Sermon 11: Upon Ephesians Chapter 2

8. Surely you are saved by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not by works, lest any man might boast. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Jesus Christ, to good works which God has prepared for us to walk in.

Saint Paul has shown heretofore, that our salvation is the true looking glass, wherein to behold the infinite glory of God: for it is his will, to be known by his goodness above all things. And for that cause also has he shown, that God chose us before the making of the world, although not in respect of any thing that could be found in us: but to content his own only mercy. Here therefore he concludes that matter, and shows what he meant when he told us, that our adoption hangs and proceeds from God's choosing of us in his own everlasting purpose, that is to say, to the intent we should be as it were clean defaced, and confess that whatever we are, and whatever goodness we have, we hold it all wholly of God and of his only free goodness. That is the cause why he says, that we are saved by grace, not of ourselves, but by God's gift, and not by works. It had been enough to have excluded all the goodness and virtue that man could imagine. But forasmuch as it is hard to beat down the pride to which we are too much given: Saint Paul repeats this matter again, to the end it might be the better understood, and confirmed more at large. And therewith we have to mark, how he matches faith against it, as well to show the means whereby to come to salvation, as also to [illegible] more therefore it is important for us to mark well the thing that is said in this strain, which is, that we are saved by grace, and that we do nothing at all to it, but that God gives us all that ever belongs to our salvation. And why? Because we can do nothing at all: we have neither good works nor deserts to allege for ourselves.

Furthermore, this speech is well worth the weighing, when he says, lest any man might boast. For thereupon we have to gather, that it is not enough for us to father some part of our salvation upon God: but that we must come to that point, and yield so far, as not to make any countenance to it at all, but abide to have all our own glory so abased, as only God may have all preeminence, as we have seen in other texts, and specially in the place of Jeremiah, where it was alleged, that God is not glorified as he ought to be, neither is it possible for us to glory in him, till all that ever we think ourselves to have of our own, be cast down and done away. For neither the virtue, nor the wisdom, nor the ability, nor the righteousness of man must be put forth, if we intend that God should keep still that which is his own, and which he reserves to himself. Now therefore we see that all the partnerships which the world would make with God, are but fond foolishness, yes and illusions of Satan, who labors to make us believe that we are able to do somewhat of ourselves, to the intent to pluck us thereby quite and clean from our God. For so long as a man imagines himself to have any one drop of goodness of his own: he will never give over himself to God, but be puffed up with vain presumption, and rest upon himself. Satan therefore has won much at our hands, when he has once persuaded us, that we are able to do anything of ourselves, or that we can make any means to attain to salvation: for his drift is, to make us leave seeking of the things in God, which God offers us. And by that means we abide empty still, according to the virgin Mary's song, where it is said, that such as are so filled with overweening, shall abide still hungry, and God will laugh their vain presumption to scorn. Then can we not be fed with God's grace, except we long for it, and feel our own lack, according to this saying of the Psalm, Open your mouth, and I will fill it. So then, let us mark well, that men shall then be disposed to receive at God's hand all that is requisite for their salvation, when they reserve nothing to themselves, but acknowledge that all self-boasting must be put away. And (as I said before) by that means the partnerships which the world pretends to make with God, do fall to the ground. For the Papists are driven to confess, that without God's help they can do nothing, and that they are too weak to withstand Satan, if they are not strengthened by the Holy Spirit. They can find in their hearts to grant, that they cannot deserve anything at all, except God supply their needs, and also that they have need of the forgiveness of their sins. But yet for all that, they cannot abide to give over their free will, but imagine verily that they can partly further themselves. Thereupon they are always building some merit, and although (they grant that) God's grace precedes them at the first, yet they always mingle therewith some endeavor and good will of their own, and when they flee to God for release of their sins, they bring him their own satisfactions for the same. And so you see, that the Papists will not in any wise freely and wholly yield and give over to God the praise of their salvation, but keep back some part of it, commonly the one half or more, to themselves. But Saint Paul passes further here, and shows that we do wrongfully always defraud and deprive God of his glory, till we have forgotten all the false opinions with which the world deceives itself. Therefore the only way for us to glorify God, is to acknowledge that we are nothing of ourselves. And so, humility or lowliness is not a feigning or false pretense, as many suppose, which think themselves to have contented God by saying in one word, that they are wretched sinners, and as weak as is possible: but we must be fully resolved, that all that ever men imagine in their own brains concerning merits, free will, preparation, help, or satisfaction, is every bit but lying and trumpery of Satan. When we once know this, then will we submit ourselves as we ought to do, and then shall God keep his estate, as he deserves, and we also shall yield him such honor as is due to him. But this cannot be done (as I said) unless all that ever men conceive and imagine concerning good works, with which to deserve well at God's hand, be utterly razed out.

Moreover let us mark therewith, that if we will be partakers of the salvation that God offers us, we must bring nothing with us but only faith. For (as is said in another place) faith takes no help of good works. Although it has record of the Law, yet does it not bring anything to God, by which to bind him [reconstructed: to] us, but rather witnesses that we are utterly emptied, and that we have no other hope than only in his free goodness. But like a man that is pressed with great distress, so that he can scarcely stir a finger, and has nothing but his tongue to cry out, alas that some body would help me, and pity me: even so must faith rid away all the overweening which we have in ourselves, that we may receive whatever God offers us, so that all the praise thereof be reserved to him. That therefore is the thing that we have to bear away.

And hereby we are warned, not to be ungrateful when God calls and allures us so gently: but to run to him as poor hungry souls, and to have an earnest mind to be helped at his hand, because it pleases him. For what is the cause that our Lord Jesus Christ does not profit a great number, but for that they have deaf ears when God encourages them to come to him? And truly some of them are so beastlike, that they care not for the heavenly life, so they have here of what to feed and to drink like swine, or wherewith to wallow in their own delights and pleasures: as for the spiritual goods (which we ought to labor for) they are nothing with them. You see then that the one sort shut God out of the doors, because they are dulled with the allurements of Satan, and drunken, or rather utterly bewitched with the delights of this world, either in pomp and honor, or in riches, or else in whoredom and other looseness. And the other sort think they have with which to make God beholden to them, as we see many hypocrites do, which cannot give up the vain self-trust with which they are swollen like toads. Therefore to be short, let us mark well this word faith, that the pleasures and ease of this world not hold us back from lifting up our hearts to God. And that is the very way to fasten our anchor in heaven. For we can never have the said substantialness of faith, which Saint Paul speaks of, except we pass swiftly through the world, and know that our heritage and resting place is elsewhere than here: and moreover shake off all vain imaginations that may come in our heads: for they serve but to turn us away from Jesus Christ, so that we may not come to him, nor he have any entrance at all to us. That is the thing which we have to gather upon that text.

Now for further confirmation, Saint Paul adds hereupon, that we are God's workmanship. He means not this of God's creating of us, and of his setting of us in this world: but his meaning is, that men, as they are born in Adam, are unfit for the heavenly life, and that if they think to get anything by that, they deceive themselves too much, because they are but as dead creatures, and as carcasses wherein is nothing but rotten filthiness. For proof hereof we need to seek no further matter than this present text, where he says, that we are created in Jesus Christ. Here therefore Saint Paul makes a comparison of the double birth that is in all the faithful. For we have all of us one general creation, by which we live in this world: and God creates us new again, when he vouchsafes to give us newness of life by his Gospel, I mean when he prints it in our hearts and minds by his own secret working: for the word alone were not enough to do it. So then, as in respect of our first creation, there is no difference between the Jews, the Turks, the heathen men, and us. We are all of us taken out of one lump, we are all the children of Adam, yes we are all heirs of God's wrath, and cursed by nature, as we have seen already before. Then if men examine themselves, and search what they are by their first birth: they shall find how there is nothing in us but sin and wickedness, and that the wisdom which we think ourselves to have, is but beastliness: and that the light which we think we have to discern between good and bad, is but stubbornness and stark spitefulness against God: and so you see we are corrupted in all parts of our soul.

Now then what can we do to find favor at God's hand, and to make him beholden to us? For if we can do nothing but evil, it is but a kindling of his wrath more and more against us. We are worthy of endless death already before we come out of our mother's womb: insomuch that although we perceive not the sin that is in a young baby, yet has he the seed of it within him, and God avows that all of us deserve to be drowned in the bottom of hell. Then if the little baby is so rightly condemned beforehand, even before he has seen the light of the world — what is to be said of us when we have come forth, and do show that we are wicked indeed, and that our nature is altogether sinful? And when we have come to age, what can we do (as I said before) to come to terms with God, so that we might help forward his grace, and that our so doing might be a means to further our salvation? Lo, what Saint Paul means by this text, where he says that we are God's workmanship. As if he should say: poor creature, you think to play the [reconstructed: dutiful] fellow in this behalf, by putting yourself forward to allege some deserving, and that you are able to begin and to approach to God, so that he on his side must be obliged to be beholden to you. When did you begin that? If you say you began it before you were born, you deserve that men should spit in your face. If you say it was afterward, between the age of seven years and the age of twenty or thirty years, at which time you were enlightened with the Gospel — you are on the contrary part sufficiently disproved, that you could not have one drop of willingness to do good, but that all your thoughts and desires were utterly rebellious against God, and as men of war fighting against his righteousness. Therefore you have done nothing else but fight against God ever since you were born. Again, if you take it to be from the time that you were a little baby, unable to discern between white and black — yet were you of the cursed race of Adam. And so turn yourself on which side you will, and reason must needs drive you to perceive that you were unable to do anything toward God, and consequently that all that ever he has wrought for your welfare ought to be fathered upon him alone, without challenging any drop thereof to yourself.

Thus we see now why Saint Paul does in this text call us the work or workmanship of God, according also as it is said in the Psalm, that they which were the household folk of his Church, were also his flock. For there the Prophet shows out the children of Israel, whom God had gathered together of his own mere goodness, to set them aside from other heathen nations. For it is certain, that God found no other cause to keep that lineage to himself, or to prefer them before others, save only that he of his own mere mercy had them to that end. As much is to be said of us at this day. And that which he adds, namely that we were created in Jesus Christ, ought to touch us yet the more to the quick. For there he shows that the creating of us in Adam is but a bringing of us to destruction: and therefore that it stands us in hand to be fashioned and created new again, namely even in Jesus Christ, who is the second Adam, as he himself terms him in the first to the Romans (Romans 5), and in the fifteenth of 1 Corinthians. You see then that this word "create" is enough to stop the mouths, and to put away the cackling of such as brag of having any worthiness. For when they say so, it is a presupposing that they were the makers of themselves. He that challenges to himself any freedom of will, and takes upon him to have any means or ability to do good (of himself) — it is certain that his meaning is to step into God's place, and to show himself to be a Creator. But there is no man which abhors not such blasphemy. The blindest beetles and maddest bedlams in the world account the word Creation as a holy and sacred thing, and will say, that God is the very Creator or maker of all things, and you hypocrite confess the same with your mouth, and yet you do but lie, insofar as you think that you have some free will to further yourself to welfare and salvation. And so you deny the first article of our faith: for you make God but half a creator. So then they will well enough confess with their mouth, that God is the Creator, yes and as far as the life of this world comes to, they will say, they hold it of him. But now there is a much more excellent life, namely which we hope for, and which we possess already by faith, however we do not enjoy it presently. And how much more precious and worthy is that life wherein we shall be partakers of God's glory, than this wayfaring which we make in this world, that is but a shadow that vanishes away out of hand? Now if you ask the Papists of whom they have the heavenly life, "we have it partly of God's grace" (say they) "and partly of our own free will." Since then they father some piece thereof upon themselves, and think to part stakes after that fashion with God — we must conclude that they be their own creators. But upon this they will reply, and protest that they never meant any such thing, and that they had rather die, than to utter any such blasphemy. Yes, but in the mean while, which is the thing of greater value — to create a man's self to be a mortal man in this world, or to purchase everlasting life? Saint Paul tells us, that if we can do anything by our own free will and power, God is not fully our creator. But he says, we be his workmanship and of his making, yes even in respect of the heavenly life: it behooves us to bear that always in mind: for Saint Paul speaks not of this transitory life, but of the inheriting of the kingdom of heaven. We see then that the Papists defy God in their pride, like villainous blasphemers as they be. And therefore for our part, if we mind to be partakers of the grace which is purchased for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, we must be rid clean of all self-conceit, and acknowledge that our beginning to do well springs of God's vouchsafing to call us to him, and of his preventing us through his own free goodness. To be short, Saint Paul's meaning is, that all they which think themselves to have deserved anything at God's hand, do bear themselves in hand that they be men of great ability, whereas indeed they be already dead, and are nothing at all. What can a dead man do? And surely we be dead (as I have declared heretofore) till God quicken us again by the means of faith, and by the working of his holy Spirit. Now if we be dead, what good can we do, or to what end can we dispose ourselves? Again, we be nothing at all: for the word "Create" imports that all that ever is in us, is of God's putting into us. Like as when it is said that he created the world of nothing, it is as much to say, as that whereas there was not anything at all before, he gave being to that which was not. Even so as in respect of the spiritual life, that we be created, is as much to say, as that we were nothing at all before. Now, if we be nothing, shall we be able to bind God to give us this or that? Are they not things utterly against nature? Then let us mark well, that to know how we be saved by mere grace, and that we have all things of God's gift, and of his free goodness, we must come to this point, namely that God gave us our being, according as it is affirmed by the example of Abraham in Romans 4. For in Abraham's body we see what is in our souls. When Jesus Christ was promised to Abraham in his son Isaac, you know he was a man altogether drooping and barren: and his wife also was far stricken in age. And therefore that either he on his side should beget, or his wife on her side breed a child, are things impossible. But he believed God, which calls forth the things that are not, and gives them being. Seeing then that Abraham was as a withered block, and had no strength nor lustiness in him, and yet notwithstanding receives the promise that was made to him — therein it behooves us to behold that we cannot be partakers of God's grace, except we acknowledge our own inability, and be first of all utterly abased in ourselves, that our Lord may begin our life, and continue the same, till he has brought it to full perfection.

Furthermore, let us mark well, that his saying 'in Jesus Christ,' is to send us back to the corruption which we have by inheritance in Adam. For we can never find in our hearts to yield ourselves guilty, till we feel it proceed in ourselves. And moreover it serves to show, that this benefit is not common indifferently to all men, but only to those whom God has chosen, accordingly as we have seen already, that we were chosen before the making of the world. Now then this extends not generally to all Adam's offspring, but only to so many as are renewed in Jesus Christ. And therefore it is all one as if Saint Paul should show, that we had need of a remedy, inasmuch as we are already forlorn and damned, at such time as God by the means of Jesus Christ plucks us out of the dungeon wherein we were. And this serves to confirm yet better the thing that we have seen heretofore, which is, that we cannot be faithful, except God make us new again, so as we hold of him all things that belong to the heavenly life, and all the spiritual goods which we have. Now seeing we are created in Jesus Christ, it is all one as if it were said, that all the righteousness, all the wisdom, all the virtue, and all the goodness that is in us, we draw it from out of that fountain, and that God scatters them not abroad at adventure, but has put the fullness of all things belonging to our salvation, into Jesus Christ, insomuch that when we are once made members of his body, we are also made partakers of all his benefits, and that without him, we are cut off from all parts of our salvation, as though we were rotten and stinking wretched carcasses, and that there were nothing in us but filth, as I have declared before. Thus you see what we have to mark further, when Saint Paul says, that we are not only God's workmanship, but also created in Jesus Christ.

Now he adds, 'to good works which he has prepared for us to walk in.' His setting down of good works in this place, is to show, what a folly, or rather what a madness and frenzy it is in men, to bear themselves in hand that they can bring good works on their behalf, as who should say, they had them in their sleeves, or as if they were of their own growing. For of necessity must God have prepared them (says he) and that we should have them at his hand. And it is all one as if he should say, go to, show here your prowess and virtues: enter a little into account with God: seeing your pride will not be daunted, but you have always some bristles set up still, bring forth all that you think may make for you. Well, say you, and we will bring our good works, as the Papists are wont to do: who allege in this wise: what? how now? shall we not be saved by our own merits, and by our good works? And from where do you draw them, says Saint Paul? Have you coined them in your own shop? or have you some garden of your own planting, from which to gather them? or spring they, I know not how, of your own travail and policy, so as you may further yourselves by them? No, but contrariwise, know that God has prepared them. And is it fitting that you should fall to replying against him, when he has pitied you, and shown himself bountiful towards you? Is it fitting that you should presume to step forth to pay him, as though you had something of your own? When a man has been well kept and tended, and his host has lent him money at his need, and he has received it at his hand (to pay him with): shall he afterward boast, that he has paid his host? There is a host, that not only is content to do his charity upon a man, but also after he has found him both at bed and at board, will say to him, Hold here something to pay: to the intent it may not seem to you, that my charitable dealing has been to make an underling of you, I will receive payment for it at your hand, yet the same shall come out of my own purse. Now, shall he to whom such frankness has been used, go and say, he has well paid his host? Yes, and with what money? Even with the same money that was put into his hand. So stands the case with those that put forth their good works, to say, that God has not saved them freely, but that they themselves were a help to it. Yes, but where do they come by those good works? That was the thing that Saint Paul aimed at, when he said that God prepared the good works. True it is that God prepares men's conversations by the Law, wherein he gives us a certain rule how to walk according to his will: and it is all one as if he prepared the way for us to go in as we ought to do. But that would nothing avail us, except we received the good works themselves at God's hand. When God commands us anything, we may well have our ears beaten with the sound of it, but it will never enter into our hearts, for we are full of pride and naughtiness, and to be short, it is impossible for us to obey God, till he has softened our hearts, and utterly changed them.

And that is the thing which is declared to us by the Prophets, and in all the holy Scripture. God therefore must be fain to make another preparation: that is to say, when he has taught us, and told us what is good, and what he likes, afterward he must reform us, and so guide and govern us by his holy Spirit, as there may be one accord between our life and his law. Then until such time as God prepares good works after that fashion, that is to say, till he give us them by showing us his will, and also make us to do them by his power: we must needs be utterly unprofitable. Now since it is so, let us learn to humble ourselves before God, both for that which is past, and also for that which is to come. For that which is past, let us acknowledge that God has plucked us out of the gulf of hell, and that whereas we were by nature damned, he has deigned to have us be his children, and therefore let us not be so arrogant, as to think that we have this or that, but let him be glorified as he deserves, and let us assure ourselves that he has pulled us back from death, to the intent, that the beginning, wellspring, root, and only cause of our salvation, should proceed of his only free bestowed goodness. Thus you see in effect, that it is a point of true humility, to give all the glory of our salvation to God. And for that which is to come, it behooves us to know that we could not stir one of our little fingers to do any good, except we were governed by God, and received the good works themselves at the hand of him, and of his holy Spirit. So then, as often as we feel our own weakness, let us flee to him for refuge: and when we have done any good, let it not puff us up with any pride, but let us always think ourselves so much the more straightly bound to God, indeed even doubly. He that is yet very weak, must confess himself exceedingly bound to God's mercy, for bearing with him: but he that goes before others, and is as a mirror of all holiness, must confess himself much more bound to him. For why? He has nothing of his own, he holds all things of God, and of his only free goodness. Therefore let us all our life long walk in such sort, as we may still from year to year, from month to month, from day to day, from hour to hour, and from minute to minute, continually acknowledge ourselves bound to God for the goodness which he has given us of his own mere mercy, and let us think ourselves beholden to him for all things.

And let us note by the way for a conclusion, that Saint Paul's intent here, is not to describe all the causes of our salvation one by one, but to abate men's lustiness, that they might not make any boasts, or any pretense [illegible] God is in their debt. Therefore it is enough for Saint Paul to have stopped all men's mouths in such wise, as they may not take upon them to have anything of their own. For contrariwise whenever God gives us good works, although they be the fruits of his mere goodness: yet can they not purchase us anything at his hand: for we must always ground and settle ourselves upon the forgiveness of our sins. There lies all our righteousness.

To be short, there are two things requisite in yielding God the praise that is due for our salvation: first that we acknowledge ourselves to have all things of him: and secondly that we acknowledge that all the good works, and all the good will which he has given us already, serve not to purchase us favor at his hand, nor for us to trust upon: but to show us that he has need to uphold us, and to bury and forget all our sins, and that by that means we be justified before him, because he acquits us, notwithstanding that we deserve to be condemned a hundred times. So then, to be short, when it is told us, that there is neither free will, nor anything else in man: it is to the end we should learn to give all glory to God, and not have any cause to boast ourselves any more. And that afterward upon the knowing thereof, we should understand that we should be in continual trouble and perplexity, were it not that we be sure that we shall always obtain grace and mercy, by coming to God with tears and lamenting. And how so? Because he deigns to acquit us, and although he could thunder down upon [illegible], and drown us: yet he buries our sins by means of our Lord Jesus Christ, and receives us always to mercy.

Thus then you see how men ought in all points, and in all cases to be confounded in themselves, and to be ashamed of their own lewdness, that they may glorify God: and therewithal acknowledge that they should always be in doubt and anguish, but that God does evermore pity them, and the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the sacrifice whereby we be reconciled to him. That therefore is the true way to uphold and avow God to be the Savior of the world: and that also is the way for us to ascribe all things to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, as he deserves: namely by raising up and putting quite away all the glorying which we pretend to have in ourselves, and thereupon to confess, not only that all the goodness which is in us, is of God's putting into us, but also that he must be fain to bear with our infirmities, because we cease not to provoke his wrath, till he make that satisfaction available, which was made by the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But now let us cast ourselves down before the majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our sins, praying him to make us feel them more and more, till we be so pulled down, as there may be no more show of sin in us: and that in the meantime, we may nevertheless seek the aid and help of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that inasmuch as he has partly enlightened us already by his Holy Spirit, it may please him to increase his grace in us more and more, till he has communicated it wholly to us: and in the meantime so uphold us and govern us by his Holy Spirit, as our whole endeavor may be nothing else but to frame our life after his holy law: and he not pass upon the great number of our sins which we commit, never ceasing to stray away to our own undoing, but hold us back by his secret power, until he takes us away out of this world, and joins us with our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the fountain of all perfection, that we also may be perfect in him. And so let us say, Almighty God, heavenly Father, etc.