is it    
possible1 you ask1 not to grieve1 since 
,i am only a man8  ,nor do ,i say that  
you should not grieve3 ,i do not condemn
 dejection1 but  the intensity of it4   
,to be dejected is natural2 but to be   
overcome by  dejection is madness1 and  
folly1 and unmanly weakness4 ,you may   
grieve  and weep2 but give not way to   
despondency1 nor indulge in complaints4 
,give thanks to ,god1 who has taken your
 friend1 that you have the  opportunity 
of honoring the departed one1 and of    
dismissing him with  becoming obsequies4
 ,if you sink under depression1 you     

withhold honor  from the departed1 you  
displease ,god who has taken him1 and   
you injure  yourself2 but if you are    
grateful1 you pay respect to him1 you   
glorify  ,god1 and you benefit yourself4
 ,weep1 as wept your ,master over       
,lazarus1  observing the just limits of 
sorrow1 which it is not proper to pass4 
,thus also said ,paul--,i would not have
 you to be ignorant concerning  them    
which are asleep1 that ye sorrow not as 
others who have no hope4  ,grieve1 says 
he2 but not as the ,greek1 who has no   
hope of a  resurrection1 who despairs of
 a future life4    ,believe me1 ,i am   
ashamed and blush to see unbecoming     
groups of women  pass along the mart1   
tearing their hair1 cutting their arms  
and  cheeks--and all this under the eyes
 of the ,greeks4 ,for what will they    
not say8 ,what will they not declare    
concerning us8 ,are these the men who   
reason about a resurrection8 ,indeed6   
,how poorly their actions agree with    
their opinions6 ,in words1 they reason  

about a resurrection3 but they act  just
 like those who do not acknowledge a    
resurrection4 ,if they fully  believed  
in a resurrection1 they would not act   
thus2 if they had really  persuaded     
themselves that a deceased friend had   
departed to a better  state1 they would 
not thus mourn4 ,these things1 and more 
than these1 the  unbelievers say when   
they hear those lamentations4 ,let us   
then be  ashamed1 and be more moderate1 
and not occasion so much harm to        
ourselves and to those who are looking  
on us4    ,for on what account1 tell me1
 do you thus weep for one departed8     
,because he was a bad man8 ,you ought on
 that very account to be thankful1      
since the occasions of wickedness are   
now cut off4 ,because he was good  and  
kind8 ,if so1 you ought to rejoice2     
since he has been soon removed1  before 
wickedness had corrupted him1 and he has
 gone away to a world  where he stands  
even secure1 and there is no reason even
 to mistrust a  change4 ,because he was 

a youth8 ,for that1 too1 praise ,him    
that has taken  him1 because he has     
speedily called him to a better lot4    
,because he was  an aged man8 ,on this  
account1 also1 give thanks and glorify  
,him that has  taken him4 ,be ashamed of
 your behavior at a burial4 ,the singing
 of  psalms1 the prayers1 the assembling
 of the 7spiritual7 fathers and         
brethren--all this is not that you may  
weep1 and lament1 and afflict           
yourselves1 but that you may render     
thanks to ,him who has taken the        
departed4 ,for as when men are called to
 some high office1 multitudes  with     
praises on their lips assemble to escort
 them at their departure to  their      
stations1 so do all with abundant praise
 join to send forward1 as  to greater   
honor1 those of the pious who have      
departed4 ,death is rest1 a  deliverance
 from the exhausting labors and cares of
 this world4 ,when1  then1 thou seest a 
relative departing1 yield not to        
despondency2 give  thyself to           

reflection2 examine thy conscience2     
cherish the thought that  after a little
 while this end awaits thee also4 ,be   
more considerate2 let  another's death  
excite thee to salutary fear2 shake off 
all indolence2  examine your past deeds2
 quit your sins1 and commence a happy   
change4    ,we differ from unbelievers  
in our estimate of things4 ,the         
unbeliever  surveys the heavens and     
worships them1 because he thinks them a 
divinity2 he looks to the earth and     
makes himself a servant to it1 and      
longs for the things of sense4 ,but not 
so with us4 ,we survey the heavens  and 
admire ,him that made them2 for we do   
not believe them to be a god1  but a    
work of ,god4 ,i look on the whole      
creation1 and am led by it to the       
,creator4 ,he looks on wealth1 and longs
 for it with earnest desire2 ,i  look on
 wealth1 and contemn it4 ,he sees       
poverty1 and laments2 ,i see  poverty1  
and rejoice4 ,i see things in one light2
 he in another4 ,just so  in regard to  

death4 ,he sees a corpse1 and thinks of 
it as a corpse2 ,i  see a corpse1 and   
behold sleep rather than death4 ,and as 
in regard to  books1 both learned       
persons and unlearned see them with the 
same eyes1  but not with the same       
understanding--for to the unlearned the 
mere  shapes of letters appear1 while   
the learned discover the sense that lies
  within those letters--so in respect to
 affairs in general1 we all see  what   
takes place with the same eyes1 but not 
with the same understanding  and        
judgment4 ,since1 therefore1 in all     
other things we differ from  them1 shall
 we agree with them in our sentiments   
respecting death8    ,consider to whom  
the departed has gone1 and take comfort4
 ,he has gone  where ,paul is1 and      
,peter1 and the whole company of the    
saints4 ,consider  how he shall arise1  
with what glory and splendor4 ,consider 
that by  mourning and lamenting thou    
canst not alter the event which has     
occurred1 and thou wilt in the end      

injure thyself4 ,consider whom you      
imitate by so doing1 and shun this      
companionship in sin4 ,for whom do you  
imitate and emulate8 ,the unbelieving1  
those who have no hope2 as ,paul  has   
said--,that ye sorrow not1 even as      
others who have no hope4 ,and  observe  
how carefully he expresses himself2 for 
he does not say1 ,those  who have not   
the hope of a resurrection1 but simply1 
,those who have no  hope4 ,he that has  
no hope of a future retribution has no  
hope at all1  nor does he know that     
there is a ,god1 nor that ,god exercises
 a  providential care over present      
occurrences1 nor that divine justice    
looks on all things4 ,but he that is    
thus ignorant and inconsiderate is  more
 unwise than a beast1 and separates his 
soul from all good2 for he  that does   
not expect to render an account of his  
deeds cuts himself  loose from all      
virtue1 and attaches himself to all     
vice4 ,considering  these things1       
therefore1 and reflecting on the folly  

and stupidity of  the heathen1 whose    
associates we become by our lamentations
 for the  dead1 let us avoid this       
conformity to them4 ,for the apostle    
mentions  them for this very purpose1   
that by considering the dishonor into   
which  thou fallest1 thou mightest      
recover thyself from this conformity1   
and  return to thy proper dignity4      
,and not only here1 but everywhere and  
frequently1 the blest ,paul does  the   
same4 ,for when he would dissuade from  
sin1 he shows with whom we  become      
associated by our sins1 that1 being     
touched by the character of  the        
persons1 thou shouldest avoid such      
companionship4 ,to the  ,thessalonians1 
accordingly1 he says1 ,let every one    
possess his vessel  in sanctification   
and honor1 not in the lust of           
concupiscence1 even as  the ,gentiles   
which know not ,god4 ,and again--,walk  
not as the other  ,gentiles in the      
vanity of their mind4 ,thus also        
here--,i would not have  you to be      

ignorant1 brethren1 concerning them     
which are asleep1 that ye  sorrow not   
even as others who have no hope4 ,for it
 is not the nature of  things1 but our  
own disposition1 which makes us grieve2 
not the death of  the departed1 but the 
weakness of those who mourn4    ,we     
ought1 therefore1 to thank ,god not only
 for the resurrection1 but  also for the
 hope of it2 which can comfort the      
afflicted soul1 and bid  us be of good  
cheer concerning the departed1 for they 
will again rise  and be with us4 ,if we 
must have anguish1 we should mourn and  
lament over  those who are living in    
sin1 not over those who have died       
righteously4  ,thus did ,paul2 for he   
says to the ,corinthians--,lest when ,i 
come to you  ,god shall humble me among 
you and that ,i shall bewail many4 ,he  
was not  speaking of those who had died1
 but of those who had sinned and had not
  repented of the lasciviousness and    
uncleanness which they had committed2   
over these it was proper to mourn4 ,so  

likewise another writer  admonishes1    
saying--,weep over the dead1 for the    
light has failed2 and  weep over the    
fool1 for understanding has failed      
7,eccles4 xxii41 #aj74  ,weep a little  
for the dead2 for he has gone to his    
rest2 but the fool's  life is a greater 
calamity than death4 ,and surely if one 
devoid of  understanding is always a    
proper object of lamentation1 much more 
he  that is devoid of righteousness and 
that has fallen from hope toward  ,god4 
,these1 then1 let us bewail2 for such   
bewailing may be useful4 ,for  often    
while lamenting these1 we amend our own 
faults2 but to bewail the  departed is  
senseless and hurtful4 ,let us not1     
then1 reverse the order1  but bewail    
only sin2 and all other things1 whether 
poverty1 or sickness1  or untimely      
death1 or calumny1 or false accusation1 
or whatever human  evil befalls us1 let 
us resolutely bear them all4 ,for these 
calamities1  if we are watchful1 will be
 the occasions of adding to our crowns4 

,but how is it possible1 you ask1 that a
 bereaved person1 being a man1  should  
not grieve8 ,on the contrary1 ,i ask1   
how is it that being a man he  should   
grieve1 since he is honored with reason 
and with hopes of future  good8 ,who is 
there1 you ask again1 that has not been 
subdued by this  weakness8 ,many1 ,i    
reply1 and in many places1 both among us
 and among  those who have died before  
us4 ,job1 for instance2 the whole circle
 of  his children being taken away1 hear
 what he says--,the ,lord gave2 the     
,lord hath taken away2 blessed be the   
name of the ,lord4 ,a wonderful  saying1
 even when merely heard2 but if you     
examine it closely1 your  wonder will   
greatly increase4    ,for consider2     
,satan did not take merely half and     
leave half1 or take the  larger number  
and leave the rest2 but he gathered all 
the fruit1 and yet  did not prevail in  
uprooting the tree2 he covered the whole
 sea with  waves1 and yet did not       
overwhelm the bark2 he despoiled the    

tower of its  strength1 and yet could   
not batter it down4 ,job stood firm1 tho
 assailed  from every quarter2 showers  
of arrows fell1 but they did not wound  
him4  ,consider how great a thing it    
was1 to see so many children perish4    
,was  it not enough to pierce him to the
 quick that they should all be  snatched
 away8--altogether and in one day2 in   
the flower of life2  having shown so    
much virtue2 expiring as by a stroke of 
vengeance2 that  after so many sorrows  
this last should be inflicted2 that the 
father was  fond of them1 and that the  
deceased were worthy of his affection4  
,when a  man loses vicious children1 he 
does indeed suffer grief1 but not       
intense  grief2 for the wickedness of   
the departed does not allow the sorrow  
to  be poignant4 ,but when children are 
virtuous1 an abiding wound is           
inflicted1 the remembrance is indelible1
 the calamity is inconsolable2  there is
 a double sting1 from nature1 and from  
the virtuous character of  the departed4

    ,that ,job's children were virtuous1
 appears from the fact that their       
father was particularly solicitous in   
regard to them1 and rising up  offered  
sacrifices in their behalf1 fearing lest
 they might have  committed secret sins2
 and no consideration was more important
 in his  esteem than this4 ,not only the
 virtue of the children is thus shown1  
but  also the affectionate spirit of the
 father4 ,since1 therefore1 the father  
was so affectionate1 showing not only a 
love for them which proceeded  from     
nature1 but that also which came from   
their piety1 and since the  departed    
were thus virtuous1 the anguish had a   
threefold intensity4  ,still further2   
when children are torn away separately1 
the suffering has  some consolation2 for
 those that are left alleviate the      
sorrow over the  departed2 but when the 
whole circle is gone1 to what one of all
 his  numerous children can the         
childless man now look8    ,besides     
these causes of sorrow1 there was a     

fifth stroke4 ,what was that8  ,that    
they were all snatched away at once4    
,for if in the case of those  who die   
after three or five days of sickness1   
the women and all the  relatives bewail 
this most of all1 that the deceased was 
taken away from  their sight speedily   
and suddenly1 much more might he have   
been  distrest1 when thus deprived of   
all1 not in three days1 or two1 or one1 
but in one hour6 ,for a calamity long   
contemplated1 even if it be hard to     
bear1 may fall more lightly through this
 anticipation2 but that which  happens  
contrary to expectation and suddenly is 
intolerable4    ,would you hear of a    
sixth stroke8 ,he lost them all in the  
very flower of  their age4 ,you know how
 very overwhelming are untimely         
bereavements1 and  productive of grief  
on many scores4 ,the instance we are    
contemplating  was not only untimely1   
but also violent2 so that here was a    
seventh  stroke4 ,for their father did  
not see them expire on a bed1 but they  

are  all overwhelmed by the falling     
habitation4 ,consider then2 a man was   
digging in that pile of ruins1 and now  
he drew up a stone1 and now a  limb of a
 deceased one2 he saw a hand still      
holding a cup1 and another  right hand  
placed on the table1 and the mutilated  
form of a body1 the  nose torn away1 the
 head crusht1 the eyes put out1 the     
brain scattered1  the whole frame       
marred1 and the variety of wounds not   
permitting the  father to recognize the 
beloved countenances4 ,you suffer       
emotions and  shed tears at merely      
hearing of these things3 what must he   
have endured  at the sight of them8 ,for
 if we1 so long after the event1 can not
 bear  to hear of this tragedy1 tho it  
was another man's calamity1 what an     
adamant was he to look on these things1 
and contemplate them1 not as  another's1
 but his own afflictions6 ,he did not   
give way to dejection1  nor ask1 ,what  
does this mean8 ,is this the recompense 
for my kindness8  ,was it for this that 

,i opened my house1 that ,i might see it
 made the  grave of my children8 ,did ,i
 for this exhibit every parental virtue1
 that  they should endure such a death8 
,no such things did he speak1 or even   
think2 but steadily bore all1 tho       
bereaved of them after bestowing on     
them so much care4 ,for as an           
accomplished statuary framing golden    
images  adorns them with great care1 so 
he sought properly to mold and adorn    
their souls4 ,and as a husbandman       
assiduously waters his palm-trees1 or   
olives1 inclosing them and cultivating  
them in every suitable way2 so he       
perpetually sought to enrich each one's 
soul1 as a fruitful olive1 with         
increasing virtue4 ,but he saw the trees
 overthrown by the assault of the  evil 
spirit1 and exposed on the earth1 and   
enduring that miserable kind  of death2 
yet he uttered no reviling word1 but    
rather blest ,god1 thus  giving a deadly
 blow to the devil4    ,should you say  
that ,job had many sons1 but that others

 have frequently  lost their only sons1 
and that his cause of sorrow was not    
equal to  theirs1 you say well2 but ,i  
reply1 that ,job's cause of sorrow was  
not  only equal1 but far greater4 ,for  
of what advantage was it to him that he 
had many children8 ,it was a severer    
calamity and a more bitter grief to     
receive the wound in many bodies4       
,still1 if you wish to see another holy 
man having an only son1 and  showing the
 same and even greater fortitude1 call  
to mind the patriarch  ,abraham1 who did
 not indeed see ,isaac die1 but1 what   
was much more  painful1 was himself     
commanded to slay him1 and did not      
question the  command1 nor repine at it1
 nor say1 ,is it for this thou hast made
 me a  father1 that thou shouldest make 
me the slayer of my son8 ,better it     
would have been not to give him at all1 
than having given him thus to  take him 
away4 ,and if thou choosest to take him1
 why dost thou command  me to slay him  
and to pollute my right hand8 ,didst    

thou not promise me  that from this son 
thou wouldst fill the earth with my     
descendants8 ,how  wilt thou give the   
fruits1 then1 if thou pluck up the root8
 ,how dost  thou promise me a posterity1
 and yet order me to slay my son8 ,who  
ever  saw such things1 or heard of the  
like8 ,i am deceived2 ,i have been      
deluded4 ,no such thing did he say1 or  
even think2 he said nothing  against the
 command1 he did not ask the reasons2   
but hearing the  ,word--,take thy son1  
thine only son whom thou lovest1 and    
carry him up  to one of the mountains   
which ,i shall show thee1 he complied so
 readily  as even to do more than was   
commanded4 ,for he concealed the matter 
from  his wife1 and he left the servants
 at the foot of the ,mount in ignorance 
of what was to be done1 and ascended1   
taking only the victim4 ,thus not       
unwillingly1 but with promptness1 he    
obeyed the command4 ,think now what  it 
was1 to be conversing alone with his    
son1 apart from all others1 when  the   

affections are the more fervently       
excited1 and attachment becomes         
stronger2 and this not for one1 or two1 
but for several days4 ,to obey  the     
command speedily would have been        
wonderful2 but not so wonderful as1     
while his heart was burdened and        
agitated for many days1 to avoid        
indulging in human tenderness toward his
 son4 ,on this account ,god  appointed  
for him a more extended arena1 and a    
longer racecourse1 that  thou mightest  
the more carefully observe his          
combatant4 ,a combatant he  was indeed1 
contending not against a man1 but       
against the force of  nature4 ,what     
language can describe his fortitude8 ,he
 brought forward his  son1 bound him1   
placed him on the wood1 seized the      
sacrificial knife1  was just on the     
point of dealing the stroke4 ,in what   
manner to express  myself properly1 ,i  
know not2 he only would know1 who did   
these things4  ,for no language can     
describe how it happened that his hand  

did not  become torpid1 that the        
strength of his nerves did not relax1   
that the  affecting sight of his son did
 not overpower him4    ,it is proper    
here1 too1 to admire ,isaac4 ,for as the
 one obeyed ,god1 so  did the other obey
 his father2 and as the one1 at ,god's  
bidding him to  sacrifice1 did not      
demand an account of the matter1 so the 
other1 when  his father was binding him 
and leading him to the altar1 did not   
say1  ,why art thou doing this8--but    
surrendered himself to his father's     
hand4 ,and then was to be seen a man    
uniting in his own person the father    
and the sacrificing priest2 and a       
sacrifice offered without blood1 a      
whole burnt offering without fire1 an   
altar representing a type of death  and 
the resurrection4 ,for he both          
sacrificed his son and he did not       
sacrifice him4 ,he did not sacrifice him
 with his hand1 but in his  purpose4    
,for ,god gave the command1 not through 
desire to see the flowing  of the blood1

 but to give you a specimen of steady   
purpose1 to make  known throughout the  
world this worthy man1 and to instruct  
all in  coming time that it is necessary
 to prefer the command of ,god before   
children and nature1 before all things1 
and even life itself4 ,and so  ,abraham 
descended from the ,mount1 bringing     
alive the martyr ,isaac4 ,how  can we be
 pardoned then1 tell me1 or what apology
 can we have1 if we see  that noble man 
obeying ,god with so much promptness and
 submitting to ,him  in all things1 and 
yet we murmur at ,his dispensations8    
,tell me not of  grief1 nor of the      
intolerable nature of your calamity2    
rather consider  how in the midst of    
bitter sorrow you may yet rise superior 
to it4 ,that  which was commanded to    
,abraham was enough to stagger his      
reason1 to  throw him into perplexity1  
and to undermine his faith in the past4 
,for  who would not have then thought   
that the promise which had been made him
  of a numerous posterity was all a     

deception8 ,but not so ,abraham4 ,and   
not  less ought we to admire ,job's     
wisdom in calamity2 and particularly1   
that  after so much virtue1 after his   
alms and various acts of kindness to    
men1 and tho aware of no wrong either in
 himself or his children1 yet           
experiencing so much affliction1        
affliction so singular1 such as had     
never happened even to the most         
desperately wicked1 still he was not    
affected by it as most men would have   
been1 nor did he regard his virtue  as  
profitless1 nor form any ill-advised    
opinion concerning the past4    ,by     
these two examples1 then1 we ought not  
only to admire virtue1 but to  emulate  
and imitate it4 ,and let no one say     
these were wonderful men4  ,true1 they  
were wonderful and great men4 ,but we   
are now required to have  more wisdom   
than they1 and than all who lived under 
the ,old ,testament4  ,for except your  
righteousness exceed that of the        
,scribes and ,pharisees1  ye shall not  

enter into the kingdom of heaven4       
,gathering wisdom1 then1  from all      
quarters1 and considering what we are   
told concerning a  resurrection and     
concerning these holy men1 let us       
frequently recite it  to our souls1 not 
only when we are actually in sorrow1 but
 also while we  are free from distress4 
,for ,i have now addrest you on this    
subject1 tho  no one is in particular   
affliction1 that when we shall fall into
 any  such calamity1 we may1 from the   
remembrance of what has been said1      
obtain requisite consolation4 ,as       
soldiers1 even in peace1 perform        
warlike exercises1 so that when actually
 called to battle and the  occasion     
makes a demand for skill1 they may avail
 themselves of the art  which they have 
cultivated in peace2 so let us1 in time 
of peace1  furnish ourselves with       
weapons and remedies1 that whenever     
there shall  burst on us a war of       
unreasonable passions1 or grief1 or     
pain1 or any  such thing1 we may1 well  

armed and secure on all sides1 repel the
  assaults of the evil one with all     
skill1 and wall ourselves round with    
right contemplations1 with the          
declarations of ,god1 with the examples 
of  good men1 and with every possible   
defense4 ,for so shall we be able to    
pass the present life with happiness1   
and to attain to the kingdom of  heaven1
 through ,jesus ,christ1 to whom be     
glory and dominion1 together  with the  
,father and the ,holy ,spirit1 forever  
and ever4 ,amen4          ,,augustine   
,,the ,,recovery ,,of ,,sight ,,by ,,the
 ,,blind      ,,biographical ,,note     
,saint ,augustine 7,aurelius            
,augustinus71 one of the greatest       
theological  fathers of the ,church1 was
 born at ,tagaste1 #ced ,a4,d41 and     
became devoted  to the study of ,cicero4
 ,as a ,manichean he occasioned great   
anxiety to  his mother ,monica4         
,eventually embracing ,christianity1 he 
was baptized by  ,ambrose of ,milan     
7#chg71 on which occasion1 tradition    

says1 the ,te ,deum  was composed by    
himself and his baptizer4 ,appointed to 
the ,see of ,hippo  in #cie1 he threw   
himself into the conflict against heresy
 and schism1  his principal opponents   
being the ,donatists and ,pelagians4    
,his sermons1  powerful as they are1    
disappoint the modern reader by their   
fantastic  and allegorical              
interpretation of ,scripture1 but his   
,confessions1 in  which he details the  
history of his early life and           
conversion1 present a  wonderful picture
 of personal experience4 ,he is styled  
by ,harnack the  first modern man4 ,he  
died at ,hippo in #dcj4                 
,,augustine  #ced-dcj    ,,the          
,,recovery ,,of ,,sight ,,by ,,the      
,,blind    ,have mercy on us1 ,o ,lord1 
thou son of ,david4--,matt4 xx41 #cj4   
,i4 ,ye know1 holy brethren1 full well  
as we do1 that our ,lord and ,savior    
,jesus ,christ is the physician of our  
eternal health2 and that to this  end we
 task the weakness of our natures1 that 

our weakness might not  last forever4   
,for ,he assumed a mortal body1 wherein 
to kill death4 ,and1  though ,he was    
crucified through weakness1 as the      
apostle saith1 yet ,he  liveth by the   
power of ,god4 ,they are the words1 too1
 of the same  apostle3 ,he dieth no     
more1 death hath no more dominion over  
,him4 ,these  things1 ,i say1 are well  
known to your faith4 ,and there is also 
this  which follows from them1 that we  
should know that all the miracles which 
,he did on the body avail to our        
instruction1 that we may from them      
perceive that which is not to pass away1
 nor to have any end4 ,he  restored to  
the blind those eyes which death was    
sure some time to  close2 ,he raised    
,lazarus to life who was to die again4  
,and whatever ,he  did for the health of
 bodies1 ,he did it not to this end that
 they should  be forever2 whereas1 at   
the last1 ,he will give eternal health  
even to  the body itself4 ,but because  
those things which were not seen were   

not  believed2 by means of those        
temporal things which were seen1 ,he    
built up  faith in those things which   
were not seen4    ,,ii4 ,let no one     
then1 brethren1 say that our ,lord      
,jesus ,christ doeth not  those things  
now1 and on this account prefer the     
former to the present  ages of the      
,church4 ,in a certain place1 indeed1   
the same ,lord prefers  those who do not
 see and yet believe to them who see and
 therefore  believe4 ,for even at that  
time so irresolute was the infirmity of 
,his  disciples that they thought that  
,he whom they saw to have risen again   
must be handled1 in order that they     
might believe4 ,it was not enough for   
their eyes that they had seen ,him1     
unless their hands also were applied  to
 ,his limbs1 and the scars of ,his      
recent wounds were touched3 that this   
disciple1 who was in doubt1 might cry   
suddenly when he had touched and        
recognized the scars1 ,my ,lord and my  
,god4 ,the scars manifested ,him who    

had healed all wounds in others4 ,could 
not the ,lord have risen again  without 
scars8 ,yes1 but ,he knew the wounds    
which were in the hearts of  ,his       
disciples1 and to heal them ,he had     
preserved the scars on ,his own  body4  
,and what said the ,lord to him who now 
confest and said1 ,my lord1  and my     
,god8 ,because thou hast seen1 ,he said1
 thou hast believed2  blessed are they  
who have not seen1 and yet have         
believed4 ,of whom  spake ,he1 brethren1
 but of us8 ,not that ,he spoke only of 
us1 but of  those also who shall come   
after us4 ,for a little while when ,he  
had  departed from the sight of men1    
that faith might be established in their
  hearts1 whosoever believed1 believed  
tho they saw ,him not1 and great has    
been the merit of their faith2 for the  
procuring of which faith they  brought  
only the movement of a pious heart1 and 
not the touching of  their hands4       
,,iii4 ,these things1 then1 the ,lord   
did to invite us to the faith4 ,this    

faith reigneth now in the ,church1 which
 is spread throughout the whole  world4 
,and now1 ,he worketh greater cures1 on 
account of which ,he  disdained not then
 to exhibit those lesser ones4 ,for as  
the soul is  better than the body1 so is
 the saving health of the soul better   
than  the health of the body4 ,the blind
 body doth not now open its eyes by a   
miracle of the ,lord1 but the blinded   
heart openeth its eyes to the word  of  
the ,lord4 ,the mortal corpse doth not  
now rise again1 but the soul  doth rise 
again which lay dead in a living body4  
,the deaf ears of the  body are not now 
opened2 but how many have the ears of   
their heart  closed1 which yet fly open 
at the penetrating word of ,god1 so that
 they  believe who did not believe1 and 
they live well who did live evilly1 and 
they obey who did not obey2 and we say1 
such a man is become a  believer1 and we
 wonder when we hear of them whom once  
we had known as  hardened4 ,why1 then1  
dost thou marvel at one who now         

believes1 who is  living innocently1 and
 serving ,god1 but because thou dost    
behold him  seeing1 whom thou hadst     
known to be blind2 dost behold him      
living whom  thou hast known to be dead2
 dost behold him hearing whom thou hadst
  known to be deaf8 ,for consider that  
there are those who are dead in  another
 than the ordinary sense1 of whom the   
,lord spoke to a certain man  who       
delayed to follow the ,lord1 because he 
wished to bury his father2  ,let the    
dead1 said ,he1 bury their dead4 ,surely
 these dead buriers  are not dead in    
body2 for if this were so1 they could   
not bury dead  bodies4 ,yet doth ,he    
call them dead2 where but in the soul   
within8 ,for as  we may often see in a  
household1 itself sound and well1 the   
master of  the same house lying dead2 so
 in a sound body do many carry a dead   
soul  within2 and these the apostle     
arouses thus1 ,awake1 thou that         
sleepest1  and arise from the dead1 and 
,christ shall give thee light4 ,it is   

the  same who giveth sight to the blind 
that awakeneth the dead4 ,for it is     
with ,his voice that the cry is made by 
the apostle to the dead4 ,awake  thou   
that sleepest4 ,and the blind will be   
enlightened with light1 when  he shall  
have risen again4 ,and how many deaf men
 did the ,lord see before  ,his eyes1   
when ,he said1 ,he that hath ears to    
hear let him hear4 ,for  who was        
standing before ,him without his bodily 
ears8 ,what other ears1  then1 did ,he  
seek for1 but those of the inner man8   
,,iv4 ,again1 what eyes did ,he look for
 when ,he spake to those who saw        
indeed1 but who saw only with the eyes  
of the flesh8 ,for when ,philip  said to
 ,him1 ,lord1 show us the ,father and it
 sufficeth us3 he  understood1 indeed1  
that if the ,father were shown him1 it  
might well  suffice him2 when ,he that  
was equal to the ,father had sufficed   
not8 ,and  why did ,he not suffice8     
,because ,he was not seen4 ,and why was 
,he not  seen8 ,because the eye whereby 

,he might be seen was not yet whole4    
,for  this1 namely1 that the ,lord was  
seen in the flesh with the outward eyes1
  not only the disciples who honored    
,him saw1 but also the ,jews who        
crucified ,him4 ,he1 then1 who wished to
 be seen in another way1 sought  for    
other eyes4 ,and1 therefore1 it was that
 to him who said1 ,show us  the ,father1
 and it sufficeth us1 ,he answered1     
,have ,i been so long time  with you1   
and yet hast thou not known ,me1        
,philip8 ,he who hath seen ,me  hath    
seen the ,father also4 ,and that ,he    
might in the meanwhile heal the  eyes of
 faith1 ,he has first of all given him  
instructions regarding  faith1 that so  
he might attain to sight4 ,and lest     
,philip should think  that he was to    
conceive of ,god under the same form in 
which he then saw  the ,lord ,jesus     
,christ in the body1 he immediately     
subjoined1 ,believest  thou not that ,i 
am in the ,father1 and the ,father in   
me8 ,he had already  said1 ,he who hath 

seen me hath seen the ,father also4 ,but
 ,philip's eye  was not yet sound enough
 to see the ,father1 nor1 consequently1 
to see  the ,son1 who is ,himself       
coequal with the ,father4 ,and so ,jesus
 ,christ  took in hand to cure1 and with
 the medicine and salve of faith to     
strengthen the eyes of his mind1 which  
as yet were weak and unable to  behold  
so great a light1 and ,he said1         
,believest thou not that ,i am in  the  
,father1 and the ,father in ,me8 ,let   
not him1 then1 who can not yet  see what
 the ,lord will one day show him1 seek  
first to see what he is to  believe2 but
 let him first believe that the eye by  
which he is to see  may be healed4 ,for 
it was only the form of the servant     
which was  exhibited to the eyes of     
servants2 because if ,he who thought it 
not  robbery to be equal with ,god could
 have been now seen as equal with ,god  
by those whom ,he wished to be healed1  
,he would not have needed to empty      
,himself and to take the form of a      

servant4 ,but because there was no way  
whereby ,god could be seen1 but whereby 
man could be seen there was2  therefore1
 ,he who was ,god was made man1 that    
that which was seen might  heal that    
whereby ,he was not seen4 ,for ,he saith
 ,himself in another  place1 ,blessed   
are the pure in heart1 for they shall   
see ,god4 ,philip  might1 of course1    
have answered and said1 ,lord1 do ,i see
 ,thee8 ,is the  ,father such as ,i see 
,thee to be8 ,forasmuch as ,thou hast   
said1 ,he who  hath seen ,me hath seen  
the ,father also8 ,but before ,philip   
answered  thus1 or perhaps before he so 
much as thought it1 when the ,lord had  
said1 ,he who hath seen ,me hath seen   
the ,father also1 ,he immediately       
added1 ,believest thou not that ,i am in
 the ,father1 and the ,father in  me8   
,for with that eye he could not yet see 
either the ,father1 or the  ,son who is 
equal with the ,father2 but that his eye
 might be healed for  seeing1 he was    
anointed unto believing4 ,so1 then1     

before thou seest what  thou canst not  
now see1 believe what as yet thou seest 
not4 ,walk by  faith1 that thou mayest  
attain to sight4 ,sight will not gladden
 him in  his home whom faith consoleth  
not by the way4 ,for1 so says the       
apostle1  ,as long as we are in the body
 we are absent from the ,lord4 ,and he  
subjoins immediately why we are still   
absent or in pilgrimage1 tho we  have   
now believed2 ,for we walk by faith1 he 
says2 not by sight4    ,v4 ,our whole   
business1 then1 brethren1 in this life  
is to heal this eye  of the heart       
whereby ,god may be seen4 ,to this end  
are celebrated the  ,holy ,mysteries2 to
 this end is preached the ,word of ,god2
 to this end are  the moral exhortations
 of the ,church1 those1 that is1 that   
relate to the  corrections of manners1  
to the amendment of carnal lusts1 to the
  renouncing the world1 not in word     
only1 but in a change of life3 to this  
end is directed the whole aim of the    
,divine and ,holy ,scriptures1 that     

that inner man may be purged of that    
which hinders us from the sight of      
,god4 ,for as the eye which is formed to
 see this temporal light1 a light  tho  
heavenly yet corporeal1 and manifest1   
not to men only1 but even to  the       
meanest animals 7for this the eye is    
formed to this light72 if  anything be  
thrown or falls into it1 whereby it is  
disordered1 is shut  out from this      
light2 and tho it encompasses the eye   
with its presence1  yet the eye turns   
itself away from1 and is absent from it2
 and tho its  disordered condition is   
not only rendered absent from the light 
which is  present1 but the light to see 
which it was formed is even painful to  
it1  so the eye of the heart too1 when  
it is disordered and wounded1 turns     
away from the light of righteousness1   
and dares not and can not  contemplate  
it4    ,,vi4 ,and what is it that       
disorders the eye of the heart8 ,evil   
desire1  covetousness1 injustice1       
worldly concupiscence2 these disorder1  

close1  blind the eye of the heart4 ,and
 yet1 when the eye of the body is out of
  order1 how is the physician sought    
out1 what an absence of all delay to    
open and cleanse it1 that they may be   
healed whereby this outward light  is   
seen6 ,there is running to and fro1 no  
one is still1 no one loiters1  if even  
the smallest straw fall into the eye4   
,and ,god1 it must be  allowed1 made the
 sun which we desire to see with sound  
eyes4 ,much  brighter1 assuredly1 is ,he
 who made it2 nor is the light with     
which the  eye of the mind is concerned 
of this kind at all4 ,that light is     
eternal  wisdom4 ,god made thee1 ,o man1
 after ,his own image4 ,would ,he give  
thee  wherewithal to see the sun which  
,he made1 and not give thee wherewithal 
to see ,him who made thee1 when ,he made
 thee after ,his own image8 ,he hath    
given thee this also2 both hath ,he     
given thee4 ,but much thou dost love    
these outward eyes1 and despisest much  
that interior eye2 it thou dost  carry  

about bruised and wounded4 ,yea1 it     
would be a punishment to1 if  thy ,maker
 should wish to manifest ,himself unto  
thee1 it would be a  punishment to thine
 eye1 before that it is cured and       
healed4 ,for so ,adam  in ,paradise     
sinned1 and hid himself from the face of
 ,god4 ,as long1 then1  as he had the   
sound heart of a pure conscience1 he    
rejoiced at the  presence of ,god2 when 
that eye was wounded by sin1 he began to
 dread the  divine light1 he fled back  
into the darkness1 and the thick covert 
of  trees1 flying from the truth1 and   
anxious for the shade4    ,,vii4        
,therefore1 my brethren1 since we too   
are born of him1 and as the  apostle    
says1 ,in ,adam all die2 for we were all
 at first two persons2  if we were loath
 to obey the physician1 that we might   
not be sick2 let  us obey ,him now1 that
 we may be delivered from sickness4 ,the
 ,physician  gave us precepts1 when we  
were whole2 ,he gave us precepts that we
 might  not need a physician4 ,they that

 are whole1 ,he saith1 need not a       
physician1 but they that are sick4 ,when
 whole1 we despised these  precepts1 and
 by experience have felt how to our own 
destruction we  despised ,his precepts4 
,now we are sick1 we are in distress1 we
 are on  the bed of weakness2 yet let us
 not despair4 ,for because we could not 
come to the ,physician1 ,he hath        
vouchsafed to come ,himself to us4 ,tho 
despised by man when he was whole1 ,he  
did not despise him when he was         
stricken4 ,he did not leave off to give 
other precepts to the weak1 who  would  
not keep the first precepts1 that he    
might not be weak2 as tho ,he  would    
say1 ,assuredly thou hast by experience 
felt that ,i spoke the  truth when ,i   
said1 ,touch not this4 ,be healed then  
now1 at length1 and  recover the life   
thou hast lost4 ,lo1 ,i am bearing thine
 infirmity2 drink  then the bitter cup4 
,for thou hast of thine own self made   
those my so  sweet precepts1 which were 
given to thee when whole1 so toilsome4  

,they  were despised1 and so thy        
distress began2 cured thou canst not be1
  except thou drink the bitter cup1 the 
cup of temptations1 wherein this  life  
abounds1 the cup of tribulation1        
anguish1 and suffering4 ,drink  then1   
,he says1 drink1 that thou mayest live4 
,and that the sick man  may not make    
answer1 ,i can not1 ,i can not bear it1 
,i will not drink2  the ,physician1 all 
whole tho ,he be1 drinketh first1 that  
the sick man  may not hesitate to drink4
 ,for what bitterness is there in this  
cup  which ,he hath not drunk8 ,if it be
 contumely1 ,he heard it first when ,he 
drove out the devils4 ,he hath a devil1 
and by ,beelzebub ,he casteth out       
devils4 ,whereupon1 in order to comfort 
the sick1 ,he saith1 ,if they  have     
called the ,master of the house         
,beelzebub1 how much more shall they    
call them of ,his household8 ,if pains  
are this bitter cup1 ,he was bound1  and
 scourged1 and crucified4 ,if death be  
this bitter cup1 ,he died also4  ,if    

infirmity shrink with horror from any   
particular kind of death1 none  was at  
that time more ignominious than the     
death of the cross4 ,for it  was not in 
vain1 that the apostle1 when setting    
forth ,his obedience1  added1 ,he became
 obedient unto death1 even the death of 
the cross4    ,,viii4 ,but because ,he  
designed to honor ,his faithful ones at 
the end of  the world1 ,he hath first   
honored the cross in this world2 in such
 wise  that the princes of the earth who
 believe in ,him have prohibited any    
criminal from being crucified2 and that 
cross which the ,jewish  persecutors    
with great mockery prepared for the     
,lord1 even kings1 ,his  servants1 at   
this day1 bear with great confidence on 
their foreheads4  ,only the shameful    
nature of the death which our ,lord     
vouchsafed to  undergo for us is not now
 so apparent1 ,who1 as the apostle says1
 ,was  made a curse for us4 ,and when1  
as ,he hung1 the blindness of the ,jews 
mocked ,him1 surely ,he could have come 

down from the cross1 who1 if ,he  had   
not so willed1 had not been on the      
cross2 but it was a greater thing  to   
rise from the grave than to come down   
from the cross4 ,our ,lord1 then1  in   
doing these divine and in suffering     
these human things1 instructs us  by    
,his bodily miracles and bodily         
patience1 that we may believe and be    
made whole to behold those things       
invisible which the eye of the body     
hath no knowledge of4 ,with this intent1
 then1 ,he cured those blind men  of    
whom the account has just now been read 
in the ,gospel4 ,and consider  what     
instruction ,he has by this cure        
conveyed to the man who is sick  within4
    ,,ix4 ,consider the issue of the    
thing1 and the order of the             
circumstances4  ,those two blind men    
sitting by the wayside cried out1 as the
 ,lord passed  by1 that ,he would have  
mercy upon them4 ,but they were         
restrained from  crying out by the      
multitude which was with the ,lord4 ,now

 do not suppose  that this circumstance 
is left without a mysterious meaning4   
,but they  overcame the crowd who kept  
them back by the great perseverance of  
their  cry1 that their voice might reach
 the ,lord's ears2 as tho he had not    
already anticipated their thoughts4 ,so 
then the two blind men cried out  that  
they might be heard by the ,lord1 and   
could not be restrained by the          
multitude4 ,the ,lord was passing by1   
and they cried out4 ,the ,lord  stood   
still1 and they were healed4 ,for the   
,lord ,jesus stood still1  and called   
them1 and said1 ,what wilt ye that ,i   
shall do unto you8 ,they  say unto ,him1
 ,that our eyes may be opened4 ,the     
,lord did according to  their faith1 ,he
 recovered their eyes4 ,if we have now  
understood by the  sick1 the deaf1 the  
dead1 the sick1 and deaf1 and dead      
within2 let us  look out in this place  
also for the blind within4 ,the eyes of 
the heart  are closed2 ,jesus passeth by
 that we may cry out4 ,what is meant by 

,jesus passeth by8 ,jesus is doing      
things which last but for a time4  ,what
 is meant by ,jesus passeth by8 ,jesus  
doth things which pass by4  ,mark and   
see how many things of ,his have passed 
by4 ,he was born of the  ,virgin ,mary2 
is ,he being born always8 ,as an infant 
,he was suckled2 is ,he  suckled always8
 ,he ran through the successive ages of 
life until man's  full estate2 doth ,he 
grow in body always8 ,boyhood succeeded 
to infancy1  to boyhood youth1 to youth 
man's full stature in several passing   
successions4 ,even the very miracles    
which ,he did are passed by2 they are   
read and believed4 ,for because these   
miracles are written that so they  might
 be read1 they passed by when they were 
being done4 ,in a word1 not  to dwell   
long on this1 ,he was crucified2 is ,he 
hanging on the cross  always8 ,he was   
buried1 ,he rose again1 ,he ascended    
into heaven1 now ,he  dieth no more1    
death hath no more dominion over ,him4  
,and ,his divinity  abideth ever1 yea1  

the immortality of ,his body now shall  
never fail4 ,but  nevertheless all those
 things which were wrought by ,him in   
time have  passed by2 and they are      
written to be read1 and they are        
preached to be  believed4 ,in all these 
things1 then1 ,jesus passeth by4    ,x4 
,and what are the two blind men by the  
wayside but the two people to  cure whom
 ,jesus came8 ,let us show these two    
people in the ,holy  ,scriptures4 ,it is
 written in the ,gospel1 ,other sheep ,i
 have which are  not of this fold2 them 
also must ,i bring1 that there may be   
one fold and  one ,shepherd4 ,who then  
are the two people8 ,one the people of  
the ,jews1  and the other of the        
,gentiles4 ,i am not sent1 ,he saith1   
but unto the  lost sheep of the house of
 ,israel4 ,to whom did ,he say this8 ,to
 the  disciples2 when that woman of     
,canaan1 who confest herself to be a    
dog1  cried out that she might be found 
worthy of the crumbs from the ,master's 
table4 ,and because she was found       

worthy1 now were the two people to whom 
,he had come made manifest1 the ,jewish 
people1 to wit1 of whom ,he said1  ,i am
 not sent but unto the lost sheep of the
 house of ,israel2 and the  people of   
the ,gentiles1 whose type this woman    
exhibited1 whom ,he had  first rejected1
 saying1 ,it is not meet to cast the    
children's bread to  the dogs2 and to   
whom1 when she said1 ,truth1 ,lord1 yet 
the dogs eat of  the crumbs which fall  
from their master's table1 ,he answered1
 ,o woman1  great is thy faith2 be it   
unto thee even as thou wilt4 ,for of    
this  people also was that centurion of 
whom the same ,lord saith1 ,verily ,i   
say unto you1 ,i have not found so great
 faith1 no1 not in ,israel1  because he 
had said1 ,i am not worthy that ,thou   
shouldst come under my  roof1 but speak 
the word only1 and my servant shall be  
healed4 ,so then  the ,lord even before 
,his passion and glorification pointed  
out two  people1 the one to whom ,he had
 come because of the promises to the    

,fathers1 and the other whom for ,his   
mercy's sake ,he did not reject2 that   
it might be fulfilled which had been    
promised to ,abraham1 ,in thy seed      
shall all the nations be blessed4       
,,xi4 ,attend1 now1 dearly beloved4 ,the
 ,lord was passing by1 and the blind    
men cried out4 ,what is this passing by8
 ,as we have already said1 ,he  was     
doing works which passed by4 ,now upon  
these passing works is our  faith built 
up4 ,for we believe on the ,son of ,god1
 not only in that ,he is  the ,word of  
,god1 by whom all things were made2 for 
if ,he had always  continued in the form
 of ,god1 equal with ,god1 and had not  
emptied  ,himself in taking the form of 
a servant1 the blind men would not even 
have perceived ,him1 that they might be 
able to cry out4 ,but when he  wrought  
passing works1 that is1 when ,he humbled
 ,himself1 having become  obedient unto 
death1 even the death of the cross1 the 
two blind men  cried out1 ,have mercy on
 us1 thou ,son of ,david4 ,for this very

 thing that  ,he1 ,david's ,lord and    
,creator1 willed also to be ,david's    
son1 ,he wrought  in time1 ,he wrought  
passing by4    ,,xii4 ,now what is it1  
brethren1 to cry out unto ,christ1 but  
to correspond  to the grace of ,christ  
by good works8 ,this ,i say1 brethren1  
lest haply  we cry aloud with our       
voices1 and in our lives be dumb4 ,who  
is he that  crieth out to ,christ1 that 
his inward blindness may be driven away 
by  ,christ as ,he is passing by1 that  
is1 as ,he is dispensing to us those    
temporal sacraments1 whereby we are     
instructed to receive the things  which 
are eternal8 ,who is he that crieth out 
unto ,christ8 ,whoso  despiseth the     
world1 crieth out unto ,christ4 ,whoso  
despiseth the  pleasures of the world1  
crieth out unto ,christ4 ,whoso saith1  
not with  his tongue but with his life1 
the world is crucified unto me1 and ,i  
unto  the world1 crieth out unto        
,christ4 ,whoso disperseth abroad and   
giveth to  the poor1 that his           

righteousness may endure forever1 crieth
 out unto  ,christ4 ,for let him that   
hears1 and is not deaf to the sound1    
sell that  ye have1 and give to the     
poor2 provide yourselves bags which wax 
not  old1 a treasure in the heavens that
 faileth not2 let him as he hears the   
sound as it were of ,christ's footsteps 
passing by cry out in response to  this 
in his blindness2 that is1 let him do   
these things4 ,let his voice  be in his 
actions4 ,let him begin to despise the  
world1 to distribute to  the poor his   
goods1 to esteem as nothing worth what  
other men love1 let  him disregard      
injuries1 not seek to be avenged1 let   
him give his cheek  to the smiter1 let  
him pray for his enemies2 if any one who
 have taken  away his goods1 let him not
 ask for them again2 if he have taken   
anything from any man1 let him restore  
fourfold4    ,,xiii4 ,when he shall     
begin to do all this1 all his kinsmen1  
relations1  and friends will be in      
commotion4 ,they who love the world will

 oppose  him4 ,what madness this6 ,you  
are too extreme6 ,what6 ,are not other  
men  ,christians8 ,this is folly1 this  
is madness4 ,and other such like things 
do the multitude2 cry out to prevent the
 blind from crying out4 ,the  multitude 
rebuked them as they cried out2 but did 
not overcome their  cries4 ,let them who
 wish to be healed understand what they 
have to do4  ,jesus is now also passing 
by2 let them who are by the wayside cry 
out4  ,these are they1 who know ,god    
with their lips1 but their heart is far 
from ,him4 ,these are by the wayside1 to
 whom1 as blinded in heart1 ,jesus  gave
 ,his precepts4 ,for when those passing 
things which ,jesus did are  recounted1 
,jesus is always represented to us as   
passing by4 ,for even  unto the end of  
the world there will not be wanting     
blind men sitting by  the wayside4 ,need
 then there is that they who sit by the 
wayside should  cry out4 ,the multitude 
that was with the ,lord would repress   
the crying  of those who were seeking   

for recovery4 ,brethren1 do you see my  
meaning8  ,for ,i know not how to speak1
 but still less do ,i know how to be    
silent4  ,i will speak then1 and speak  
plainly4 ,for ,i fear ,jesus passing by 
and  ,jesus standing still2 and         
therefore ,i can not keep silence4 ,evil
 and  unknown ,christians hinder good   
,christians who are truly earnest and   
wish  to do the commandments of ,god1   
which are written in the ,gospel4 ,this 
multitude which is with the ,lord       
hinders those who are crying out1       
hinders those1 that is1 who are doing   
well1 that they may not by  perseverance
 be healed4 ,but let them cry out1 and  
not faint2 let them  not be led away as 
if by the authority of numbers2 let them
 not imitate  those who become          
,christians before them1 who live evil  
lives themselves1  and are jealous of   
the good deeds of others4 ,let them not 
say1 ,let us  live as these so many     
live4 ,why not rather as the ,gospel    
ordains8 ,why  dost thou wish to live   

according to the remonstrances of the   
multitude  who would hinder them1 and   
not after the steps of the ,lord who    
passeth  by8 ,they will mock1 and abuse1
 and call thee back2 do thou cry out    
till  thou reach the ears of ,jesus4    
,for they who shall persevere in doing  
such  things as ,christ hath enjoined1  
and regard not the multitude that hinder
  them1 nor think much of their         
appearing to follow ,christ1 that is of 
their being called ,christians2 but who 
love the light which ,christ is  about  
to restore to them more than they fear  
the uproar of those who are  hindering  
them2 they shall on no account be       
separated from ,him1 and  ,jesus will   
stand still1 and make them whole4       
,,xiv4 ,for how are our eyes made whole8
 ,that as by faith we perceive  ,christ 
passing by in the temporal economy1 so  
we may attain to the  knowledge of ,him 
as standing still in ,his unchangeable  
eternity4 ,for  there is the eye made   
whole when the knowledge of ,christ's   

divinity is  attained4 ,let your love   
apprehend this2 attend ye to the great  
mystery  which ,i am to speak of4 ,all  
the things which were done by our ,lord 
,jesus  ,christ1 in time1 graft faith in
 us4 ,we believe on the ,son of ,god1   
not  on the word only1 by whom all      
things were made2 but on this very word1
  made flesh that ,he might dwell among 
us2 who was born of the ,virgin  ,mary2 
and the rest which the ,faith contains1 
and which are represented  to us that   
,christ might pass by1 and that the     
blind1 hearing ,his  footsteps as ,he   
passeth by1 might by their works cry    
out1 by their life  exemplifying the    
profession of their faith4 ,but now in  
order that they  who cry out may be made
 whole1 ,jesus standeth still4 ,for he  
saw ,jesus  now standing still1 who     
says1 ,though we have known ,christ     
after the  flesh1 yet now henceforth    
know we ,him no more4 ,for he saw       
,christ's  divinity as far as in this   
life is possible4 ,there is then in     

,christ the  divinity1 and the humanity4
 ,the divinity standeth still1 the      
humanity  passeth by4 ,what means the   
divinity standeth still8 ,it changeth   
not1  is not shaken1 doth not depart    
away4 ,for ,he did not so come to us as 
to  depart from the ,father2 nor did ,he
 so ascend as to change ,his place4     
,when ,he assumed flesh1 it changed     
place2 but ,god assuming flesh1 seeing  
,he is not in place1 doth not change    
,his place4 ,let us then be touched by  
,christ standing still1 and so our eyes 
be made whole4 ,but whose eyes8  ,the   
eyes of those who cry out when ,he is   
passing by2 that is1 who do  good works 
through that faith which hath been      
dispersed in time1 to  instruct in our  
infancy4    ,,xv4 ,now what thing more  
precious can we have than the eye made  
whole8  ,they rejoice who see this      
created light which shines from heaven1 
or  even that which is given out from a 
lamp4 ,and how wretched do they seem    
who can not see this light8 ,but        

wherefore do ,i speak1 and talk of all  
these things1 but to exhort you all to  
cry out1 when ,jesus passeth by4 ,i     
hold up this light which perhaps ye do  
not see as an object of love to  you1   
holy brethren4 ,believe1 while as yet ye
 see it not2 and cry out  that ye may   
see4 ,how great is thought to be the    
unhappiness of men who  do not see this 
bodily light8 ,does any one become      
blind2 immediately it  is said3 ,god is 
angry with him1 he has committed some   
wicked deed4 ,so  said ,tobias's wife to
 her husband4 ,he cried out because of  
the kid1 lest  it had come of theft2 he 
did not like to hear the sound of any   
stolen  thing in his house2 and she1    
maintaining what she had done1          
reproached  her husband2 and when he    
said1 ,restore it if it be stolen2 she  
answered insultingly1 ,where are thy    
righteous deeds8 ,how great was her     
blindness who maintaineth the theft2 and
 how clear a light he saw1 who          
commanded the stolen thing to be        

restored6 ,she rejoiced outwardly in the
  light of the sun2 he inwardly in the  
light of righteousness4 ,which of  them 
was in the better light8    ,,xvi4 ,it  
is to the love of this light that ,i    
would exhort you1 beloved2  that ye     
would cry out by your works1 when the   
,lord passeth by2 let the  voice of     
faith sound out1 that ,jesus was        
standing still1 that is1 the            
unchangeable1 abiding wisdom of ,god1   
and the majesty of the ,word of ,god1   
by which all things were made1 may open 
your eyes4 ,the same ,tobias1 in  giving
 advice to his son1 instructed him to   
this1 to cry out2 that is1  he          
instructed him to good works4 ,he told  
him to give to the poor1  charged him to
 give alms to the needy1 and taught him1
 saying1 ,my son1  alms suffereth not to
 come into darkness4 ,the blind gave    
counsel for  receiving and gaining      
sight4 ,alms1 saith he1 suffereth not to
 come  into darkness4 ,had his son in   
astonishment answered him1 ,what then1  

father1 hast thou not given alms1 that  
thou speakest to me in blindness2  art  
not thou in darkness1 and yet thou dost 
say to me1 ,alms suffereth  not to come 
into darkness8 ,but no1 he knew well    
what the light was  concerning which he 
gave his son instruction1 he knew well  
what he saw  in the inner man4 ,the son 
held out his hand to his father1 to     
enable him  to dwell in heaven4         
,,xvii4 ,to be brief2 that ,i may       
conclude this sermon1 brethren1 with a  
matter which touches me very nearly1 and
 gives me much pain1 see what  crowds   
there are which rebuke the blind as they
 cry out4 ,but let them  not deter you4 
,whosoever among this crowd desire to be
 healed2 for  there are many ,christians
 in name1 and in works ungodly2 let them
 not  deter you from good works4 ,cry   
out amid the crowds that are restraining
  you1 and calling you back1 and        
insulting you1 whose lives are evil4    
,for  not only by their voices1 but by  
evil works1 do wicked ,christians       

repress the good4 ,a good ,christian has
 no wish to attend the public  shows4   
,in this very thing1 that he bridles his
 desire of going to the  theater1 he    
cries out after ,christ1 cries out to be
 healed4 ,others run  together thither1 
but perhaps they are heathens or ,jews8 
,ah6 indeed1 if  ,christians went not to
 the theaters1 there would be so few    
people there  that they would go away   
for very shame4 ,so then ,christians run
 thither  also1 bearing the ,holy ,name 
only to their condemnation4 ,cry out    
then by  abstaining from going1 by      
repressing in thy heart this worldly    
concupiscence2 hold on with a strong and
 persevering cry unto the ears  of the  
,savior1 that ,jesus may stand still and
 heal thee4 ,cry out amid  the very     
crowds1 despair not of reaching the ears
 of the ,lord4 ,for the  blind man in   
the ,gospel did not cry out in that     
quarter where no crowd  was1 that so    
they might be heard in that direction1  
where there was no  impediment from     

persons hindering them4 ,amid the very  
crowds they cried  out2 and yet the     
,lord heard them4 ,and so also do ye    
even amid sinners1  and sensual men1    
amid the lovers of the vanities of the  
world1 there  cry out that the ,lord may
 heal you4 ,go not to another quarter to
 cry out  unto the ,lord1 go not to     
heretics and cry out unto ,him there4   
,consider1  brethren1 how in that crowd 
which was hindering them from crying    
out1  even there they who cried out were
 made whole4          ,,wyclif          
,,christ',s ,,real ,,body ,,not ,,in    
,,the ,,eucharist      ,,biographical   
,,note    ,john ,wyclif1 eminent as     
scholar1 preacher1 and translator1 was  
born in  #acbd in ,spresswel1 near      
,richmond1 ,yorkshire1 ,england4 ,known 
as the  ,morning ,star of the           
,reformation he was a vigorous and      
argumentative  speaker1 exemplifying his
 own definition of preaching as         
something which  should be apt1         
apparent1 full of true feeling1 fearless

 in rebuking  sins1 and so addrest to   
the heart as to enlighten the spirit and
 subdue  the will4 ,on these lines he   
organized a band of ,bible preachers who
  worked largely among the common       
people4    ,much of ,wyclif's popularity
 was due to his clear and simple style4 
,while  not a great orator1 he          
introduced a popular method of preaching
 that was  widely copied4 ,he died at   
,lutterworth in #achd4 ,the ,church     
considered him  a heretic1 for he taught
 the right of the individual to form his
 own  opinions after personal study of  
the ,scriptures4 ,he was the first      
,englishman to translate the ,bible     
systematically into his native          
,anglo-,saxon4 ,in #adbh1 by order of   
,pope ,martin ,v1 his bones were exhumed
  and burned1 and the ashes thrown into 
the river ,swale4        ,,wyclif       
#acbd-achd    ,,christ',s ,,real ,,body 
,,not ,,in ,,the ,,eucharist    ,this is
 my body4--,matt4 xxvi41 #bf4      ,now 
understand ye the words of our ,savior  

,christ1 as ,he spake them one  after   
another--as ,christ spake them4 ,for ,he
 took bread and blest1 and  yet what    
blest ,he8 ,the ,scripture saith not    
that ,christ took the bread  and blest  
it1 or that ,he blest the bread which   
,he had taken4 ,therefore  it seemeth   
more that ,he blest ,his disciples and  
apostles1 whom ,he had  ordained        
witnesses of ,his passion2 and in them  
,he left ,his blest word1  which is the 
bread of life1 as it is written1 ,not   
only in bread liveth  man1 but in every 
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
 ,god4 ,also  ,christ saith1 ,i am the  
bread of life that came down from       
heaven4 ,and  ,christ saith also in     
,john1 ,the words that ,i have spoken to
 you are  spirit and life4 ,therefore it
 seemeth more that ,he blest ,his       
disciples1  and also ,his apostles1 in  
whom the bread of life was left more    
than in  material bread1 for the        
material bread hath an end4 ,as it is   
written in  the ,gospel of ,matthew xv4 

that ,christ said1 ,all things that a   
man  eateth go down into the belly1 and 
are sent down into the draught2 but  the
 blessing of ,christ kept ,his disciples
 and apostles1 both bodily and  ghostly 
spiritual4 ,as it is written1 that none 
of them perished but  the son of        
perdition1 that the ,scriptures might be
 fulfilled1 and often  the ,scripture   
saith that ,jesus took bread and brake  
it1 and gave it to  his disciples1 and  
said1 ,take ye1 eat ye1 this is my body 
that shall be  given for you4 ,but ,he  
said not this bread is my body1 or that 
bread  should be given for the life of  
the world4 ,for ,christ saith1 ,what and
 if  ye shall see the ,son of man ascend
 up where ,he was before8 ,it is the    
,spirit that quickeneth1 the flesh      
profiteth nothing4 ,also ,christ saith  
in the ,gospel1 ,verily1 verily ,i say  
unto you except the wheat corn fall     
into the ground and die1 it abideth     
alone1 but if it die it bringeth  forth 
much fruit    ,here men may see by the  

words of ,christ that it behooved that  
,he died in  the flesh1 and that in ,his
 death was made the fruit of everlasting
 life  for all them that believe on     
,him1 as it is written ,for as by ,adam 
they  all die1 even so by ,christ shall 
all live1 and every man in his own      
order2 for as one clearness is in the   
sun1 another in the moon1 and a  star in
 clearness is nothing in comparison to  
the sun2 even so is the  rising again of
 the dead for we are sown in corruption 
and shall rise  again incorruptible1 we 
are sown in infirmity1 and shall rise   
again in  strength2 we are sown in      
natural bodies1 and shall rise again    
spiritual  bodies4 ,then if ,christ     
shall change thus our deadly bodies by  
death1  and ,god the ,father spared not 
his own ,son1 as it is written1 but that
  death should reign in him as in us1   
and that he should be translated  into a
 spiritual body1 as the first rising    
again of dead men2 then how  say the    
hypocrites that take on them to make our

 ,lord's body8 ,make they  the glorified
 body8 ,either make they again the      
spiritual body which is  risen from     
death to life or make they the fleshy   
body as it was before  he suffered      
death8 ,and if they say also that they  
make the spiritual  body of ,christ1 it 
may not be so1 for what ,christ said and
 did1 ,he did  as ,he was at supper     
before ,he suffered ,his passion2 as it 
is written  that the spiritual body of  
,christ rose again from death to life4  
,also  that ,he ascended up to heaven1  
and that ,he will abide there till ,he  
come  to judge the quick and the dead4  
,and if they say that they make         
,christ's  body as it was before ,he had
 suffered ,his passion1 then must they  
needs  grant that ,christ is to die yet4
 ,for by all ,holy ,scriptures ,he was  
promised to die1 and that ,he should    
give lordship of everlasting life4      
,furthermore1 if they say that ,christ  
made ,his body of bread1 ,i ask1 ,with  
what words made ,he it8 ,not with these 

words1 ,hoc est corpus meum2  that is to
 say in ,english1 ,this is my body1 for 
they are the words of  giving1 and not  
of making1 which ,he said after that ,he
 brake the bread2  then parting it among
 ,his disciples and apostles4 ,therefore
 if ,christ  had made of that bread ,his
 body1 ,he had made it in ,his blessing1
 or  else in giving of thanks1 and not  
in the words of giving2 for if ,christ  
had spoken of the material bread that   
,he had in ,his hands when ,he said1    
,hoc est corpus meum1 ,this is my body1 
it was made before1 or else  the word   
had been a lie4 ,for if ,i say1 ,this is
 my hand1 and if it be not  a hand1 then
 am ,i a liar2 therefore seek carefully 
if ye can find two  words of blessing1  
or of giving of thanks1 wherewith       
,christ made his  body and blood of the 
bread and wine4 ,and that all the clerks
 of the  earth know not1 for if ye might
 find or know those words1 then should  
ye  wax great masters above ,christ1 and
 then ye might be givers of ,his        

substance1 and as fathers and makers of 
,him1 and that ,he should worship  you1 
as it is written1 ,thou shalt worship   
thy father and mother4 ,of such  as     
desire such worship against ,god's law1 
speaketh ,st4 ,paul of the man  of sin1 
that enhanceth himself as if he were    
,god4 ,and he is worshiped  over all    
things as ,god1 and showeth himself as  
he were ,god4 ,where our  clergy are    
guilty in this1 judge ye or they that   
know most1 for they say  that when ye   
have said1 ,hoc est corpus meum1 that is
 to say1 ,this is  my body2 which ye    
call the words of consecration1 or else 
of making2  and when they are said over 
the bread1 ye say that there is left no 
bread1 but it is the body of the ,lord4 
,so that in the bread there  remaineth  
nothing but a heap of accidents1 as     
witness ruggedness1  roundness1 savor1  
touching1 and tasting1 and such other   
accidents4 ,then1  if thou sayest that  
the flesh and blood of ,christ1 that is 
to say1 his  manhood1 is made more1 or  

increased by so much as the ministration
 of  bread and wine is1 the which ye    
minister--if ye say it is so--then thou 
must needs consent that the thing which 
is not ,god today shall be ,god         
tomorrow2 yea1 and that the thing which 
is without spirit of life1 but  groweth 
in the field by kind1 shall be ,god at  
another time4 ,and we all  ought to     
believe that ,he was without beginning1 
and without ending2 and  not made1 for  
if the manhood of ,christ were increased
 every day by so  much as the bread and 
wine draweth to that ye minister1 ,he   
should  increase more in one day by     
cart-loads than ,he did in thirty-two   
years  when ,he was here in earth4      
,and if thou makest the body of the     
,lord in those words1 ,hoc est corpus   
meum2 that is to say1 ,this is my body2 
and if thou mayest make the  body of the
 ,lord in those words1 ,this is my body1
 thou thyself must be  the person of    
,christ1 or else there is a false ,god2 
for if it be thy  body as thou sayest1  

then it is the body of a false knave or 
of a  drunken man1 or of a thief1 or of 
a lecherer1 or full of other sins1 and  
then there is an unclean body for any   
man to worship for ,god6 ,for even  if  
,christ had made there ,his body of     
material bread in the said words1  as ,i
 know they are not the words of making1 
what earthly man had power  to do as ,he
 did8 ,for in all ,holy ,scripture1 from
 the beginning of  ,genesis to the end  
of the ,apocalypse1 there are no words  
written of the  making of ,christ's     
body2 but there are written that ,christ
 was the ,son  of the ,father1 and that 
,he was conceived of the ,holy ,ghost1  
and that he  took flesh and blood of the
 ,virgin ,mary1 and that ,he was dead1  
and that  ,he rose again from death on  
the third day1 and that ,he ascended to 
heaven very ,god and man1 and that we   
should believe in all ,scriptures  that 
are written of ,him1 and that ,he is to 
come to judge the quick and  the dead1  
and that the same ,christ ,jesus1 ,king 

and ,savior1 was at the  beginning with 
the ,father and the ,holy ,ghost1 making
 all things of  naught1 both heaven and 
earth1 and all things that are therein2 
working  by word of ,his virtue1 for ,he
 said1 ,be it done1 and it was done1    
whose  works never earthly man might    
comprehend1 either make4 ,and yet the   
words  of the making of these things are
 written in the beginning of ,genesis1  
even as ,god spake them2 and if ye can  
not make the work that ,he made1  and   
have the word by which ,he made it1 how 
shall ye make ,him that made  the works8
 ,you have no words of authority or     
power left you on earth by  which ye    
should do this1 but ye have feigned this
 craft of your false  errors1 which some
 of you understand not2 for it is       
prophesied1 ,they  shall have eyes and  
see not1 and ears and hear not2 and     
shall see  prophesies1 and shall not    
understand1 less they be converted2 for 
,i hide  them from the hearts of those  
people2 their hearts are greatly fatted4

  ,and this thing is done to you for the
 wickedness of your errors in  unbelief2
 therefore be ye converted from the     
worst sin1 as it is  written1 ,when     
,moses was in the hill with ,god1 the   
people made a calf  and worshiped it as 
,god4 ,and ,god spake to ,moses1 ,go1   
for the people  have done the worst sin 
to make and worship alien gods4    ,but 
now ,i shall ask you a word2 answer ye  
me1 ,whether is the body of the  ,lord  
made at once or at twice8 ,is it both   
the flesh and the blood in the  host of 
the bread2 or else is the flesh made at 
one time1 and the blood  made at another
 time2 that is to say1 the wine in the  
chalice8 ,if thou  wilt say it is full  
and wholly the manhood of ,christ in the
 host of  bread1 both flesh and blood1  
skin1 hair1 and bones1 then makest thou 
us  to worship a false god in the       
chalice1 which is unconjured when ye    
worship the bread2 and if ye say the    
flesh is in the bread1 and the  blood in
 the wine1 then thou must grant1 if thy 

craft be true1 as it is  not indeed1    
that the manhood of ,christ is parted1  
and that ,he is made at  two times4 ,for
 first thou takest the host of bread1 or
 a piece of bread1  and makest it as ye 
say1 and the innocent people worship it4
 ,and then  thou takest to thee the     
chalice1 and likewise marrest1 makest1  
,i would  have said1 the blood in it1   
and then they worship it also1 and if it
 be  so as ,i am sure that the flesh and
 blood of ,christ ascended1 then are ye 
false harlots to ,god and to us2 for    
when we shall be houselled ye bring  to 
us the dry flesh1 and let the blood be  
away2 for ye give us after the  bread1  
wine and water1 and sometimes clean     
water unblest1 or rather  conjured1 by  
the virtue of your craft2 and yet ye    
say1 under the host of  bread is the    
full manhood of ,christ4 ,then by your  
own confession must it  needs be that we
 worship a false god in the chalice1    
which is unconjured  when we worship the
 bread1 and worship the one as the      

other2 but where  find ye that ever     
,christ or any of ,his disciples taught 
any man to  worship this bread or wine8 
,therefore1 what shall we say of the    
apostles that were so much with         
,christ1 and were called by the ,holy   
,ghost2 had they forgotten to set it  in
 the creed when they made it1 which is  
,christian men's belief8 ,or else  we   
might say that they knew no such ,god1  
for they believe in no more  gods but in
 ,him that was at the beginning1 and    
made of naught all  things visible and  
invisible1 which ,lord took flesh and   
blood1 being in  the ,virgin1 the same  
,god4 ,but ye have many false ways1 to  
beguile the  innocent people with       
sleights of the fiend4    ,for ye say   
that in every host each piece is the    
whole manhood of ,christ1  or full      
substance of ,him4 ,for ye say as a man 
may take a glass1 and  break the glass  
into many pieces1 and in every piece    
properly thou  mayest see thy face1 and 
yet thy face is not parted2 so ye say   

the  ,lord's body is in each host or    
piece1 and ,his body is not parted4 ,and
  this is a full subtle question to     
beguile an innocent fool1 but will ye   
take heed of this subtle question1 how a
 man may take a glass and behold  the   
very likeness of his own face1 and yet  
it is not his face1 but the  likeness of
 his face2 for if it were his very face1
 then he must needs  have two faces1 one
 on his body and another in the glass4  
,and if the  glass were broken in many  
places1 so there should be many faces   
more by  the glass than by the body1 and
 each man shall make as many faces to   
them as they would2 but as ye may see   
the mind or likeness of your face1      
which is not the very face2 but the     
figure thereof1 so the bread is the     
figure or mind of ,christ's body in     
earth1 and therefore ,christ said1 ,as  
oft as ye do this thing do it in mind of
 me4    ,also ye say this1 ,as a man may
 light many candles at one candle1 and  
yet the light of that candle is never   

the more nor ever the less2 so ye  say  
that the manhood of ,christ descendeth  
into each part of every host1  and the  
manhood of ,christ is never the more nor
 less4 ,where then  becometh your       
ministrations8 ,for if a man light many 
candles at one  candle1 as long as they 
burn there will be many candles lighted1
 and as  well the last candle as the    
first2 and so by this reason1 if ye     
shall  fetch your word at ,god1 and make
 ,god1 there must needs be many gods1   
and  that is forbidden in the first     
commandment1 ,exod4 xx4 ,and as for     
making  more1 either making less1 of    
,christ's manhood1 it lieth not in your 
power to come there nigh1 neither to    
touch it1 for it is ascended into       
heaven in a spiritual body1 which ,he   
suffered not ,mary ,magdalen to  touch1 
when her sins were forgiven to her4     
,therefore all the sacraments that are  
left here in earth are but minds  of the
 body of ,christ1 for a sacrament is no 
more to say but a sign or  mind of a    

thing passed1 or a thing to come2 for   
when ,jesus spake of the  bread1 and    
said to ,his disciples1 ,as ye do this  
thing1 do it in mind of  me1 it was set 
for a mind of good things passed of     
,christ's body2 but  when the angel     
showed to ,john the sacraments of the   
woman and of the  beast that bare her1  
it was set for a mind of evil things to 
come on the  face of the earth1 and     
great destroying of the people of ,god4 
,and in  the old law there were many    
figures or minds of things to come4 ,for
  before ,christ1 circumcision was      
commanded by a law2 and he that kept not
  the law was slain4 ,and yet ,st4 ,paul
 saith1 ,and neither is it  circumcision
 that is openly in the flesh1 but he    
that is circumcised of  heart in spirit1
 not the letter whose praising is not of
 men1 but of  ,god4 ,peter saith in the 
third chapter of his epistle1 ,and so   
baptism  of like form maketh not us     
safe1 but the putting away of the       
filthiness  of the flesh1 and the having

 of good conscience in ,god by the      
rising  again of our ,lord ,jesus       
,christ from death1 that we should be   
made heirs  of everlasting life1 ,he    
went up into heaven1 and angels1 and    
powers1 and  virtues1 are made subjects 
to ,him4    ,and also the ,scripture    
saith of ,john ,baptist1 that he        
preached in the  wilderness and said1 ,a
 stronger than ,i shall come after me1  
and ,i am  not worthy to kneel down and 
unlace ,his shoe2 and yet ,christ said  
that  he was more than a prophet4 ,see  
also ,isaiah xl41 ,matt4 xi4 ,how may ye
  then say that ye are worthy to make   
,his body1 and yet your works bear      
witness that ye are less than the       
prophets8 for if ye were not1 ye  should
 not teach the people to worship the    
sacraments or minds of ,christ  for     
,christ himself2 which sacraments or    
figures are lawful as ,god taught  them 
and left them unto us1 as the sacrifices
 or minds of the old law  were full     
good4 ,as it is written1 ,they that kept

 them should live in  them4 ,and so the 
bread that ,christ brake was left to us 
for mind of  things passed for the body 
of ,christ1 that we should believe ,he  
was a  very man in kind as we are1 but  
as ,god in power1 and that ,his manhood 
was sustained by food as ours4 ,for ,st4
 ,paul saith ,he was very man1 and  in  
form he was found as man4 ,and so we    
must believe that ,he was very ,god  and
 very man together1 and that ,he        
ascended up very ,god and very man to   
heaven1 and that ,he shall be there till
 ,he come to doom the world4 ,and  we   
may not see him bodily1 being in this   
life1 as it is written1 ,peter i41  for 
he saith1 ,whom ye have not seen ye     
love1 into whom ye now not  seeing      
believe4 ,and ,john saith in the first  
chapter of his ,gospel1 ,no  man saw    
,god2 none but the only begotten ,son   
that is in the bosom of the  ,father1   
,he hath told it out4 ,and ,john saith  
in his first epistle1 the  third        
chapter1 ,every man that sinneth seeth  

not him1 neither knoweth  him4 ,by what 
reason then say ye that are sinners that
 ye make ,god8  truly this must needs be
 the worst sin1 to say that ye make     
,god1 and it  is the abomination of     
discomfort that is said in ,daniel the  
prophet to  be standing in the holy     
place2 he that readeth let him          
understand4    ,also ,luke saith that   
,christ took the cup after that ,he had 
supped1 and  gave thanks and said1 ,this
 cup is the new testament in my blood   
that  shall be shed unto the remission  
of sins for man4 ,now1 what say ye2 the 
cup which ,he said was the new testament
 in ,his blood1 was it a material  cup  
in which the wine was that ,he gave his 
disciples wine of1 or was it  ,his most 
blest body in which the blest blood was 
kept till it was shed  out for the sins 
of them that should be made safe by ,his
 passion8 ,needs  must we say that ,he  
spake of ,his holy body1 as ,he did when
 ,he called ,his  passion or suffering  
in body a cup1 when ,he prayed to ,his  

father1 before  ,he went to ,his        
passion1 and said1 ,if it be possible   
that this cup pass  from me1 but if thou
 wilt that ,i drink it1 thy will be     
done8 ,he spake  not here of the        
material cup in which ,he had given ,his
 disciples drink2  for it troubled not  
,him1 but ,he prayed for ,his great     
sufferance and  bitter death1 the which 
,he suffered for our sins and not for   
,his own4  ,and if ,he spake of ,his    
holy body and passion when ,he said1    
,this cup is  the new testament in my   
blood1 so ,he spake of ,his holy body   
when ,he  said1 ,this is my body which  
shall be given for you1 and not of the  
material bread which ,he had in ,his    
hand4 ,also in another place ,he called 
,his passion a cup1 where the mother of 
,zebedee's sons came to ,him1 and  asked
 of ,him that her two sons1 when ,he    
came to ,his kingdom1 might sit  one on 
,his right1 and one at ,his left side4  
,and ,he answered and said1  ,woman1    
thou wottest not what thou asketh2 then 

,he said to them1 ,may ye  drink of the 
cup that ,i shall drink8 and they said1 
,yea1 ,lord4 ,and ,he  said1 ,ye shall  
drink of my cup1 but to sit on my right 
hand or left hand  it is not mine to    
give1 but to the ,father it is proper4  
,but in that ,he  said1 ,ye shall drink 
of my cup1 ,he promised them to suffer  
tribulation  of this world as ,he did1  
by the which they should enter into life
  everlasting1 and to be both on his    
right hand4 ,and thus ye may see that   
,christ spake not of the material cup1  
neither of himself1 nor of his          
apostles1 neither of material bread1    
neither of material wine4 ,therefore    
let every man wisely1 with meek prayers1
 and great study1 and also  charity1    
read the words of ,god and holy         
,scriptures2 but many of you are  like  
the mother of ,zebedee's sons to whom   
,christ said1 ,thou knowest not  what   
thou askest4 ,so1 many of you know not  
what ye ask1 nor what you  do2 for if ye
 did1 ye would not blaspheme ,god as ye 

do1 to set an alien  ,god instead of the
 living ,god4 ,also ,christ saith1 ,i am
 a very vine2  wherefore then worship ye
 not the vine ,god1 as ye do the bread8 
,wherein  was ,christ a very vine1 or   
wherein was the bread ,christ's body1 in
  figurative speech1 which is hidden to 
the understanding8 ,then if ,christ     
became not a material or an earthly     
vine1 neither did a material vine       
become ,his body4 ,so neither the bread1
 material bread1 was changed from  its  
substance to the flesh and blood of     
,christ4    ,have ye not read in ,john  
the second1 when ,christ came into the  
temple1  they asked of ,him what token  
,he would show1 that they might believe 
,him4  ,and ,he answered them1 ,cast    
down this temple1 and in three days ,i  
shall  raise it again2 which words were 
fulfilled in ,his rising again from     
death2 but when ,he said1 ,undo this    
temple1 in that that ,he said this1     
they were in error1 for they understood 
it fleshly1 and had supposed  that ,he  

had spoken of the temple of ,jerusalem1 
because ,he stood in it4  ,and therefore
 they accused ,him at ,his passion full 
falsely4 ,for ,he spake  of the temple  
of ,his blest body1 which rose again in 
the third day4 ,and  right so ,christ   
spake of ,his holy body when ,he said1  
,this is my body  which shall be given  
for you1 which was given to death1 and  
to rising  again to bliss1 for all that 
shall be saved by him4 ,but like as they
  accused him falsely of the temple of  
,jerusalem1 so now a days they  accuse  
falsely against ,christ1 and say that   
,christ spake of the bread  that ,he    
brake among ,his apostles2 for in that  
,christ said this1 they are  deceived1  
take it fleshly1 and turn it to the     
material bread1 as the  ,jews did to the
 temple2 and on this false understanding
 they make  abomination of discomfort1  
as is said by ,daniel the prophet1 and  
in  ,matthew xxiv41 to be standing in   
the holy place2 he that readeth let him 
understand4    ,now1 therefore1 pray we 

heartily to ,god1 that this evil may be 
made  short for the chosen men1 as ,he  
hath promised in ,his blest ,gospel2 and
  the large and broad way that leadeth  
to perdition may be stopt1 and the      
straight and narrow way that leadeth to 
bliss may be made open by ,holy         
,scriptures1 that we may know which is  
the will of ,god1 to serve ,him in      
truth and holiness in the dread of ,god1
 that we may find by ,him a way of      
bliss everlasting4 ,so be it4           
,,savonarola    ,,the ,,ascension ,,of  
,,christ      ,,biographical ,,note     
,girolamo ,savonarola was born at       
,ferrara in #adeb1 and was admitted in  
#adge into the novitiate of the         
,dominican ,order1 where he soon made   
himself conspicuous for eloquence1 and  
in ,florence attracted many  hearers by 
his diatribes against corruption4       
,florence1 having lost its  independence
 as a republic1 was completely under the
 sway of the ,medici1  who became       
arrayed against ,savonarola1 who aimed  

at establishing an  ideal ,christian    
commonwealth4 ,when he attacked the     
,pope ,alexander ,,vi4  his doom was    
practically sealed4 ,in #adie he was    
forbidden to appear in  the pulpit1 and 
four years later was excommunicated4 ,he
 rebelled against  papal authority1 but 
the people of ,florence grew tired of   
the strict  rule of conduct imposed by  
his teaching1 and he was imprisoned and 
tried  for heresy and sedition4 ,on ,may
 #bc1 #adih1 he was hanged and his body 
burned4 ,his puritanism1 his bold       
rebuking of vice1 his defiance of every 
authority excepting that of his own     
conscience1 seem to anticipate the      
efforts made by ,calvin to regenerate   
,geneva4 ,both men failed in their      
splendid attempts at social reformation1
 but both left an example of  heroic    
altho somewhat short-sighted            
unselfishness1 which has borne fruit  in
 history4        ,,savonarola           
#adeb--adih    ,,the ,,ascension ,,of   
,,christ#a    ,footnote #a3 ,reprinted  

by permission of ,messrs4 ,g4,p4        
,putnam's ,sons from  ,the ,world's     
,orations1 the translation having been  
copyrighted by  ,messrs4 ,putnams4      
,while he blessed them1 he was parted   
from them1 and carried up into          
heaven4--,luke xxiv41 #ea4      ,beloved
 in ,christ ,jesus1 the wise men of this
 world divide all created  things into  
two classes2 one class they name        
substances1 the other  accidents4 ,the  
substances are those things that exist  
through themselves  without requiring   
anything else on which to rest1 as the  
earth1 water1  air1 the heavens1        
animals1 stones1 plants1 and similar    
things4 ,the  accidents can not exist by
 themselves1 but only by resting on     
something  else1 as color1 odor1 taste1 
and other such things4 ,but because our 
knowledge is entirely through the       
senses1 and we are able to know         
anything only when its accidents fall   
upon our senses1 we have1  therefore1   
knowledge of the accidents rather than  

of the substances4 ,the  eyes are for   
colors1 the ears for sounds1 the nose   
for scents1 the  tongue for flavors1 the
 touch for heat and cold1 for hard and  
soft4 ,each  sense has its own sphere of
 knowledge and brings what it has       
perceived  before the imagination1 and  
this hands it over to the reason within1
  which reads and illuminates the       
productions of the imagination1 judges  
them1 and in this way comes to a        
knowledge of the substances4 ,but the   
reason has little light if it is        
separated from the body1 for ,god has   
joined soul and body together2 and so by
 means of the senses knowledge  becomes 
definite and complete4 ,for if the soul 
out of the body were  richer in         
knowledge1 it would be in vain that it  
should be in the body4  ,god and nature 
have done nothing in vain1 and therefore
 the soul's union  with the body        
ministers to its perfection4    ,the    
soul's knowledge1 however1 will not be  
complete so long as it lives  in this   

mortal body4 ,it does not while here    
come to the fundamental  distinctions   
and causes of the substances1 because it
 is obliged to know  the inner side of  
things through their externals4         
,therefore man is able  only imperfectly
 to know an incorporeal substance2 how  
much less can he  know the uncreated    
infinite being of ,god8 ,but if he can  
not know the  being of ,god1 he will not
 be able to know many other infinite    
things  which are in ,him4 ,we ought    
therefore not to be surprized that there
 is  much in ,god which we can not      
understand1 and that very many truths of
  the faith we can not yet prove since  
we do not yet know everything4 ,the     
great ,god in ,his rich mercy saw our   
poor knowledge and came into our  flesh 
and assumed it that ,he might work for  
us1 die1 and rise again  from the dead2 
until after a life full of love ,he     
raised ,himself above  the world of     
sense into ,his eternity4 ,but so long  
as our ,redeemer lived  with ,his       

apostles they loved too much that which 
they saw of ,him1  because they were    
bound down to their senses1 and were    
therefore unable  to rise to the        
knowledge of ,his ,spirit4 ,it was      
necessary that ,he should  disappear in 
the heavens that ,he might lift their   
souls far above the  world of sense up  
to ,himself4 ,their natural powers could
 not do this2  therefore ,he gave to    
,his elect a light from above4          
,ascending on high ,he  led captivity   
captive1 for ascending into the heavens 
,he took with ,him  the prey which the  
devil had made of the soul of men ever  
since the fall  of our parents4 ,the    
,lord has given gifts unto men 7,eph4   
iv4 #h71 inasmuch  as ,he has imparted  
to them the seven gifts of the ,holy    
,ghost4 ,now they  leave everything of  
this world1 and rise above by following 
,christ1 who  gives to them for a light 
the light of faith4 ,let us speak this  
morning  of this faith which leads to   
the ,savior4    ,awake thou that        

sleepest and ,christ shall give thee    
light4 ,be not held  captive by flesh   
and sense1 which hold thee fast in      
sleep2 rise to  ,christ1 ,he will give  
thee light4 ,see1 ,his flesh is above4  
,what do ye say  to that1 ye wise men of
 this world8 ,everything that has weight
 tends  downward1 but ,his flesh is of  
thy heart4 ,thou hast refused the       
service  of the ,lord1 who has ascended 
to prepare for thee the highest glory4  
,i call upon all men and women1 all     
whose lives are ruined in sorrows and   
troubles4 ,what do ye fear8 ,he who     
believes that ,christ is above no       
longer fears anything4 ,come then all ye
 into ,his service4 ,jesus reproved  the
 unbelief and the hard-heartedness of   
,his disciples1 because they did  not   
believe those who had seen ,him after   
,he had risen4 ,without faith it  is    
impossible to please ,god4 ,no doubt the
 apostles said3 ,how can we  believe    
these women8 ,but these women were of   
pure heart before ,god1 and  therefore  

the ,savior reproved ,his disciples4 ,ye
 deserve still sharper  reprimands4 ,to 
the disciples a few women announced the 
news that ,he had  risen4 ,ye hear all  
this1 and in addition all the glorious  
revelations in  which the ,lord after   
this manifested ,himself on earth4 ,why 
do ye not  come to serve ,christ8 ,ye do
 not truly believe1 because ye are so   
full of  sin1 and despise ,god's        
commandments4 ,ye do not deserve the    
gift of  faith4 ,he who has faith should
 show it in his deeds1 that he may have 
what he says he has1 and may know what  
he has2 namely1 the certainty of  the   
divine word1 which can not err1 the     
goodness of ,god1 and ,his  guidance    
into all goodness4 ,on account of thy   
sins1 thou hast not the  true light     
which would have enabled thee to see all
 goodness4 ,thou art  sunk in vice1     
drunken with greed and luxury1 and all  
the works of this  world4 ,thou seekest 
only power and glory4 ,and wherefore8   
,if thou hadst  faith1 thou wouldst not 

seek such things1 for thou wouldst know 
that  faith would give thee a much      
higher crown4 ,from these sins have come
 thy  unbelief and thy hardness of      
heart4 ,therefore the words of faith do 
not  touch thy heart3 it is a heart of  
stone and iron4 ,throw off thy load of  
sin and give thy will to righteousness2 
then will thy hard-heartedness  end1 and
 ,god will bestow on thee the gift of   
faith4 ,what wilt thou8 ,why  standest  
thou so uncertain and irresolute8 ,why  
dost thou not hasten to  ,him1 and see  
how ,he leaves thy life1 how ,he goes   
into the heavens1 to  which ,he bids    
thee come up4 ,leave at length thy      
sensual life and enter  the pathway of  
,christ4 ,hesitate no longer1 begin     
to-day1 put it not off  until to-morrow4
 ,if thou hast faith1 thou canst not    
delay longer1 and if  thy heart is right
 before ,god1 ,he will give thee the    
light of faith  which will enable thee  
to distinguish the false from the true  
faith1 and  so when on the right road   

not to fall into error4 ,then wilt thou 
know  for thyself that the ,gospel makes
 good men out of those who truly        
believe1 and thine experience will tell 
thee that thou hast no occasion  to     
doubt4    ,a story from the ,old        
,testament might perhaps serve as a     
parable and make  clearer what ,i mean4 
,when ,balak heard of ,israel's march1  
he was afraid  and sent to call ,balaam 
to curse ,israel for him4 ,balaam set   
out on his  way with his ass1           
accompanied by an angel of the ,lord1   
because ,balaam  was going to ,balak    
with an evil intention4 ,the beast      
sought in vain to  turn into the field1 
and finally fell down between two walls1
 and  suffered under blows and curses1  
until the prophet saw the angel and     
perceived his sin4 ,balak is the devil  
who would ruin the people of ,god2  by  
,balaam we can understand the nobles1   
the prelates1 the preachers1 the        
learned1 who are held captive by their  
arrogance4 ,the two servants are  those 

who follow the proud1 serve them1 and   
flatter them1 especially the  lazy      
clergy and monks1 who so far as outward 
show goes live a virtuous  life1 but who
 live for ceremonies and take care not  
to speak the truth4  ,to these belong   
many citizens who live apparently       
virtuously and hide  their pride4       
,because they commit no sins of the     
flesh which can be  noticed1 they are   
full of piety in their outward          
ceremonies1 but within  full of         
arrogance4 ,these are the members of the
 devil1 for the devil  neither eats1    
drinks1 nor sleeps1 he is neither a     
miser nor a wanton1  but is within full 
of pride as are these4 ,by the ass we   
are to  understand the simple people4   
,they are led in the way of sin by the  
ceremonies of the lazy1 since they are  
not thought fit for the worship  of the 
heart1 and must be led by masses1       
penance1 and indulgences1 and  they     
throw away what might be of profit for  
money and for candles4 ,the  lazy give  

them council in their sermons3 ,give    
some vestment1 build a  chapel1 and thou
 wilt be freed from any danger of going 
to hell4 ,do not  believe these         
mountebanks2 no outward act can bring   
you to ,paradise1 not  even miracles and
 prophecy1 but only the grace of ,god1  
if you have  humility and love4444      
,before the ass stood an angel with a   
sword4 ,this  is ,christ1 who speaks to 
the ass3 ,walk no longer in the path of 
sin1 for  ,i have ready for you a great 
scourge4 ,the ass alone saw the angel2  
for  the simple first hear the word of  
the ,lord1 but ,balaam and such as are  
with him will hear nothing of it4 ,the  
ass left the path of captivity and  went
 out into the field1 into the way of the
 ,lord4 ,for the kingdom of  heaven is  
like treasure hid in a field2 which when
 a man found he sold  all that he had   
and bought that field4 ,so the simple go
 into the holy  field of the ,scriptures
 and say3 ,let me look around a little1 
for the  flowers of this field bear     

fruit4 ,yea1 our fathers1 the prophets1 
apostles1 and martyrs bore fruit1 they  
who died with joy for the truth4  ,these
 are they who go into the field and     
speak the truth in the face of  death4  
,come into the city1 where the nobles   
and the masters taken  captive by sin   
crowd together1 cry the lazy troop of   
monks3 ,o fathers1  it would be well if 
when you spoke of these things1 you     
touched not  this string1 by which you  
allow yourselves to fall into disgrace  
and  disfavor4 ,they have said that     
already to me4 ,our persecution begins  
if  we begin to preach4 ,but ,jesus was 
willing to die for the truth of what    
,he said2 should we forsake the truth in
 order not to displease men8 ,no1  we   
will say it in every way1 and with      
,balaam's ass go into the field4        
,think not that ,i am such a fool as to 
undertake these things without  good    
reason4 ,i call heaven and earth to     
witness against me if ,i do not  speak  
the truth4 ,for against all the world is

 my sermon2 every one  contradicts it4  
,if ,i go about with lies1 then ,i have 
,christ against me2  therefore ,i have  
heaven and earth against me1 and how    
then could ,i  stand8 ,as such a trifler
 with holy things how should ,i dare    
rise up8  ,believe me1 ,i speak the     
truth1 ,i have seen it with my eyes1 and
 touched  it with my hands4 ,believe it6
 ,if ,i speak not the truth1 ,i consign 
myself  body and soul to destruction2   
but ,i tell you ,i am certain of the    
truth1  and ,i would that all were as ,i
 am4 ,i say that of the truth on which  
,i  stand1 not as tho ,i wished that    
others had my failings as well4 ,so come
  then into the service of ,jesus2 come 
to the truth1 come here1 ,i bid you4    
,do ye not know how ,i explained the    
revelation of ,st4 ,john8 ,there were   
many who said that ,i spoke too much in 
detail1 and went too deep into  it4     
,there stood the angel before the ass1  
and wanted it to go out into  the field1
 but ,balaam smote it2 and ye know not  

how much opposition ,i  must yet        
undergo4 ,the lazy monks were the first 
who called me a fool and  revolutionist1
 and on the other side stood the weak   
and the simple1 who  said in their      
innocent faith3 ,oh1 if we could only do
 what ,he teaches6  ,then ,i had war    
with the citizens and the great judges  
of this time1 whom  my manner of        
preaching did not please4 ,i was between
 two walls2 the  angel warned me1       
threatening eternal death from this     
road1 and ,i  received ,balaam's blows4 
,ye know my persecution and my danger2  
but ,i  knew that ,i was on the way to  
victory and said always3 ,no human being
  can drive my cause from the world4    
,balaam1 thou leanest thy foot against  
the walls1 but do as thou wilt1 ,i will 
crush thy foot2 ,i leaned on the  wall1 
on ,christ1 ,i leaned on ,his grace1 ,i 
hoped2 leave off thine anger  and       
threatening1 thou canst not get me away 
from the wall4 ,i say to all  of you3   
,come to the truth1 forsake your vice   

and your malice1 that ,i may  not have  
to tell you of your grief4 ,i say it to 
you1 ,o ,italy1 ,i say it  to you1 ,o   
,rome1 ,i say it to all of you2 return  
and do penance4 ,there  stands before   
you the holy truth2 she can not fall2   
she can not bend or  give way2 wait not 
until the blows fall4    ,in everything 
am ,i opprest2 even the spiritual power 
is against me with  ,peter's mighty key4
 ,narrow is my path and full of trouble2
 like ,balaam's  ass1 ,i must throw     
myself on the ground and cry3 ,see1 here
 ,i am2 ,i am  ready to die for the     
truth4 ,but when ,balaam beat his fallen
 beast1 it  said to him3 ,what have ,i  
done to thee8 ,so ,i say to you3 ,come  
here and  tell me3 what have ,i done to 
you8 ,why do you beat me8 ,i have spoken
 the  truth to you2 ,i have warned you  
to choose a virtuous life2 ,i have led  
many souls to ,christ4 ,but you answer3 
,thou hast spoken evil of us1           
therefore1 thou shouldst suffer the     
stripes thou deservest4 ,but ,i named   

no one1 ,i only blamed your vices in    
general4 ,if you have sinned1 be  angry 
with yourselves1 not with me4 ,i name   
none of you1 but if the sins  ,i have   
mentioned are without question yours1   
then they and not ,i make  you known4   
,as the smitten beast asked ,balaam1 so 
,i ask you3 ,tell me1 am  ,i not your   
ass8 and do you not know that ,i have   
been obedient to you up  to this very   
moment1 that ,i have even done what my  
superiors have  commanded1 and have     
always behaved myself peaceably8 ,you   
know this1 and  because ,i am now so    
entirely different1 you may well believe
 that a  great cause drives me to it4   
,many knew me as ,i was at first2 if ,i 
remained so ,i could have had as much   
honor as ,i wanted4 ,i lived six  years 
among you1 and now ,i speak otherwise1  
nevertheless ,i announce to  you the    
truth that is well known4 ,you see in   
what sorrows and what  opposition ,i    
must now live1 and ,i can say with      
,jeremiah3 ,o1 my mother1  that thou    

hast borne me a man of strife and       
contention to the whole  earth6 ,but    
where is a father or a mother that can  
say ,i have led their  son into sin2 one
 that can say ,i have ruined her husband
 or his wife8  ,everybody knows my      
manner of life1 therefore it is right   
for you to  believe that ,i speak the   
truth which everybody knows4 ,you think 
that it  is impossible for a man to do  
what the faith ,i have preached tells   
him  to do3 with ,god it would be easy  
for you4    ,the ass alone saw the      
angel1 the others did not2 so open your 
eyes4  ,thank ,god1 many have them open4
 ,you have seen many learned men whom   
you  thought wise1 and they have        
withstood our cause3 now they believe2  
many  noted masters who were hard and   
proud against us3 now humility casts    
them down4 ,you have also seen many     
women turn from their vanity to         
simplicity2 vicious youths who are now  
improved and conduct themselves  in a   
new way4 ,many1 indeed1 have received   

this doctrine with humility4  ,that     
doctrine has stood firm1 no matter how  
attacked with the intention  of showing 
that it was a doctrine opposed to       
,christ4 ,god does that to  manifest    
,his wisdom1 to show how it finally     
overcomes all other wisdom4  ,and ,he is
 willing that ,his servants be spoken   
against that they may show  their       
patience and humility1 and for the sake 
of ,his love not be afraid  of          
martyrdom4    ,o ye men and women1 ,i   
bid you to this truth2 let those who are
 in  captivity contradict you as much as
 they will1 ,god will come and oppose   
their pride4 ,ye proud1 however1 if you 
do not turn about and become  better1   
then will the sword and the pestilence  
fall upon you2 with  famine and war will
 ,italy be turned upside down4 ,i       
foretell you this  because ,i am sure of
 it3 if ,i were not1 ,i would not       
mention it4 ,open  your eyes as ,balaam 
opened his eyes when the angel said to  
him3 ,had it  not been for thine ass1 ,i

 would have slain thee4 ,so ,i say to   
you1 ye  captives3 ,had it not been for 
the good and their preaching1 it would  
have been wo unto you4 ,balaam said3 ,if
 this way is not good1 ,i will  return4 
,you say likewise1 you would turn back  
to ,god1 if your way is  not good4 ,and 
to the angel you say as ,balaam said3   
,what wilt thou that  we should do8 ,the
 angel answers thee as he answered      
,balaam3 ,thou shalt  not curse this    
people1 but shalt say what ,i put in thy
 mouth4 ,but in  thy mouth he puts the  
warning that thou shouldst do good1     
convince one  another of the divine     
truth1 and bear evil manfully4 ,for it  
is the life  of a ,christian to do good 
and to bear wrong and to continue       
stedfast  unto death1 and this is the   
,gospel1 which we1 according to the text
 of  the ,gospel for today1 shall preach
 in all the world4    ,what wilt thou   
have of us1 brother8 you ask4 ,i desire 
that you serve  ,christ with zeal and   
not with sloth and indifference4 ,i     

desire that you  do not mourn1 but in   
thankfulness raise your hands to heaven1
 whenever  your brother or your son     
enters the service of ,christ4 ,the time
 is come  when ,christ will work not    
only in you but through you and in      
others2  whoever hears1 let him say3    
,come brother4 ,let one draw the other4 
,turn  about1 thou who thinkest that    
thou art of a superior mind and         
therefore  canst not accept the faith4  
,if ,i could only explain this whole    
,gospel  to thee word for word1 ,i would
 then scourge thy forehead and prove to 
thee that the faith could not be false  
and that ,christ is thy ,god who is     
enthroned in heaven1 and waits for thee4
 ,or dost thou believe8 ,where are  thy 
works8 ,why dost thou delay about them8 
,hear this3 ,there was once a  monk who 
spoke to a distinguished man about the  
faith1 and got him to  answer why he did
 not believe4 ,he answered thus3 ,you   
yourself do not  believe1 for if you    
believed you would show other works4    

,therefore1 to  you also ,i say3 ,if you
 believe1 where are your works8 ,your   
faith is  something every one knows1 for
 every one knows that ,christ was put to
  death by the ,jews1 and that          
everywhere men pray to ,him4 ,the whole 
world  knows that ,his glory has not    
been spread by force and weapons1 but by
  poor fishermen4 ,o wise man1 do you   
think the poor fishermen were not       
clever enough for this8 ,where they     
worked1 there they made hearts  better2 
where they could not work1 there men    
remained bad2 and therefore  was the    
faith true and from ,god4 ,the signs    
which the ,lord had promised  followed  
their teaching3 in ,his name they drove 
out the devil2 they  spoke in new       
tongues2 if they drank any deadly drink1
 they received  therefrom no harm4 ,even
 if these wonders had not occurred1     
there would  have been the wonder of    
wonders1 that poor fishermen without any
 miracle  could accomplish so great a   
work as the faith4 ,it came from ,god1  

and so  is ,christ true and ,christ is  
thy ,god1 who is in heaven and awaits   
thee4    ,you say you believe the       
,gospel1 but you do not believe me4 ,but
 the purer  anything is1 so much the    
nearer it stands to its end and purpose4
 ,the  ,christian life purifies the     
heart1 and places it very near to the   
truth4  ,to the ,christian life will ,i 
lead you1 if you would have the         
knowledge  of the truth4 ,if ,i had     
wished to deceive you1 why should ,i    
have given  you as the chief of my gifts
 the means of discovering my fraud8 ,i  
would  be verily a fool to try to impose
 upon you with a falsehood which you    
would soon detect2 only because ,i      
offered you the truth1 did ,i call  you4
 ,come here1 ,i fear you not2 the closer
 you examine1 the clearer the  truth    
will become to you4    ,there are some1 
however1 who are ashamed of the cross of
 ,jesus ,christ1  and say3 ,if we should
 believe that1 we should be despised    
everywhere1  especially by the wisest4  

,but if you would know the truth1 look  
only on  the lives of those who would   
have to cry wo on their unbelief if they
  should be measured by deeds4 ,if you  
are ashamed of the cross1 the ,lord  was
 not ashamed to bear that cross for you1
 and to die on that cross for  you4 ,be 
not ashamed of ,his service and of the  
defense of the truth4 ,look  at the     
servants of the devil1 who are not      
ashamed in the open places1 in  the     
palaces1 and everywhere to speak evil   
and to revile us4 ,bear then a  little  
shame only for your ,lord2 for whoever  
follows ,him will1 according  to our    
gospel1 in ,his name drive out the      
devil2 that is1 he will drive  out his  
sins1 and lead a virtuous life2 he will 
drive out serpents2 he  will throw out  
the lazy who come into the houses1 and  
say evil things  under the pretense of  
righteousness1 and so are like poisonous
 serpents4  ,you will see how children  
can withstand them with the truth of    
,god1 and  drive them away4 ,if a       

believer drinks anything deadly it will 
not hurt  him3 this deadly drink is the 
false doctrines of the lazy1 from whom1 
as  you contend with them1 a little     
comes also to you4 ,but he who stands   
unharmed in the faith1 cries to you3    
,see that you do good2 seek ,god's      
glory1 not your own4 ,he that does that 
is of the truth1 and remains  unharmed4 
,the ,lord says further of the faithful3
 ,they shall lay their  hands on the    
sick and shall heal them4 ,the hands are
 the works1 and the  good lay such hands
 on the weak that they may support them 
when they  totter4 ,do ,i not teach you 
according to the ,gospel8 ,why do you   
hesitate  and go not into the service of
 the ,lord8 ,do you ask me still what   
you  ought to do8 ,i will1 in           
conclusion1 tell you4    ,look to       
,christ and you will find that all ,he  
says concerns faith4 ,ask  the apostle2 
he speaks of nothing else than of faith4
 ,if you have the  ground of all1 if you
 have faith1 you will always do what is 

good4  ,without faith man always falls  
into sin4 ,you must seek faith in order 
to  be good1 or else your faith will    
become false4 ,christ commanded ,his    
disciples to preach the ,gospel to all  
the world1 and your wise men call  a man
 a little world1 a microcosm4 ,so then  
preach to yourself1 ,o man1  woman1 and 
child4 ,three parts the world has in you
 also4 ,preach first of  all to your    
knowledge1 and say to it3 ,if you draw  
near this truth1 you  will have much    
faith2 wherefore do you hesitate to use 
it8 ,to your will1  say3 ,thou seest    
that everything passes away2 therefore  
love not the  world1 love ,christ4      
,thereupon turn to the second part of   
your world1  and say to it3 ,be         
thankful1 my memory1 for the mercies    
,god has shown  thee1 that thou thinkest
 not of the things of this world but of 
the  mercy of thy creation1 and thy     
redemption through the blood of the ,son
  of ,god4 ,then go to the third part1  
to thy imagination1 and proclaim to  it3

 ,set nothing before my eyes but my     
death1 bring nothing before me but  the 
,crucified1 embrace ,him1 fly to ,him4  
,then go through all the cities  of thy 
world and preach to them4 ,first say to 
thine eyes3 ,look not on  vanity4 ,to   
thy ears say3 ,listen not to the words  
of the lazy1 but only  to the words of  
,jesus4 ,to thy tongue say3 ,speak no   
more evil4 ,for thy  tongue is as a     
great rock that rolls from the summit of
 a mountain1 and  at first falls slowly1
 then ever faster and more furiously4   
,it begins  with gentle murmuring1 then 
it utters small sins1 and then greater1 
until it finally breaks forth in open   
blasphemy4 ,to thy palate say3 ,it  is  
necessary that we do a little penance4  
,in all thy senses be clean1  and turn  
to the ,lord1 for ,he it is who will    
give you correction and  purity4 ,to thy
 hands say3 ,do good and give alms2 and 
let thy feet go in  the good way4 ,our  
reformation has begun in the ,spirit of 
,god1 if you  take it to heart that each

 one has to preach to himself4 ,then    
will we in  the name of ,jesus drive out
 the devils of temptation4 ,yes1 call   
upon  ,jesus as often as temptation     
approaches3 call upon ,him a hundred    
times  and believe firmly1 and the      
temptation will depart4 ,then will we   
speak  with new tongues2 we will speak  
with ,god4 ,we shall drive away         
serpents2  the enticement of the senses 
are these serpents4 ,if we drink        
anything  deadly it will not hurt us2 if
 anger and lust arise in us1 at the name
  of ,jesus they will have to give way4 
,we shall lay our hands upon the  sick  
and heal them2 with good deeds shall we 
strengthen the weak soul4  ,if thou     
feelest thy weakness1 flee to ,god1 and 
,he will strengthen2  therefore ,he is  
thy only refuge4 ,he is thy ,savior and 
thy ,lord1 who went  into the heavens to
 prepare a place for thee1 and to wait  
thee there4  ,what do you intend to do8 
,go and follow ,jesus1 who is praised   
from  everlasting to everlasting4 ,amen4

          ,,luther    ,,the ,,method    
,,and ,,fruits ,,of ,,justification     
,,biographical ,,note    ,martin        
,luther1 leader of the ,reformation1 was
 born at ,eisleben in #adhc1  and died  
there #aedf4 ,his rugged character and  
powerful intellect1  combined with a    
strong physique1 made him a natural     
orator1 so that it  was said his words  
were half battles4    ,of his own method
 of preaching he once remarked3    ,when
 ,i ascend the pulpit ,i see no heads1  
but imagine those that are  before me to
 be all blocks4 ,when ,i preach ,i sink 
myself deeply down2 ,i  regard neither  
doctors nor masters1 of which there are 
in the church  above forty4 ,but ,i have
 an eye to the multitude of young       
people1  children1 and servants1 of     
which there are more than two thousand4 
,i  preach to them4 ,when he preaches on
 any article a man must first           
distinguish it1 then define1 describe1  
and show what it is2 thirdly1 he  must  
produce sentences from the ,scripture to

 prove and to strengthen it2  fourthly1 
he must explain it by examples2 fifthly1
 he must adorn it with  similitudes2 and
 lastly1 he must admonish and arouse the
 indolent1  correct the disobedient1 and
 reprove the authors of false doctrine4 
,,luther  #adhc--aedf    ,,the ,,method 
,,and ,,fruits ,,of ,,justification     
,now ,i say1 that the heir1 as long as  
he is a child1 differeth nothing  from a
 servant1 though he be ,lord of all2 but
 is under tutors and  governors until   
the time appointed of the father4 ,even 
so we1 when we  were children1 were in  
bondage under the elements of the world3
 but when  the fullness of the time was 
come1 ,god sent forth his ,son1 made of 
a  woman1 made under the law1 to redeem 
them that were under the law1 that  we  
might receive the adoption of sons4 ,and
 because ye are sons1 ,god hath  sent   
forth the ,spirit of his ,son into your 
hearts1 crying1 ,abba1 ,father4         
,wherefore thou art no more a servant1  
but a son1 and if a son1 then an  heir  

of ,god through ,christ4--,gal4 iv41    
#a-g4      ,this text touches the very  
pith of ,paul's chief doctrine4 ,the    
cause why  it is well understood but by 
few is1 not that it is so obscure and   
difficult1 but because there is so      
little knowledge of faith left in the   
world2 without which it is not possible 
to understand ,paul1 who  everywhere    
treats of faith with such earnestness   
and force4 ,i must1  therefore1 speak in
 such a manner that this text will      
appear plain2 and  that ,i may more     
conveniently illustrate it1 ,i will     
speak a few words by  way of preface4   
,first1 therefore1 we must understand   
the doctrine in which good works  are   
set forth1 far different from that which
 treats of justification2 as  there is a
 great difference between the substance 
and its working2  between man and his   
work4 ,justification pertains to man1   
and not to  works2 for man is either    
justified and saved1 or judged and      
condemned1  and not works4 ,neither is  

it a controversy among the godly1 that  
man is  not justified by works1 but     
righteousness must come from some other 
source than from his own works3 for     
,moses1 writing of ,abel1 says1 ,the    
,lord had respect unto ,abel1 and to his
 offering4 ,first1 ,he had respect  to  
,abel himself1 then to his offering2    
because ,abel was first counted         
righteous and acceptable to ,god1 and   
then for his sake his offering was      
accepted also1 and not he because of his
 offering4 ,again1 ,god had no  respect 
to ,cain1 and therefore neither to his  
offering3 therefore thou  seest that    
regard is had first to the worker1 then 
to the work4    ,from this it is plainly
 gathered that no work can be acceptable
 to ,god1  unless he which worketh it   
was first accepted by ,him3 and again1  
that no  work is disallowed of ,him     
unless the author thereof be disallowed 
before4 ,i think these remarks will be  
sufficient concerning this matter  at   
present1 by which it is easy to         

understand that there are two sorts  of 
works1 those before justification and   
those after it2 and that these  last are
 good works indeed1 but the former only 
appear to be good4  ,hereof cometh such 
disagreement between ,god and those     
counterfeit holy  ones2 for this cause  
nature and reason rise and rage against 
the ,holy  ,ghost2 this is that of which
 almost the whole ,scripture treats4    
,the ,lord  in ,his ,word defines all   
works that go before justification to be
 evil1  and of no importance1 and       
requires that man before all things be  
justified4 ,again1 ,he pronounces all   
men which are unregenerate1 and have    
that nature which they received of their
 parents unchanged1 to be  righteous and
 wicked1 according to that saying all   
men are liars1 that  is1 unable to      
perform their duty1 and to do those     
things which they  ought to do2 and     
,every imagination of the thoughts of   
his heart are  only evil continually2   
whereby he is able to do nothing that is

 good1  for the fountain of his actions1
 which is his heart1 is corrupted4 ,if  
he  do works which outwardly seem good1 
they are no better than the offering  of
 ,cain4    ,here again comes forth      
reason1 our reverend mistress1 seeming  
to be  marvelously wise1 but who indeed 
is unwise and blind1 gainsaying her     
,god1 and reproving ,him of lying2 being
 furnished with her follies and  feeble 
honor1 to wit1 the light of nature1 free
 will1 the strength of  nature2 also    
with the books of the heathen and the   
doctrines of men1  contending that the  
works of a man not justified are good   
works1 and not  like those of ,cain1    
yea1 and so good that he that worketh   
them is  justified by them2 that ,god   
will have respect1 first to the works1  
then  to the worker4 ,such doctrine now 
bears the sway everywhere in schools1   
colleges1 monasteries wherein no other  
saints than ,cain was1 have rule  and   
authority4 ,now from this error comes   
another3 they which attribute  so much  

to works1 and do not accordingly esteem 
the worker1 and sound  justification1 go
 so far that they ascribe all merit and 
righteousness  to works done before     
justification1 making no account of     
faith1 alleging  that which ,james      
saith1 that without works faith is dead4
 ,this sentence  of the apostle they do 
not rightly understand2 making but      
little account  of faith1 they always   
stick to works1 whereby they think to   
merit  exceedingly1 and are persuaded   
that for their work's sake they shall   
obtain the favor of ,god3 by this means 
they continually disagree with  ,god1   
showing themselves to be the posterity  
of ,cain4 ,god hath respect  unto man1  
then unto the works of man2 ,god        
alloweth the work for the sake  of him  
that worketh1 these require that for the
 work's sake the worker  may be crowned4
    ,but here1 perhaps1 thou wilt say1  
what is needful to be done8 ,by what    
means shall ,i become righteous and     
acceptable to ,god8 ,how shall ,i attain

  to this perfect justification8 ,those 
the gospel answers1 teaching that  it is
 necessary that thou hear ,christ1 and  
repose thyself wholly on ,him1  denying 
thyself and distrusting thine own       
strength2 by this means thou  shalt be  
changed from ,cain to ,abel1 and being  
thyself acceptable1 shalt  offer        
acceptable gifts to the ,lord4 ,it is   
faith that justifies thee1  thou being  
endued therewith2 the ,lord remitteth   
all thy sins by the  mediation of       
,christ ,his ,son1 in whom this faith   
believeth and trusteth4  ,moreover1 ,he 
giveth unto such a faith ,his ,spirit1  
which changes the man  and makes him    
anew1 giving him another reason and     
another will4 ,such a  one worketh      
nothing but good works4 ,wherefore      
nothing is required unto  justification 
but to hear ,jesus ,christ our ,savior1 
and to believe in  ,him4 ,howbeit these 
are not the works of nature1 but of     
grace4    ,he1 therefore1 that endeavors
 to attain to these things by works     

shutteth the way to the gospel1 to      
faith1 grace1 ,christ1 ,god1 and all    
things that help unto salvation4 ,again1
 nothing is necessary in order to       
accomplish good works but justification2
 and he that hath attained it  performs 
good works1 and not any other4 ,hereof  
it sufficiently appears  that the       
beginning1 the things following1 and the
 order of man's  salvation are after    
this sort2 first of all it is required  
that thou  hear the ,word of ,god2 next 
that thou believe2 then that thou work2 
and  so at last become saved and happy4 
,he that changes this order1 without    
doubt is not of ,god4 ,paul also        
describes this1 saying1 ,whosoever shall
  call upon the name of the ,lord shall 
be saved4 ,how then shall they call  on 
,him in whom they have not believed8    
and1 how shall they believe in  ,him of 
whom they have not heard8 and1 how shall
 they hear without a  preacher8 and1 how
 shall they preach except they be sent8 
,christ teaches us to pray the ,lord of 

the harvest to send forth laborers  into
 ,his harvest2 that is1 sincere         
preachers4 ,when we hear these preach   
the true ,word of ,god1 we may believe2 
which faith justifies a man1 and  makes 
him godly indeed1 so that he now calls  
upon ,god in the spirit of  holiness1   
and works nothing but that which is     
good1 and thus becomes a  saved man4    
,thus he that believeth shall be saved2 
but he that worketh  without faith is   
condemned2 as ,christ saith1 he that    
doth not believe  shall be condemned1   
from which no works shall deliver him4  
,some say1 ,i  will now endeavor to     
become honest4 ,it is meet surely that  
we study to  lead an honest life1 and to
 do good works4 ,but if one ask them how
 we  may apply ourselves unto honesty1  
and by what means we may attain it1     
they answer1 that we must fast1 pray1   
frequent temples1 avoid sins1 etc4      
,whereby one becomes a ,carthusian monk1
 another chooses some other order  of   
monks1 and another is consecrated a     

priest2 some torment their flesh  by    
wearing hair-cloth1 others scourge their
 bodies with whips1 others  afflict     
themselves in a different manner2 but   
these are of ,cain's  progeny1 and their
 works are no better than his2 for they 
continue the  same that they were       
before1 ungodly1 and without            
justification3 there is  a change made  
of outward works only1 of apparel1 of   
place1 etc4    ,they scarce think of    
faith1 they presume only on such works  
as seem good  to themselves1 thinking by
 them to get to heaven4 ,but ,christ    
said1  ,enter in at the strait gate1 for
 ,i say unto you1 many seek to enter in1
  and can not4 ,why is this8 because    
they know not what this narrow gate  is2
 for it is faith1 which altogether      
annihilates or makes a man appear  as   
nothing in his own eyes1 and requires   
him not to trust in his own  works1 but 
to depend upon the grace of ,god1 and be
 prepared to leave and  suffer all      
things4 ,those holy ones of ,cain's     

progeny think their good  works are the 
narrow gate2 and are not1 therefore1    
extenuated or made  less1 whereby they  
might enter4    ,when we begin to preach
 of faith to those that believe         
altogether in  works1 they laugh and    
hiss at us1 and say1 ,dost thou count us
 as ,turks  and heathens1 whom it       
behooves now first to learn faith8 is   
there such a  company of priests1 monks1
 and nuns1 and is not faith known8 who  
knoweth  not what he ought to believe8  
even sinners know that4 ,being after    
this  sort animated and stirred up1 they
 think themselves abundantly endued     
with faith1 and that the rest is now to 
be finished and made perfect by  works4 
,they make so small and slender account 
of faith1 because they are  ignorant    
what faith is1 and that it alone doth   
justify4 ,they call it  faith1 believing
 those things which they have heard of  
,christ2 this kind  of faith the devils 
also have1 and yet they are not         
justified4 ,but this  ought rather to be

 called an opinion of men4 ,to believe  
those things to  be true which are      
preached of ,christ is not sufficient to
 constitute  thee a ,christian1 but thou
 must not doubt that thou art of the    
number of  them unto whom all the       
benefits of ,christ are given and       
exhibited2 which  he that believes must 
plainly confess1 that he is holy1 godly1
  righteous1 the son of ,god1 and       
certain of salvation2 and that by no    
merit of his own1 but by the mere mercy 
of ,god poured forth upon him for       
,christ's sake3 which he believes to be 
so rich and plentiful1 as indeed  it is1
 that altho he be as it were drowned in 
sin1 he is notwithstanding  made holy1  
and become the son of ,god4             
,wherefore1 take heed that thou nothing 
doubt that thou art the son of  ,god1   
and therefore made righteous by ,his    
grace2 let all fear and care be  done   
away4 ,however1 thou must fear and      
tremble that thou mayest  persevere in  
this way unto the end2 but thou must not

 do this as tho it  consisted in thy own
 strength1 for righteousness and        
salvation are of  grace1 whereunto only 
thou must trust4 ,but when thou knowest 
that it is  of grace alone1 and that thy
 faith also is the gift of ,god1 thou   
shalt  have cause to fear1 lest some    
temptation violently move thee from this
  faith4    ,every one by faith is      
certain of this salvation2 but we ought 
to have  care and fear that we stand and
 persevere1 trusting in the ,lord1 and  
not  in our own strength4 ,when those of
 the race of ,cain hear faith treated   
of in this manner1 they marvel at our   
madness1 as it seems to them4 ,god  turn
 us from this way1 say they1 that we    
should affirm ourselves holy  and godly2
 far be this arrogance and rashness from
 us3 we are miserable  sinners2 we      
should be mad1 if we should arrogate    
holiness to ourselves4  ,thus they mock 
at true faith1 and count such doctrine  
as this execrable  error2 and thus try  
to extinguish the ,gospel4 ,these are   

they that deny  the faith of ,christ1   
and persecute it throughout the whole   
world2 of  whom ,paul speaks3 ,in the   
latter times many shall depart from the 
faith1 etc41 for we see by these means  
that true faith lies everywhere         
opprest2 it is not preached1 but        
commonly disallowed and condemned4      
,the pope1 bishops1 colleges1           
monasteries1 and universities have more 
than five hundred years persecuted it   
with one mind and consent most          
obstinately1 which has been the means of
 driving many to hell4 ,if any  object  
against the admiration1 or rather the   
mad senselessness of these  men1 if we  
count ourselves even holy1 trusting the 
goodness of ,god to  justify us1 or as  
,david prayed1 ,preserve ,thou me1 ,o   
,lord1 for ,i am  holy1 or as ,paul     
saith1 ,the ,spirit of ,god beareth     
witness with our  spirit that we are the
 children of ,god2 they answer that the 
prophet  and apostle would not teach us 
in these words1 or give us an example   

which we should follow1 but that they1  
being particularly and specially        
enlightened1 received such revelation of
 themselves4 ,in this way they          
misrepresent the ,scripture1 which      
affirms that they are holy1 saying  that
 such doctrine is not written for us1   
but that it is rather peculiar          
miracles1 which do not belong to all4   
,this forged imagination we account  of 
as having come from their sickly brain4 
,again1 they believe that they  shall be
 made righteous and holy by their own   
works1 and that because of  them ,god   
will give them salvation and eternal    
blessedness4    ,in the opinion of these
 men it is a ,christian duty to think   
that we  shall be righteous and sacred  
because of our works2 but to believe    
that  these things are given by the     
grace of ,god1 they condemn as          
heretical2  attributing that to their   
own works which they do not attribute to
 the  grace of ,god4 ,they that are     
endued with true faith1 and rest upon   

the  grace of the ,lord1 rejoice with   
holy joy1 and apply themselves with     
pleasure to good works1 not such as     
those of ,cain's progeny do1 as  feigned
 prayers1 fasting1 base and filthy      
apparel1 and such like  trifles1 but to 
true and good works whereby their       
neighbors are  profited4    ,perhaps    
some godly man may think1 if the matter 
be so1 and our work do  not save us1 to 
what end are so many precepts given us1 
and why doth ,god  require that they be 
obeyed8 ,the present text of the apostle
 will give a  solution of this question1
 and upon this occasion we will give an 
exposition thereof4 ,the ,galatians     
being taught of ,paul the faith of      
,christ1 but afterward seduced by false 
apostles1 thought that our  salvation   
must be finished and made perfect by the
 works of the law2 and  that faith alone
 doth not suffice4 ,these ,paul calls   
back again from  works unto faith with  
great diligence2 plainly proving that   
the works of  the law1 which go before  

faith1 make us only servants1 and are of
 no  importance toward godliness and    
salvation2 but that faith makes us the  
sons of ,god1 and from thence good works
 without constraint forthwith           
plentifully flow4    ,but here we must  
observe the words of the apostle2 he    
calls him a  servant that is occupied in
 works without faith1 of which we have  
already treated at large2 but he calls  
him a son which is righteous by  faith  
alone4 ,the reason is this1 altho the   
servant apply himself to good  works1   
yet he does it not with the same mind as
 doth the son2 that is1  with a mind    
free1 willing1 and certain that the     
inheritance and all the  good things of 
the ,father are his2 but does it as he  
that is hired in  another man's house1  
who hopes not that the inheritance shall
 come to  him4 ,the works indeed of the 
son and the servant are alike2 and      
almost  the same in outward appearance2 
but their minds differ exceedingly3 as  
,christ saith1 ,the servant abideth not 

in the house forever1 but the son       
abideth ever4    ,those of ,cain's      
progeny want the faith of sons1 which   
they confess  themselves2 for they think
 it most absurd1 and wicked arrogancy1  
to  affirm themselves to be the sons of 
,god1 and holy2 therefore as they       
believe1 even so are they counted before
 ,god2 they neither become holy  nor the
 sons of ,god1 nevertheless are they    
exercised with the works of  the law2   
wherefore they are and remain servants  
forever4 ,they receive no  reward except
 temporal things2 such as quietness of  
life1 abundance of  goods1 dignity1     
honor1 etc41 which we see to be common  
among the  followers of popish religion4
 ,but this is their reward1 for they are
  servants1 and not sons2 wherefore in  
death they shall be separated from  all 
good things1 neither shall any portion  
of the eternal inheritance be  theirs1  
who in this life would believe nothing  
thereof4 ,we perceive1  therefore1 that 
servants and sons are not unlike in     

works1 but in mind  and faith they have 
no resemblance4    ,the apostle         
endeavors here to prove that the law    
with all the works  thereof makes us but
 mere servants1 if we have not faith in 
,christ2 for  this alone make us sons of
 ,god4 ,it is the word of grace followed
 by the  ,holy ,ghost1 as is shown in   
many places1 where we read of the ,holy 
,ghost  falling on ,cornelius and his   
family while hearing the preaching of   
,peter4 ,paul teaches that no man is    
justified before ,god by the works of   
the law2 for sin only cometh by the law4
 ,he that trusts in works  condemns     
faith as the most pernicious arrogancy  
and error of all others4  ,here thou    
seest plainly that such a man is not    
righteous1 being  destitute of that     
faith and belief which is necessary to  
make him  acceptable before ,god and    
,his ,son2 yea1 he is an enemy to this  
faith1  and therefore to righteousness  
also4 ,thus it is easy to understand    
that  which ,paul saith1 that no man is 

justified before ,god by the works of   
the law4    ,the worker must be         
justified before ,god before he can work
 any good  thing4 ,men judge the worker 
by the works2 ,god judges the works by  
the  worker4 ,the first precept requires
 us to acknowledge and worship one      
,god1 that is1 to trust ,him alone1     
which is the true faith whereby we      
become the sons of ,god4 ,thou canst not
 be delivered from the evil of  unbelief
 by thine own power1 nor by the power of
 the law2 wherefore all  thy works which
 thou doest to satisfy the law can be   
nothing but works  of the law2 of far   
less importance than to be able to      
justify thee  before ,god1 who counteth 
them righteous only who truly believe in
 ,him2  for they that acknowledge ,him  
the true ,god are ,his sons1 and do     
truly  fulfil the law4 ,if thou shouldst
 even kill thyself by working1 thy heart
  can not obtain this faith thereby1 for
 thy works are even a hindrance to  it1 
and cause thee to persecute it4    ,he  

that studieth to fulfil the law without 
faith is afflicted for the  devil's     
sake2 and continues a persecutor both of
 faith and the law1  until he come to   
himself1 and cease to trust in his own  
works2 he then  gives glory to ,god1 who
 justifies the ungodly1 and acknowledges
 himself  to be nothing1 and sighs for  
the grace of ,god1 of which he knows    
that he  has need4 ,faith and grace now 
fill his empty mind1 and satisfy his    
hunger2 then follow works which are     
truly good2 neither are they works  of  
the law1 but of the spirit1 of faith and
 grace2 they are called in  the         
,scripture the works of ,god1 which ,he 
worketh in us4    ,whatsoever we do of  
our own power and strength1 that which  
is not  wrought in us by ,his grace1    
without doubt is a work of the law1 and 
avails nothing toward justification2 but
 is displeasing to ,god1 because  of the
 unbelief wherein it is done4 ,he that  
trusts in works does nothing  freely and
 with a willing mind2 he would do no    

good work at all if he  were not        
compelled by the fear of hell1 or       
allured by the hope of  present good4   
,whereby it is plainly seen that they   
strive only for gain1  or are moved with
 fear1 showing that they rather hate the
 law from their  hearts1 and had rather 
there were no law at all4 ,an evil heart
 can do  nothing that is good4 ,this    
evil propensity of the heart1 and       
unwillingness to do good1 the law       
betrays when it teaches that ,god does  
not esteem the works of the hand1 but   
those of the heart4    ,thus sin is     
known by the law1 as ,paul teaches2 for 
we learn thereby that  our affections   
are not placed on that which is good4   
,this ought to teach  us not to trust in
 ourselves1 but to long after the grace 
of ,god1  whereby the evil of the heart 
may be taken away1 and we become ready  
to  do good works1 and love the law     
voluntarily2 not for fear of any        
punishment1 but for the love of         
righteousness4 ,by this means one is    

made of a servant1 a son2 of a slave an 
heir4    ,we shall now come to treat    
more particularly of the text4 ,verse   
#a4 ,the  heir1 as long as he is a      
child1 differeth nothing from a servant1
 tho he  be lord of all4 ,we see that   
the children unto whom their parents    
have  left some substance are brought up
 no otherwise than if they were         
servants4 ,they are fed and clothed with
 their goods1 but they are not          
permitted to do with them1 nor use them 
according to their own minds1  but are  
ruled with fear and discipline of       
manners1 so that even in their  own     
inheritance they live no otherwise than 
as servants4 ,after the same  sort it is
 in spiritual things4 ,god made with    
,his people a covenant1  when ,he       
promised that in the seed of ,abraham1  
that is in ,christ1 all  nations of the 
earth should be blest4 ,that covenant   
was afterward  confirmed by the death of
 ,christ1 and revealed and published    
abroad by  the preaching gospel4 ,for   

the gospel is an open and general       
preaching of  this grace1 that in       
,christ is laid up a blessing for all   
men that  believe4    ,before this      
covenant is truly opened and made       
manifest to men1 the sons  of ,god live 
after the manner of servants under the  
law2 and are  exercised with the works  
of the law1 altho they can not be       
justified by  them2 they are true heirs 
of heavenly things1 of this blessing and
 grace  of the covenant2 altho they do  
not as yet know or enjoy it4 ,those that
  are justified by grace cease from the 
works of the law1 and come unto  the    
inheritance of justification2 they then 
freely work those things  that are good1
 to the glory of ,god and benefit of    
their neighbors4 ,for  they have possest
 it by the covenant of the ,father1     
confirmed by ,christ1  revealed1        
published1 and as it were delivered into
 their hands by the  gospel1 through the
 grace and mercy of ,god4    ,this      
covenant ,abraham1 and all the fathers  

which were endued with true  faith1 had 
no otherwise than we have3 altho before 
,christ was glorified  this grace was   
not openly preached and published3 they 
lived in like  faith1 and therefore     
obtained the like good things4 ,they had
 the same  grace1 blessing1 and covenant
 that we have2 for there is one ,father 
and  ,god over all4 ,thou seest that    
,paul here1 as in almost all other      
places1  treats much of faith2 that we  
are not justified by works1 but by faith
  alone4 ,there is no good thing which  
is not contained in this covenant of    
,god2 it gives righteousness1 salvation1
 and peace4 ,by faith the whole         
inheritance of ,god is at once received4
 ,from thence good works come2 not      
meritorious1 whereby thou mayest seek   
salvation1 but which with a mind        
already possessing righteousness thou   
must do with great pleasure to the      
profit of thy neighbors4    ,verse #b4  
,but is under tutors and governors until
 the time appointed of  the ,father4    

,tutors and governors are they which    
bring up the heir1 and  so rule him and 
order his goods that he neither waste   
his inheritance by  riotous living1 nor 
his goods perish or be otherwise        
consumed4 ,they  permit him not to use  
his goods at his own will or pleasure1  
but suffer  him to enjoy them as they   
shall be needful and profitable to him4 
,they  keep him at home1 and instruct   
him whereby he may long and comfortably 
enjoy his inheritance3 but as soon as he
 arrives to the years of  discretion and
 judgment1 it can not but be grievous to
 him to live in  subjection to the      
commands and will of another4    ,in the
 same manner stands the case of the     
children of ,god1 which are  brought up 
and instructed under the law1 as under a
 master in the  liberty of sons4 ,the   
law profits them in this1 that by the   
fear of it  and the punishment which it 
threatens1 they are driven from sin1 at 
least from the outward work3 by it they 
are brought to a knowledge of           

themselves1 and that they do no good at 
all with a willing and ready  mind as   
becomes sons2 whereby they may easily   
see what is the root of  this evil1 and 
what is especially needful unto         
salvation2 to wit1 a new  and living    
spirit to that which is good3 which     
neither the law nor the  works of the   
law is able to give2 yea1 the more they 
apply themselves to  it1 the more       
unwilling they find themselves to work  
those things which  are good4    ,here  
they learn that they do not satisfy the 
law1 altho outwardly they  live         
according to its precepts4 ,they pretend
 to obey it in works1 altho  in mind    
they hate it2 they pretend themselves   
righteous1 but they remain  sinners4    
,these are like unto those of ,cain's   
progeny1 and hypocrites2  whose hands   
are compelled to do good1 but their     
hearts consent unto sin  and are subject
 thereto4 ,to know this concerning one's
 self is not the  lowest degree toward  
salvation4 ,paul calls such constrained 

works the  works of the law2 for they   
flow not from a ready and willing heart2
  howbeit the law does not require works
 alone1 but the heart itself2  wherefore
 it is said in the first psalm of the   
blest man1 ,but his  delight is in the  
law of the ,lord3 and in ,his law doth  
he meditate day  and night4 ,such a mind
 the law requires1 but it gives it not2 
neither  can it of its own nature3      
whereby it comes to pass that while the 
law  continues to exact it of a man1 and
 condemns him as long as he hath such  a
 mind1 as being disobedient to ,god1 he 
is in anguish on every side2 his        
conscience being grievously terrified4  
,then1 indeed1 is he most ready to      
receive the grace of ,god2 this being   
the time appointed by the ,father when  
his servitude shall end1 and he  enter  
into the liberty of the sons of ,god4   
,for being thus in distress1  and       
terrified1 seeing that by no other means
 he can avoid the  condemnation of the  
law1 he prays to the ,father for grace2 

he  acknowledges his frailty1 he        
confesses his sin1 he ceases to trust in
  works1 and humbles himself1 perceiving
 that between him and a manifest  sinner
 there is no difference at all except of
 works1 that he hath a  wicked heart1   
even as every other sinner hath4 ,the   
condition of man's  nature is such that 
it is able to give to the law works     
only1 and not  the heart2 an unequal    
division1 truly1 to dedicate the heart1 
which1  incomparably excels all other   
things1 to sin1 and the hand to the law3
  which is offering chaff to the law1   
and the wheat to sin2 the shell to      
,god1 and the kernel to ,satan2 whose   
ungodliness if one reprove1 they  become
 enraged1 and would even take the life  
of innocent ,abel1 and  persecute all   
those that follow the truth4    ,those  
that trust in works seem to defend them 
to obtain righteousness2  they promise  
to themselves a great reward for this1  
by persecuting  heretics and            
blasphemers1 as they say1 who seduce    

with error1 and entice  many from good  
works4 ,but those that ,god hath chosen1
 learn by the law  how unwilling the    
heart is to conform to the works of the 
law2 they fall  from their arrogancy1   
and are by this knowledge of themselves 
brought to  see their own unworthiness4 
,hereby they receive that covenant of   
the  eternal blessing and the ,holy     
,ghost which renews the heart3 whereby  
they are delighted with the law1 and    
hate sin2 and are willing and ready  to 
do those things which are good4 ,this is
 the time appointed by the  ,father1    
when the heir must no longer remain a   
servant1 but a son2 being  led by a free
 spirit1 he is no more kept in          
subjection under tutors and  governors  
after the manner of a servant2 which is 
even that which ,paul  teaches in the   
following3    ,verse #c4 ,even so we1   
when we were children1 were in bondage  
under the  elements of the word4 ,by the
 word elements thou mayest here         
understand  the first principles or law 

written2 which is as it were the first  
exercises and instructions of holy      
learning2 as it is said3 ,as  concerning
 the time ye ought to be teachers1 ye   
have need that one teach  you again     
which be the first principles of the    
oracles of ,god4 ,beware  lest any man  
spoil you through philosophy and vain   
deceit1 after the  tradition of men1    
after the rudiments of the world4 ,how  
turn ye again  to the weak and beggarly 
elements1 whereunto ye desire again to  
be in  bondage4    ,here ,paul calls the
 law rudiments2 because it is not able  
to perform  that righteousness which it 
requires4 ,for whereas it earnestly     
requires  a heart and mind given to     
godliness1 nature is not able to satisfy
 it3  herein it makes a man feel his    
poverty1 and acknowledge his infirmity3 
it requires that of him by right which  
he has not1 neither is able to  have4   
,the letter killeth1 but the ,spirit    
giveth life4 ,paul calls them  the      
rudiments of the world1 which1 not being

 renewed by the ,spirit1 only  perform  
worldly things2 to wit1 in places1      
times1 apparel1 persons1  vessels1 and  
such like4 ,but faith rests not in      
worldly things1 but in  the grace1 word1
 and mercy of ,god3 counting alike1     
days1 meats1 persons1  apparel1 and all 
things of this world4    ,none of these 
by themselves either help or hinder     
godliness or  salvation4 ,with those of 
,cain's progeny1 faith neither agrees in
 name or  anything else2 one of them    
eats flesh1 another abstains from it2   
one  wears black apparel1 another white2
 one keeps this day holy1 and another   
that2 every one has his rudiments1 under
 which he is in bondage3 all of  them   
are addicted to the things of the world1
 which are frail and  perishable4       
,against these ,paul speaks1 ,wherefore1
 if ye be dead with  ,christ from the   
rudiments of the world1 why1 as tho     
living in the world1  are ye subject to 
ordinances3 touch not1 taste not1 handle
 not1 which  all are to perish with the 

using1 after the commandments and       
doctrines  of men8 ,which things have   
indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship 
and  humility1 and neglecting of the    
body2 not in any honor to the satisfying
  of the flesh4    ,by this and other   
places above mentioned1 it is evident   
that  monasteries and colleges1 whereby 
we measure the state of spiritual men   
as we call them1 plainly disagree with  
the ,gospel and ,christian liberty3  and
 therefore it is much more dangerous to 
live in this kind of life  than among   
the most profane men4 ,all their works  
are nothing but  rudiments and          
ordinances of the world2 neither are    
they ,christians but  in name1 wherefore
 all their life and holiness are sinful 
and most  detestable hypocrisy4 ,the    
fair show of feigned holiness which is  
in  those ordinances does1 in a         
marvelous and secret manner1 withdraw   
from  faith more than those manifest and
 gross sins of which open sinners are   
guilty4 ,now this false and servile     

opinion faith alone takes away1 and     
teaches us to trust in1 and rest upon1  
the grace of ,god1 whereby is  given    
freely that which is needful to work all
 things4    ,verse #d4 ,but when the    
fulness of the time was come1 ,god sent 
forth ,his  ,son1 made of a woman1 made 
under the law1 to redeem them that were 
under  the law1 that we might receive   
the adoption of sons4 ,after ,paul had  
taught us that righteousness and faith  
can not come to us by the law1  neither 
can we deserve it by nature1 he shows us
 by whom we obtain it2  and who is the  
author of our justification4 ,the       
apostle saith1 ,when the  fulness of the
 time was come2 here ,paul speaks of the
 time which was  appointed by the       
,father to the ,son1 wherein ,he should 
live under  tutors1 etc4 ,this time     
being come to the ,jews1 and ended1     
,christ came in  the flesh2 so it is    
daily fulfilled to others1 when they    
come to the  knowledge of ,christ1 and  
change the servitude of the law for the 

faith  of sons4 ,christ for this cause  
came unto us1 that believing in ,him we 
may be restored to true liberty2 by     
which faith they of ancient times  also 
obtained the liberty of the ,spirit4    
,as soon as thou believest in ,christ1  
,he comes to thee1 a deliverer and      
,savior2 and now the time of bondage is 
ended2 as the apostle saith1 the        
fulness thereof is come4    ,verse #f4  
,and because ye are sons1 ,god hath sent
 forth the ,spirit of ,his  ,son into   
your hearts1 crying1 ,abba1 ,father4    
,here we see plainly that  the ,holy    
,ghost cometh to the saints1 not by     
works1 but by faith alone4  ,sons       
believe1 while servants only work2 sons 
are free from the law1  servants are    
held under the law1 as appears by those 
things that have  been before spoken4   
,but how comes it to pass that he saith 
because ye  are sons1 ,god hath sent    
forth the ,spirit1 etc41 seeing it is   
before  said that by the coming of the  
,spirit we are changed from servants to 

sons3 but here1 as tho we could be sons 
before the coming of the ,spirit1  he   
saith because ye are sons1 etc4 ,to this
 question we must answer1  that ,paul   
speaks here in the same manner that he  
did before1 that is1  before the fulness
 of the time came1 we were in bondage   
under the  rudiments of the world3 all  
that shall become sons are counted in   
the  place of sons with ,god3 therefore 
he saith rightly1 because ye are  sons1 
that is1 because the state of sons is   
appointed to you from  everlasting1 ,god
 hath sent forth the ,spirit of ,his    
,son1 to wit1 that  ,he might finish it 
in you1 and make you such as ,he hath   
long since of  ,his goodness determined 
that ,he would make you4    ,now if the 
,father give unto us ,his ,spirit1 ,he  
will make us ,his true sons  and heirs1 
that we may with confidence cry with    
,christ1 ,abba1 ,father2  being ,his    
brethren and fellow heirs4 ,the apostle 
has well set forth the  goodness of ,god
 which makes us partakers with ,christ1 

and causes us to  have all things common
 with ,him1 so that we live and are led 
by the same  ,spirit4 ,these words of   
the apostle show that the ,holy ,ghost  
proceeds  from ,christ1 as he calls ,him
 his ,spirit4 ,so ,god hath sent forth  
the  ,spirit of ,his ,son1 that is1 of  
,christ1 for ,he is the ,spirit of ,god1
 and  comes from ,god to us1 and not    
ours1 unless one will say after this    
manner1 my ,holy ,spirit1 as we say1 my 
,god1 my ,lord1 etc4 ,as ,he is  said to
 be the ,holy ,spirit of ,christ1 it    
proves ,him to be ,god of whom  that    
,spirit is sent1 therefore it is counted
 ,his ,spirit4    ,christians may       
perceive by this whether they have in   
themselves the ,holy  ,ghost1 to wit1   
the ,spirit of sons2 whether they hear  
,his voice in their  hearts3 for ,paul  
saith1 ,he crieth in the hearts which   
,he possesseth1  ,abba1 ,father2 he     
saith also1 ,we have received the       
,spirit of adoption1  whereby we cry    
,abba1 ,father4 ,thou hearest this voice

 when thou findest  so much faith in    
thyself that thou dost assuredly1       
without doubting1  presume that not only
 thy sins are forgiven thee1 but also   
that thou art  the beloved ,son of ,god1
 who1 being certain of eternal          
salvation1 durst  both call ,him        
,father1 and be delighted in ,him with a
 joyful and  confident heart4 ,to doubt 
these things brings a reproach upon the 
death  of ,christ1 as tho ,he had not   
obtained all things for us4    ,it may  
be that thou shalt be so tempted as to  
fear and doubt1 and think  plainly that 
,god is not a favorable ,father1 but a  
wrathful revenger of  sins1 as it       
happened with ,job1 and many other      
saints3 but in such a  conflict this    
trust and confidence that thou art a son
 ought to prevail  and overcome4 ,it is 
said ,the ,spirit itself maketh         
intercession for us  with groanings     
which can not be uttered2 and that ,he  
beareth witness  with our spirit that we
 are the children of ,god4 ,how can it  

therefore  be that our hearts should not
 hear this cry and testimony of the     
,spirit8  ,but if thou dost not feel    
this cry1 take heed that thou be not    
slothful  and secure2 pray constantly1  
for thou art in an evil state4    ,cain 
saith1 ,my punishment is greater than ,i
 can bear4 ,behold1 ,thou  hast driven  
me out this day from the face of the    
earth1 and from ,thy  face shall ,i be  
hid2 and it shall come to pass that     
every one that  findeth me shall slay   
me4 ,this is a dreadful and terrible    
cry1 which is  heard from all ,cain's   
progeny1 all such as trust to themselves
 and their  own works1 who put not their
 trust in the ,son of ,god1 neither     
consider  that ,he was sent from the    
,father1 made of a woman under the law1 
much  less that all these things were   
done for their salvation4 ,and while    
their ungodliness is not herewith       
content1 they begin to persecute even   
the sons of ,god1 and grow so cruel     
that1 after the example of their  father

 ,cain1 they can not rest until they    
slay their righteous brother  ,abel1    
wherefore the blood of ,christ          
continually cries out against them      
nothing but punishment and vengeance2   
but for the heirs of salvation it  cries
 by the ,spirit of ,christ for nothing  
but grace and reconciliation4    ,the   
apostle here uses a ,syrian and ,greek  
word1 saying1 ,abba1 ,pater4 ,this  word
 ,abba1 in the ,syrian tongue1 signifies
 a father1 by which name the  heads of  
monasteries are still called2 and by the
 same name1 hermits in  times past1     
being holy men1 called their presidents3
 at last1 by use1 it  was also made a   
,latin word4 ,therefore that which ,paul
 saith is as much  as ,father1 ,father2 
or if thou hadst rather1 my ,father4    
,verse #g4 ,wherefore thou art no more a
 servant1 but a son1 and if a  son1 then
 an heir of ,god through ,christ4 ,he   
saith1 that after the  coming of the    
,spirit1 after the knowledge of ,christ1
 thou art not a  servant4 ,a son is free

 and willing1 a servant is compelled and
  unwilling2 a son liveth and resteth in
 faith1 a servant in works4  ,therefore 
it appears that we can not obtain       
salvation of ,god by works1  but before 
thou workest that which is acceptable to
 ,him1 it is necessary  that thou       
receive salvation2 then good works will 
freely flow1 to the  honor of thy       
heavenly ,father1 and to the profit of  
thy neighbors2  without any fear of     
punishment1 or looking for reward4      
,if this inheritance of the ,father be  
thine by faith1 surely thou art  rich in
 all things1 before thou hast wrought   
any thing4 ,it is said ,your  salvation 
is prepared and reserved in heaven1 to  
be showed in the last  time1 wherefore  
the works of a ,christian ought to have 
no regard to  merit1 which is the manner
 of servants1 but only for the use and  
benefit  of our neighbors1 whereby we   
may truly live to the glory of ,god4    
,lest  that any think that so great an  
inheritance cometh to us without cost   

7altho it be given to us without our    
cost or merit71 yet it cost ,christ  a  
dear price1 who1 that ,he might purchase
 it for us1 was made under the  law1 and
 satisfied it for us1 both by life and  
also by death4    ,those benefits which 
from love we bestow upon our neighbor1  
come to him  freely1 without any charges
 or labor of his1 notwithstanding they  
cost  us something1 even as ,christ hath
 bestowed those things which are ,his   
upon us4 ,thus hath ,paul called back   
the ,galatians from the teachers of     
works1 which preached nothing but the   
law1 perverting the ,gospel of  ,christ4
 ,which things are very necessary to be 
marked of us also3 for the  ,pope1 with 
his prelates and monks hath for a long  
time intruded1 urging  his laws1 which  
are foolish and pernicious1 disagreeing 
in every respect  with the ,word of     
,god1 seducing almost the whole world   
from the gospel of  ,christ1 and plainly
 extinguishing the faith of sons1 as the
 ,scripture  hath in diverse places     

manifestly prophesied of ,his kingdom4  
,wherefore  let every one that desires  
salvation1 diligently take heed of him  
and  his followers1 no otherwise than   
,satan himself4          ,,latimer      
,,on ,,christian ,,love                 
,,biographical ,,note    ,hugh ,latimer1
 reformer and martyr1 was born in       
,leicestershire1 ,england1  in #adhe1 or
 two years later than ,luther4 ,on      
completing an education at  ,cambridge1 
he took holy orders and preached        
strenuously in favor of the  ,lutheran  
views4 ,as a profound canonist1 he was  
placed on the commission  appointed to  
decide on the legality of ,henry ,,vii's
 marriage with  ,katharine of ,aragon4  
,his decision in favor of ,henry gained 
him a royal  chaplaincy and a living4   
,appointed ,bishop of ,worcester in     
#aece1 he preached boldly the reformed  
doctrines1 but lost favor at court1 and 
when ,gardiner and ,bonner pushed  a    
reactionary movement to the front1 he   
retired from his see 7#aeci74  ,latimer 

lived in peaceful retirement under      
,edward ,,vi1 but under ,mary he1  with 
other reformers1 was arrested and thrown
 into the ,tower4 ,brought to  ,oxford  
for examination1 he refused to recant1  
and was confined for a  year in the     
common prison1 and on ,october #af1     
#aeee1 put to death by  fire1 along with
 ,ridley1 at a place opposite ,balliol  
,college1 where the  ,martyr's ,memorial
 was subsequently erected4              
,,latimer  #adhe--aeee    ,,on          
,,christian ,,love    ,this is my       
commandment1 that ye love one another1  
as ,i have loved  you4--,john xv41 #ab4 
,seeing the time is so far spent1 we    
will take no more in hand at this  time 
than this one sentence2 for it will be  
enough for us to consider  this well1   
and to bear it away with us4 ,this ,i   
command unto you1 that  ye love one     
another4 ,our ,savior himself spake     
these words at ,his last  supper3 it was
 the last sermon that ,he made unto ,his
 disciples before  ,his departure2 it is

 a very long sermon4 ,for our ,savior1  
like as one  that knows he shall die    
shortly1 is desirous to spend that      
little time  that ,he has with ,his     
friends1 in exhorting and instructing   
them how they  should lead their lives4 
,now among other things that ,he        
commanded this  was one3 ,this ,i       
command unto you1 that ye love one      
another4 ,the  ,english expresses as tho
 it were but one1 ,this is my           
commandment4 ,i  examined the ,greek1   
where it is in the plural number1 and   
very well2 for  there are many things   
that pertain to a ,christian man1 and   
yet all those  things are contained in  
this one thing1 that is1 love4 ,he      
lappeth up  all things in love4    ,our 
whole duty is contained in these words1 
,love together4 ,therefore  ,st4 ,paul  
saith1 ,he that loveth another          
fulfilleth the whole law2 so it         
appeareth that all things are contained 
in this word love4 ,this love is  a     
precious thing2 our ,savior saith1 ,by  

this shall all men know that ye  are my 
disciples1 if ye shall love one another4
    ,so ,christ makes love ,his         
cognizance1 ,his badge1 ,his livery4    
,like as  every lord commonly gives a   
certain livery to his servants1 whereby 
they  may be known that they pertain    
unto him2 and so we say1 yonder is this 
lord's servants1 because they wear his  
livery3 so our ,savior1 who is the      
,lord above all lords1 would have ,his  
servants known by their liveries  and   
badge1 which badge is love alone4       
,whosoever now is endued with love  and 
charity is ,his servant2 him we may call
 ,christ's servant2 for love  is the    
token whereby you may know that such a  
servant pertaineth to  ,christ2 so that 
charity may be called the very livery of
 ,christ4 ,he that  hath charity is     
,christ's servant2 he that hath not     
charity is the  servant of the devil4   
,for as ,christ's livery is love and    
charity1 so the  devil's livery is      
hatred1 malice and discord4    ,but ,i  

think the devil has a great many more   
servants than ,christ has2  for there   
are a great many more in his livery than
 in ,christ's livery2  there are but    
very few who are endued with ,christ's  
livery2 with love  and charity1         
gentleness and meekness of spirit2 but  
there are a great  number that bear     
hatred and malice in their hearts1 that 
are proud1  stout1 and lofty2 therefore 
the number of the devil's servants is   
greater than the number of ,christ's    
servants4    ,now ,st4 ,paul shows how  
needful this love is4 ,i speak not of   
carnal love1  which is only animal      
affection2 but of this charitable love1 
which is so  necessary that when a man  
hath it1 without all other things it    
will  suffice him4 ,again1 if a man have
 all other things and lacketh that love 
it will not help him1 it is all vain and
 lost4 ,st4 ,paul used it so3 ,tho  ,i  
speak with tongues of men and angels1   
and yet had no love1 ,i were even  as   
sounding brass1 or as a tinkling cymbal4

 ,and tho ,i could prophesy and         
understand all secrets and all          
knowledge2 yet if ,i had faith1 so that 
,i  could move mountains out of their   
places1 and yet had no love1 ,i were    
nothing4 ,and tho ,i bestowed all my    
goods to feed the poor1 and tho ,i  gave
 my body even that ,i were burned1 and  
yet had no love1 it profiteth  me       
nothing 7,i ,cor4 xiii74 ,these are     
godly gifts1 yet ,st4 ,paul calls  them 
nothing when a man hath them without    
charity2 which is a great  commendation1
 and shows the great need of love1      
insomuch that all other  virtues are in 
vain when this love is absent4 ,and     
there have been some  who taught that   
,st4 ,paul spake against the dignity of 
faith2 but you  must understand that    
,st4 ,paul speaks here not of the       
justifying faith1  wherewith we receive 
everlasting life1 but he understands by 
this word  faith the gift to do         
miracles1 to remove hills2 of such a    
faith he  speaks4 ,this ,i say to       

confirm this proposition4 ,faith only   
justifieth2  this proposition is most   
true and certain4 ,and ,st4 ,paul speaks
 not here  of this lively justifying    
faith2 for this right faith is not      
without  love1 for love cometh and      
floweth out of faith2 love is a child of
  faith2 for no man can love except he  
believe1 so that they have two  several 
offices1 they themselves being          
inseparable4    ,st4 ,paul has an       
expression in the #acth chapter of the  
first of the  ,corinthians1 which1      
according to the outward letter1 seems  
much to the  dispraise of this faith1   
and to the praise of love2 these are his
 words1  ,now abideth faith1 hope and   
love1 even these three2 but the chiefest
 of  these is love4 ,there are some     
learned men who expound the greatness of
  which ,st4 ,paul speaketh here as if  
meant for eternity4 ,for when we come   
to ,god1 then we believe no more1 but   
rather see with our eyes face to  face  
how ,he is2 yet for all that love       

remains still2 so that love may be      
called the chiefest1 because she        
endureth forever4 ,and tho she is the   
chiefest1 yet we must not attribute unto
 her the office which pertains  unto    
faith only4 ,like as ,i can not say1 the
 ,mayor of ,stamford must make  me a    
pair of shoes because he is a greater   
man than the shoemaker is2  for the     
mayor1 tho he is a greater man1 yet it  
is not his office to make  shoes2 so tho
 love be greater1 yet it is not her     
office to save4 ,thus  much ,i thought  
good to say against those who fight     
against the truth4    ,now1 when we     
would know who are in ,christ's livery  
or not1 we must learn  it of ,st4 ,paul1
 who most evidently described charity1  
which is the only  livery1 saying1 ,love
 is patient1 she suffereth long4 ,now   
whosoever  fumeth and is angry1 he is   
out of this livery3 therefore let us    
remember  that we do not cast away the  
livery of ,christ our ,master4 ,when we 
are in  sickness1 or any manner of      

adversities1 our duty is to be patient1 
to  suffer willingly1 and to call upon  
,him for aid1 help and comfort2 for     
without ,him we are not able to abide   
any tribulation4 ,therefore we must     
call upon ,god1 ,he has promised to     
help3 therefore let me not think ,him   
to be false or untrue to ,his promises1 
for we can not dishonor ,god more  than 
by not believing or trusting in ,him4   
,therefore let us beware above  all     
things of dishonoring ,god2 and so we   
must be patient1 trusting and  most     
certainly believing that ,he will       
deliver us when it seems good to  ,him1 
who knows the time better than we       
ourselves4    ,charity is gentle1       
friendly1 and loving2 she envieth not4  
,they that  envy their neighbor's profit
 when it goes well with him1 such       
fellows  are out of their liveries1 and 
so out of the service of ,god2 for to be
  envious is to be the servant of the   
devil4    ,love doth not frowardly1 she 
is not a provoker2 as there are some men

  who will provoke their neighbor so far
 that it is very hard for them to  be in
 charity with them2 but we must wrestle 
with our affections2 we  must strive and
 see that we keep this livery of ,christ
 our master2 for  the devil goeth about 
as a roaring lion seeking to take us at 
a  vantage1 to bring us out of our      
liveries1 and to take from us the knot  
of love and charity4    ,love swelleth  
not1 is not puffed up2 but there are    
many swellers  nowadays1 they are so    
high1 so lofty1 insomuch that they      
despise and  contemn all others2 all    
such persons are under the governance of
 the  devil4 ,god rules not them with   
,his good spirit2 the evil spirit has   
occupied their hearts and possest them4 
,she doth not dishonestly2 she seeketh  
not her own2 she doth all things  to the
 commodity of her neighbors4 ,a         
charitable man will not promote  himself
 with the damage of his neighbor4 ,they 
that seek only their own  advantage1    
forgetting their neighbors1 they are not

 of ,god1 they have  not ,his livery4   
,further1 ,charity is not provoked to   
anger2 she thinketh  not evil4 ,we ought
 not to think evil of our neighbor1 as  
long as we  see not open wickedness2 for
 it is written1 ,you shall not judge2 we
  should not take upon us to condemn our
 neighbor4 ,and surely the  condemners  
of other men's works are not in the     
livery of ,christ4 ,christ  hateth them4
    ,she rejoiceth not in iniquity2 she 
loveth equity and godliness4 ,and       
again1 she is sorry to hear of          
falsehood1 of stealing1 or such like1   
which wickedness is now at this time    
commonly used4 ,there never was such    
falsehood among ,christian men as there 
is now1 at this time2 truly ,i  think1  
and they that have experience report it 
so1 that among the very  infidels and   
,turks there is more fidelity and       
uprightness than among  ,christian men4 
,for no man setteth anything by his     
promise1 yea1 and  writings will not    
serve with some2 they are so shameless  

that they dare  deny their own          
handwriting2 but1 ,i pray you1 are those
 false fellows in  the livery of        
,christ8 ,have they ,his cognizance8    
,no1 no2 they have the  badge of the    
devil1 with whom they shall be damned   
world without end1  except they amend   
and leave their wickedness4    ,she     
suffereth all things2 she believeth all 
things4 ,it is a great  matter that     
should make us to be grieved with our   
neighbor2 we should be  patient when our
 neighbor doth wrong1 we should admonish
 him of his  folly1 earnestly desiring  
him to leave his wickedness1 showing the
  danger that follows1 everlasting      
damnation4 ,in such wise we should      
study to amend our neighbor1 and not to 
hate him or do him a foul turn  again1  
but rather charitably study to amend    
him3 whosoever now does so1  he has the 
livery and cognizance of ,christ1 he    
shall be known at the  last day for his 
servant4    ,love believeth all things2 
it appears daily that they who are      

charitable and friendly are most        
deceived2 because they think well of    
every man1 they believe every man1 they 
trust their words1 and therefore  are   
most deceived in this world1 among the  
children of the devil4 ,these  and such 
like things are the tokens of the right 
and godly love2  therefore they that    
have this love are soon known1 for this 
love can not  be hid in corners1 she has
 her operation3 therefore all that have 
her  are well enough1 tho they have no  
other gifts besides her4 ,again1 they   
that lack her1 tho they have many other 
gifts besides1 yet is it to no  other   
purpose1 it does then no good3 for when 
we shall come at the great  day before  
him1 not having this livery 7that is    
love7 with us1 then we  are lost2 he    
will not take us for ,his servants1     
because we have not ,his  cognizance4   
,but if we have this livery1 if we wear 
,his cognizance here  in this world2    
that is1 if we love our neighbor1 help  
him in his  distress1 are charitable1   

loving1 and friendly unto him1 then we  
shall  be known at the last day3 but if 
we be uncharitable toward our  neighbor1
 hate him1 seek our own advantage with  
,his damage1 then we  shall be rejected 
of ,christ and so damned world without  
end4    ,our ,savior saith here in this 
gospel1 ,i command you these things2 ,he
  speaketh in the plural number1 and    
lappeth it up in one thing1 which is    
that we should love one another1 much   
like ,st4 ,paul's saying in the #acth   
to the ,romans1 ,owe nothing to any man1
 but to love one another4 ,here  ,st4   
,paul lappeth up all things together1   
signifying unto us that love is  the    
consummation of the law2 for this       
commandment1 ,thou shalt not  commit    
adultery1 is contained in this law of   
love3 for he that loveth  ,god will not 
break wedlock1 because wedlock-breaking 
is a dishonoring of  ,god and a serving 
of the devil4 ,thou shalt not kill2 he  
that loveth  will not kill1 he will do  
no harm4 ,thou shalt not steal2 he that 

loveth his neighbor as himself will not 
take away his goods4 ,i had of  late    
occasion to speak of picking and        
stealing1 where ,i showed unto you  the 
danger wherein they are that steal their
 neighbor's goods from them1  but ,i    
hear nothing yet of restitution4 ,sirs1 
,i tell you1 except  restitution is     
made1 look for no salvation4 ,and it is 
a miserable and  heinous thing to       
consider that we are so blinded with    
this world that1  rather than we would  
make restitution1 we will sell unto the 
devil our  souls which are bought with  
the blood of our ,savior ,christ4 ,what 
can be  done more to the dishonoring of 
,christ than to cast our souls away to  
the devil for the value of a little     
money8--the soul which ,he has bought   
with ,his painful passion and death4    
,but ,i tell you those that will do  so1
 and that will not make restitution when
 they have done wrong1 or  taken away   
their neighbor's goods1 they are not in 
the livery of ,christ1  they are not his

 servants2 let them go as they will in  
this world1 yet  for all that they are  
foul and filthy enough before ,god2 they
 stink  before ,his face2 and therefore 
they shall be cast from ,his presence   
into  everlasting fire2 this shall be   
all their good cheer that they shall    
have1 because they have not the livery  
of ,christ1 nor ,his cognizance1  which 
is love4 ,they remember not that ,christ
 commanded us1 saying1 ,this  ,i command
 you1 that ye love one another4 ,this is
 ,christ's commandment4  ,moses1 the    
great prophet of ,god1 gave many laws1  
but he gave not the  spirit to fulfil   
the same laws3 but ,christ gave this    
law1 and promised  unto us1 that when we
 call upon ,him ,he will give us ,his   
,holy ,ghost1 who  shall make us able to
 fulfil ,his laws1 tho not so perfectly 
as the law  requires2 but yet to the    
contention of ,god1 and to the          
protection of our  faith2 for as long as
 we are in this world1 we can do nothing
 as we  ought to do1 because our flesh  

leadeth us1 which is ever bent against  
the law of ,god2 yet our works which we 
do are well taken for ,christ's  sake1  
and ,god will reward them in heaven4    
,therefore our ,savior saith1 my yoke is
 easy1 and my burden is light1  because 
,he helpeth to bear them2 else indeed we
 should not be able to  bear them4 ,and 
in another place ,he saith1 ,his        
commandments are not  heavy2 they are   
heavy to our flesh1 but being qualified 
with the ,spirit  of ,god1 to the       
faithful which believe in ,christ1 to   
them1 ,i say1 they  are not heavy2 for  
tho their doings are not perfect1 yet   
they are well  taken for ,christ's sake4
    ,you must not be offended because   
the ,scripture commends love so highly1 
for he that commends the daughter       
commends the mother2 for love is the    
daughter1 and faith is the mother3 love 
floweth out of faith2 where  faith is1  
there is love2 but yet we must consider 
their offices1 faith  is the hand       
wherewith we take hold on everlasting   

life4    ,now let us enter into         
ourselves1 and examine our own hearts1  
whether we  are in the livery of ,god1  
or not3 and when we find ourselves to be
 out  of this livery1 let us repent and 
amend our lives1 so that we may come    
again to the favor of ,god1 and spend   
our time in this world to ,his honor    
and glory1 forgiving our neighbors all  
such things as they have done  against  
us4    ,and now to make an end3 mark    
here who gave this precept of           
love--,christ  our ,savior ,himself4    
,when and at what time8 ,at ,his        
departing1 when ,he  should suffer      
death4 ,therefore these words ought the 
more to be  regarded1 seeing ,he        
,himself spake them at ,his last        
departing from us4  ,may ,god of ,his   
mercy give us grace so to walk here in  
this world1  charitably and friendly one
 with another1 that we may attain the   
joy  which ,god hath prepared for all   
those that love ,him4 ,amen4            
,,melanchthon    ,,the ,,safety ,,of    

,,the ,,virtuous      ,,biographical    
,,note    ,philip ,melanchthon          
7,schwarzerd7 was born at ,bretten1 in  
,baden1 in #adig4  ,his name is         
noteworthy as first a fellow laborer and
 eventually a  controversial antagonist 
of ,luther4 ,at the ,diet of ,augsburg1 
in #aecj1 he  was the leading           
representative of the ,reformation4 ,he 
formulated the  twenty-eight articles of
 the evangelical faith known as the     
,augsburg  ,confession4 ,the ,lutherans 
of extreme ,calvinistic views were      
alienated  by ,melanchthon's subsequent 
modifications of this confession1 and by
 his  treatises in ethics4 ,he and his  
followers were bitterly assailed1 but   
his irenic spirit did not forsake him4  
,he was a true child of the             
,renaissance1 and is styled by some     
writers the founder of general  learning
 throughout ,europe4 ,while he was never
 called or ordained to  the ministry of 
the ,church1 he was in the habit of     
addressing the local  religious         

assemblies or collegia from time to     
time1 and1 being a man of  profound     
piety1 his sympathetic and natural style
 of delivery made him  an impressive    
speaker4 ,he died in #aefj1 and his body
 was laid beside  that of ,martin       
,luther4        ,,melanchthon           
#adig--aefj    ,,the ,,safety ,,of ,,the
 ,,virtuous    ,neither shall any man   
pluck them out of my hand4--,john x1    
#bh4      ,to ,thee1 almighty and true  
,god1 eternal ,father of our ,lord      
,jesus ,christ1  maker of heaven and    
earth1 and of all creatures1 together   
with ,thy ,son  our ,lord ,jesus        
,christ1 and the ,holy ,ghost--to ,thee1
 the wise1 good1  true1 righteous1      
compassionate1 pure1 gracious ,god1 we  
render thanks  that ,thou hast hitherto 
upheld the ,church in these lands1 and  
graciously  afforded it protection and  
care1 and we earnestly beseech ,thee    
evermore  to gather among us an         
inheritance for ,thy ,son1 which may    
praise ,thee to  all eternity4    ,i    

have in these1 our assemblies1 often    
uttered partly admonitions and  partly  
reproofs1 which ,i hope the most of you 
will bear in mind4 ,but  since ,i must  
presume that now the hearts of all are  
wrung with a new  grief and a new pang  
by reason of the war in our             
neighborhood1 this  season seems to call
 for a word of consolation4 ,and1 as we 
commonly say1  ,where the pain is there 
one claps his hand1 ,i could not1 in    
this so  great affliction1 make up my   
mind to turn my discourse upon any other
  subject4 ,i do not1 indeed1 doubt that
 you yourselves seek comfort in the     
divine declarations1 yet will ,i also   
bring before you some things  collected 
therefrom1 because always that on which 
we had ourselves  thought becomes more  
precious to us when we hear that it     
proves itself  salutary also to others4 
,and because long discourses are        
burdensome in  time of sorrow and       
mourning1 ,i will1 without delay1 bring 
forward that  comfort which is the most 

effectual4    ,our pains are best       
assuaged when something good and        
beneficial1  especially some help toward
 a happy issue1 presents itself4 ,all   
other  topics of consolation1 such as   
men borrow from the unavoidableness of  
suffering1 and the examples of others1  
bring us no great alleviation4  ,but the
 ,son of ,god1 our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1
 who was crucified for us and  raised   
again1 and now sits at the right hand of
 the ,father1 offers us  help and       
deliverance1 and has manifested this    
disposition in many  declarations4 ,i   
will now speak of the words3 ,no man    
shall pluck my  sheep out of my hand4   
,this expression has often raised me up 
out of the  deepest sorrow1 and drawn   
me1 as it were1 out of hell4    ,the    
wisest men in all times have bewailed   
the great amount of human  misery which 
we see with our eyes before we pass into
 eternity--diseases1  death1 want1 our  
own errors1 by which we bring harm and  
punishment on  ourselves1 hostile men1  

unfaithfulness on the part of those with
 whom we  are closely connected1        
banishment1 abuse1 desertion1 miserable 
children1  public and domestic strife1  
wars1 murder1 and devastation4 ,and     
since  such things appear to befall good
 and bad without distinction1 many wise 
men have inquired whether there were any
 ,providence1 or whether accident       
brings everything to pass independent of
 a divine purpose8 ,but we in the       
,church know that the first and         
principal cause of human woe is this1   
that on account of sin man is made      
subject to death and other calamity1    
which is so much more vehement in the   
,church1 because the devil1 from  the   
hatred toward ,god1 makes fearful       
assaults on the ,church and strives  to 
destroy it utterly4    ,therefore it is 
written3 ,i will put enmity between the 
serpent and the  seed of the woman4 ,and
 ,peter says3 ,your adversary1 the      
devil1 as a  roaring lion1 walketh about
 and seeketh whom he may devour4    ,not

 in vain1 however1 has ,god made known  
to us the causes of our misery4  ,we    
should not only consider the greatness  
of our necessity1 but also  discern the 
causes of it1 and recognize ,his        
righteous anger against sin1  to the end
 that we may1 on the other hand1        
perceive the ,redeemer and the          
greatness of ,his compassion2 and as    
witnesses to these1 ,his  declarations1 
,he adds the raising of dead men to     
life1 and other  miracles4    ,let us   
banish from our hearts1 therefore1 the  
unbelieving opinions which  imagine that
 evils befall us by mere chance1 or from
 physical causes4    ,but when thou     
considerest the wounds in thy own circle
 of relations1 or  dost cast a glance at
 the public disorders in the ,state1    
which again  afflict the individual also
 7as ,solon says3 ,the general          
corruption  penetrates even to thy quiet
 habitation71 then think1 first1 of thy 
own  and others' sins1 and of the       
righteous wrath of ,god2 and1 secondly1 

weigh the rage of the devil1 who lets   
loose his hate chiefly in the  ,church4 
,in all men1 even the better class1     
great darkness reigns4 ,we see not how  
great an evil sin is1 and regard not    
ourselves as so shamefully defiled4  ,we
 flatter ourselves1 in particular1      
because we profess a better  doctrine   
concerning ,god4 ,nevertheless1 we      
resign ourselves to a careless  slumber1
 or pamper each one his own desires2 our
 impurity1 the disorders  of the        
,church1 the necessity of brethren1     
fills us not with pain2  devotion is    
without fire and fervor2 zeal for       
doctrine and discipline  languishes1 and
 not a few are my sins1 and thine1 and  
those of many  others1 by reason of     
which such punishments are heaped upon  
us4    ,let us1 therefore1 apply our    
hearts to repentance1 and direct our    
eyes  to the ,son of ,god1 in respect to
 whom we have the assurance that1 after 
the wonderful counsel of ,god1 ,he is   
placed over the family of man1 to be    

the protector and preserver of his      
,church4    ,we perceive not fully      
either of our wretchedness or our       
dangers1 or the  fury of enemies1 until 
after events of extraordinary           
sorrowfulness4  ,still we ought to      
reflect thus3 there must exist great    
need and a  fearful might and rage of   
enemies1 since so powerful a protector  
has  been given to us1 even ,god's ,son4
 ,when ,he says3 ,no man shall pluck my 
sheep out of my hand1 ,he indicates that
 ,he is no idle spectator of woe1  but  
that mighty and incessant strife is     
going on4 ,the devil incites his  tools 
to disturb the ,church or the political 
commonwealth1 that  boundless confusion 
may enter1 followed by heathenish       
desolation4 ,but  the ,son of ,god1 who 
holds in ,his hands1 as it were1 the    
congregation of  those who call upon    
,his name1 hurls back the devils by ,his
 infinite  power1 conquers and chases   
them thence1 and will one day shut them 
up in  the prison of hell1 and punish   

them to all eternity with fearful pains4
  ,this comfort we must hold fast in    
regard to the entire ,church1 as well   
as each in regard to himself4    ,if1 in
 these distracted and warring times1 we 
see ,states blaze up and  fall to ruin1 
then look away to the ,son of ,god1 who 
stands in the secret  counsel of the    
,godhead and guards ,his little flock   
and carries the weak  lambs1 as it were1
 in ,his own hands4 ,be persuaded that  
by ,him thou also  shalt be protected   
and upheld4    ,here some1 not rightly  
instructed1 will exclaim3 ,truly ,i     
could wish to  commend myself to such a 
keeper1 but only ,his sheep does ,he    
preserve4  ,whether ,i also am counted  
in that flock1 ,i know not4 ,against    
this  doubt we must most strenuously    
contend1 for the ,lord ,himself assures 
us  in this very passage1 that all who  
hear and with faith receive the  voice  
of the gospel are ,his sheep2 and ,he   
says expressly3 ,if a man  love me1 he  
will keep my words1 and my ,father will 

love him1 and we will  come to him and  
make our abode with him4 ,these promises
 of the ,son of  ,god1 which can not be 
shaken1 we must confidently appropriate 
to  ourselves4 ,nor shouldst thou1 by   
thy doubts1 exclude thyself from this   
blest flock1 which originates in the    
righteousness of the gospel4 ,they  do  
not rightly distinguish between the law 
and the gospel1 who1 because  they are  
unworthy1 reckon not themselves among   
the sheep4 ,rather is this  consolation 
afforded us1 that we are accepted for   
the ,son of ,god's  sake1 truly1 without
 merit1 not on account of our own       
righteousness1  but through faith1      
because we are unworthy1 and impure1 and
 far from  having fulfilled the law of  
,god4 ,that is1 moreover1 a universal   
promise1  in which the ,son of ,god     
saith3 ,come unto me1 all ye that labor 
and are  heavy laden1 and ,i will give  
you rest4    ,the eternal ,father       
earnestly commands that we should hear  
the ,son1 and  it is the greatest of all

 transgressions if we despise ,him and  
do not  approve ,his voice4 ,this is    
what every one should often and         
diligently  consider1 and in this       
disposition of the ,father1 revealed    
through the  ,son1 find grace4          
,altho1 amid so great disturbances1 many
 a sorrowful spectacle meets  thine eye1
 and the ,church is rent by discord and 
hate1 and manifold and  domestic public 
necessity is added thereto1 still let   
not despair  overcome thee1 but know    
thou that thou hast the ,son of ,god for
 a keeper  and protector1 who will not  
suffer either the ,church1 or thee1 or  
thy  family1 to be plucked out of ,his  
hand by the fury of the devil4    ,with 
all my heart1 therefore1 do ,i          
supplicate the ,son of ,god1 our ,lord  
,jesus ,christ1 who1 having been        
crucified for us1 and raised again1 sits
  at the right hand of the ,father1 to  
bless men with ,his gifts1 and to ,him  
,i pray that ,he would protect and      
govern this little church and me        

therein4 ,other sure trust1 in this     
great flame when the whole world is  on 
fire1 ,i discern nowhere4 ,each one has 
his separate hopes1 and each  one with  
his understanding seeks to repose in    
something else2 but  however good that  
may all be1 it is still a far better1   
and  unquestionably a more effectual1   
consolation to flee to the ,son of ,god 
and expect help and deliverances from   
,him4    ,such wishes will not be in    
vain4 ,for to this end are we laden with
 such  a crowd of dangers1 that in      
events and occurrences which to human   
prudence are an inexplicable enigma1 we 
may recognize the infinite  goodness and
 presentness of ,god1 in that ,he1 for  
,his ,son's sake1 and  through ,his     
,son1 affords us aid4 ,god will be owned
 in such deliverance  just as in the    
deliverance of your first parents1 who1 
after the fall1  when they were forsaken
 by all the creatures1 were upheld by   
the help of  ,god alone4 ,so was the    
family of ,noah in the flood1 so were   

the  ,israelites preserved when in the  
,red ,sea they stood between the        
towering  walls of waters4 ,these       
glorious examples are held up before us1
 that we  might know1 in like manner1   
the ,church1 without the help of any    
created  beings1 is often preserved4    
,many in all times have experienced such
  divine deliverance and support in     
their personal dangers1 as ,david       
saith3 ,my father and my mother have    
forsaken me1 but the ,lord taketh me    
up2 and in another place ,david saith3  
,he hath delivered the wretched1  who   
hath no helper4 ,but in order that we   
may become partakers of these  so great 
blessings1 faith and devotion must be   
kindled within us1 as it  stands        
written1 ,verily1 ,i say unto you6 ,so  
likewise must our faith be  exercised1  
that before deliverance we should pray  
for help and wait for  it1 resting in   
,god with a certain cheerfulness of     
soul2 and that we  should not cherish   
continual doubt and melancholy murmuring

 in our  hearts1 but constantly set     
before our eyes the admonition of ,god3 
,the  peace of ,god which passeth all   
understanding keep your heart and mind2 
which is to say1 be so comforted in     
,god1 in time of danger1 that your      
hearts1 having been strengthened by     
confidence in the pity and  presentness 
of ,god1 may patiently wait for help and
 deliverance1 and  quietly maintain that
 peaceful serenity which is the         
beginning of  eternal life1 and without 
which there can be no true devotion4    
,for distrust and doubt produce a gloomy
 and terrible hate toward ,god1  and    
that is the beginning of the eternal    
torments1 and a rage like that  of the  
devil4    ,now you must guard against   
these billows in the soul1 and these    
stormy  agitations1 and1 by meditation  
on the precious promises of ,god1 keep  
and  establish your hearts4    ,truly   
these times allow not the wonted        
security and the wonted  intoxication of
 the world1 but they demand that with   

honest groans we  should cry for help1  
as the ,lord saith1 ,watch and pray that
 ye fall not  into temptation1 that ye  
may not1 being overcome by despair1     
plunge  into everlasting destruction4   
,there is need of wisdom to discern the 
dangers of the soul1 as well as the     
safeguard against them4 ,souls go to    
ruin as well when1 in epicurean         
security1 they make light of the wrath  
of ,god as when they are overcome by    
doubt and cast down by anxious  sorrow1 
and these transgressions aggravate the  
punishment4 ,the godly1 on  the other   
hand1 who by faith and devotion keep    
their hearts erect and  near to ,god1   
enjoy the beginning of eternal life and 
obtain mitigation  of the general       
distress4    ,we1 therefore1 implore    
,thee1 ,son of ,god1 ,lord ,jesus       
,christ1 who1 having  been crucified and
 raised for us1 standest in the secret  
counsel of the  ,godhead1 and makest    
intercession for us1 and hast said3     
,come unto me1  all ye that labor and   

are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you   
rest4 ,i call  upon ,thee1 and with my  
whole heart beseech ,thee1 according to 
,thine  infinite compassion1 forgive us 
our sins4 ,thou knowest that in our     
great  weakness we are not able to bear 
the burden of our woe4 ,do ,thou1       
therefore1 afford us aid in our private 
and public necessities2 be ,thou  our   
shelter and protector1 uphold the       
churches in these lands1 and all  which 
serves for their defense and safeguard4 
,,knox    ,,the ,,first ,,temptation    
,,of ,,christ      ,,biographical ,,note
    ,john ,knox1 the great ,scottish    
reformer1 was born at ,giffordgate1 four
  miles from ,haddington1 ,scotland1 in 
#aeje4 ,he first made his appearance  as
 a preacher in ,edinburgh1 where he     
thundered against popery1 but was       
imprisoned and sent to the galleys in   
#aedf4 ,in #aedg ,edward ,,vi secured   
his release and made him a royal        
chaplain1 when he acquired the          
friendship of ,cranmer and other        

reformers4 ,on the accession of ,mary   
7#aeec7 he took refuge on the           
,continent4 ,in #aeef he accepted the   
charge  of a church in ,geneva1 but1    
after three years of tranquillity1      
returned  to ,scotland and became a     
popular leader of the ,reformation in   
that  country4 ,his eloquence lashed the
 multitude to enthusiasm and acts of    
turbulent violence4 ,as a preacher his  
style was direct and fearless1  often   
fiery1 and he had a habit of pounding   
the pulpit to emphasize  particular     
truths4 ,he died in #aegb4        ,,knox
  #aeje--aegb    ,,the ,,first          
,,temptation ,,of ,,christ    ,then was 
,jesus led up of the ,spirit into the   
wilderness1 to be tempted  of the       
devil4--,matt4 iv41 #a4      ,the cause 
moving me to treat of this place of     
,scripture is1 that such as  by the     
inscrutable providence of ,god fall into
 divers temptations1 judge  not         
themselves by reason thereof to be less 
acceptable in ,god's  presence4 ,but1 on

 the contrary1 having the way prepared  
to victory by  ,jesus ,christ1 they     
shall not fear above measure the crafty 
assaults of  that subtle serpent ,satan2
 but with joy and bold courage1 having  
such a  guide as here is pointed forth1 
such a champion1 and such weapons as    
here are to be found 7if with obedience 
we will hear1 and unfeigned  faith      
believe71 we may assure ourselves of    
,god's present favor1 and of  final     
victory1 by the means of ,him1 who1 for 
our safeguard and  deliverance1 entered 
in the battle1 and triumphed over ,his  
adversary1  and all his raging fury4    
,and that this being heard and          
understood1 may  the better be kept in  
memory2 this order1 by ,god's grace1 we 
propose to  observe1 in treating the    
matter3 ,first1 ,what this word         
temptation  meaneth1 and how it is used 
within the ,scriptures4 ,secondly1 ,who 
is here  tempted and at what time this  
temptation happened4 ,thirdly1 ,how and 
by  what means ,he was tempted4         

,fourthly1 ,why ,he should suffer these 
temptations1 and what fruits ensue to us
 from the same4    ,first1 ,temptation1 
or to tempt1 in the ,scriptures of ,god1
 is called to  try1 to prove1 or to     
assault the valor1 the power1 the will1 
the  pleasure1 or the wisdom--whether it
 be of ,god1 or of creatures4 ,and it   
is taken sometimes in good part1 as when
 it is said that ,god tempted  ,abraham2
 ,god tempted the people of ,israel2    
that is1 ,god did try and  examine them1
 not for ,his own knowledge1 to whom    
nothing is hid1 but to  certify others  
how obedient ,abraham was to ,god's     
commandment1 and how  weak and inferior 
,israelites were in their journey toward
 the promised  land4 ,and this          
temptation is always good1 because it   
proceeds  immediately from ,god1 to open
 and make manifest the secret motions of
  men's hearts1 the puissance and power 
of ,god's word1 and the great  lenity   
and gentleness of ,god toward the       
iniquities 7yea1 horrible sins  and     

rebellions7 of those whom ,he hath      
received into ,his regimen and  care4   
,for who could have believed that the   
bare word of ,god could so  have moved  
the heart and affections of ,abraham1   
that to obey ,god's  commandment he     
determined to kill1 with his own hand1  
his best-beloved  son ,isaac8 ,who could
 have trusted that1 so many torments as 
,job  suffered1 he should not speak in  
all his great temptation one foolish    
word against ,god8 ,or who could have   
thought that ,god so mercifully  should 
have pardoned so many and so manifest   
transgressions committed by  ,his people
 in the desert1 and yet that ,his mercy 
never utterly left  them1 but still     
continued with them1 till at length he  
performed ,his  promise made to         
,abraham8 ,who1 ,i say1 would have been 
persuaded of these  things1 unless by   
trials and temptations taken of ,his    
creatures by ,god1  they had come by    
revelation made in ,his holy ,scriptures
 to our  knowledge8 ,and so this kind of

 temptation is profitable1 good1 and    
necessary1 as a thing proceeding from   
,god1 who is the fountain of all        
goodness1 to the manifestation of ,his  
own glory1 and to the profit of  the    
suffered1 however the flesh may judge in
 the hour of temptation4  ,otherwise    
temptation1 or to tempt1 is taken in    
evil part2 that is1 he  that assaults or
 assails intends destruction and        
confusion to him that  is assaulted4 ,as
 when ,satan tempted the women in the   
garden1 ,job by  divers tribulations1   
and ,david by adultery4 ,the scribes and
 ,pharisees  tempted ,christ by divers  
means1 questions1 and subtleties4 ,and  
of this  matter1 saith ,st4 ,james1 ,god
 tempteth no man2 that is1 by temptation
  proceeding immediately from ,him ,he  
intends no man's destruction4 ,and  here
 you shall note1 that altho ,satan      
appears sometimes to prevail  against   
,god's elect1 yet he is ever frustrated 
of his final purpose4 ,by  temptation   
,he led ,eve and ,david from the        

obedience of ,god1 but ,he could  not   
retain them forever under ,his thraldom4
 ,power was granted to ,him to  spoil   
,job of his substance and children1 and 
to strike his body with a  plague and   
sickness most vile and fearful1 but ,he 
could not compel his  mouth to blaspheme
 ,god's majesty2 and1 therefore1 altho  
we are laid open  sometimes1 as it were1
 to tribulation for a time1 it is that  
when ,he has  poured forth the venom of 
,his malice against ,god's elect it may 
return  to ,his own confusion1 and that 
the deliverance of ,god's children may  
be  more to ,his glory1 and the comfort 
of the afflicted3 knowing that ,his     
hand is so powerful1 ,his mercy and     
good-will so prompt1 that ,he delivers  
,his little ones from their cruel enemy1
 even as ,david did his sheep and  lambs
 from the mouth of the lion4 ,for a     
little benefit received in  extreme     
danger more moves us than the           
preservation from ten thousand  perils1 
so that we fall not into them4 ,and yet 

to preserve from dangers  and perils so 
that we fall not into them1 whether they
 are of body or  spirit1 is no less the 
work of ,god than to deliver from them2 
but the  weakness of our faith does not 
perceive it3 this ,i leave at the       
present4    ,also1 to tempt means simply
 to prove or try without any determinate
  purpose or profit or damage to ensue2 
as when the mind doubteth of  anything1 
and therein desires to be satisfied1    
without great love or  extreme hatred of
 the thing that is tempted or tried4    
,david tempted2  that is1 tried himself 
if he could go in harness4 7,i ,sam4    
xvii47 ,and  ,gideon said1 ,let not     
thine anger kindle against me1 if ,i    
tempt thee  once again4 ,so the ,queen  
of ,sheba came to tempt ,solomon in     
subtle  questions4 ,this famous queen1  
not fully trusting the report and fame  
that was spread of ,solomon1 by subtle  
questions desired to prove his  wisdom2 
at the first1 neither extremely hating  
nor fervently loving the  person of the 

king4 ,and ,david1 as a man not         
accustomed to harness1 would  try how he
 was able to go1 and behave and fashion 
himself therein1  before he would hazard
 battle with ,goliath so armed4 ,and    
,gideon1 not  satisfied in his          
conscience by the first that he         
received1 desired1  without contempt or 
hatred of ,god1 a second time to be     
certified of his  vocation4 ,in this    
sense must the apostle be expounded when
 he commands  us to tempt2 that is1 to  
try and examine ourselves1 if we stand  
in the  faith4 ,thus much for the term4 
,now to the person tempted1 and to the  
time and place of his temptation4  ,the 
person tempted is the only well-beloved 
,son of ,god2 the time was  immediately 
after ,his baptism2 and the place was   
the desert or  wilderness4 ,but that we 
derive advantage from what is related1  
we must  consider the same more         
profoundly4 ,that the ,son of ,god was  
thus tempted  gives instructions to us1 
that temptations1 altho they be ever so 

grievous and fearful1 do not separate us
 from ,god's favor and mercy1 but       
rather declare the great graces of ,god 
to appertain to us1 which makes  ,satan 
to rage as a roaring lion2 for against  
none does ,he so fiercely  fight as     
against those of whose hearts ,christ   
has taken possession4    ,the time of   
,christ's temptation is here most       
diligently to be noted4 ,and  that was1 
as ,mark and ,luke witness1 immediately 
after the voice of ,god  the ,father had
 commended ,his ,son to the world1 and  
had visibly pointed  to ,him by the sign
 of the ,holy ,ghost2 ,he was led or    
moved by the ,spirit  to go to a        
wilderness1 where forty days he remained
 fasting among the  wild beasts4 ,this  
,spirit which led ,christ into the      
wilderness was not  the devil1 but the  
holy ,spirit of ,god the ,father1 by    
whom ,christ1 as  touching ,his human   
and manly nature1 was conducted and led2
 likewise by  the same ,spirit ,he was  
strengthened and made strong1 and1      

finally1  raised up from the dead4 ,the 
,spirit of ,god1 ,i say1 led ,christ to 
the  place of ,his battle1 where ,he    
endured the combat for the whole forty  
days and nights4 ,as ,luke saith1 ,he   
was tempted1 but in the end most        
vehemently1 after ,his continual        
fasting1 and that ,he began to be       
hungry4  ,upon this forty days and this 
fasting of ,christ do our ,papists found
  and build their ,lent2 for1 say they1 
all the actions of ,christ are our      
instructions2 what ,he did we ought to  
follow4 ,but ,he fasted forty days1     
therefore we ought to do the like4 ,i   
answer1 that if we ought to follow  all 
,christ's actions1 then ought we neither
 to eat nor drink for the  space of     
forty days1 for so fasted ,christ2 we   
ought to go upon the  waters with our   
feet2 to cast out devils by our word2 to
 heal and cure  all sorts of maladies2  
to call again the dead to life2 for so  
did  ,christ4 ,this ,i write only that  
men may see the vanity of those who1    

boasting themselves of wisdom1 have     
become fools4    ,did ,christ fast those
 forty days to teach us superstitious   
fasting8 ,can  the ,papists assure me1  
or any other man1 which were the forty  
days that  ,christ fasted8 plain it is  
he fasted the forty days and nights that
  immediately followed ,his baptism1 but
 which they were1 or in what month  was 
the day of ,his baptism1 ,scripture does
 not express2 and altho the  day were   
exprest1 am ,i or any ,christian bound  
to counterfeit ,christ's  actions as the
 ape counterfeits the act or work of    
man8 ,he ,himself  requires no such     
obedience of ,his true followers1 but   
saith to the  apostles1 ,go and preach  
the gospel to all nations1 baptizing    
them in  the name of the ,father1 the   
,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost2 commanding  
them to  observe and keep all that ,i   
have commanded you4 ,here ,christ ,jesus
  requires the observance of ,his       
precepts and commandments1 not of ,his  
actions1 except in so far as ,he had    

also commanded them2 and so must the    
apostle be understood when he saith1 ,be
 followers of ,christ1 for ,christ  hath
 suffered for us1 that we should follow 
,his footsteps1 which can  not be       
understood of every action of ,christ1  
either in the mystery of  our           
redemption1 or in ,his actions and      
marvelous works1 but only of those      
which ,he hath commanded us to observe4 
,but where the ,papists are so  diligent
 in establishing their dreams and       
fantasies1 they lose the  profit that   
here is to be gathered2 that is1 why    
,christ fasted those  forty days2 which 
were a doctrine more necessary for      
,christians than to  corrupt the simple 
hearts with superstition1 as tho the    
wisdom of ,god1  ,christ ,jesus1 had    
taught us no other mystery by ,his      
fasting than the  abstinence from flesh1
 or once on the day to eat flesh1 for   
the space of  forty days4 ,god hath     
taken a just vengeance upon the pride of
 such men1  while ,he thus confounds the

 wisdom of those that do most glory in  
wisdom1 and strikes with blindness such 
as will be guides and lanterns  to the  
feet of others1 and yet refuse          
themselves to hear or follow the  light 
of ,god's word4 ,from such deliver thy  
poor flock1 ,o ,lord6    ,the uses of   
,christ's fasting these forty days ,i   
find chiefly to be two3  ,the first1 to 
witness to the world the dignity and    
excellence of ,his  vocation1 which     
,christ1 after ,his baptism1 was to take
 upon ,him openly2  the other1 to       
declare that he entered into battle     
willingly for our  cause1 and does1 as  
it were1 provoke his adversary to       
assault ,him3 altho  ,christ ,jesus1 in 
the eternal counsel of ,his ,father1 was
 appointed to be  the ,prince of ,peace1
 the angel 7that is1 the messenger7 of  
,his  testament1 and ,he alone that     
could fight our battles for us1 yet ,he 
did  not enter in execution of it1 in   
the sight of men1 till ,he was commended
  to mankind by the voice of ,his       

heavenly ,father2 and as ,he was placed 
and  anointed by the ,holy ,ghost by a  
visible sign given to the eyes of men4  
,after which time ,he was led to the    
desert1 and fasted1 as before is  said2 
and this ,he did to teach us with what  
fear1 carefulness1 and  reverence the   
messengers of the ,word ought to enter  
on their vocation1  which is not only   
most excellent 7for who is worthy to be 
,god's  ambassador87 but also subject to
 most extreme troubles and dangers4 ,for
  he that is appointed pastor1 watchman1
 or preacher1 if he feed not with  his  
whole power1 if he warn and admonish not
 when he sees the snare  come1 and if1  
in doctrine1 he divide not the ,word    
righteously1 the blood  and souls of    
those that perish for lack of food1     
admonition1 and  doctrine shall be      
required of his hand4    ,but to our    
purpose2 that ,christ exceeded not the  
space of forty days in  ,his fasting1   
,he did it to the imitation of ,moses   
and ,elias2 of whom1 the  one before the

 receiving of the law1 and the other    
before the  communication and reasoning 
which he had with ,god in ,mount ,horeb1
 in  which ,he was commanded to anoint  
,hazael king over ,syria1 and ,jehu king
  over ,israel1 and ,elisha to be       
prophet1 fasted the same number of days4
  ,the events that ensued and followed  
this supernatural fasting of these  two 
servants of ,god1 ,moses and ,elias1    
impaired and diminished the  tyranny of 
the kingdom of ,satan4 ,for by the law  
came the knowledge of  sin1 the         
damnation of such impieties1 specially  
of idolatry1 and such as  the devil had 
invented2 and1 finally1 by the law came 
such a revelation  of ,god's will that  
no man could justly afterward excuse his
 sin by  ignorance1 by which the devil  
before had blinded many4 ,so that the   
law1  altho it might not renew and purge
 the heart1 for that the ,spirit of     
,christ ,jesus worketh by faith only1   
yet it was a bridle that did hinder  and
 stay the rage of external wickedness in

 many1 and was a schoolmaster  that led 
unto ,christ4 ,for when man can find no 
power in himself to do  that which is   
commanded1 and perfectly understands1   
and when he believes  that the curse of 
,god is pronounced against those that   
abide not in  everything that is        
commanded in ,god's law to do them--the 
man1 ,i say1  that understands and knows
 his own corrupt nature and ,god's      
severe  judgment1 most gladly will      
receive the free redemption offered by  
,christ  ,jesus1 which is the only      
victory that overthrows ,satan and his  
power4  ,and so by the giving of the law
 ,god greatly weakened1 impaired1 and   
made  frail the tyranny and kingdom of  
the devil4 ,in the days of ,elias1 the  
devil had so prevailed that kings and   
rulers made open war against ,god1      
killing ,his prophets1 destroying ,his  
ordinances1 and building up  idolatry1  
which did so prevail that the prophet   
complained that of all  the true fearers
 and worshipers of ,god he was left     

alone1 and wicked  ,jezebel sought ,his 
life also4 ,after this1 his fasting and 
complaint1 he  was sent by ,god to      
anoint the persons aforenamed1 who took 
such  vengeance upon the wicked and     
obstinate idolaters that he who escaped 
the sword of ,hazael fell into the hands
 of ,jehu1 and those whom ,jehu  left   
escaped not ,god's vengeance under      
,elisha4    ,the remembrance of this was
 fearful to ,satan1 for1 at the coming  
of  ,christ ,jesus1 impiety was in the  
highest degree among those that         
pretended most knowledge of ,god's will2
 and ,satan was at such rest in  his    
kingdom that the priests1 scribes and   
,pharisees had taken away the  key of   
knowledge2 that is1 they had so obscured
 and darkened ,god's ,holy  ,scriptures1
 by false glosses and vain traditions1  
that neither would  they themselves     
enter into the kingdom of ,god1 nor     
suffer and permit  others to enter2 but 
with violence restrained1 and with      
tyranny struck  back from the right way1

 that is1 from ,christ ,jesus ,himself1 
such as  would have entered into the    
possession of life everlasting by ,him4 
,satan1 ,i say1 having such dominion    
over the chief rulers of the visible    
,church1 and espying in ,christ1 such   
graces as before he had not seen in     
man1 and considering ,him to follow in  
fasting the footsteps of ,moses and     
,elias1 no doubt greatly feared that the
 quietness and rest of his most         
obedient servants1 the priests1 and     
their adherents1 would be troubled  by  
,christ4 ,and1 therefore1 by all engines
 and craft1 he assaults ,him to  see    
what advantage he could have of ,him4   
,and ,christ did not repel him1  as by  
the power of ,his ,godhead ,he might    
have done1 that he should not  tempt    
,him1 but permitted him to spend all his
 artillery1 and received  the strokes   
and assaults of ,satan's temptations in 
,his own body1 to the  end ,he might    
weaken and enfeeble the strength and    
tyrannous power of our  adversary by    

,his long suffering4 ,for thus1         
methinks1 our ,master and  ,champion1   
,jesus ,christ1 provoked our enemy to   
battle3 ,satan1 thou  gloriest of thy   
power and victories over mankind1 that  
there is none  able to withstand thy    
assaults1 nor escape thy darts1 but at  
one time  or other thou givest him a    
wound3 lo6 ,i am a man like to my       
brethren1  having flesh and blood1 and  
all properties of man's nature 7sin1    
which  is thy venom1 excepted72 tempt1  
try1 and assault me2 ,i offer you here a
  place most convenient--the wilderness4
 ,there shall be no mortal to  comfort  
me against thy assaults2 thou shalt have
 time sufficient2 do  what thou canst1  
,i shall not fly the place of battle4   
,if thou become  victor1 thou shalt     
still continue in possession of thy     
kingdom in this  wretched world2 but if 
thou canst not prevail against me1 then 
must thy  prey and unjust spoil be taken
 from thee2 thou must grant thyself     
vanquished and confounded1 and must be  

compelled to leave off from all         
accusation of the members of my body2   
for to them appertains the fruit  of my 
battle1 my victory is theirs1 as ,i am  
appointed to take the  punishment of    
their sins in my body4    ,what comfort 
ought the remembrance of these signs to 
be to our hearts6  ,christ ,jesus hath  
fought our battle2 ,he ,himself hath    
taken us into ,his  care and protection2
 however the devil may rage by          
temptations1 be they  spiritual or      
corporeal1 he is not able to bereave us 
out of the hand of  the almighty ,son of
 ,god4 ,to ,him be all glory for ,his   
mercies most  abundantly poured upon us6
    ,there remains yet to be spoken of  
the time when our ,lord was tempted1    
which began immediately after ,his      
baptism4 ,whereupon we have to note  the
 mark1 that altho the malice of ,satan  
never ceases1 but always seeks  for     
means to trouble the godly1 yet         
sometimes he rages more fiercely  than  
others1 and that is commonly when ,god  

begins to manifest ,his love  and favor 
to any of ,his children1 and at the end 
of their battle1 when  they are nearest 
to obtain final victory4 ,the devil1 no 
doubt1 did at  all times envy the humble
 spirit that was in ,abel1 but he did   
not stir  up the cruel heart of ,cain   
against him till ,god declared ,his     
favor  toward him by accepting his      
sacrifice4 ,the same we find in ,jacob1 
,joseph1 ,david1 and most evidently in  
,christ ,jesus4 ,how ,satan raged at    
the tidings of ,christ's nativity6 what 
blood he caused to be shed on  purpose  
to have murdered ,christ in ,his        
infancy6 ,the evangelist ,st4  ,matthew 
witnesses that in all the coasts and    
borders of ,bethlehem the  children of  
two years old and less age were murdered
 without mercy4 ,a  fearful spectacle   
and horrid example of insolent and      
unaccustomed  tyranny6 ,and what is the 
cause moving ,satan thus to rage against
  innocents1 considering that by reason 
of their imperfections they could  not  

hurt his kingdom at that instant8 ,oh1  
the crafty eye of ,satan looked  farther
 than to the present time2 he heard     
reports by the three wise  men1 that    
they had learned by the appearance of a 
star that the ,king of  the ,jews was   
born2 and he was not ignorant that the  
time prophesied of  ,christ's coming was
 then instant2 for a stranger was clad  
with the crown  and scepter of ,judah4  
,the angel had declared the glad tidings
 to the  shepherds1 that a ,savior1     
which was ,christ the ,lord1 was born in
 the  city of ,david4 ,all these tidings
 inflamed the wrath and malice of       
,satan1  for he perfectly understood    
that the coming of the promised ,seed   
was  appointed to his confusion1 and to 
the breaking down of his head and       
tyranny2 and therefore he raged most    
cruelly1 even at the first hearing  of  
,christ's birth1 thinking that altho he 
could not hinder nor withstand  ,his    
coming1 yet he could shorten his days   
upon earth1 lest by long life  and      

peaceable quietness in it1 the number of
 good men1 by ,christ's  doctrine and   
virtuous life1 should be multiplied2 and
 so he strove to  cut ,him away among   
the other children before ,he could open
 ,his mouth on  ,his ,father's message4 
,oh1 cruel serpent6 in vain dost thou   
spend thy  venom1 for the days of ,god's
 elect thou canst not shorten6 ,and when
 the  wheat is fallen on the ground1    
then doth it most multiply4    ,but from
 these things mark1 what hath been the  
practise of the devil  from the         
beginning--most cruelly to rage against 
,god's children when ,god  begins to    
show them ,his mercy4 ,and1 therefore1  
marvel not1 dearly  beloved1 altho the  
like come unto you4    ,if ,satan fume  
or roar against you1 whether it be      
against your bodies by  persecution1 or 
inwardly in your conscience by a        
spiritual battle1 be  not discouraged1  
as tho you were less acceptable in      
,god's presence1 or  as if ,satan might 
at any time prevail against you4 ,no2   

your temptations  and storms1 that arise
 so suddenly1 argue and witness that the
 seed  which is sown is fallen on good  
ground1 begins to take root and shall1  
by ,god's grace1 bring forth fruit      
abundantly in due season and  convenient
 time4 ,that is it which ,satan fears1  
and therefore thus he  rages1 and shall 
rage against you1 thinking that if he   
can repulse you  now suddenly in the    
beginning1 that then you shall be at all
 times an  easy prey1 never able to     
resist his assaults4 ,but as my hope is 
good1  so shall my prayer be1 that so   
you may be strengthened1 that the world 
and ,satan himself may perceive or      
understand that ,god fights your        
battle4 ,for you remember that being    
present with you and treating of the    
same place1 ,i admonished you that      
,satan could not long sleep when his    
kingdom was threatened4 ,and therefore  
,i willed you1 if you were in mind  to  
continue with ,christ1 to prepare       
yourselves for the day of  temptation4  

,the person of the speaker is wretched1 
miserable1 and  nothing to be regarded1 
but the things that were spoken are the 
infallible and eternal truth of ,god2   
without observation of which1 life      
neither can or shall come to mankind4   
,god grant you continuance to the  end4 
,this much have ,i briefly spoken of the
 temptation of ,christ ,jesus1 who  was 
tempted2 and of the time and place of   
,his temptation4 ,now remains to  be    
spoken how ,he was tempted1 and by what 
means4 ,the most part of  expositors    
think that all this temptation was in   
spirit and in  imagination only1 the    
corporeal senses being nothing moved4 ,i
 will  contend with no man in such      
cases1 but patiently will ,i suffer     
every man  to abound in his own         
knowledge2 and without prejudice of any 
man's  estimation1 ,i offer my judgment 
to be weighed and considered by         
,christian charity4 ,it appears to me by
 the plain text that ,christ  suffered  
this temptation in body and spirit4     

,likewise1 as the hunger  which ,christ 
suffered1 and the desert in which ,he   
remained1 were not  things offered to   
the imagination1 but that the body did  
verily remain  in the wilderness among  
beasts1 and after forty days did hunger 
and  faint for lack of food2 so the     
external ear did hear the tempting words
  of ,satan1 which entered into the     
knowledge of the soul1 and which1       
repelling the venom of such temptations1
 caused the tongue to speak and  confute
 ,satan1 to our unspeakable comfort and 
consolation4 ,it appears  also that the 
body of ,christ ,jesus was carried by   
,satan from the  wilderness unto the    
temple of ,jerusalem1 and that it was   
placed upon  the pinnacle of the same   
temple1 from whence it was carried to a 
high  mountain and there tempted4 ,if   
any man can show to the contrary hereof 
by the plain ,scriptures of ,god1 with  
all submission and thanksgiving ,i  will
 prefer his judgment to my own2 but if  
the matter stand only in  probability   

and opinion of men1 then it is lawful   
for me to believe as  the ,scripture    
here speaks2 that is1 that ,satan spake 
and ,christ  answered1 and ,satan took  
,him and carried ,him from one place to 
another4  ,besides the evidence of the  
text affirming that ,satan was permitted
 to  carry the body of ,christ from     
place to place1 and yet was not         
permitted  to execute any further       
tyranny against it1 is most singular    
comfort to  such as are afflicted or    
troubled in body or spirit4 ,the weak   
and feeble  conscience of man under such
 temptations1 commonly gathers and      
collects  a false consequence4 ,for man 
reasons thus3 ,the body or the spirit is
  vexed by assaults and temptations of  
,satan1 and he troubles or molests  it1 
therefore ,god is angry with it1 and    
takes no care of it4 ,i answer1         
tribulations or grievous vexations of   
body or of mind are never signs of      
,god's displeasure against the sufferer1
 neither yet does it follow that  ,god  

has cast away the care of ,his creatures
 because ,he permits them to  be        
molested and vexed for a time4 ,for if  
any sort of tribulation were  the       
infallible sign of ,god's displeasure1  
then should we condemn the  best beloved
 children of ,god4 ,but of this we may  
speak hereafter4 ,now to  the           
temptation4    ,verse #b4 ,and when he  
fasteth forty days and forty nights1 ,he
 was  afterwards an hungered4 ,verse #c4
 ',then came to ,him the tempter1' and  
said1 ',if you be the ,son of ,god1     
command that these stones be made       
bread1' etc4 ,why ,christ fasted forty  
days and would not exceed the same1     
without sense and feeling of hunger1 is 
before touched upon1 that is1 ,he  would
 provoke the devil to battle by the     
wilderness and long abstinence1  but ,he
 would not usurp or arrogate any more to
 ,himself in that case than  ,god had   
wrought with others1 ,his servants and  
messengers before4 ,but  ,christ ,jesus 
7as ,st4 ,augustine more amply          

declares71 without feeling of  hunger1  
might have endured the whole year1 or to
 time without end1 as  well as ,he did  
endure the space of forty days4 ,for the
 nature of mankind  was sustained those 
forty days by the invisible power of    
,god1 which is  at all times of equal   
power4 ,but ,christ1 willing to offer   
further  occasion to ,satan to proceed  
in tempting of ,him1 permitted the human
  nature to crave earnestly that which  
it lacked1 that is to say1  refreshing  
of meat2 which ,satan perceiving took   
occasion1 as before1 to  tempt and      
assault4 ,some judge that ,satan tempted
 ,christ to gluttony1 but  this appears 
little to agree with the purpose of the 
,holy ,ghost2 who  shows us this history
 to let us understand that ,satan never 
ceases to  oppugn the children of ,god1 
but continually1 by one mean or other1  
drives or provokes them to some wicked  
opinions of their ,god2 and to  have    
them desire stones to be converted into 
bread1 or to desire hunger  to be       

satisfied1 has never been sin1 nor yet a
 wicked opinion of ,god4  ,and therefore
 ,i doubt not but the temptation was    
more spiritual1 more  subtle1 and more  
dangerous4 ,satan had respect to the    
voice of ,god1 which  had pronounced    
,christ to be ,his well-beloved ,son1   
etc4 ,against this  voice he fights1 as 
his nature is ever to do against the    
assured and  immutable ,word of ,god2   
for such is his malice against ,god1 and
 against  ,his chosen children1 that    
where and to whom ,god pronounces love  
and  mercy1 to these he threatens       
displeasures and damnation2 and where   
,god  threatens death1 there is he bold 
to pronounce life2 and for this course  
is ,satan called a liar from the        
beginning4 ,and so the purpose of ,satan
  was to drive ,christ into desperation1
 that he should not believe the  former 
voice of ,god ,his ,father2 which       
appears to be the meaning of this       
temptation3 ,thou hast heard1 would     
,satan say1 a voice proclaimed in  the  

air1 that ,thou wast the beloved ,son of
 ,god1 in whom ,his soul was  pleased2  
but mayst ,thou not be judged more than 
mad1 and weaker than the  brainless fool
 if ,thou believest any such promise8   
,where are the signs  of ,his love8 ,art
 ,thou not cast out from comfort of all 
creatures8 ,thou  art in worse case than
 the brute beasts1 for every day they   
hunt for  their prey1 and the earth     
produces grass and herbs for their      
sustenance1  so that none of them are   
pined and consumed away by hunger2 but  
,thou  hast fasted forty days and       
nights1 ever waiting for some relief and
  comfort from above1 but ,thy best     
provision is hard stones6 ,if ,thou dost
  glory in thy ,god1 and dost verily    
believe the promise that is made1       
command that these stones be bread4 ,but
 evident it is that so ,thou canst  not 
do2 for if ,thou couldst1 or if ,thy    
,god would have showed ,thee any  such  
pleasure1 ,thou mightest long ago have  
removed ,thy hunger1 and  needest not   

have endured this languishing for lack  
of food4 ,but seeing  ,thou hast long   
continued thus1 and no provision is made
 for ,thee1 it is  vanity longer to     
believe any such promise1 and therefore 
despair of any  help from ,god's hand1  
and provide for ,thyself by some other  
means6    ,many words have ,i used here1
 dearly beloved1 but ,i can not express 
the  thousandth part of the malicious   
despite which lurked in this one        
temptation of ,satan4 ,it was a mocking 
of ,christ and of ,his obedience4 ,it   
was a plain denial of ,god's promise4   
,it was the triumphing voice of him     
that appeared to have gotten victory4   
,oh1 how bitter this temptation  was no 
creature can understand but such as feel
 the grief of such darts  as ,satan     
casts at the tender conscience of those 
that gladly would rest  and repose in   
,god1 and in the promises of ,his mercy4
 ,but here is to be  noted the ground   
and foundation4 ,the conclusion of      
,satan is this3 ,thou  art none of      

,god's elect1 much less ,his            
well-beloved ,son4 ,his reason is  this3
 ,thou art in trouble and findest no    
relief4 ,there the foundation of  the   
temptation was ,christ's poverty1 and   
the lack of food without hope  of remedy
 to be sent from ,god4 ,and it is the   
same temptation which the  devil        
objected to ,him by the princes of the  
priests in ,his grievous  torments upon 
the cross2 for thus they cried1 ,if he  
be the ,son of ,god1  let him come down 
from the cross and we will believe in   
him2 he trusted  in ,god1 let him       
deliver him1 if he have the pleasure in 
him4 ,as tho  they would say1 ,god is   
the deliverer of ,his servants from     
troubles2 ,god  never permits those that
 fear ,him to come to confusion2 this   
man we see  in extreme trouble2 if ,he  
be the ,son of ,god1 or even a true     
worshiper of  ,his name1 ,he will       
deliver ,him from this calamity4 ,if ,he
 deliver ,him not1  but suffer ,him to  
perish in these anguishes1 then it is an

 assured sign  that ,god has rejected   
,him as a hypocrite1 that shall have no 
portion of  ,his glory4 ,thus1 ,i say1  
,satan takes occasion to tempt1 and     
moves also  others to judge and condemn 
,god's elect and chosen children1 by    
reason  that troubles are multiplied    
upon them4    ,but with what weapons we 
ought to fight against such enemies and 
assaults we shall learn in the answer of
 ,christ ,jesus1 which follows3  ,but   
,he1 answering1 said ,it is written1 man
 shall not live by bread  alone1 but by 
every word which proceedeth out of the  
mouth of ,god4 ,this  answer of ,christ 
proves the sentence which we have       
brought of the  aforesaid temptation to 
be the very meaning of the ,holy ,ghost2
 for  unless the purpose of ,satan has  
been to have removed ,christ from all   
hope of ,god's merciful providence      
toward ,him in that ,his necessity1     
,christ had not answered directly to his
 words1 saying1 ,command that  these    
stones be made bread4 ,but ,christ      

,jesus1 perceiving his art and          
malicious subtility1 answered directly  
to his meaning1 ,his words nothing      
regarded2 by which ,satan was so        
confounded that he was ashamed to reply 
any further4    ,but that you may the   
better understand the meaning of        
,christ's answer1  we will express and  
repeat it over in more words4 ,thou     
laborest1  ,satan1 would ,christ say1 to
 bring into my heart a doubt and        
suspicion  of ,my ,father's promise1    
which was openly proclaimed in ,my      
baptism1 by  reason of ,my hunger1 and  
that ,i lack all carnal provision4 ,thou
 art bold  to affirm that ,god takes no 
care for ,me1 but thou art a deceitful  
and  false corrupt sophister1 and thy   
argument1 too1 is vain1 and full of     
blasphemies2 for thou bindest ,god's    
love1 mercy1 and providence to the      
having or wanting of bodily provision1  
which no part of ,god's ,scriptures     
teach us1 but rather the express        
contrary4 ,as it is written1 ',man doth 

not live by bread alone1 but by every   
word that proeeedeth out of the  mouth  
of ,god1' that is1 the very life and    
felicity of man consists not  in the    
abundance of bodily things1 or the      
possession and having of them  makes no 
man blest or happy2 neither shall the   
lack of them be the cause  of his final 
misery2 but the very life of man        
consists in ,god1 and in  ,his promises 
pronounced by ,his own mouth1 unto which
 whoso cleaves  unfeignedly shall live  
the life everlasting4 ,and altho all    
creatures in  earth forsake him1 yet    
shall not his bodily life perish till   
the time  appointed by ,god approach4   
,for ,god has means to feed1 preserve1  
and  maintain1 unknown to man's reason1 
and contrary to the common course of    
nature4 ,he fed ,his people ,israel in  
the desert forty years without the      
provision of man4 ,he preserved ,jonah  
in the whale's belly2 and  maintained   
and kept the bodies of the three        
children in the furnace of  fire4       

,reason and the natural man could have  
seen nothing in these cases  but        
destruction and death1 and could have   
judged nothing but that ,god  had cast  
away the care of these1 ,his creatures1 
and yet ,his providence  was most       
vigilant toward them in the extremity of
 their dangers1 from  which ,he did so  
deliver them1 and in the midst of them  
did so assist  them1 that ,his glory1   
which is ,his mercy and goodness1 did   
more appear  and shine after their      
troubles than it could have done if they
 had  fallen in them4 ,and therefore ,i 
measure not the truth and favor of ,god 
by having or by lacking of bodily       
necessities1 but by the promise which   
,he has made to me4 ,as ,he ,himself is 
immutable1 so is ,his word and  promise 
constant1 which ,i believe1 and to which
 ,i will adhere1 and so  cleave1        
whatever can come to the body outwardly4
    ,in this answer of ,christ we may   
perceive what weapons are to be used    
against our adversary the devil1 and how

 we may confute his arguments1  which   
craftily1 and of malice1 he makes       
against ,god's elect4 ,christ  might    
have repulsed ,satan with a word1 or by 
commanding him to silence1  as ,he to   
whom all power was given in heaven and  
earth2 but it pleased  ,his mercy to    
teach us how to use the sword of the    
,holy ,ghost1 which is  the word of     
,god1 in battle against our spiritual   
enemy4 ,the ,scripture  which ,christ   
brings is written in the eighth chapter 
of ,deuteronomy4 ,it  was spoken by     
,moses a little before ,his death1 to   
establish the people  in ,god's merciful
 providence4 ,for in the same chapter1  
and in certain  others that go before1  
,he reckons the great travail and divers
 dangers  with the extreme necessities  
that they had sustained in the desert   
the  space of forty years1 and yet1     
notwithstanding how constant ,god had   
been  in keeping and performing ,his    
promise1 for throughout all perils ,he  
had  conducted them to the sight and    

borders of the promised land4 ,and so   
this ,scripture more directly answers to
 the temptation of ,satan2 for  thus    
does ,satan reason1 as before is said1  
,thou art in poverty and hast  no       
provision to sustain thy life4          
,therefore ,god takes no regard nor care
  of ,thee1 as ,he doth over ,his chosen
 children4 ,christ ,jesus answered3     
,thy argument is false and vain2 for    
poverty or necessity precludes not  the 
providence or care of ,god2 which is    
easy to be proved by the people  of     
,god1 ,israel1 who1 in the desert1      
oftentimes lacked things necessary  to  
the sustenance of life1 and for lack of 
the same they grudged and  murmured2 yet
 the ,lord never cast away the          
providence and care of them1  but       
according to the word that ,he had once 
pronounced1 to wit1 that they  were ,his
 peculiar people2 and according to the  
promise made to ,abraham1  and to them  
before their departure from ,egypt1 ,he 
still remained their  conductor and     

guide1 till ,he placed them in peaceable
 possession of the  land of ,canaan1    
their great infirmities and manifold    
transgressions  notwithstanding4        
,thus are we taught1 ,i say1 by ,christ 
,jesus1 to repulse ,satan and his       
assaults by the ,word of ,god1 and to   
apply the examples of ,his mercies1     
which ,he has shown to others before us1
 to our own souls in the hour of        
temptation1 and in the time of our      
trouble4 ,for what ,god doth to one at  
any time1 the same appertains to all    
that depend upon ,god and ,his          
promises4 ,and1 therefore1 however we   
are assaulted by ,satan1 our  adversary1
 within the ,word of ,god is armor and  
weapons sufficient4 ,the  chief craft of
 ,satan is to trouble those that begin  
to decline from his  obedience1 and to  
declare themselves enemies to iniquity1 
with divers  assaults1 the design       
whereof is always the same2 that is1 to 
put  variance betwixt them and ,god into
 their conscience1 that they should  not

 repose and rest themselves in ,his     
assured promises4 ,and to persuade      
this1 he uses and invents divers        
arguments4 ,sometimes he calls the sins 
of their youth1 and which they have     
committed in the time of blindness1  to 
their remembrance2 very often he objects
 their unthankfulness toward  ,god and  
present imperfections4 ,by sickness1    
poverty1 tribulations in  their         
household1 or by persecution1 he can    
allege that ,god is angry1 and  regard  
them not4 ,or by the spiritual cross    
which few feel and fewer  understand the
 utility and profit of1 he would drive  
,god's children to  desperation1 and by 
infinite means more1 he goeth about     
seeking1 like a  roaring lion1 to       
undermine and destroy our faith4 ,but it
 is impossible  for him to prevail      
against us unless we obstinately refuse 
to use the  defense and weapons that    
,god has offered4 ,yea1 ,i say1 that    
,god's elect  can not refuse it1 but    
seek for their ,defender when the battle

 is most  strong2 for the sobs1 groans1 
and lamentations of such as fight1 yea1 
the fear they have lest they be         
vanquished1 the calling and prayer for  
continuance1 are the undoubted and right
 seeking of ,christ our champion4  ,we  
refuse not the weapon1 altho sometimes1 
by infirmity1 we can not use  it as we  
would4 ,it suffices that your hearts    
unfeignedly sob for greater  strength1  
for continuance1 and for final          
deliverance by ,christ ,jesus2  that    
which is wanting in us1 ,his sufficiency
 doth supply2 for it is ,he  that       
fighteth and overcometh for us4 ,but for
 bringing of the examples of  the       
,scriptures1 if ,god permit1 in the end 
we shall speak more largely  when it    
shall be treated why ,christ permitted  
,himself thus to be  tempted4 ,sundry   
impediments now call me from writing in 
this matter1  but1 by ,god's grace1 at  
convenient leisure ,i purpose to finish1
 and to  send it to you4 ,i grant the   
matter that proceeds from me is not     

worthy  of your pain and labor to read  
it2 yet1 seeing it is a testimony of my 
good mind toward you1 ,i doubt not but  
you will accept it in good part4  ,god1 
the ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1
 grant unto you to find favor  and mercy
 of the ,judge1 whose eyes and knowledge
 pierce through the  secret cogitations 
of the heart1 in the day of temptation1 
which shall  come upon all flesh1       
according to that mercy which you       
7illuminated and  directed by ,his ,holy
 ,spirit7 have showed to the afflicted4 
,now the ,god  of all comfort and       
consolation confirm and strengthen you  
in ,his power  unto the end4 ,amen4     
,,calvin    ,,enduring ,,persecution    
,,for ,,christ      ,,biographical      
,,note    ,john ,calvin was born in     
#aeji1 at ,noyon1 ,france4 ,he has been 
called the  greatest of ,protestant     
commentators and theologians1 and the   
inspirer of  the ,puritan exodus4 ,he   
often preached every day for weeks in   
succession4  ,he possest two of the     

greatest elements in successful pulpit  
oratory1  self-reliance and authority4  
,it was said of him1 as it was afterward
  said of ,webster1 that every word     
weighed a pound4 ,his style was  simple1
 direct1 and convincing4 ,he made men   
think4 ,his splendid  contributions to  
religious thought1 and his influence    
upon individual  liberty1 give him a    
distinguished place among great         
reformers and  preachers4 ,his idea of  
preaching is thus exprest in his own    
words3 ,true  preaching must not be     
dead1 but living and effective4 ,no     
parade of  rhetoric1 but the ,spirit of 
,god must resound in the voice in order 
to  operate with power4 ,he died at     
,geneva in #aefd4        ,,calvin       
#aeji--aefd    ,,enduring ,,persecution 
,,for ,,christ    ,let us go forth      
therefore unto him without the camp     
bearing his  reproach4--,hebrews xiii41 
#ac4      ,all the exhortations which   
can be given us to suffer patiently for 
the  name of ,jesus ,christ1 and in     

defense of the gospel1 will have no     
effect  if we do not feel assured of the
 cause for which we fight4 ,for when we 
are called to part with life1 it is     
absolutely necessary to know on what    
grounds4 ,the firmness necessary we can 
not possess1 unless it be founded  on   
certainty of faith4    ,it is true that 
persons may be found who will foolishly 
expose  themselves to death in          
maintaining some absurd opinions and    
dreams  conceived by their own brain1   
but such impetuosity is more to be      
regarded as frenzy than as ,christian   
zeal2 and1 in fact1 there is  neither   
firmness nor sound sense in those who   
thus1 at a kind of  haphazard1 cast     
themselves away4 ,but1 however this may 
be1 it is in a  good cause only that    
,god can acknowledge us as ,his martyrs4
 ,death is  common to all1 and the      
children of ,god are condemned to       
ignominy and  tortures as criminals are2
 but ,god makes the distinction between 
them1  inasmuch as ,he can not deny ,his

 truth4 ,on our part1 then1 it is       
requisite that we have sure and         
infallible evidence of the doctrine     
which we maintain2 and hence1 as ,i have
 said1 we can not be rationally  imprest
 by any exhortations which we receive to
 suffer persecution for  the gospel1 if 
no true certainty of faith has been     
imprinted in our  hearts4 ,for to hazard
 our life upon a peradventure is not    
natural1 and  tho we were to do it1 it  
would only be rashness1 not ,christian  
courage4  ,in a word1 nothing that we do
 will be approved of ,god if we are not 
thoroughly persuaded that it is for ,him
 and ,his cause we suffer  persecution1 
and the world is our enemy4    ,now1    
when ,i speak of such persuasion1 ,i    
mean not merely that we must  know how  
to distinguish between true religion and
 the abuses or follies  of men1 but also
 that we must be thoroughly persuaded of
 the heavenly  life1 and the crown which
 is promised us above1 after we shall   
have  fought here below4 ,let us        

understand1 then1 that both of these    
requisites are necessary1 and can not be
 separated from each other4 ,the        
points1 accordingly1 with which we must 
commence are these3 ,we must know  well 
what our ,christianity is1 what the     
faith which we have to hold and  follow1
 what the rule which ,god has given us2 
and we must be so well  furnished with  
such instructions as to be able boldly  
to condemn all the  falsehoods1 errors1 
and superstitions which ,satan has      
introduced to  corrupt the pure         
simplicity of the doctrine of ,god4     
,hence1 we ought not  to be surprized   
that1 in the present day1 we see so few 
persons disposed  to suffer for the     
gospel1 and that the greater part of    
those who call  themselves ,christians  
know not what it is4 ,for all are1 as it
 were1  lukewarm2 and instead of making 
it their business to hear or read1 count
  it enough to have had some slight     
taste of ,christian faith4 ,this is the 
reason why there is so little decision1 

and why those who are assailed          
immediately fall away4 ,this fact should
 stimulate us to inquire more           
diligently into divine truth1 in order  
to be well assured with1 regard  to it4 
,still1 however1 to be well informed and
 grounded is not the whole that  is     
necessary4 ,for we see some who seem to 
be thoroughly imbued with  sound        
doctrine1 and who1 notwithstanding1 have
 no more zeal or affection  than if they
 had never known any more of ,god than  
some fleeting fancy4  ,why is this8     
,just because they have never           
comprehended the majesty of  the ,holy  
,scriptures4 ,and1 in fact1 did we1 such
 as we are1 consider well  that it is   
,god who speaks to us1 it is certain    
that we would listen more  attentively1 
and with greater reverence4 ,if we would
 think that in  reading ,scripture we   
are in the school of angels1 we would be
 far more  careful and desirous to      
profit by the doctrine which is         
propounded to  us4    ,we now see the   

true method of preparing to suffer for  
the gospel4 ,first1  ,we must have      
profited so far in the school of ,god as
 to be decided in  regard to true       
religion and the doctrine which we are  
to hold2 and we  must despise all the   
wiles and impostures of ,satan1 and1 all
 human  inventions1 as things not only  
frivolous but also carnal1 inasmuch as  
they corrupt ,christian purity2 therein 
differing1 like true martyrs of         
,christ1 from the fantastic persons who 
suffer for mere absurdities4  ,second1  
,feeling assured of the good cause1 we  
must be inflamed1  accordingly1 to      
follow ,god whithersoever ,he may call  
us3 ,his ,word must  have such authority
 with us as it deserves1 and having     
withdrawn from  this world1 we must feel
 as it were enraptured in seeking the   
heavenly  life4    ,but it is more than 
strange that1 tho the light of ,god is  
shining more  brightly than it ever did 
before1 there is a lamentable want of   
zeal6 ,if  the thought does not fill us 

with shame1 so much the worse4 ,for we  
must  shortly come before the great     
,judge1 where the iniquity which we     
endeavor to hide will be brought forward
 with such upbraidings that we  shall be
 utterly confounded4 ,for1 if we are    
obliged to bear testimony to  ,god1     
according to the measure of the         
knowledge which ,he has given us1  to   
what is it owing1 ,i would ask1 that we 
are so cold and timorous in  entering   
into battle1 seeing that ,god has so    
fully manifested ,himself at  this time 
that ,he may be said to have opened to  
us and displayed before  us the great   
treasures of ,his secrets8 ,may it not  
be said that we do not  think we have to
 do with ,god8 ,for had we any regard to
 ,his ,majesty we  would not dare to    
turn the doctrine which proceeds from   
,him into some  kind of philosophic     
speculation4 ,in short1 it is impossible
 to deny that  it is our great shame1   
not to say fearful condemnation1 that we
 have so  well known the truth of ,god1 

and have so little courage to maintain  
it6    ,above all1 when we look to the  
martyrs of past times1 well may we      
detest  our own cowardice6 ,the greater 
part of those were not persons much     
versed in ,holy ,scripture1 so as to be 
able to dispute on all subjects4  ,they 
knew that there was one ,god1 whom they 
behooved to worship and  serve--that    
they had been redeemed by the blood of  
,jesus ,christ1 in  order that they     
might place their confidence of         
salvation in ,him and in  ,his          
grace--and that1 all the inventions of  
men being mere dross and  rubbish1 they 
ought to condemn all idolatries and     
superstitions4 ,in one  word1 their     
theology was in substance this--,there  
is one ,god who created  all the world1 
and declared ,his will to us by ,moses  
and the prophets1  and finally by ,jesus
 ,christ and ,his apostles2 and we have 
one sole  ,redeemer1 who purchased us by
 ,his blood1 and by whose grace we hope 
to  be saved3 ,all the idols of the     

world are curst1 and deserve execration4
    ,with a system embracing no other   
points than these1 they went boldly to  
the flames1 or to any other kind of     
death4 ,they did not go in twos or      
threes1 but in such bands that the      
number of those who fell by the hands   
of tyrants is almost infinite6 ,we1 on  
our part1 are such learned clerks  that 
none can be more so 7so at least we     
think71 and1 in fact1 so far as  regards
 the knowledge of ,scripture1 ,god has  
so spread it out before us  that no     
former age was ever so highly favored4  
,still1 after all1 there  is scarcely a 
particle of zeal4 ,when men manifest    
such indifference1 it  looks as if they 
were bent on provoking the vengeance of 
,god4    ,what then should be done in   
order to inspire our breasts with true  
courage8 ,we have1 in the first place1  
to consider how precious the  confession
 of our faith is in the sight of ,god4  
,we little know how much  ,god prizes   
it1 if our life1 which is nothing1 is   

valued by us more  highly4 ,when it is  
so1 we manifest a marvelous degree of   
stupidity4 ,we  can not save our life at
 the expense of our confession with out 
acknowledging that we hold it in higher 
estimation than the honor of  ,god and  
the salvation of our souls4    ,a       
heathen could say that ,it was a        
miserable thing to save life by  giving 
up the only things which made life      
desirable6 ,and yet he and  others like 
him never knew for what end men are     
placed in the world1 and  why they live 
in it4 ,it is true they knew enough to  
say that men ought  to follow virtue1 to
 conduct themselves honestly and without
 reproach2  but all their virtues were  
mere paint and smoke4 ,we know far      
better what  the chief aim of life      
should be1 namely1 to glorify ,god1 in  
order that  ,he may be our glory4 ,when 
this is not done1 wo to us6 ,and we can 
not  continue to live for a single      
moment upon the earth without heaping   
additional curses on our heads4 ,still  

we are not ashamed to purchase  some few
 days to languish here below1 renouncing
 eternal kingdom by  separating         
ourselves from ,him by whose energy we  
are sustained in life4    ,were we to   
ask the most ignorant1 not to say the   
most brutish1 persons  in the world why 
they live1 they would not venture to    
answer simply that  it is to eat1 and   
drink1 and sleep2 for all know that they
 have been  created for a higher and    
holier end4 ,and what end can we find if
 it be  not to honor ,god1 and allow    
ourselves to be governed by ,him1 like  
children by good parents2 so that after 
we have finished the journey of  this   
corruptible life1 we may be received    
into ,his eternal inheritance8  ,such is
 the principal1 indeed the sole end4    
,when we do not take it into  account1  
and are intent on a brutish life1 which 
is worse than a  thousand deaths1 what  
can we allege for our excuse8 ,to live  
and not know  why is unnatural4 ,to     
reject the causes for which we live1    

under the  influence of a foolish       
longing for a respite of some few days1 
during  which we are to live in the     
world1 while separated from ,god--,i    
know not  how to name such infatuation  
and madness6    ,but as persecution is  
always harsh and bitter1 let us consider
 how and  by what means ,christians may 
be able to fortify themselves with      
patience1 so as unflinchingly to expose 
their life for the truth of ,god4  ,the 
text which we have read out1 when it is 
properly understood1 is  sufficient to  
induce us to do so4 ,the apostle says1  
,let us go forth from  the city after   
the ,lord ,jesus1 bearing ,his reproach4
 ,in the first place1  he reminds us1   
altho the swords should not be drawn    
against us nor the  fires kindled to    
burn us1 that we can not be truly united
 to the ,son of  ,god while we are      
rooted in this world4 ,wherefore a      
,christian1 even in  repose1 must always
 have one foot lifted to march to       
battle1 and not  only so1 but he must   

have his affections withdrawn from the  
world1 altho  his body is dwelling in   
it4 ,grant that this at first sight     
seems to us  hard1 still we must be     
satisfied with the words of ,st4 ,paul  
7,i ,thess4  iii471 that we are called  
and appointed to suffer4 ,as if ,he had 
said1  ,such is our condition as        
,christians2 this is the road by which  
we must  go if we would follow ,christ4 
,meanwhile1 to solace our infirmity and 
mitigate the vexation and sorrow  which 
persecution might cause us1 a good      
reward is held forth3 ,in  suffering for
 the cause of ,god1 we are walking step 
by step after the  ,son of ,god1 and    
have ,him for our guide4 ,were it simply
 said that to be  ,christians we must   
pass through all the insults of the     
world boldly1 to  meet death at all     
times and in whatever way ,god may be   
pleased to  appoint1 we might apparently
 have some pretext for replying that it 
is a  strange road to go at             
peradventure4 ,but when we are commanded

 to follow  the ,lord ,jesus1 ,his      
guidance is too good and honorable to be
 refused4  ,now1 in order that we may be
 more deeply moved1 not only is it said 
that  ,jesus ,christ walks before us as 
our ,captain1 but that we are made      
conformable to ,his image2 so ,st4 ,paul
 says in the eighth chapter to the      
,romans that ,god hath ordained all     
those whom ,he hath adopted for ,his    
children1 to be made conformable to ,him
 who is the pattern and head of  all4   
,are we so delicate as to be unwilling  
to endure anything8 ,then we must       
renounce the grace of ,god by which ,he 
has called us to the hope of  salvation4
 ,for there are two things which can not
 be separated--to be  members of        
,christ1 and to be tried by many        
afflictions4 ,we certainly  ought to    
prize such a conformity to the ,son of  
,god much more than we do4  ,it is true1
 that in the world's judgment there is  
disgrace in suffering  for the gospel4  
,but since we know that believers are   

blind1 ought we not  to have better eyes
 than they8 ,it is ignominy to suffer   
from those who  occupy the seat of      
justice1 but ,st4 ,paul shows us by his 
example that we  have to glory in       
scourings for ,jesus ,christ1 as marks  
by which ,god  recognizes us and avows  
us for ,his own4 ,and we know what ,st4 
,luke  narrates of ,peter and ,john     
7,acts v41 #da72 namely1 that they      
rejoiced to  have been counted worthy to
 suffer infamy and reproach for the name
 of  the ,lord ,jesus4    ,ignominy and 
dignity are two opposites3 so says the  
world1 which1 being  infatuated1 judges 
against all reason1 and in this way     
converts the  glory of ,god into        
dishonor4 ,but1 on our part1 let us not 
refuse to be  vilified as concerns the  
world1 in order to be honored before    
,god and  ,his angels4 ,we see what     
pains the ambitious take to receive the 
commands  of a king1 and what a boast   
they make of it4 ,the ,son of ,god      
presents ,his  commands to us1 and every

 one stands back4 ,tell me1 pray1       
whether in so  doing are we worthy of   
having anything in common with ,him8    
there is  nothing here to attract our   
sensual nature1 but such notwithstanding
  are the true escutcheons of nobility  
in the heavens4 ,imprisonment1  exile1  
evil report1 imply in men's imagination 
whatever is to be  vituperated2 but what
 hinders us from viewing things as ,god 
judges and  declares them1 save our     
unbelief8 ,wherefore1 let the name of   
the ,son of  ,god have all the weight   
with us which it deserves1 that we may  
learn to  count it honor when ,he stamps
 ,his marks upon us4 ,if we act         
otherwise our  ingratitude is           
insupportable4    ,were ,god to deal    
with us according to our desserts1 would
 ,he not have  just cause to chastise us
 daily in a thousand ways8 ,nay more1 a 
hundred  thousand deaths would not      
suffice for a small portion of our      
misdeeds6  ,now1 if in ,his infinite    
goodness ,he puts all our faults under  

,his foot  and abolishes them1 and      
instead of punishing us according to our
  demerit1 devises an admirable means to
 convert our afflictions into  honor and
 a special privilege1 inasmuch as       
through them we are taken  into         
partnership with ,his ,son1 must it not 
be said1 when we disdain such  a happy  
state1 that we have indeed made little  
progress in ,christian  doctrine8       
,accordingly1 ,st4 ,peter1 after        
exhorting us 7,i ,peter iv41 #ae7 to    
walk so  purely in the fear of ,god1 as 
not to suffer as thieves1 adulterers1   
and  murderers1 immediately adds1 that  
if we must suffer as ,christians1 let   
us glorify ,god for the blessing which  
,he thus bestows upon us4 ,it is  not   
without cause he speaks thus4 ,for who  
are we1 ,i pray1 to be  witnesses of the
 truth of ,god1 and advocates to        
maintain ,his cause8 ,here  we are poor 
worms of the earth1 creatures full of   
vanity1 full of lies1  and yet ,god     
employs us to defend ,his truth--an     

honor which pertains not  even to the   
angels of heaven6 ,may not this         
consideration alone well  inflame us to 
offer ourselves to ,god to be employed  
in any way in such  honorable service8  
,many persons1 however1 can not refrain 
from pleading against ,god1 or1 at      
least1 from complaining against ,him for
 not better supporting their  weakness4 
,it is marvelously strange1 they say1   
how ,god1 after having  chosen us for   
,his children1 allows us to be trampled 
upon and tormented  by the ungodly4 ,i  
answer3 ,even were it not apparent why  
,he does so1 ,he  might well exercise   
,his authority over us1 and fix our lot 
at ,his  pleasure4 ,but when we see that
 ,jesus ,christ is our pattern1 ought we
  not1 without inquiring further1 to    
esteem it great happiness that we are   
made like ,him8 ,god1 however1 makes it 
very apparent what the reasons are  for 
which ,he is pleased that we should be  
persecuted4 ,had we nothing  more than  
the consideration suggested by ,st4     

,peter 7,i ,peter i41 #g71 we  were     
disdainful indeed not to acquiesce in   
it4 ,he says that since gold  and       
silver1 which are only corruptible      
metals1 are purified and tested  by     
fire1 it is but reasonable that our     
faith1 which surpasses all the  riches  
of the world1 should be so tried4    ,it
 were easy indeed for ,god to crown us  
at once without requiring us to  sustain
 any combats2 but as it is ,his pleasure
 that until the end of the  world       
,christ shall reign in the midst of ,his
 enemies1 so it is also ,his  pleasure  
that we1 being placed in the midst of   
them1 shall suffer their  oppression and
 violence till ,he deliver us4 ,i know1 
indeed1 that the  flesh rebels when it  
is to be brought to this point1 but     
still the will  of ,god must have the   
mastery4 ,if we feel some repugnance in 
ourselves1  it need not surprize us2 for
 it is only too natural for us to shun  
the  cross4 ,still let us not fail to   
surmount it1 knowing that ,god accepts  

our obedience1 provided we bring all our
 feelings and wishes into  captivity1   
and make them subject to ,him4    ,when 
prophets and apostles went to death1 it 
was not without feeling  some           
inclination to recoil4 ,they shall carry
 thee whither thou wouldst  not1 said   
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ to ,peter4     
7,john xxi41 #ah47 ,when such  fears of 
death arise within us1 let us gain the  
mastery over them1 or  rather let ,god  
gain it2 and meanwhile1 let us feel     
assured that we offer  ,him a pleasing  
sacrifice when we resist and do violence
 to our  inclinations for the purpose of
 placing ourselves entirely under ,his  
command3 ,this is the principle war in  
which ,god would have ,his people  to be
 engaged4 ,he would have them strive to 
suppress every rebellious  thought and  
feeling which would turn them aside from
 the path to which  ,he points4 ,and the
 consolations are so ample that it may  
well be said1  we are more than cowards 
if we give away6    ,in ancient times   

vast numbers of people1 to obtain a     
simple crown of  leaves1 refused no     
toil1 no pain1 no trouble2 nay1 it even 
cost them  nothing to die1 and yet every
 one of them fought for a peradventure1 
not  knowing whether he was to gain or  
to lose the prize4 ,god holds forth to  
us the immortal crown by which we may   
become partakers of ,his glory3 ,he     
does not mean us to fight at haphazard1 
but all of us have a promise of  the    
prize for which we strive4 ,have we any 
cause then to decline the  struggle8 ,do
 we think it has been said in vain that 
if we die with ,jesus  ,christ we shall 
also live with ,him8 ,our triumph is    
prepared1 and yet we  do all we can to  
shun the combat4    ,but it is said that
 all we teach on this subject is        
repugnant to human  judgment4 ,i confess
 it4 ,and hence when our ,savior        
declares1 ,blest are  they which are    
persecuted for righteousness' sake      
7,matt1 v41 #aj71 ,he  gives utterance  
to a sentiment which is not easily      

received in the  world4 ,on the         
contrary1 ,he wishes to account that as 
happiness which in  the judgment of     
sense is misery4 ,we seem to ourselves  
miserable when  ,god leaves us to be    
trampled upon by the tyranny and cruelty
 of our  enemies2 but the error is that 
we look not to the promises of ,god1    
which  assure us that all will turn to  
our good4 ,we are cast down when we see 
the wicked stronger than we1 and        
planting their foot on our throat2 but  
such confusion should rather1 as ,st4   
,paul says1 cause us to lift up our     
heads4 ,seeing we are too much disposed 
to amuse ourselves with present         
objects1 ,god in permitting the good to 
be maltreated1 and the wicked to  have  
sway1 shows by evident tokens that a day
 is coming on which all  that is now in 
confusion will be reduced to order4 ,if 
the period seems  distant1 let us run to
 the remedy1 and not flatter ourselves  
in our sin2  for it is certain that we  
have no faith if we can not carry our   

views  forward to the coming of ,jesus  
,christ4    ,to leave no means which may
 be fitted to stimulate us unemployed1  
,god  sets before us promises on the one
 hand and threatenings on the other4    
,do we feel that the promises have not  
sufficient influence1 let us  strengthen
 them by adding the threatenings4 ,it is
 true we must be  perverse in the       
extreme not to put more faith in the    
promises of ,god1  when the ,lord ,jesus
 says that ,he will own us as ,his      
before ,his ,father1  provided we       
confess ,him before men4 7,matt x41 #cb2
 ,luke xii41 #h47 ,what  should prevent 
us from making the confession which ,he 
requires8 ,let men  do their utmost1    
they can not do worse than murder us6   
and will not the  heavenly life         
compensate for this8 ,i do not here     
collect all the  passages in ,scripture 
which bear on this subject3 they are so 
often  reiterated that we ought to be   
thoroughly satisfied with them4 ,when   
the  struggle comes1 if three or four   

passages do not suffice1 a hundred      
surely ought to make us proof against   
all contrary temptations4    ,but if    
,god can not will us to ,himself by     
gentle means1 must we not be  mere      
blocks if ,his threatening also fail8   
,jesus ,christ summons all those  who   
from fear of temporal death shall have  
denied the truth1 to appear  at the bar 
of ,god his ,father1 and says1 that then
 both body and soul  will be consigned  
to perdition4 7,matt4 x41 #bh2 ,luke    
xii41 #e47 ,and in  another passage ,he 
says that ,he will disclaim all those   
who shall have  denied ,him before men4 
7,matt4 x41 #cc2 ,luke xii41 #aj47      
,these words1 if we  are not altogether 
impervious to feeling1 might well make  
our hair stand  on end4 ,be this as it  
may1 this much is certain2 if these     
things do not  move us as they ought1   
nothing remains for us but a fearful    
judgment4  7,heb4 x41 #bg47 ,all the    
words of ,christ having proved          
unavailing1 we  stand convinced of gross

 infidelity4    ,it is in vain for us to
 allege that pity should be shown us1   
inasmuch as  our nature is so frail2 for
 it is said1 on the contrary1 that      
,moses1  having looked to ,god by faith1
 was fortified so as not to yield under 
any temptation4 ,wherefore1 when we are 
thus soft and easy to bend1 it is  a    
manifest sign1 ,i do not say that we    
have no zeal1 no firmness1 but  that we 
know nothing either of ,god or ,his     
kingdom4 ,when we are reminded  that we 
ought to be united to our ,head1 it     
seems to us a fine pretext  for         
exemption to say that we are men4 ,but  
what were those who have  trodden the   
path before us8 ,indeed1 had we nothing 
more than pure  doctrine1 all the       
excuses we could make would be          
frivolous2 but having  so many examples 
which ought to supply us with the       
strongest proof1 the  more deserving are
 we of condemnation4    ,there are two  
points to be considered4 ,the first is1 
that the whole body of  the ,church in  

general has always been1 and to the end 
will be1 liable to  be afflicted by the 
wicked1 as is said in the ,psalms       
7,psalms cxxix41 #a71  ,from my youth up
 they have tormented me1 and dragged the
 plow over me  from one end to the      
other4 ,the ,holy ,spirit there brings  
in the ancient  ,church1 in order that  
we1 after being much acquainted with her
 afflictions1  may not regard it as     
either new or vexatious when the like is
 done to  ourselves in the present day4 
,st4 ,paul1 also1 in quoting from       
another  ,psalm 7,rom4 vii41 #cf2 ,psalm
 xliv41 #bb71 a passage which says1 ,we 
have  been led like sheep to the        
slaughter2 shows that that has not been 
for  one age only1 but is the ordinary  
condition of the ,church1 and shall be4 
,therefore1 on seeing how the ,church of
 ,god is trampled upon in the  present  
day by proud worldlings1 how one barks  
and another bites1 how  they torture1   
how they plot against her1 how she is   
assailed incessantly  by mad dogs and   

savage beasts1 let it remind us that the
 same thing was  done in all the olden  
time4 ,it is true ,god sometimes gives  
her a truce  and time of refreshment1   
and hence in the ,psalm above quoted it 
is said1  ,he cutteth the cords of the  
wicked2 and in another passage 7,psalm  
cxxv41 #c71 ,he breaks their staff1 lest
 the good should fall away1 by  being   
too hardly pressed4 ,but still it has   
pleased ,him that ,his ,church  should  
always have to battle so long as she is 
in this world1 her repose  being        
treasured up on high in the heavens4    
7,heb4 iii41 #i47    ,meanwhile1 the    
issue of her afflictions has always been
 fortunate4 ,at  all events1 ,god has   
caused that tho she has been prest by   
many  calamities1 she has never been    
completely crusht2 as it is said 7,psalm
  vii41 #ae71 ,the wicked with all their
 efforts have not succeeded in that  at 
which they aimed4 ,st4 ,paul glories in 
the fact1 and shows that this  is the   
course which ,god in mercy always takes4

 ,he says 7,i ,cor4 iv41 #ab7  that we  
endure tribulations1 but we are not in  
agony2 we are  impoverished1 but not    
left destitute2 we are persecuted1 but  
not  forsaken2 cast down1 but we perish 
not2 bearing everywhere in our body  the
 mortification of the ,lord ,jesus1 in  
order that ,his life may be  manifested 
in our mortal bodies4 ,such being1 as we
 see1 the issue which  ,god has at all  
times given to the persecutions of ,his 
,church1 we ought  to take courage1     
knowing that our forefathers1 who were  
frail men like  ourselves1 always had   
the victory over their enemies by       
remaining firm  in endurance4    ,i only
 touch upon this article briefly to come
 to the second1 which is  more to our   
purpose1 viz41 that we ought to take    
advantage of the  particular examples of
 the martyrs who have gone before us4   
,these are  not confined to two or      
three1 but are1 as the apostle says     
7,heb4 xii41 #a71  ,so great a cloud of 
witnesses4 ,by this expression he       

intimates that  the number is so great  
that it ought1 as it were1 completely to
 engross  our sight4 ,not to be tedious1
 ,i will only mention the ,jews1 who    
were  persecuted for the true religion1 
as well under the tyranny of ,king      
,antiochus as a little after his death4 
,we can not allege that the number  of  
sufferers was small1 for it formed1 as  
it were1 a large army of  martyrs4 ,we  
can not say that it consisted of        
prophets whom ,god had set  apart from  
common people1 for women and young      
children formed part of  the band4 ,we  
can not say that they got off at a cheap
 rate1 for they  were tortured as       
cruelly as it was possible to be4       
,accordingly1 we hear  what the apostle 
says 7,heb4 xi41 #ce71 that some were   
stretched out like  drums1 not caring to
 be delivered1 that they might obtain a 
better  resurrection2 others were proved
 by mockery and blows1 or bonds and     
prisons2 others were stoned or sawn     
asunder2 others traveled up and  down1  

wandering among mountains and caves4    
,let us now compare their case with     
ours4 ,if they so endured for the  truth
 which was at that time so obscure1 what
 ought we to do in the  clear light     
which is now shining8 ,god speaks to us 
with open mouth2 the  great gate of the 
kingdom of heaven has been opened1 and  
,jesus ,christ  calls us to ,himself1   
after having come down to us that we    
might have  him1 as it were1 present to 
our eyes4 ,what a reproach would it be  
to us  to have less zeal in suffering   
for the gospel than those who had only  
hailed the promises afar off--who had   
only a little wicket opened  whereby to 
come to the kingdom of ,god1 and who had
 only some memorial  and type of ,jesus 
,christ8 ,these things can not be       
exprest in a word1 as  they deserve1 and
 therefore ,i leave each to ponder them 
for himself4    ,the doctrine now laid  
down1 as it is general1 ought to be     
carried into  practise by all           
,christians1 each applying it to his own

 use according  as may be necessary4    
,this ,i say1 in order that those who do
 not see  themselves in apparent danger 
may not think it superfluous as regards 
them4 ,they are not at this hour in the 
hands of tyrants1 but how do they  know 
what ,god means to do with them         
hereafter8 ,we ought therefore to be  so
 forearmed that if some persecution     
which we did not expect arrives1  we may
 not be taken unawares4 ,but ,i much    
fear that there are many deaf  ears in  
regard to this subject4 ,so far are     
those who are sheltered and  at their   
ease from preparing to suffer death when
 need shall be that  they do not even   
trouble themselves about serving ,god in
 their lives4 ,it  nevertheless         
continues true that this preparation for
 persecution ought  to be our ordinary  
study1 and especially in the times in   
which we live4    ,those1 again1 whom   
,god calls to suffer for the testimony  
of ,his name  ought to show by deeds    
that they have been thoroughly trained  

to patient  endurance4 ,then ought they 
to recall to mind all the exhortations  
which  were given them in times past1   
and bestir themselves just as the       
soldier  rushes to arms when the tempest
 sounds4 ,but how different is the      
result4  ,the only question is how to   
find out subterfuges for escaping4 ,i   
say  this in regard to the greater part2
 for persecution is a true touchstone   
by which ,god ascertains who are ,his4  
,and few are so faithful as to be       
prepared to meet death boldly4    ,it is
 a kind of monstrous thing1 that persons
 who make a boast of having  a little of
 the gospel1 can venture to open their  
lips to give utterance  to such         
quibbling4 ,some will say1 ,what do we  
gain by confessing our  faith to        
obstinate people who have deliberately  
resolved to fight  against ,god8 ,is not
 this to cast pearls before swine8 ,as  
if ,jesus ,christ  had not distinctly   
declared 7,matt viii41 #ch7 that ,he    
wishes to be  confest among the perverse

 and malignant4 ,if they are not        
instructed  thereby1 they will at all   
events remain confounded2 and hence     
confession  is an odor of a sweet smell 
before ,god1 even tho it be deadly to   
the  reprobate4 ,there are some who say1
 ,what will our death profit8 ,will it  
not rather prove an offense8 ,as if ,god
 hath left them the choice of  dying    
when they should see it good and find   
the occasion opportune4 ,on  the        
contrary1 we approve our obedience by   
leaving in ,his hand the profit  which  
is to accrue from our death4    ,in the 
first place1 then1 the ,christian man1  
wherever he may be1 must  resolve1      
notwithstanding dangers or threatings1  
to walk in simplicity as  ,god has      
commanded4 ,let him guard as much as he 
can against the ravening  of the wolves1
 but let it not be with carnal          
craftiness4 ,above all1 let  him place  
his life in the hands of ,god4 ,has he  
done so8    ,then if he happens to fall 
into the hands of the enemy1 let him    

think  that ,god1 having so arranged1 is
 pleased to have him for one of the     
witnesses of ,his ,son1 and therefore   
that he has no means of drawing back    
without breaking faith with ,him to whom
 we have promised all duty in  life and 
in death--,him whose we are and to whom 
we belong1 even though  we should have  
made no promise4    ,in saying this ,i  
do not lay all under the necessity of   
making a full and  entire confession of 
everything which they believe1 even     
should they be  required to do so4 ,i am
 aware also of the measure observed by  
,st4 ,paul1  altho no man was ever more 
determined boldly to maintain the cause 
of  the gospel as he ought4 ,and hence  
it is not without cause our ,lord       
promises to give us1 on such an         
occasion1 a mouth and wisdom 7,luke     
xxi41 #ae72 as if he had said1 that the 
office of the ,holy ,spirit is not  only
 to strengthen us to be bold and        
valiant1 but also to give us  prudence  
and discretion1 to guide us in the      

course which it will be  expedient to   
take4    ,the substance of the whole is1
 that those who are in such distress are
  to ask and obtain such prudence from  
above1 not following their own  carnal  
wisdom1 in searching out for a kind of  
loop-hole by which to  escape4 ,there   
are some who tell us that our ,lord     
,himself gave no answer  to those who   
interrogated ,him4 ,but ,i rejoin1      
,first1 ,that this does not  abolish the
 rule which ,he has given us to make    
confession of our faith  when so        
required4 7,i ,peter iii41 #ae47        
,secondly1 ,that ,he never used any     
disguise to save ,his life3 and1        
,thirdly1 ,that ,he never gave an answer
 so  ambiguous as not to embody a       
sufficient testimony to all that ,he had
 to  say2 and that1 moreover1 ,he had   
already satisfied those who came to     
interrogate ,him anew1 with the view not
 obtaining information1 but  merely of  
laying traps to ensnare ,him4    ,let it
 be held1 then1 as a fixed point among  

all ,christians1 that they  ought not to
 hold their life more precious than the 
testimony to the  truth1 inasmuch as    
,god wishes to be glorified thereby4 ,is
 it in vain  that ,he gives the name of 
witnesses 7for this is the meaning of   
the word  martyr7 to all who have to    
answer before the enemies of the faith8 
,is it  not because ,he wished to employ
 them for such a purpose8 ,here every   
one  is not to look for his fellow1 for 
,god does not honor all alike with the  
call4 ,and as we are inclined so to     
look1 we must be the more on our  guard 
against it4 ,peter having heard from the
 lips of our ,lord ,jesus  7,john xxi41 
#ah7 that he should be led in his old   
age where he would not1  asked1 ,what   
was to become of his companion ,john8   
,there is not one among  us who would   
not readily have put the same question2 
for the thought  which instantly rises  
in our mind is1 ,why do ,i suffer rather
 than  others8 ,on the contrary1 ,jesus 
,christ exhorts all of us in common1 and

  each of us in particular1 to hold     
ourselves ready1 in order that          
according as ,he shall call this one or 
that one1 we may march forth in  our    
turn4    ,i explained above how little  
prepared we shall be to suffer          
martyrdom1  if we be not armed with the 
divine promises4 ,it now remains to show
  somewhat more fully what the purport  
and aim of these promises are--not  to  
specify them all in detail1 but to show 
the principal things which  ,god wishes 
us to hope from ,him1 to console us in  
our afflictions4 ,now  these things1    
taken summarily1 are three4 ,the first  
is1 that inasmuch as  our life and death
 are in ,his hand1 ,he will preserve us 
by ,his might  that not a hair will be  
plucked out of our heads without ,his   
leave4  ,believers1 therefore1 ought to 
feel assured into whatever hands they   
may  fall1 that ,god is not divested of 
the guardianship which ,he exercises    
over their persons4 ,were such a        
persuasion well imprinted on our hearts1

  we should be delivered from the       
greater part of the doubts and          
perplexities which torment us and       
obstruct us in our duty4    ,we see     
tyrants let loose3 thereupon it seems to
 us that ,god no longer  possesses any  
means of saving us1 and we are tempted  
to provide for our  own affairs as if   
nothing more were to be expected from   
,him4 ,on the  contrary1 ,his           
providence1 as ,he unfolds it1 ought to 
be regarded by us  as an impregnable    
fortress4 ,let us labor1 then1 to learn 
the full import  of the expression1 that
 our bodies are in the hands of ,him who
 created  them4 ,for this reason ,he has
 sometimes delivered ,his people in a   
miraculous manner1 and beyond all human 
expectation1 as ,shadrach1  ,meshach1   
and ,abednego1 from the fiery furnace1  
,daniel from the den of  lions2 ,peter  
from ,herod's prison1 where he was      
locked1 chained1 and  guarded so        
closely4 ,by these examples ,he meant to
 testify that ,he holds  our enemies in 

check1 altho it may not seem so1 and has
 power to  withdraw us from the midst of
 death when ,he pleases4 ,not that ,he  
always  does it2 but in reserving       
authority to ,himself to dispose of us  
for life  and for death1 ,he would have 
us to feel fully assured that ,he has us
  under ,his charge2 so that whatever   
tyrants attempt1 and with whatever  fury
 they may rush against us1 it belongs to
 ,him alone to order our  life4    ,if  
,he permits tyrants to slay us1 it is   
not because our life is not dear  to    
,him1 and held in a hundred times       
greater honor than it deserves4 ,such   
being the case1 having declared by the  
mouth of ,david 7,psalm cxvi41 #ac71    
that the death of the saints is precious
 in ,his sight1 ,he says also by  the   
mouth of ,isaiah 7xxvi41 #ba71 that the 
earth will discover the blood  which    
seems to be concealed4 ,let the enemies 
of the gospel1 then1 be as  prodigal as 
they will of the blood of martyrs1 they 
shall have to  render a fearful account 

of it even to its last drop4 ,in the    
present  day1 they indulge in proud     
derision while consigning believers to  
the  flames2 and after having bathed in 
their blood1 they are intoxicated by  it
 to such a degree as to count all the   
murders which they commit mere  festive 
sport4 ,but if we have patience to wait1
 ,god will show in the end  that it is  
not in vain ,he has taxed our life at so
 high a value4  ,meanwhile1 let it not  
offend us that it seems to confirm the  
gospel1  which in worth surpasses heaven
 and earth4    ,to be better assured    
that ,god does not leave us as it were  
forsaken in  the hands of tyrants1 let  
us remember the declarations of ,jesus  
,christ1  when ,he says 7,acts ix41 #d7 
that ,he ,himself is persecuted in ,his 
members4  ,god had indeed said before1  
7,zech4 ii41 #h71 ,he who touches you   
touches  the apple of mine eye4 ,but    
here it is said much more expressly1    
that if  we suffer for the gospel1 it is
 as much as if the ,son of ,god were    

suffering in person4 ,let us know1      
therefore1 that ,jesus ,christ must     
forget ,himself before ,he can cease to 
think of us when we are in prison1  or  
in danger of death for ,his cause2 and  
let us know that ,god will take  to     
heart all the outrages which tyrants    
commit upon us1 just as if they  were   
committed on ,his own ,son4    ,let us  
now come to the second point which ,god 
declares to us in ,his  promise for our 
consolation4 ,it is1 that ,he will so   
sustain us by the  energy of ,his       
,spirit that our enemies1 do what they  
may1 even with ,satan  at their head1   
will gain no advantage over us4 ,and we 
see how ,he  displays ,his gifts in such
 an emergency2 for the invincible       
constancy  which appears in the martyrs 
abundantly and beautifully demonstrates 
that ,god works in them mightily4 ,in   
persecution there are two things        
grievous to the flesh1 the vituperation 
and insult of men1 and the  tortures    
which the body suffers4 ,now1 ,god      

promises to hold out ,his hand  to us so
 effectually1 that we shall overcome    
both by patience4 ,what ,he  thus tells 
us ,he confirms by fact4 ,let us take   
this buckler1 then1 to  ward off all    
fears by which we are assailed1 and let 
us not confine the  working of the ,holy
 ,spirit within such narrow limits as to
 suppose that  ,he will not easily      
defeat all the cruelties of men4    ,of 
this we have had1 among other examples1 
one which is particularly  memorable4 ,a
 young man who once lived with us here1 
having been  apprehended in the town of 
,tournay1 was condemned to have his head
 cut  off if he recanted1 and to be     
burned alive if he continued steadfast  
to  his purpose4 ,when asked what he    
meant to do1 he replied simply1 ,he who 
will give me grace to die patiently for 
,his name1 will surely give me  grace to
 bear the fire4 ,we ought to take this  
expression not as that of  a mortal man1
 but as that of the ,holy ,spirit1 to   
assure us that ,god is  not less        

powerful to strengthen us1 and render us
 victorious over  tortures1 than to make
 us submit willingly to a milder death4 
,moreover1  we oftentimes see what      
firmness he gives to unhappy malefactors
 who  suffer for their crimes4 ,i speak 
not of the hardened1 but of those who   
derive consolation from the grace of    
,jesus ,christ1 and by ,his means1  with
 a peaceful heart1 undergo the most     
grievous punishment which can be        
inflicted4 ,one beautiful instance is   
seen in the thief who was converted  at 
the death of our ,lord4 ,will ,god1 who 
thus powerfully assists poor  criminals 
when enduring the punishment of their   
misdeeds1 be so wanting  to ,his own    
people1 while fighting for ,his cause1  
as not to give them  invincible courage8
    ,the third point for consideration  
in the promises which ,god gives ,his   
martyrs is1 the fruit which they ought  
to hope for from their  sufferings1 and 
in the end1 if need be1 from their      
death4 ,now1 this  fruit is1 that after 

having glorified ,his ,name--after      
having edified the  ,church by their    
constancy--they1 will be gathered       
together with the ,lord  ,jesus into    
,his immortal glory4 ,but as we have    
above spoken of this at  some length1 it
 is enough here to recall it to         
remembrance4 ,let  believers1 then1     
learn to lift up their heads towards the
 crown of glory  and immortality to     
which ,god invites them1 thus they may  
not feel  reluctant to quit the present 
life for such a recompense2 and1 to feel
  well assured of this inestimable      
blessing1 let them have always before   
their eyes the conformity which they    
thus have to our ,lord ,jesus ,christ2  
beholding death in the midst of life1   
just as ,he1 by the reproach of the     
cross1 attained to the glorious         
resurrection1 wherein consists all our  
felicity1 joy1 and triumph4             
,,end ,,of ,,vol4 ,i4