good his owne promises For he promised his Disciples that after hée had bin deliuered too the Gentiles and mocked of them he should be put too death and rise ageine the third day And he preuented not the third day bicause all men might certeinly know that hée was dead in déed Therfore by lying fortie houres in his graue he shewed himselfe too haue bin dead in very déede And why he delayed not his resurrection til the last day there are right weightie causes ready too be shewed The first is bicause it was written Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one too sée corruption For Chrystes body might not rot in the graue First for that it was made of the bloud of the moste chaste virgin by the woorking of the holy ghost Secondly for that as long as hée liued in this world he kept it pure and vndefiled Therfore had it bin vnméet that suche a body should haue become woormes meat The seconde cause why hée delayed not his resurrection is our hope For thus sayeth Peter Blissed bée God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryste for begetting vs ageine too a liuely hope throughe the resurrection of Chryste from the dead The third cause is that hée should be the first of them that rise ageine For like as Adam was the firste that appéered in mortall body by reason of sinne so ought Chryste too bée the first that should appéer in immortall body iustifying vs and healing our bodies from eternall death And although wée shal all rise ageine and that others besides Chryst haue risen ageine Yet is there excéeding great difference betwéene the resurrection of Chryste and of other men For first Chryst rose ageine by his owne power whiche thing no man coulde euer doo saue onely hée Secondly the other that were raysed as the widowes sonne the ruler of the Sinagogs daughter and Lazarus and others rose too die ageine But Chryste rose too liue for euermore Besides this Chrysts Resurrection differeth from the Resurrection of other men in frute and efficacie For Chryste by his owne power rayseth vp others which thing was shewed in the Garden where he was buried and rose ageine at the rising of the Sunne Lastly Chrysts rising ageine differeth from oures in time also For as it is already shewed and as we knowledge in our Créede Chryst rose ageyne the third day but our Resurrection shall bée delayed till the last day For then shall appéere the euerlasting life and endlesse righteousnesse which he shall giue too all his that is too say too all them that beléeue in him Thus much concerning the second place why Christ rose ageine the third day and how his resurrection differeth from oures that by the Resurrection of Chryst wée may conceiue liuely hope of the euerlasting and incorruptible heritage in heauen ¶ Of the thirde NOw remayneth the thirde place concerning the frute of Chrysts Resurrection which is more plentifull and abundaunt than that it may bée expressed by mannes tung Paule saythe that by Chryste all things are restored in heauen and in earth For first Chryste by comming out of his graue sheweth himselfe conquerour and triumpher ouer Death Hell and Sathan and so maketh good the promisse vttered concerning him in times past The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpents head whiche Prophecie Iohn expounding sayth Chryst appéered too destroy the woorkes of the Deuill How bée it as too vs warde that are men for whose saluation he came downe from heauen was made manne dyed and rose ageyne there are foure sundrye kindes of frutes of Chrystes Resurrection too bée considered For Chrysts Resurrection is first our Iustification Secondly the power whereby sinne is subdued in vs thirdly an example of newnesse of lyfe the cause therof and fourthly the cause of our resurrection and a most assured warrant of the same Of these foure maner of frutes I will speake in order Therfore the first frute of our Lordes resurrection is the iustification of vs of which frute Paule speaketh in y e fourth too the Romanes Hée died for our sinnes and rose ageine for our iustification And Daniell in his .ix. Chapter Iniquitie shal bée taken away and euerlasting righteousnesse shal bée brought in To the intent this frute may bée the swéeter wée must consider of how great value it is Wée are borne in sin and subiect too Gods wrath Ephes. 1. Wée are all by nature the children of wrath The reward of sinne is death Ro. 6. frō this death are wée deliuered by the resurrection of Christ. For by Christ wée are quit from the gilt of sinne and so consequently from eternall death Héervpon commeth that saying in the Apocalips Blissed and holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for vpon them hath the second death no power but they shal bée préests of God of Chryst and they shall reigne with him For as the first death is by Adam so the first Resurrection is by Chryst. Héervntoo also perteineth this saying Blissed are they that wash their garmentes in the Lambes blud that they may haue power in the trée of life and may enter in at the gates of the Citie The second frute of our Lords Resurrection is that it is the power whiche is shed intoo the beléeuers which maketh them able too ryse from vices vntoo vertue This power is bestowed vppon vs in Baptim and confirmed in the Lordes Supper so that wée bée not behinde hande with our partes And yet this power is felt in those only that are borne agein of immortall séede 1. Peter 1. The thirde frute is the example For as Paule sayeth Chryste rose ageine too the intent wée might walke in newnesse of lyfe Those therefore that folowe their owne vices liuing wickedly vnclenly doo testifie by their own doing y t they despise Chryste whose Resurrection is set before vs as a glasse to sée how we ought too leade our life For they think that Chryst was scourged crowned with thornes and shed his blud vppon the altar of the crosse too the intent that they may giue ouer themselues too all outragiousnesse tyranny pryde and lusts and after this maner as much as in them lieth they crucifie the sonne God of new agein We therfore who couet not only to be called but also to be the same that we are called that is to say Christians must think vppon the mater as it is in déede namely that Chryst dyed for the clensing of suche mennes sinnes as receiue Faith with him and liue in true repentance by mortifying the old man and quickening the new man There bée foure euils wherewith men are burthened ignorance giltinesse of sinne vices and feare of endlesse damnation Ageinst ignorance Chryste is vntoo vs wisdome whyle he by his Gospel instructeth vs of his will towards vs. For if we were not instructed concerning his will by the woord of god our mind should be wrapped in continual darknesse which darknesse is put away by the
this case the minister of the woorde must instructe hym that so confesseth hym selfe And if he knowe him hée muste lay before him the sinnes that hée hath perceyued by hym He muste shewe him the greatenesse of Gods wrath towarde vnrepentant persons And on the other side if in confessing himselfe he bée sorie for his sinne and promise amendement he must comfort him with the promises of the Gospell And if he say hée beléeueth the promises the minister must in Chrystes name assure him that GOD is at one with him and denounce vntoo him the forgiuenesse of hys sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost warnyng hym earnestly too shun sin héerafter that the end of him become not worse than the begynnyng And thus much concerning the seconde kinde of confession and the absolution that answereth the same As concerning the publike confession and absolutiō I must entreat therof at another time also of the Confession y t is made to the brethren whom we haue offended ¶ Of the thirde NOw remaineth that we tell whiche is the right vse and lawfull meditation of this holy Supper Then sith this holy Supper of Chryst is the Sacrament of our redemption by the sacrifice of Chryst these things are orderly too bée consydered and earnestly weyed in the receyuing of this holy Supper Fyrst the Communicants must call too minde the cause of Christes death namely the synne of mankynd Rom. 4. He died for our sinnes Esay 43. He smote him for oure iniquities The seconde thing that is too be thought vpon is the ende of Chrystes sacrifice whiche is the redéemyng of vs from the bondage of sin and death 2. Corinth 5. For he hath made him too be sinne which knew no sinne that we by his meanes should bée that rightuousnesse whiche is allowed before God 1. Iohn 1. The blud of Iesus Chryste clenzeth vs from all iniquitie Iohn the first Chryst is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Thirdly by the excellencie of this sacrifice we must consider how greate the wrath of GOD must néedes haue bin ageynst Synne which could not bée appeased by any other sacrifices than the one sacrifice of the only begotten sonne of God Fourthly the excéeding greate mercie of GOD is too bée thought vpon who would receiue vs wretched sinners intoo fauour for the satisfaction of his sonne Fifthly the great loue of the sonne of GOD is too bée thought vpon who taking mans nature vpon hym was cōtent to become a sacrifice for vs and too remoue gods wrath vntoo himselfe and satisfie Gods iustice with the punishmēt of the crosse All these things will the sonne of God haue vs too thinke vpon when he biddeth this supper too bée made in remembrance of hym When wée thus muse vpon these things beholdying Gods wrath there riseth vp a sorowfulnesse and by thinking vpvon Gods mercie and the propiciatorie sacrifice there springeth vp faith out of both which there issueth thankfulnesse confession pacience and other vertues of which this supper putteth vs in minde Too bée short as the Sonne of God maketh a couenaunt with vs too receiue vs mercifully so let vs on the other side make a couenaunt with him too beléeue him and to receiue his benefits thankfully Whiche thing that wée may vnfaynedly doo Iesus Chryst the maker of this supper graunt vntoo vs. And vntoo him with the father and the holy ghost bée honour and glorie for euer Amen The Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ according too the order of the storie compiled by laying the foure Euangelists toogither ANd vvhen they had sung an hymn Iesus going out vvēt as he vvas vvōt ouer the broke Cedron intoo mount Oliuet and his Disciples folovved him Then sayde hee vntoo them All you shall suffer offence by mee this night For it is vvritten I vvil strike the shepperd and the sheepe of the flock shall bee scattered But vvhen I am risen ageyn I vvil go before you Intoo Galilee And Peter ansvvering sayd vntoo him Though al be offended by thee yet vvill I neuer bee offended Iesus sayd vntoo him verely I say vntoo thee that this night before the Cocke crovve tvvice thou shalt denye mee thryce But he sayd more earnestly No though I should dye vvith thee yet vvill I not denie thee In likevvise also sayde all his other Disciples Then came Iesus vvith them intoo a tovvne that is called Gethsemany vvhere vvas a garden intoo vvhich he entred and his disciples with him And Iudas the traytor knew the place bycause Iesus had oftentimes resorted thyther with his Disciples Then Iesus sayde vnto them Syt yee here while I goe and pray yonder And taking with him Peter Iames and Iohn the two sonnes of Zebedee hee began too be abashed and too bee heauy and too bee greeuously vexed And hee sayde too them my soule is heauie euen vntoo deathe Tarry yee heere and watche with me and pray that yee fall not into temptation And he went from them as it were a stones cast and kneeling downe fell flat too the ground vppon his face and prayed that if it were possible that houre might passe from him saying Abba father All things are possible too thee Let this cup passe from mee Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And he came to his Disciples and findyng them a sleepe sayd vnto Peter Simon art thou a slepe Couldest thou not do so much as watch one houre with mee Awake yee and praye that yee enter not intoo temptation Verely the spirit is ready but the fleshe is weake Ageine hee went away the second time and prayed saying Father if this cup can not passe from mee but that I must needes drinke of it thy will bee doone And returning hee found them ageine asleepe For their eyes were heauie and they wist not what to answere Then leauing them hee went his way ageine and prayed the thirde tyme the same woords saying If thou wilt thou canst remoue this cup from me Neuerthelesse thy will bee doone and not myne And there appeered to him an Angell from heauen that comforted hym And being striken wyth sorowe hee prayed very long and his swet was as droppes of blud tricklyng downe vppon the grounde And when hee was risen vp from his prayers and was come ageyne too his Disciples he found them a sleepe for very pensiuenesse And hee said vntoo the Sleepe yee from henceforth and take your rest VVhy sleepe yee it is ynough Beholde the houre is at hande and the Sonne of man is deliuered intoo the handes of sinners Vp let vs go he is at hand that betrayeth mee But pray yee least yee enter intoo temptation And by and by while he was yet speaking Beholde Iudas one of the twelue hauyng taken a band of men and officers of the high Preests and the Phariseys and the elders and the Scribes with a greate company folowing him came thither with lanternes and torches
For they refused too come too this Heauenly Supper For as the swyne makes more account of the myre wherein he berayeth himselfe than of golde and precious stones euen so men that are weltered in theyr owne filthynesse shunne the goodlynesse of so great a supper In which thing thrée euylls are too bée lamented the myserie of mankynde their excéeding great vnthankfulnesse and their corrupte iudgement The miserie is that men being ouer pressed with sinfulnesse and curse do not only not goo about to wind thēselues out of so great mischéeues but also are euen delighted with the filthynesse So farre are they from séeking redresse And this is that Chryste speaketh of No man commeth too mée saue he whom my father draweth The vnthankfulnesse is that men being bidden too a frée supper that is too wit too frée deliuerance from sinne from Gods wrath from the curse of the law from hell and from the diuell too forgiuenesse of sinnes too Gods fauour too rightuousnesse too heauen too God hymselfe too liue blessedly with him for euermore doo notwithstanding refuse too come Who is able too bewaile this vnthankfulnesse sufficiently The corrupte iudgement is that men set more by transitorie goodes than by euerlasting goods by a few than by many by brittle than by durable by earthly than by heauenly by things that maynteyne this life for a small time than by things that maynteyne both soule and body in euerlasting life Is he not coūted foolish that preferreth clay before golde Yes surely most foolishe as one that can iudge nothing aright Muche more foolishe is he yea farre out of measure most foole of all that preferreth death before life sinne before rightuousnesse hell before heauen the diuell before GOD and to be bréefe innumerable euils before innumerable good things Let vs acknowledge this oure moste corrupt iudgement and let vs pray to haue our mindes reformed with newe lighte that wée may rightly vnderstand what things are good in déede and orderly desire the thyngs that wée iudge aryght of and perseuer to the ende in seekyng those things whiche wée orderly desire Now that we haue spoken thus much in general concernyng the great miserie of mankynd the excéeding vnthankfulnesse and most corrupt iudgement of men Let vs looke vppon the text which continueth the sundry maners of their excuses First it sayth And all began vvith one consent too excuse them selues That is to say the greatest parte of the world being thanklesse hild skorne of the benefite that was offered fréely The first therefore sayde I haue bought a farme and I must needes go see it I pray thee haue me excused Héer is described the first kind of men that excuse thēselues Under which kynd are all they conteyned which trusting too theyr owne power refuse too come to this royall supper Yet is not power the efficient cause of this excuse but onely an occasion in those which acknowledge not theyr power too come of God but leane vntoo theyr owne puissance that is too wit too a staffe of réede For when sinne death hell and the diuell assault mans power auayleth not for in this case the power of God only auayleth namely Chrystes Gospell which Paule defineth too bée the power of God too the saluation of euery one that beléeueth And that power and possession of landes is not the efficient cause of refusing too come too this deyntie Supper examples shew Dauid was of power and had greate lands Nero also was of power and had lands Of which twoo the first béeing bidden too the mariage came the other refused Why so bicause the one vsed his power too the glory of God the other abused it too his owne destruction For being deceiued by it he refused too come too this supper Héer therfore wée are admonished too vse our landes well that they bée not a hinderance vntoo vs for cōming too the heauenly Supper I omit examples And an other sayd I haue bought fiue yoke of Oxen and I go too trie them I pray thee haue me excused Héere is described a seconde kynde of men that excuse them selues that they cannot come too this supper Under this kynde are conteyned the riche men of this worlde Why Are riches the efficient cause of this refusal No surely Abraham was rich and the glutton of whome wée herde of late was riche but Abraham was not letted by his riches For hée made more account of this Supper than of his earthly riches Contrarywyse the glutton was droonken and sotted in his riches and therfore refused too come For when riches are in euill mennes hands they are as a bayte wherby they being enticed are caught and killed Therfore Chryst sayeth they bée thornes hée auoucheth it too bée a hard matter for a rich man too bée able too enter intoo the kingdome of heauen The Philosopher Plato sayd right that riches were blind wythoute wisedome and that they are sharpe sighted when they folowe wisedome So may wée also say that riches are thornes without godlynesse and that they are roses when they folow godlynesse For the godly with their riches as it were with certaine Roses do beautifie the ministerie the cōmon weale and their owne houses Whosoeuer then hathe the riches of this worlde lette him endeuer that godlynesse and charitie maye bée the gouerners of them as wée sée it was in the holy Patriarkes and Kyngs and many other godly and holy men And the thirde sayde I haue maried a vvyfe and therefore I cannot come Héere is discribed the thirde kynde of men that refuse too come too this Supper Under which kynde are conteyned all those which béeing giuen too the pleasures of thys worlde passe not for the Gospell of Chryst. The marying of a wyfe is not of it selfe eyther euill or the cause of refusall but onely an occasion vntoo some men that mysvse the gyft of God Abraham had a wyfe and so had many godly men who notwithstandyng dyd not therfore refuse too obey the Gospell Wherfore let maried couples endeuer too haue Chryst with them and let them beware that they take not occasion of euill at that whiche is good Hythertoo wée haue herd of thrée kynds of men that excuse them selues for comming at thys Supper when they are bidden And by these wée maye vnderstande all thyngs that hynder men from harkenyng to the Gospell ¶ Of the third THe seruant returning home brought the master of the house woorde what answere they made and béeing sent foorth ageyn when he had gathered toogither a greate number of poore folke and cripples he is commaunded too compell men too come in that the house of his feast may bée filled In this compulsion is set forth vntoo vs a singular comfort For GOD not only promiseth not onely biddeth not onely commaundeth but hée also enforceth and compelleth folke to come in too his Supper But howe compelleth hée Surely many wayes Parents and housholders shall compell their houshold and by familiar nurture and awe accustome
health Like vntoo whome are the moste parte of those that are called by the name of Chrystians Chrystes forwardnesse is set foorth for vs too folowe who vpon euerie occasion that hée coulde catche holde on was earneste too enlarge the bounds of his kingdome For as by this iorney hée sheweth howe greatly hée thirsted mannes saluation so by his example hée commendeth vntoo vs diligence in his vocation Now foloweth the first part of this Gospel And beholde they brought vntoo him a man that vvas sicke of the Palsie lying in a bedde And Iesus seeyng their fayth sayde vntoo him that vvas sicke of the Palsie â–ª Bee of good cheere my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee In this firste parte of the storie wée haue foure things whiche are néedefull too bée obserued The firste is the example of the bearers Secondlye the man him self that had the Palsie Thirdly the respect that Chryst had too the fayth of theÌ„ Fourthly how the man that had the Palsie was receyued of Chryst. As concerning those that bare him their fayth bewrayeth it self by tokens certeine which burneth in suche wise whersoeuer it is that no ashes can choke the flame of it This faith had they conceyued eyther by séeing him teache and heale others before or vpoÌ„ the report that they had herd of Chrysts dooings The effect is that they had persuaded theÌ„ selues that hée woulde receiue them that were afflicted and heale them This liuely faith of these â—earers yéeldeth fiue folde frute of whiche the first is the confession of Chryst whome it was a harde rare matter too confesse among so many outragious enimies The seconde is inâ—ocation whiche can no more bée from true faith than heate can bée from fire For all the wisshes of the beléeuers whiche neuer cease are inuocations The thirde is valiantnesse of minde in that they hazarded their life for acknowledging of Chryste For the Pharisies Scribes and chéefe men of this people did persecute all those that gaue any honour vntoo Chryste The fourth is the loue of their neighbour whereby they fauoured their neighbours vnfeynedlye And the fifth is the paine and trouble that they took for the help of their neighbour For they not only beare him which was a point of charitie but also when they could not come the next way vntoo Chryst by reason of the throng they gate vp intoo the house top and let downe the diseased soule by the windbeams which déed was not voyd of daÌ„ger What learn wée by this Let vs euen in spite of the worlde coÌ„fesse Chryst as these bearers did Let vs cal vpon him both for our selues for others Let vs put our selues in peril for y e truth of y e Gospel if néed so require Let vs loue our neighboure entirely not onely in affection but also in déede And let vs spare no paines if wée may doo them any good An other thing whiche I sayd was too bée obserued in this first part is the man himself that was diseased of the Palsie in whoÌ„ are thrée things too bée marked His disease the cause of his disease and that hée wold bée caryed vntoo Chryst. His disease was the Palsie whiche is when one of a mans sides eyther the right side or the left loseth his féeling and natural mouing Surely a right gréeuous disease whereby y e whole vse of a mans bodie is hindered The cause of the disease was double Uniuersall which is originall sinne in all men And speciall whiche had his beginning eyther of disordered lyuing or else of some very sore disquietnesse of minde Nowe in that hée would bée borne vntoo Chryst it betokeneth that hée had fayth like as those had that did beare him Let vs also folowe this example of him that had the Palsie Let vs acknowledge as wel our inward as our outward disease let vs confesse our sinfulnesse and let vs suffer our selues too bée caryed vntoo Chryste as this man that had the Palsie did The thirde thing that I admonished you too consider in this first parte is that Chryste sawe the fayth of those men that is too witte of him that had the Palsie and of them that caryed him Whereby wée may learne these things First in what sorte Chryste is minded towardes vs. For hée is of the same minde towards vs that hée was towards the man that was sicke of the Palsie For the Lorde is no accepter of persons And secondlie that Chryst hath not an eye so muche too the greatnesse of our sinnes as too our fayth This fayth obteyneth of Chryst all things for the welfare both of the body and the soule And although I think this man that was sicke of the Palsie had some little sparke of fayth yet I will not striue ageinst it if any maÌ„ say that the bearers had the fayth and not the Palsie man For it is no straunge matter for corporall yea and for spirituall benefits too bée obteyned for the faith of other men For like as one man by his wisdome may make another man proue wise so he that beléeueth may by his faith obteine faith for other men Howbéeit like as no man is wise by another mannes wisdome but by his owne so no man is saued by another mans fayth but by his owne Héer then wée may learne both too pray for other folks that the grace of God may increase towards them and also too request others that they will commende vs too God with their prayers For the prayers of the godly is greatly auailable The fourth thing that I set foorth too bée lookt vntoo in this first parte is the manner how hée receyued this Palsie man whiche is expressed in these woordes Bee of good cheere my Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Héere let twoo things bée thorowly weyed The one is why hée receyued this Palsie man in suche wise and the other is the saying of Chryste in receyuing him This Palsie man séekes deliuerance from his bodilye disease and wherfore then sayth Chryst thy sinnes are forgiueÌ„ thée Undoubtedly there bée great and weightie causes The first is too teache vs that diseases are the rewarde of sinne as Paule sayth the reward of sin is death And Christ in the .5 of Iohn sayth vntoo one whom hée had healed behold thou art made whole beware thou sinne not héereafter least some worser thing befal thée 1. Cor. 11. for misusing y e Lordes supper vnreuerently many were dead many were weak The second is too teache vs where the healing of the body is too bée begon namely at the minde whose spottes muste first bée cleane wiped out before a man minister Phisick too the bodie Let vs therfore kéepe this order in curing oure diseases First let vs acknoweledge the disease Next let vs repent and desire forgiuenesse of our sinnes for Chrystes sake Then let vs in the feare of God and with thankesgiuing vse the ordinarie meanes of helpe and let vs acknoweledge the Phisitian too bée Gods minister who in Gods
Christ is this That Christe is very man very God the true Messias and the forgiuer of sinnes For when hée sayeth he it is that vvas too come after mee hée sheweth his true manhood and wher he addeth and yet vvas before me hée confesseth his godhead But wheras hée sayeth and hee standeth among you vvhome you knovve not he answereth too their question pronounceth Iesus too bee the Messias The lauer of baptism dooth opeÌ„ly declare y t it is thoffice of the Messias to forgiue sinnes 5 The vse and frute of this recorde is that wée ought too beléeue the witnesse of Iohn and embrace Christe the true forgiuer of sinnes whoo hath washed vs from all our sinnes with his owne blood whereof hée hath deliuered vntoo vs an effectuall signe namely Baptisme of whiche wée wil intreat else where 6 The Phariseis are an Image of disguised Christians that is too say hipocrites which cannot away with the doctrine of true godlinesse but feine them selues godly in outward behauior and pretend too bée most holy whereas they beare another persone inwardlye and thereupon it is that such are called hypocrites For like as they are hypocrites in Enterludes which in apparel and outward gesture represeÌ„t persons absent Euen so the Pharisies set foorth as it were but onely a visor of godlinesse which is farre from them for men to looke vpon where vpon they are called Hypocrites as whoo althoughe in very déede they bée vngodly in their hearts yet doo séeme outwardly moste holy ¶ Of the seconde I Am the voice of a cryer in the desert First Iohn defineth all Prophets Apostles and ministers of Gods woord that they are a voice Secondly that they are not a vain voice but y e voice of a cryer that is to say of a preacher Thirdly in the desert that is too say in the whole world Fourthly the hearers are doon to vnderstand of the woorthinesse of the voice for it is not the voice of man but of God that cryeth c. Fiftly that Iohn alledgeth the testimonie of Esay For the godly preacher must auouch nothing without the testimonie of the holy scriptures This present testimonie is taken out of the .40 Chapter Sixthly the preachers also are warned that they father not another mannes voyce vppon God than his owne For such as doo so are not the ministers of God but the bellowes of the Deuil which kind of men wée ought to flée no lesse than woolues ¶ Of the third TOo make way too the lord is by the witnesse of the same Iohn Baptist too woorke repentance And not without great cause did Iohn vse this figure of spéech which properly perteineth vntoo worldly kingdomes For the wayes where kings shall passe are woont too bée prepared or made leuel ageinst their coÌ„ming too the inteÌ„t they may go without peril and stumbling This dooth Esay expound when he sayth Euery vally shall bée raised and euery mountaine and hil shal bée made leuel and the crooked wayes shalbée made streight and the rough places shalbée made smoothe These things are too bée vnderstoode spiritually concerning all impedimentes bothe inward outward which may hinder the comming of Christ our king vnto vs. Inward impediments are lacke of the knowledge of God lustes leudnesse foolish boldnesse and such like Outward impediments are all stumbling blockes which Sathan casteth in our wayes in doctrine in the Sacraments in coÌ„uersation And too speake the matter in few woords the mountains that is to say whatsoeuer is high in y e world are to be cast down by y e preaching of the law The vallies that is too say such as are broken in spirit are â—o be raised vp by preching of y e gospel Bréers y t is to say euil life leud affections are too bée stubbed vp by new obedience with an earnest desire too frame the life according to goddes woord And too th entent that that may bée doon it is required first y t there bée criers in y e desert Secondly there is néede of wholsom doctrine which is y e laÌ„pe of them y t prepare y e way Thirdly it is requisite that when the Lord commeth that is too say when the grace of God shyneth in our hearts wée yéeld our selues obedient through true repentance and shew our selues too bée gods people by dooing homage vnto Christ our Lord. Lastly it behooueth vs too offer vntoo him gifts and the sacrifice of our lips that is too say too acknowledge him both with mind voice confession and conuersation Howbéeit in as much as these things cannot bée vnderstood without applying of examples We wil bréefly declare the méening of Iohn and of the Prophet by examples The summe of Iohns sermon was this Doe penance and beleue the Gospell which is all one with that which he sayeth out of Esay prepare the way of the Lord. How did hée that He did beate downe the hilles For when he saw many of the Pharisies and Saduces come vntoo his Baptim hée sayd vntoo them Yée generation of Uipers whoo taught you to flée from the wrath that is too come Say not within your selues wée haue Abraham too our Father For I say vntoo you that god is able euen out of these stones too raise vp children vntoo Abraham for now is the axe layd too the roote of the trée Euery trée that yéeldeth not good frute shalbée hewen down and cast intoo the fire Sée héere how Iohn maketh the mouÌ„taines lowe First when hée calleth them the generation of Uipers he findeth fault with their leud hart which was desirous of blood and vnthankful SecoÌ„dly he taketh away the cause of their chéefe boasting For they had a pride in themselues bycause they were the children of Abraham But hée telleth them that this auaileth them nothing For GOD is not an accepter of persones Neither are those by and by the children of Abraham which are borne of the fleshly séede of Abraham but those are Abrahams children which followe Abraham in faith and obedience like as Christ beareth witnesse in the Gospell of S. Iohn calling them the children of the Deuill which boasted themselues too bée the children of Abraham Thirdly hée addeth a threatning vnlesse they amend The ax sayth he is layd too the roote of the trée That is to say Gods vengeance is not farre of that euery euil trée may be cut downe and cast into the fire In likewise must other ministers of Gods word dig downe the mountaines by telling men their faultes by taking away the cause of boasting and by laying before them the punishmeÌ„ts which rest vpon all them that amend not Then shal they also raise vp the vallies and how Euen as Iohn did in shewing Chryst when he sayd behold the Lamb of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world When he sayth behold he allureth them to faith When he addeth the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world he expresseth the ground of reconciliation Thirdly he cutteth
but twoo places wherin lie hid many other as shall appéere and these they bée 1 The storie of Christes birth with his circumstances and members 2 The vse and practise of this storie ¶ Of the first IN the Storie let vs consider nine members whereof the first is concerning the time Christe was borne after the building of Rome the 751. yéere after the creation of y e world the .3963 yéere the 42. yéere of the reigne of the Emperor Augustus From the birth of Christe vntoo this present day are fulfilled .1560 yéeres But why dooth the Euangelist make mention so euidently of the time of the Emperoures commaundement and of the léeuetenant Cyrenius There are thrée causes The first is the foresayings of the Prophets The Prophecies of Christes comming are of twoo sortes For some doo simply declare that Messias should come with out foreappoynting any certeine time Of which sorte are these The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpents head Also in thy séede shall all nations be blissed And Esay 7. Behold a mayd shall conceiue c. Also Dauid The Lord sayd vntoo my Lord. c. And Balaam there shall ryse a Starre out of Iacob Other Prophecies foretell the time and yéere of Christes passion and of his reigne Iacob The Scepter shall not bée taken from Iuda vntill Zilo come that is too say hir sonne namely the sonne of the woman As if he had sayde the séede of the woman that is promised too destroye the woorkes of the Deuill shall then come when the Scepter shall bée taken from Iuda Therefore when as Luke maketh mention of Augustus of the tribute and of the foreine gouernour he meaneth that euen then the time was come wherein it behoued Chryst to bée borne according to the Prophecie of Iacob Danyell also expressed in his ninthe Chapter the yéere of Christes crucifying and resurrection in this wyse Know thou and vnderstande that from the end of this talke of the leading backe of the people and building ageine of Hierusalem vntoo Chryst the Capteine there shall bée seuen wéekes and thrée score and twoo wéekes And after thrée score and two wéekes Christ shalbée slaine And in one wéeke shall he stablish his couenant with many and in halfe a wéeke shall he make the Sacrifise too cease Héere dooth Daniell foretell plainely the time of Christes deathe But thrée thinges are too bée marked héere What a wéeke is when the account is to bée begonne and why he disposeth the thrée score and tenne wéekes intoo thrée sortes A wéeke in this place is not too bée taken for a wéeke of dayes but of yéeres as in Leuit. 25. so that a wéeke may conteine seuen yéeres and seuentie wéeks foure hundred foure score and ten yeares But from what tyme must wée begin too account them from the end of the talke This end of the talke diuers men vnderstand diuersly Some referre it to the decrée of Cyrus who after the accomplishment of the thrée score and ten yéeres of the Captiuitie graunted the Iewes leaue too returne and build the temple of Hierusalem How bée it for as much as the building of it was letted by their neighbors the space of fortie and two yéeres vntill Artaxerxes with the long hands graunted new licence ageine at which time Haggeus and Zacharias also prophecied of the building of the Temple that it should goe foreward there are that begin too recken from the second yéere of Longhand If wée folow the first reckening there shaâ—â— bée thrée score and ten wéekes of yéeres vntoo the birth of Christ. If we follow the latter there shall bée thrée score and ten wéekes of yéeres vntoo the baptim of Christe sauing halfe a wéeke that is too say thrée yéeres and a halfe in which time Christe stablished his Testament according to the saying of Daniell If yée conferre these thinges with the storyes yée shall finde that Luke noted the time of Christes birth according to this reckening The second cause is that the Iewes may be confuted whiche looke still for a Messias now after that the common weale of Moyses hath béene vtterly extinguished many hundred yéeres ago The third cause is that we should bée assured that Christe is borne and giuen vnto vs in very déed already whom God long agoe promised too bée the deliuerer of mankinde out of the chappes of the serpent The second is of the place Hée is borne in Bethléem and in wayfaring In Bethléem for too fulfill the Prophecie of Micheas whiche Mathew alledgeth in his second Chapiter out of the fifth of Micheas And in wayfaring too giue vs too vnderstand that Christes Churche shall in this world continue in wayfarings and that not without contempt and persecution The same thing dooth Iohn declare by his thryce repeating of one sentence The darknesse comprehended him not the world knew him not his owne receyued him not And these things doo argue that Christes kingdome is not worldly The third is of his parents According too his manhoode hée is borne in wedlocke truely but of a mayden of which thing there are right weightie causes The first is promisse The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpentes heade Also Beholde a maide shall bréede childe and bring foorth a sonne The second is necessitie for no manne that is borne according too the course of nature is without spot and sinne Therfore was it of necessitie that the Messias should by the holy Ghost bée conceiued of the séede of a mayd without the séede of man too the intent he might bée cleane from all spot of sinne as it became the true Emanuell God and man too bée The fourth for that Christe is very God and verye man I must out of the first Chapiter of Iohn speake of the Godhead of Christe and declare the circumstances of time maner matter place déede and cause Therefore if thou demaunde when Christe was as touching his Godhead Iohn answereth In the beginning was the woorde that is to say the woord was before the beginning of all things that were created Christe then is no creature If thou aske how hée was Iohn answereth and the woorde was with God Ergo he is another person than God the father If thou enquire what he was He answereth the woord was God by which saying is mente that the substaunce of the Godhead is all one If thou demaunde what hée did Hée answereth all thinges were made by him If thou aske what hée doeth He answereth hee lightneth euery man that commeth intoo this worlde If thou aske whether hée came He answereth intoo this worlde he came intoo his owne hée came If thou aske in what manner hée came Hée answereth the woorde became fleshe If thou demaunde wherefore he came He answereth that he myght giue power too as many as beléeue in him too bée made the sonnes of GOD. If thou aske when hée came He answereth there was a man sente from GOD whoos 's name was Iohn c. These
olde For like as in Circūcision there méete foure things viz. promis commaundement of the signe the vse of the signe and the beléefe of the promis So in the méening of euery sacramēt the same things must of necessitie méete namely that a godly Sacrament bée a visible signe commaunded and ordained by God wherby like as God heareth recorde of his promis vnto men so man accepting the signe doth on the other side professe his faith towardes GOD and confirmeth the same with the vse of the signe and by thinking vpon it How bée it in euery signe the singular likelinesse of the signes vnto the thing signified by them is too bée considered For example the likelinesse of water in Baptim vntoo the thing signifyed therby is this Like as water washeth a mā outwardly frō outward filth so the blood of Christ washeth our consciences inwardly frō deadly woorks And so of all other sacraments But why was Chryste circumcised séeing he is exempted from the number of sinners This doth Paule expound too the Galathians when he sayth when the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne borne of a woman made subiect too the Lawe that he might redéeme those that were vnder the Lawe Wherefore as he was borne for vs so also was he circumcised for vs. Neither was it his wil too abolish circumcision before he had made his perfect sacrifice vpō the altare of the Crosse by which doing he bare witnesse that Circumcision was a sacrament ordeyned by God Now are a few things too bée added concerning spirituall Circumcision which in the scripture is called the Circumcision of the hart made in spirit and not by hand which is signified by the outward Circumcision as a thing inuisible by a thing visible Of this the Lord giueth commaundement in the tenth of Deuteronomy Cut of the forskin of your harts and harden not your necks any more But in the third to the Phillippians Paule most plainly of al defineth this spirituall Circumcision where he sayeth wée are the Circumcision which woorship God in spirit and bost of Christ and put not our trust in flesh In these woordes of Paule twoo things are too bée considered The cause and the effect or the actiue Circumcision and the passiue Circumcision The cause is Christ himselfe and consequently the actiue Circumcision is that whereby the sonne of God cutteth of whatsoeuer sinne and cursednesse is in vs which Circumcision is felt in all the godly sort of all ages The effect or passiue circūcision is that whereby the regenerate sorte doo daily more and more cutte of the relikes of sinne and giue themselues too newnesse of life shredding of all vices as much as may bée But Paule in most goodly order distributeth the effectes maketh thrée sortes of them One is that wée worship God in spirite another is that wée boast in Chryst The third is that wée cast away the trust in fleshe by denying our selues The effect that is set last in place is the first in order of consequence next which foloweth the second and lastly that which was set in the first place Therefore wée must circumcise all our members as wel inward as outward Inward as the mind the hart the will The mind is too bée circumcised by casting away of erroure and by getting the true knowledge of God From the heart must all sinful thoughts bée cut of The wil must bée circumcised by conuerting vnto God The outward such as are the eares the eyes the lippes the nose c. So as now they may no more yéelde obedience vntoo corrupted nature but obey the spirit of regeneration ¶ Of the second CHildren were woont to haue their names giuen them in their Circumcision as they haue them now giuen them in their baptism Then too the entent they might bee witnesses of their circumcision and now too the intent they may bée signes of the baptism bestowed vpon them And therfore as often as wée hear our selues named wée must call too minde the couenant that wée haue made with God in our baptism And so after the maner of other children Christs name was giuen him in his baptism and hée was called Iesus Names were woont to bée giuen too children either at the pleasure of men and that was sometimes by meanes of kinred and aliance sometime for the vertue of noble men sometime vpon chaunce sometime vpon affection or at the commaundement of God and that not without some representation of a thing eyther past or too come For God whoo cannot bée deceyued dooth not giue names too things without cause why Why then was the Sonne of the virgin named Iesus For the office sake which he should haue in the worlde For thus sayth the Angel by the commaundement of God in the firste of Mathew Thou shalt call his name Iesus bycause hée shall delyuer his people from their sinnes For Iesus is as much too say as Sauiour The Angel added the kinde of saluation namely from sinne and so consequentlye from death damnation Gods wrath and hel Wherevpon it must néedes folowe that hée pacifieth the Father restoreth the Image of God and rewardeth the beléeuers with eternal life For all these things are ioyned with forgiuenesse of sinne How bée it too the intent wée may more certainlye kéepe in minde the vse of this name Iesus I wil reduce it intoo foure respectes The first is that it putteth vs in minde that wée are forlorne if it were not for this Iesus that is too say this Sauiour And therfore it putteth vs in minde of our sinne and of repentance The second is that it pointeth vs too the fountaine of saluation For hée that wil bée saued must néedes draw out of this wel And so wée are admonished therby too beléeue vpon this Sauiour The third is that it is our comfort ageinst dispair ageinst the greatnesse of sinne ageinst repining ageinst particularitie and ageinst the power strength of the Deuil And herevpon groweth the ground or establishment of faith The fourth is that it putteth vs in mind of obedience and thankfulnesse that throughe our owne default wée fall not from the saluation purchased for vs by Christ too whom bée glory for euer and euer Amen The Gospell on the day of Epiphanie commonly called Twelfth day ¶ The Gospell Math. ij WHen Iesus vvas borne in Bethleem a Cittie of Ievvrye in the time of Herode the King Beholde there came vvise men from the East too Hierusalem saying vvhere is hee that is borne King of the Ievves For vve haue seene his Starre in the East and are come too vvoorship him VVhen Herode the King had heard these things hee vvas troubled and all the Citie of Hierusalem vvith him And vvhen hee had gathered all the cheefe Preests and Scribes of the people toogether hee demaunded of them vvhere Christe shoulde bee borne And they sayed vntoo him at Bethleem in Ievvrie ▪ For thus it is vvritten by the Prophete And thou Bethleem in the
be instructed by the voice of the minister in this entrance of theirs intoo wedlock Thirdly that the Churche may bée a witnesse of the assurance made betwéene them lest they might liue with offence vntoo others as if they were Lemans rather than maryed folkes Fourthly that they may be openly helped with the Prayers of the Churche so as the mariage begoon may turn too Gods glory their owne commoditie and finallye too the edifiyng of the whole Churche by their godly conuersation in holy mariage Now remayneth somewhat too be spoken bréefly concerning the mariage feast wherein it is too bée considered what behooueth too bée there and what too bee away In any wise there must bée vtterly excluded frō Christian mariages first Surfetting secondly Pride thirdly too muche sumptuousnesse fourthly filthie and vnmannerly talke suche as the talke of ribauldlie minstrels is woont too bée and fifthly forslowing of godlinesse namely that they followe not their feasting at suche time as deuine seruice shoulde bée doone in the Church whereby God is displeased the neighbor offended and occasion of falling is giuen too many On the cōtrarie part there must be present first godlinesse secōdly honest mirth thirdly holy talke and fourthly often wishing y e God may prosper this his state with his blissing For as we réede these things were customably vsed too bée doone in the mariages of the saincts and therfore God also hath with his goodnesse furthered such mariages ¶ Of the second NOwe that wée haue noted certein things concerning mariage I wil héereafter adde a few things of mariage finished and confirmed and I wil do but two things First I wil recite the finall causes of mariage And afterward I wil shewe by what vertues the societie of maryed folkes is made swéete and amiable All godly folk know that the finall causes of mariage are foure Whereof the first is mutuall helpe for when Salomon sayeth wo is him that is alone he méeneth that mutuall help and societie is néedful that we may the better and more quietly endure the miseries of this life For this cause may old men marye whose bodies are so withered that they can beget no children The second cause is procreation of children for it is Gods will that mankinde should bée mainteined by this meanes And therfore he sayd to our first parents Encrease and multiply and fulfil the earth The third cause is that euery housholde might bée as a church in which the parents as it were Prophets are adorned with propheticall dignitie too the intent they may instruct their children concerning God and religion and that their children as it were certeine yong impes myght bée watred with continuall doctrine and exhortations so as at length they may grow too bée trées and bring forth the most swéete frute of fayth The .iij. cause is the auoyding of whoredome in this corrupted and depraued nature For thus sayeth Paule for auoiding of fornication let euery mā haue a wife of his own For wedlocke is the remedie ageinst that most filthy sinne of fornication and aduoutrie wherein doo méete togither many and horrible sinnes For first it is a wilfull breaking of Gods law 2. a peruerting of the law of nature 3. a shamefull and foule transgression of ciuill lawes 4. a miry puddle of regeneration 5. a horrible treason for wée are not at our owne libertie but his who hath redéemed vs with his precious blood 6. a dishonoring of the Resurrection For what is more filthy than with most shamefull wickednesse too defile the body which in time too come shall rise ageine to eternall glorie 7. a horrible defiling of the temple of GOD. Corinth 6. Now séeing that so many sinnes méete héere toogither there is no cause why any mā should thinke that God will not punish it with his owne handes But the company of man and wife is made amiable and swéete by these fiue meanes by godlinesse vertue mutuall forbearing mutuall loue and by dutifulnesse performed busily and godlily on bothe sides Godlinesse of right holdeth the chéef place For there is no stable and stedfast frendship vnlesse it haue his beginning from God and therefore must godlinesse néedes shine before the rest For when couples haue determined to obey God al things afterward become more easie Uertue and honest conditions bréede mutuall delight betwéene man and wife For when vertue is exercised it maketh conuersation of liuing more amiable Mutuall forbearing whereby we take in good woorth one anothers conditions and faultes is very néedful For in this weakenesse of nature there happen many scapes which wil bréede strife if they be not couered by mutuall forbearing Mutuall loue hauing his beginning of godlinesse and true vertue maketh vs not too bée too sharpe sighted in looking intoo one anothers faultes But that many things eyther wée marke not or if wée marke them wée couer them with loue For charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes Duetie performed godlily and busily on bothe sides maketh the yoke light and swéet For when man wife marke one another and find like héedfulnesse in their duetie bothe their company is made more pleasant and they are the more stirred vp on both sides too render duetifulnesse that the one may requite the other alike Where these fiue things bée not the company of their life is most bitter or rather more sharpe than death Therefore let the godly couples doo their endeuer y t these vertues may bée séene in their life continually ¶ Of the third HAuing expounded those places that gaue occasion too this miracle now let vs looke vppon the miracle it selfe with the circumstances thereof The circumstances are many as time occasion the request of Chrystes moother and his answer the preparature of the miracle the miracle it selfe the confirmation of the miracle and the vse and frute of the same The time is noted bothe in that it was doone the thirde day after his comming intoo Galilée and in that it was the first of all the miracles that the Lord wrought The time therefore admonisheth vs too way thys miracle with singular héede Foure occasions of this miracle may bée gathered of the text First the mariage it selfe that was kept in Cana. Secondly the bidding of Chrystes moother too the wedding Thirdly the want of wine And fourthly the virgins heart most redy too helpe Therefore vvhen vvine failed the moother of Iesus sayd too hir sonne They haue no vvine Too vvhom Iesus ansvvered vvoman vvhat haue I too doo vvith thee Mine houre is not yet come His mother truely speaketh this either for pitie sake or else too the intēt hir sonne should by some meanes or other help the present necessitie But Chryst answereth his moother somewhat hardly and that for right great causes In this behalfe he voutsaueth hir not the tytle of moother but calles hir simply by the name of woman And moreouer he sayeth vvhat haue I too doo vvith thee mine houre is not yet come The Lord had héer a
further sight For he foresaw what superstitions should in time too come rise vppon Inuocation of the virgin Marye He saw that hypocrites should wickedly yéeld vntoo hir the things that were proper too God and too the mediator And therefore in this somewhat harde answer he deliuereth too all ages a perpetuall and graue Doctrine leaste the vnmeasurable reuerencing of Sainctes should deface the honoure of his office and in this respect he abased his owne moother too the vulgar degrée of women Then was it no light cause that he spake too his moother in this wise what haue I too doo with thée but too make a difference betwéene his owne office and his moother and so consequently of all Sainctes He will not part his office which is peculiarly his owne and giue parte of it too his mother But he chalengeth too himselfe alone the office of a Sauiour Wickedly therefore doo the superstitious call the virgin Quéene of heauen aduocate life swéetenesse moother of grace and consequently the saluation of the world For no parte of our redemption is too bée ascribed vntoo Marye And whereas he addeth Myne houre is not yet come he implyeth twoo things Namely that he ceased not for any maner of héedlessenesse or â—louth and also that he would haue a care of the matter assoone as opportunitie should offer it selfe What did the moother of Iesus in this case Whatsoeuer he biddeth you doo sayeth shée too the wayters that doo yée This perteineth too the preparature of the miracle The moother dooth only conceiue good hope that hir sonne wil succoure the present néed And where as she sayeth too the wayters whatsoeuer hée biddeth you doo doo it shée ministreth vntoo vs a generall doctrine in the Churche wherof the blissed virgin is bothe a tipe and a member What then learneth the Churche héereby Forsooth it lerneth with the blissed virgin too commaunde all ministers yea and all Christians too obey Christe in dooing whatsoeuer hée biddeth them how little so euer it séeme agréeable too reason Anone the Lorde when oportunitie serued willed the wayters too fill the sixe water pottes that were set there too serue for the superstitious purging of the Iewes of which pottes euery one did holde a twoo or thrée Firkins a péece so that altoogither did holde about an Amer of Wine These water pottes I say did the Lord bid them fil vp too the brimmes whiche béeing doone hée badde giue thereof too the maister of the feast For by the secreat power of Christe it was nowe become wine whiche was euen now water Which when the maister of the feast had tasted hée sayed too the bridegrome All men are vvont too set good VVine vppon the table first and vvhen the guests are vvel laden vvith VVine then too giue them that vvhiche is vvoorser But thou haste kept the best VVine too the last This is added for the confirmation of the miracle For the maister of the feast witnesseth that this wine was muche more excellent than that whiche they had drunk before Now ensueth the vse and frute of the miracle and he manifested his glorie saith the Euangelist and his disciples beleeued vpon him This miracle therfore was appointed for twoo things Namely too manifest Christes glorye and too strengthen the fayth of the Disciples For looke how manye miracles Christe shewed in the worlde so many witnesses were there of the glory of his Godhead so many sealings were there of his doctrine and of faith in the hearers This then is the right vse of Christes miracles that his glory béeing blazed abrode his doctrine béeing confirmed by them as it were by authenticall seales wée should leane vnto him by liuely faith â–ª But as for suche miracles as either darken the glory of Christ or quench faith they are sleights of the Diuel of whiche the Lord giueth vs warning too béeware in the .24 of Mathew There shall sayeth he arise false Christes and false Prophets and shall shevv great signes and vvoonders in so muche that the very elect if it vvere possible should bee deceyued beholde I haue tolde you of it before hand Therfore let no man giue credit too any miracles saue such as set foorth Christes glory and norish and confirme the true faith too him ward ¶ Of the fourth FOr as much as in this Gospell there is mention made of many persons I wil now shew bréefly what doctrine and instruction is too bée taken at eche of them First therefore let vs at all these guests lerne an example of thriftie making chéere from whiche bée banished riot and vnaduisednesse of whiche things more is spoken in the first place At the Bridegrome Bride let vs lerne too receiue Christ too our feasts which thing truely is then doone when in the feare of God and with thankesgiuing wée vse Gods gifts to honest mirth and leaue them at home that are not bidden By the miracle let the bridegrome and bride learn that if they bid Christe too their feast he wil chaunge the water intoo wine that is too say hée will turne all bitter things intoo swéet and blisse the parties with his blissing so as they shall want nothing At Christe let vs learne according vntoo our abilitie too helpe the Brydegrome and the Brydâ— that is too saye too beautifie the Churche by what meanes so euer wée can bée able At Christe let vs learne too transferre againe vntoo a good and godly vse the things that were abused and put too superstition so as they may serue too Gods glorie and too the building of the Church The waterpots héere serued too Iewishe superstition but Christe vseth them too the setting foorthe of his owne glorie and too the edifying of his Churche So the Church goods which héertofore haue bene abused ought now too bée conuerted too a better vse At Mary wée may learne too bée touched with pitie for the néede of other folks and too pray too God too further the poor with his blessing At the maister of the feast wée may learne too like wel of Christes dooings with clensed mindes At the wayters wée may learne to employ our labour at Christes commaundement and not so muche too looke what he biddeth as too doo that he biddeth Of Christ Mary the Disciples toogither we may lerne too kéep felowship with men and too take their slendernesse in good woorth Also wée may learne to honor the honest mariages of poore folkes with our presence and too helpe them with our purse when cause requireth These things haue I spoken the largelier of this Gospel bicause this matter wherof it entreateth is not woont too bée intreated of but once in the yéere I haue spoken of the maner of mariage and of matrimonie Also I haue shewed how great a sinne it is too breake the sixth commaundement I haue expounded the miracle with his circumstances what doctrine and instruction the examples of the persones in this Gospell yéeld vntoo vs. Now God the father
awake he had of his owne accorde helped them at the pinche as in so great a daunger though his disciples had not prayed him And albeit that of his goodnesse and fatherly affection towards vs hée be ready too giue vs all things that be necessary to our welfare yet is hâ—e not 〈…〉 giue them but at our entretaÌ„ce For prayer is the ordinary instrument too atteyn all things that are needful for vs of God whiche thing is done for this cause that we should reuerence him the true God creatour fountaine of all goodnesse and acknowledge oure selues weake creatures as what without GOD neyther haue ought nor ought are able too do 3 The woorking of faith is héere séene For faith is not an idle assent or thought but it is a stout Giant which ouercommeth the world as Iohn saith This is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen your faith verely faith ouercommeth but yet through the conquerour Christ whom it possesseth Thus faith hath 〈◊〉 his enimie the worlde that is too wéete sinne Death the Diuel daungers and the fleshe On sinnes side standeth the Lawe conscience and dispaire On faiths side standeth the Gospel Christes sacrifice and 〈…〉 Therefore when the Law assayleth thée wyth his lightening smoake fyre vapoures and thunder Let fayth take the Gospell vntoo him and set that betwéene him and the Lawe And when the Lawe sayth Cursed is euerie one that dooth not al the things that are written in the booke of the Law set the Gospel ageinst it saying Euerie one that beléeueth on the Sonne hath life euerlasting When Death threatneth death set thou ageinst him the ouercommer of Death Iesus Chryst who casting Death in the téeth sayth Death where is thy sting Hel wher is thy victorie The same in the Gospell of Iohn sayeth Hée that beléeueth in mée shall not taste of Death for euermore but shall passe from Death vntoo Lyfe Then is Death profitable too the godly person for it is only a passage vnto the better life so little cause is there that the godly should be afrayd of it The Deuill in déede accuseth and packs vp a great beadroll of sinnes toogither But sette thou ageynst him the sentence of Chryst which sayeth The Prince of this worlde is iudged already and this saying of Paule It is God that iustifieth who then can condemne If hée lay our owne vnrighteousnesse too our charge Let vs answere with Paule Him who knew no sinne made hée a sacrifice for sinne that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him In likewise the daungers of sinne reprooue vs for they are as it were a sermon of God concerning sinne But aunswer thou that iudgement beginneth at Gods house that the Lorde chastiseth euerie childe whom hée receyueth vntoo him yea and that too the childes behoofe The fleshe moueth too despaire But make thou the fleshe subiect too the spirite and say that fleshelie iudgemente hath no place in this behalfe And so doo a thousande things méete vs that will hinder our saluation Could Nero then haue gainsayde sinne the Law Death and the flesh in maner aforesayd No verely For the onely children of God haue that priuiledge The rest are hilde in bondage vnder sinne bicause they are the seruants of sinne as which commit sinne by mainteining it agaynst the spirit or rather vtterly quench the spirit with it Whosoeuer therfore will geinsay sin the law death the deuill the flesh c. let him looke whither hée féele true repentance let him looke whither hée haue fayth and a good conscience and finally let him looke whither hée bée so framed that hée can preferre the obedience of God before all the commodities of this life vtterly casting away all purpose of sinning 4 Chryst findeth faulte with twoo things in his Disciples First with their fainthartednesse bycause they ought not too haue bin afrayd as long as hée was with them for in asmuch as they had séene so many miracles of his they might easily haue learned that it is not possible for him too perishe with whoom Chryst is present And secondely with the smalnesse of their fayth bicause they beleued not that hée coulde doo as much sleeping as waking or as much vpon the sea as vpon the lande being the maker both of sea and lande 5 And as in sléeping hée shewed himselfe too bée man So héere in commaunding the windes hée prooueth himselfe too bée GOD both which things doo serue the slendernesse of our Faith For his manhood sheweth his good wil towardes vs and his godhed sheweth his ablenesse which twoo things are requisite in euerie frée acte 6 Too bée short Chryste by this storie sheweth that hée willed in déede the saluation of men and especially of them that call vpon him For as it is his will that we should call vpon him in our perils so also is it his will too vtter his fatherlie affection towards vs in deliuering vs from danger ¶ Of the thirde THis is a most plesant Allegorie For here is painted out the state and image of the Church The sea is the world the ship is the Church the winde is the Deuil the Disciples are the godlie companie of the beléeuers Chryst is the truth and the Gospel is faith First mark héere that before Christe with his Disciples entred intoo the ship the Sea was calme that is too say the world slept soundly in his own sinnes But as soon as Christ entred into the ship ther arose a mighty tempest in so much as the ship séemed too bée ouerwhelmed But what ensued Christe the Lord was there present who could commaunde the sea and the windes Héereby therefore wée may learne that out of this little ship that is too say the Churche there is no safegard Howbéeit we must looke wel about vs héere that we take not our enimies ship for the true ship The enimies ship is bothe better decked outwardely and of greater receit within But the true ship hath hir decking inwardly and it hath a muche more stately maister namely the holye Ghost All the mariners that it hath are godly It hathe the woord of God and the sacraments in right vse and obedience too the ministerie And with these treasures this ship holdeth it selfe contented in so great waues 2 It is too bée obserued that this shippe sayleth not in the calme sea but is tossed in the waues whiche driueth it hither and thither whiche thing too bée moste true the storie of the world sheweth When GOD had made the world hée put this ship in the middes of it And by and by the deuil the enimie of Gods sonne tossed it with stormes and from thence foorthe it was miserably turmoyled vntoo the time of Noe and after Noe too Abrahams time from Abraham too Moyses time and from thence vntil Christs time who too the intent too saue this ship came intoo the world Yet ceassed not the waues thereof as then But what is the cause that the world cannot abide
pure séed so also wil he haue the same kept pure and in no wise corrupted And this séed hath he left with his Churche too kéepe layd vp in the treasures of the Prophetes and Apostles The frute that this séede bringeth forth foloweth the nature of the séede when it is growen vp For first after it is layed intoo the ground there springeth of it repentance that is too say an amendment of the former wicked life For like as some excellent séed béeing conceyued in the bowels of the earth dooth by his owne power kil the wéeds that ouergrew the grounde before so this séede doothe by true remorse kil the shreud wéedes that is too say sinnes whiche the Deuill hath sowed in mannes harte so as they may not hear deadly frute vntoo damnation as they did before Ageine this séede toogither with helthful repentaunce bringeth forth faith the frute whereof is moste acceptable too GOD. Out of this faith as out of the eare of the corne come forthe séedes that is too say children of GOD according too this saying To as many as beléeued hée gaue them power too become the children of God These as sayth sainct Peter are borne ageine not of corruptible séede but of incorruptible séede by the woorde of the liuing God that continueth for euer The children of God being so borne of Gods incorruptible séede doo bring forth their fruite that is too wit good woorkes and pacience wherwith the Lords fruteful féeld flourisheth euen vntill haruest ¶ Of the seconde BY the manner of the séede layde intoo the grounde a man may gather foure kindes of hearers of Gods woord For the séede that is layde intoo the ground either is not conceyued in the bowels of the earth or else is conceyued wyth frute howbéeit such frute as out of hande withereth and perisheth or else with frute that endureth too the haruest And this varietie happeneth by reason of the nature of the soyle For if the séede light intoo the way it taketh no roote but is either troden downe with féete or deuoured by the byrdes If it light vppon stonie grounde bicause it taketh no déepe roote it perisheth as soone as it coÌ„meth vp If it light among thornes the thornes choke it and it dieth without profit If it light vpon good grounde it beareth frute and that plentuously Héervpon our Lord concludeth manifestly that there bée foure sortes of héerers of which I must nowe speake in order The first kinde of héerers is set foorth in this wise in the Parable Some fell in the highe vvay and vvas troden vvyth feete The Parable is thus expounded by the Lorde Those that are by the high vvay are those that heere the vvoorde and anone commeth the Diuel and taketh the vvoord out of their heartes least they shoulde beleeue and bee saued In this exposition many things doo méete toogither woorthie too bée considered First what is the cause that it beareth not frute namely bicause the grounde is harde and drie that is too say the heartes of the héerers are stonie and harde so as they giue no place too the worde Mennes hartes wex harde by accustoming themselues too sinne by hope of scaping without punishment by Epicurishe thoughtes by innumerable examples of such as sinne and by the craftes of the Diuell And whereas the Lorde sayth that the â—éede was sowed in their hearts it is as muche as if he had sayde that the vice leudnesse of men is the cause why it is taken out of their hartes Therefore they doo God wrong that ascribe their damnation vntoo him For hée being mercyfull vntoo al men casteth his séed intoo the ground that is too say sendeth preachers too teach his gospel but through mens default it coÌ„meth too passe that it is troden vnder foote without frute Secondly it is too bée marked aduisedly that the diuel is sayde too come and take away the worde out of their hartes Whereby wée gather that this enimie of our saluation according as hungrie birdes are woonte too doo in séed tyme as soone as the doctrine commeth abroade is at hande â–ª and steppes in to catche it vppe before it can conceiue moysture and shoote forth That this is the continuall endeuer of Sathan the storie of all tymes teacheth vs and Peter testifieth when hée sayth that the Diuell goeth about like a roaring Lion séeking whom hée may deuour For in like wyse as hée set himselfe ageinst our first parentes and that by taking Gods word out of their hartes so employeth hée himselfe wholly with like endeuer at this day that the worde whiche is preached may abide frutelesse with the héerers Thirdly it is to be obserued that the Gospel is the preching of saluation For when hée sayth that the Diuell taketh the woord out of the hartes of the héerers least any should bée saued hée declareth sufficiently that the woorde of God is appointed too our saluation Fourthly héere is too bée obserued the great prayse of fayth in asmuche as Chryste in expresse wordes calleth it the cause of our saluation leaste throughe beléeuing sayeth hée they might bée saued For as saluation is offered vntoo men by the ministration of the Gospell so by faith only is the offered saluation receyued and reteined wherevpon the Apostle sayeth the Gospell is the power of God vntoo saluation too euery one that beléeueth Fifthly as our great vnthankfulnesse is noted wherethrough wée despise the saluation that is offred vs by the woorde so is their errour too bée detested which go about too depriue the woord spoken of his power whoo doubtlesse are the diuels instrumentes too hinder the saluation of men The second sort of héerers are noted in this parable Other some fell vpon stones and assoone as it came vp it vvithered bicause it had no moysture The Parable is expounded by the Lord in these woords For that vvhich fell vpon the stones are those vvhich vvhen they haue heard the vvoorde doo receiue it vvith ioye but yet they haue no roote but beleeue for a time but go backe in the time of triall As long as the Crosse and persecution troubleth them not they holde not the meanest place in the Churche but assoone as persecution ryseth for the Gospell they giue ouer and fayth dieth vtterly in them without frute and of this sorte of héerers alas for sorowe there are too many Assone as the doctrine of the Gospell was purged in this Realme very many séemed too embrace the Gospell earnestely But when they sawe their fréendes displeased with them for it wheÌ„ they perceiued that no smal péece of their estimation among the Papistes was abated by it and that the crosse touched them somewhat néerly then they forgat the swéetnesse of the Gospell whiche they had héeretofore receyued with ioyfulnesse and shamefully lyke wretches slipt from it too their vtter reproche the horrible destruction of their soules for whom it had ben much better neuer too haue tasted the goodnesse of the Gospell than wyth
Chrystes must as well the godly magistrate as the ouerséers of Gods religion folowe that there be no defiling of Gods religion in the churches of christians Other that haue not this authoritie must be sory and testifie it in woords that they disallow the corruption of gods seruice Thirdly the signification of this déede is too bée weyed For as the temple was defiled so he ment that there should bée a spirituall purging of the temple by his owne death and glorious resurrection Moreouer in the cause of this déede which is expressed by these woords my house shal bee called a house of prayer c. we may lerne twoo things First that the temple is the visible seat of Gods seruice For all be it that euery place bée a temple too the godly in as muche as it is lawfull for them to call vppon God euery where yet notwithstanding the temple or church is the common place wherein we must assemble to pray and too doe other things that perteine to the outward discipline of godlinesse Another is that wée should reuerence the churches that are appoynted too Gods seruice and kéepe them cleane from Idols and Idol seruice But alas for sorow the Popish superstition sticketh so fast too the ribbes of a nuÌ„ber that they cannot abide that an Idol should be pulled out of their church But héerof shal more be spoken at an other time ¶ Of the second THe second part of the things doone by Chryst in the temple is that he healed the lame and blinde that came vnto him By which déed he testifieth first that he is the true Messias For the Prophet Esay foretold that when Messias was come he should woorke such miracles Secondly this déede sheweth that the office of the Messias is to destroy y e workes of Sathan For when Chryst taketh away the disease he remoueth the cause also and the cause of all diseases in sinne Thirdly he sheweth by an outward token how men should vse y e church for the healing of bodily diseases is a representation of the clensing of mennes soules from spiritual filthinesse Therfore the church must be appoynted too this purpose y t we may be purged there froÌ„ our spirituall diseases which thing is then doone when we beléeue the word that is there preached and by beléeuing are washed from our sinnes with the bloud of Chryst according as Iohn sayth The blue of Iesus Chryst clenâ—eth vs from all iniquitie ¶ Of the third parte WHen the children tryed in the temple Hosanna too the Sonne of Dauid and that the Pharisyes chid them Chryst tooke vpon him to stand in defence of the children and iustifieth their doing by record of the Scripture Haue yée not red saith he Out of the mouth of babes and suckelings hast thou made perfect thy prayse Héere wée haue to lerne of both that is to wit of the children and of Chryst. Of the children first let our childreÌ„ lerne too know Chryst and to set forth his praise For séeing that Chryste sayeth that the kingdome of heauen belongeth too children vndoutedly his will is too be praysed and magnified by the faith and by the voyce of children But alas there bée many children which not onely are Ignorant of Chryst but also are so leudly brought vp that they learne nothing but too sweare too lye too talke ribaudry too practise other naughtinesse who shall not onely bée punished themselues one day for their lewdnesse but also their parentes shall bée punished of God for that they haue so wickedly neglected the children that God hath giuen them to bring vp in nurture and godlynesse Ageine we may lerne of the children to confesse Chryst in the middes of his enemies Héere were present the Pharisies and Scribes the chéef Gouernours of this common weale who persecuted Chryste and were angrye with all those that yelded any honor vnto Chryst. Yet could not this cruelnesse so abashe the children but that the more they were forbidden the more they cryed oute For suche is the strength of fayth that whersoeuer it bée it can not bée hidden but always bursteth out intoo the praise of GOD. This dutifulnesse is required at all mennes handes according too that saying of Paule in the .x. to the Romanes with the hart we beléeue vntoo rightuousnesse with the mouthe is confession made vntoo saluation By the dooing of Chryst we may lerne first that he will defend those that beléeue him And secondly that after the example of Chryst according too the state of our vocation wée are bound to defend the innocencie of others and specially too succour maynteyne the godly that they bée not oppressed and troden down by the wicked ¶ Of the fourth parte THe fretting of the Princes the Préests and the Scribes against Chryst was foretold long ago by the voice of god and the Prophets For where as God in the third of Genesis told before hand that it should come to passe that the séede of the woman shoulde treade downe the serpents head hée méeneth that Sathan and his members heathenish and vngodly men should persecute Christ and his Church And Dauid in the second Psalme not onely foresawe in Spirit this fretting of the Iewes ageinst Chryste when he sayth why did the HeatheÌ„ frette and why did the people imagin vaine things But also by the sayd place of Genesis he promiseth it should come to passe that the womans séede that is to say Chryst and all that beléeue in him should ouercome Sathan his members Now in what thing this victorie consisteth Dauid in the â—ame Psalme declareth saying Blissed are all they that put their trust in him Wherefore let vs renounce Sathan and his members and with strong faith leane vpon Chryst the vanquisher of Sathan and giuer of eternall life to whom be honor and glorie for euermore â–ª Of the Lordes supper the first Epistle to the Corinthians and the xj Chapter THat vvhiche I deliuered vntoo you I receiued of the Lord. For the Lorde IESVS the same night in vvhiche hee was betrayed tooke bread and vvhen hee hadde giuen thanks hee brake it and sayd take yee and eate yee this is my body vvhich is broken for you This doo yee in remembrance of me After the same maÌ„ner also he tooke the cup vvheÌ„ Supper vvas doone saying this Cup is the nevv testament in my blud This doo as oft as yee drink of it in remembraunce of mee For as oft as yee shall eate this bread and drink of this cup yee shall shevve the Lords death til he come VVherfore vvho so euer shall eate of this bread drink of this cup vnvvorthely shal be giltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let a man therfore examin himself so let him eat of that bread drink of that cup. For he that eateth or drinketh vnvvorthely eateth and drinketh his ovvne damnation bicause he maketh no difference of the Lords body The exposition of the text THe cause why this feast is instituted
bicause the tumb was nere at hand rolling a great stone to the mouth of the graue they went their wayes And there were presente Mary Magdalene and Mary Ioses sitting against the tumbe and other women which also were come with Iesus from Galilee beholding where and how his body was bestowed And when they came home they prepared spices and oyntments and rested the Saboth day according to the cōmaundement But the next day that foloweth the preparation of the passe ouer the high Preests and Phariseys came togither vnto Pylate saying Sir wee remember that this deceyuer while hee was aliue sayd After three dayes I will ryse agayne Therefore commaund the Tumbe to be garded vntil the third day leaste peraduenture his Disciples doe come and steale him awaye and say vnto the people Hee is risen from the deade and the last errour shall be woorse than the first Pylate sayde vntoo them Yee haue a watche go and make it as sure as yee can Then they went their wayes and garded the Tumbe sealing the stone and setting watchmen about it too keep it The exposition of the text FOrasmuche as no woorke is more woonderful than the work of our redemption which is the passion and death of our Lorde Iesus Chryste according too that saying of Peter in the firste chapter of his first Epistle Yée are not redéemed with transitorie things as Golde siluer but w t the precious blud of the vnspotted vndefiled Lamb namely of Iesus Christ It becometh vs right déer beloued brethren sistern to endeuer by al means possible to knowe the storie of this woonderful woork specially séeing it is betaken vntoo vs in the Articles of our fayth where we professe our selues too beléeue in the sonne of GOD our Lord Iesus Chryst that suffred vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buryed c. And that too the end that by the knowledge of this storie fayth might bée stirred vp in vs hy the holy ghost wherby it may come too passe that the frute of this woonderful woork may extend vntoo vs. How bée it too the intente I maye the more distinctly and plainly speake of this wonderfull woorke I will deuide the whole doctrine of the Lords passion intoo thrée places or articles whiche are these 1 How many sundry wayes our Lord suffred 2 The estimation and frute of our Lords passion 3 The godly and helthful meditation of our Lords passiō ¶ Of the first BIcause wée haue sinned bothe in bodye and soule and that satisfaction must néeds haue bin made for bothe our Lord Iesus Chryste suffered bothe in soule and bodie Therefore I wil speak of his suffring in bothe namely of the soule and body of our Lord. That he suffred in soule hée himselfe witnesseth bothe in spéeche and in outward apparance In spéeche when hée saith My soule is heauie euen vntoo death and vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Héerunto also dooth pertein the prophecie of Dauid concerning Chryste The sorowes of Hell haue compassed mée aboute that is too say I was striken with excéeding greate sorowes Hée testifieth his sorowe in outwarde appéerance at the graue of Lazarus Iohn the xj and in the garden At the graue when hée thought vpon the Deuilles tirannie ouer mankinde and the miserie of mankinde For all the sorowes of minde that Christe endured by the space of thrée and thirtie yéeres vntoo his death are part of the passion which the sonne of God suffered In the garden hée sheweth that the heauinesse of his minde was excéeding greate when for the bitternesse of sorrowe he sweat droppes of bloud It is a naturall thing for a man too wéep and sometime too sweat in excesse of sorowe at the hearing of some sodaine euill but neuer was any man found yet that sweat bloud for sorowe for no man is able too susteine so great sorowe If yée demaund the causes of this excéeding great sorow yée shall vnderstand that it is not one cause but many whereof the chéefe are these First the thinking vpon the tirannie ouer mankinde and the excéeding great miserie wherwith all men were oppressed for falling from God Secondly the thinking vppon Gods wrath whiche it behooued him too sustaine for our sinnes whiche hée tooke vppon him selfe For all bée it that he were cléere from all sinne yet tooke hée vppon hym the gylte of the synnes of all the whole world Wherevppon Iohn sayeth The Lamb of GOD taketh awaye that is too say beareth in his bodie the sinnes of the world The sonne of God therfore did in very déed féel the wrath of his father Which féeling stirred vp so great sorow in his most holy soule that he swet blud Thirdly y e thinking vpon the punshment which he forsaw he should shortly the next day folowing suffer in his most holy body and the reprochfulnesse that he should bée put vntoo Fourthly the thinking vpon y e vnthankfulnesse of y t most part of the world For he forsaw it should come to passe that many wise men many mē of power diuers others shoulde take scorn of this his punishment which he should sustein too redéeme them yea that they should persecute him his Hée foresaw also y t the gretest part of thē y t beare y e name of christians should through their own wickednesse vngraciously depriue thēselues of this his benefit Which four causes procured most bitter sorow in y e hart of christ Upō this our lordes sorow must wée also thinke y t wée may bée stirred vp too fayth godlinesse least wée perish with y e thanklesse world Let this suffice bréefly too bée spoken concerning the vexation of Chrysts soule Now wil I speake of the punishmēt of his body For although that the vexation of his body began in the Ox stall whē ther was no roome for our lords mother in the Inne and afterward whē at the eight day of his birth he was let blud in circumcising and so foorth vnto the time that he was made a sacrifice for vs vpon the alter of y e crosse yet notwithstanding I will at this time intreate but of that punishment which he endured last of all And although that by the storie which I haue alredy recited a man may easily vnderstande how sundry wayes our Lorde was afflicted in his most holy body neuerthelesse I will gather intoo a short sūme that which is dispersed at large in the story diuide it according too the state of the places in whiche he was punished The places are these The gardin the house of Caiphas the consistorie of the préests the house of Herod the common hall and Galgata that is too say the place without the Citie where offenders were wont too bée put too execution What suffered he in the Gardin He was betraied with a a kisse the souldiers layde hands vpon him hée was apprehended and piniond he was led away like a théefe a murtherer and there also all
this present life shall in the end enioy ful glory with Christ so shée continue stedfast in his faith vntoo the end The places are thrée 1 Chrysts forewarning concerning his owne death and Resurrection 2 The weaknesse of the apostles and so consequently of all mortall men 3 The Crosse of the Church in this world and the glorious and ioyfull deliuerance of the same ¶ Of the firste COncerning the death and resurrection of Chryst I will speake somwhat bréefly bicause wée haue herd all thinges alate more plenteously After a vvhyle yee shall not see mee and ageine after a vvhile yee shall see mee for I goe too the father Héere doth Chryst somwhat darkly foreshew them his death and resurrection But his méening is this After a vvhile sayth he yee shall not see mee that is too say I shall lye dead a thrée days in my graue so that you shall not sée mée And againe after a vvhile yee shall see mee that is too say I shall be raised ageine from death and you shall sée mée fortie days before I ascende visibly into heauen and be taken away out of your sight by a cloude And this is it that he sayeth bicause I go to the Father that is too say after my death I shall passe from persecution to the glorie of heauen What is he not present with his churche after his ascension Yes he is present according too his promise euen vntoo the end of the worlde Howbéeit not after a bodyly maner but after a diuine and spiritual maner For Gods woord and the holy Ghost are the glasse â–ª wherin Chryst will be holden and this beholding is sufficient wherwith wée must be contented vntill he himselfe come to iudgement for afterward wée shall enioy the sight of him for euermore But why did hée put his Disciples in minde of his death and resurrection Surely there be many causes of which the chéefe is this which he alleageth in these woords I haue told you of these things before hand that vvhen they bee come to passe you may beleeue For mens minds are gretly strengthned when they sée things fall out â–ª according too that whiche was tolde them before Neither dyd any thing more raise the Apostles than that they saw all things aunswerable too Chrystes foresayings wherby they might bothe vnderstand his Godhead and throughly perceiue his office Moreouer the Lordes will was by the often forewarnings too prouide for the infirmitie of his disciples For this is the poynt of a faythfull maister to haue a consideration of their capacitie whome he taketh vppon him to teache and too remedie theyr rawnesse by often beating the selfe same things intoo their heads Besides this also he therfore foretold his death and resurrection too the intent his disciples shoulde knowe that he knew before of his owne death and resurrection and that he willingly obeyed the father euen vntoo death too the intent he might deliuer vs froÌ„ death This sermon of Chrystes is too bée applyed vnto vs also for not muche vnlike happeneth vntoo vs. Hée sêemeth too bée a whyle from vs when he leaueth vs comfortlesse wrestling vnder the crosse And afterwarde ageyne hée is séene of vs when hée comforteth vs by the Gospell and manifesteth the presence of his spirite in our prayers ¶ Of the second THe rawnesse of Christes disciples in matters of saluation is described in these woords VVhat is it say they that he sayth After a vvhile yee shall not see mee and ageyne after a vvhile yee shall see mee and that I go to the father vve knovv not vvhat he speaketh It is a greater wonder that they being so often warned of the Lordes death and Resurrection not only by types figures and riddles but also by expresse woordes coulde neuer the more vnderstande him What is the cause héerof Surely there are twoo causes One is for that an opinion once conceiued in the mynde is not easly pulled out specially if it haue taken déepe roote The Iewes yea and the Lords Disciples themselues dreamed that Chrysts gouernement should haue bin ciuill so as Chryste himselfe béeing made chéefe Emperor should subdue the whole world and reign ouer it and that his disciples should haue bin next about him whiche thing the moother of Zebedies children declared sufficiently when she made request that the one of hir sonnes might sit at Chrystes right hande and the other at his left An other cause is the dimnesse that is in all mankynd wherby it commeth to passe that no man is able too perceiue the things that pertein too God vnlesse he haue the holy Ghost too bée his teacher Héerby we may leene first too bewaile this our blindnesse Secondly too héere Gods woord more often wherby we may bée deliuered fâ—rom this dimnesse of ignorance and thirdly to craue of God that he him selfe will teache vs according too that place of the .xxv. Psalme Leade me foorth in thy truth and teach mée bycause thou art the God of my saluation Good and rightfull is the Lord therfore shall he teach sinners in the way But wée must take héede that when the Lorde teacheth we shut not the eares of our hert against his voyce lyke as all they doo that héere Gods woorde without frute As for those that so stop their eares against Gods voyce they may at length deserue too be left vp in their blindnesse and ignoraunce for euer God preserue vs that we incurre not this penaltie of vnthankefulnesse wherewith wée sée many to be horribly punished For there are many too bée found that if a man aske them after the héering of a Sermon what they haue brought away haue not a woord to aunswer But if yée question with them of talke had at a feast or in game they can reherse you euery thing so as they will not misse ye a woord What is the reason In some folke the cause of it is mannes naturall dulnesse in matters of Saluation In other some the cause of it is the punishment of sinne also that héering they héere not and vnderstanding they vnderstande not Wherfore right déere beloued let vs fall too amendement of lyfe let vs call vpon God for help and when wée féele in our selues a wéerinesse of héering and learning the woord of God Let vs by and by think that the diuel layeth a snare for vs and let vs forthwith flée vntoo Praier beséeching GOD that he will both teach vs and also by his spirit make roome for his woord in vs. ¶ Of the third VErely verely I say vntoo you that you shall moorne and vveepe but the vvorld shall reioyce And you shall be sadde but your sadnesse shall bee turned intoo ioy He repeteth the same thing that he had spoken a litle before concerning his death and Resurrection For by thrée signes which were set foorth he gaue an inklyng what should come after although somwhat darkly By the moorning of his Disciples is signified the death and buriall of Chryste By the gladnesse of
the world is signified the triumph of the Iewes kylling Chryst. For when they had put him too death they thought theÌ„selues and their common weale too bée out of all hazard And when he addeth Your sorovv shall be turned intoo ioy Hée signifieth that he will rise ageyne from death wherby his disciples shall conceiue ioy This selfe same thing declareth he by the similitude of the woman trauaylyng with chylde whoo as long as she is in hir labor féeleth gréeuous throwes but as soone as shée séeeth the child borne she taketh so great ioye that she vtterly forgetteth the paine that shée felt a little before After the same maner the disciples of the Lord felt gret sorow of mynde when the Lord was dead and buried but anon after when the Lord was raised ageyne from death for ioy they forgate the sorow past And this is it that he sayth And I will sée you agein and your hart shal reioyce bicause you shal sée mée raised from death and no man shal take your ioye from you that is to saye I shall die no more that yée should be cast into heauinesse for my death but I shall liue for euer so instruct you by my spirit concerning the knowledge of God that you shall haue no more néed too aske mée any moe questions Thus haue wée playnly séene the méenyng of the Text. And nowe are all these things too bée applyed too the church of all times whiche in this world shall bée vnder the crosse whyle the vngodly reioyce Howebéeit at length when Chryst appéereth it shall obteyne full perfect ioy wherof shal be none end For these thréedays wherin our Lord suffered and rose ageyn are an image of y e crosse of the church and of the ioy of the world that is to say of the vngodly persecuting Chryste and killing him in his membres of the glorious deliueraÌ„ce of the church which shal at y t time be full wheÌ„ our Lord shalle â—ome in the cloudâ— with glorie and great power and shall take vp those that bée his intoo euerlasting ioy and deliuer the vngodly too the diuell too bée tormented with eternall paines For as muche then as this place admonisheth vs of the Crosse of the Churche and of the glorious deliuerance of the same I will first shew what the Crosse is and how diuers next what are the causes of the Crosse Then the difference betwéene the crosse of the Godly and the punishments of the vngodly Also with what minde the Godly may beare the crosse and lastly from whence comfort is too bée sought vnder the Crosse. What is the Crosse It is any affliction whereunto the meÌ„bers of Chrysts Church are subiect in this world wherof there seme to be foure differences For the crosse of a godly person is first either a gréefe of mynd and affliction of body and that for sundry causes as for the receiuing of some losse for the sorowfull mischaunce of some fréend for thirst nakednesse imprisonment or torture as holy Iacob had exceding gréefe of mynde for the losse of his sonne Ioseph Ioseph suffred affliction of body in y e prisoÌ„ Lazarus felt hunger and the peyne of his byles at the richmans gate and many are exercised at this day with sundry troubles and gréefes both of mind and body 2 Or iâ— is a most sharpe fight betwene the fleshe and spirite in the Godly For the fleshe lusteth alwayes ageynst the spirit and now and then getteth the vpper hand séeming to giue the spirit an vtter ouerthrowe as wée sée in Dauid who being ouercome with the concupiscences of the fleshe felt intoo the most heynous offences of murther and aduoutrie and had perished for euer had he not bin called back too repentance and the flesh subdued agein vnder obedience of the spirit Heervpon Paule cryeth out whoo shal deliuer mée from the body of this death The grace of God through Iesus Chryst. 3 Or it is a hardnesse and distresse of vocation in household state ciuil state or ecclesiasticall state that is too say of priuate publik ecclesiastical state How great a crosse euen the godly husbands wiues féele in bringing vp their children and in séeking néedefull things whereby too liue they know that haue had the triall of it Such as beare office as kings noble men counsellors and presidents are not frée from the crosse at least wise if they bée godly So also godly bishops parish préests and the other ministers of the Churches doo oftentimes féele a crosse by reason of the difficultie of their office 4 Or else the crosse is a punishment for some certayne fault Like as there bée many causes of the troubles of the Church of which causes I will now intreate What then are the causes of the crosse of the church Certein causes of the crosse are within vs and certein without vs. Within vs are thrée causes of the crosse whereof the first is sinne inhabiting in vs that is too say originall sinne If this sinne were not brydled it woulde bring foorth damnable frutes The seconde is Concupiscence shooting out of the same as a flame out of fire which flame vnlesse it were quenched with the water of the Crosse woulde kindle the fire of hell The thirde cause is that there bée in vs daylye backslydings which originall sinne procureth by his concupiscences Seuen times in a day sayth Salomon dooth the righteous man fall and riseth ageine These dayly fallings dooth the crosse stay that is layd vpoÌ„ vs by God too the intent wée should not bée damned with the world in our sinnes Besides these there are also causes of the crosse without vs but of an other nature For God of his fatherly goodnesse visiteth vs with his rod. For whomsoeuer hée receyueth him hée chastiseth with none other affection than the good father Agein the diuil lies in wait for the church as wée sée in Iob but God appointeth him bounds beyond which he is not able too raunge Moreouer the limmes of the diuell that is too say tyrants and euill men in this world which trouble the Church in this life Also there bée other causes of the crosse which I will let passe and speake of the difference betwéene the crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly What is the difference then betwéene the Crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly sith wée sée as wel the godly as vngodly striken with gréeuous miseries in this world surely there bée many differences The first difference is taken of the efficient causes For as the affection of the godly procéedeth of the fatherly loue of the heuenly father towards his children so the punishments of the wicked procéede of the wrath and sore displeasure of the iust iudge god who punisheth the wicked as his enemies and aduersaries The second difference is taken of the finall causes for the godly are exercised with the crosse too their good but the vngodly are striken with punishementes too
ascension And thirdly the frute of Chrystes ascension In the comming downe of Chryste from heauen intoo the earth there are twoo things too bée considered the gifte and the Example The gift for that Chryst descended from Heauen and took mannes nature vpon him that by offering him selfe in sacrifice hée might ridde vs of oure sinnes For by the sacrifice of Chryst the father is pacified and for Chryste our mediatours sake so abased all beléeuers are receiued and are the children and heires of God For therefore did the Lorde come downe from heauen therefore did he humble and abase him selfe that wée might ascende from the earth too Heauen and that wée might bée exalted too euerlasting life and glory And the example That wée also should come downe and be humbled 1. Peter 2. Chryst suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wée should folow his steps Of what maner Chrystes ascension intoo heauen was the scripture sheweth He ascended visibly with a bodily and naturall mouing and a cloude tooke him vp intoo heauen Whervpon is saide he ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4. Neuerthelesse he did not by ascending chaunge his humayne nature intoo his godhead or so shed it out that it shuld bée euerywher with his godhead although the vnion of them bée inseparable The frute of Chrysts ascension is manifolde according as it is easy too gather by diuers places of scripture The first frute therfore is that Chryst is a triumpher ouer his enimies which are sinne death the deuill and hell For these enimies hath he vanquished and triumphed ouer them by his glorious ascension Hée wyped out sinne when he was made a sacrifice for sinne Assoone as sinne was wyped away death was disarmed for sinne is the sting of death When death was once destroyed the deuil lost his force and weapons Lastly for as much as hell deuoureth onely them that are vnder sinne death and the deuill it foloweth that Chryst beyng the conqueror of sinne death and the deuill did also ouercome hell Secondly he ascended too bée our head which ascended into heauen first that he may shew the way vntoo vs whervppon Iohn 14. I go my way to prepare you a place and I will take you vp vntoo mée Thirdly he ascended that hée might from heauen spred the beames of his power ouer all the world Eph. 4. Hée ascended aboue all the heauens that hée might fill all things Then is hée not ascended too bée vtterly away from vs but that with his present power hée may rule heauen and earth and bée present with his Church vnto the ende of the world Fourthly he ascended that he might giue giftes too men Eph. 4. And he hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes and some teachers That is too say hée ascended that he might bée effectuall in the ministerie confirming it by wonderfull miracles and sealing it in the hartes of men Fifthly he ascended that wée might haue an aduocate in heauen 1. Iohn 1. If any man sinne wée haue an aduocate with God the father Iesus Chryst the rightuous and hée is the propitiation for our sinnes Sixthly he ascended that he might draw our harts vntoo himself Math. 6. Where as is thy treasure there is also thy hart Coll. 3. If yée bée risen agein with Christ séeke the thinges that are aboue where Chryst sitteth at the right hand of the father Our conuersation then must bée in heauen where our Sauiour sitteth in glorie too whom with the Father and the holy Ghoste bée honour prayse and glorie world◠without ende Amen The .vj. Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xv WHen the comforter is come vvhom I vvill send vntoo you from the father euen the spirite of truth vvhich proceedeth from the father hee shall testifie of mee And yee are vvitnesses also bicause yee haue bin vvith mee from the beginning These things haue I saide vntoo you bicause yee should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that vvho soeuer killeth you shall thinke he doth God high seruice And such thinges vvill they doo vntoo you bicause they haue not knovvne the father neither yet mee But these things haue I tolde you that vvhen that houre is come yee might remember then that I tolde you These things saide I not vntoo you at the beginning bicause I vvas vvith you The exposition of the text THis Gospel also is a part of that sermon that Chryste made too his Disciples the night before he suffred the summe wherof wée haue herd a whyle ago This text conteyneth the promis of the Aduocate the holy Ghost whoo shall bée present in the Churche when it suffereth persecution by the wicked worlde For Chryst telleth vs it will come to passe that wicked men and specially the Iewes shall bée caryed with so great woodnesse ageynst the Church that vnder the pretence of Religion they shal rūne with might and mayn vpon the godly yea and persuade the world that it is a certeyne seruice of God too kill the godly and too cast them out of their congregations And he sayeth that the cause of this outrage is ignoraunce and blindnesse that is too wit that they neither acknowledge the wrath of God ageinst sinne nor vnderstande the benefites of Chryst. The places are thrée 1 The office of the holy ghost and of the ministers of the woord in the Church 2 A warning least the godly being offended at the stumbling block shuld renounce that profession faith 3 Of the crosse of y e godly of their glorious deliuerance ¶ Of the firste ANd vvhen the comforter shall bee come vvhom I vvill send you from my father he shal beare vvitnesse of mee yea and you also shall beare vvitnesse These woords contein the first doctrine of this Gospell namely that the holy Ghost and Apostles and their successours must beare witnesse of Chryst. Concerning the holy ghost these things are gathered out of the text First that he is one God with the father and the sonne Secondly that he is a distinct person from the father and the sonne Thirdly that he procéedeth from the father the son And fourthly y t he is giuen too the church by Chryst. And why he is giuen to the church it is héer declared namely that he may bée a comforter that he may bée a teacher of the truth and that he may beare witnes of Christ. Of which offices I will therefore speake the more bréefly bicause the same things are too bée repeted vpon Whitson Sunday Why is he called a comforter or Aduocate Lyke as by this terming of him is giuen an inkling of the persecution and accusing or condemning of the churche by the heathenish world so is it also expresly ment therby that it shall not bée forsaken of Chryst in the time of persecution but that Christ sendeth it an aduocate namely the holy Ghost The properties of this aduocate are foure First that hée bée at hande too his Clyant that is
about his neck and were cast intoo the sea Moreouer this offence is coÌ„mitted also as wel by the magistrate as by the subiects As wheÌ„ Hieroboam set vp a calfe in Samaria too bée woorshipped when the same man playing the tyraunt did persecute the holy prophets of God But this offence is most gréeuous in ministers of churches when they eyther by leud doctrine or corrupt life giue occasion too many too speak euil of the Gospel and minister special occasion of fasâ—ing too them that bée weakâ— as are couetous persons whoremongers dronkards murtherers such others as offende the Church with their behauiour Which sort the zelous Bishoppes ought too dispose least they by their falling should draw many mo with them too decay Neyther are subiects too bée excused in this behalfe for wée sée what the worlde is all are corrupt Who offendeth not in dronkennesse who giueth not occasion of stumbling by accustoming himselfe rashly too swearing where is there one among a number that layeth not some snare or other too stumble at Howbéeit bicause offences giuen are not all of one sort for some are giuen by a woord or déede that is euill in it self and other some are giuen by a woord or déed not euil of it self but doone or spoken out of season It is too bée knowne that the first kind without exception is too bée shunned of al men that haue regarde of euerlasting saluation But as for that offence that is giuen by a thing indifferent is not alwayes too bée eschewed but wée must deale according too this difference of men Some men are strong as they that already know the Chrystian libertie Some are weake and haue the beginning of Religion but are not sufficiently settled in the christen libertie Other some are obstinate vnable too bée taught and wilfull The first sort is not offended at the vse of things indifferent but rather reioyseth in the christian libertie The thirde sort are offended but thou shalt not care for them for they are the enemies of Chryst. Neither shalt thou absteine from the vse of things indifferent for their sakes and much lesse shalt thou absteine from true vertues as are the true woorshipping of God true inuocation and true confession of the son of God Neither shalt thou abstein from true doctrine but after the example of Chryste teache thou and professe thou the true Gospell euen in sight of hell gates For so did chryst so did y e prophets so did the apostles yea and al the godly of all ages It is woont too bée commonly sayd that he y e iudgeth aright teacheth aright dooth aright ought not for any offence too forbeare any thing y t is aright This surely is most true and is confirmed by the examples of Chryst his apostles But as coÌ„cerning the middle sort of men that is to wit the weak the rule of Paule is too bée noted Rather thaÌ„ I wil offend my weake brother I wil eat no fleshe while I liue After the same rule it is too bée déemed of other things indiffereÌ„t For in all our dooings there is a consideration too bée had of mutuall charitie and edifying Neuerthelesse this offence giuen wherof we haue already spoken hath yet another differeÌ„ce takeÌ„ of y e difference of the persons For some persons are set in some roome of authoritie other some are inferiors leading a priuate life The offence y t is giuen by a persone set in any authoritie is muche more gréeuous than y t which is giueÌ„ by a priuate person y t is placed in no office therfore it deserueth greter punishmeÌ„t both in respect of y e person him selfe who defileth the place to which he is promoted by God also for other mens sakes too whoÌ„ he by his leud example hath giuen a more forcible cause of falling For euen as the greater a stone is that falleth froÌ„ a high rocke the moe péeces it maketh in the fall Euen so the greater state that a person is of the higher y t he is placed in degrée of dignitie so many y e mo draweth he down with him when hée falleth Likewise also a minister of Gods woorde sinning in dronkennesse whoredome manslaughter or any other crime is a greater stumbling blocke than a souldiour a courtier a mariner or a ploughman and therfore is too be restreyned and punished with greater punishement For hée draweth moe with him vntoo decay After the same manner is too bée déemed of others Dauid in the Realme of Iewrie was not an aduouterer and a murtherer alone yet notwithstanding his sinne by reason of the offence that grewe thereof was more horrible than the faultes of other men in Gods sight wherefore it was punished also with gréeuouser punishements specially of the body Muche more gréeuously sinneth a dronken mayster of a house than a seruaunte For hée is an example vntoo his whole housholde but this other as a despised person â–ª is not taken for anye example excepte it bée of as leude as him selfe And thus farre as touching an offence giuen An offence taken is that whiche any man taketh too himselfe at other mennes wel dooings or otherwise and it is of twoo sortes Humain deuilish Humain is partly of vngodly folk partly of godly folk Of vngodly folke when y e vngodly are offeÌ„ded eyther at the dooings of the godly or at the frée vsage of things indifferent or else at the outwarde countenance of the Churche For when the vngodly sée the godly distressed vnder the crosse too bée as it were outcasts in the world the vngodly take thereby an occasion of a sorer fal As the Iewes which were offended at the lowlynesse of Chryst and the misery of his Church after which sorte many at this day also are offended at the woundes of the Church Contrariwise the godly take offence when they sée the wicked flourishe when the Churche is oppressed by tirants when many giltlesse persons are punished and when they sée the Church turmoiled with heresies But they ouercome this stumbling block ageine partly by the strengthning of the holy Ghoste partly by the examples of Chrysts church and partly by earnest prayer neyther is there any better remedy ageynst the stumbling blockes of this kinde than too set ageinst them the continuall custome of God who suffreth his Churche too bée ouerwhelmed with sundry miseryes in this worlde â–ª too the intent it may in time too come bée glorified with his beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst. The Deuilish offence taken is when men preposterously catche occasions whiche they stretche too a further libertie of sinning Doutlesse the cause why C ham scoffed so malapertly at his Father was that hée might purchase too him selfe libertie too sin without coâ—trolement We sée very many such now a dayes which euer narowly picke out the faults of the holy fathers as y e incest of Loth y e droÌ„kennesse of Noe y e coÌ„cubineship of AbrahaÌ„ the aduoutrie murther of
the name of the onely begotten sonne of GOD. These woords conteine a thirde place that is too wit comforte and terrour For it bothe comforteth the godly acknowledging their sinnes and putteth the stubborne in feare that wil not beléeue in Chryste Nowe for as muche as GOD easly sawe what the weaknesse of men was and chéefly of those that earnestly think vppon the sentence of the lawe and saw the wilfulnesse of no small number hée applyed his woord vntoo them bothe For the first sorte when they héere how all that yéelde not ful obedience too the lawe are subiecte too the sentence of death can not but be dismayed at the threatnings of the law Those therefore dooth Chryste comforte and sayeth GOD hath not sent his Sonne too condemne the vvorlde but that the vvorld might be saued by him Hée speaketh of his first comming intoo the worlde whiche was too saue sinners that fall too amendment For hée vsed this swéete allurement Come vntoo mée all yée that labor and are laden and I wil refreshe you Also I came not too call the rightuous but the sinners too repentaunce As many then as obey Chrystes voyce and repente are frée from the iudgement of damnation For thus sayeth the trueth Hee that beleeueth in him is not iudged That is too say with the iudgement of damnation This promisse wil comfort vs ageinst the sentence of the lawe and of our owne conscience For hée that shall bée iudge of the quick and the dead sayeth openly Hée that beléeueth in him is not iudged The trust vntoo this promise shal be néedful for vs in y e houre of death ageinst the thretnings of the law y e dredfulnes of death y e flames of hel the tirannie of the deuil For it cannot come too passe y t the euerlasting trueth should lie Hithertoo concerning the coÌ„fort of them y t beleue CoÌ„cerning the terror of them y t wil not beléeue y e gospel it foloweth but he that beleueth not is iudged alredy bicause he beleeueth not in the name of the only begotteÌ„ son of God what Shal ther theÌ„ bée none other iudgement Yes the son of man shal come too iugement in his time according as he hath promised What méeneth he then by saying He is alredy iudged y t is too say condemned By this saying he sheweth what maner of ones al the childreÌ„ of Adam be without faith y t is without Christ our mediatour namely that they be iudged y t is too say condemned y t is to wit as in respect of y e cause the matter For the cause matter of their daÌ„nation is in themselues which is the transgression of gods law wilfully rebelling ageinst God Besides this the sentence of the lawe spoken long ago when he had first created man afterward repeÌ„ted in mouÌ„t Sinai is that al they are cursed that obey not God according too his commaundement Untoo this curse are all they tyed that bèléeue not in the Sonne of God who alone hath taken vppon him the curse of them that beléeue in him That this is so wee are doone too vnderstande by the things that folowe And this is the iudgement that light is come intoo the vvorlde and men haue loued darkenesse more than light That is too say therfore shall men bée damned bicause they haue not receiued the light of the son of God by faith but rather would abide still in their owne ignoraunce and that by reason their woorks were euill ¶ Of the fourth FOr euery one that dooth euill haâ—eth the light and vvill not come too the light least his vvoorks should bee reproued When théeues will steale they loue the darke so men that are not yet borne agein by faith in Christ too doo wel are caried with might and mayne vntoo naughtinesse and therfore doo hate the light of the Gospell where contrarywise he that dealeth vprightly with a good conscience coÌ„meth to the light that is to say dooth his woorks openly and is not afrayd that men shuld sée theÌ„ That is too wit he that coÌ„meth too the light of Chryst and hath lerned of his spirit too doo wel he abideth no longer in the darkenesse of ignoraunce but endeuereth too walke like the childe of Light Héereby then wée may learne first the difference betwéene them that beléeue and them that beléeue not For the difference is too bée found out by their works as the Lord sayth in an other place A good trée bringeth foorth good frute and an euil trée bringeth foorth euill frute Ageine wée may learne that the light of the Gospell cannot abide that wée shoulde bée wrapped in our olde darknesse Too this purpose make so many exhortations of Chryst and his Apostles In Mathew the Lorde sayth Let your light so shine before men that they may glorifie your heauenly father And Paule sayeth Ye are the children of light walke as in the light After the same maner also speketh Peter Untoo whiche liuely stone reiected of men but chosen and honored of God come you and as liuely stones bée builded vppon it a spirituall house and a holy préesthood too offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable too god through Iesus Chryst. Let no man thinke therfore that the Gospell giueth libertie too sinne The Gospel deliuereth from sinne Wherfore it will not that we should any more yéeld our selues vnder the yoke of sinne when wée are once rid of it If sayeth our Sauiour the sonne haue set you frée yée shall bée frée in déede He that committeth sinne is the flaue of sinne Then sith wée are set frée by Iesus Chryste let vs vse our fréedome in suche wise as wée may bée the seruaunts not of sinne but of God through Iesus Chryst our Lorde Too whom bée honour for euer So be it The third holy day in Whitson weeke ¶ The Gospell Iohn x. VErely verely I say vntoo you he that entreth not in by the doore intoo the shepefolde but clymbeth vp some other vvaye the same is a theefe and a murtherer But he that entreth in by the doore is the shepeheard of the sheepe To him the porter openeth and the shepe heer his voice and hee calleth his ovvne sheep by name and leadeth them out And vvhen hee hath sent foorth his ovvne sheepe hee goeth before them and the sheepe folovv him for they knovv his voyce A straunger vvil they not folovve but vvil flee from him for they knovve not the voyce of straungers This Prouerbe spake Iesus vntoo them but they vnderstoode not vvhat things they vvere vvhiche he spake vntoo them Then sayde Iesus vntoo them ageine Verely verely I say vnto you I am the door of the sheepe All euen as many as come before mee are theeues and murtherers but the sheep did not heare them I am the doore by mee if any enter in he shal be safe and shall go in and oute and finde pasture A theefe commeth not but for too steale kil and destroy I am come that they
that this lawe requireth more For it also forbiddeth anger whiche procéedeth not of a iust cause and tendeth not too a good end Then addeth hée also another sinne of the fifth commaundement And vvhosoeuer shall say vntoo his brother Racha that is hée that by any signe sheweth him selfe too scorne his neyghboure is in daunger of a counsell Wherein thrée and twentie Iudges satte vppon the hearing of greater cases Furthermore who so euer shall saye vntoo his brother Foole is in daunger of Hell fire That is too saye hée that rayleth and outrageth ageynste his neyghboure is an offender ageynste Gods lawe and consequently in daunger of the paynes of Hell Héere Gods iudgemente is compared too a Senate of thrée score and eleuen Iudges whiche satte vppon the hearing of the chéefest and weyghtiest cases Too bée bréefe by the fifth commaundemente are forbidden firste all thoughtes whereby wée thinke any euill towardes oure neighbour Secondly all signes of contempt of oure neyghbour Thirdly all bitter woordes ageynst our neighboure as raylings or reuilings Fourthlye outwarde murther And contrarywise are commaunded all woorkes that are repugnant too these as too beare a fréendlye harte towardes oure neighbour too shewe our good wil towardes our neighboure by outwarde signes and too defend and saue his person from wrong Howbéeit too the intent that Christ might shew how néedfull is loue towardes one neighbour and how pernicious is iniurie doone vntoo oure neighbour hée giueth twoo counsels whiche conteine twoo arguments The one is taken of the harme whiche a man that dooth wrong too his neighbour runneth intoo before the iudgemēt of God The other is taken of the harme wherintoo hée that hath hurt his neybour falleth before the iudgement of man The firste standeth thus If thou offer thy gift at the altar Hée put foorth an example that agréed too that time and that people while the cōmon weale of Moises was yet standing And the méening of this saying is this GOD accepteth not thy gift if thou hate thy brother that is too say No seruice is acceptable too God which is doon by him that is out of charitie with his neighbor But what is the méening of this rule That God liketh nothing that commeth from his enimy for the gifts of enimies are no giftes And in this respecte Iohn sayth He that sayeth I loue God and hateth his brother is a lyer For the continual and naturall frute of louing God is the loue of a mannes neighbour He that loueth mée kéepeth my commaundements Then wheras this frute is not it is certeine that the trée is euil Therfore whosoeuer loueth not his neighbour dooth offer sacrifice too God in vaine In the Scripture prayer is a sacrifice but thou prayest in vaine if thou hate thy neighbour Thankesgiuing is y e calues of the lippes Now if thou wilt haue them accepted of God first bée at one with thy neighbour and then offer in Fayth The crosse is a sacrifise so it be tēpered with fayth for without fayth it is a iust punishment of sinne The kéeping of the Sabboth is a seruice that pleaseth God yet it is defiled with hatred towardes a mans neighbour Almesse is called in the Scripture a sacrifise of good sent But Paule saith if I spend all my substance vpon the poore and haue no charitie I am nothing And in likewise is too be iudged of euery good work which God requireth Héere let euery man examin himself and not take a deceitful balance The second standeth thus Bee reconciled too thy brother vvhile thou art yet in the vvay c. He that offendeth hurteth his brother falleth intoo the hands of the Magistrate shall bée cast intoo prison from whence hée shal not bée dispatched vntil hée haue made ful amends for his harmes Wherefore too the intent this come not too passe thou must be reconciled too thy neighbour betimes Therfore séeing that without charitie thou woorshippest God in vaine and fallest in daunger of the Magistrate thou art counselled too bée in charitie with thy neighbour Héerwith agréeth the saying of God He that hath not shewed mercy shall féel iudgement without mercy Héeruntoo perteineth also the parable of the detter to whom God forgaue all the det c. But the Papists vpon this place doo builde their Purgatorie wherof they preache at this day in their Churches too whom I answere 1 In these woordes is no mencion made of Purgatorie whereintoo hée that hath hurte his neighbour is caste by the Magistrate 2 Bicause they flée too the Allegorie let them know that they leaue too a weak foūdation For first no Allegorie is too be admitted vnlesse it can bée cōfirmed by the expresse woord of God Secondly no Allegorie is too bée allowed that fighteth with the ground of our fayth Thirdely no Allegorie is too bée accepted eyther wherein there is any absurditie or wherupon ensueth any absurditie Therfore in as muche as no man is able too satisfie this commaundemente fully in all points Let vs repente let vs flée vntoo Chryste and then let vs endeuer too obey God according too this commaundemēt as muche as may bée by the help of Chryste too whome bée glory world without end Amen Vpon the .vij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospel Mark viij IN those dayes vvhen there vvas a verye greate companie and had nothing too eate Iesus called hys Dysciples vntoo hym and sayde vntoo them I haue compassion vpon the people because they haue beene novve vvith mee three dayes and haue nothyng too eate And if I send them avvay fasting too their ovvne houses they shall faint by the vvay for diuers of them came from farre And his Dysciples ansvvered hym VVhere shoulde a man haue bread heere in the vvildernesse too satisfie these And hee asked them hovv manye loaues haue yee They sayde seuen And hee commaūded the people too sitte dovvne on the ground And hee tooke the seauen loaues And vvhen hee hadde gyuen thankes hee brake and gaue to his Disciples too set before them And they did set them before the people And they had a fevve small fisshes And vvhen hee hadde blessed hee commaunded them also too bee set before them And they did eate and vvere suffized And they tooke vp of the broken meate that vvas lefte seauen baskettes full And they that did eate vvere aboue foure thousand And hee sent them avvay The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell is set foorth for this time of the yéere bicause it is haruest time and that too the intent too do vs too witte that Corne and frutes of the earth do grow by gods blessing wherby wée shal be put in mind to be thankfull towards God for this his gift We must therefore beléeue without all doubt that God giueth vs the things that grow out of the ground too sustein this life with all which wée must vse reuerently as giftes reached and giuen vntoo vs by Gods owne hand and that too Gods glorie the profit of our neighbor and
in all our necessities assuring our selues that we shall finde helpe in due time And thus much bréeflye concerning the summe and vse of thys Gospell The places are thrée 1 Of these ten Lepres 2 Why the Lord sent them too the préest 3 Of the thankfulnesse of the Samaritane and of the vnthankfulnesse of the other nine ¶ Of the first IN the first doctrine of this Gospell which I haue purposed concerning y e Lepres I wil say these things in order How despised Lepres were among the people of Israell what the déede of them teacheth vs how a great number are infected with spirituall Leprosie and haue néede of Christ to be their Phisition and what we may gather of Christes déede concerning his affection towards vs. Lepres were counted among the Iewes vncleane and vnwoorthy too be conuersant among the Israelites and that was for their most foule and contagious disease wherewith they were atteinted And by the appoyntment of Gods law they caried about with them badges of reproche and sorow whereby they were put in minde of their vngodlinesse and wicked déedes for which they were falne intoo such miserie In Leuiticus are numbred fiue badges by which they might be discerned from other men least they shoulde bée defiled with their infection One was a loose garment Another was a bare head The thirde was a face muffled The fourth was a dwelling separated from resort of men And the fifth was an open Proclamation whereby they were proclaimed vncleane as which were vnworthy too bée conuersant among y e Israelites Héerby it is easie to coÌ„iecture in how great sorow they liued how miserable their state was and being beset with these miseries they resort vnto Christ. Whervpon we may gather remedies ageinst thrée kinds of temptations of which the first springeth of the thinking vpon the misery and filthinesse of our sinne The second procedeth of our own vntowardnesse for y t we be not of sufficient behauiour to sue to so great a prince as is our Sauiour Iesus Christ. The third issueth of the consideration of deserts wherof wée perceyue our selues to haue none at all For according to the example of these Lepres wée must not suffer our selues too bée feared away with these things from resorting to our only Phisition and Sauiour Now we sée what these ten Lepres did As the Lorde entred into a certaine â—ovvne sayth the text there met him ten Lepres vvhich stoode a farre of and lift vp their voyce saying Iesu maister haue mercy vppon vs. Here haue wée in these Lepres an example of true lowlinesse faith inuocation and confession That they stand a farre of it is a token of submission and lowlinesse For in consideration of their disease and of sinne which was the cause of their disease they did from the bottom of their hart cast theÌ„selues downe before God acknowledging their owne miserie the foulenesse of sinne and the most iust sentence of the law condemning them And so they are rightly humbled before God Which humbling of themselues is the first gréece or step vntoo glory like as pride is y e first step vnto shame which thing the Lord himself witnesseth when he sayth Euery one that exalteth himselfe shal be brought â—owe and euery one that humbleth himself shall bée exalted Let vs then followe these mens example and cast downe our selues by true repentaÌ„ce before god which thing if we doo it shal happen too vs according to Christes saying He that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted In that they resort vntoo Christ it is a witnesse of their faith which they had gotten by héering him spokeÌ„ of abrode For out of all dout they had heard of this most swéete saying of Christ wherewith he allureth all men vnto him after so fatherly a sort and offereth his grace vnto all men Come vnto me all ye that labour and are loden and I will refresh you and you shall finde rest vnto your soules This worde come all yee that labour they had hard and conceyued hope that he who offered himselfe so gently vnto all men would not shake them of Wherfore through the faith that they had conceiued they encouraged themselues came vntoo Christ. Let vs also after these mens example whereby the fatherly promisse is confirmed bée encouraged to hope well of Christ in all our aduersities The frute of this fayth foloweth which is InuocatioÌ„ For thus they pray Iesu maister haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs. In this their most earnest prayer first they acknowledge themselues too haue no deseruings but rather horrible sinnes For he that sayth haue mercy bosteth of no desert nor féeleth any woorthinesse but rather he confesseth his owne vnwoorthinesse acknowledgeth himselfe vnwoorthy a benefite Secondly in this prayer they acknowledge Christ too be the true Messias and the vanquisher of death al misfortunes They acknowledge him too bée méeke mercifull not such a one as encreaseth the affliction of those that bée afflicted but rather suche a one as remedieth and healeth their diseases Let vs also folow this example of praying and let vs in our prayer think and acknowledge Chryst too bée suche a one in very déede as they describe him too bée in this their prayer Also in these Lepres wée haue an example of confession which can neuer bée plucked away from prayer and surely a man could not confesse Chryst in those dayes without perill For the men of greatest might and wisedome did persecute Christ and forbad folke to professe him as we read in the .ix. of Iohn where the Pharisies rebuke the blind man whom our Lord had restored too his sight bicause he coÌ„fessed Christ. But let bs folow the example of these Lepres For although the affliction séeme gréeuous which is too bée susteyned for professing Christ yet notwithstanding the soulhealth whervntoo the profession tendeth is greater more certeine than that wée should fléete from it for any fond frayings I haue spoken of the bodily Leprosie of the coÌ„mendable déede of these Lepres Now wil I bréefly describe the spirituall Leprosie and shew the remedies of it The spiritual Leprosie is the attaynting and infection of the mind the hart the affections of man so as no part in maÌ„ is pure and cleane This Leprosie also hath his markes Wherof the first is separation from the houshold folke of God and from the company of the Saincts Angels and men The second is an vncouered head that is too say a barenesse of the gifts of y e holy Ghost ful of reproche wherof is said in Ezechiell thou wert bare and ful of confusion The third is a muffled mouth that is too say a stinking breth and a pestilent blast of most leude talke which procéedeth from an vnclene hart The fourth is a dwelling set from resort of men such as the dwelling of the rich glutton is who dwelt a great way froÌ„ the habitation of the blissed for t The fifth is open proclamatioÌ„ that is to say the cursse
of the law which is openly proclaymed ageinst all that repent not that is ageinst all spirituall Lepres But what remedie is there ageinst this ghostly Leprosie It is not too bée cured by any cunning of man There is but only one Phisitian that can clense it which is Iesus Chryst. Too whō if the Lepre come and humble himselfe before him calling vpon him and crauing too bée healed This most skilful Phisitian wil by and by first with his own blud wash of the filth of this spiritual Leprosie and then with his spirituall oyle anoynt the infected limmes vntill they bée made ful whole Untoo him therfore must wée go on the féete of faith his medicine which is offered by the voyce of the Gospell is too bée receyued with the mouth of the hart that is too say with fayth Of him is too bée requested that effectuall Oyle wherwith the appaired powers strength are renued and great héede is too bée taken that wée fal not intoo this Leprosie ageine by loosing this helthfull medicine of Gods worde and this healthfull Oyle of the holy Ghost Which thing if wée doo the curing of vs will be the harder afterwarde For when any disease hath taken too déepe a roote it is a harder matter too heale it Of the second ASsoone as he savv them he said Go and shevv your selues too the preest Whom he had healed in their going away by his only becke thē sendeth hée too the préestes who though they were wicked and couetous yet did they serue in the ministerie ordeyned by God But why sendeth hée them too the Préests There were many and great causes The first was that hée might trie their faith whither they beléeued his word and his promisse For God is woont by diuers means too trie the stedfastnesse of his seruants in faith not too their hurt or hinderaunce but too the intent that their fayth béeing tryed and as it were fined in the fire of temptation maye become the purer So was the fayth of Abraham tryed when he was commaunded too go kil his onely begotten sonne So was the womans fayth of Syrophaenicia tryed and there bée manye other examples as of Iob Ioseph Dauid and all others The seconde is that by this his dooing hée may confirme the publike ministerie ordeyned by GOD. For the Préests had a commaundement too discerne and iudge of Leprosie too receiue intoo the open congregations suche as will bée throughly clensed excluding the others And if hée had doone otherwise hée mighte haue séemed too haue broken Moyses law which hée came not too break but too fulfil performe The third is bicause the lawe the Préesthood beare witnesse of Chryst according as hée sayth himself The law and the Prophets beare witnesse of mée For wheras the préests were commaunded too iudge of Leprosie and to take an offering for the clensing of the Lepre that was healed It was a figure of Chrystes power who cannot only iudge of Leprosie but also clense the same and that with the sacrifice of his owne bodie and with his owne precious bloud The fourth is that the préests might lern by that miracle that the true Messias was come For so Esay tolde them before that Chryste shoulde shewe his presence by woonderful miracles among whiche this is reckened vp for one that hée should make the blinde too sée clense the Lepres Therfore when the préests had séene this heauenly miracle they shuld haue concluded vppon the Prophecie of Esay that Iesus the sonne of Mary was the true Messias promised in old time too the fathers specially sith the Prophesies cōcerning Chrysts comming did leuell all too this time The fifth is that the Préestes béeing by this miracle conuicted that Chryste the true Messias was come should sende their hearers and the people vntoo Chryst the moste skilful and cunning Phisitian bothe for bodie soule which thing they didde not leaste their owne gaine shoulde bée abated They haue many folowers now a dayes specially in the papacie The sixth is that these Lepres béeing receyued by the record of the Préests should shew their bountifulnesse toward God and the ordinarie ministerie Notw tstanding beside these true causes for which Chryst sent these Lepres too the Préests The Papistes haue forged another namely that wée shoulde shriue oure sinnes too the Préests numbring vp all our faults with all the circumstāces of them which surely is a thing vnpossible The Papists therfore doo wrest this text too a straunge sense with their allegorie doo make grinnes wherewithall the wretched consciences are horribly snarled And so of a moste comfortable Gospel they make a moste butcherly slaughterhouse of consciences What Is not priuate confession too bée reteyned Yes in déede but not in consideration of this Allegorie nor yet after the maner of the Papists whiche like Iudges exact the reckening vp of all a mannes sinnes and denie that ther is any remission if there bée not a ful rehearsal of all the sinnes which as Dauid witnesseth no man vnderstandeth muche lesse can hée then recken them vp But what is the cause why auricular confession is kepte stil in our Churches of Denmark For the commodities therof whiche are very many The first is that in this priuate talke the rude and ignorant may bée instructed which haue need too bée instructed in the Cathechisme The second is that in it striplings and yong men may bée tryed howe they profite For it is the duetie of a good shepeherd not only too teach godly doctrine openly but also his office requireth that after the example of Paule hée shoulde make a proofe of his hearers at home howe muche they haue profited in godlinesse For in this priuate cōmunication hée shall pricke foreward the slouthful as it were with a spurre hée shall commende the diligence of those that haue profited muche and encourage them too like continuance The third is that in this priuate conference an accounte of their fayth is required of those whose fayth and relygion may iustly bée doubted of The fourth is that in this talk the weak consciences are reléeued with doctrine counsel and comforte specially when they bée entangled with any scruple of conscience For suche persons doo wel by themselues if they get them too their shepherds that they may bée raysed and receiue comfort The fifth is although hée that beléeueth truely in Chryst is cléerely acquit from his sinne for where as sinne is a falling from Gods law and wil with a binding of the partie too euerlasting death and damnation out of doubt euery one is acquit that beléeueth the free promise according too this saying hée that beléeueth in the Sonne hathe euerlasting life whervpon it foloweth that true absolution is a deliuerance of the beléeuing man from his béeing bound too eternal death and damnation yet notwithstanding it is profitable for all men too heare the Gospell priuately also which béeing vttered by the mouth of the Minister declareth forgiuenesse
was not arayed like one of them Séeing then that God dooth so much for the Lilies which wither away within a while and shalbée burned why should hée not clothe vs whom hée hath created too eternall life The fifth After all these things doo the Heathen seeke As if hée should say You in times past after the maner of Heathen folke were ignorant of Gods prouidence and voyde of Faith But now yée knowe that GOD hathe a care of you Why then séek yée things néedful for your life with heathenish carefulnesse The sixth Your Father knovveth that you haue neede of all these things Mark these things aduisedly Hée sayeth not the dreadful GOD the iealous God the maker of Heauen and earth hée that visiteth the sins of the fathers vpon their children knoweth but hée sayth your father knoweth whose father your father What maner a father your heauenly father Bicause he is heauenly he is also most good most mightie and moste wise Bicause hée is moste good hée wil giue those things that bée good Bicause hée is moste mightie hée can giue what he wil. And bicause hée is most wise he knoweth how what and when it is méet too giue ¶ Of the third SEeke yee firste the kingdome of God his rightuousnesse all things else shal bee cast vntoo you In this shorte saying of Christ are two things cōmaūdement promise The commaundement is Seek first the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse of God And the promise is And all things else shall bee cast vntoo you First and formost therefore let vs sée the commaundement and then the promise The commaundement is that wée should séeke the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse of God Héere it is demaunded what maner of things Gods kingdome and rightuousnesse are And ageine after what meanes they are too bée sought The kingdom of God is of three sorts in the scripture that is too wit of power of grace and of glorie He biddeth vs not séeke the kingdom of his power but of his grace from whence is the passage too the kingdom of glory What is the kingdome of grace It is that kingdom wherinto wée are receiued of méere grace whyle wée beléeue the Gospell For the Gospell is as it were the voyce of a cryer whereby they are called too this Kyngdome Of this speaketh Chryst in an other place The kingdom of God is among you Then is this kingdome the grace of God which Christes Gospell offereth The promise is the gate The bringer in is the holy Ghoste which sanctifyeth and regenerateth vs a newe in the Laue of Baptime by the woorde Bréefly this kingdome of grace is mercy forgyuenesse of synnes ioyfulnesse of conscience and deliueraunce from the kingdome of Sathan What is that rightuousnesse of God whiche he biddeth vs séeke Out of all doute it is the newe life and obedience which God requireth of his children And it is called the rightuousnesse of God bicause it pleaseth god that is too wit for the faithes sake wherby wée are reconciled too God in the blud of Chryst. The promise is And all things else shal bee cast vnto you That is too say the things that perteine too the sustenaunce of this life shall bée giuen you But Paule wherof no man doubteth did busily séeke the kingdom of God and yet notwithstanding in the .xj. chapter of the seconde Epistle too the Corinthians he cōplaineth that he was distressed with hunger and thirst Agein holy Iacob suffered scarcenesse of corne and other victuals in so muche that he was constreyned too go with his housholde intoo Egypt least he and his shoulde haue perished for hunger Therfore this promise of Chrysts séemeth vayne I answer Chrysts promise fayleth not for the truthe can not lye For Chryst who is our Phisitian is not ignorant when remedies are too bée ministred and when they are too bée withdrawne He regardeth not so muche our vnskilfulnesse as his owne wisedome Therfore let vs take this for a certeintie that he forsaketh not those that are his As for that wée now and then want things necessarie there bée many causes Firste that wée may bée exercise in pacience 2. That nowe and then our sinnes may bée punished with these plagues 3. Forasmuch as wée oftentimes séeke things superfluous wée iustly and rightfully want things necessarie 4. Bicause wée abuse things when wée haue thē 5. Bicause wée yéeld not thanks vntoo God 6. Bicause wée distrust God 7. Bicause wée dyuers times ascribe the good things y t wée receiue rather too our owne endeuer peinfulnesse than too God the giuer of them Wherfore if wée couet Gods blissing let vs confesse and doo as the Prophete dooth which sayth All things are thyne Lorde and wée render vntoo thée the things y e wée haue receyued at thy hand Héer◠as the prophet confesseth al things too bée Gods giftes so he turneth all things too Gods prayse Whiche thing that wée also may do our heauenly father graunt vs through Iesus Chryst too whom bée glory world without end Amen Vpon the .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke vij AND it fortuned that Iesus vvent intoo a Citie called Naim and many of his disciples vvent vvith him and much people VVhen he came nygh too the gates of the Citie Behold there vvas a dead man caried out vvhich vvas the onlie Sonne of his Moother and shee vvas a vvidovve and muche people of the Citie vvas vvith hir And vvhen the Lord savv hir hee had compassion on hir and sayd vntoo hir vveep not And hee came nighe and touched the Coffin and they that bare him stood stil. And hee sayd Yong man I say vntoo thee arise and hee that vvas dead sate vp and began too speake And hee deliuered him too his Moother And there came a fear on them all And they gaue the glory vntoo God saying A great Prophet is rysen vp among vs and God hath visited his people And this rumour of him vvent foorth through out all levvry through out all the regions vvhiche lie rounde about The exposition of the text PAule the Apostle wryting too the Romaynes sayth What things so euer are written they are written for our instruction that through pacience and comforte of the Scriptures wée might haue hope Wherefore when wée read the moste swéete Gospell of this daye let vs knowe that it perteyneth not only too that widow of Naim but also too all mankinde For Chryste in this Gospell beareth witnesse of the power of his owne Godhead of his pitifulnesse towardes them that bée in distresse and of his office For first the Lord proueth himselfe too bée almightie in that hée ouermaistereth Death which is the sting of sinne Agein hée vttreth his pitifulnesse towards vs in hauing compassion vppon this womans miseries And hée sheweth that it is his office too destroy the woorkes of the Deuill for vntoo that purpose came hée intoo the world as Moyses the Prophetes hée himselfe and the
sted shall put too his hand too the healing of vs. The third is too reproue the Pharisies by this saying who iudged not aright either of his person or of his office For alwayes there be some y t séeke too picke quarels too the woorks of God Which thing warneth vs that wée should not bée the lesse diligent in dooing our duetie The fourth is that taking hold of this occasion he might instruct vs more fully concerning his owne person his loue towardes men and his office for which he was sent intoo the world by his father Now let vs wey our Lords woords for he sayth too y e Palsieman Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiuen thee These bée the woords of the sonne of God wherfore they are to be weyed aduisedly This woord sonne is to be set ageinst despair which this present disease wold haue persuaded him vntoo This saying bee of good cheere is to be set ageinst the cursse which euil conscience weÌ„t about to persuade y e wretch in Thy sinnes sayth he Héer grace surmounteth farre aboue sinne This saying are forgiuen is to be set ageinst y e dreame of satisfaction of merites of rightuousnesse that coÌ„meth by the â—awe Thy sinnes sayth he are forgiuen thée In so saying he applieth the benefite of his grace too the poore wretch Thus haue wée héere the Doctrine of saluation remission of sinnes iustification and adoption For these benefites sticke linked togither so fast continually that they cannot bée plucked asunder He requireth faith to him that beleueth he forgiueth his sâ—nnes whom he hath absolued froÌ„ his sinne him he adopteth too his sonne accepteth him as rightuous and whoÌ„ he hath iustified him also will he glorifie by bestowing euerlasting blisse vpon him neither is ther any other way of obteyning saluation than y â— which is set out vntoo vs in this exaÌ„ple The palsiemaÌ„ dooth .iij. things He acknowledgeth his sin he acknowlegeth himself to be iustly punished for his sin he putteth his trust in the sonne of God Agein Chryst doth iij. things He releaseth sin he adopteth him to be his sonne accepteth him too eternal life Folow y u this exaÌ„ple Acknowledge thy sin in good ernest acknowlege gods iust iudgemeÌ„t and beléeue in the sonne and thou shalt féele sensibly that Chryst will bestow his benefites vppon thée Let this suffise to bée spoken concerning the first doctrine of this Gospel and now foloweth the second ¶ Of the second ANd beholde some of the Scribes saide vvithin them selues This man blasphemeth And vvhen he savv the thoughtes of them he saide vvhy thinke you euill in your hartes Héere the grudging of the Scribes and Chrysts answere doâ— shew in what sort the kingdome of Chryst and the kingdome of Sathan méete one ageinst another Wée haue héere two things of which the one is the accusation of the Scribes accusing Chryst and the other is Chrystes most rightfull defence The accusation of the Scribes was this This man is a blasphemer Wherfore bicause he taketh vppon him too forgiue sinnes which perteyneth onely vntoo God For according too the phrase of the scripture Blasphemie is too attribute that thing vnto a creature which is proper or peculiare vntoo God Now too forgiue sinne is propre vntoo God â–ª which thing is assured by the testimonie of Esay where the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet sayth I am I am he that wipeth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and I will no more remember thy sinnes Héervppon they thinke they may conclude as by an infallible consequent y t Chryst is a blasphemer after this manner Whosoeuer taketh vppon him that which is peculiare vntoo God is a blasphemer This Iesus taketh vppon him that which is peculiare vnto God Ergo this Iesus is a blasphemer And vndoubtedly it had bin a true argument if Christ had bin like the Scribes that is too wit if he had bin mere man and not God also Sée I pray you how much our Papistes and Monkes are worse than the Scribes The Scribes were taught by the wordâ— of God to defend this proposition No man caÌ„ forgiue sinnes but onely God But the Papistes attribute forgiuenesse of sinnes too the merites of saincts too Masses and too pardons which things they deale not fréely but fel them very déerely Surely a wonderful kinde of chapmen They sel that which they haue not they sell men the smoke of woords take ready Golde for it They promisse their chapmen Heauen and deliuer them Hell But what shall wée saye of the ministers of Gods woord Doo they forgiue sinne They forgiue not of themselues but they pronounce forgiuenesse of sinnes too all that they finde like this man that was sicke of the Palsie They giue not ought of their owne But they offer another mannes by the commaundemente of Chryste For they offer forgiuenesse of sinnes by the voyce of the Gospell As many as receyue this voyce by fayth doo out of all doubte receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes For Chryst sayeth hée that héereth you héereth mée But what sayth Chryst too this accusation VVhen he savv their thoughtes hee sayde vvhy thinke yee euyl in your harts vvhyther is it easier too say thy sinnes are forgiuen thee or too say arise and vvalke Héere Chryst dooth thrée things First hée sawe the thoughtes of them whiche is the propertie of God onely Whereupon the Scribes ought too haue thought that Chryste was more than mere man For no man is able too sée the thoughts of another man For onely the spirit of God searcheth the depth of mennes hartes Secondly hée blameth them vvhy doo yee thinke euill in your hartes As if hée had sayde yée sinne in thinking amisse of mée By this wée may note â–ª that euil thoughtes are sinnes â–ª Thirdly by visible signe he confirmeth his hidden Godhead As if he had sayd you say that hée that taketh vppon him that whiche is peculiar vntoo GOD alone is a blasphemer for hée hurteth Gods name and fame Uerely I confesse this too bée true But in that yée beléeue not mée too bée GOD you doo amisse Wherfore you are blasphemers and not I. And nowe that I may shew and proue my self too be very God I heale this Palsie man with a becke onely whiche surely is peculiar too the power of the Godhead If I can doo this by my diuine power why shoulde I not also forgiue sinne Who can vtterly take awaye a disease but hée that taketh away the cause of the disease Nowe you sée with your owne eyes that I take awaye the disease and why beléeue you not that I am able too take awaye the cause of the disease also which is sinne Thus Chryst appealeth too his owne dooings whiche beare recorde of him For thus sayeth hee in Iohn If yée beléeue not mée beléeue my woorks which bear witnesse of mée Of this seconde doctrine therefore wée maye learne thrée things Firste that there is continuall battaile betwéene the kingdome of
bothe eternal and present punishment Héer had hée bin forâ—â—â— for sorowe if hée had not herd the comforte of the Prophete in Gods roume Thou shalt not die the Lorde hath taken away thy sinne At the hearing of this comforte fayth kindled in him wherby taking holde vpon the releasement began too beholde the mercie of God and rested vpon the mediatour Wée haue hearde a late a moste goodlye example in the Publicane whoo in suche wise acknowledged the greatnesse of his det that hée durst not so muche as lift vp his eyes And yet hauing bearde of the greatnesse of Gods mercie hée rayseth himselfe by faith and prayeth O God bée mercifull too mée a sinner And so hée obteyned a frée discharge of y e whole dette Let vs set before vs these exaÌ„ples which playnly shew vs the doctrine of repentance and fogiuenesse of sinnes That forgiuenesse of sinnes is the frée releasement of the dette which happeneth too him that repenteth and fléeth too Gods mercie for Chrysts sake And although this release bée vtterly frée as in respect of our selues yeâ— if wée looke vppon Chryst who for our sinnes suffered dreadfull punishment there is made satisfaction too God for our det Let vs therfore marke wel this woord releasement which of itselfe alone conteyneth in it right manyfolde Doctrine First it ouerthroweth the Moonkish doctrine of satisfaction For if saluation befall men through releasement of the dette according too the Gospell what a madnesse is it too say that saluation happeneth for satisfaction of the det for releasemeÌ„t and payment doo so fight one ageynst an other that they can innâ— wise stand both in one respecte Secondly it ouerthroweth all merites of men For howe 〈◊〉 that bée of merite which is of frée gift Paul sayth openly Unto him that woorketh rewards is giuen not of fauour but of duetie but vntoo him that woorketh not but beléeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is imputed too him for rightuousnesse â–ª According wherewitâ— Dauid also sayth Blissed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Thirdly the woord of releasment ouerthroweth satisfaction which the Papists teach â–ª whiche satisfaction muste bée made as they beare men in hand by pilgrimages fastings almes déedes Also it quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For if the det bée released why is the detter punished Lastly this woord releasement openeth vntoo wretched sinners the gate of grace in the conflict of death it is the hauen of saluation and it is the welspring of al comfort And thus much concerning the first place ¶ Of the second BIcause this text coÌ„cerning the parable of the creditor sheweth how gret gods loue mercy are toward mankind â–ª I will speake somewhat therof The mercy of God is of twoo sortes The one is vniuersall wherthrough he suffereth the sunne too rise vppon the good and bad and the other is particuler wherewith as a most déere father he embraceth the Churche of his sonne Of which Christ speaketh in the third of Iohn So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Our heauenly father could not by any greater recorde haue declared his mercy towards vs than in giuing his sonne who might by his death redéeme â—â— from deserued damnation and giue vs euerlasting life Therefore as ofte as wée héere Gods mercy named let vs thinke thâ—â—â— things First let vs thinke how great the miserie of mankinde is before he bée receyued intoo fauoure Mankinde lieth vnder foote and wounded by the Diuell with whose venime being moreouer poysâ—â—ed he breatheth nothing but sin for which he is subiect too eternall paines 2. The causes of this miserie are too bée thought vppon which are partly the sinnes of our first parents and also our owne filthinesse For although that by the fall of them wée hée bound vntoo the sentence of damnation yet notwithstanding by our owne 〈…〉 from day too day we are bouÌ„d too sorer punishments 3 The louingnesse of God and his gentlenesse toowards mankinde is too bée thought vpon For the louing kindnesse sayth Paule and the gentlenesse of God our Sauiour appéered vntoo all men What greater louing kindnesse could there 〈◊〉 than that he hath not cast vs away for so great shamefulnesse and filth 4. Is too bée thought vppon the raunsome that is too wit the Sacrifice of the sonne whereby mannes misery is reléeued and sinne abolished Him that knewe no sinne he made 〈◊〉 that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 5 Is too bée thought vpon the way by which wée may come too the possession of Gods mercy That way is shewed in the first place and is none other than true repentance 6 Is too bée thought how far foorth Gods mercy stretcheth that it is not belonging too a fewe or too the men of one age but indifferently too all that feare him For the holie virgin béeing taught by the spirit of Chryst whom shée had conceyued by the holy Ghost singeth in this wise Gods mercie is from generation too generation too them that feare him that is too all that repent 7 Is too bée thought vppon continuall thankfulnesse in all the whole life that wée may glorifie GOD for his so greate mercie with hart mouth profession and behauiour 8 Wée must thinke howe wée may bée héedfull in framing our whole life that wée lose not so greate a benefite through our owne fault as this detter did ¶ Of the thirde THe third thing that I purposed vpon is of mutuall forgiuing eche others skapes that are woonte too happen For this goeth iointly with beléefe of forgiuenesse of sins Nowe there are twoo things y t go ioyntlye with beléefe of remission of sinnes Namely Grace Gifte Grace is the very Iustification it selfe whereby Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too them that beléeue and their sinnes cléerely are forgyuen Of this wée haue spoken in the firste place Gifte is the very bestowing of the holy Ghost wherthrough a man that is iustified by faith only is toogither therwithal regenerated and sanctified that is too say is mortified in the fleshe and quickened in the spirit The flesh is mortified when the custome of sinning is abolished and the spirite is quickened when wée begin to performe new obedience vnto God A certeine parcell of this quickening is mutuall forgiuing wherby eche of vs forgiue other their misdéedes and displeasures Howe necessarie this forgiuenesse is this dayes Gospel sheweth most euidently as I sayd at the entrance intoo it Chryst hath commaunded vs too pray forgiue vs our dets as wée forgiue our detters For Christ wil haue vs too folow his fathers exaÌ„ple How bée it there are twoo kindes of men that offende vs. Some as soone as they perceiue themselues too haue offended doo by and by in humble wise desire forgiuenesse But as touching those that procéed too offend
of GOD. Blissed are they vvhyche suffer persecution for ryghtuousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen Blissed are ye vvhen men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsly say all maner of euyll sayings ageynst you for my sake reioyce bee glad for great is your revvard in Heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets vvhiche vvere before you The exposition of the Text. FEastes of Sainctes were appoynted in the Churche not without right weighty causes which I wil reherse in order that we may vse the feastes of Sainctes too our owne behoofe The first cause is that the Storie of the Church may bée knowen for that is excéeding profitable For thereby wée vnderstand both the state of the Church and also what defenders what enimies the church hath had The second is that Gods benefits towards the membres of his Church may bée thought vppon Paule of a persecuter became an Apostle Peter for all that he had denied his master was receyued intoo fauor ageyne Mary Magdalen the sinner was accepted for a daughter whyle she stayed vppon Chryst by fayth At the very poynt of death Chryst offered himself too be séene of Steuen And so in euery of the Saincts are seuerall benefits of God to bée séene The third is that hauing considered these benefits of God towards the Saincts wée should giue God thanks for that he was so merciful to wretched sinners turning themselues too the Lord by true repentance as to receiue them intoo fauor and too garnish them with so many benefits and to hold them vp with his spirit in this wildernesse The fourth is that the sundry casualties of the Sainctes should be weyed and compared with the perils of our times As the godly were oppressed by the vngodly in old time So are they at this day In times past the Sainctes reioyced vnder godly gouernours and now and then ageine were faine too féele the hard yoke of Tyrantes and so doo they in these dayes also In these variable chaunces wée must harten our selues with the examples of the Sainctes The fifth is that wée should folowe the Sainctes in pacience in lyfe in seruing God in profession in stedfastnesse and in other vertues The Sainctes therefore must bée as it were examples and rules too lead our life by Gods woord requireth repentance woorshipping of God confession and pacience And the Sainctes minister vntoo vs examples of the same The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the company of the Sainctes too the intent that being at length deliuered from these distresses wée may liue blissedly for euermore with Chryst. In consideration wherof Chryst auoucheth his disciples to be blissed although they bée afflicted with sundry miseryes in this lyfe And to this purpose perteyneth this dayes Gospell concerning sundry blissednesses according as wée shal héere anon Therfore let vs declare euery blissednesse seuerally by it selfe There is but one poynt ¶ Of the blissednesse of Christs Disciples BLissed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 〈…〉 of this place is that there is no cause why they should thinke them selues vnhappie that from the bottome of their harte féel themselues in very déed too be voyd of all rightuousnesse sith this selfe same féeling of a mannes own poorenesse is the first step wherby hée mounteth vp too the chéef riches that is too saye too the kingdome of Heauen not by it selfe and of it owne nature but bicause it compelleth vs too séeke him who is the onely way intoo Heauen What manner a thing spirituall or ghostly pouertie is it may bée the easlier vnderstood by a comparison For like as the poorenesse of beggerie is not onely extréeme néedinesse but also the open profession of the same so the poorenesse of spirite is not onely the vttermoste want of heauenly riches that is too wit of rightuousnesse holinesse and innocencie but also the profession of the same want before God of whō wée desire reléefe of oure néedinesse for Chrystes sake This poorenesse then consisteth in true repentance and in crauing the riches of Heauen The Moonkes abused this place For out of it they taught that by pouertie that is too say by beggerie men merited the kingdome of heauen whereas Paule in the sixth too the Romaines sayeth plainely Eternall life is Gods gift through Iesus Chryste our Lorde If it bée a frée gifte surely it is not purchased with pouertie whiche doutlesse deserueth nothing of it owne nature but is a punishement the cause whereof is partly wastefulnesse partly slouth partly the penaltie of some sinne and partly tryalles sake as was the beggerie of Lazarus Blissed are those that mourne for they shall receyue comfort This is a woonderful Sermon He auoucheth the mourners too bée blissed whereas nothing is more ageinst blissednesse than mourning But Chrystes saying is too bée vnderstoode of the successe of the mourning and not of the time of mourning For thus sayth he bicause they shall receiue comforte that is when their mourning is at ende in this world This mourning procéedeth partly of the poornesse of spirit partly of the miseries of this present life which doo as it wer with a certeine fire boile vs trie vs as it were w t spurres quicken vs vp too craue the endlesse ioy whiche shall wipe away all teares Then is not mourning of it selfe the cause of blisfulnesse but bicause it driueth vs vnto Christ who is the author of all comfort Héervntoo therfore maketh that saying of Paule wée reioyce in tribulations bicause they woork pacience pacience trial trial hope and hope is not confounded bicause god loueth vs. Héerby it may bée easly perceiued that Chryste speaketh not of euery kinde of mourning but of the mourning y t is according to God not according to y e world Blissed are the meke for they shall receyue the inheritance of the earth The méeke are peaceable milde gentle curteous such as bridle their affections such as are easie too be entreated to forgiue wrong when they are misused and such as had leuer lose a thing than to stand in contention for it This vertue of méeknesse springeth of the true feare of God of true lowlinesse the which Chryst commendeth to those y t are his saying lerne of mée bicause I am méeke lowly of hart It is a rule y t Chrysts Disciples must be méeke The exāple of the rule is Chryst. For hée wil that we looke vpon him when we mind this vertue The Lord sayth not lerne of mée too rayse the dead to chase away diuels to walk drishod vpon the sea to fast .xl. dayes .xl. nights without sustenance but he sayth lerne of mée for I am méeke and lowly of hart This lowlynesse hathe with it brotherly louingnesse whereof the Lorde sayth By this shall all men knowe yée too be my Disciples if yée loue one another But what is promised too the méeke Blissednesse and that is for the
this little ship for that the Churche reprooueth the woorkes of the worlde that is too say blameth the worldly wyse men of follie condemneth the rightuous men as giltie of sinne and aduaunceth not the riche men but pronounceth them vnhappie and wretched vnlesse true godlinesse bée the gouernoure and ruler of their riches And this is it that Christ promised when hée sayde The holy Ghoste shall reproue the world of sinne of rightuousnesse and of iudgement What had Abel offended against Caine who horribly murthered him Iohn answereth Abels woorkes were good and his brothers were euil What did Noe What did Hieremie What did Esay What did Christe and too bée short what did so many martyrs from the beginning of the world vntoo this day They would haue brought the worlde backe from darknesse vntoo light that menne renouncing worldy lusts might liue godlily honestly and vprightly in the world This is the thanke that the worlde is woont too requite his benefactours withall For it woulde drown them in his waues Howbéeit all things fall not out as hée would wishe he cannot destroy this little ship vtterly for out of the bloud of the martyrs spring vp other newe martyrs ageine Wée may therefore learne hereby a holy arte against the stumbling blocke of persecution and fewenesse If the tossing of the ship trouble thée haue an eye vntoo Christe whoo is present at hand in the ship If the fewenesse trouble thée haue an eye too the Arke of Noe too the Sodomites and too the rest of the whole world Those things that are best did neuer like but the fewest The Churche at the beginnning was very small in the middes it was biggest and in the ende it shalbée so small againe that what with the malice of the Deuil and what with the leude doctrine of Diuels and what with wicked maners it may séem ouerwhelmed with waues In these waues therfore let vs learne too waken Christe with oure calling vppon him whoo is neuer away from his ship but guydeth it with his holy spirit his woord his sacraments and his discipline Too whome with the Father and the holy Ghoste bée honour and glorie worlde without end Amen The .v. Sunday after Epiphany ¶ The Gospel Math. xiij HE put foorth another parable vntoo them saying The kingdome of Heauen is like vntoo a man vvhich sovved good seede in his feeld but vvhile men slept his enimie came and sovved tares among vvheate and vvent his vvay But vvhen the blade vvas sprong vp and had brought foorth frute then appeared the tares also So the seruants of the housholder came and sayd vntoo him Sir didst not thou sovve god seede in thy feeld from vvhence thē hath it tares He sayd vntoo them the enuious man hath done this The seruants sayd vntoo him vvilt thou thē that vve go and vveede them vp But he sayd nay least vvhile yee gather vp the tares yee plucke vp also the vvheat vvith them let both grovv togither vntill the haruest and in the time of haruest I vvill say too the reapers gather yee first the tares and bind them togither in sheaues too bee brent but gather the vvheate intoo my barne The exposition of the text OCcasion of this Gospell was giuen by Christes hearers of whom some were Hipocrites who notwithstanding liked very wel of them selues that they were accounted of Christes flocke and other some were sincere and good How bée it bicause they sawe a confused mixture of the good and euill toogither their mindes were not a little troubled Too the intent therefore that the Lord might both warn the one of their hipocrisie and of the punishment that shoulde one day ensue for it raise vp the other too stedfastnesse and vnvanquishable confidence by laying béefore them the seperation and reward that was too come he propounded this parable vntoo them Whereof the meaning is this that the euil must be mixed with the good in the church as long as this world stādeth which in the end of the world shall bée seperated one from another so as vntoo the godly may be rendered reward and vntoo the wicked deserued punishment This Gospel therefore serueth too this purpose too put the hipocrites in feare and by setting foorth their punishment too prouoke them too repentaunce and too comforte the godly arming them too the sufferance of euils And the places of this Gospel are foure 1 What maner of kingdome Christes kingdome in this world is 2 Of the enimies of this kingdome 3 The prayer of Christes disciples ageinst the enimies why God suffreth enimies in his Churche 4 Of the punishment of Christes enimies and of the reward of the godly ¶ Of the first THe kingdome of heauen is takē diuersly in scripture For first when Iohn sayeth Repent and amend for the kingdome of heauen is at hand the kingdome of heauen is none other thing than the newnesse of life wherby GOD setteth vs vp ageine intoo the hope of blissed immortalitie For deliuering vs out of the bondage of sinne and death he taketh vs too him selfe that wandering as Pilgrimes vpon the earth we may before hand possesse the heauenly life through faith Therefore where as hée sayeth the kingdome of heauen is at hād he meaneth that the restoring of vs vntoo blissed life yea and the verye true and euerlasting felicitie is offered too vs in Christe Besides this it signifieth the Gospel of Christe it selfe whereby the Citizens are gathered toogither intoo the kingdome of heauen as when the Lord sayth the kingdome of heauen is within you Thirdly it signifieth the frute of the Gospel preached in the hearts of the godly and then it is as Paule defineth in the xiiij too the Romaines righteousnesse ioy spirite and peace of conscience Fourthly it signifieth the felicitie too come in euerlasting life after the iudgement as when Christe promiseth it should come too passe that manie shall come from the East and from the Weast and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdom of heauen Fifthly it signifieth the verie visible Churche it selfe in this world wherin are good and euil mingled toogither vntil haruest time that is too say til the end of this world In this signification is the kingdome of heauen taken in this Gospell of which kingdome I wil nowe speake a fewe things out of this present parable The kingdome of Heauen is like a man that sovved good seed in his feeld c. The man that soweth is Chryst verie God and verie man The féeld is the world The séed are the children of the kingdom Eche of these thre doo teach many things For first when Chryst is called a sower these things are ment therby First how great the dignitie of the Church is which hath the sonne of God too hir founder Secondly that the wise of the world doo not sowe the church for that belongeth alonely vntoo Chryst and therefore that it is not preseued by the wisedom of the world Thirdely that it