this worlde He instructeth them as touchinge the conuersion of the Gētiles and the receauing of them into the nombre of gods people whome they iudged to be dogges and caste awayes He teacheth them that the gospell belongeth no les to the Gentile then to the Iewe and that there is no respecte of persons before God but that who so euer beleueth and worketh righteousnes is welcomme vnto hym He enformeth them that they in this worlde shoulde not looke for wealth glorie riches ease fauour of men c. But for the crosse trouble affliction persecution losse of goodes banishment imprisonment and at the last death wheras the Apostles so blinded were they with the vaine opiniō of Christes carnal and worldly kyngdome as we may se in many places of the Euangelicall historie looked for the cleane contrary These and suche lyke thinges whiche Christe to fore had taught the Apostles the holy ghoste renued and broughte vnto their remembrance and all carnall fansies and worldly imaginations vtterlye secluded and sette a parte he inspired and breathed into them true iudgements and godly persuasions concerning the high misteries of Christes doctrine by this meanes not onely deliuerynge them from errours and false doctrine but also making them able to do the same thorow the ministerie of the word For the holy ghoste is a true interpretour of Christes minde and a faithfull teacher of gods holy misteries Whosoeuer hath hym for his guide he maye be sure to walke the waye of truth and to be led into the same But whosoeuer hath not the holy ghoste to be his teacher and guyde he falleth into errours and heresies and wandereth from the waye of trueth as many examples of all ages do proue Arrius that Arche heretike had or rather semed to haue one or two sentences of the holy scripture to defende hys wycked and abhominable doctrine in denyinge the godhead of Christ wherunto he did sticke with toothe and nayle as they vse to saye But in the meane season he did not marke and consider the great multitude of both sentences and examples of the holy scripture moste plaine and moste euident whiche most plainely and most euidently do proue and declare that Christe is true and naturall God begotten of God the father from euerlasting The Anabaptistes also in these our dayes are the authors of a newe doctrine and custome because CHRIST saith Go and teache all nations baptising them c. Now forasmuch as doctrine is set forth before baptisme they gather that chyldren ought not to be baptised before they be taught not cōsideringe that Christ had here speciall respecte to them that were growen in age are endued with witt reason vnderstanding These ought first to be taught afterwarde if they receue and beleue the doctrine to be baptised so receaued into the nombre of Godes children In infantes baptisme which haue not the vse of reason doctrine presently is not required no more then it was in the Circūcisiō of the infants of the Iewes which were the people of god Lykewise errours haue risen vp about the lords supper many great as trāssubstantiation reseruation and circūgestation of the Sacramentall bread the adoration of the same the priuate eating therof likewise the taking away of the Lords cuppe frō the laytie in the administratiō of the Supper the making of the Lords supper of a sacrifice of thanckes geuinge a propiciatorie satisfactorie and expietorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead c. Menne easely fall into errours when they haue not the holy ghost to be their guyde and leader He sayth Christ which is the spirite of trueth euen he shall lede you into all truth He shall teache you all trueth He shall put you in remembrance of those thinges that I to fore haue taughte you Moreouer Christe saith The holy ghost shal shew you thinges to come For that also pertaineth vnto his office as there be examples in the Chronicle of the Apostles actes Again he sayth He shall glorifie me that is to saye he shall replenishe you with the knowledge of God that ye will not doubt to suffer all thinges for my names sake set more by me thē by al other things in the worlde These and such like shal be the offices workes of the holy ghost These thinges can ye not now awaye with neither do ye vnderstāde them Ye must tarye til the holy ghost cōmeth that by experience ye maye knowe this doctrine Therefore I wyll not speake muche vnto you of these thynges at this present But of this one thinge I wil only admonishe you that ye be not dismayde nor discouraged by the reason of my departure For this my departure shall be the cause that the holy ghoste shall be sent vnto you whiche shal haue in the worlde this office of rebukynge whereby they that beleue shal be deliuered from sinne endued with euerlasting righteousnes and be thorowly confirmed against all kynde of aduersitie trouble persecution c. And this is the doctrine of the Gospell redde in the Church this present sondaye God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs his holy spirite that by hym we may be enstructed of all these thinges and be confirmed in the same vnto the ende Amen The fyfte Sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Ihon. xvi VEryly veryly I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wil geue it you Hytherto haue ye asked nothynge in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioye maye be full These thynges haue I spoken vnto you by Prouerbes The time wyll come when I shal no more speake vnto you by Prouerbes but I shall shewe you plainely from my father At that day shall ye aske in my name And I saye not vnto you that I wyll speake vnto my father for you for the father hym selfe loueth you because ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I came out from God I went out from the father and came into the worlde Againe I leaue the worlde and go to the father His Disciples sayde vnto him Lowe nowe thou talkest plainelye and speakest no Prouerbe Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thinges nedest not that any man shoulde aske thee any question therfore beleue we that thou camest from God Iesus aunswered them Nowe ye do beleue beholde the houre draweth nye and is alredy come that ye shal be scattered euery man to his owne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the father is with me These wordes haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye myght haue peace for in the worlde shall ye haue tribulation But be of good chere I haue ouercome the worlde THE EXPOSITION THe Gospell of this daye as ye haue heard is a singuler and very notable exhortation vnto prayer for after the ministerie of the worde this is the highest seruice that Christen men can do
suerty that God is merciful vnto them But why is Christ baptised which neuerthelesse is without synne Not for his owne behalf but for ours which are synners For he taketh oure synnes vpon hym and deliuereth vs from them And for this cause he cometh to baptisme as the Euangelist sheweth very properly wheras he saith Christ forbidden of Iohn aunswereth Suffer me for this is it mete to fulfill all righteousnes Which is as much as to say In his baptisme is conteyned the righteousnes of al the world For wheras al the worlds synnes are put on me if the recouer of the worlde be sought for I muste do that that God commanded synners to do that is that they should be baptised of the. Do not thou forbyd it but rather further it that euen as I do gladly take vpon me baptisme for synnes sake so do thou gladly procure baptisme for me that the wrath of God may be pacified and remission of synnes ordeyned To this meaning sendeth the Father this voyce out of heauen This is my dearly beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased He speaketh these words at that tyme when Christ is baptised that we may vnderstande that this is oure baptisme and thinke surely that the wrathe of God is pacified and oure synnes purged by this baptisme and that God wil receaue vs again into fauour for his sonnes sake No difficultie or combrance be it neuer so great should take the sound of this voyce and so magnificēt a reuelation out of oure sight and mynde wheras the Lord oure GOD openeth the heauens and sendeth doune the holy Ghost in the forme of a doue wher as God the Father hym self sendeth forth such a pleasant voyce saying Beholde here is for you my sonne whome I loue and esteme aboue all things yea and my self also wholy for you But what doth the sonne he behaueth hym selfe as a miserable and wretched synner and is baptised of Iohn There coulde be no gentler and meker reuelatiō of al the godheade according to the three persons in three sortes than this was so that all men may be sure of this that he that receaueth Christ and beleueth his word and trusteth in his working pleaseth God in all pointes Which thing is set forth and confirmed in this place Whatsoeuer he commandeth saith or doth all that is verily after the will and pleasure of the Father Blessed were we if we wold obey his will and embrace his sonne with a stedfaste faith and confidence But who wold not meruaill at the great madnes of them which at the sound of this most magnificent voice passe by as deafe But yet the rable of Papistes adde to this contempte a more greuouse crime They curse and persecute this voyce and they speake with open blasphemy that Christ is not only he in whome the Father is delighted but that he is delighted also in Mounkes Masses Pilgrimages and suche lyke He that wold earnestly ponder with hym selfe what a blasphemy this is to dishonour and disgrace Gods goodnes and humanitie with such pryde wold thynk it better to dye then to lyue leaste he should fede on that ayer with this wicked kinde Wherfore my childern learne this whyle ye haue occasion A fewe yeares paste ye knew not these things Then was heauen shut vppe Then were we fayne to hear and beleue Mounkes dreames as touchyng purgatorie and terrible spirits and soules and suche other lyes But now other things are taught and only it remayneth that men learne But for as muche as we preuayle nothing with the worlde as touching this at leaste wyse let vs remember oure duetye and geue GOD thankes for this benefite for that he reueleth his mynde vnto vs on this daye geuing vnto vs a thing of inestimable pryce euen the holye Ghost in the lykenes of a doue his owne sonne at Iordane in baptisme and hym self in a voyce full of maiestie and confort Who woulde not therfore condemne hym worthely whiche geueth not thanks which reioyceth not which receaueth not the sonne of God with a feruent desyer whiche standeth here in Iordane receueth baptisme as a synner Upon whom commeth the holy Ghost in the sight of a doue where the Fathers voyce is so nighe that it can be no nigher There is no doubt but that the angels of God were present For where as is the Father the sonne and the holy Ghoste there muste nedes be a great multitude of Angels Wherfore see that ye esteme this hystory hyghly In dede it is a reuelatiō wher as CHRIST openeth hym self to the wyse men by a starre But this reuelation passeth that very farre For these are three especiall kynges God the Father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost whiche are al present together when Christ is baptised If it had so pleased hym this reuelation might haue ben done as well either in the wildernes or in the temple of Ierusalem But it was shewed euen at baptisme of the set purpose of God that we might learne religiously and reuerently to esteme baptisme And bycause we also are baptised let vs esteme oure selues no other wyse then fresh and new made sayntes The pratynge of the Anabaptistes is very great where as they say now that baptisme is nothyng els than water But with what word myght a man sufficientlye curse these execrable heddye persons This is the Iudgement of brute beastes and not of Christians For there is not only water but also the worde of GOD as it is seen at CHRITES Baptisme For God the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghost is present Wherfore it is no more water of the Element but suche water as in the which the Sonne of God is washed vpon the which the holy Ghost is caried God the Father preacheth that this water might not be counted symple water but sanctified whereat God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is present As Christ also for that cause appoynteth the forme of baptisme that it should be geuen in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Wherfore when a chylde is now baptised the Sonne of GOD is present at this baptisme whiche with his body The holy Ghoste whiche with his presence God the Father whiche with his voyce hath consecrated and halowed baptisme Wherfore it can not be said that it is but water For all the Godhead is present And for this cause we iudge baptisme no mans worke For although a man baptiseth yet he baptiseth not in his name but in the name of the Father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost whiche come and are present at the worke of their owne accorde Or els that wold neuer folow at baptisme that ought to folow Now who is he that wold count this vile and of no valew that God the father the sonne the holy Ghost is present who will be so bold as to calle it very water Is it not euident what God of his owne addeth to
holy ghoste doth rebuke the worlde because it hath sinne for asmuch as it beleueth not in Christ that it hath no righteousnes because it knoweth not neither hath any conforte therin that Christe is gone to the father so likewise doth he rebuke it of iudgement because it knoweth nothing hereof and therfore feareth where nothinge is to be feared if it wolde heare him and receaue his worde For this is an extreme miserie and a lamentable plague to haue syn no righteousnes and besides that not to knowe of any consolation and conforte againste sinne death and all other euilles In this also sayth Christe is the office of the holy ghost that he should preach of iudgement and procure to be pronounced and set forth by the gospel that the prince of the worlde is iudged and that therfore he can not hurte them that beleue in Christ and put their cōfidence in his goinge vnto the father He maye vexe them with diuerse tentations but he can neuer preuaile againste them For although he be the prince of the worlde yet the prince is iudged he is spoiled of his pallace armour and with the chaines of darcknes as Peter speaketh is he bounde of Christ. There is no cause why Christen men should feare him or all his kyngdome For if the prince be iudged the world also whiche is his kyngdome muste nedes be iudged and depriued of all his power This the vngodly knowe not Therfore althoughe somtime they heare the worde and begynne to beleue yet so sone as the worlde rageth and goeth about to persecute they straightwaye are a frayde and fall awaye both from Christ and his worde as Christ saith in the parable of the sower parte of whose sede fell vpon the stones But the Christians are constant and stand stedfaste lyke a stronge and an inuincible bulwarcke For this voyce whiche rebuketh the prince of the worlde is alwaye in their heartes and eares Why sholdest thou feare why shouldest thou be faint hearted geue ouer to these tentations knowest thou not that the Prince of the worlde is iudged He is no more a lorde or a prince Thou hast a Lord that is mightier then he euen Christe Iesus whiche hath ouercome and bounde this prince Therfore let hym threaten bragge and boaste let him be as madde as he luste yet feare thou not For he shal hurt thee no more then that cruell beaste whose violence and crueltie is repressed and restrained with stronge and mightye chaines If thou wilte only beware that thou comest not nighe vnto hym and so willyngly cast thy selfe into daunger thou nedest not feare Thou arte without peril He shall do thee no harme Wherfore this only is required that the Christiās do not make light of the enemie kepe them selues in the feare of God diligentlye praye and the enemie that is iudged shall neuer hurte them Contrariwyse he that wyll not take hede but be secure and carelesse he shall sone be caste hedlonge into diuers perilles of this prince although iudged And of this cōfirmation strenghtening they haue moste nede which are the instrumentes of the holy ghoste in the worlde and do rebuke it of synne and righteousnes For there is no accusation that the worlde can les beare then of synne whiche is a thing most haynous and of righteousnes that it hath none at all Where this publique accusation is as it ought to be that world waxeth wode maketh an hurly burly and attempteth all kinde of violence tyrāny againste the ministers of the worde But the holy ghost by this iudgemēt setteth forth cōsolatiō For if this were not the preachers could neuer endure againste the violēce of the world but must nedes feare tremble And for this cause specially is the holy ghost called Paracletus that is to say a cōforter or an Aduocate which in aduersitie trouble stādeth by the preachers cōforteth thē encourageth thē boldly stoutly to cōfesse the truth forasmuch as they heare that the prince of the worlde is iudged And this is the doctrine of the office of the holy ghost euen what misteries of most worthie matters he shall declare and most specially set forth vnto men in this worlde He can be no Christen man that not only not knoweth these moste excellent misteries but also that when he knoweth thē doth not set more by thē then by all the goodes in the worlde For as for all other thinges they are transitorie and passe awaye but these thinges are euerlastinge which shall neuer decaye as Paule sayth The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation for so many as beleue This going awaye therefore whereof Christ here speaketh is greatly to be estemed and to be reioyced in as a moste singuler benefite for the whiche we are bounde dayly to geue god oure heauenly father most hartie thanckes and to desire him with feruent prayer that we maye dayly more and more fele in our selues thorowe fayth the fruite of this his inestimable benefite namely remission of sinnes and euerlasting righteousnes again the consolation and conforte of this iudgement that the prince of this worlde is iudged Nowe goeth Christe forth in his sermon and saith I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto you whych you can not nowe beare But when that spirite of trueth shall come he shall teache you all trueth How the Papistes interprete this sentence of Christ it is well knowen All their traditions innouations and alterations they defende by this saying of Christe and make the holy ghost author of them al as though Christe had to fore spoken of them But this is not true For this is the righte vnderstanding of Christs wordes that the holy ghost shall teache the Apostles and the churche and instruct them concerninge suche matters as Christe him self had to fore taught them whiche by the reason of their carnal iudgements they could not vnderstād nor attaine vnto the knowledge therof No new doctrine but the same doctrine that Christ tofore had taught shall the holy ghost teache as Christ declareth more plainely by these his wordes He shall not speake of him selfe but what so euer he shal heare that shall he speake and he will shewe you thinges to comme He shall glorifye me for he shall receaue of mine and shal shewe vnto you Again The conforter whiche is the holy ghost whome my father will sende in my name he shall teache you all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you The holy ghost openeth and lightneth the darke mindes of the Apostles with the golden glisteryng beames of his godly influence He maketh plaine vnto them and vnto the whole church the true doctrine of Christe concerning sinne righteousnes and Iudgement He maketh them to haue a righte iudgement of Christes kyngdome whiche they looked for to be a carnall and glorious kingdome in
desyre hym that he will conserue kepe vs in this grace at the last geue vs the ioyeful enheritauÌ„ce of his moste glorious kingdome for Iesus Christ his sonnes sake our alone Sauiour and our alone redemer our alone aduocat and our alon mediatour our alon lawfulfiller and our alone peace maker to whom with God the father and God the holy ghost be all honour glory and praise both nowe and worldes without ende Amen The Sonday after the Ascension ¶ The Gospell Ihon. xvi WHen the comforter is come whom I wyll send vnto you from the father euene the spirite of trueth whiche procedeth of the father he shal testifie of me yee shall beare witnesse also because ye haue ben with me from the beginninge These thinges haue I sayde vnto you because yee shoulde not be offended They shall excommunicate you yea the tyme shall come that whosoeuer killethe you wyll thinke that he doth God seruice And such thynges wyl they do vnto you because they haue not knowen the father neyther yet me But these thynges I haue tolde you that when the time is come ye may remember then that I tolde you THE EXPOSITION IN this gospel are specially to be considered two thinges The first is coÌ„cerning the holy ghost The second is of the persecution whiche shall come to the confessours and professours of the gospell before the worlde As touchinge the holy ghost we confesse that he is almightie euerlasting god Christ calleth him by a special name euen the conforter And by this he declareth that true godlines can not be without the crosse and affliction For what nede should there be of a conforter if there were no troubles no persecutions But Christ describeth setteth forth the persecutioÌ„ to be such that the godly shal not only be slaine whiche is a most haynous offence but also they shal be counted such people as are verye aduersaries open enemies of all true religion godlines and therefore by no meanes to be suffred but by the iudgement of all men to be taken out of the earth by the most cruel death that can be deuised as pestiferous persons and intollerable heretikes hated both of god man so that the punishment of the Christians shal excede all other And they are somtime also troubled in their conscience by thincking that they haue ben to muche vehement and haue gone to farre or that they might haue done spoken more circumspectly warely and so shold lesse danger haue chaunced they haue liued longer done more good Thus are the ChristiaÌ„s troubled outwardlye of the tyrantes of this world inwardly of the weakenes of their conscience In consideration herof doth Christ call the holy ghost a conforter as though he should saye I know into what great troubles miserable afflictions blouddy persecutions other vnrestful griffes ye shall fall howe the whole worlde and all that euer is in it shal be againste you But I wil prouide helpe for you se that ye shall not stick in the myre nor be left confortles Yea when there appeareth no confort at al no helpe no succour ye your selues also thorow the weakenes of your coÌ„science shal be troubled inwardly theÌ„ wâ—il I send vnto you the holy ghost which is the conforter that he may coÌ„firme make stroÌ„g your mindes that ye despaire not encourage you to abide by that which he shal say vnto you Now are there two maner of coÌ„solatioÌ„s or coÌ„forts The one is a worldly coÌ„fort which is but an vncertein vaine coÌ„fort For it dependeth altogether on riches power glorie frendship good wil of princes great men but saith Christ none of al these shal you my disciples haue yea these thinges shall be against you not with you NotwitstaÌ„ding let it not dismay you that ye finde no coÌ„fort at the worldes handes For that coÌ„forte is of no great waight neither is the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce therof long Som sodeÌ„ mischauÌ„ce displeasure of great meÌ„ sicknes agewe plague pestilence misfortune maketh sone an end of worldly coÌ„forte But I saith he wil prouide for you an other conforter euen the spirite of truth which shal then coÌ„fort confirme and strengthen you when ye shall be combred and opprest with terrours fears infirmities miseries calamities outwardly before the worlde inwardly in your mynde For for this cause hath the holy ghost this name that he is called a coÌ„forter not an accuser or troubler For where sadnes perturbation is it is a token that the holy ghoste is not there And this conforter is also called the spirite of truth For he coÌ„forteth not as the world doth where nothyng is sure coÌ„stant but his coÌ„solation or confort is perpetual euerlastiÌ„g which no maÌ„ is able to destroie But here again is a scrupule or doubt for the conscience answereth Thou speakest muche of conforte but I fele it not I fele rather the contrarie that the worlde is mery and ful of pleasure But the ChristiaÌ„s mourne are euer vnder the crosse Iohn Baptiste is beheaded But Herode and his harlotte Herodias are frolike and mery And euen so goeth it with vs. The worlde enuieth vs a bytte of breade and euery man thincketh that whatsoeuer mischiefe he doth to a Christian it is well done when in the meane while the pope the Cardinalles the Bishoppes and all that hate the gospell lyue all in pleasure and iolytie in reaste and peace in idlenes and heartes ease and without all affliction trouble Is this therfore a conforte Christ answereth that it is a conforte but we must make a distinction betwene confortes The worlde also hath his coÌ„forte for if it had not it could neuer be so secure careles mery and without all care but that is not the conforte whiche coÌ„meth from the spirite of truth but it is a deceitfull confort For it maye sodenly come to passe that in those things wherin the worlde reposeth his conforte and staye there may be founde no coÌ„fort nor helpe at all But the holy ghost which is the conforter of the Christians is the spirite of truth whiche inwardly conforteth vs with most certein sounde and sure consolation Therfore although Iohn haue not that conforte that Herode with his whore hath but is caste of them into prison where he lieth most miserably afflicted and withoue all consolation tyll at the laste he looseth his head yet the holy ghost conforteth coÌ„firmeth him secretly in his hearte speaketh vnto him on this maner Be of good courage O Iohn and let no aduersitie dismaye thee neither be thou disconforted that thou art so miserably vniustly caste into prison and that the wycked worlde doth so hate thee and reuile thee Thou knowest this that all worldly thinges can not continew long it now hath the ouerhand but the tyranny therof shall not longe endure For
Secondarilye this is to be noted that as the scripture geueth a peculiar name vnto CHRIST and calleth hym the worde of GOD So doth it also geue a proper name to the sprite callynge it Spiritus Sanctus that is the holye Ghoste whiche by his grace doth sanctifye the heartes whiche were before vnholy and defiled with synne This name bringeth greate conforte to all good Christian men For they perceaue that they are weaker then the deuill and vnable at all times to resyste hys temptations And as they are verye sorowfull that they fele the euyll spirite sore sette agaynste them so are they put in good hope that by CHRIST they obtayne the holye Ghoste whiche pardoneth theyr synnes and styrreth them to obeye God truly But howe the holye Ghoste dooth bringe thys to passe it is shewed in Iohns Gospell The holye Ghoste shall reproue the worlde of synne of iustice and of iudgement For so are the properties of the Trinitie discerned in the articles of our faith that GOD the father gaue vs bodye and lyfe and made vs to his Kyngedome And after that oure parentes became the firste synners and vnder deaths danger and we also as by enheritance succeded vnto their synne and forfet The sonne of god was made man and thorough his death restored to vs that that was loste deliuered vs from sinne and death This deliuerance doth the holy ghost set forth by the Gospell and so instructe the heartes of men to beleue therin that is to haue sure confort therin that CHRIST died for them and that they maye not doubt but that they are reconciled to God the father by that death so that he wili no more remember their synnes but will forgeue them for Christes sake This doth signifie the sanctifiynge of the heartes or the purifying by fayth as Peter speaketh in the Actes of the Apostles And wher as is suche remission of synnes by faith so that we do not despaire althoughe diuers sinnes remaine but take sure conforte thorowe the death and resurrection of CHRIST There foloweth at the lenght the second sanctifyinge of the holye Ghoste wherein oure bodyes also are sanctified by the holye Ghoste as when we geue ouer oure selues no more to sin nor be delighted therwith but abstayne and studie to do those thynges that please God as Paule teacheth He that stole set hym steale no more but rather let hym labor with his owne handes that that is good that he maye haue to geue to the nedefull c. This is the propertie of the holy Ghoste to begin in vs a newe and true obedience towarde GOD that we maye resiste synne and mortifye the fleshe and so obtaine remission of oure sinnes by faith But this sanctifying is not parfect by and by with the first For if the fyrst were not the second coulde not muche preuayle For fleshe and bloud are full of infirmitie but the deuill is excedynge mighty against vs and we haue receaued onely the firste fruites of the spirite Wherefore this obedience can not be parfect and there is no sanctifyinge to attayne vnto ryghteousnes before GOD and euerlastynge lyfe than the sanctifyinge of fayth wherof is spoken before For thereof dependeth the whole matter wheras the second sanctifyinge when it hath done all that it can confesseth his owne vnprofitablenes and stycketh onelye to the sanctifyinge whiche commeth of Gods grace and mercie Hereof then is it plaine why the holye Ghoste is so called because it doth make holy and sanctifye that is by the word it stirreth vp in vs fayth towarde CHRIST that thereby we maye obtayne remission of oure synnes Besyde this office of sanctifyinge the holy Ghoste hath other offices as he hath other names in scripture For Zacharie calleth hym the spirite of prayer because he encourageth the heartes to truste surelye in GOD and to call vpon hym in their necessities Also CHRIST calleth hym the conforter whiche helpeth oure heartes by stirringe vs to take paciently all thynges that they shoulde be feared by no misfortune or combrance of the worlde Also he calleth him the spirit of truth because to withstand lies and heresies and to confirme the pure word and true faith he is alwayes bent Wheras contrariwise the deuill by our reason and false doctrine woulde caste vs hedlong into errours and lyes These are the proper offices of the holye Ghoste besyde that he garnisheth the heartes of the faythfull with diuers vertues and gyftes and is suche a conforter that bydeth with vs alwayes where as all the worldlye conforte is but for a tyme and at laste forsaketh vs. Seynge then that the holye Ghoste dooth worke suche greate thynges in vs. This also is to be learned Whiche is the waye to attaine to suche greate gyftes and howe they maye begynne to growe in vs and that we maye receaue the holye Ghoste and thereby be sanctifyed and saued As touchynge this thynge CHRIST hymselfe doth teache vs. Luke xj Wheras he sayth on this wise Seynge that you that are euyll can geue good thynges to youre sonnes howe muche more can youre heauenly father geue his holye spyrite vnto them that aske it of hym Yt is a sentence worthy to be rehearsed teachynge fyrste that GOD woulde that the holye Ghoste shoulde be obtayned by prayer of hym and that he geueth it to them that wyth humble prayers desire it of the father Wherefore when thou haste a desyre in thy mynde to obtayne the holy Ghoste of GOD continewe in prayinge and doubte not but thou shalte obtayne This is the redye waye to obtayne the holye Ghoste For CHRIST hym selfe dooth teache thee so to doo and to call vpon GOD the father often for the holye Ghoste but this prayer as all other prayers muste be made also in the name of IESV and on suche wyse muste we praye GOD that he for CHRIST his Sonne sake wyll geue vs the holye Ghoste And to the attainement thereof haue greate helpe in that that Christ ascended to the father for no other cause but to receaue these gyftes of the father and to geue them vnto vs. Wherfore in our prayers we can not doubt for it is not onely commanded of God that we shoulde praye for the holye ghoste and also promised that we shall obtayne but also his wil is redie to geue it For as muche as Christ therfore sitteth at the right hande of God the father to distribute amongest vs these gyftes For he also receaued them of the father as it is writent in the .lxviij. psal Not for hymselfe but for men to geue them vnto them Besides prayers there are other things also necessary to the obtayninge of the holye Ghoste For we muste haue a feruent studie to read or heare the worde of God and to vse often the Sacraments that all these thinges ioyned to gether may make opē the way for the holy ghost For this is once for all
is of strēgth to be borne again wher this is lacking there is no hope to come to the kingdom of God All our powers with the lawes and preceptes are of no efficacie and strength But thou wilt say If it be so I had rather doo no good worke at all then to take muche peyne if I obteyne nothynge therwith in the kyngdome of God But to thynke or saye this is an euident token of vngodlines Wherfore do both Fyrst see diligently to the lawe with all his woorkes then know thy self to be a synner and that thou canst not by thy workes escape damnation Then turne thy selfe to the doctrine of Christ and hearken what hee preacheth of the kyngdom of God after that he hath declared that the old man can not enter into the kingdome of God Nicodemus perceaueth the straighte Iudgement of Christ that without the newe Byrthe there is no hope of the kyngdom of GOD and he is soone reformed and persuaded that the carnall byrth healpethe nothynge thereto And therefore he asketh howe the newe byrthe might be And CHRIST And doth redyly shew a notable doctrin therof saying on this wise Uerily verily I say vnto the. Except a man bee borne agayn he can not enter into the kyngdom of God Whatsoeuer is borne of the fleshe is flesh what soeuer is born of the spirit is spirite This is the second sentence against the first byrthe shewyng that it is carnall synful and that it can not be encouraged to obteyne the kingdome of God As though he should say Thou demandest whether thou shouldest otherwise be borne of thy mothers wombe although thou were borne a thousande tymes of thy mothers wombe yet thou shouldest not bee borne to the kyngdom of God Ther is no nede of father and mother to the kyngdome of God which are also them selues fleshe but there is nede to haue water and the spirite but he that hath ben so borne agayne is a new man and shall come to the kyngdome of God This doctrine had Nicodemus neuer learned in Moses He had learned there what he should doo or not do by the preceptes But as touchyng this new creature he had learned nothyng at all not as muche as by a dreame Wherfore he is so confounded that he graunt that all this while he had lerned nothyng at all But the wordes of this sentence ar not so lyghtly to be passed ouer the sentence is perfect that good works must be done and obedience is to be geuen to the lawe But the seyng of the kyngdom of God cometh not hereby But if we will come to the seyng therof not good workes but a newe man is requisite thereto And that is not doone by the carnall manne but by water and by the spirite They are the verye parentes that are mete to bryng forth this new chyld of God Water is nothyng els but baptism For so saith Christ in y◠last of Marke He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued Thys strength of the water is not of his owne nature For water is water that is to say an elemēt and creature whiche can not change the hert and wash away syn But the water wherof Christ speketh here and which we call the water of Baptisme is not only water naturall but water in the worde and promyse of God Two things are here ioyned together the water the word and are so ioyned together that they can not be sundred If thou sunder the water from the worde it is no baptisme If thou sunder the word from the water neither than is it Baptisme But when the word and water ar ioyned together this water is such with the whiche the holy ghost will come vnto thee and regenerate thee to the kyngdome of God Whiche is as much to say as to forgeue synnes and to bryng saluation This sentence therfore is not lyghtly to be regarded and especiallye because of the Anabaptistes whiche holde opinion that the Baptisme of infantes is nothyng woorth where as yet Christ in this place applieth water to regeneratiō to the new birth and ioyneth it as the cause therof with the holy ghost If children therfore haue nede of this new byrth and can not see the kyngdome of God without it and seynge Baptisme is ordeyned of Christ as the cause of all that muste bee newe borne It is not onely an vnmercyfull thynge but also violence in the kyngdome of god and playne tyranny to exclude them from Baptisme and from the kyngdome of God for whome Christe dyed and decreed that this benefite should be free to all them that are newe borne that they myght be baptised to dye with hym and be borne agayn Wherfore this newe byrth is also necessary for children that they may see the kyngdome of God And although the water dothe nothing profite without the holy ghost yet the holy ghoste by the water of Regeneration muste woorke in vs as Paule dothe so ioygne them bothe together Accordyng to his mercy saith he he saued vs by the water of regeneration and renuyng of the holy spirite the which he shed vpon vs abundantly This lauer or washyng can not be without regeneration and renuyng of the holy spirite Wherfore the errour is detestable that in certaine places dyuers preachers doo baptise chyldren without water For it is not only requisite in baptisme to haue the word spirite but also to haue water For so did Christ ordein no man hath power to change his lawe institution The baptisme of water is seene with the eies but the worke of Regeneration and new birth whiche is wrought by the holy ghost inwardly is not sene Therfore this outward ceremonie of the water of baptism may not be omitted because of the priuie and inuisible administration of the holy ghost Christ sayth furthermore vnto Nicodemus Meruail not that I sayd vnto thee thou muste be borne again from aboue the wynd bloweth wher he will and thou hearest the soūd therof but thou canst not tel frō whence it cōmeth and whether it gothe So is euery man that is born of the Spirite These wordes are very simple as the ceremonie is it selfe For it is not estemed with reason when an infant or an aged man is offered to make his confession on this wise that foloweth Behold the yoke of synne and of the deuyll is so great that there is no helpe or remedy against it but that he whether he be chyld or man be baptised and washed with water in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost But here must we rather marke what Christ sayth where he biddeth vs rather to consyder what is done by priuie operation then by the open ceremonie outward signe For the worke of the holy ghost is priuie hyd from the eies Wherfore we must beleue it as it is set forthe in the worde Thou shalte neuer perceaue it by the eies
The wisedom of this world is foolishnes before God Again The wisdom that descendeth not from aboue is earthy naturall deuillish For this cause the holy apostle termed the great learned wise Gentiles which stode much in their owne conceite thought them selues to knowe all things fooles and vnwise Their foolish heart saith he was blynded in so much that whē they counted themselues wise they became fooles In consideration wherof if was wel said of that great lerned philosopher Socrates which notwithstanding by the oracle of Apollo was iudged of all men the wisest and best lerned This one thing I know saieth he that I knowe nothynge Uerily although a man know all natural morall thynges with the documentes therof and whatsoeuer other doctrine science or knowledge can be reckned vp besides so that in his one brest there is conteined whatsoeuer knowledge hath ben found in the breastes of all naturall men from the beginnynge of the worlde vnto this day or shal be vnto the end of the same yet yf he knowe not Christ he knoweth nothyng Notable is this Distichon and worthy for euer to be remembred Hoc est nescire sine Christo plurima scire Si Christum benescis satis est ▪ si caetera nescis Whiche is thus englished This is doubtlesse to know nothyng at all Without Christ many thyngs to know and see If thou know Christ well as it thee befall Thou nedest no more it is inough for thee But this knowledge of God and of his sonne Christ can we by no meanes obteyn but by the word of God only as our Sauior Christ saith Serche the Scriptures for in them ye think that ye haue eternal life and they ar they which testifie of me And as Abraham sayd to the riche man beyng in the tormentes of hell fyre They haue Moses and the prophets let them hear them Agayn as the Euangelist S. Iohn writeth No mā hath sene God at any tyme. The only begotten sonne whiche is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared hym This word therfore is diligently bothe day and nyght to be read heard considered weighed and pondered Yea our whole delight and pleasure is to be reposed in it that we may truely vnfaynedly and from the very bottome of the heart say with the disciples vnto our Sauior Christ Lord to whom shall we go Thou hast the wordes of euerlastyng lyfe And we beleue are sure that thou art Christ the son of the liuing God And also with the Psalmograph on this maner I haue had O Lorde as great delyght in the waie of thy testimonies as in all maner of rychesse For thy testimonies are my delight and my councellers The lawe of thy mouthe is derer vnto me then thousandes of golde and siluer For I loue thy commandementes aboue gold and precious stone And I am as glad of thy word as one that fyndeth great spoyles O how swete are thy wordes vnto my throte They are sweeter then honye vnto my mouth They are more to be desyred then gold yea then much fyne golde sweter also then the hony combe The woordes of the Lord are pure wordes euen as the syluer whiche frome earth is tried and purifyed seuen tymes in the fyre c. Moreouer thys worde of God is that hydde treasure in the fielde whyche whenne a manne hathe founde euen for verye ioye thereof he goeth and selleth all that he hathe and bieth the field Yea it is that precious pearle whiche when a merchant man by long sekyng hath ones found he selleth all that euer he hath and byeth it It is that swearde for byenge wherof Christe commandeth vs to sell our very cote signifieng hereby that aboue all thynges the worde of God and the knowledge therof is to be gotten as he saith in an other place Seke fyrst of all the kyngdome of God and the ryghteousnes therof And as he sayd to Martha which was busyly occupied about housholde businesses and preparynge for meate for the body her sister Mary sittyng at Christes feete hearynge his worde and doctrine Martha Martha sayd he Thou art carefull and troubled about many thynges Uerily one is nedeful Mary hath chosen the good part whiche shall not be taken away from her It is that meate which perisheth not but abydeth vnto euerlastynge lyfe Yea it is that heauenly Manna whych that princelike Prophete and moste counnyng musitian Dauid the Psalmograph calleth the bread of Angels and the wyse man termeth it not only the foode of Angels but also suche a meate as was very pleasant and of good taste It is that rock and fountayn of liuyng water wherof who soeuer drinketh shall neuer be more a thirst but the water that he shall drinke shal be in hym a well of water springyng vp into euerlastynge life It is that piller of fyre which geueth lighte to them that walke in darknes and syt in the shadow of death to guyde theyr fete into the way of peace as Dauid saithe Thy worde O Lorde is a lanterne to my feete and a lyght to my pathwaies And Salomon saith The commandement is a lanterne and the lawe a light yea it is the waye of life Likewise saith S. Peter We haue a right sure word of prophecie whervnto if ye take heede as vnto a lighte that shyneth in a darke place ye do well ▪ vntill the day dawne and the day starre aryse in your heartes To ende it is the power of God vnto saluation for so many as beleue Furthermore who is able to expresse what a ioyfull iewell precious pearle incomparable ouche and moste noble tresure the worde of God shall be founde if we in fewe wordes consider the commodities fruictes and profites that come thereof It turneth soules saieth Dauid It maketh of an vnfaithfull man a faithfull beleuer as the Apostle saieth Faith cōmeth by hearyng and hearing commeth by the word of God It maketh of an Idolater a true worshipper of God as the Psalmograph saieth The people whome I knewe not hathe serued me in the hering of the eare they haue ben obedient vnto me It maketh of a sinner a righteous person as we reade of Noha Loth Moyses Dauid Manasses Zachee Peter the thiefe Mary Magdalene c. It conuerteth synners and maketh them to be sory for theyr former wycked lyfe and to become newe creatures as God saieth by the Prophete Ieremie Loke that thou kepe not the worde backe if peraduenture they will herken and turne euery man from his wicked way Likewise said the Angell of Iohn Baptist to his father Zacharie the priest concernyng his preachyng He shall turne many of the sonnes of Israell vnto the Lorde their God And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Helias to turne the herts of the fathers to the children the vnbeleuers to the wisdome of the iust mē to make
redy a perfect people for the Lord. That Iohn turned many by the preachyng of Gods word vnto the Lord it is manifest in the EuaÌ„gelical history What great multitudes of people S. Peter as I may speake nothing of the other apostels turned vnto Christ by preaching the word blessed Luke in his Chronicle of the Apostles acts doth partly declare Was not the holle world in a maner turned vnto the faith of Christ thorow the preaching of the word As sainct Paul saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing coÌ„meth by the worde of God But I aske Haue they not heard No doubt their sound went oute into all landes and their woordes into the endes of the worlde In matters of controuersie concernyng religion it declareth and sheweth who maintaineth truthe and who approueth falshode It is the true touchestone wherby we easily discerne the true doctrine of Christ froÌ„ the fals corrupte teachyng of Antichrist And therefore it is called of the Psalmograph the faithfull testimonie or wytnes of the Lorde And in all matters of doubt the Prophet exhorteth vs to flee vnto this word of that to learne the certaintie of al matters coÌ„cerning Faith and Doctrine If any man saieth he want lyght lette hym looke vpon the law the testimonie whether they speake not after this meanyng If he doo not this he stumbleth and suffreth hunger And if he suffer hunger he is out of pacience and blasphemeth his king his God So reade we of the noble men of Thessalonica whiche when they herd Paul and Sylas preache that Christ muste nedes suffer and rise agayn frome death for the saluation of the worlde receaued the word wyth all diligence of mynde and yet notwithstandyng searched the scriptures dayly whether those things were euen so as Paul and Sylas preached And therfore S. Paul afterward writing vnto theÌ„ as one greatly alowing this their act saith in his epistle Quench not the spirite despise not prophecyings Examyn al things kepe that which is good And. S. Iohn in his canonicall Epistle saieth Derely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they are of God or not c. It geueth wisedom to the simple to the poore in spirit to the huÌ„ble to the meke to the litle ones to the babes This wisdom is the true knowlege of god of his blessed wil. This wisedom caÌ„ we not haue but by the word as God himself saith by the prophet Unto whom shall I haue respect but vnto him that is poore of a lowly troubled spirit and standeth in awe of my wordes The fyne Phariseys the sawcie Saduceis the subtil Scribes the lustye Lawyers the biteâ—hepe Byshoppes the patteryng Priestes as I maye speake nothyng of the eloquente Oratours noble hystoriographers learned Poetes quickewitted Logitians farre syghted Astronomers c. were before the worlde great wyse learned men and yet vnderstode they nothyng of God aryght The symple ideots and vnlearned men had more true knowledge of God then all they as oure sauiour Christ sayd vnto his heauenly Father I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these thynges from the wyse and prudent hast shewed them vnto babes Uerily Father eueÌ„ so was it thy good plesure Likewise sayth S. Paule Not many wise men after the flesh not many myghty not many of highe degree are called But God hathe chosen the foolish thynges of the worlde to confound the wise And God hath chosen the weake thynges of the worlde to confounde thynges whiche are mightie and vile thinges of the world and thynges whiche are despised hath God chosen yea and thinges of no reputation for to bring to naught things of reputation that no flesh should reioyce in his presence S. Iames also saith Hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde suche as are riche in Faith and heyres of the kyngdom which he promised to them that loue hym It reioyceth and maketh the heart mery as the Prophet Ieremie saieth When I had found thy wordes I dyd eate them vp gredily They haue made my heart ioyfull glad For thy name was called vpon me O Lord God of Hostes. The Prophete Ezechiel saith also I dyd eate the boke and it was in my mouth sweter then hony Were not these the woordes of the two disciples that went vnto Emaus after that Christ had interpreted vnto them the scriptures which wer writen of him Did not our heartes say they burne within vs while he talked with vs by the way and opened to vs the scriptures Who is able to expresse what ioy what mirth what solace what confort Adam and Heua receaued after their transgression when they heard out of the mouth of God that the sede of the womaÌ„ should treade downe the serpentes head Who can sufficiently declare how greatly king Dauid being rebuked of the prophet Nathan for his whoredome and manslaughter was conforted and replenished with all true perfect gladnes when he heard out of the prophetes mouthe these most swete and confortable wordes The Lorde hath put away thy synne thou shalte not dye What ioye and confort the synfull woman conceaued in her heart which before was almost swalowed vp of sorowe for her wicked and synfull life past as her teares and outward behauiour do manifestly declare when she hearde these wordes out of the mouthe of Christ Thy synnes are forgeuen thee Go in peace no man is able to expresse The thefe likewise hanging on the crosse and hearyng these wordes spoken vnto him of Christ Uerily verily I say vnto thee This day shalte thou be with me in Paradise conceaued in his heart an vnoutspeakable ioye Many suche examples fynde we in the Scriptures bothe of the olde and newe Testament The worde of God I meane the Gospel of our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesu apprehended and layde hande on with a sure and strong faith bryngeth to the heart and conscience of man peace rest ioy solace confort c. For thys cause it is called the worde of reconciliation or attonement of ioy of peace of confort of helth of spirite of lyfe c. It lyghtneth the eyes It sheweth vnto men the ryght waie howe they ought to walke to please God and to doo those thynges which are acceptable vnto him It deliuereth men from the cloudes of ignorancie and from the darknes of mens traditions and openeth vnto them the glorious God that they may not stumble and walke safely in that way that the Lord hath appointed declinyng neither on the righte hande nor on the left hande as the Psalmographe saieth Thy worde O Lord is a lanterne vnto my fete and a lyghte to my pathewaies For this cause it is termed of the holye writers Light in diuers places of the sacred Bible Our Sauior Christ saieth This is condemnation that the light is come into the world and men haue loued
you vnwares But watche at all tymes and praye that ye maye bee founde woorthye to escape these thynges which shall chance and stand before the sonne of man This is an excellent and a necessary doctrine whiche ought neuer to fall out of our myndes Christ geueth here no iniunction to forbear meat and drink wholly neither as the Pope dothe commandeth to cast away all thynges to lyue oute of the worldes trouble God doeth not disalowe the vse of meate and drynke neyther is it vngodly to prouide thyngs necessary for our household For God for this cause made vs to worke But take hede of this that your hartes be not opprest with these things so much that ye forget my cōmyng but watche that is loke that at all times ye wayt and be armed with the feare of God and with a good conscience Do this fyrst Then ioyn herewith prayer that your temptations and hard combrances may be escaped and that ye may stande before the sonne of man As it is comprised in the two last petitiōs of the Lordes prayer Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from all yll If ye do so there wil be no peril whether this daye come when we be suppyng or sleaping whether we be in the churche or in the market place it is all one for it shall fynd vs in the feare and protection of God But in this place it is to be noted that God can not well be prayde vnto neyther can the prayer bee true when a man careth not to leaue certayn vices and to amende his lyfe Wherefore to true prayer is required true repentance and that no man sinne wittingly so hynder his conscience After that let vs call vpon God for mercy in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ that he will kepe vs in true feare of him and by the holye ghost helpe vs agaynst synne and preserue vs in true fayth vnto the ende that we may ioyfully looke after this helthfull daie and that we receaue Iesu Christe as our Sauior with all confidence Such prayer thorough Christ is heard without doubt Wherfore let vs folowe this counsell and precepte and on this wyse prepare oure selues to the expectation of this daye The whiche thyng our lord and redemer Iesu Christe graunt vs. Amen The thirde Sonday in Aduent ¶ The Gospell of Math. xi WHen Iohn beyng in prison heards the woorkes of Christ he sent two of hys disciples and sayd vnto him Art thou he that shalt come or doo we loke for an other Iesus answered and sayd vnto them Go and shew Iohn agayne what ye haue hearde and sene The blynd receyue theyr syght the lame walk the lepres are clensed and the deafe heare the deade are raised vppe and the poore receyue the glad tydynges of the gospell and happy is he that is not offended by me And as they departed Iesus began to say vnto the people concernyng Iohn What went ye out in to the wildernes to see A rede that is shakē with the wynd or what went ye out for to see A man clothed in softe rayment Behold they that weare foft clothyng are in kynges houses But what wente ye oute for to see A Prophete Merely I say vnto you and more than a prophete For this is he of whome it is written Beholde I sende my messanger before thy face whiche shall prepare thy way before the. THE EXPOSITION IN THIS Gospell are sette foorth two doctrines Fyrst that we should highly esteme Christes worde and set greate price therby For it is a thyng of great weighte Then shal be described the shamefull and wicked vnkyndnes of them that here this word and see the signes and yet regarde it not neither beleue it Whiche is a very horrible thyng First therefore that the word of Christ ought diligently to be hearde it is taught hereby in that Iohn whē he was now in bandes as soone as he heard of the workes of Christ sendeth his disciples vnto hym commaundynge them to aske hym whether it were he that should come as concernyng whom so many thynges were written in the old Testament prophets afterward so many thinges shold be spoken in the new Testamēt that is whether he was that promysed Christe of whom it was written that the kyngdome of the people and the lawe of Moses shold endure vnto his cōming and afterward that he should be heard For that was plainly spoken of before in the Prophetes That Christe should haue no corporall kyngdom but that he should be a prophet lyke vnto Moses and yet should come with an other kynde of doctrine then Moyses dyd This deede the Iewes wel know Wherfore when this chanced by by after the bandes of Iohn and Christe preached of eternall lyfe and of the kyngdome of God it seemed good to Iohn to sende hys disciples vnto hym And he sent them not onely to here the testimonies of the Prophetes but to see with their eies that this prophet was come at last whome all looked for according to the prophecie of Moses Wherfore such a message is no other thyng than as if Iohn shold say this As for me I knowe that this is very Christ but men do not beleue it Wherfore nowe go ye vnto hym and learne of hym that ye may depart from me and from the tradition of the Iewes and become his Disciples in whome are all thynges that are necessary for your saluation and for the Saluation of all the worlde This is the chiefe cause of this message vnto Christe that Iohns disciples myght see hym before their eyes and here and begyn to be acquainted with hym and so beleue in hym and be saued But what dooth Christe answere the messangers he neyther denyeth neither affirmeth but answereth symply by his workes and sayth ye se heare and fele that I am he For as Esaie and other prophetes shewed before that by Christe the lame should goe the blynde shoulde see c. that nowe see ye wyth youre eies ye haue nede of no further declaration or answer if ye wil behaue your selues vprightly in this matter Thys aunswere of Christe is wounderfull and it compriseth very proprely what oughte to be taughte of Christe It settethe foorthe hys kyngdome and what a magnificent thyng it is that is called Christes kyngdome That is suche a kyngedome to the which belongeth the lame blynd leaprous the spechelesse the deade and especially the poore and myserable synners and there are they sure to haue succoure This ought to be taught Thys doctrine shoulde be commonly proclaymed that he is a kyng which wold healpe the wretched the vexed in soule and body the whiche coulde not be healped by all the good in the worlde For there was neuer suche a Prophete that coulde delyuer the blynde and the leapres frome theyr dyseases As there was neuer also suche a teacher that coulde teache the Gospell to the poore that is promyse sure healpe
obstinate blindnesse of the worlde We haue songe vnto you and ye wold not daunce and at oure lamentable songes ye wold not lament For neither cā the doctrine of the lawe neither of the gospell further and moue men either to lament either to reioyce that is neither will they suffer theyr sinnes to be rebuked neither geue place to confort against their synnes They will neither be blind nor yet see As the examples of oure aduersaries the Papistes are at hand to proue this And now muste we learne the other thing also out of his gospell that the gospell is suche a doctrine as is so vnkindly and horribly despised in the worlde that all men be offended at it seing kinges Princes Pope Cardinalls Bishops Priests Monkes citizens and rustikes that is all the mighty and excellentest in the worlde do not only not receaue it but also scorne and persecute it Suche was the fortune of Christe for all his miracles For what cause had he els to say Blessed is he that is not offēded with me if it chāced so to thee O Christ wheras thou mightest haue stopped all mens mouthes with diuine miracles we maye wel refrayn from complainyng when we are despised for the Gospels sake and laughed to scorne and persecuted This doctrine of offences is very necessary and specially in this our tyme wherin this offence is most greuous The fyrst doctrine is also necessary For ther in consysteth our saluation and euerlastyng lyfe that we knowe howe Crist is the Kynge of comfort which is gladde to shewe his bounteousnesse towarde oure troubled consciences and to comforte them in synne and healpe vs to euerlastyng lyfe For althoughe that the strayghte kyngedome of the worlde is hys also yet it is not his principall kyngdom seyng it shall not euer endure This is the chief and euerlastyng kyngdome of Christe when we falle acquaynted with hys worde which must be preached to the poore that whā we dye we may say I beleue in Iesus Christ my lord whiche can restore and geue syght to the blynd whole lymmes to the lame clensyng to the leapre to the dōbe the vse of speache to the dead lyfe He wyll be my helper he wyll not see me forsaken at my moste nede For this is the cause that he became man and descended into the earthe vnto me He that beleueth this truely departeth from this myserable lyfe to the celestial and euerlastyng ioys The which thing that it may chance to vs our Lord Iesu Christ myght graunt Amen The fourthe Sonday of Aduent ¶ The Gospell of S. Iohn i. THis is the recorde of Iohn when the Iewes sente priestes and Leuites from Ierusalem to aske hym What arte thou And he confessed and denied not and sayd playnly I am not Christ. And they asked hym what then art thou Helias And he saith I am not Art thou the Prophete And he aunswered No. Then sayde they vnto hym What art thou that we may geue an aunswere vnto them that sent vs What sayest thou of thy self He sayd I am the voyce of a cryer in the wyldernesse make straight the waye of the Lorde as saide the prophete Esaie And they whiche were sent were of the Phariseis and they asked hym and sayd vnto hym Why baptisest thou then if thou be not Christ nor Helias neyther that prophete Iohn answered them saying I baptise with water but there standeth one among you whome ye knowe not he it is whiche though he came after me was before me whose shoe latchet I am not worthye to vnlose These thynges were doone at Bethabara beyonde Iordan where Iohn dyd baptise THE EXPOSITION THIS Gospell also is one of the especiallest gospels that proueth a hygh article of our religion which belongeth not to the tenne commaundementes or workes but to a hygher matter teachynge what is Christe and what he hath done Wherefore it is almost one with the gospell of the laste Sonday and conteyneth the same doctrine excepte that the matter is sette foorthe with other wordes and other persones For the laste Sonday ye heard how all the matter consisteth in this poynte that we haue chiefe respect vnto this person CHRIST that nothing besyde be had in so great estimatiō that all our mynd and thought reste in this man For he that swarueth not from hym fyndeth remission of synnes and deliuerance from deth and hel For so is it wholly decreed with God that in this man all thynges should be He is the way truth and lyfe and by hym onely the patriarkes prophetes and Apostles be saued from the beginning of the worlde This knoweth Iohn and sendeth his disciples for this cause vnto hym that they should not lacke so great a tresure and goodnes This doth God wel perceiue that this is our fault to be desyrous to serche out many ways And one for the loue of monkerie becometh a monk an other fasteth an other slepeth on the ground and so euery man foloweth his owne deuise and goeth forth in his owne ways that may bryng him to heuen Wherfore God talketh with vs by the gospell and protesteth that he alloweth not that as seme good to vs But that he putteth forthe his word to shewe vs the true way that is his sonne Iesus Christe Wherefore he that strayeth from hym shall depart voyde of saluation although he fast pray neuer somuche Contrarywyse he that cleaueth vnto him by faith hath remission of sins and life euerlasting neither can the diuel or synne deceaue him of his trust This way did the Patriarkes and prophets walk obtained saluation through Christ ▪ For if any should be saued by workes and by theyr owne rightuousnes surely they must nedes be the prophets and apostles which out of mesure wrought and suffred many thinges But here they do all dispaire of their owne rightuousnes and toke hold by that sede with a firme faith that shold breake the serpentes head But the Iewes wil not walke in this way they could not beleue that ther was such help in a carpenter thinkyng this with them selues we must so worke by fast almes praier that we may be with God it is a foly to thynke that this craftesman can saue And for this cause God toke this order that Iohn shold come as a trompetter before Christe and this is the meanynge of the trompet that all at the sound therof should haue their eies attent and mark that mā well that cometh after Iohn as the true expectation of Israell Wherfore when the Iewes sende Legates and demaunde whether he be Christ Elias or any Prophete He aunswereth I am not When they are instant sayenge Who arte thou then and what recorde geuest thou of thy selfe He aunswerethe I am the voyce of a cryer in wyldernes make readye the waie for the Lorde That is I am a trompetter before the kyng Wherfore be attente to my worde for he shall come after me incontinently whiche was before me and
man that of God mannes nature might be made one person The diuell can not ioyne him self so nighe to mā But God is made man and yet he remayneth a man And by this meanes he set him self more depely in mannes fleshe than the dyuell can which may enter into mannes body and vexe it but he can not be made man that the diuell and man might become one person Betwene these two natures is ther alway remayning a difference of persones not only in substance but also in person But in CHRIST that is borne these things be one For the sōne of God is made one flesh and one bloud borne of the virgyn Mary after the course of nature as all be excepte that he was not conceaued of mā but of the holy Ghost and hath escaped the fylthy mark of the dyuell and was borne with very pure flesh and bloud wheras oures is full of synne In all other things he is lyke vs which was subiecte to all naturall actions in all poyntes as other men As sayth Paule He was found in behauiour as a man so that all that sawe hym or heard hym dyd affirme that he muste nedes be a true and naturall man not any phantasme or appearing only for he had all the properties that belonge to this lyfe And this is the ioy as touching the which speaketh the Angel I speake only of the glorie not of the fruite For therof is it wont to be declared in the history of the passion and resurrection Now do we speake only of the glory that GOD is so nighe ioyned vnto vs that he is of my flesh bloud and soule very man as we be With this so great and meruailous glory hath he begon this matter and aduaūced mankind therby to high renoume And the Angell setteth this forth vnto men and sayth I shew you great ioy which shall be to the whole people The word sheweth that his mynde was rauished with some great ioy He telleth it boldly to the shepheards He wold that all men with hym shold know of this great honour wherby mannes nature is come to such dignitie that GOD whiche made all things is become oure flesh and bloud And if we wold ponder this well although we had no other profite therby yet wolde it make together amongest vs a great flame of charitie and loue I speake not yet as I said before of the profyt vse but only of the glory therof If we were moued earnestly therwith yt wold suffer no malice to remayne amongest vs. The reason is Who is there that wold hate this kinde or hurt it which is euen as oure God in body and sowle shall we not for this glories sake wher with God hath garnished vs loue all men do the best that we can for all men The Angels are more excellent creatures then we men are But this glory is not geuen them God was not made an Angell neither an Angell was made God Furthermore the Angels are innocent and holy which condicion was more agreable with Gods maiestye But it semeth otherwyse to him he choseth the viler creature which was subiect to syn which is hold captiue vnder the kyngdom of the diuell and the tyrannye of death Whom the dyuel vexeth and troubleth extremely He could not humble him self any lower But should not we be stirred hereby to loue and charitie to esteme one an other and not to neglecte but to proue mastries who can do other moste good Certayn of the fathers and amongest them as it now cometh to mynde Bernarde thought that the diuell whan he was in heauen did se before that the sonne of God should become man and for that cause enuied at man and began to hate God because he had not chosen rather to become an Angell than a man and that for this enuie and pride he was caste out of heauen Whether this were fayned or done in dede yet wold the holy fathers signifie hereby howe great is oure renoume in that that God became man and tooke the very same mannes nature which belongeth to vs all whiche haue ben in the dyuels daunger and captiue to synne and death In what wretched case then are they whiche are ignorante of this renoume But yet are they much more wretched which when the Angels or Apostles shew such things that God hath visited mans nature and tooke it on him and made it Lord ouer al creatures yet do not reioyce O how wretched are they that are not moued with this tidings If one amongest many bretherne should come to be a kīg how wold al the other reioyce how bolde would they waxe As Iosephs bretherne may be an example of this And this is a naturall zeale But how chāceth it that we reioyce not in such a great matter that we are not moued neither do geue thanks to GOD that oure God hath taken oure flesh and bloud and now sitteth at the right hand of God Lord ouer all creatures He therfore that wold esteme this as it is in dede wold loue all flesh and bloud in the worlde for this flesh and blouds sake and wold hate no mā The only gloriouse sight and contemplation of the humanitie of Christ oure God wold so chere vs replenishe vs with ioy that we should neuer be angry with any man Yea and he that beholdeth this image continually that the sonne of God is made man wold not loke for any wrathful displeasure frō Christe but hope for all goodnes at his hand For no man is angry with him self or hurteth him self Now is Christ one of vs and a man How could he hate him self that is to say vs which are his flesh bloud And if this sight were well printed in vs it wold sone put away all exāples of Gods wrathe out of oure myndes as is Noes floud the punishement of Sodom and Gomor All that wold vanishe away at such a contemplatiō if I wold muse of this only man which is God hath estemed mannes nature so greatly that he became man But be these things neuer so inestimable yet some mē are so mad that they care not they caste away this treasure and set their mynd on other things to heape vp riches to purchase get whereto mens myndes are wont wholy to be stirred And this is the cause that we fele no ioy rise in vs at the tydinges of the Angell Wherfore this thing may wel make vs ioyful and proude that we are preferred before all creatures in this renoume yea before Angels and may boaste and say My flesh my bloud sitteth on the right hand of God and hath the rule of all No Angell or creature hath suche renoume but my flesh and my bloud This fier ought to melt as it were in one all mens hartes and to inflame men with suche mutuall loue that we should embrace one an other with al oure hartes But this is the continuall working of the diuell to make vs forget
came for the same purpose that men should beleue in hym and obtayn saluation by hym But where as they will not there is no faulte in Christ. For it were mete that they should lyue after the maner of CHRIST whiche is their Lord and not Christ after theirs And the Gospell is for no other cause And we ought to haue respecte therto But he that is loth to do so can blame nothing but his owne stubburnnes and damnable wickednes and not the Gospell which is without faulte And this is the fyrste parte of this prophecye But where as Simeon turneth his speach to the mother with these words And the sworde shall perce through thy heart that the thoughtes of many hartes may be open That semeth litle to agree with the words of the Euangelist wher he said Simeon blessed her For what blessing or wishing of any good thing can there be wheras he prophecieth so to come to passe that her heart shall be perced with a sworde This is not only written for Christ or Maries sake but for our learning is it written that haue nede of it that we may fashion oure iudgement therby For what man is there not only I but of the chiefe Apostles that wold haue suspected that the malice of the world wold haue ben so great except the Gospell had geuen vs a reuelation herof before For there were many good men before this reuelation whiche lyued very soberly and godly There were many wyse for whose honestie a man might well pronounce with an othe And this is no litle renoume of the worlde without the Gospel to haue such science wisdom and honestie c. But it is also a greater thing in religion that the worlde hath inuented and ordayned these religiouse orders The Popedom is an example For what man when he beholdeth it wil not conceaue a great opinion of godlynes This is it in the worlde if the Gospell be not there shyneth wyse men honest sober and vpright men And all this is by the reason of ciuill vertues and partly by iugling ceremonies that excepte the goodnes of God helped all should be cast headlong into destruction with this pretence that they were iuste holy wyse and pure from synne But when the Gospell is opened and the child Iesus preached there is it almoste proued to the sences declared with pictures that these saynctes are moste synners and these wyse most foles and these sober men moste cruell tyrantes Neither hath the Gospell any enemies more spitefull than these men that are great wyse prudent vpright in lyuing good and holy And the more they excell with these vertues so much the more they behaue them selues enuiously against the Gospell as we proue by experience The more religion the Mounkes shewe in praying fasting and other chastisings the more furiously do they behaue them selues against the Gospell And this it is that Simeon speaketh of in this place What a great shew saith he maketh the worlde in both administrations as well ciuill as religiouse They lyue honestly and holyly with great sparing and defrauding them self of their pleasure and they may soone be taken for Angels and the sonnes of God for their great wisdom and holynes Who could beleue that there might lie hyd suche corruption vnder such a fayer shew And here is no art so full of knowledge out of the which this might be iudged and perceaued excepte this only texte wheras he saith that the Gospell shall vtter this poyson Wherfore when this is opened it moueth to wrath these so great so holy men so that they muste nedes betray them selfes and shew before all men that all that they do is but hypocrisie For there are other exaÌ„ples besyde this caste against this There are very wyse Princes that are earnestly moued with the care of sauing their subiectes they are not couetouse no dronkards no gluttons they be diligent in doing the busines of their realme to defend men from wronge they are chast husbandes to be short if a king should be prayed for and wished they wold be thought moste mete for theyr vertues prudeÌ„ce goodnes holynes c. But wilt thou know how the matter goeth For scarsly at the publyshing of the Gospell may a man perceaue this vncredible hypocrisie and this bloud thyrstye hearte which gapeth for the shedding of innocentes bloud whiche myngleth all things with great deceites and letteth passe no kynde of subtiltyes to oppresse the Gospell and to ryd it out of the way so that yet by this occasion that is made open whiche before no maÌ„ wold beleue that so great synnes should lye hyd vnder such an holy apperance It chanceth by the launcing or cutting of no thing that this pestilent poyson gusheth out but only by the Gospell My reason is this that if the Gospell should with mans coÌ„sent be taught that they should be the fyrst alowers therof that do of set purpose professe religion But who so euer thou art aunswer me this Is not the Pope the Bishops the Priests the Mounkes the vniuersities with their Doctours the most spitefull enemies of it that be Which thing Simeon meaneth here and saith to Mary This thy child shal be author of so great a tumult and shall bewray them that myght sone haue lyen hyd from al men ye that wold scarsly know them selues he shall open their heartes that they that were counted for moste holy may be knowen to be blasphemeâ—s full of gyle deceit periurie hate enuie and all malice Suche fylthynes shall be opened in them by hym whiche neuer the lesse for their dyuers vertues wisdome innocencie vprightnes and holynes might be counted worthye to rule all the worlde ye and heauen also This opening of the heart is administred by this chylde At the fyrst whan the Gospell came abrode I neuer thought that the worlde wold be so madde I Iudged all men after my self whereas I thought this that all men wold triumphe for ioy that they are deliuered earnestly From the tyranny of the Pope and by Christ made partakers of all that good thing the whiche before they studied with great coste and payn to purchase and yet all in vayne And I thought that these things wold specially please the scoles and Byshops if it wold please any But how are we handled For this doctrine are we intreated without all mercye And no man hate vs more than the religiouse men We muste accustome our selues to suffer this iniquitie and must not caste of the Gospell for this wickednes of the worlde But set forth the doctrine therof the more earnestly For it is such that bewrayeth the dyuell and his members how great an enemy of God is the world with all his giftes and vertues For I could neuer know by my self that so great wickednes and contempt was in mans heart But the Gospell teacheth vs to knowe well what is the Pope the Bishops the Princes the Nobles the Citizens the Rustykes euen
sermon Galat. iiii WHen the tyme was ful come God sent hys son made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them whiche were bonde vnto the lawe that we thorowe election myght receaue the inheritaunce that belongethe vnto the naturall sonnes Because ye are sonnes God hathe sente the spirite of hys sonne into our heartes cryeng Abba deare Father Wherfore nowe thou arte not a seruaunt but a sonne If thou be a sonne thou arte also an heyer of God thorowe Christe THE EXPOSITION THis daye are they wont to preache of two matters First of Circumcision Then of the name Iesu. The which thynge the Euangelist doth especially notifie for that it was prophecied of before that the childe was conceaued in his mothers wōbe Wherfore the vertue of this name is hereby greatly aduāced And for asmuche as we intende to make the doctrine of circuncision plaine this difference is in especial to be marked that it consisteth not in the thing but in the persons For if we consider the thynge there is great differēce betwene the circūcision of the Iewes and of Christ. And that because the person of Christ is fare vnlyke the person of the Iewes The beginninge of circumcision is declared in the bible in the firste booke of Moyses it hath also an appointed ende to the whiche it shall endure that is euen vnto CHRIST Abraham is the principall ground of all the matter to whome GOD gaue commandement to circumcise hymselfe and all that were in his housholde And also whatsoeuer of the male kynde was borne it shoulde be circumcised the eyght daye after theyr byrth They therfore that came with suche a signe in theyr bodye had God their protectour and Sauiour as GOD promised he woulde be This was not appointed of GOD for nothynge are for a litle cause that not onely Abraham but also all in his familie and whatsoeuer of the male kynde was borne shoulde be subiect to Circumcision that not onelye the Iewes myghte boste them selfe to be the people of GOD. For he receaueth the seruaunts of Abraham whiche were Gentiles to be of his people and sonnes and to haue righte of inheritaunce whiche was appointed to Abraham and to his seede And these dyd obtayne it before Isaac to the whiche neuerthelesse afterwarde the promesse was ioyned where as yet these bought seruauntes were of the Gentyles Wherfore the Iewes haue not the cheife occasion to boste of this For although they extolle circumcision very muche yet this they can not denye that GOD hath called vnto it the Gentyls whiche are not the sonnes of Abraham but boughte seruauntes As touchinge this Circumcision there is nothynge els lefte for vs but the type and fygure of fayth As it is also as touchynge the other hystories paste whiche onelye profyte vs in this that we maye take therof examples of fayth and true godlynes We are not bounde to ceremonies yet haue we nede of suche obedience and suche fayth as theirs was than whiche lyued vnder suche ceremonies Wherefore the doctrine of Circumcision is not put foorth to the intent that we should be Circumcised For thys ceremonie is disanulled but that we by the rehersall therof shoulde remember to shewe obedience to GOD as Abraham shewed Yf CHRIST hade not come Circumcision shoulde haue ben necessarie euen at this tyme for vs if so be we woulde be of the people of God For the condition is straight and without exception he that is not circumcised his soule must be exempt out of the people of God Wherefore the example that we take of the olde Circumcision is this That GOD in this Image declareth vnto vs how contrarie to reason he worketh and commandeth if a man vse the iudgement of reason For amongest the proud Gentyls it semed a thynge to be laughed at that GOD which is so wise shoulde set foorth suche a mad precepte wherof is made mention in preachynge contrary to the lawe of shamfastnes honestie and chastitie and especiallye when they be aged that are commanded so to do For Abraham at that tyme was fowre score and nintyne yeres olde And herof riseth contumelious names so that the Iewes were named Recutiti and Appelles among the Gentyls that is to saye men whose skynne is growen againe or men without skynne But this is the true cause therof as it was sayde in the Gospell nexte before whatsoeuer is of GOD put foorth it is done with such a fashion that all men laughthe it to scorne no man aloweth it but all testeth vpon it as though it were olde wyues fables And contrarie looke whatsoeuer he commandeth not but is of our owne imagination this do we require to be acceptable vnto hym This woulde we haue obserued for an euerlastynge lawe But this can neuer be alowed of GOD. And herof springeth the cause of a greate offence As Paule saith After that in the wisedome of GOD the worlde knewe not God by wisedom it pleased God to saue them that beleue by folishnes of preachynge What maye be more against reason then that bread the body of Christ and the cuppe the bloud of Christe is receaued for the remission of synne Howe shoulde a lytle bread and wine worke suche and so a greate thynge This thynketh reason neyther can it thynke anye otherwise But GOD therfore purposeth not to change this Yf reason doth not beleue nor alow it gods cause is neuer the worse for that Lykewise also goeth it in baptisme Howe shoulde this seme proueable to reason that if the child be washed with a lytle water that therby he is purged from his sinnes and translated out of the kyngdome of the deuil into the kyngdome of God In dede it might stand wel with reason that synne shold be washed awaye with water if sinne were a spote but for asmuche as sin is fastened in the minde bones and in the inermost parte of the body it is not agreable to reason that water shoulde perse so far and washe it awaye But nowe consider well Circumcision Mighte not Abraham by lyke reason alleage for himselfe to refuse it What doth this profit me to saluation that I am Circumcised in mine age what good doth this to a child or what profit at all doth a man take by Circumcision If God would haue the bodye changed he mighte haue made it so at the beginnynge that it shold nede nothing to be cut frō it If reason had ben taken to councell at that time it wold haue sayd euen so neither doth it thinke any otherwise now a dayes when it proueth her wisedom But it is to be learned in this place that whensoeuer question is moued why god shold geue such commandement the deuill hath the vpper hand As the exāple of Eue in paradise doth shew Cōmādement was geuē that they shold not eat of the tree But whan she began to regarde litle the commandement and hard the deuill reasonynge why God made suche a
it shoulde serue for the encreasyng of the Apostles faith as all his works hath chiefe regarde therunto And this is it that Christe euen this tyme also sheweth such a countenance of himself vnto his churche as thoughe hee nothynge regarded it and as thoughe he hadde forgotten vs as he dothe here in the shyppe He sleapeth and regardeth not the tempest the disciples the shyppe But yet he is in the shyppe be he neuer so muche a slepe And these be the temptaions that vexe the Churche where as CHRIST sufferethe the fluddes to ryse agaynste the shyppe that is hee suffereth the deuyll and the worlde to bee so troublesome vnto his Christians so that hereof riseth feare that all thynges shall come to naught And we also at this tyme see the very same things come to passe The Pope with his rable hateth the worde he stirreth the high powers continually against vs. The Turkes ar set forward by the diuell We are in the shyppe There be tempestes and the wyndes among the which we can not looke for safegard And it is possible that the Lorde may wynke at these thynges and shewe no token of helpe for vs. And yet this sleape of hys is in the shyppe But here we must take a good heart and think that we must not vtterly dispair because the Lord is with vs in the shyppe And although he faineth that he regardeth vs not yet this ought we to declare that we do not let him go out of our syght but that we thynk constantly of hym that he may make the sea calme although it be now neuer so muche opprest with waues tempestes So must we doo also in oure priuate temptations when the deuyl layeth thy synnes to thy charge and feareth thee with the wrath of God yea threatneth euerlasting damnation also And herin must thou not thynke but that Christ is at hand and yet a slepe and that thou must not sette it lyght and be negligent to go vnto hym and wake hym by prayer when he is founde as the Disciples do in this place They thinke it better to saue them selues then to suffer Christe to slepe They thynke thys ▪ Now haue we nede to haue Christ waked or els we are vndoone Wherfore they cease not from callyng vntill they had hym wakynge Folowe thou this example also For bothe must nedes be done If thou enter with Christ into the shyp the tempest wyll not bee lackynge Christ layeth him down to slepe that we myght fele temptation in dede For yf he shoulde not slepe and afterward represse the tempest we should neuer well perceaue what is true christianitie yea and we myght soone be brought in belefe that we were saued by oure owne power But here is faith strengthned through temptatiō that this confession myght be made a thyng necessarie No power of man coulde here haue preuayled this deliuerance came onely by GOD and his worde Besyde this doctrine Christ is described and sette forth vnto vs as a very man and accordyng to mans nature whiche consisteth of body and soule and therfore had nede of the naturall actions of eatyng drinkyng sleapyng and such other thyngs that are without synne euen as we haue That we myght bee defenced agaynst the dotage of the Manichees whiche iudged Christ to haue but a counterfait body and not a very body And as he declareth him selfe to be verye man by this that he slepeth as an other naturall man dothe so dothe he declare his godhead and almyghtinesse in this that he maketh the sea calme agayne by the worde For thys is no worke or dede belongynge to mans power Herein is gods power requisite that the violence of suche a great creature of God may bee restrained by his word That for that cause we might the more esteme this miracle forasmuche as here it is open howe God and man is one person in Christ. For the which cause he both can and wyll helpe in all combrance and affliction all suche as call vpon hym And if this can not be doone without the felynge of feare and peryll as well he declared before we must be content therewith For not so muche as the wicked can bee withoute affliction And therefore they are neuer free frome an euyll conscience and fynally they goe to damnation with all that they haue The thirde part is as touchynge the fruite whiche ryseth of suche a Faythe that is that other consyderynge thys myracle fall to repentaunce and say with greate admiration What man is this that the wyndes and the seas are obediente vnto hym It is lyke that these hytherto tooke hym but for a carpenter neyther thoughte they that ayde agaynste the perylle of deathe oughte to bee asked and desyred of hym Nowe they atteyne to so farre knowledge of hym that he hathe greate and sure myghte to helpe where as in man there is no helpe And this is the continuall nature of these thynges by howe much the temptation is the more greuous so much the fruict is greater in the ende Nowe is the rage of the worlde very great against vs so that almost we can hope for none other thyng then very destruction and that the tempest and the sea shall haue the victorie to our destruction But so that we haue this grace to sticke sure to the woorde and Faith we shall see a more ioyful end then we could thynke in heart The hate of the Pope Turk is greater then a man wold beleue wherwith they persecute the congregation for the whiche cause we grone mourn as a woman in her trauaile whiche hate neuerthelesse shall bring with it some comfortable thing that we neuer hoped for So ought euery man to thynk surely in his own behalf also that when he is enuironned and belayd round about with temptations that in the ende the fruict shall be moste certain swete and pleasant Wherefore howe greate the doctrine of this Gospell is and howe muche necessarye ayde it hathe for to further true godlynes that may be knowē by these thynges whiche are setforth and intreated of as touchyng the whole course of vertue and godlynes And if we be sure to be in the congregation amōg the godly let vs take shyppe with Christ and there let vs not refuse to abyde the tempeste and this moste greuous and troublous estate in the sea of this worlde And when this greuous trouble commeth foorthe lette vs kepe our selues diligently within our hold and defence of faith and of the word of God and lette vs thynke truely that the tempest and temptation shall not only haue an ende but that the conclusion shall folow with suche a prosperous successe of all thynges and with suche abundance of ioye that it shall soon recompence all myserie whiche we felt in suffering with the ioy of the victorie and with the approued power of faithe of the word so that we can not be sory for the labours and afflictions that
aduanced by God yet be they soone broughte downe agayne Wherefore when the Angels Cain Ismaell Esau Elias and the Iewes waxed proude and applyed theyr preeminence and priuiledge geuen vnto them to knowledge Gods goodnes thereby fyrste to their own priuate pleasure and commoditie and then to the oppressyng of other they were reprobate cast out of Gods fauor notwithstaÌ„dyng their fyrst birth-right and outlawed out of Gods kyngdom into the kyngdome of the deuyll And this practise of God is described in the Psalme 103. Who is lyke vnto the Lorde oure God that hath his dwellyng on high and yet humbleth hymselfe to behold thynges in heauen earth He raiseth the symple out of the durst and lifteth the poore out of the myre And the virgin Mary in her songe He hath put down the myghty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meke This is Gods maner He wholly resysteth the proude neyther doth hee enryche and beautifie menne with his gyftes that they therby shoulde become extorcioners and oppressours And lest he should seme to be ouercome of the proude he aduanceth nowe and then â–ª most basest persons to high honor and contrarywise throweth down kyngs from their thrones and bryngeth them hedlong to extreme calamitie whereout they can neuer escape Wherfore among the Iewes the fyrst borne hadde great priuileges in the priesthode and kyngdome was due to them by gods ordinaÌ„ce But when they proudly abused this honor God dyd not alwais ratifie this lawe Ruben also was the firste begotten but he is so cursed of his father Iacob that he obteined by his birthright neither kyngdome nor priesthode Abraham also as men thynke was the youngest amonge his brethreÌ„ But GOD bestowed on hym that was due to his brother And this may ye learne by many examples that the first borne dyd for the most part degenerate And there was no other cause of this then pride whiche thought this I am the first begotten wherfore my priuiledge is chiefe in this house I am Gods holy one and his peculiar good Wherefore lette no manne be proude yf he excelle in any gyfte of God more then other If thou be endewed wyth the gyfte of learnyng vse that gyfte to Goddes glorye and to the profyte of thy neyghbour Boast not thy selfe so muche thereof as though thou receauedst it â—â—t They that passe other in holynesse beautie rychesse or any other gyfte Lette hym beware of thys as muche as hee woulde of death that he chalenge not those thyngs as his own and so cast hym selfe out of Gods kyngdome by commyttynge sacrilege For GOD in the fyrst moste excellent and auncient Patriarkes hath declared howe greately he was offended with pryde and statelynesse where as they all for the most part degendred Iohn the Baptist continued accordyng to his fyrste birthright and almost none els But all other for the most part were of suche intollerable arrogance that they obteyned not this chiefe commoditie of thys renoume vntyll at laste the Iewes by theyr fall and ruyne gaue vp their ryghte to vs Gentiles For nowe the byrthryghte of the churche before God consisteth not in ciuill and corporal matters as the Pope boasteth countyng himselfe chiefe Bishoppe wheras he is scarsly a dreame But the priuiledge of the Churche is in baptisme in the worde of GOD. For although our bodelye and corporall birth maketh greate diuersitie in vs yet by baptisme we are all equall For we are all borne out of the churche whiche is an vndefiled virgin in spirit For it hath the pure worde of God his SacrameÌ„ts And the church is pregnant and great with child and alwaies bringeth forth Christians which are the first frutes proper goods of God And one man no more than an other God will haue vs acknowlege our honour and renoum in this that we through baptisme are borne the sonnes of God and his proper goodes He did not so by all nations he shewed not the iudgements of his mercie and grace to them whether they be Turkes or sarasens For they regard not these priuileges of the first begotten Neither will they hear or see these thinges that make vs first borne before God And for as muche as we obtaine this honour from God and his grace all Christians a like we ought not by our fault so to behaue our selues that the thinges that are geuen to our coÌ„fort against the wicked shold through pride be our destructioÌ„ It is the greatest renoum of Christs churche For she as a mother by baptisme the worde and faith bringeth forth Christians the meÌ„bers of the church Wherfore in all those things if christiaÌ„ men will haue respect to their birth condicion they shal haue no occasioÌ„ to be proude For whatsoeuer they be it coÌ„meth of the grace of God by baptisme faith the worde which are equallie belongyng to all Christian men makyng no man more Christian then an other before God through his mercie All before God are priests and kynges And of this renoum can neither Turke nor Sarasyn boast Yet is not this renoum graunted to our ambition to corrupte seduce as the Pope doth that vsurpeth the supremacie ouer all christendome without the commandement of God by the instinkte of the deuil only For this is a continual and vnchangeable rule among the ChristiaÌ„s as it is taught in the parable of the hired laborers that no man in dignitie and worthines prefer hymselfe before other For there is but one baptisme of all And wher as there must nedes be teachers and pastours yet these be but ministrations and offices that haue no power to make the children of God For baptisme and the worde and fayth in the worde causeth vs to be the children of God and the first borne Wherfore it is well set foorth in the churche for a doctrine that the example of the firste borne in the olde Testament and their pride shoulde teache vs that GOD can not suffer pride And he that wolde be safe from this daunger must nedes humble and submitte hymselfe But this tale were as well tolde to a deafe man as to the worlde For it abuseth the most folishe and vaine thynges that be to pride And for as muche as the worlde will in no wise folowe better councell GOD ceaseth not to withstand the stubborne and proude They are by daylye examples caste downe euen as Lucifer and his angels were out of heauen And this is one part of this gospell as muche as belongeth to the historie and the presentynge in the churche After this doth the Euangeliste reherse what chaunced when they presented Iesus as theyr firste begotten sonne in the Temple and redemed hym wyth a gyfte We wyll take that in hande at an other time to entreate of And nowe let vs pray vnto GOD that he will preserue vs by his grace againste all pride and kepe vs in obedience and lowlines to his most godly wyll Amen
not they are not to be obeyed but to be frely spokē agaīst althoughe losse of life shold folow therof For the gospell spareth no mā but reproueth the sinnes of all men generally without exceptiō Therfore let the pastors preachers diligently consider the greatnes wayght of their office remēbring that they must geue an accoūte therof at the great day of iudgemēt if they frely speake not to all men without feare rebuke those thinges that are worthy to be reproued be the persones of hye or low degree Why then shold we preachers for thy cause O thou maiestrate cast our selues into daunger serue thy lustes cōtrarie to our office It is not our worde Neither are we in this office to serue thy tourne as men hyred of thee to teach such things as maye please thy fansye the preachers may not do so neither wyl they do so nor yet ought they so to do He that is not willing to heare these thinges let him seke other that may serue his lustes so that this ministery be free wherunto God hath geuen authoritie power to rebuke sinnes yea the sinnes of all men And these are the three kindes of men whom Christ in this his most noble miracle hath censoures Iudges The first praise it allow it meruel at it the secōd hate it blaspheme it The third wolde haue such miracles wrought as they appoint neither are they any other at all times before whom the gospell is preached in the worlde Therfore the preachers in this behalfe must as Christ did dispute reason cōtēd with the aduersaries by no meanes suffer them or wincke at them but stoutly and valeauntly defende the Lord Christ his cause worde what soeuer aduersitie foloweth and not to regarde thoughe they seme to labour in vaine and to profite fewe We haue done our dutie if we haue disclosed their blasphemies If they heare not farewel they so that they vnderstand what they haue done and whom they haue contemned despised set at naught blasphemed and rayled vpon Christ first of al answereth thē that sayde he cast out deuils by the helpe of Beelzebub prince of the deuils These he cōfuteth with such a reasō as no reasonable mā can deny it That kingdom saieth he which is deuided in it selfe must nedes come to desolation If therfore one deuil cast out an other this then foloweth that y◠deuilles are together by the eares amōg them selues so must their kyngdom come to naughte And this is so true that euen in families or housholdes discorde maketh hauocke of al thinges For if the man the wife be at variance amonge them selues stryue one to hurte an other one to speake euill of an other then must the familie and housholde nedes perishe come to naught Examples do teache that discorde weakeneth maketh feble and vtterly destroyeth whole Empires Kyngdomes Cittes comon wealthes houses families Therfore the Phariseyes and Scribes are here vtterlye besyde them selues and clene out of their wyttes wantyng not only the Iudgemēt of the spirit but also of reason as our aduersaries also the papistes are madde vtterly estraūged from all reason whyle they contemne and condemne so manifest trueth For althoughe we had no scriptures yet were we able to defende our matters and confounde theirs euen with very reason But this helpeth nothyng al our labour is but loste so styffnecked and vncircuncised both in heartes and eares are our aduersaries the papistes And this here is worthy to be noted that Christe sayeth the deuill hath a kyngdome and suche a kyngdom as greatly agreeth in it selfe and defendeth their matters with high concorde and perfecte agrement so that whosoeuer prouoketh one deuill prouoketh and stirreth vp all He that hurteth one maketh all the residue his enemies otherwise if they lyued not in suche a concorde we shoulde plucke awaye many mo from the papistes vnto oure side That all do not beleue receaue the worde the cause is that the kyngdome of the deuil is so mightie and defendeth all their thinges by diligent coniunction and coupling together of consentes myndes This kyngdom doste thou disturbe and greue when thou receauest baptisme hearest the worde of God receauest the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. That the deuill doth not ouercom thee it is because that as in the deuils kyngdom there is hygh agremēt so likewise in the kingdom of Christ there is most true concord and singular linkyng together of myndes Therefore when the deuill assaulteth thee and goeth about to vexe and trouble thee he hath also to his ennemy hym that sitteth on the right hand of God the father euen Christ thyne heade as he saide vnto Paule Saul Saul why persecutest thou me This is to be taken for a myghty and strong defence yea and an inuincible fortresse I meane to be a christen man seynge we haue so myghtie a kyngdome against vs yea we shoulde not be certaine of our helth and saluation one moment of an houre if oure helpe were not sure and certain in the grace of God if God did not assist vs and be present with vs thorowe his holy spirite But here may an obiection be made against Christes confutation that the Exorcistes or cōiurers although they be a wicked kinde of people cast out deuils also Uerily al this cometh not of God but of the deuill We reade of a man that was possessed with many deuils yet a certain priest that was a coniurer and vsed sorcerie was so bold as to put his hād into the mans mouth that was so possessed And what other thing is this then one deuil to cast out an other I answer Paul saith that the deuill in the latter days shall worke wonders and do miracles yet shall they not be true miracles but fained counterfait and false For he worketh not those miracles to aduance the Gospell of Christ and to sette forth the glorie of God but to bryng men from the true faythe and to caste them headlong into all kynde of idolatrie There haue bene certain sainctes as they were wont to calle them as our Lady of Ipswiche our Lady of Walsingham the Roode of rest the roode of Grace S. Peter M. Iohn Shorne c. to whom they were wont in tyme past to sende such as were possessed with the deuyll that they myght there bee made whole and so manye tymes it came to passe But the deuyll was not therfore caste out as though he coulde no longer haue there remained but he was content gladly to depart to confirme them in their superstition and vnbeliefe As the deuill also hath many tymes fained that he is afeard of an halowed candell salt palmes holy water holy bread holy fyre c. When notwithstandynge he dyd it only to this ende to encrease superstition to banishe all true faith and religion to driue men from the lyuyng
that we shoulde perishe and be damned in our synnes The third cause is the euerlastyng councell and prouidence of God wherwith he determyned by this meanes to shewe his loue and to deliuer mankynde frome synne The fourthe cause is the trewe and faithfull promise whiche he made in tymes paste Oute of the whiche afterwarde foloweth the blyndnes and indignation of the Iewes whiche is the fyfte cause As touchyng the fyrst cause I mean our synne the holy Prophete Esaie speaketh on this maner He was wounded euen vnto the death for our synnes and broken on pieces for our wickednesses In these wordes the Prophete declarech wherfore Christ was so euyll handled and so greuously punished verily not for his owne synne For he is the onely begotten and derely beloued sonne of God which neuer committed synne neither was there euer found any guyle in his mouth yea for our synne for thyn and myne iniquitie was he wounded and broken on peces Therfore saith the prophet For our sinne Now that he saith Our that is for the synne of all men did he suffer and die For whē he had ones takē vpon him our infirmities diseases then must he also die for our sinnes and wickednesses as the prophete saith in the afore recited chapter the Lord hath laid the iniquitie of vs all vpon hym And a lytle after the prophete speaking in the person of God sayth For the synne of my people haue I striken and smitten him And in the ende of this chapter he saieth He bare the synnes of many and paide for transgressors Dauid in like maner complaineth in a certayne Psalm and speaking in the person of Christ saith The rebukes of them whiche rebuked thee he meaneth the heuenly father fell on me And a litle afore I paid the things that I neuer toke We haue greuously offended God dishonored his holy name and greatly obscured his glorie All this must Christ pay satisfie make amendes for it Therfore saith Peter in his fyrst Epistle Christ suffred ones for our synnes the iuste for the vniust Herof doth it folow that not only the Iewes whiche lyued at that tyme neither the souldiors nor yet Pilate Herode c. are gilty of the passion and deth of Christe but also all sort of vs whyche all without exception haue synned For for Oure synnes was CHRIST slayne and nayled on the Crosse. Neyther are wee better thenne they that crucified hym Althoughe that the Iewes dydde not knowe hym as the sonne of GOD otherwyse they would not haue crucified the Lorde of glorye yet for all that euen of very malyce and enuie agaynst hym they layde hand on hym as a gyltlesse manne accused hym and flewe hym But he hadde neuer come to that poynte if our synnes had not ben for the whyche hee was stryken wounded and slayne So lykewise made we hym to serue in oure synnes and through hym much sorow with our iniquities Therefore lette vs no more bee angrye with that myserable caytife Iudas Pylate Herode Cayphas Annas c. as the maner heretofore hathe bene yea rather lette euery man be angrye wyth him selfe accuse hym selfe and impute the fault to hym selfe as vnto hym whych for his synnes dyd cast Christ that innocent lamb of God into this most horrible and intollerable payne Te seconde cause is the excedynge great charitie loue and mercye of GOD whyche he shewed vnto vs miserable men wicked synners without any merite or desert on our behalfe wherwyth the heauenly Father beyng prouoked spared not only his begoteen sonne as Sainct Paule sayth but for vs delyuered him vp euen vnto death This declareth Saint Iohn in his Epistle saying In this thyng hath the loue of God appeared that he sente his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that we myght lyue thorough hym In thys is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make satisfaction for oure synnes And Christe hym selfe saythe GOD hathe so derely loued the worlde that he hath geuen hys onely begotten sonne to the ende that all that do beleue in hym shoulde not peryshe but haue lyfe euerlastynge Thys Charytie and Loue moued CHRIST alsoo to obeye hys Father in thys behalfe so that he came down into this world and toke oure synnes vpon hym as the Prophete Esaie saeith In his loue and in his fauour hath he redemed them And S. Paule saith God setteth forth his loue meruailously towarde vs in this that when we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. And Christ hym self saith No man hath a greater loue then thys that a manne shoulde geue his lyfe for his frendes Of these places of the holy scripture tofore alledged it appeareth euidently that the seconde cause of the death of Christ is the loue of God towarde all mankynde whome oure miserable and wretched state did so greatly moue and strike with tender compassion that he sent his onely begotten Sonne whyche also of very loue towarde man obeyed hys fathers wyll euen vnto the deathe the moste ignominious and spitefull death of the crosse into this worlde and gaue hym ouer into the handes of synners that he by his death and passion myght delyuer vs from euerlasting death damnation Wherof we may learne to loue one an other and so to bee mynded one to an other as Christe was mynded towarde vs. Of this thyng dothe S. Iohn admonyshe and teache vs in his Epistle where he saieth In this haue we knowen loue that he gaue his lyfe for vs we ought to geue our liues for our brethren Paule also in his epistle to the Philippians exhorteth vs that after the examples of Christ we shold humble our selues and serue one an other euen as Christ serued vs. The thirde cause is the euerlastynge councelle and prouidence of God which by his vnoutspeakable wisdome determined from euerlastynge to delyuer mankynd by the death of his sonne before the world was made as Peter in his sermon testifieth wher he after many wordes of the crucifying of Christ saith thus Hym Christ haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteous persōs after he was deliuered by the determinate councel foreknowledge of god and haue crucified slayne him And Christe himselfe in the gospell telleth aforehande in many places geueth his disciples forewarning how that this passion death shal chaunce and comme vnto him by the euerlasting councell and decree of his heauenly father as he said also vnto Pilate Thou shouldest haue no power at all ouer me excepte it were geuen thee from aboue The fourth cause is the faith and trueth of God For when this councel was determined from euerlasting then god wold not haue it kept in secret but did make open the same before many times and promised that Sauiour in many places of scripture by his holy Prophetes as S. Paule testifieth in his epistles This promes
of Christ Notwithstādyng this confirmeth other and so is God glorified by my blood and death and my neighbor by this means is cōfirmed in the faith although by it he be not deliuered from death For that is done only by the deathe of the true shepherd as it hath ben oftentymes sayde And here also come in the mercenaries or hirelynges and the wolues In the former doctrine of faith are that mercenaries Moses the law the prophets and al men be they counted neuer so rightous For no man is able to defend hym selfe as I may let other thyngs passe agaynst the wolfe that is to say the deuyll and sinne But in thys doctrine of charitie the wolues are false teachers and tyrantes which persecute and condemne the doctrine of the Gospell But the true godly man is not afrayde whenne he seeth the wolfe yea rather then he wold be the cause that any man should be offended and fall away from the word the true knowlege of Christ he wyl ieopard his hed lyfe and all that euer he hath as the exaumples of the Apostles and of the holy martyrs do abundantly declare These were not afrayd at the cruelnes of the wolfe that they shold ones flee So ought it to be nowe He that professeth him self a teacher of Gods word and a shepherd of the Lordes flocke there is so great sinceritie required of hym that he should onely seke the glorie of God and the saluation of his neighbour If he be not only carefull for these things but hunteth after his owne commoditie and profite then wyll not he abyde the comming of the wolf For he wil either cowardly flee and forsake the shepe or ells he wyll holde his peace and suffer the shepe to runne astray without foode that is to say without the worde of God They are the very hyrelynges whiche teache for their owne priuate lucre and aduantage and are not content with this that God geueth them sufficient for theyr dayly foode For we that ar in the ministerie ought to require no more then meate drinke and cloth as the Apostle saith hauyng foode and rayment let vs be contente For we brought not hynge into the worlde neyther shall wee carie any thyng out of it They that require more are hyrelynges and care not for the shepe But on the contrarye parte a trewe teacher for the safegarde of the shepe putteth his head life goodes and all that euer he hathe in ieopardie And thys is the seconde doctrine cōcerning the example of the good and true shepheard CHRIST which pertaineth not onely vnto them that are in the ministerie but also vnto al Christians For all men ought to confesse the truth and rather to lose their lyues then to forsake the worde and to imbrace idolatrie For this they knowe that they haue a shephearde whiche to this ende gaue his lyfe that althoughe they also bee enforced to geue theyr lyfe yet shall they receaue it agayne and neuer lose it after Nowe Christe goeth foorthe and maketh mencion of hys shepe and putteth a difference betwene them and other shepe And this he doothe for this purpose to make a diuersitie betwene his doctrine and heresy or any other doctrine saying I am the good shepherd and I knowe my shepe and my shepe knowe me As the Father hath knowen me and I know the father and I geue my lyfe for my shepe As though he should say Thus goeth the matter If ye wyl be my shepe and knowledge that I in dede am youre shephearde so shall ye be withoute perill and daunger Therfore a true teacher ought to sette foorth none other thyng vnto men but Christ alone that he maye be truely knowen what he is and what he geueth that no man turne asyde from his worde but that he alone be taken for the true and good shepheard which geueth his lyfe for his shepe This oughte to be sette foorthe vnto menne that they maye knowe theyr shephearde Therfore this doctrine is to bee receaued as an ensample that as Christ dyd and suffred all thynges for vs so likewise we shold gladly do suffre al things for the wordes sake Whyche twoo thynges are to bee taughte in the Churche Hee that heareth and vnderstandeth these thynges is Christes shepe as he hym selfe sayeth My sheepe heare my voyce Hee that teacheth trewely is a good shepehearde thys one thynge excepted that hee canne not geue hys lyfe for the sheepe on suche sorte as our Sauiour Christ dydde But they that heare not thys doctrine or wyll not sette it foorthe to the sheepe are not the sheepe of CHRISTE neyther are they the trewe shepheardes but they are in dede hyrelynges yea and rauening wolues Suche are not to be herd but to be eschued as the deuill After this sorte goeth it with the doctrine of the pope which is full both of errours and heresies He setteth not forth the wordes of Christ sincerely and purely when he sayeth I am the good shepherd and I geue my lyfe for my shepe But the Pope teacheth thus He that will be safe against the wolfe that is to say against the deuyl and deathe he must be his owne shepheard and loke for help in his owne works As ye know what thyngs they taught in the Popedome of the sacrifice of the Masse of purgatorie of pilgrimages of vowes of the monasticall lyfe of the workes of supererogation c. If therfore we will be true christians we muste folowe the shepe whiche knowe the voyce of their shephearde and take hede vnto that As for a strangers voyce they knowe not neyther wyll they heare it Therfore we ought to send them away from vs with these words I know not thy voyce I heare a wolfe which goeth about to pluck me away from the flock of Christ. Away hence with this woluysh houling I wil folow my shepherd and heare his voice For so saith Christ here They shal heare my voyce And a litle before he said They folow no strāger but flee from hym because they know not the voyce of strangers For it is not possible that a shepe whiche hath begunne to beleue and hath herd that voice of his shepheard receiued it shold here allowe that doctrine whyche is contrary to the voyce of Christe The shepe heareth the commaundementes of Emperours Kynges Princes Maiestrates c. but it knoweth that these thynges pertayn not vnto saluation For thys worketh not saluation because this politike and ciuile obedience is declared and shewed But whē a teacher commethe foorthe with this doctrine and saythe If thou wylt bee saued thou thy selfe muste satisfy for thy synnes Thou must cause Masses to be sayd for thee Thou must geue almes that thy sinnes may be forgeuen thee Thou must put on S. Francis coule that thou dying and beynge buried in the same mayst be saued c. In this case the shepe heareth not but sayth I know
Christ hath not the holy Ghost neyther can he thynke any godly thinge aright And although he doth that which of the owne nature is not vicious and wicked but agreable to the commaundementes of God yet dothe he the same as a seruant onely for feare not frely to shew his obedience to the will of God so that the worlde is euen suche one as lyke a most bondslaue is ledde of the deuyll which can neither speake do or thinke any thing that good and godly is as S. Iohn saith The world is altogether set on wyckednes The reason hereof is this For incredulitie is the fountayne and welspring of all euyll And he that exactly and throughly desireth to describe the worlde may well saye on this maner The worlde is a multitude of men which beleue not in Christ and therfore hate curse and blaspheme his worde whiche inwardly in their heartes outwardly in their dedes and workes steale robbe kylle commytte whoredome and are bent to all kynde of lewdnes and wickedly abuse all the good gyftes of God All suche sayth Christ in this place shall you myne Apostles and ministers of the worde haue euermore your aduersaries with suche muste you haue to doo This rebukyng of the worlde shall not be taken away before the laste daye but it shall bee continuallye taught that whatsoeuer is the worlde that beleueth not on Christ that pertayneth not vnto the kyngdom of Christ but vnto the deuyll not only for the notorious and outward syns but also for this principall and moste greuous synne I meane incredulitie or vnbelefe Neyther dothe this profite any thyng at all that thou keepest this or that monasticall rule that thou doest this or that woorke For so longe as incredulitie is presente thou arte a damned synner neyther canste thou auoyde damnation so longe as thou remaynest in that state The one and alone waye to escape damnation is to geue ouer thyne incredulitie and to beleue in Christe and to holde fast this confort agaynst synne deuyll and deathe As concernyng Faithe what it is it is not vnknowen vnto you and ye haue many tymes heard that Faythe is not onely to knowe and beleue that the hystorie of Christe is true but faithfully to be persuaded that all that euer Christe dydde was doone for thy sake for thy cōmoditie and wealthe for thy health and euerlastynge saluation For the deuyll also knoweth that Christ dyed and doothe as certainly beleue it as all the Papistes of the worlde but he beleueth not that Christe dyed for hym and for his saluation Thys Fayth that we here speake of that all that Christe dyd was done for our sake and for our saluation is onely the gyfte of the holye Ghoste Hee that hath not thys Faythe that he can saye Christe dyed for me that I myghte be delyuered from synne and euerlastynge deathe is vngodly and appertayneth not vnto the kyngdome of Christ neyther hath he remoued synne from him whatsoeuer good works he dothe and taketh neuer soo muche payne otherwyse And this is the firste parte of the office of the holy Ghost that all thyngs are wrapped in synne and that we with all our good workes are not withstandyng iudged of the holy Ghoste synners and so damned forasmuche as we beleue not in Christ Iesu. Therefore lette vs refuse and vtterlye caste awaye coules monkyshe orders foolyshe vowes superstitious fastynges vnfaythfull prayers mens wicked traditions vnfruitfull ceremonies and ydell obseruations of mennes mooste ydell inuentions and carnall imaginations and moreouer what soeuer we haue taken vppon vs to this ende that we maye obteyne Remission of oure synnes and lette vs laye on hande and holde faste trewe Faythe in Christe For these thynges can not agree together that I should saye Christe dyed for me and yet I dooe and obserue certayne woorkes that I maye bee iustified and saued by them He that can not abyde to bee rebuked of the holye Ghoste for suche thynges It is a manyfeste signe that he doothe not beleue and that he is a damned synner and of the number of them that doo not beleue in Christe Iesu. The seconde parte is that the Holye Ghoste wyll rebuke the worlde of ryghteousnesse Thys alsoo is an harde sayenge The worlde hathe Synne but it hathe not Ryghteousnesse neyther dothe it knowe howe it shoulde bee Iustifyed and made Ryghteous But what is thys Ryghteousnesse Lawe and righteousnes be the chiefe thynges of the worlde And the Philosophers haue prescribed Rules and Preceptes of the Offices and dueties of Righteousnesse and of other vertues that menne myght lyue an honest and Ciuile lyfe Neyther canne thys be counted vnrighteous to hange vp theues to punyshe adulterers c. Yea it is an acte bothe ryghte and good But Christe speakethe not here of that Ryghteousnesse whiche the world counteth righteousnes but of that righteousnes whyche is of valour and wyll goe for payment before God He speaketh not here of politike and humayne iustice or rightousnes but of that which is comprehended in this worde of Christe I go vnto the Father and ye shall see me no more This is more mysticall and harder to be vnderstanded then the last where it is pronounced that it is synne not to beleue in Christe For thus men thynke that they haue naturall strength inough to lyue godly to prepare them selues vnto grace and to praye for it And that is the cause nowe a dayes also that the Papists can not perceaue nor vnderstand this doctrine so far out of frame semeth here the description of righteousnes that thou art then righteous when Christe goeth vnto the Father and thou seest hym no more This is a meruailous goodly text and nothynge can bee more euident and playne then this description For what will man nowe glorye and boaste hymselfe of his good works Christes worde is manyfest in this place that righteousnes is not gotten by woorkes but it is gotten by this meanes onely that Christe gothe to the Father This his iourney and goynge vnto the Father is the true and euerlastynge righteousnes This knowledge is vtterly vnknowen vnto the worlde For in all his monumentes and bookes there is not one syllable of this rightousnes This is sette foorth in theyr bookes that he whyche kepeth the tenne commaundementes dothe nothyng agaynst honestie publique ordinances lawes custome c. is a good honeste and righteous man But Christe speaketh not one worde here what I ought to doo or to leaue vndoone but he speakethe symply and onely of his owne worke that is to saye that he goeth vnto the Father and that we shall see hym no more and that this is our righteousnes and none other thyng Therefore when we doo determyne to get vs true ryghteousnesse we maye not go about to obteyne it with our owne workes and with our owne righteousnes It maketh nothyng vnto this matter to become a Monke to watche to faste
in the felde or in the Citie he is taken to be in heauen for that that god the father the sone and the holy ghoste doth come vnto hym and haue their abydinge with hym And this thing haue we heare in this lyfe in the worde and do fele it inwardly by fayth but all these thinges shal be felte in dede in the lyfe to come For to haue god dwelling in vs in this lyfe is none other thynge then that all thinges that we do saye thinke or suffer are acceptable vnto God and that al thinges when we eate drinke worke slepe wache praye reade singe learne c are alowed of hym This were the very felicitie it selfe yf we were so wyse as to consider and beholde it with true eyes wyth a sure faith For the glory of the godly doth herein passe the glory of heauen For God sayth not so by heauen that he will dwel in it but thus he sayth that heauen is his seat and the Earth his footestole But the heart of the godly is the very habitation wherin god dwelleth if so be that he can but so much apprehende Christ that he beleue surely that he suffred and died for vs for these benefits loue him And so all thinges are consistinge in this that we should loue Christ and as for the rest there is no cause why any man should greatly feare For this loue shal make all other thinges easie and tollerable whatsoeuer shal chaunce for hym and his worde sake where as contrariwise without this loue all thynges shall seme intollerable and aboue all mens power as Christ sayth in the wordes folowing But if a man doth not loue me He will not kepe my worde Where as Christe is loued this is also certayne that the father for Christes sake doth loue againe and doth not onely loue vs but commeth vnto vs and he with Christ the holy ghost maketh his dwellyng with vs. This thing is so great that if we consider it well we could not but patiently suffer all thynges that chaūce vnto vs for Christs sake Where this loue of Christe is not and wheras men receaueth the gospell to the entent that they maye inuade the Churche goodes and make hauoke therof to their owne profite and commoditie and to serue their owne lustes as it is the fashion of the worlde in all thynges to seke his owne vantage and profit ther can not the worde of Christ be long kepte For it is very necessary to haue loue if a man wyll be constant in trouble profite gaines doth nothyng helpe in this case Wherefore if we loue godlines in dede that we wold not depart from the golspel we must so vse all thinges that we may saye In the name of our Lord Iesu Christe was this begon and by his commandement do we this Wherfore no case so harde can moue vs but that we take all things well in worth that God sendeth But what is the cause that we should styke vnto the worde so constantly and that we shold geue no place to anye danger or perill Surelye because Christe sayth furthermore the worde that I speake is not myne but my fathers whiche sent me And after this maner doth Christe often times speake And this is the pyth of that that Christ speaketh If ye do receaue me and embrace me that is my worde and promesse then be ye sure of this that the true GOD hath receaued you neyther must ye thinke besides of any other GOD. For ye shall find god no wher els but in me and in my worde The reason why is that the worde that I speake is not mine but the worde of my father If ye receaue this worde ye receaue my father If ye beleue in it ye beleue in my father Wherefore nowe it is easie to iudge howe the worlde stande Mahumet the Turke the Pope the Iewes do crake much of GOD they praye muche and affirme them selues to be the true worshippers of GOD. But the matter is plaine that Mahumet the Turke the pope the Iewes do not fynde the father neither knowe anye thynge of hym For they haue not the worde of Christ which is not Christes but the fathers Wherfore Christe by these wordes geueth a sure doctrine to beware by as thoughe he shoulde saye Yf ye will heare GOD and haue hym ioyned vnto you ye must tourne awaye your eyes and eares in no case from him But heare me and ye heare God see me ye see God For this it is decreed eyther must ye heare god by me or neuer heare him Wherof this muste by reason folowe that Christe when he vttereth the bountefull worde the hole godhed doth alow it so that neyther the deuyll nor the worlde can make it frustrat and false The reason is this Christs word is not his but the fathers as he saith the wordes that ye heare are not mine but my fathers that sent me The wordes be so simple and plaine that nothyng can be more simple and plaine Wherfore whan the men that are worldly wyse chaunceth vpon these words they thynke that they are but wordes coldlye slenderly spoken that in great and wayghtie matters he woulde haue vsed more earnest and pythye wordes Howbeit what great matter there is included in these wordes that are so basse and slender that doth then appeare when great perill and feare is at hande Wherfore Christ here maketh an ende of his sermō and saith these thinges haue I spoken to you whan I was byding with you but the holy ghost the conforter whome my father will send in my name he shal teache you all thynges and shall put you in remembrance of those thinges whiche I haue spoken vnto you For if a man shoulde bestowe neuer so manye wordes yet if the holy ghoste shoulde be lackynge the matter coulde not be perceaued Nowe whatsoeuer remaineth in this gospell it is the conclusion of the whole sermon that Christ in this chapter made to his Disciples that they should be of good confort and not be troubled nor offended for the spiteful death that he shoulde suffer and so be dismayd forasmuche as they shold therby obtayne their saluation Of this dyd we speake here tofore Therfore nowe we wil be cōtent with this doctrine that we haue taught which Christ doth cheifly entreate of in this part that then specially shall we kepe the worde and shall not go from it for feare of any peril if so be that we loue god And that this is the onely waye to make God loue vs and to come so nighe vnto vs that he dwell in vs. But he that goeth to God by any other waye then by the loue of Christe he fleeth frome God and can neuer come nygh vnto hym and whatsoeuer he dothe or suffreth all is but loste labour and in vayne Wherfore seyng that our Lord saith that these wordes that he spake are not his but the fathers all men
store house might be full therof and flowyng ouer out of this into that And thereby thei thought them self rightuous and for that cause to be blessed of GOD. So doe our Papistes also excuse theim selues Thei saie that our doctrine is true but yet for all that thei muste not departe and swarue from the holy churche leaste there should rise a sedicion and scisme Yea thei thē selues also do feare that if thei should receiue this doctrine that their owne churche and power should decaie and perishe Whereas neuerthelesse onely the Gospell maketh the true churche of GOD and dooeth represse all vniust power and sedicion Furdermore couetuousnes is the cause and impedimente that thei receiue not the Gospell for bicause thei see that the Gospell is defended with a verie simple garde that is with pouertie and persecution But what will be the ende of this Suche as was of the Iewes Thei defended their lawe priesthode kyngdome and riches so longe and so stubburnely vntill at laste thei were all ouerthrowen and loste all so that now thei liue emong straungers as banished persones and sure of nothyng and can not come to the felowship of this supper For the Lorde purposeth now to bid other geastes and bicause he is despised of them he despiseth them also as it foloweth The good man of the house was displeased and saied to his seruaunte Goe out quicklie into the streates and lanes of the citie c. As though he should saie if ye set so muche by your Farmes Oxen wiues that ye care not for my supper that is if ye holde so faste the priesthod the kyngdome and the richesse that ye put a side me and my Gospell this I tel you before that ye shal loose all together And I in the meane season will prouide me other geastes Wherefore thou seruaunt get thee out into the streates and lanes of the citie and bryng hither the same the poore the maimed and weake And so it chaunceth to the Iewes For when the princes priestes and all the chief emongest the people despised the Gospell for the causes aboue rehearsed GOD receiued the humbe fishers whiche is a poore and a despised sorte As Paule saieth to the Corinthians Looke brethren on your vocacion how GOD hath not chosen many wise men after the fleshe nor many mightie nor many of high degree but he hath chosen the foolish thinges of the worlde to confoūde the wise The weake hath GOD chosen to confounde the stronge The obscure of the worlde hath GOD chosen and the abiectes and those that are of no reputacion to bryng to naught those thynges that are of reputacion c. And accordyng to this sentence whatsoeuer thyng in this people had the preeminence in holinesse wisedome power or riches it is reiected bicause thei despised the Gospell Contrarie wise Christ receiued the simple and obscure as Peter Andrewe Simon and Bartholomewe c. whiche were Fishers and verie poore men Whom no manne thought worthie to execute the smallest offices for the chief Princes and Priestes For thei wer the outcastes and as Esai saieth the dragges of the moste excellent wine So that the excellentest of the people the priestes the riche heades the nobles the glorious were caste awaie for their vnbelief euen as a tunne of good wine where remaineth onely the dregges whom Christ here dooeth call the poore the weake and the blinde Those doeth Christ here poinct to the kyngdome of God and not the Pharasei and his whiche doeth faine that thei set greatly by the kyngdome of GOD and the bread thereof But Christ dooeth declare what suche hypocrites doe meane ye would saieth he haue Farmes and Oxen. But as for this supper of the kyngdome of GOD ye care not Wherefore this supper belongeth onely to the poore As it is saied the poore receiue the ioyfull tidynges of the Gospell For the rulers the holie and the wise despise this Supper and be vnworthie thereof He could not haue spoken more geuously against the Iewes and specially against this man that craked of the breade of the kyngdome of heauen and yet vnderstoode no more of this kyngdome then consisteth in Farmes Oxen and other present thynges of this life that their region might not be depriued of the priesthod and kyngdome whatsoeuer becommeth of Christe and his Gospell For thus thought he that he had no nede of Christ to attain thereby the kyngdome of GOD. But that GOD would saie to hym and to all the Iewes Come ye Iewes and high priestes ye holie men ye princes ye excellent citezens for you is the breade and supper prepared But saieth he thus goeth the matter ye are called but ye dooe not regard Ye excuse your selues and affirme that your excuses be lawfull Wherefore I reiect and refuse you and receiue the vile multitude as the lame the weake the blinde the halte the poore c. And thus farre this Gospell belongeth to the Iewes For he speaketh of the lame and weake that are in the streates and lanes of the citie and he calleth the people of the Iewes a citie bicause that people was well ordered and ruled For thei had the lawe ceremonies rites temple priestes kynges and all thynges ordained of God and written by Moises Now he sendeth his seruauntes in to the high waies and commaundeth theim to bryng geastes wheresoeuer thei maie bee had yea the beggers that sitte by the hedges c. And the Lorde saied vnto his seruaunte Goe out into the high waies and vnto the hedges and constraine theim to come in that my house maie be full These that lye at the hedges are wee Gentiles whiche dwell in no citie whiche haue had no forme of seruice but haue been Idolatours and knewe neither our selues neither God Wherefore all that we haue maie well be called an open fielde where all thynges lye open to the deuill at his owne will Goe thither saieth he and constraine them to come in For this is alwaies the frowardnes of the world to resist the Gospell and not to brooke the doctrine thereof Yet neuer the lesse this feast maker would haue his supper often to be vsed For he bestoweth all this coste and charges that he maie not lacke men to be merie and make good chere with hym although he should bee faine to raise theim out of stones And this is the very cause that GOD made the worlde so large and wide whereas yet now of late he hath had sufficient cause for mannes sinne to make bothe it and mankinde more lesse and narowe But he doeth not so bicause as yet he hath not geastes sufficient to furnishe his supper Wherfore wheras his seruauntes bryngeth the Gospell to vs also this is a token to vs that are Baptized and beleue that we pertaine also to this supper For we are those iolie felowes liyng by the hedges that is to saie blinde poore lame and Gentiles moste desperate But how dooeth GOD constraine vs whereas
pure worde of God and suffer not our selues so muche as the breadth of our naile to bee plucked awaie from it but whatsoeuer is contrary to that to coumpte it as euill as the Deuill and plaine abhominacion who so euer be the aucthour thereof Kyng or Kesar Pope or Patriarche For as we heard before wheresoeuer the worde is sincerely preached there are the Wolffes at hande streight waies with all their subtelties deceiptes and craftie immaginacions as we haue experience hereof and diuers examples also bothe in matters of the Churche in affaires of the Common weale and in housholde businesse The Wolffe thrusteth hym self into all places that he maie plucke vs frō the worde and so occupie the place hym self In the Churche we haue the woorde of GOD there laboureth the deuill to the vttermoste to plucke it awaie frō vs. He stirreth vp one sectarie or other to teache some newe thyng of Baptisme of the Lordes supper yea of Christ hym self whiche we neuer heard before And then suche and so greate is our foolishenes inconstancie and leudnes that out of hand we are desirous of newes so that immediatly we cast awaie the woorde and haue a singulare respecte vnto the aucthour of that newe doctrine when notwithstandyng he dooeth nothyng els then goe aboute to deceiue and destroye vs. And vnto this ende that is to saie that we should not bee seduced of suche Wolffes doeth our sauiour Christe specially direct this his admoniciō As though he should saie ye shall not wante Wolffes whiche shall come vnto you with goodly visars and holy shewes that ye shall thincke ye neuer in your life heard more Godly or more excellent Preachers And thus except ye take hede ye shall bee deceiued and fall into daunger before ye beware But who shall be in the faulte Surely not I whiche warne you to take hede but ye your selues whiche heare the woorde and haue it and yet will you not kepe it nor holde it faste c. For if a christian man being circumspect and hauyng regard to himself and to his owne saluacion had no more but the Cathechisme that is to saie the tenne Commaundementes the Articles of the faithe the lordes praier the wordes of Christ concernyng Baptisme and the Lordes supper euen by these thynges onely might he defende hymself against all heresies and errours But seing there is so greate negligence of hearyng the woorde and so fewe that delighte in the same with their wholle heartes it is no marueile though the Deuill take place in theim and throwe theim hedlong into all kinde of wicked and vngodly doctrine Against this so greate daunger Christe would haue vs well enarmed and strongly defensed that we be not circumuented nor beguiled yea deceiued and destroied of those Wolffes whiche shal be if we caste a waie this securitie and negligence and fortresse our selues manly and valiauntly with the worde of God He setteth before vs the most certain deceiptes of the Wolffes and how craftely thei goe about to beguile We had nede therfore diligētly to take hede And therefore saieth Christ he that wil bee in saffegarde and sette free from the rauenyng tethe of the moste rauenyng Wolffes let him holde faste my woorde whiche is the true light whereby he maie clerely as in a moste cleare glasse beholde se and perceiue the slye subtleties of subtle Satan whiche also is the armour to defende vs againste the fierie dartes of the deuill although he approch vnto vs neuer so craftely euen cladde and garnished with the simple apparell of a moste simple shepe For this is the greatest ieopardie of all When the Deuill cometh he cometh not in his owne habite but he taketh vnto hym some holie and religious garment and pretendeth muche deuocion and godlinesse After this sort came he vnto Christe in the wildernes whē he saied vnto hym Fall doune and worshippe me and I will giue thee all these thynges These woordes were not mete woordes for the Deuill but for the moste high Maiestie of GOD. This a lone is to be worshipped This alone hath the right power of the kyngdomes of the worlde and giueth them vnto whō it pleaseth hym Therfore Christ rebuketh hym and saieth Hens Satan As though he should saie Thou camest vnto me in the apparell of GOD but I knowe thee Thou art the Deuill Therefore the Shepes clothing ought to moue no man For so maie we sone be deceiued receiue and heare the Deuill in steede of GOD. In like maner when the Deuill cometh vnto vs with his Sectaries Schismatikes and Heretiques he first of all putteth vpon him a goodly countenaūce and apparelleth hym self like an Angell of lighte that it maie none otherwise appere but that those impostores iuglars and deceiuers are moste holy moste religious moste feruente in Gods cause and moste zelous in matters of true Godlines and yet it is the Deuill as we haue plentle of examples in the Arrians Anabaptistes Dauidians Swenckfeldians c. To be shorte where the Deuill findeth idle and carelesse heartes there crepeth he into theim as a Serpente when menne slepe on the grasse and fele nothyng We maie not therefore neglect caste awaie and sette naught by the the faithfull admonicion and warnyng of Christe least through our negligence we be deceiued of these glistering Hypocrites and bee caried aboute with euery winde of doctrine but we ought rather diligently to heare the woorde haue our meditacion in that and embrace it with high constancie and by that expende weigh discerne and iudge al doctrines who soeuer be the aucthours of theim If we would thus doe the Deuill should not haue so greate power to deceiue vs. In the regimentes of common wealthes wee maie beholde an example and as it were a picture of Ecclesiasticall matters For when Princes are carelesse and idle and doe not their office diligently and earnestly as thei ought Then is as the lande full of flatterers For thei beleue generally al men what so euer thei heare thei thinke it straight wayes to be true And this is the cause why all thynges go to hauocke in their countries and their subiectes bee moste miserably polled and pilled as I maie speake nothing of their owne incommodities and losses For it is not vndaungerous to commit the handlyng of so waightie matters to all men and the Princes them selues nothyng at al regarde them If thei them selues were presente at the doyng of suche matters knewe the accoumptes of their officers and would beleue no more then thei knewe certainly to be true it should go better with the common wealthe then it doeth at this present And euen so is it likewise in families or householdes Whē suche as should be gouernours of houses are idle and carelesse and commit all thynges to them of their houshold losses chaunce soner then thei loked for In deede this is true we ought not to despaire generally of all mennes fidelitie
this vice is geuen by nature that we are glad to beleue lies for because our heart is proue therto By this meanes the Pope and his sectaries beleue constantly in the masse and in the seruice and intercession of sainctes in monasticall vowes ceremonies fastes c. But it is a false and fayned fayth and by your reuerence ful of whoredome baudrie The heart is full of fornication False faith causeth spiritual whoredom But on the contrari part we which thankes be vnto god haue the pure and chaste spowse for the word is doubtlesse sincere and true do not beleue constantly wher as neuerthelesse we sholde beleue cōstantly But they can not beleue so constantly seing they haue not the worde All the cause therof is in oure olde man in the deuill for that that we thorow originall sinne depart from the worde and truth vnto lyes Out of this gospell we must first learne that we haue nede of the worde And then that we embrace it with a sure faith And that afterwarde doth therof ensue remission of sin and euerlastyng lyfe so that we are surely ridde from all difficulties and dangers both in this life and in the life euerlasting But when the worde is lackyng ther is a faith also as the Anabaptistes Arrians Turkes Iewes Papistes haue a fayth But it is a faith without the worde which is ingenerat in vs by nature through the fall of Adam This is a lying fayth which by nature we may kepe more surely then the worde of God After that Christe had preached this to the sicke of the Palsye and forgaue his sinnes The scribes thinke that Christ blasphemeth God in that he forgeueth sin This part is necessarie also and of greate wayght For this is euident by the example of all phantasticall persons that all are in this errour that they know not howe synnes be forgeuen Demaunde this of the Pope and of his doctours add they can not tell thee what absolution doth For all the Popedome holdeth fast by this doctrine and it is surely holden vp therby that grace is powred into them that he that would obtaine it hath nede of contrition confession satisfaction But when it is demanded what is the office of absolution and of the keies they answere that it is an exterial administration which is obserued in the church So saye the Anabaptistes also what shall baptisme preuayle to the obtayning of remission of sinnes sith it is but a litle water The spirit is requisite To be short no secte maker no monke no priest could see this that remission of sinne is a power geuen to man As it is here in the gospell Wherfore learne thou this and say I know that God doth onely forgeue the sinne that I confesse yet this is also to be knowen by what I may be certified that my synnes are forgeuen or what is the meane by the whiche my sinnes are forgeuen And there say If I desire remission of sin I must not go into some corner and say O god forgeue me my sins And thē loke for som Angel whom god shold send vnto thee to say that thy sinnes are forgeuen For god promiseth that he will come vnto vs that baptisme may be amonge vs and his word most holy that it might be said I baptise thee in the name of the father of the son and of the holy ghost He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued But thou sayste that baptisme is water onely It is true but this water is not alone but Gods worde is with it Therfore when I come to the minister whiche hath the peculier commandement of GOD or to any other Christian and desyre remission of my synnes There doth the minister pronounce I in the stede of GOD declare vnto thee through Iesus the remission of all thy synnes And here mayste thou surely truste that thy synnes are forgeuen For baptime and the worde will not deceaue thee This dyd they not teache in the Popedome neither doth any of their preachers vnderstand this Wherfore geue you thankes to God for this benefite light and learne diligently that God alone forgeueth sinne But how verely no otherwise then it is here in that he hath geuen men such power As Christ begynneth that in this place and afterwarde geueth commandement that frō henceforth it shold alwayes be obserued and kepte in the congregation vnto the ende of the worlde that repentaunce remission of sinnes sholde be preached in his name So is remission of sinnes amongest men to be required or in the worde and no wher els For ther only may it be founde This suffereth thee not to ascend into heauen therfore But whē thou desirest remission of synne receaue baptisme if thou be not yet Christined or if thou be see that thou doest call to minde that promesse and be not harde of of belife Go also and be at one with thy neyghbour then aske absolution And as thou hearest that remission of sinne is pronounced vnto thee in the name of Iesu so beleue and thou shalt obtaine thy desire So that baptisme absolution the publike worde the sacrament maye not seme a lyght thing vnto thee but that remission of sin may be asked and required therby For to this intent God hath called and ordained thy Pastour and Curate thy father and mother thy Christian neyghbour hath put his word in their mouth that thou shouldest aske confort and remission of syn of them so that this maye so be counted the commandement and ordinance of god that we shold geue credence to the wordes of men when they according to Christes worde and commandement vse their ministration and office For these are not the wordes of men but of God Wherfore these wordes are to be beleued constantly and not to be despised When the minister baptiseth a childe accordyng to Christes commādement There thou hearest the wordes pronoūced of a man But they are the wordes of God neither must thou take them any otherwise then if god had pronounced theym hymselfe So whenne thy synnes are forgeuen thee in absolution thou mayest no more doubte then yf God hadde spoken theym hymselfe For GOD hym selfe pronounceth this sentence that thy synnes maye be forgeuen thee Wherefore learne in this place the waye howe to aunswere these phantasticall persons when they crie on this wyse What is water but water We know thys also But they are ignorant hereof that the worde of God is ioyned with suche water Wherfore it is no longer pure water but diuine water whyche the mynister geueth not of hymselfe but God commaunded it so to be geuen to the intente that by it we myghte haue a new byrthe to enter into the kyngdome of God and Remyssion of all oure synnes And as GOD geuethe the worde whyche is hys and not oures so dothe hee geue also Faythe vnto the worde For bothe of them are the gyftes of God Faithe and the worde
but is only a felow seruant and would require his right rigorously of hym he shall do nothynge els by this meanes then cause that this rigorousnes and cruell bytternes can not longe lye hid Other Christians will take this greuously and will bringe this crueltie of this seruant to the lords eares That is to say that vniust pride and vnmercifulnes will geue and moue the holye spirite in Christians that they in their sorowe wyll make their pitiful complaint vnto the Lord. And let no man thinke that this complaint shall fall voyde For although that god wolde of hym selfe neglecte this wrong yet shoulde he be constrained by Christian mennes prayers not to neglecte it Therfore as the prayers of the righteous are not voide so shal not the common curses of the people and the crying out for reuenginge fall voyd and frustrat And therfore Christ will not haue vs neglecte them but for feare of this perill to shew our selues gentle to our felow seruants Then shalt thou perceaue in dede that there be some that for this thy gentlenes wyll wishe all prosperitie and successe to thee again Wherfore these men can neuer thriue that regarde not the curâ—â—ngs and blessyngs of of the people As it is to see in time of dearth The miserable multitude curseth the couetous â—â—gardes as Salomon sayth in his Prouerbes The people curse hym that hydeth his grayne but blessynge is vpon them that sell. But the vngodly couetous regardeth this not But consider thou whether this curse be not effectuous wheras they with all their goods are compassed about with all troubles and miseries Wherfore this is not to be estemed lightly wheras Christ in this place sheweth howe we should beware that we geue no occasion to make our felow seruantes to complaine vnto the Lorde and shewe what they haue seen in Iudgementes For it is an horrible thing that foloweth The lord saith he called the seruant vnto him And this is the fyfte cause that thou mightest thinke wel vpon this end For if thou wilt shewe no mercie vnto thy felow seruaunt but requirest thy right rigorously thinke not that god wil winke at it lay nothing to thy charge for it But he will declare this his reuenging both at other times specially in the latter IudgemeÌ„t wheÌ„ he shal geue his greuous senteÌ„ce against thee Euen that thou be deliuered to the tormenters vntil thou payst the whole debte What speciall thing shalt thou haue then for thy stubburnes Wheras thou with thy gentlenes mercy to the neyghbour sholdest haue god mercifull vnto thee and shouldest haue escaped scotfree from all thy debtes Nowe shalt thou fele him vnmerciful that he wil pardoÌ„ no part of thy debtes And this is nothing els theÌ„ according to the Prouerbe to take vp the stalke let go the eare wheras thou castest awaie many thousand to winne one halfpeny Although this parable is farre beneth the matter wtout the which a maÌ„ can not obtaine remission of sins but is constrained to sustaine the euerlasting wrath of god Wherfore Christ coÌ„cludeth saith thus shal my heauenly father deale with you also if you forgeue not euery man his brother froÌ„ the bottom of your heart al their offences He sayth that we are brothers therfore there ought to be no enmitie and hatred among vs. Howbeit our infirmitie is so great that we shal neuer liue without offending eche other But what doth god require of vs euen that we shold not liue in hatred and strife but from our heartes forgeue one an other and thynke this he is my brother why shold I be so cruell against him Seing God is so good vnto me and forgeueth me suche a great summe freely for Christes sake what should I estime my selfe so highly and disdaine to forgeue my brother suche triflynge debtes If I maye come to that point that he will forgeue me I will be right glad to suffer my neyghbours debte to be stricken out of my counting booke Yea and will thancke god also for that he of his mercie hath pardoned me wheras he might haue required of me vnnumerable debtes and caste me to be bounde in euerlasting chaynes And this is the doctrine whiche the Lorde Iesus Christe putteth forth to his people this day euen that we should refraine our selues from wrath and reuenging forgeue our neygbour gladlie that so we may be sure that god forgeueth vs. But daylie experience teacheth howe disobedient we are in this behalfe and howe obedient we are in folowing the deuil whansoeuer he moueth vs to wrath to reuenge and to all that he requireth of vs althoughe it be to our greate damaige For Christes saying is true If thou forgeuest thou mayeste be sure god will forgeue thee so that if thou be mercifull thou shalt still obtaine gods mercie If not loke for asuretie that God wil be mercifull vnto thee If thou hast a pleasure to reuenge then muste GOD do likewise vnto thee And yet thou canst reuenge and hurt for a time but gods reuenging and wrath which thou procurest by thy folishe and impotent wrath hath no end And this reuengynge of thine hath no iust cause For all power of reuengyng belongeth to God and not to thee And thou mayst be sure that if thou resigne thy right of reuenginge to god and preuentest him not through thy hastie wrath then he wil reuenge and punishe it muche more greuouslye then thou woldest desire But howe it goeth with them that are so desirous to reuenge may wel be perceaued if men wil coÌ„sider but this how synne is punished by him For they that are geueÌ„ to wrath desire of vengeance are so fare out of Charitie through ire that at last they cease from saying of the Lords prayer For here is the sharpe nayle alwaie in their sore which continually pricketh Then wheras they are coÌ„manded therin to pray vnto god for the forgeuinge of their trespaces as they forgeue other that trespace against them Here they know that if they caÌ„not obtaine forgeuenes of their owne trespaces except they forgeue other that then they shall neuer obtayne it Wherfore lest they shoulde by this meanes geue iudgement to their owne damnatioÌ„ they neuer say that prayer And what thynge maye we thyncke that the deuil can deuise more greuously and cruellye against a man than to brynge hym in suche case by wrath and anger that he dare not pray And what shal a Christian man do if he can not pray If prayer whiche is the onelye refuge of Christen men be taken froÌ„ them than must all go to nought Yea and all suche also beginne to refuse the communion and so therby depriuen themselfes of great confort and solace which they thereat shoulde receaue againste syn and greife of conscience But were it not muche better for them to suffer wrong to lay aside all wrath rise it neuer of so iust a cause then this by their stubburnes to purchase gods
hom Dignus est merâ—en c. Math. 24. The rewarde 1. Pet. 5. Dan. 12. Math. 13. Math. 22. Math. 24. Luc. 12. Esa. 66. Apo. 21. 1. Cor. 2. Esa. 64. Math. 12. Iohn 6. Rom. 1. Iac. 1. Psal. 51. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 2. Ephe. 2.5 Tit. 3. Luc. 24. Iohn 16. Math. 9. Psal. 119. Iohn 1â— 1. Cor. 4. Esa. 50. Esa. 61. Ezech. 34. Esa. 61. Luc. 21. Act. 6. Psâ—l 68. Tit. 1. Math. 5. Math. â—3 2. Timoth. 2. Tit. â— 1. Cor. 9. Sap. 15. Iohn 17. Math. 13. Phil. 1. Tit. 1. Iac. 1. Math. 25. Phil. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Iac. 1. Luc. 11. Eccle. â— Iac. 1. Iohn 14. Luc. 24. Act. 1.2 Math. 5. Iohn 6. Of the kyng Christ and of his kyngdom Why Zacharye prophcied the low degre of Christ long before his coÌ„commyng Zacharie 9. What is the power of this kyng and his righteousnes and how it is ioyned wyth pouertie The kyngedome of the worlde is no suche power as Christs is The ryghtuousnes saluation of Christ in baptisme in the supper of the Lorde and in the Gospell The lyfe and saluation of the congregation lyeth hid in the pouertie of Christ. The worlde is vnkynd for this lyght Luc. 11. An abhortatioÌ„ to be ware of danger To vs is this spoken of the kyngdome of Christe The example of the apostles The fyrst seruice of thys king halowed be thy name What the Asse and the colt signifieth The seconde worship Thy kingdoÌ„ come The third Thy wyll bee fulfylled Who began the seruice of this kyng The signes of God goeth be fore strange new mutations The apostles asketh of the destruction of Ierusalem also of the destruction of the world Question Where the signes muste be marked Signes in the Sonne Moone The signes in the sea and waters The sygnes in men A speciall conâ—usion in men The wycked despise the sygnes The coÌ„myng of Christ after the signes These signes are not geuen to terrify the congregation These signes are not geuen to terrifie the congregation The cause of ioy by these signes The sainctes also fear these signes but not deathe The last daye the day of daÌ„nation and redemption Myth 24. Christes commyng is terrible that the oppressed congregation myght be delyuered Christes coÌ„myng is lyke the sprynge The figure of the destructioÌ„ of Sodome compared to the destructioÌ„ of the worlde The suÌ„me of the doctrine coÌ„cernynge the last day The Popes doctrine of Christes coÌ„myng The daye of Iudgemente shall come sodeynly What is to be done â–ª that the day of iudgement be not sodayn vnto vs Watche Prayer Repentance The work of God is hyghly to be magnified The question of Iohn by his disciples Deuter. 18. What Iohn mente by sendyng his disciples vnto Christ. Esay 35. Of Christe his kyngdom Christes doctrine Moyses doctrine Moyses doctrine can doo nothynge against deathe An hystorie Workes can not quiete the conscience of a synner The Gospell is a doctrine of comfort What the gospell is Difference betwene the kingdome of Christe and the worldes The kingdoÌ„ oâ— Christes right hand The doctrine of the gospell is wath offence The doctrine of the Gospel forbyddeth not good workes but the trust in them Christ an offenceful preacher wicked worldlings can not abyde the gospel nor the preachers therof Math. 11. Christe alone saueth Iohn 14. The patriarkes and Prophetes were saued by faith iâ— Christ. Withoute Christe there is no saluatioÌ„ Gen. 3. The office of Iohn Esaye 40. Iohn 8. Esa. 20. Iohn declareth his baptisme The Iewes regarde not Iohns doctrine Papistes can not abyde the word of God Papistes seke saluation by theyr owne workes Matth. 116 Good workes Phil. 3. The differeÌ„ce betwene the righteousnes of faith and good workes Papistes sell theyr words Monasteries Good works ought diligeÌ„tly to be done Math. 1. The cause of the feast 1. The tyme of this byrth 2. The place Miche 5. 3. The Emperour of Rome helpeth knowing not what he doth 4 The maner of the byrth Why this hystory is writeÌ„ We are made on fleshe and blâ—d with the sone of God Hebr. 4. The incarnation of Christ Gen. 1.2 Heb. 4. Phil. 2. The humblenes of Christ. 1. That this natiuite might be confortable to vs. 2. And also that he myght make vs humble and meke 1. The honor of the congregation 2. An example of loue and patience Christ not knowen profiteth lytle Prouerb Gods messengers conforte the fearefull SataÌ„ thorow sinne reigneth in men Christ only ouercommeth Satan Math. 1. Luc. 1. Psal. 51. Ephe. 2. Phil. 2. The byrth of Christ ought to moue vs vnto mutuall charitie and loue Note What Christ is Christ is no corporal thing Christ is the sauiour of meÌ„ Miche 5. Gene. 3. Why the Angell calleth Christ a Lord. Christ is true and naturall God Christ is the Lord of Angells also Why the Angells reioyced in the byrth of Christ. Esai â— Ioan. 3. Rom. 8. The Angel is an huÌ„ble spirit Christes people are pore nedy If Christ be the sauiour thâ—n can not the saincts works be By the ministerie of the worde is the doctrine preserued Good preachers helpe much By the Angels doctrine are al false doctrines to be iudged The office of Christ. Note well Withoute Christ god caÌ„ not be knoweÌ„ nor glorified God is diuersly dishonored in the world Originall syn broughte in ambition To glorifye God The worlde dothe chaunge this verse There is nothynge in the worlde but synne Christen men are peaceable Peace what it signifieth The dyuell changeth this verse what is good wyll Papystes The sermon of thangelles was not vnfruitfull The world forgeteth Gods miracles We also to forget the miseries in the Popedome Nihil citâ—us senescit quam gratia Mary forgetteth not Gods word The word of God is not lightly to be regarded Great diligeÌ„ce is to be geueÌ„ to the learning of Gods word Math. 6. He that will serue God must not chaÌ„ge his vocatioÌ„ as Mounkes do Christ commeth not to change externall thyngs Christ chaungeth the heart The example of the shepheards The chaunge of creatures in the last day Galat. 3. The prophetes do alwais require the inward change True godlynes consisteth not in outewarde obseruations Luke calleth Ioseph the father of Christ Math. 1. This meruailyng ryseth of faythe we ought not to be voyde of meruailyngâ— It becoÌ„meth a christen maÌ„ to be proude Howe offence is hadde in Christ. The offence to the Iewes Iohn 8. The offence to Monkes Christen men are offence to other Christ is put foorth to be a risyng Math. 18. 1. Cor. 11. The Gospell is not the cause of trouble but mens stubbournes The Gospell openeth the heartes The Gospell plucketh of the visards of the world and openeth the heartes The Gospell openeth the heartes The holyest hateth the Gospel moste This opening pertayneth to Iudgement The opening pertayneth to confort The greatest vice is to preseÌ„te the word of God to despise it The greateste vice is to persecute