Sermon 7: Upon Ephesians Chapter 1

17. I pray for you, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, to have the knowledge of him: 18. That is to say, to have the eyes of your understanding enlightened, to the end you may know what the hope is which you ought to have of his calling, and what the riches are of the glory of his heritage among the saints.

All men have naturally some understanding. Not that it shows itself as soon as they are born: but in process of time all have some discretion of good and evil. And for that cause are they reasonable creatures. But the understanding which we have of nature, is not enough to bring us to the kingdom of heaven. For we stop far short when matters that concern the heavenly life do come in question: we see that every man has wit in matters and affairs of the world: and every man will look about him. Again, although various could find in their hearts that their own consciences were dead: yet notwithstanding God has so engraved a kind of feeling in their hearts, as our lives must needs be bridled, and even the wickedest and worst natured of us all, shall of force have some remorse or heart-biting, and be constrained whether they will or no, to allow the good, and condemn the evil. True it is that when they have committed any fault, they will labor to hide it with vain excuses. But if a man ask them whether murder, extortion, robbery, whoredom, deceit, and forswearing be virtues or no: they will say, they be vices worthy to be condemned. Every man will talk so. For it is God's will that there should be such a knowledge printed in man's heart, to the end that all should be condemned without excuse, and be inforced to be their own judges. But (as I said before) this is not enough to lead us to God, and to open us the kingdom of heaven in such wise, as we may know how to be saved, or how to call upon God. Then are we stark blind in that behalf: for our insight reaches not beyond the world. Therefore God must needs work in us, and to give us new eyes to spy out the things that are requisite to our salvation. And that is the cause why Saint Paul prays to God here to give them enlightened eyes. Wherein he presupposes that men have already some entrance, not to attain so high as is requisite: but to have some seed of religion in them, and to perceive that there is a God: furthermore God must needs give a greater light, and such a one as we be quite void of, by reason of Adam's sin: for we be plunged in such darkness, that we go completely astray from the right way, till God have reached us his hand. You see then that the thing which is contained here, is that God has done more for us in giving us the eyes of understanding, than in making us men, and putting us into the world? Because thereby he reforms us, and gives us a clear and sure insight, as to those whom he has chosen. For it is a privilege which is peculiar to his own children, and not common to all men. And truly we see that when God utters his power, it is not known but only to such as have enlightened eyes, according to this saying of Moses, Your God has not given you a heart to understand, nor eyes to see, even to this day. We know that miracles were wrought in the sight of the people: yet notwithstanding the passing of the Red Sea, the issuing of the water out of the rock, the falling of the manna down from heaven, the thick cloud by day, and the fiery pillar by night, the abundant coming of the flesh to them, and the horrible punishments that God laid upon the rebels, and upon such as had given full scope to their own lusts, all this the people did not understand. Moses telling them that they had need to refer themselves to God, that they might be enlightened by his spirit, says, I see that even to this hour God's gracious doings have been buried among you through your unthankfulness: but that is because men are blockish, and do never understand anything that belongs to their welfare, till God have wrought in them. Therefore it is necessary for you to rid yourselves of all overweening, and to crave understanding at God's hand, acknowledging yourselves to be unable to reach so high as to judge rightly of God's works, and to profit yourselves by them, until he have given you a heavenly sight in your minds. This is the sum of the things that we have to mark in this passage.

Now hereupon it is easy to gather, how the wretched world has been beguiled by the opinion of free will, which has been put into their heads. For the Papists will well enough grant, that without God's grace we cannot walk as we ought to do: but yet they say therewith, that we may well further God's grace by our own free will: and so they make a mixture of them together. When they mind to define free will, they say it is a mingled thing, so as we have reason and wit to choose the good, and to refuse the evil, and that therewith we have also power and ability, to perform and put in execution the thing that we have purposed. But we see after what manner Saint Paul speaks here of man's reason, which they term the queen that overrules and bridles all our thoughts and deeds. He shows that she is stark blind, until God has renewed her, and not that he does but supply our wants where any be, as though there were some piece of power in us. Had it been so, Saint Paul would have said, that God furthers our light, or that he increases it, or that he adds to it whatever it has need of. However he speaks not so: but he says, God give you enlightened eyes: showing thereby that it is a free gift, and not only that our Lord must be content to bear with our infirmities, and to put some further portion to it: but also that we being blind can see nothing at all, till he has opened our eyes, and that we be guided and governed by the said manifestation of his holy Spirit, which we have touched before. And now forasmuch as men run always flinging over the fields, and busy their heads about many unprofitable things: Saint Paul shows us to what we ought to apply all wholly both our understanding and wit, namely about the seeking how to know what the hope of our calling is. I have told you already, that men are as you would say, born to curiosity, and that they rove and range, and frame many wicked gazes in their heads: and that is the cause why many men do martyr themselves out of measure, ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth, as says Saint Paul. Therefore let us mark well, that all the true knowledge which we must seek, is to attain to the hope to which God has called us. For the Scripture serves not to feed us with vain and superfluous things: but to edify us to our welfare: that is to say, to make us perceive God's goodness, that we might be joined to him, and he be our true happiness. And hereupon we may gather also, that until such time as our Lord has enlightened us by his holy Spirit, we can find neither way nor path to come near the heavenly life, no nor so much as guess what it means. Therefore it is for our benefit, that our Lord should put us in possession of our salvation, by the power of his holy Spirit. I told you before how that faith serves to give us an entrance into the kingdom of heaven, and into the heritage that is purchased for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that God must be content to give it us by his holy Spirit. Then since it is so, let us mark that we have need, not only to have the Gospel preached to us, but also that God bore our ears, so as we may hearken to the things that are contained in the same, and he open our eyes to see the things that he shows us: and to be short, that he may both begin all, and bring all to pass. However forasmuch as men (as I said before) do by their fond imaginations take more upon them than they ought to do, and on the other side despise God's gifts: Saint Paul magnifies here the hope of which he had made mention before, saying: What the riches of the glory of his heritage are among the saints. No doubt but that when there is any speaking of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will say, they be high things: however that is but to exempt ourselves from them, if we could escape: so as we could be contented to know right nothing of the things that concern our salvation. We be insatiable when any body feeds us with vanities and lies: but if God calls us to his school, we shrink back as much as we can possibly, yes and we set this before us as a shield, that we be rude, and that we have but a small and overly gross understanding, and that the secrets of God's word are too deep and incomprehensible for us. We have skill enough to say so: and yet is all but hypocrisy and feignedness. And for proof thereof men will always judge after their own liking, so as if any thing be proposed to them from out of God's word: Is it so, say they? And how is that possible? They reason, they scan of it. Behold, it is God that speaks, and yet will not they without gainsaying, receive the things that are shown them in the name of God. We see then that they do but lie, in saying that they be dull and gross witted: for they think the clean contrary. The starkest idiots (say I) and the very dullest of them all will still be wiser than God. Again, on the other side, what causes the Gospel to be despised, but that a number of perverse and fantastical fellows, think it to be but a simple doctrine, and that it has not fineness and subtlety enough for them? So much the more need therefore have we to bethink us of the thing that is shown us here by Saint Paul: which is, that the glorious heritage to which God has called us, is an infinite riches. For besides that we be nothing else but mire and rottenness, [reconstructed: sin shuts] us out from all hope of salvation. And so long as we be God's enemies, what can we look for at his hand but utter confusion? Yet notwithstanding it pleases him to make us fellows with the angels of heaven, yes and more than that too: for we be made members of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the end we should be partakers of his life and glory. How excellent riches are these? When we shall have employed all our wits about them, ought we not to be too much ashamed, seeing that God has uttered so inestimable goodness towards us? So then, Saint Paul to awaken men's drowsiness, and to rebuke and correct their unthankfulness, for that they commend not the hundredth part of God's grace, as they ought to do: tells us that if we think better upon it, we shall find that his speaking after that manner, is to stir us up to pray God to enlighten us, because that without him, we should not be able to come any thing near faith, nor near any knowledge at all.

Thus we see now Saint Paul's meaning, which he pursues and continues much more in adding, what the excellence of his power is in us that have believed. And again, according to the effectual working of the strength of his power. He gathers and heaps up many words here together, which import all one thing. Nevertheless it is as it were a correcting of man's lewdness, which labor to deface God's goodness as much as they can, insomuch that whereas they are not able to deface it altogether, they diminish it in such wise as it appears not, as if it had but a spark whereas it ought to have full light. But by the way let us mark, that whereas Saint Paul sets down here the saints and believers: he means the faithful whom God has already called to him. And therein he shows that even when we have faith, all our holiness proceeds of God's mercy, and men bring nothing of their own growing. Truly this title of saints is very honorable: but yet it behooves us to go to the wellspring of holiness: for in ourselves we have nothing but uncleanness. God's children must needs be holy: yet must they consider from where they have it, whether they have it of their own purchase and [reconstructed: policy], or of God's gift. Saint Paul shows here, that the praise thereof ought to be yielded simply to God. For it is not for nothing that he says so often, I am holy. And again, we know that Jesus Christ was sanctified for us, to the intent that we might be washed and scoured from all our uncleanness. Thus much concerning the first point.

Afterward follows the cause of our faith: namely that men attain it not otherwise, than by the drawing of a secret motion, according as it is said, that we must learn of God, not only because his word contains all wisdom, and God does thereby teach us faithfully the things that are for our benefit: but also because our Lord expounds it moreover, saying, he that hears it of my father. He himself spoke it, which was the wisdom of God: and yet he shows that the things which he uttered with his mouth, could not prevail, except God spoke within a man by his holy Spirit. Now if Jesus Christ could not profit men by his teaching, further forth than God's Spirit wrought within their hearts, what shall the preaching do which we hear at the mouth of mortal men, who are nothing? Men then must plant and water, and God must give increase, as Saint Paul says in the third chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians.

Furthermore, as I have told you, that we must draw all our holiness from out of Jesus Christ, in whom we shall find all the fullness and plenty of it: so also let us understand, that by that saying we are warned, that we are not called to filthiness, to take leave to do evil: but to be as it were set apart to the service of God. Most men can well enough boast that they are faithful, and that word runs roundly upon every man's tongue: but faith is a more precious thing than we think: for it [reconstructed: purifies] our hearts (as it is said in the fifteenth of Acts) to the intent we should be as it were set apart and set aside, to give ourselves wholly to God's service. But hereby it is meant, that men are as it were of a corrupt and infected mass, till God has drawn out the one sort from the other. Then we differ nothing at all from those that are as deeply plunged as is possible, in all manner of evil and wickedness. We are all alike (say I) as touching our nature. But they that believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, must be as it were sorted out from the rest of the world, as Saint Peter also says in his first Epistle. Again, we have seen heretofore, that we are cleansed by the [reconstructed: blood] of Jesus Christ, to the intent to be drawn out of this world, according also as he says in Saint John, where he prays to his father, not to take us out of this world, and out of this transitory life, but to keep the naughtiness of the world from bearing rule in us, and to exempt us from it. You see then that the thing which we have to bear in mind, is that holiness is the true record of our faith. And therefore whoever is called a Christian, ought to be consecrated to God, and not to intermeddle or defile himself with the uncleanness and filthiness of the world. True it is that our holiness shall never be perfect, so long as we are in this world: for we do always draw the lines to us, and although sin does not overmaster us, yet does it dwell in us, and we keep continual battle against it, to get the upper hand. But however the world goes, yet when God once has sanctified us, we must apply ourselves to his service, we must endeavor to cleanse ourselves more and more from all vices, and we must give ourselves wholly to him, so as we are no more as worldlings, which take leave to do whatever they please. This in effect is the thing that Saint Paul meant to say.

Moreover, no doubt but that in this place he makes comparison between such as are drowned in all ignorance, or rather are so hardened, that they have no mind at all to submit themselves to the obedience of the Gospel, but do fight furiously against it: and the faithful which are as simple sheep, hearkening to the voice of the good shepherd. Saint Paul then condemns here all scoffers and scorners which despise God, and are as dogs or brute beasts, without any feeling of religion. When we see these things, they are all of them mirrors to us, to make the hairs stand up upon our heads, by making us to know what we should be, if God pitied us not. And therefore when we see folks scorn God so openly, and rush forth at random into all lewdness, let us acknowledge the infinite goodness of our God, in that he has separated us from the company. Therefore when we see one sort mired in their unbelief, and another sort full of pride, bitterness, and stubbornness against the Gospel: let us understand that we ourselves should be like them, but that God has reached forth his arm upon us.

But now let us mark well the words that Saint Paul uses herein, saying, the excellent greatness of his mightiness, according to the effectual working of the power of his strength. It should seem that the Holy Spirit meant to thunder down upon this devilish opinion with which the world has at all times been besotted — that is to say, of free will. For the heathen men presumed so far, as to say that God had indeed created them to be in the world, and that it was in his power to give them good or bad fortune, as they termed it: but that it was in every man's own power and free choice to follow virtue, and to behave himself in such wise, as no fault might be found in him. Behold how the heathen men parted the stake between God and themselves. The lesser matter, which is the setting of us here beneath to crawl here like frogs, they left to God: but the greater matter, namely our attaining to heaven, and the ruling of ourselves in all virtue, that said they, was in man's own ability, and belonged only to himself. The Jews and Papists have not been altogether of this mind: for (as I have touched already) they confess that we have need of God's help: but yet for all that, they will have us to mingle some piece of our own holiness with God's grace, and to be able to work jointly with it, as they say, insomuch that when it comes to the reckoning, the chief part shall always be found in ourselves.

But let us see how the Holy Spirit speaks of it. To what end uses he all these terms of highness, power, strength, effectual working, and mightiness? Therefore does he heap them all up together, but to show that men are mad when they will take more upon them than becomes them? There is not that word here, which serves not to abate our cackling, if we boast of never so little a drop of goodness. For if men say, I have yet some good moving in me, I have some piece of virtue: behold, Saint Paul speaks of highness: as if he meant to show that all the goodness which we have, is above the world, and has not its root nor spring in ourselves, but comes from above, as Saint James says. Again, if men say, we have some power to withstand our own vices, and to fight against temptations: Saint Paul says here, that our strength, our power, and our might comes from God, and that he must be fain to bestow it upon us, and we to receive it from him. If men say still, yet by straining ourselves we may be able to do somewhat: Saint Paul tells us, there is no effectual working, there is no bringing of the thing to pass, unless God gives it us, according to his speaking of it in the second chapter to the Philippians, where he says, that it stands us in hand to walk in fear and wariness, because it is God which gives both the will and the ability to perform the will, according to his own good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13): that is to say, he begins the work, and brings it to the end and knitting up. To be short, let us mark, that look how many words there are here, so many great thunderclaps and lightnings are there to beat down and to sink all the pride of man, to the intent that being confounded in ourselves, we might give God the glory which he deserves, and with all lowliness frankly and freely yield ourselves guilty, acknowledging that all goodness comes from him, and that we be beholden to him only for it. Thus you see how the effect of the matter which we have to mark upon this strain, is to humble ourselves in such wise, as we might have no desire to part halves with God, to say that he does but help us, and that there is some portion of his grace and Holy Spirit in our own free will: but to yield him purely and simply the whole praise of our salvation.

Furthermore, let it also make us to despise the world, that we may content ourselves with the hope of the everlasting life which is purchased for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know that although men are generally subject to many afflictions, and that this life of ours is not without cause termed a vale of wretchedness: yet God exercises his own children with greater abundance of adversities, than he does the other sort: for they also have need to be always put in mind to renounce the world. If we should live here too much at our ease and pleasure, what would become of us, seeing we miss not to fall asleep here, notwithstanding that God does prick us and quicken us up so many ways, to pass hence in haste without resting here below? You see then in few words, how God will exercise us many ways after he has called us to the faith of the Gospel, for else we would be weary of serving him, and it would seem to us that his love were but a very slender thing, if we should not learn to give over all other things as little or nothing worth, and to embrace Jesus Christ. Therefore let us learn that Saint Paul's intent here, is to draw us in such wise to God, as nothing may hinder us to walk in our calling: and that if we have not all things to our liking in this world, we may learn to esteem the inestimable benefits of our God better than we have done, that we may say with David (as he speaks in his sixteenth Psalm) I have my heritage, which suffices me: seeing that God has given himself to me, I have so excellent a portion, that I care not for going through all the afflictions of the world, Poverty, sickness, reproach, fear, and threatenings, all these things shall be sweet to me, so I possess my God, and he make me to feel that he has chosen me, and reserved me to himself, and is minded to have me partaker of all his goods (Psalm 16:5). Thus you see in effect, that by this text we may be heartened and strengthened to patience, to bear mildly all the afflictions and adversities of the world, and not to be grieved or out of conceit: and that although God makes us now and then to drink of a bitter cup, and gives us cause to sigh and lament, yet we must not fall to repining and grudging, but assure ourselves that God has given us a good comfort, in that he has called us to be partakers of his kingdom, and so uttered his power already in us, as we ought as it were to advance ourselves above all earthly things, and to look down at them as at our feet.

And forasmuch as we do not yet perceive such fullness of God's grace, as were to be wished, therefore Saint Paul sends us to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. And surely if he had not added, that God has uttered his power in his only Son, after such manner as we have heard it: what a thing were it? For we might allege in way of reply, how so? Where are these riches of God? For we are not only bereft of the goods of this world, but also we are as a dry and barren ground in respect of the grace of God's holy Spirit. If there be any portion of it in us, it is so small, as we ought to be ashamed of it: and yet for all this, we are moreover plunged in our infirmities. If you speak of God's power, it ought to get the upper hand of all sin in us. But we are so weak, that we are as good as beaten down. Again, it were meet that God's image should shine forth in us, and we bear such store of filthiness and such blemishes about us as is a pity to see. We should be wholly consecrated to God, but the world holds us back, and we are as it were snarled in it. Lo, how the faithful might be abashed when any talk were ministered concerning God's grace, if they stayed there, and were not led forth to Jesus Christ. Not without cause therefore does Saint Paul add here, that God did then utter the excellence of his power, when he raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. And he speaks purposely of his resurrection, because that in his death we see nothing but astonishment. For there appeared nothing but weakness: but by his vanquishing of death he showed himself to be the Son of God, yes and the Lord of glory and life, who had all power in himself. And that also is the cause why Saint Paul says, that God did set him at his right hand. For it had not been enough for Jesus Christ to have been raised again, except he had a continual and abiding dominion. True it is that even in his resurrection alone, we have a record that he is the Son of God: but yet for all that, we must pass one step further, namely that he had not a blast of power and away, but that by his rising again, he attained such superiority, that all the world is governed by him, and he is now set down at the right hand of God his Father, to maintain and preserve his servants that call upon him, and put themselves into his keeping, and has sufficient power to overcome Satan and all the world, and all our enemies. Now then we see Saint Paul's meaning: that forasmuch as we might be cast down, and our faith at least wise sorely shaken, if we should look no further than to ourselves: therefore he sets Jesus Christ before us, as the true pattern, wherein we may see the thing that as yet is unseen in ourselves: that is to wit, God's inestimable power which surmounts the whole world. For first he is raised from death: and secondly he is set at the right hand of his Father. Now the speaking of God's right hand is a resemblance taken of men. It is certain that God has neither right hand nor left, for he is infinite, and fills both heaven and earth, and again, he has no body, but is a spiritual being. Therefore we must not imagine any place certain, when God's right hand is spoken of. And when it is said, that Jesus Christ sits there, it is to show that he fills all the world with his power. True it is, that as in respect of his manhood, he is in heaven: and it is one of the Articles of our faith, that he is ascended into heaven. But yet notwithstanding, although he be absent from us in his body: and that there is a great distance between us: it is no hindrance but that he fills all things with his holy Spirit, and dwells in us himself, and that we are nourished by his own substance, according to this saying, that his flesh is our meat, and his blood our drink. You see then how that God's right hand is not some certain place for Christ to sit in, but the sovereignty which he has obtained to govern the whole world. And (as I said before) it is a simile borrowed of men, as when a prince makes his vicegerent, he sets him at his right side, as who should say, Lo here the second person of my realm, whom I will have men to obey. God then in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, meant to show that he is our Father. True it is that the whole fullness of the Godhead is in Jesus Christ. However, forasmuch as we are heavy and slothful, and unable to attain to the majesty of God, therefore it is said, that Jesus Christ has obtained all sovereignty, so as we are sure that he has us in his protection, and that being under his hand, we are safe, and all the devils of hell (do what they can) cannot prevail at all against us. For who is it that has all power? It is even our head. Although then that we who are his members are weak: yet is there strength enough in the head, which is the chief part of the body. And so you see for what cause it is said, that Jesus Christ is set at the right hand of God his Father: namely to show us that we need not to seek far for his help, seeing he governs all things both above and beneath, and we are committed to his charge here. He says that God has uttered his high and infinite power in us. However, forasmuch as that suffices not, by reason of the infirmities which we feel, and for that there is so much amiss in us still, and we are not yet come to the full measure, no nor to the hundredth part of it: therefore to the intent we may be the better assured of all the things that we want, we must consider them in Jesus Christ. Are we then subject yet still to death? Behold, Jesus Christ is received up into everlasting life: for the very cause why he became a mortal man as we are, was that the life which he has, might belong to us. Does sin dwell still in us? Behold, Jesus Christ has no spot nor blemish in him. Are we weak? He is the power of God his Father, and look whatever he received in his manhood, which he took of us, was for our sakes and to our behalf. To be short, look whatever we want, and whatever may comfort or quicken us, we shall find it in our Lord Jesus Christ, because we should not be in care and perplexity, as though we were excluded from the benefits that Saint Paul has made mention of heretofore. Finally we should never have any settled trust, except we knew that the things which are wanting in ourselves, are in our head. For the measure of God's gracious gifts is very small, yes even in the most perfect people, and in such as are most advanced and have profited most of all. Since it is so then, we should always hang in a wavering and doubt. But when we know that all is accomplished in our Lord Jesus Christ, and that he is as it were the first fruits, and that we were sanctified in him, and that in his person we have received the things beforehand, which shall be [reconstructed: given to] us in all plentifulness hereafter when he has taken us out of this world: there verily lies our certainty, whereupon we ought to rest, that we not be shaken down with any temptation. To be short, we are taught by this text, that although God's grace be weak in us, that is to say, although he has put but a small beginning of it in us, and not so large an abundance as were requisite or to be wished for: yet notwithstanding the same gives us a taste and savor to trust in him. For there cannot be so little grace of his holy Spirit in us, but that (as says Saint Paul in the eighth chapter of Romans) we know the same is as a pledge or deposit beforehand, of the life that he has promised. True it is that this lump of sin dwells still in us: but it ought to content us that God vouchsafes to bestow never so little of his holy Spirit upon us.

Furthermore, forasmuch as we cannot be sure of all these things, considering the slenderness that is in ourselves, and the infirmities and wants which we have: therefore we must lift up our eyes to Jesus Christ. Indeed, what does it avail us, that we may find all perfection in him? For we are too far off from him. We are far from him as in respect of distance of places, and in that respect does Saint Paul say, that we are absent from him, because we walk but by faith, and not by open eyesight and beholding. But yet for all that, we are members of his body. Then seeing it is so: just as a root cannot be separated from the tree, but sends forth its sap into all the boughs and branches of it: even so let us understand, that the end to which our Lord Jesus Christ has in such fullness received the spiritual gifts that belong to the heavenly life, is to communicate them to us so far forth as needs, even from degree to degree, according as [reconstructed: we] shall have profited in the faith. And herewithal let us continually bear in mind, that we must stoop and humble ourselves, and be contented to be still far off from the perfection to which it becomes us to aspire, and to be as hungry folks, so as we feeling our own necessity and lack, must run to our God to beg at his hand, knowing that he is able to increase it from day to day, and that if it were not so, we should be undone out of hand, and all should go to wreck and vanish away, but that he continues the thing that he has begun. You see then how it stands us in hand to be joined to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to know that there is an inseparable bond between him and us. And inasmuch as he once became poor to make us rich, as it is said in another place: that is the very means whereby all the riches that are in him, are at this day communicated to us. Not that we have the full fruition of them, as I said before: but because it is enough for us that we have some small portion of them, to make us taste the love of God, and to know that he will not fail us in any thing, but that since he has given us a warrant that he is come near to us, and dwells in us by his Holy Spirit, as we have seen in 2 Corinthians: he will also [reconstructed: fill] us even to the end. His use of the word "Enrich" is to show that there shall always be want and neediness in us. Nevertheless let us trust boldly to this promise, that he which has begun the good work in us, will go through with the same, indeed even to the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is said to give us some refreshing when our life is (to our seeming) overlong, and we would eagerly have the said perfection already shown openly in us, and that Jesus Christ were come again. But it is said that to that day we must always be journeying, and go on still forward further and further, and beseech God that he suffer us not to quail. Sure we are that we shall never fail to sustain want and necessity: but yet will he succor us in such wise, as we shall perceive that if he has once vouchsafed to behold us with the eye of his mercy, it is to accomplish the [reconstructed: work] of our salvation throughout, and to let us know that he has not knit us to our Lord Jesus Christ for nothing, but that his so doing has been, to the end that every one of us might even now, according to the measure of his faith, possess the goods that are peculiar to him, till he has filled us to the full: which shall be when he has knit us fully to him.

But now let us cast ourselves down before the majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our sins, praying him to make us so to feel them, as it may draw us from them, and cause us to direct our life obediently according to his commandments, so as we may show by our deeds, that he has not bought us so dearly in vain, but that we give over all our own fleshly lusts, and yield ourselves wholly to the service of him that has once adopted us for his heritage. And therefore let us all say, Almighty God our heavenly Father, etc.