land of Ievvry art not the least among the Princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come too mee the Captaine that shall gouerne my people Israel Then Herod vvhen he had priuily called the vvise men enquired of them diligently vvhat time the Starre appeered he bad them go to Bethleem and sayd Go your vvay thither search diligently for the child And vvhen yee haue found him bring me vvoord ageyn that I may come vvorship him also VVhē they had heard the King they departed and loe the Starre vvhiche they savv in the East vvent before them til it came and stoode ouer the place vvherein the Childe vvas VVhen they savv the Starre they vvere exceeding glad and vvent intoo the house found the Childe vvith Mary his moother and fel dovvne flat and vvoorshipped him and opened their treasures and offered vntoo him giftes Golde Frankincense and Mirre And after they vvere vvarned of God in sleep that they should not go ageyn too Herode they returned intoo their ovvne countrie another vvay The exposition of the text THis feast is called in the Churche the Epiphanie of the Lorde that is too saye the appéering of the Lorde For after that the feastes of the comming and birth of the Lorde were celebrated by the Churche it séemed good vntoo the holy Fathers too put too this feast also that they might instruct the Churche of the sundry sortes of the Lords appéering in the fleshe And they alledge foure reasons why they call this feast Epiphanie Whereof the first is that as this day Christ appéered too the wise men that sought him by the leading of a Starre The seconde is for that as vppon this day nine and twentie yéeres after his birth his glorie appéered in Baptisme by the witnesse of the father speaking frō heauen in this wise This is my beloued sonne and by the visible appéering of the holy Ghoste vpon him The thirde is for that the same day twelue moneth after his baptisme his glorie appéered at the mariage by turning water intoo wine The fourth is for that in the .xxxj. yéere of his age his glorie appéered ageyne in féeding fiue thousande men with seuen loues of bread All these appéerings make too this end both too prooue Christ too be the true Messias and sauior of them that beléeue in him too stablish assured faith in vs that wée should certainly assure oure selues too obtaine saluation through him And thus muche concerning the cause of the feast Now let vs go in hande with the Gospel it selfe whiche conteyneth the storie of the firste kinde of Christes appéerings namely howe hée appeered too the wise men that is too say too the Heathen too the intente we may know that Christe with his benefits belongeth also too the Heathen The summe of the exposition of this Gospell is that the wise men came too Hierusalem too séeke the new borne King and that when they found him not there they kept on their way folowing the guidance of the Starre which went before them til they came in Bethleem where they finding the Childe honored him and offered him gifts After the dooing whereof at the warning of God they returned intoo their cuntrie by another way In this Gospell wée wil intreat of two places whiche are 1 The storie with his circumstances and lessons whiche are many 2 The vse of the storie and the spirituall signification of the wise mens offerings ¶ Of the first MAny are the circumstances of this presēt story of which euery one conteyneth peculiar doctrines and instructions When Christe was borne in Bethleem in the time of Herode the wise men came from the Easte too woorship the new borne king Héer come thrée things too bée weyed The time the state of the wise men and the ende for whiche they came The time is expressed when it is sayde in the time of Herode For the Scepter had ceased from Iud◠and accordyng too the Prophesies Chryste was too bée borne Thys conferring of the prophesies concernyng the birth of Chryst and the tyme wherein hée was borne as it confuteth the Iewes which looke for him still too come so it confirmeth the Faythe of the godly that they may assure them selues that this same whome the wise men séeke is the verie Messias The second is the state of the wise men that they were not of the Iewes but of the Gentiles Wherby wée learne that this new king borne in Bethleem perteineth also too the Gentiles who by the example of the wise men are admonished too séeke and too woorship Chryst. Moreouer these wise men were called Magi by which terme is signified the excellencie of their dignitie and office For Magus is an Hebrue woord and taketh his name of considering and teaching Which twoo things perteined chéefly too Kings and Préestes whereupon the Persians called their Kyngs and Préestes Magi. What are wée taught héereby Chryst lyeth in the maunger despised of his owne people and the Magies béeing Heathen men borne come too worship him Whereby is signified that although Chrystes kingdome bée not of the world yet is it a mightie and glorious kingdome or rather a heauenly kingdome which many shall acknowledge and not bée offended at the base countenance thereof too the outward shew in the world The second circumstaunce is that the wyse men come too Hierusalem and there séeke for Chryst that was newly borne The Iewes which had the bookes of the Prophets in their handes and vntoo whome the woorde of God was committed stoode still carelesse and neuer sought for Chryst. And in y e mean while ▪ those sought him who by their iudgement perteined not too the Church But where sought they him In the princely citie Hierusalem Whither when they came heard nothing of this king their faith was not a litle shaken but yet neuerthelesse they raysed vp them selues by the signe For they sayd Wée haue séene hys starre Doutlesse they had learned out of the Relickes of Daniels schoole that when Chryst should bée borne then should such a starre shew the time that hée was borne The thirde circumstance is too bée considered with héede for it sheweth what maner a Kyng Christe is For as the maunger in which he lay argueth that his kingdome is not of this world so the starre appearyng from heauen declareth him too bée a heauenly King And like as the Maunger sheweth him too bée base in the sight of the worlde euen so the Starre setteth out the maiestie of his kyngdome for vs too beholde to the furtherance of our faith least he should become despisable vnto vs through the leud and malicious disdaine of his owne countrey folke which continuing still in their ignorance doo persecute Chryst vntoo this day Some men demaunde héere what maner a Starre that was And diuers men déeme diuersly But thys is manyfest that it differeth in thrée propreties from other continuing starres that is to say in place in mouyng in brightnesse In place
it procéeded of faith but the Pharisies déede was abhomination bycause the persone pleased not GOD. Twoo husbande men tyll their grounde the one dooth God high seruice ploughing in the feare of GOD and looking for blessing from God And the other pleaseth not God bicause hée is voyde of fayth and the feare of God And yet haue bothe of them commaundement of the woorke In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate thy breade The handmaydes that doo seruice obedientlye too their mistresse peraduenture in swéeping the flore haue bothe of them the commaundement also But shée that bringeth fayth with hir too hir businesse dooth seruice vntoo GOD where as shée that wanteth Fayth thoughe shée doo in déede that whiche shée is bound too doo of duetie yet cannot hir woorke bée called a seruice of God Furthermore the woork that is commaunded wrought in Fayth must tende too Gods glorie chéefly This is confirmed by the testimonie of Esay Euery one that calleth vpon my name haue I created too mine owne glorie I haue shapē him I haue made him But what is it too glorifie GOD In fewe woordes it is too attribute all glorye vntoo him and too praise him with hart with mouth with confession and with behauiour Now foloweth that whiche I promised too speake of in the fourth place That is too witte who they bée that are able too yéeld true woorship vntoo God Although this may bée gathered of the things that wente before Yet notwithstanding I wil shew it bréefly héer They only can doo seruice and woorship vntoo God that haue accesse vntoo him but the children of God onely haue accesse vntoo him wherfore they only can doo him seruice aright His children are all those that beléeue in his name Iohn 1. And these haue accesse vntoo the Father through fayth Rom. ◠And for the same cause Chryst teching his Disciples too pray biddeth them say Our father whiche art in Heauen meaning that none but his Children can call vpon him Let this suffise cōcerning the true seruice of God the summe wherof is conteyned in louing God our neighbour Now remayneth that I speake of the third doctrine ¶ Of the thirde WHhat thinke you of Chryst sayth he vvhose sonne is he They say vntoo him Dauids The Pharisies thought themselues rightuous by the law but if that had bin true Chryst had bin promised in vayne For thus sayth Paule in the seconde too the Galath If rightuousnesse come by the lawe then Chryste dyed in vayne Our Lorde therefore asked them of the Messias that is of Chryst that by making mention of him he might stirre them vp to know and consider to what end the law was giuen and too thinke wherefore the Messias was promised Whiche thing if they hadde doone aright they should haue reasoned thus The Messias was promised too take away sinne like as Esay witnesseth He bare our diseases Gen. 15. In thy séede shall all nations bée blissed Therefore it is néedefull that the sonne of Dauid should bée not only man but also God the Lord of Dauid according as the Psalme testifieth The Lord said vntoo my Lorde c. By this kinde of reasoning they might haue iudged aright bothe of the lawe and of Chryst and so they had embraced Chryste the Sauiour too whom bée honour world without ende Amen Vpon the .xix. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. ix IESVS entred intoo a shippe and passed ouer and came intoo his ovvne citie And beholde they brought too him a man sicke of the Palsey lying in a bedde And vvhen Iesus savv the fayth of them he sayde too the sicke of the Palsey Sonne bee of good cheere thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee And behold certeine of the Scribes said vvithin them selues This man blasphemeth And vvhen Iesus savv their thoughtes hee sayd vvherfore think ye euill in your harts vvhether is it easier to say Thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee or to say arise and vvalke But that yee may knovv that the sonne of man hath povver too forgiue sinnes in earth Then sayth he too the sicke of the Palsey Aryse take vp thy bed and goe vntoo thine house And he arose and departed too his house But the people that savv it marueled and glorified God vvhich had giuen suche povver vnto men The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell conteyneth one of those miracles wherewith as our Lorde testifieth his power will and office so hée confirmeth the certeyntie of his doctrine It is shewed in this present story how Chryst healed a man y t was diseased of the Palsie Whiche déede his héerers accept not all with one mind For the Pharisies blaspheme the cōmon sort by beholding the miracle are put in minde of the presence of God and are confirmed in Chrystes doctrine wherby they not onely conceyue feare ▪ and faythe but also vtter the true frutes of fayth by setting foorth y e goodnesse of God This gospell therfore is as a certeine picture wherin Chrystes kingdome in this worlde is paynted out in which there bée some that bring the diseased vntoo Chryste and some that murmure as the Pharisies in all times and other some that feare god aright and glorifie him for his déedes Among these sundrie sortes of héerers standes Chryste in the middes receyuing all that come vntoo him despising no man for his miserie healing their woundes releasing our sinnes and with his holy spirite as with a most precious balme he assuaged our brooses and healed them This is the summe and the drift of this dayes Gospell which for instructions sake I will diuide intoo thrée places 1 Of those that broughte this man that was sicke of the palsie in a bedde vntoo Chryste that he might heale him 2 The murmuring of the Pharisies accusing Chryst and his defence 3 The end and vse of Chrystes miracles ¶ Of the firste ANd Iesus taking Ship c. Héere firste and formoste is too be considered the occasion of the miracle wrought in this place by our Lord. Chryst taking ship sayth hée passed ouer and came intoo his owne Citie that is too witte Capernaum For hée kept there very muche What was the cause of this his going thither Hée had bin in the lande of the Gergesenes where bée healed a man that was possessed of the Deuil and when the Deuilles desired that they mighte enter intoo the swine the Lord agréed and so the herd of swine ranne headlong intoo the Sea and were drowned When the inhabiters saw this they came vntoo Iesus desiring him for too depart from them for they did set more by their swine than by Chryst and his Gospell And surely they haue many felowes in these dayes whom wée may rightly call Gergesenes Twoo things therfore are too bée obserued héere one whiche is set foorth for vs too eschue and another whiche is commended too all godly folke too folowe The vnthankfulnesse of the Gergesenes is too be eschued that set more by a péece of Bakon than by their soule
horrible tumultes and of certaine vnaccustomed and vehement windes And hathe not our age séene very many signes of this sort The fourth kind of signes issueth out of the second third which is a pining away for feare and for looking after those things that shall come vpon the whole world The fifth sort is that the powers of heauen shall bée moued that is too say there shalbée vnwoonted sights in heauē and earthquakes in the earth Too bée short both heauen and earth shall after a sort resemble the countenaunce of the angry iudge that sinners béeing moued by these tokens of Gods wrath should repent and turne vntoo the Lord. These signes doth the Lord apply in this wise too the last iudgement Behold the Figtrée all other trées when they haue shot foorth their buddes yée séeing it doo know of your selues that sommer is nye at hand So likewise when yée sée these things come too passe vnderstand yée that the kingdom of god is nye For these signes out of all creatures which are caried vp downe shal bée as it were messengers by whose mouth such men shal bée summoned to appéere at y t dreadful iudgement seat as running at ryot héere in this world haue neglected their owne saluation and like dronken men haue despised Christ the author of saluation Besydes these fiue sortes of signes whereof the text maketh mention there are others also Math. 24. Marke 13. 2. Thes. 2. Daniel 2. 7. Apoc. 17. all which are as it were certaine visible sermons of repentance by which god forewarneth men too flée too his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryste in whom only is saluation The second circumstance is that he which is the sonne of God and man Iesus Christ shalbée a iudge Wherin bothe the godly and vngodly haue to learne The godly too knowe that hée shall bée their iudge who had promised eternall life too all that beléeue in him adding an othe Uerely I say vntoo you all that beléeue in mée shall not perishe but haue life euerlasting This promis confirmed with an othe cannot by any meanes fayle And the vngodly haue too lerne either too repent and forsake the rable of the wicked and so too enioy their saluation purchased by Chryst or else too remember that he whom they haue refused too bée theyr Sauyoure shal adiudge them to endlesse paines that then at least wise they may too their great miserie learne howe horrible a thing it is too fall intoo the hands of the liuing God The third circumstance is that hée shall come in the clouds glorious and terrible not a seruaunt as before but a Lord not too bée iudged but too iudge not now too allure men too repentance but too punish vnrepentant persones with eternall paines and that as a righteous iudge The fourth circumstance is that he shall come mightie with power and great glorie wherby it is too bée learned that he can bothe damne the rebellious is able too rewarde the beléeuers with eternall life The fifth circumstance expresseth the cause of Chrystes comming vntoo iudgement so farre forth as it perteineth too the godly Your redemption is at hād By which saying like as Christ sheweth that his Churche shall not bée wel at ease in this world for before that day it can not be deliuered frō the vanitie of the world so he dooeth too vnderstand that the accomplishment of Chrystes benefits towards his Churche is the ful deliuerance from all euils wherwith is ioyned the perfect fruition of the eternall God with euerlasting ioy These things therfore perteine too the comfort of the godly But as touching the vngodly this day of the Lordes comming shall bée a day of wrathe and sorrowe and not of deliuerance a day of mist and darknesse and not of light a day of moorning and not of mirth a day of destruction and not of saluation And the maner of the iudgement is described in the .25 of Mathew by these words When the sonne of man shal come in his maiestie and all the Angels with him then shall he sit vppon the throne of maiestie and all nations shalbée gathered toogither before him and he shal seperate them a sunder as a shepeherd putteth his shéepe a side from the Gotes and shall set the shéepe on his right hand and the Gotes on his left Then shal the king say too them on his right hand come yée blissed of my Father and possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was hungry and yée gaue mée too eate c. And vntoo them on his left hand he shal say Away from mée yée cursed intoo euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels For I was hungry and yée gaue mée no meat c. And so the vngodly shall go intoo euerlasting punishment but the rightuous intoo euerlasting life And in the Apocalipse 20. chapt Hée shall sit vppon a great white throne at whose looke the heauen and earth shal flée away and the dead both great and small shall stand in the sight of his throne and then shalbée opened the booke of life and the bookes of consciences they shall bée iudged by those things that are written in those bookes according too their woorks They that haue doon good shal go intoo euerlasting life and they that haue doone euill intoo euerlasting fire Now in the sentence of iudgement twoo things are too be considered On Gods behalfe blissing on mennes behalfe good woorks When he sayth come yée blissed of my Father he méeneth that they are fréely saued through Iesus Chryst whom they haue receiued by Faith For in Chryst only are men blissed receiued intoo Gods fauor fréely iustified But when he calleth foorth too good woorks the Lord dooth it not for that they are causes of saluation but for other respectes Namely for that they are witnesses of true fayth the feare of God and moreouer that by setting before them a recompence of the miseries which they abide in this life hée may the more stirre them vp too godly and holy conuersation ¶ Of the seconde WHy Christ forewarned his disciples of his cōming too iudgement he declareth when he sayth When these things begin too come too passe looke vp and lift vppe your heads c. All these things wil put vs in minde of a certaine continuall repentaunce in this life But what doo wée wée sée the last day redy too light in our necks and yet neuerthelesse wée delay too repent and féede our owne fansies What doo noble men What doo princes what doo learned men what doo vnlearned men what doo townes men what doo countrey folke and too bée short what doo in maner al men What is hée that earnestly myndeth this forewarnyng of Christes Wée make more accompt of a ferme in the countrey than of the kyngdome of GOD. Yea rather who is hée that preferreth not the commodities of this life bée they neuer so slender before the
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
in the wedding garment ¶ Of the third MAny are called and fevv chosen This saying of Chryste conteyneth twoo things that is too witte a setting foorth of the mercy and goodnesse of GOD who calleth all men too his sonnes mariage Neither is it too bée thought that hée calleth any whoÌ„ hée would not haue too bée at his sonnes wedding and a complaint ageinste the vnthankfulnesse of the greatest part of tâ—â— world Many sayth hée are called For the Bridegroom commaunded his Apostles too go foorth intoo all the whole world and too call men too this mariage as hée sayd afore Cal too the mariage whosoeuer yée finde But fevv are chosen That is few haue the wedding garmeÌ„t For such are chosen as are sorted out from others and are excellente aboue others Therfore Peter saith that Christians are chosen too sanctification of spirit that is too wit that they should bée holy in spirit Uerely GOD will haue all men saued as Paule teacheth and this parable sheweth yea and Chrystes owne woords witnesse Math. xj Come vntoo mée all yée that labour and are loden and I wil refreshe you Let vs set this saying ageinst all the enimies of Gods grace Therefore if thou looke too Godwarde Gods will is that all men shoulde bée saued and come too the knoweledge of the truthe and hée calleth all men without exception too the mariage of hys Sonne But if thou looke vntoo menwarde fewe are chosen that is too saye fewe when they heare the Gospell doo receiue it by fayth and become holy in spirite Wherefore the cause of damnation is not in GOD but it is too bée sought for in our selues How often sayth Chryste would I haue gathered thy Children toogither and thou wouldest not Beholde thou hast héere twoo things Chryste would and Ierusalem would not Therfore by this saying wée are warned that it is not inough too hear the Gospel but wée must also obey the Gospell For as Peter sayeth it is therefore preached that wée should bée mortified as towarde the fleshe and too liue after the spirite Thus muche concerning this dayes Gospel wherby wée may lerne that God hathe not created vs too damnation but too blisfulnesse and that hée hathe fréely prepared all things that perteine vntoo true blissednesse And ageine that those which are damned are damned through their owne fault as which would not obey the Gospel Wherfore if we haue regarde of our soulehelth let vs put on the wedding garment and let vs minde true holinesse through Iesus Chryste oure Lord Too whom with the Father and the holie Ghoste bée honour for euermore Amen Vpon the .xxj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Iohn iiij THere vvas a certein ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke at Capernaum Assoone as the same hearde that Iesus vvas come out of Ievvrie intoo Galilee hee vvent vntoo him and besought him that hee vvoulde come dovvne and heale his Sonne For hee vvas euen at the point of death Then sayde Iesus vntoo him except yee see signes and vvonders yee vvill not beleeue The ruler sayde vntoo him Sir come dovvne or euer that my Sonne die Iesus sayeth vntoo him Go thy vvay thy Sonne lyueth The man beleeued the vvoorde that Iesus hadde spoken vntoo him And hee vvente his vvaye And as hee vvas goyng dovvne the seruauntes mette him and tolde him saying Thy Sonne liueth Then enquyred hee of them the houre vvhen hee beganne too amende And they sayde vntoo him Yesterdaye at the seuenth houre the Feuer lefte him So the Father knevve that it vvas the same houre in the vvhich Iesus sayd vntoo him Thy Sonne liueth and hee beleeued all his housholde This is ageine the second miracle that Iesus did vvhen he vvas come out of Ievvry intoo Galilee The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell teacheth vs whither wée ought too flée for succour in all the troubles of this lyfe that is too wit too the fountayne of all welfare and felicitie Iesus Chryst. Which thing Esay also putteth vs in minde of when he sayâ—h Yée shall drawe water out of the welles of the Sauioure Too this well wée must come not with féete but with minde not with reason but with Fayth Furthermore this Gospell sheweth howe forwarde Chryste is too helpe who sendeth away none that commeth too him without comforte For he is not otherwise affectioned towards any man than towarde this noble man this Courtyer of Herodes court whom hée not only comforted by worde but also helped by miracle The summe of this Gospell therefore is included in this saying of Ioel Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shalbée saued The places are thrée 2 Of mens miseries and of the cause and remedie of the same 2 Of the rebuke wherewith Chryst rebuketh this seruant of the kings 3 The true nature and inclination of Faith ¶ Of the firste THere vvas a certeine Ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke This sad father and his sicke sonne doo set before our eyes the miseries of this worlde which as they are the punishments of sinne so are they also as it were certein sermons of Gods iudgement whereby wée are allured too repentance like as this Courtier béeing sad for the sicknesse of his sonne féeleth his owne sinne bewayleth it Héervntoo maketh also that saying of Esay Their distresse shall bée a lerning vntoo thée Howbéeit too the intent wée may the better consider Gods goodnesse towards vs I will declare by what meanes God is woont too call vs chéefly too repentance These wayes are chéefly sixe The first He setteth foorth the doctrine of the law wherin he paynteth out our sins as in a table sheweth the blindnesse of our minde be wrayeth our douting of Gods prouidence promises and threats vttereth the vnclennesse of our affections and sheweth the stinche of the stomacke the turning away our will from God and the horrible atteinting of all our powers Agein in the second table of the law he paynteth our vnfaythfulnesse towards men and the vncleanenesse of our thoughtes so that yf there appéere any vprightnesse in our whole life before wée bée conuerted vntoo Chryste the same is no better than a cloth stayned with matter and most vnpure blud which thing Esay complayneth of in these woordes All our rightuous dooing are as a moste filthie cloute The cause why the lawe setteth this our filthinesse before vs is that wée béeing warned of their stinche should repent and departe from our moste wicked wayes The second The excesse of inward miseries which no maÌ„ is able too describe and bewayle sufficiently was neuer yet so great neither was any mannes calamitie yet so extreme but that any of vs might fall intoo the same as Ambrose godlyly admonisheth vs saying Wee eyther are now presently or heeretofore haue bin or may be in the selfe same ease that this same man was in In how great miserie was Adam who not only sawe the one of his sonnes murther his brother but also behilde the moste sorowfull fallings of
toogither with him did set foorthe Christe with some kinde of melody wherby the godly may lerne too encourage one another too set forth and too vtter the praise of God Another is that shée teacheth the people For when as the Scribes Pharisies ceased a holy woman commeth forth speaketh of him vnto all y e looked for redemptiō in Ierusalē The third is that shée openly acknowledgeth Christe too bée the Sauiour and redéemer For shée vnderstoode that this babe was the promised séed that should tread down the serpents head and so deliuer man that was lost out of the Deuils tiranny ¶ Of the third ANd the Childe did grovve and vvas strengthned in spirite and vvas filled vvith vvisdome and the grace of God vvas vvith him This is as much too say as according as the childe Iesus grew in age so the diuine nature vttered it selfe in him and he profited from day too day more and more in wisdome and toogither with his age encreased also the giftes of mind in him How bée it in as much as the Godhead can by no meanes bée increased it is manifest that these things perteine too his manhode For as he grew vp by little and little in his body so in respect of his soule the giftes of the mind encreased daily more and more Neither is this a straunge thing in Chryst whoo for our sakes tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant wherein he was also abased For like as he was abased for our sake so also grew he ageine by little and little vntill that by his resurrection he entered ageine intoo his glorye Neither was this doone without a lesson and warning vntoo vs. For wée are taught that the cause why he grew was for that we should out of his fulnesse receiue grace for grace Wée also are admonished by the example of the sonne of God too endeuer our selues continually too encrease that wée may daily more and more abound in the true knowledge of God and all vnderstanding and that wée should with an vpright iudgement and affection try what things are godly holy and honest and daily bring foorth the true fruites of faith and that in such wise that the day folowing may surmount the day that went before For he that goeth not still forward in the knowledge of GOD and vnderstanding of godlinesse goeth backeward For by little and little fayth is quenched in him and Chryst is buried ageine in his heart whereby it commeth too passe that he falleth againe intoo sinne against his conscience Héereof wée haue example in Dauid For he had profited in Ghostly wisdome aboue al the men of his time and the grace of God was w t him But what came too passe By sitting still in his Princely throne he became somewhat faint That glowing zeale of Gods glory which was in him when he fought ageinst Golias ouercame him which was in him when he was in perill through the daily persecution of Saule was by little and little alayed And what ensued theruppon There came in hys sight a faire and beautifull woman and his lustes were stirred vp without any let For the heate of the spirit was then become starke cold Wil giueth place too affection and by by he falleth into sinne ageinst conscience by committing aduoutrie wheruntoo within a while after he addeth the murder of one of his best subiects which wickednesses he afterward recouered with hipocrisie by y e space of a whole yéere although in the meane while he pretended godlinesse which notwithstanding was banished from him as long as Gods spirit was not with him There are many other suche examples which admonishe vs too folow herein the example of the childe Iesus that wée fall not from the state of grace Therfore like as he grew in wisdome and the grace of God was vpon him so let vs also grow in wholsome wisdome and let vs pray too Iesus the fountaine of wisdome that he will giue vnto vs abundantly of his fulnesse Which thing if wée doo it will come too passe that the grace of God which wée obteine by Chryst and for Chrystes sake shal abide vppon vs. For as the only grace of God is the cause of our daily procéeding and furtherance in spirituall giftes so grace is reteined and abideth when wée are not drowsie but worke lustely so as wée may not séeme too haue receiued grace in vaine Too this purpose maketh y e saying of y e Apostle Yée are made partakers of Christ if wée hold stedfast vntoo the end the faith that is begon in vs. Too this purpose also maketh this sentence of Paule Quenche not the spirit Gods gifts therfore must bée chéered vp with continuall exercise that wée may profit daily more and more too the glory of God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Too which onely God bée honor and glory for euermore Amen The day of the Circumcision of the Lord commonly called Newyeeres day ¶ The Gospell Luke ij ANd after that eight dayes vvere finished that the childe should bee circumcised his name vvas called Iesus according as he vvas named by the Angel before he vvas conceiued in his moothets vvombe The exposition of the Text. THis feast of the Circumcision of the Lord is solemnized in the Churche for thrée causes Of which the first is that the storie may bée knowen The second is that the benefite of God toward mankinde which the storie setteth out may bée vnderstoode The third is y t we may vse the benefit of God aright both too the glory of god also too our owne saluation and the edifying of others The storie is that our Lord Chryste the eyghte day after his carnall birth was circumcised according too the Law of Moses that the name was giuen him which was foretolde by the Angell and he was called Iesus The benefit which the storie setteth out is that that was done for our sake according as Paule teacheth He was made subiect too the Lawe too the intent he might redéeme them that were vnder the Lawe Lastly the vse consisteth in these things that knowing the benefite wée may bée thanckfull too God confirming our fayth by this déede and after the example of God the father and his Sonne Iesus Chryst endeuer too deserue well towards al men And too the intent these things may serue the more effectually too informe vs of this benefite I will handle twoo places which are 1 Of the Circumcision 2 Of the most swéete name Iesus ¶ Of the first TOo the intent wée may the more distinctly vnderstande this doctrine of the circumcision these are the things that séeme méete too bée expounded in order Howe God is woont too instruct man of his will what maner a thing that Circūcision of the flesh was and what things are too bée marked in it whereupon shall bée grounded the order of the Sacramentes both of the old Testament and of the newe Why Christ was circumcised and which is
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
them that beléeue in the Sonne This is proued by many textes of Scripture Hée that beléeueth sayeth Chryst hath lyfe euerlasting Like as before this â—ayeth goeth forgiuenesse of sinnes so goeth there with it soule health And Peter sayeth that the ende of oure Fayth is the health of oure soules The same thing is mente héere when it is sayd There must repentance bée preached wherthroughe wée sorowe for oure sinnes and flée vntoo Chryste who sayth I came not too call the rightuous but sinners too repentaunce After these things it followeth by whose benefite wée atteyne so greate good things namely for the sacrifice of Chryste that is too wit for Chrystes death and resurrection Wherevppon Paule in the fourth too the Romanes Hée dyed for our sinnes and was raysed ageine for oure iustification And lest any man should think the Gospell too bée a newe learning I added in the definition according vntoo the promise made by the fathers in olde time For both vntoo Adam after his fall was the promise made in the third of Genesis and it was often times after repeated beaten intoo the Fathers heads by the space of foure thousand yéeres til Chryste came in the fleshe In the conclusion are added the endes for which Chryst came first too deliuer vs from the iudgement of the law secondly that they whiche are deliuered shoulde bring foorth frutes woorthie of the Gospel thirdly that they shoulde blaze abrode this so greate a benefite and fourthly that at the last they should obtein ful redemption in eternall life through our Lord Iesus Chryst too whom with the Father and the holy Ghost bée praise honor and glory for euer and euer Amen The first Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xx THE SAME daye at nyghte vvhyche vvas the fyrste daye of the Sabbothes vvhen the doores vvere shutte vvhere the Dysciples vvere gathered toogyther for feare of the Ievves came Iesus and stoode in the middest and sayde vntoo them Peace bee vntoo you And vvhen hee hadde so sayde hee shevved vntoo them his handes and his side Then vvere the Disciples glad vvhen they savve the Lorde Then sayd Iesus vntoo them ageine Peace bee vntoo you As my Fathet sent me euen so send I you also And vvhen hee had sayde these vvords he breathed on them and sayd vntoo them receiue yee the holy Ghoste VVhosoeuers sinnes yee remitte they are remitted vntoo them And vvhosoeuers sinnes yee reteine they are reteyned The exposition of the text THis Gospel conteyneth parte of the storie that Iohn the Euangelist wrate concerning the resurrection of the Lord in whiche part the Lord testifieth by his visible and fleshely presence by woord déed and miracles that hée is risen from the dead And béetaking vntoo his Disciples the ministerie of his woord hée auoucheth them too bée blissed that shall beléeue in him In the ende of the texte is added the finall cause of all the holye Scripture For thus sayeth hée These things are written that yée may beléeue and that by beléeuing yée may haue life in his name Howbéeit for asmuche as inoughe is spoken already the last wéeke concerning the Lordes resurrection I will not make any more processe about it at this time but wil intreate of thrée other places whiche are conteyned in this Gospel The places 1 Of the ministerie of the woorde and of the power of the Churche 2 Of the confession of Thomas 3 Of the end of holy Scripture ¶ Of the first THe woordes of the texte concerning the ministerie of the woord and the power of the Churche are these Peace be vntoo you as my Father sent mee so send I you VVhen he had sayde this hee breathed vppon them and sayde vntoo them Take ye the holy Ghost vvhose sinnes so euer you release they are released vntoo them and vvhose so euer you vvith holde they are vvith holden Héere haue wée few woordes but they be pithie and conteine a plentiful doctrine whiche all christians ought too knowe Wherefore I exhorte you too giue good ear that you may vnderstand this doctrine And too the intent that may bée doon the more commodiously I wil deuide these woords wherby the ministerie is ordeyned into foure parts The first part peace be vntoo you The second part as my father sent mée so send I you also The third part hée breathed vpon them and said take yée the holy ghost The fourth part whose sinnes so euer you release they are released vntoo theÌ„ and whose so euer you with holde they are withholden Of these foure partes wil I speak in order The first part namely the gréeting Peace bée vntoo you dooth not only comfort the Disciples that were then present but also giueth courage too all that bée and shall be ministers of the woord in the Church He that taketh vpon him the ministerie of the woorde hathe by and by the Deuil his enimie who continually lyeth in wait for his doctrine and life If hée cannot corrupt his doctrine he endeuoreth too staine his life that a man might deny the thing in his works which he teacheth in his words If the Deuil cannot defile his life he layeth a snare for the doctrine that men might be deceyued with erronious doctrine and so bée damned In many hée defileth both life and doctrine Besides that the minister of the woord hath also the world ageinst him which assaileth him eft with Tirannie eft with Hipocrisie and eft with Sophistrie that he might not execute his dutie aright What should the minister of the woorde doo in so great disstresse He shall comfort him self with this saying of Chryst peace bée vntoo you and therwithall he shall pray vntoo God that hée will kéepe him in this peace so as hée hinder not the course of the Gospel eyther by his doctrine or by his conuersation Hée shall set more by the peace of Chryste than by all the delights and freÌ„dships of the world Let this then bée the comfort of the ministers of the Gospel whiche must fighte aageinst the crafts of the Deuil the tirannie of the world hipocrisie and sophistrie The second part is As my father sent mée so send I you How did the father send the sonne The father sent the sonne to destroy the kingdom of the deuil according too that saying The womans séed shall tread down the serpents hed Also Christ appéered too destroy the deuils woords What dooth it not belong only too Chryst too tread down the serpents head Dooth it not belong only too Chryst too destroy the woorks of the deuil Yes surely only vntoo Christ. But in this so greate a woorke there néed twoo engines Sacrifice and Doctrine Christ was sent that he alone by sacrifice should appease his fathers wrath and vanquishe the Deuil Afterward bicause this benefite is offred too men by Doctrine hée destroyed the woork of the Deuil by doctrine also Therefore was Chryste sent for twoo purposes too pacifie God by sacrifice too teach For the first purpose
Chrystes shéepfold For what minister of the woord so euer for any cause forbeareth to set himself against Sophistrie tirannie wickednesse and hipocrisie the same is a hireling and not a true shepherd For the good shepherd first setteth himselfe against Sophistrie by defending the true doctrine and by rebuking and confuting the false But the hireling at this inuasion of the wolf is afraid dares not defend y e true doctrine least he shuld lose some of his earthly coÌ„modities Therfore either he winketh at y e false doctrin or at least wise he reproueth it not as he ought to doo and in so doing he is said to flée not in bodie but in mind bycause he forsloweth his duetie secondly the good shepherd will set himself ageinst tiranny Howbéeit bycause there be two kinds of shepherds the one Ciuil the other Ecclesiasticall as the Ciuil shepherd must set himself ageinst Tirannie of woolues by the sword so the Eclesiasticall shepherd must set himselfe ageinst it by prayer He that doth not this is a hireling not a shepherd Thirdly y e good shepherd shal set himself ageinst wickednesse by rebuking excommunication them that giue offence too the church with their misbehauior like as Iohn rebuked Herod Christ the pharisies all the Prophets did set theÌ„selues ageinst the vices of their times The deuil hath egged a faithful persoÌ„ too aduoutry too incest too couetousnesse too vnlawful lusts or to bibbing In this case the good shepherd stands not in feare of meÌ„ but â—f God and rebuketh mens vices according to his duetie CoÌ„trariwise the hireling being careful of his own ease dareth not open his mouth If he rebuke hée doth it in general termes but he dareth not charge y e offeÌ„ders to their face as did y e Prophets other true shepherds But some such hireling might obiect behold I am heer I fled not Augustin answereth him bicause y u hast hild thy peace thou hast fâ—ed and thou hildest thy peace bicause thou art afraid Fourthly the good shepherd setteth himself ageinst hipocrisy when he plucketh of the visor of outward hypocrites and bewrayeth how foule the face of sinne is But the hireling runneth away from this wolfe and dareth not displease any man least men should hate him Now remaineth a question too bée discussed whither bodily fléeing bée lawful at all times or no Wherevnto I answere Any shepherd that gaddeth from place to place either too encrease his liuing or for werynesse or for the vnkynde dealing of men is surely an hireling and no shepherd Notwithstanding if tyrants persecute a man or lay wayte for his life it is lawfull for a godly shepherde too flée the handes of the Tyrant that afterwarde if it may bée returning agein he may do more good by his life than he could haue doon by his death How bée it in this case Godlynesse muste bée their rule ¶ Of the third THe third place is of Chrystes shéepe and of their mark and that there is but one shéepfold and one shepherd The shéepe of Chryst are all they that héer Chryst and like shéepe doo folowe him in true simplicitie innocencie méekenesse and obedience Neither are there any other marks too know Chrystes shéepe by than deuotion toward God charitie towards our neighbour purenesse of conuersation and a certeyne holy carefulnesse and forwardnesse in our vocation And where as he sayeth he hath other shéepe that muste bée brought in too the same fold he méeneth that there is one holy catholike Churche of the Iewes and Gentyles toogyther And therwithal he expresseth the maner how the shéepe shal bée brought togither when he sayeth And they shall heere my voyce The preaching of the gospell therfore and the beléeuing of the Gospel when it is preached causeth vs too bée gathered into Chrystes shéepfold They that vpon this place doo gather that before Doomesday there shall bée so greate agréement in true Religion that there shall bée no héeresies nor schismes are farre wyde For all the foresayings of the prophets teach the contrary And Chryste when he sayde Thinke yée that when the sonne of man commeth hée shall fynde Faith vppon the earth ment it shoulde come to passe through persecution that the most part should fall from the fayth And the néerer that the day of the Lord approcheth so much the féercer is the diuell too trouble the litle flocke of Chryst with his sophistrie tyrannie wickednesse and hypocrisie Wherefore let vs praye too Chryste the Shepherd of our soules that he will defende vs in so great perils too the glorie of his name Too whom with the father and the holy ghost bée honour praise and glorie for euer Amen The third Sunday after Easter The Gospell Iohn xâ—j IESVS sayde vntoo his Disciples After a vvhile ye shal not see me and agayn after a vvhyle ye shall see mee for I goe too the father Then sayd some of his disciples betvvene themselues vvhat is this that hee sayeth vntoo vs after a vvhyle yee shall not see mee and agayne after a vvhyle ye shall see me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore vvhat is this that he sayth after a vvhile vvee cannot tell vvhat he sayth Iesus perceiued that they vvould aske him and sayd vnto them ye enquire of this betvveene your selues bycause I sayd after a vvhyle ye shall not see mee and ageyne after a vvhyle ye shall see mee Verely verely I say vntoo you ye shall vveepe and lament but contraryvvise the vvorld shall reioyce Yee shall sorovv but your sorovv shall bee turned too ioy A vvoman vvhen she trauaileth hath sorovve bycause hir houre is come But assone as shee is deliuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguishe for Ioye that a man is borne intoo the vvorld And yee novv therfore haue sorovve but I vvill see you ageyne and youre heartes shall reioyce and your ioy shal no man take from you The exposition of the text A His gospel is part of that sermon that Christ made too his disciples at his Supper the day before he suffred in which sermon he taught them many things For he made mention of his owne office death torments resurrection and glorification Moreouer he reasoned concerning the Church what it is and what should bée the state of it in this world as that it shoulde haue aduersaries which should assault it and that it should at length by Faith ouercome all hir troubles and vntoo this parte perteineth also this present Gospell For hée comforteth his Disciples whome he perceyueth too bée sadde for his foretelling them of his Crosse. Hée sheweth them before that hée would visit them ageinâ— assoone as he were risen from death And he addeth a very goodly similitude of a woman trauelling of chyld with whom the church shall tast the like fortune For like as the sorowful great belyed woman taketh excéedyng great comfort of the birth of hir chyld Euen so the Church hauing wrestled out of the miseries of
suche as lye extréemely sicke or for others that haue néede of our prayers Thankes giuing is an humble lifting vp a mans minde vntoo God wherby wée yéelde thanks vntoo God eyther for beneats bestowed vppon our selues or others or for ridding our selues or others from some inconueniences Now wée perceiue what Chrystian prayer is and how many kindes there bée of it Héerafter remayneth that wée speake of the continuall circumstances of godly prayer ¶ Of the second IN euery godly praier ther must néedes bée alwais these .v. properties circumstances Forst the earnestnesse of hart in him that prayeth secondly coÌ„sideration of the causes that moue vs too pray thirdly who it is that wée cal vpon fourthly by whom wée are herd and fifthly what wée ought to aske of God For these things shal make vs a difference betwéene the vaine babling of the heathen and the effectuall prayer of the godly Wherfore I beséeche you déere brethren that you will diligently lerne and thorowly wey these continuall circumstances of prayer The first circumstance of a godly prayer is the affection of the hart that the hart bée wel bent and settled in praying For if honestie require that our body bée well ordered when wée haue communication with men of more honor than our selues it is much more méete that our minde bée very well disposed when wée shal speake before God in the sight of his Angelles What maner of affection then ought his too bée that will call vppon God with frute First of al let him put off all imagination of his owne glory woorthinesse and desert Next let him thinke vpon his owne néedinesse and pâ—rswade himselfe that he is vtterly destitute of al ayde vnlesse the Lord reach him out his helping hande Then let him cast downe himselfe by true repentance And lastly let him bée kindled too prayer by confidence of gods promisses For who so euer swelleth either with opinion of his owne vertue or féeleth not his own needinesse or casteth not himself downe before God through true repentance or wanteth fayth he prayeth with the Pharisie and not with the Publicane that is too wit he prayeth not aright and effectually The second circumstance is of the causes whereby wée must bée moued too pray And there bée many causes wherof I wil reherse some too the intent that greater desire of praying may be stirred vp in vs. The first cause is Gods commaundement wherevnto it becommeth all creatures too bée obedient Call vppon mée sayth hée in the day of thy trouble And Chrysts Apostles doo oftentimes prouoke vs too pray by the commaundement of God Wée must diligently muse vppon this cause which may stirre vp in vs a desire too pray The second cause is the promise For God hath promised that he will héere our prayers according as it is saide in this Gospel VVhatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he shall giue it you Also in the Psalmes Call vppon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil héere thée Too héere is nothing else but too graunt our requests The third cause is the crosse pressing vs that is too say the féeling both of our owne and other mennes néedynesse Héere wée must looke about vs what pincheth vs at home and what abrode wée must thorowly wey the publike and priuate harmes wée must thinke vppon the distresse of the Church encountring in this world ageinst the deuil and his members and too bée short wée must think vpon all the necessities that nip vs in this life wherby wée may bée stirred vp too call vppon God The fourth cause is victorie in temptations Whervpon in the first of Sainct Iames wée are commaunded too pray as often as wée are troubled with temptations And Chryst sayeth Pray that yée enter not intoo temptation For hée that prayeth earnestly and continually shall not easly be ouercome eyther by the slightes of the deuill or the wickednesse of the worlde or the prouocation of his sinnefull flesh Héervpon Salomon sayth The name of the Lord is a most strong towre that is too say The calling vppon God is a most assured defence ageinst all euils The fifth cause is the sundry suttleties of Sathan who layeth snares for vs in our doctrine and conuersation Paule Eph. 6. biddeth vs take that sword of the spirit which is the woorde of God ageynst Sathan by all maner of intreataunce and prayer The sixth cause is the most plentiful frute of often prayer For the custome of praying kéepeth vs in the feare of God and in godlynesse For that man is not easie too take a fall whoo fencing him self with continual prayers dooth earnestly set his minde vppon godlynesse Contrarywise they that neglect the exercise of prayer ar subiect too diuers casualties Many that are led too execution knowe not so muche as the forme of prayer prescrybed by Chryste and thoughe some knowe it if a man aske the question they confesse they prayed seldome or neuer The seuenth cause is the examples of holy men whose chéefe care in this life was too call vpon God earnestly The Iewes prayed thrice a day in the morning at noone and at night So also did Daniell and many others whoos 's godlynesse is commended But among manye yée shall finde some that in stéede of prayer doo not only in the morning at noone and at night but also whole nights whole dayes togyther giue them selues too wickednesse too make a soft pillowe for the Deuil that hée may rest the more quietly in their hartes These moste weightie causes it behooueth vs too think vppon earnestly too the intent we may driue away our drouzinesse and bée stirred vp too call vpon God in good earnest But some passing ouer these moste weightie causes say God knoweth wherof wée haue néed and hée beareth vs good wil. For he is our Father therfore wée néed not wéerie oure selues with praying I answere True it is that GOD knoweth what things wée haue néede of and hée is our father in déede conditionally that wée bée his sonnes by faith Neither doo wée therfore aske of God bicause we wold teach him that which he knoweth not But it is too be knowen y t he wil not haue y e order broken which he hath apointed For as he hath ordeyned that he wil haue vs fed with meat drink whiche thing he could notwithstanding doo without these meanes so his wil is y t wée should obteine the good things that perteine as wel too our saluation as to the sustentation of this life by prayer whiche procéedeth of fayth Yée receiue not sayeth S. Iames. 4. bicause yée ask amisse And Christ sayth The lord shall giue the holy Ghost too them that aske but he sayth not too loyterers or them that liue carelesse Wée must therefore aske if we set by our own welfare Wée must acknowledge bothe as wel the goodnesse of GOD whoo is redy too giue too those that ask as the néedinesse of our selues whoo should not be able
héere promyseth so great things and sith that the heauenly Trinitie dwelleth in them that beléeue Let vs endeuer too bée cleane and pure as it be commeth Gods temples too bée Let vs bée spiritual things that wée may reigne ouer sinne and not serue it any more in the lustes thereof Let vs bée prests that may offer quicke sacrifices vntoo God and call vpon him by fayth in Chryst. Let vs bée saincts and segregated from the heathenish routes of the world that wée fall not intoo our former filthinesse agein ¶ Of the thirde ANd the comforter the holy Ghost vvhom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things This is Chrysts promisse whereby he promiseth his Disciples the holy ghost Wée haue herd before what is the woorthinesse of the Chrystians Now let vs héer what is ioyned with this woorthinesse And bicause I am not able to vtter these things according too their woorthinesse I will after the manner of babes prattle of eche thing that is spoken in this royall promisse These few woords therfore doo conteine seuen poynts concerning the holy ghost the which I will reherse bréefly and apply them too our vse For these points contein the causes why the holy ghost is sent and giuen First he is called an Aduocate Although I haue spoken somewhat an eight dayes hence concerning this name Yet peraduenture it shal not bée amisse too repete it agein too day Therfore he is called an Aduocate that is too say a spokesman bicause hée is at hande too the afflicted and dooth teache them comfort them take their case vpon him as his owne and in conclusion compelleth vs too crye out and too say with all our hart Abba father haue mercy vpon vs for thy sonnes sake whom thou hast giuen too bée our Sauiour And this is the first cause why the holy ghost is giuen The second is that he may quicken vs and thervpon he is called a spirit Now there is a double life The one naturall wherethrough all liuing creatures liue and this endureth for a short time for it is swalowed vp by death and the other life is of God from which Paule sayeth that all those are estraungers which haue not knowne Chryste The author of this life is that spirit of Chryst which he promised too his disciples This is not of short continuance but euerlasting as which is proper too the euerlasting God And this life liue al they that beléeue in the sonne of God Gala. 2. The thirde cause of sending and géeuing the holy ghost is that he may make vs holy of which operation he is called holy and he maketh vs holy at what time he worketh faith in vs when he regenerateth vs when he reformeth our vnderstanding affections and will and too bée bréefe when he bringeth too passe that wée become newe creatures and liue according too the will of God The fourth cause of sending giuing the holy ghost vntoo vs is that he may stablish a certeyne louingnesse among vs and therfore he is said too bée sent from the father too his children For as the father embraceth his children with an inward kindnesse loue so he desireth nothing more than that the childrē folowing the nature of their father should mainteine brotherly loue among them selues Thus too doo it béecommeth them that acknowledge God too bée their common father As for those that refuse too doo so either they neuer were his children or else they are shamefully growen out of kind from the nature of their father The fifth cause of sending the holy ghost is that wée may lerne of him in what sort our heauenly father is mynded towards vs. Therfore the Lord sayth and he shal teach you al things What Shall he teach any other thing than y t which the Prophets and Moyses haue taught Or any other thing than is deliuered vs in the scripture No forsoth For he shal teach the self same things Doth not y e scripture suffise Yes it suffiseth as in respect of doctrine but not as in respect of our capacitie For although wée héere the woord a thousande times yet is it vneffectuall vnlesse he teache within For anoynting as sayth the Apostle teacheth all things The sixth cause of sending and giuing the holy ghost is shewed in this saying in my name By which saying is signified the vttermost ende or the final cause why the holy ghost is giuen which is that they which beléeue in Chryst may bée saued For in as much as Chryst is our saluation that the holy ghost is sent in his name there is no dout but he is sent for our saluation sake The seuenth cause is that he may confirme Christs woord in vs. He sayth Chryst shall teach you all things he shall put you in mynde of all thyngs that I haue spoken vntoo you These things ar signifyed bréefly concerning the holy ghost in our Gospel that is red this day in our Church mo things are noted yet more bréefly in our Créede which are that the holy ghost is very God that he is the thirde person in Trinitie that he quickeneth and sanctifyeth that wée must leane vntoo him by liuely fayth as vntoo the father and the sonne But as concerning these things wée shall héer more another time and haue herd more a while ago ¶ Of the fourth MY peace I leaue vntoo you my peace I giue vntoo you not as the vvorld giueth doo I giue you This promisse of Chryst is right great also and much greater than the world vnderstādeth Dooth not Christ say as we haue herd of late in the world ye shall haue trouble and they shal cast you out of their sinagoges It is so Therfore Chryst maketh a difference betwéene the two sortes of peace betwéene the peace of the world and his peace What maner of peace the peace of the world is there is no man but he vnderstandeth But what maner of peace Chrysts peace is onely the children of God vnderstande For it is that peace whereof the Gospell speaketh and of which I haue entreated abundantly the first Sunday after Easter Neuerthelesse too the intent I may bréefly repete the same things The peace of Christ is our reconcilemēt vntoo God the remission of our sinnes the giuing of the holy ghost and euerlasting life according too this prayer of the Church O God which by the lightning of the holy Ghost hast taught the hartes of the faythfull giue vntoo vs that peace which the world cannot giue and that our hartes may bée quiet This peace the sonne of God graunt vntoo vs too whom with the father and the holy Ghost bée honour and glory for euermore Amen Vpon Whitson Monday ¶ The Gospel Iohn iij. SO GOD loued the vvorld that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that vvho so euer beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne intoo the vvorld too condemne the vvorlde but that the vvorlde
too say with Gods woorde So did blissed Theodosius who tooke all Images and Idoles out of the Churches So did that most godly Prince Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie These mennes example folowed that Prince of moste holye memorie Christian Kyng of Denmarke the third of that name whose benefite the schooles and Churches in this Realme enioye still at this day The third is concerning Gods Temple which is of twoo sortes made with hand or visible and spirituall or not made with hand And eyther of them is the house of Prayer My house sayeth Chryste is the house of prayer The vse of the Temple that is made with handes consisteth chéeflye in these poyntes Firste that it bée a publike place wherein the woorde of God may bée taught and herd Secondly that the Sacraments bée ministred there Thirdly that the godly resorte thither too pray for the common néede And lastly that it bée a place wherein is made open and common confession of Religion But what is done in the Papacie In stede of Gods woord are thrust in mens traditions In stede of the distribution of Gods mysteries there are set foorthe most horrible dishonorings of God They set heauen too sale they blase the Masse for the quicke and the deade they robbe the Churche of the Sacramentes they defile the Sacraments with their blasphemous additions and of the place of open profession of the Gospell they make a consistorie of Hipocrytes which conspyre ageinst the Gospell of Chryst. Thus muche concerning the Temple that is made with hand The Temple that is not made with hand or the spirituall Temple is bothe the whole catholike Church and euery seuerally member thereof For thus sayth Paule wryting too the Corinthians Knovv yee not that the Temple of God is holy vvhiche is you Yea the builder of this Temple Christ sayeth If any man herken too my vvoorde vvee vvill come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him And therfore all the whole church and the seueral members therof are called Gods temple and are his Temple in déede The foundation of this Temple is the sonne of God For other foundation can no man lay than that whiche is layd already which is Iesus Chryst. This temple is raered by the sonne of God and builded by the Prophets Apostles the Ministers of the woorde the godly Magistrates and holy housholders according too the grace which the Lorde giueth too euery of them in their Temple This Temple is purged and kept clean by the blud of Chryst. The doorekéeper of this Temple is the holy Ghost when men knocke at the doore of it with prayer and fayth And this Temple is not idle For in it is continuall praysing of God continuall prayer holy oblations and too comprehend all in one woorde seruice of God without wéerynesse for vntoo this holy vse is this holy Temple of God dedicated But as for suche men as folowe their owne lustes their Tyrannie their vsurie and deceyt They not only vnhalowe this Temple of God casting out the doorekéeper the holy Ghost and driuing away the woorkmaister Chryst â–ª but also they become the Temples of Sathan wherin the blud of Chryst is dishonored Gods woorde put too â—eproche and in steade of praying too God succéedeth worshipping of Sainctes cursings blasphemies slaunders and too conclude at a woorde all the Churche ringeth of the prayses of Sathan But what moueth vs too couet too be the Temple of God First the dignitie For what greater glorie is there than too bée the Temple of the holy Trinitie Secondly the profite For by this meanes wée passe from the chappell of Sathan where nothing reigneth but death and damnation too the house of God and euerlasting blisse Thirdly the ende for which man was created For wée are created too bée the temples of God On the contrary part it is to be considered how vnwoorthy a thing it is and how great a treason too God too defile this Temple with any wickednesse And therfore wée must enforce our selues with all our power too do true seruice of God in this his Temple and too offer too him the Sacrifice of our lips that is too wit thanksgiuing and the frankincense of our hart that is too wit faith and innocencie The fourth is The worlde iudgeth farre otherwise of them that are the Temples of God than Gods woord dooth The world supposeth that the honorable the myghtie the wise and the riche are receyued intoo this Temple But the woord of God teacheth the contrary and examples shew it And although no man be cast of for the nobilitie of his birth for his power for his wisdome or for his riches yet it falleth out for the most part that suche men being intangled in the affayres of the world haue the lesse minde of this spirituall Temple Examples héerof are Caine and Abel Esau and Iacob Thus dooth God alwayes choose the weake things of this woorld that he might put the strong things too shame But this will not moue For Chryst saith Feare not thou little flocke for it hath pleased my father too giue you a kingdome Too whom through Chryst with the holy Ghost bée honor without ende Amen Vpon the .xj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospel Luke xviij CHryst tolde this parable vntoo certeine vvhich trusted in them selues that they vvere perfecte and despised other Tvvo men vvent vp intoo the Temple too praye the one a Pharisey and the other a Publicane The Pharisie stoode and prayed thus vvith him selfe God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publicane I fast tvvyse in the vveeke I giue Tythe of all that I possesse And the Publicane standing a farre of vvoulde not lifte vp his eyes too heauen but smote his brest saying God bee mercifull too me a sinner I tell you this man departed home too his house iustified more than the other For euery manne that exalteth himselfe shall bee brought lovve and hee that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted The exposition of the text THe occasion of this Gospell was that after Chryst had taught concerning the force of Prayer and the forme of praying he minded also too set foorth euident examples wherin he might paint out the nature both of effectuall Prayer and hypocritish boasting For in as much as no man can pray aright except he first bée rightuous by fayth in Chryst it commeth too passe that many imagine themselues too bée rightuous and therfore think themselues too pray aright Wherefore it was néedfull too make a difference betwixte them that are rightuous in déede and those that counterfet a rightuousnesse For they that will â—eeme rightuous and are not doo in no wise pray But suche as acknowledge their sinnes and repent them earnestly they only being made rightuous by fayth can pray effectually and aright For this cause therefore the Lord setteth héere two images before vs. Wherof the one is of hipocritish Prayer and the other is of true and godly Prayer The
Pharisie who thought himself godly and rightuous and was not so maketh vs a Prayer too knowe an Hypocrite by Contrariwise the silie Publicane casting himselfe flat before God and acknowledging his own vnclennesse and yet neuerthelesse fléeing vntoo mercy dooth by his exāple set foorth a forme of true and healthful prayer The places are thrée 1 Of the rightuousnesse of the Law and of the fondnesse of the Pharisie 2 Of Christen rightuousnesse and of true repentance 3 Chrystes iudgement concerning the Pharisie and the Publicane ¶ Of the firste HE sayde too certeine vvhiche had an opinion of themselues that they vvere ryghtuous Héere I must néedes speake of the rightuousnesse of the Lawe what is it and what is the vse end and prerogatiue of it For thereby wée shall vnderstand how farre the Pharisies are wide from the true rightuousnesse What is the rightuousnesse of the Lawe It is a perfecte obedience of all our members inwarde and outwarde vntoo Gods lawe of the harte the affections the will the mouth and ▪ bréeflye of all the powers and abilities as well of the bodie as the minde whiche obedience it behoueth too be not at startes but continuall not vayne but perfecte and full not stayned but pure and chaste suche as mighte haue bin performed by Adam before his fall and suche as is performed by the holye Angelles in Heauen That the rightuousnesse of the Law ought too bée suche a one bothe Moyses and Chryst doo teache in these woords Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy harte with all thy soule with all thy strengthe and with all thy power and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Moreouer forasmuche as hée is pure holy chaste nothing can please him but that whiche is pure holye and chaste And they that fulfill this rightuousnesse they onely haue the promisse of the Law For thus sayeth Moyses The man that dooth these things shall liue in thē No man Chryst onely excepted didde euer performe this perfecte and continuall obedience suche as the Lawe requireth Wherefore all they ▪ that thynke them selues ryghtuous wyth thys rightuousnesse of the law are not only blinde and arrogant but also blasphemous ageinst the law of GOD which they measure by their owne slender skill and not by the voyce of GOD. That none is able too fulfil the law of GOD I haue declared a late and will now bréefly bring the same too oure remembrance ageine Firste oure members bothe inwarde and outward wherwith wée should execute obedience to the Lawe are mangled and corrupted with a certeine horrible outrage so as they are able too doo nothing aryght Agein the Law of sinne as a moste stoute Gyant grypeth our limmes euen after that wée bée borne a newe that wée cannot performe what we woulde Héereuppon S. Paule cryeth oute O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer mée from this bodye subiecte too Death And in another place Too will is present with mée but too performe I finde not in my selfe Also I doo not the good that I would doo but the euill whiche I would not doo that doo I. Thus the regenerate haue a forewarde will but they are destitute of ablenesse too performe that which they would so importunate is our houshold enimie withdrawing vs from that whiche is good What shall wée saye then of them whose will is not yet reformed suche as all they bée that are not regenerate Too the furtherance héereof also maketh it that the Law of God is spirituall but wée are carnall For thus hathe Paule béeing at that time a faythfull Chrystian sayd The Law is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne Héereby it is easie too sée that wée are not able to performe due obedience too the law For how is it possible that flesh should performe spirituall rightuousnesse I alledged many and sundry other reasons not long agoe whereby I shewed that no man in this life is able too yéeld perfect and ful obedience too the Law What is too bée doone then Héere thou shalt firste heare the voyce of the Lawe What sayeth hée Curssed is hée that continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the Lawe Héere thou hearest the sentence of the Lawe Let this saying of the lawe humble thée before God and vtterly cast thée downe that thou maist acknowledge both the filthinesse of thy sinne and thy iust damnation What is too bée doone héer Are we able too eschue the cursse of the lawe Thou art not able of thine owne power Wherefore thou must eyther perish or else séeke a remedie ageinst this damnation of the lawe but other remedie surely there is none than only Iesus Chryst who purposely came into the world too take vppon himselfe the curse of the lawe and too delyuer all that beléeue on him from the power of the lawe that is from damnation which the law threatneth too those y t transgresse it Therefore this cursse extendeth it selfe too all men that héere not Chryst nor are clothed with his rightuousnesses that they may appéere apparelled therewith in the sight of God For Chryst is the end of the law too iustifie all that beléeue Rom. 10. These things haue I spoken concerning the rightuousnesse of the lawe too this intent that I might shewe how fond these Pharisies were which thought themselues rightuous and hilde scorne of others as vnholy and vnrightuous But what is the cause that this Pharisie and the rest of his rable thought themselues rightuous The cause was blindnesse For he was so blinde that he saw not the méening of the lawe yea rather he saw only the couering of the lawe and neuer looked into the brest of the lawe according as the text of this gospel sufficiently declareth For he sayth I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publicane He had séene the letter of the law then but not the spirit that is he stacke only in the outward woorks but he considered not the spirituall méening which the law requireth How bée it too the intent these things may be set the playner before our eyes let vs sée first what maner of woorkes this Pharisies were Secondly Let vs lay them too the law of God Thirdly let vs gather therby what wanted in him And fourthly let vs sée of how many sinnes he was founde giltie and cast by the lawe though he vaunted himselfe rightuous before men The woorkes of this Pharisie were faithlesse procéeding of méere misbeléefe and pryde Now in as much as the scripture saieth plainely without faith it is impossible too please God who is so madde as too call this outwarde visor rightuousnesse Let vs lay his woorkes that he bosteth of too the woord of God The lawe requireth pure obedience This man out of his most vncleane hart draweth slaunders ageinst God and his neighboure The lawe commaundeth him too loue his neighboure He accuseth him yea and that before the iudgement seate of God
Lord was bidden too dinner by a certein Pharisie vppon the Sabboth day and that a certeine man diseased of the Dropsie was brought before him he demaunded of those that séemed too themselues too bée wyser than other men whither it were lawfull too heale vppon the Sabboth day And the cause why he put foorth this question was for that as the Pharisies had with their gloses corrupted the other scriptures So also had they defaced the kéeping of the Sabboth Howbéeit forasmuche as the question is concerning the Saboth wée wil set foorth the whole doctrine coÌ„cerning the Saboth and speake of foure things in order First wherfore God ordeined the Sabboth day Secondly what is the right vse of the Iewes Sabboth Thirdly what maner of holy dayes ours ought too bée And fourthly of the true Ceremonies of the Church and of the ends of them Why then did God ordeine the Sabboth day There bée rekâ—ened chéefly fiue causes Of which the first is that it should bée a perpetuall Sacrament or remembraunce of Gods rest after the creation of the world which he made in sixe dayes with all the furniture and contentes therof This cause is alledged in the seconde of Genesis where Moyses sayth that the Lord coÌ„maunded the Saboth day too bée kept holy bicause he rested that day froÌ„ creation The same thing also is declared in the .xx. of Exodus in these woords The seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lord. For in sixe dayes the Lord God made heauen and earth The second cause of the ordeyning of the Sabboth is that it should bée a type and counterfigure of Chrystes Sabboth kéeping For it represented the Sabboth whiche Chryst the true Passeouer and creator of the new Heauen new earth should rest in his graue vpon the Sabboth day and kéep the very Sabboth arighte And therefore hée commaundes the Iewes streightly too kéepe the Sabboth day And by the vnserchable deuise of his wisdome hée ordeyned that Chryste the true Paschall Lamb should bée slaine and put too deathe vppon the very day of the Passeouer and that hée rested the Saboth day folowing in his graue The third cause also why the Saboth was ordeyned was that it should be a pledge of the promisse For God promised his people a Saboth that is too say a rest Esay â–ª the .xiiij. And in that daye when GOD shall giue thée reste from thy laboure and from thy confusion and from thy harde bondage wherein thou didst serue c. The people of GOD looke for thrée kindes of rest The first is from the laboure of the presente troubles in this life The second is from the temptations wherewith oure owne Conscience and the Deuill assaulteth vs. The thirde is from the thraldome of the Deuil so as hée may neuer more bring vs vnder his bondage and hard yoke The fourth cause of the institution of the Sabboth is too the intente there shoulde bée a time certeine for teaching and hearing the woord of GOD or that there shoulde bée a time wherein there might bée an open and common professing of the religion in which the godly might take comfort the ignoraunt bée instructed in godlinesse Esay 58. If thou call a delicate Saboth Then shalt thou delight in the Lord Iob. 22. Then shalt thou delight in the almightie and lift vp thy face vntoo GOD. For the Saboth was not ordeyned too play and drinke in but too pray and praise God in Wherevppon Austin sayeth it is lesse euill too go too plough than too play vpon one of those dayes The fifth cause is for ciuil policie which is commended too Gods people Deut. 5. in these woords Kéep the Saboth day that thy man seruant thy mayd seruant and thy selfe maye rest And afterwarde Thou shalt doo no manner of woorke therein thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and thy mayde seruant thine Oxe and thine Asse and the Straunger that is within thy gate And thus haue wée the true causes and the right vse of the Iewishe Sabboth Now although the Iewish Saboth toogither with other ceremonies of Moyses bée abolished and disanulled so farre foorth as perteyneth too the kéeping of the seuenth day of the wéeke Yet notwithstanding as touching the vse of it it is continuall as a thing ratifyed by the lawe of God and nature For like as God wil be serued and that his woord shal bée preached So nature telleth vs it is vtterlye necessary that there should bée some certeine time appoynted for holy matters Therfore there must néedes bée certaine dayes appoynted for folke too assemble and méet in openly at certein houres that the woord of God may bée taught and learned too the intente all things may bée doone orderlye and after a comely fashion in the Churche according as Paule teacheth the Corinthians Moreouer in oure holydayes twoo things are too bée obserued One is what is to be eschued Another is what is to bée doone Thrée things are too bée eschued The firste is outward labour And that too the intent the minde maye wholly intend too Gods seruice that is too say that it may wholly intend too heare Gods woord too learne it and too consider vppon it And therefore it is the Magistrates duetie too prouide that the seruice of God be not hindered at such times by bodily laboures Howbeit héere it is too bée knowne that there bée foure exceptions which excuse those that laboure at suche a time The first is necessarie For our Lord himselfe excuseth his Disciples for plucking the eares of corne vppon the seuenth day as sayth Mathew in the twelfth Chapter The seconde is the profite of the Church like as the préests did all things vpon the Saboth day which séemed néedfull in the Churche without trouble of conscience for the Saboth The third is the profit and sauegard of our neighbor wherfore our Lord also healed the man that had the dropsie vpon the Saboth day The fourth is the aucthoritie of the superiors too whom wée must bée obedient But let the superiors take héede that they offend not him which is their superior while they hold their inferiors too streight The second thing that is too bée eschued is voluptuous lyfe toogither with all the woorkes of darknesse which fight full ageinst kéeping holy the Saboth day Thirdly thou must eschue the contempt of godly ceremonies soothly least eyther by absenting thy selfe or by despising the holy Ceremonies thou giue others example too become woorse Thus haue we what things are too bée eschued in our holydayes Now let vs sée what is too bée doone in them First therefore in as much as the Iewes were occupied in killing sacrifices and in offering Let vs also slea the sacrifices of our owne bodies and offer the Calues of our lippes Let vs earnestly repent let vs glorifie God with hart mouth confession and behauiour let vs offer the incence of our hart that is too wit faith and hope let vs offer the sacrifice of well doing
the causes according as I promised in the thirde place whiche surely are many The first is Gods commaundement For the first table requireth humilitie too Godward and all the seconde table requireth humblenesse to manward The second is the example of Chryst. Wherupon Paule in the second chapter too the Philippiās Let the same minde bée in you which was in Iesus Chryst who béeing God tooke the shape of a seruant vpon him The thirde is the consideration of thy selfe what thou warte before thy birth what thou arte from thy birth too thy deathe and what thou shalt bée after this life Thou warte séed and bloud in thy mothers wombe now thou art in a wildernesse of miseries during this life and in the ende thou shalte bée woormes meate The fourth is that thy goodes and good giftes if thou haue any are not thine own but Gods bestowed vpon thée too doo good with vntoo others Therfore if thou bée eyther proude of them or abuse them thou muste stande in feare of horrible punishement The fifth is too think that God is able too take away what giftes soeuer thou haste if thou abuse them and yéeld not the praise too him alone The sixt is that many which séeme too haue lesse gifts than thou doo oftentimes imploye their laboure more too the profite of the common weale and the Churche than thou doost For as God is the strength of bread so is he the power wherby any thing is made acceptable too himselfe And these are the sixe causes which béeing knit toogither make true humilitie the which is hindered by twoo mischéeues strife and vainglory Wherfore Paule in the second too the Philippians sayeth Doo nothing of strife or vaineglorie but through humilitie let euery man estéeme other better than himself For as for those whiche haue a delighte in striuing like as they bée destitute of charitie so are they also voyde of true humilitie and vaineglorie fighteth ful butte ageinste humilitie Thus haue wée what humilitie is of howe manye sortes it is and what causes it hath Now foloweth that whiche I promised too speake of in the fourth place of the rewarde and naturall fruites of the same Hée that is humble shall receiue thrée fruites the first before God the seconde before men the third in himselfe Firste before God the frute is that hée whiche is rightly humble hath God dwelling in him Whereuppon Esay 57. I dwell highe aboue and in the Sanctuarie with him also that is of a contrite humble spirite And in the .66 Whome shall I regarde Euen him that is poore and of a lowly troubled spirite and standeth in awe of my woords Luke the second GOD exalteth the lowly 1. Peter 5. God resisteth the proude and giueth grace too the lowly Before men the lowlye person receyueth this frute Euen as the proude body is disdeyned of al men euen so he that is lowly in déede is honored of all men and an honeste name and report foloweth him In himselfe the lowly person findeth these moste swéete frutes First humilitie or lowlinesse is the mother of chastitie pacience Secondly it is the way vntoo wisdome Prouerbs 11. Where as is lowlinesse there is wisdome Thirdly it is the kéeper of fayth and of the feare of God Fourthly it is the furtherance of inuocation and after a sorte procureth too bée hearde of the Lorde Psalme 101. The Lord looked down vpon the prayer of the lowly Fifthly glorie accompanieth lowlynesse Math. v. Blissed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Mat. 24. He that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted Prouerbes 29. The lowly person shall come too woorship not for that lowlynesse deserueth these things but bycause these things fall vntoo the lowly through the lowlynesse of Christ. To whom bée glory for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .xviij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. xxij WHEN the Pharisies had heard that Iesus did put the Saducees too sylence they came toogither and one of them vvhich vvas a doctor of lavv asked him a question tempting him and saying Maister vvhiche is the greatest commaundement in the lavv Iesus said vntoo him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy hart and vvith all thy soule and vvith all thy minde This is the first and greatest commaundement And the seconde is like vntoo it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe In these tvvo commaundementes hang all the lavv and the Prophets VVhyle the Pharisies vvere gathered toogyther Iesus asked them saying VVhat thinke yee of Chryst vvhose sonne is he They saide vntoo him The sonne of Dauid He said vnto them Hovv then dooth Dauid in spirite call him Lord saying The Lord sayde vntoo my Lord sit thou on my right hande tyll I make thine enimies thy footstoole If Dauid then call him Lord hovv is he then his sonne And no man vvas able too ansvvere him any thing neither durst any man from that day foorth aske him any mo questions The exposition of the text THis Gospel conteineth a summe of the christen doctrine that is too wit the doctrine of the lawe and of the Gospel A Pharisie propoundeth a question concerning the lawe and Chryst ageine an other concerning the Gospell but for a sundrie purpose For the Pharisie asketh a question concerning the lawe too the intent too tempt Chryst and too picke a quarell too him But Chryst demaunded of him concerning the Gospell too the intent too bring the miswéening Iewes and Pharisies vntoo the true knowledge of the law the gospel For they bicause they thought y t men wer iustified by the déedes of y e law despised the Gospell supposing there was no néede of any other doctrine too the attaynment too saluation than the doctrine of the law whose error Chryst confuteth Sée héer the goodnesse of Chryst. Although the Pharisies aske the question vppon malice yet notwithstanding Christ answereth them according too his owne office and teacheth an absolute doctrine concerning the lawe and the Gospell Therfore the summe of this Gospell is that Christe contriueth all the lawe and the Prophets intoo these two poyntes which are the loue of God and the loue of our neybour Afterward he enquireth of the Messias that is too wit of himselfe too the intent he might shew what one he was namely God and man who was too this end promised too the fathers that he should destroy the woorkes of the diuell and that all kinreds of the earth myght bée blissed in him who becomming our préest should pacifie Gods wrath by paying our raunsome for vs. The places are thrée 1 Of the Saducées whose mouthes our Lord stopped 2 The question concerning the summe of the Law and a rule how too serue God 3 The question concerning the Messias ¶ Of the firste THe Pharisies hearing that hee had put the Saducees too silence assembled toogither c. Albéeit that the Pharisies and Saducées were of a sundry religion one from another and defended contrary
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
fell out according too the Law when hée was ful sixe wéekes olde The places are thrée 1 The offering vp of Chryst in the Temple 2 Simeons description and blissing 3 Simeons song ¶ Of the firste GOd had ordeyned sundry customes of offering in the olde Testament not too the intent men should bée iustified before God by the woorke of sacrifising for if the blud of Oxen and Gotes could haue put away sinne Chryste had not come in the fleshe too purge sinne by the sacrifice of his bodie but there were other causes of which number are these The first is that by this exercise the Idolatrie of the Gentiles mighte bée hindered For in as muche as all men euen the moste barbarous are touched with a certeine reuerence of Religion they will set vp fashions of woorshipping God after their own deuice Howbéeit bicause no seruice pleaseth God saue that whiche is of his owne appointment God him selfe ordeyned by Moyses sundry seruices too the intent that by the multitude of Ceremonies whiche God had ordeyned the Iewishe people might bée withhilde from Idolatrie and serue the one God that had brought them out of the lande of Egipte and bestowed vppon them innumerable other benefites bothe ghostly and bodily The second cause is that inward godlynesse might bée exercised by these outward helps For these outward sacrifices were not of themselues Gods seruice but onely stirrings vp of the true seruice and woorshipping which thing appéereth by Esay where God abhorreth outwarde sacrifices without inward godlinesse of minde The third is that they should be open witnesses of thanksgiuing whereby this people should bothe bée stirred vp and also confirmed and testifie openly that they serued this God which had brought them intoo the land of Canaan and fedde them by miracle in the wildernesse The fourth is that by this meanes the ministerie of Gods woord might bée stablished that the ministers of Gods seruice and the Préests might haue wheron to liue He that serueth at the altar saith Paule let him liue of the altar And Chryst The labourer is woorthy of his hyre This custome did they hold in olde time in the churche when they came toogither too héere the woord and receiue the Sacraments The godly according too their abilities bestowed somewhat too the maintenance of the ministers and the reléefe of the poore whiche gathering was called a contribution From hence also issued the maner of tything The fifth is that these olde oblations bée a shadowe of the sacrifice of Chryst that was too come and as it were a place wherein they were put in remembrance of Chryst too come This did the godly wel vnderstand as Abel Noe Abraham For they did not thinke that they put away sinne and death by their sacrifices but they trusted to the sacrifice of Chryst byrthe vertue wherof their sinnes also were purged When Abel slewe his sacrifices he thought thus First when hée sawe the blud of the sacrifice he thought vppon the sinne of mankinde which had deserued eternal paynes Secondly he looked forward too the thing y t was signified for he thought that his sacrifice was a figure of the promised séede that is too wit of Chryste who shoulde purge sinne by offering himselfe in sacrifice Thirdly by thinking so Abelles fayth was confirmed and encreased wherethrough he was bothe iustified before God and accepted of God Furthly vppon this faith ensued thanksgiuing newnesse of life Suche as offred after this maner pleased God Thus much bée spoken concerning the sacrifices of the olde Testament in generall Now wil I speake of that maner of sacrifices which is mencioned in this gospell There was a double commaundement appoynted too bée obserued when any childe was borne The one was of the moother howe many wéekes shée ought too abyde out of the company of men And the other was of the childe that was borne Concerning the mother this was the order that if she were deliuered of a manchild she should kéepe hir selfe close xxxvij dayes and if it were a womanchilde she should continue close twyse as long For then shée ought too bée out of the congregation .lxxiiij. days And this thing was not doone for any vnworthynesse that was in the woman but for two other causes that is too wit néedfulnesse and further méening The néedfulnesse was that by this meanes consideration might bée had of the helth of the woman who after the throwes of hir childbed hath néede of rest that she may gather strength agein and godly husbands ought at such times too haue speciall regard of the weaknesse of their wiues and it behooued women also too kéepe this law of nature both for their own sakes and also for other womens sakes The méening of it was that this barring them out of companye should doo men too vnderstand that al which are descended of Adam are barred from God for the sinne wherin they are borne and that therfore they haue néede of Chryst◠sacrifice too purge them The other commaundement concerned the child that was borne And that also was of two sorts The one general and the other concerning the first borne The generall commaundement was that when the woman had fulfilled the time that shée was excluded from the congregation of the church there should bée sacrifices offred whither it were for a sonne or for a daughter in what order so euer they were borne This sacrifice did put them in mind first that their children were borne sinners and therefore had néede of clenzing and of forgiuenesse of sinnes Secondly that by this meanes they shold be consecrated to god Thirdly that the parents should know that they begate children to God not too themselues or too Sathan And fourthly that there was a further méening in the matter namely that their children should be a figure of Chryst that was too bée offered The speciall commaundement was concerning the first borne as well in men as in beasts that they should bée offered vntoo God First in remembrance of that great benefit that the Lord sparing the people of Israel did strike the first borne of Egipt as wel in men as beasts Secondly for y e signification therof that is too wit that the only begotten sonne of God and first begotten son of Mary should be offred vp in tyme too come for our deliuerance from the Egipt of sin Let this suffise concerning the law and the signification thereof and now let vs come too the offering vp of Chryst. The law commaundeth that euery firste borne whiche openeth the moother béeing conceyued of mans séede should bée offred vp in this wise But Chryst was not so conceyued after the manner of man but he was conceyued by the holy ghost borne of a most chast virgin Ergo he was not boūd by the law too bée offered vp in the temple after the maner of others that were first begottē I answer Chryst was also at his frée choise whither he wold haue bin conceiued born and
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
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
â—s that the storye of the celebration of the Lordes Supper should as this day bée handled in the church too the intent the true vse of this holy Supper may bée vnderstoode For when Chryst the day before he should suffer instituted this supper he gaue commaundement to his disciples that they should keep this supper in remembrance of him Wherfore it must nedes bée that there are great ◠〈◊〉 causes why it should be nedfull to make great account of the institutioÌ„ of this supper For vnlesse we thorowly and with good héed wey â—he causes of the institutioÌ„ of this supper we cannot sufficiently extol the goodnesse of our sauiour who although he were in most gréeuous sorow for his death which was at haÌ„d would notw tstaÌ„ding institute this supper leaue it too his church for a most assured pledge of our saluation purchased by him wherin the memoriall of the couenant established betwéene God man by the blud of Christ might be preserued for euer Howbeit to y e inteÌ„t wée may be the more distinctly instructed coÌ„cerning this supper I will propounde thrée places which by Gods grace I wyll expounde at this time The three places 1 The circumstaunces of the institution of this Supper and the signification therof wheruppon shal bee gathered the full description of the same 2 The true and lawfull triall of suche persons as méene too vse this Supper to their profit 3 The right vse and lawfull meditation of this Supper ¶ Of the firste THere be many circumstances in the storie of the Institution of this Supper which I wil set forth in order according too the texte The first is of the time For thus lie the words of the text Our Lord Iesus Chryst in the same night that hee vvas betrayed For he instituted this Supper vppon the Thursday late before the next friday folowing that he should bée crucified Wheruppon wée may gather twoo things First how great it must needes bée that Chrystes loue was towards vs whoo although he knew he shold die the next day would notwithstanding institute this perpetuall remembraunce of his benefits Another is that the celebration of this Supper must bée kept by vs in true repentance according as shall be said ageine afterward The second circumstaunce is of the guestes that were at this Supper The maister of the feast was Chryst they that were at it were his disciples good and bad The good surely were very weake and the bad was but only Iudas the traitor Héereby wée are taught that Chryste will alwayes bée present at this Supper and that this Supper perteyneth too Chrystes disciples And although the wicked doo also mingle themselues in among the reast yet notwithstanding thys Supper turneth to their iudgement and damnation as shall bée said ageine héereafter The third circumstance is of blissiing For he tooke bread and gaue thanks If the sonne of God gaue thanks before he vsed things what becommeth it vs too doo The fourth circumstance is of the elements For he vsed bread and wyne in the institution of this supper For as the outward man is nourished with bread and wine so the inward maÌ„ is spiritually fed with the body and blud of Christ. The fift circumstaunce is of the things that are present inuisible at this supper as are the very bodye and the very blud of our lord Iesus Chryst. The sixt circumstance is the coÌ„mandement for he commandeth his Church to kéepe continually the same maner of celebrating his supper Doo this saith he The seuenth circumstance is of the new couenant This Cuppe sayth he is the nevv testament in my blud Why this Supper is called the new Testament it shall bée tolde you afterwarde The eight circumstance is the end for which the Supper was instituted whiche end is expressed in these woords Doo yee this sayth hée in remembrance of mee That is too say As often as ye vse this supper renue yée the remembraunce of my benefits that is to wit of my death and resurrection and shewe yée forth my death till I come The ninth circumstance foloweth vpon the eyght namely that the celebration of this supper belongeth only too them that be of yéeres of discretion that may bée instructed of the Lordes death and that are able too giue thankes openly too the Lord for his benefits These are the circumstances of this supper that are too be weyed diligently Now will I shewe what things are ment by this Supper For as the Pascall Lamb had many significations in the old Testament So also hath this holy Supper of Chrysts which is succéeded in the place of the paschall Lambe Therfore as the Paschall Lambe firste did put the people in mind of the benefite doone in olde time that is too wit of their deliuerance from the bondage of Egipt And secondly confirmed the faith of them that vsed it and thirdly shadowed the sacrificing of Chryst that was to come and fourthly was a figure of the euerlasting couenant betwéene God man So also hath this supper sundrie significations and that partly in respect of the time past partly of the tyme present and partely of the time too come and partly of the euerlastingnesse Whiche significations I will declare as playnly as I can God further both mée in teaching and you in héering that it may turn too Gods glorie too the healthfull instruction of our selues What is the signification of the supper in respect of the tyme past If we looke back too the time past this holy supper is a certeine calling too mynd of the Storie of our Lords passion according too Chrystes commaundement Doo yee this in remembrance of mee As often then as wée come too the Supper or other wise bée present at the celebration of the supper wée must bée mindfull of the death buryall and resurection of our Lord. What is the méening of the supper in respect of the time present First it signifyeth that we are vnited and incorporated intoo Chryste and that spiritually For so teacheth Paule when he sayth The Cup of Blissing vvhich vvee blisse is it not the communion of Chrystes blud The bread than vve breake is it not the communion of Chrystes bodye That is too say the partaking of the body and blud of Chryst maketh vs to haue a certaine coÌ„munion with Chryst. Agein it signifieth that we also are vnited among our selues by y e spirit of Chryst as many of vs as are partakers too gither of this supper Of which communion the one lofe is a token as Paule testifyeth when he sayeth bycause as there is one lofe so wée béeing many are one body For as the lofe is made of many cornes so as many as communicate toogyther doo grow togyther intoo one body spiritually the head wherof is Chryst and this is the cause that Paule calleth the Supper a communion Hereupon one of the holy fathers sayth The supper is called a Communion first for that by it wée communicate wyth Chryst