not perysh but haue euerlasting lyfe ☜ Here ye se that the cause whych moued God to sende Christe to redeme vs was loue and not mans meryte as also saynt Austine noteth And surely the dede selfe declared gods excedynge loue towardes vs in that he sent hys only sonne to delyuer vs out of bondage For true loue standeth not in fayre wordes and amiable countenaūce or gesture but in the dede selfe Nowe the more mysery we were in before Christes commynge the greater is his benefyte and the more bounde be we vnto hym God as wryteth saynt Paule setteth forth hys loue towardes vs Rom. v. seyng that whyle we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. Now Christ hymselfe assureth vs that who so euer beleueth in hym thus sente of the father downe vnto vs shall not quayle shall not be confounded shall not peryshe but shal be sure to attayne euerlastynge lyfe Seynge Christ hymselfe doth assure vs of euerlastynge lyfe for oure belefe or faythes sake why shulde we doubt Why shulde we go aboute to seke heauen by other wayes than Christ appointeth vs The sentēce is vniuersall all that beleue in him shall not perysh Wherfore let noman thynke hymselfe exempted as vnworthy Here is no respect eyther to thy worthynes or to thy vnworthynes Yf thou hast faith thou shalt be sure to be of the chosen company Only take hede thou mockest not God dissemblest not before the face of the worlde sayeng thou hast fayth and haue it not in dede Yf thou hast fayth in dede thou must nedes brynge forth the frutes of fayth thou canst not but declare thy faith wyth workes of charitie both to God man whom for God thou canst not but loue as thy natural brother Yf thou beyst a good tree thou muste nedes brynge forth good frute But a bad tre bryngeth forth bad frute Math. v. Christe goeth further and sayeth For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but to saue the worlde Here ye se the fynall cause of Christes commynge whyche was to saue that was lost Howbeit thys texte is to be vnderstande of Christes fyrst commynge and of the tyme of grace ye maye not vnderstande it of his seconde aduent or commynge whyche shal be at the last daye for thā he shal wythout fayle come to iuge accordynge to an other place where he sayeth Ioh. v. The father hath gyuen all iudgement to the sonne Neuerthelesse in the meane season whosoeuer beleueth not is already iudged and condempned wheras on the contrarye parte they that beleue can in no wyse be condempned But why is the infidele alreadye condempned Bycause sayeth Christe he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of god Lo here ye se agayne how fayth saueth lacke of fayth condempneth And thys is the condempnacion that lyght is come into the worlde and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause theyr dedes were euyl Who is thys lyght Christ Who is the darkenes Ioh. i. The worlde The lyght then shyned in the darkenes and the darknes dyd not comprehende it Do not men loue styll darkenes more then lyghte Had they not rather walke in theyr owne fanseys wylworkes then in Christes doctrine Alacke for pytie Yea though the lyght neuer so much shyne though the Gospell be neuer so much in the hande yf Christ by hys holy spirite do not teache the thou arte styll but darkenes and why so for thou louest styll darkenes better than the lyght for thy dedes are euell and therfore thou muste nedes conuince and damne thy selfe of infidelitie It foloweth For euery one that doth euell hateth the lyght neyther woll he come to the lyght that is to saye to Christ and hys worde lest the bryghtnes of the lyght shuld reproue his dedes Thys is the cause good people why these papistes are so loth that the scripture of God shulde be redde of you laye people lest ye myght happen to espye theyr hypocrisie and crafty iugelynge agaynste Christ and hys trouth For scripture is the rule or touchstone wherby ye maye easely trye and discerne the chaffe from the corne the chalke from chese that is to saye hypocrisye from true religion They haue good people longe holden you in ignoraunce and in blyndenes to auaunce them selues and to raygne lyke kynges ouer you contrary both to gods lawe and mans lawe Wherfore I blame them the lesse though they hate scripture whych discloseth theyr hypocrisie and vsurped authoritie lest as Christe here sayeth theyr dedes shulde be rebuked and reproued But he sayeth Christe that doeth trouth cōmeth to the lyghte that hys dedes may be knowen bycause they are wrought in God as who shuld saye He that is iustifyed declared a good person by hys fayth whych he hath in me for declaracion therof doth the truth that my worde moueth hym to do and worketh not after hys owne fāsey thys man commeth to the lyght that is to wyt he gladly suffreth hys workes and procedynges to be tryed and examined by the rule of my worde bycause they be done in God and be godly workes Where as cōtrary wyse the hypocrite doth so much abhorre from the iudgement of my worde that he fleeth by all meanes he can from it woll suffre none other to loke vpon it Math. xxiii He woll neyther enter into the kyngdome of heauen hymselfe nor yet suffer others that wolde enter Such persons vnder pretence of holynes haue longe shut vp the kyngdome of heauē from many men But now thanked be God the lyght hath somwhat shone agayne Wherfore good people let vs not hate thys lyght and loue darknes styl as we haue done in tymes past whan we were deceyued by the iuglynges of these papistes Let vs beleue in thys Christe sente downe from the father of heauen to redeme vs. And yf gods worde be true we shall surely be saued and raygne wyth hym in heauen worlde wythout ende c. The Epistle on the thyrde daye of Pentecost The .viij. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ Peter Ihon be sent into Samaria where after baptisme the Samaritanes receyued the holy goost WHen the Apostles whyche were at Ierusalem hearde say that Samaria hadde receyued the word of god they sent vnto them Peter and Ihon Whyche when they were come downe prayed for them that they myght receaue the holy goost For as yet he was come on none of them but they were baptysed onely in the name of Christe Iesu Then layed they theyr handes on them and they receaued the holy gooste THys lesson good people is taken forth of the eyght chapter of the Actes of thapostles for a more perfyte vnderstandynge wherof ye shal know that in the selfe chapter a lytle before it is shewed how S. Philip thapostle entered into a cytie of Samaria and preached there to the Samaritanes the glad tydinges of our Sauiour Christ Iesu how he beynge the sonne of God came downe
frutes But a corrupte tre bryngeth forth euell frutes A good tre can not brynge forth bad frute neyther can a bad tre brynge forth good frutes Euery tre that bryngeth not forth good frute is hewen downe and cast into the fyre Wherfore by theyr frutes ye shall knowe them Not euery one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whych is in heauē he shal entre into the kyngdom of heauen FOrasmuche as good christen people it is harde to know false teachers and theyr doctrine therfore our Sauiour Christ thought it not ynough to bydde vs beware of them but he addeth also certain tokens and sygnes wherby we maye easely discerne and knowe them They come sayeth Christe vnto you in shepes clothynge but inwardlye they are rauenynge wolues They come vncalled vnappoynted vnsent of God naye sent rather of the deuell to blase and sowe abrode the wycked learnynge doctrine eyther of the byshop of Rome or of the cursed Anabaptistes or of the sacramentaries or brefly to conclude of some other vngodly and detestable here tykes The Lorde of heauen kepe vs and preserue vs all from theyr infections They come I saye vnsent for accordynge to the sayenge of the prophete Hieremye Ier. xxiij Currebant ego non misi eos They ranne and I sente them not sayeth the Lorde In outwarde appearaunce they seme moost holy men and of great simplicitie But surely accordinge to the cōmon prouerbe they be foxes or rather wolues cladde in lambes skynnes They be lyke paynted and gaye sepulchres whyche be fayre wythout full of all stynche and caren wythin They come in shepes clothynge What beast is more simple more harmeles yea more profytable also to the common welth then the shepe But what be these false teachers inwardly Inwardly sayeth Christ they be rauenouse wolues The wolues propertie is to rauen Ioh. x. to rente to spoyle to deuoure the shepe But nowe how shall we kepe vs and beware of these woluyshe preachers By theyr frutes sayeth Christe ye shall knowe them as who shulde saye Yf they be good men in dede and ryght teachers and no hyprocrites I meane no counterfeyte nor deceiuable preachers they must nedes brynge forth good and godly workes euen such workes as God cōmaundeth them to do and not workes of theyr owne deuysynge fantasyenge but such as God alloweth and whych procede of a fayth vnfayned And not only they woll do them but also teache the same to other euē as Christ and hys Apostles wold haue them taught as they themselues taught them not that by them we shuld iustifye our selues as the proude and gloriouse pharisee dyd that Christ speaketh of in the .xviij. chapter of Luke lu xviij but that we shulde accordynge to thexemple of the lowly publicane cōfesse our selues synners and desyre gods mercy The good and ryghte preacher woll teach the people vnfaynedly to truste repose themselues in Christ to stycke to the merytes of hys passion vtterly to reuounce theyr owne ryghtuousnes and merytes in gods syght He woll teache them neuertheles to mortifye theyr carnal afections and to do good workes euen of a fre harte or els that accordyng to Paules rule they declare them selues not to be the chyldren of God Ro. viii For yf sayeth Paule ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But yf ye mortifye the dedes of the body through the spirite ye shall lyue But agayne he wol teache them not to clayme heauen as of duetye for theyr workes sake Rom. vi but rather for the promyse sake For thoughe death be the wages of synne yet eternall lyfe is no wages but as Paule calleth it the gyfte of God throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde Yea he woll teache them whan they haue done altogether yet to confesse and saye that they be vnprofytable seruauntes These I saye be the frutes of good teachers these be the grapes these be the figges that come of the good trees They that teache or lyue otherwyse be naughtye corrupte trees theyr frutes that they brynge forth be thornes and thystyls And I passe not though dyuerse false teachers haue dyed moost cōstantly and paciently in theyr erronious opinions as many papistes and also Anabaptistes sacramētaries haue done in our tyme and as it is redde that certayne heretiques named Donatistes dydde in olde tyme. Whose erroure S. Augustine confutynge wryteth Austine that in a christian man the sufferyng of death is not to be consydered but the cause of sufferynge that is to wyt whether hys doctrine be suche that he ought to suffer death for by the cōmaundement of God Seconde we be here taught that wycked euel doctrine can not endure but as an euell tree whyche beareth no good frute is hewen downe and caste in to the fyre euen so it is wyth euel doctrine and wyth the teachers therof Let men buylde vpon the foundacion of Christ what they woll surely yf theyr buyldynge be stubble or haye that is to saye yf it be no sounde sure doctrine i. cor iij the fyre at length woll brēne it vp But yf the buyldynge be golde syluer or preciouse stones it shall stande agaynst all tempestes As we se at thys daye how the papistical doctrine at the touch stone of gods worde appeareth in the lykenes what it is and how it begynneth to vanyshe awaye euerywhere where the gospell is preached But the pure worde of God abydeth for euer Fynally Christ doth teach vs here that these gloriouse and holy hypocrites whych in outwarde apparaunce and in name appeare christiās speakynge alwayes of god but doynge nothing that god byddeth them do shal not entre into the kingdome of heuen But they shal come thyther whych haue Christ and the gospell not in theyr mouthes onely but in theyr hartes also whych do the wyl of Christ and lyue as the gospell teacheth them These shall enheryte the kyngdome of heauen where they shall lyue eternally in all ioye wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be glorye Amen The Epistle on the .ix. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .x. Chap. Th argument ☞ God 's vengeaunce vpon euell lyuers and ydolaters is here set forth in exemples vnto vs. BRethren we shulde not lust after euel thynges as they lusted And that ye shulde not be worshyppers of ymages as were some of them accordynge as it is written The people sat downe to eat and drynke and rose vp to playe Neyther let vs be defyled wyth fornication as some of them were defyled wyth fornicatiō and fel in one daye .xxiij. thousande Neyther let vs tempte Christe as some of them tempted and were destroyed of serpentes Neyther murmure ye as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer All these thinges happened vnto them for exemples but are written to put vs in remembraunce whome the
same goodes wyth Christ Furthermore Christ gaue them power agaynst wycked spirites to cast them out to heale al maner of syckenesses as it is redde in the tenth of Matheu Also in the .xix. psalme ye rede Thou shalt walke vpon Lions and Dragons Wherfore where a christen man is the power to worke these sygnes myracles is not taken awaye as by many exemples it hath ben proued But no man ought to do them onles it be necessarie and the case requyre it For the Apostles thēselues wrought not these myracles but only to the testification of gods worde that so by myracles the Gospell myght be confirmed as the texte sayeth They went and preached euery where the Lorde workynge wyth them and confirmynge the worde wyth myracles folowynge But nowe after that the Gospell is spred abrode and opened to the hole world myracles be not necessary as they were in the Apostles tyme. It foloweth whan the Lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen That is to saye he went vp to begyn hys spirituall and heauenly kyngdome and drewe wyth hym oure hopes into heuen that thyther whether we sawe him ascende we shulde also folowe And he sytteth on the ryght hande of God Thys is a maner or fygure of speakynge and it sygnifyeth he is God egall and of lyke power wyth the father And as the prophete sayeth he ascended vp on hygh hath led captiuitie a prisoner So that nowe we be no longer in thraldome for Christ hath caryed it awaye wyth hym and made vs the chyldren of hys father to lyue eternally wyth hym in heauen To whome be glorye for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the sonday after the Ascension daye The .i. Epistle of Peter the .iiij. chap. Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to do good workes according to thexemple of Christ MOost deare beloued brethren Be ye therfore sober and watch vnto prayer But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue amonge your selues For loue shall couer the multitude of synnes Be ye herberous one to another wythout grudgynge As euery man hath receyued the gyfte euen so minister the same one to another as good ministers of the manyfolde grace of God Yf any man minister let hym do it as of the abilitie whych god ministreth vnto hym that god in all thynges maye be glorifyed thorow Iesus Christ GOod brethrē and systers in our sauiour Christ the lection of the epistle of thys daye redde in the church is taken forth of the .iiij. chapter of the fyrste epistle of the Apostle messanger of Christ S. Peter Ye shall therfore vnderstande that forasmuch as thys holy mā S. Peter had now in the chapters goynge before thys place sufficiently taught the Iues and others whome he wrote thys epistle vnto The occasion of thys epistle of the fayth and iustification whych cōmeth by Christe he doth now in the chapters folowynge monysh them of good workes ☜ accordynge to the maner of syncere and pure preachers whych before they gyue any preceptes of good maners woll fyrst intreate of the causes of new lyfe Wherfore thys present lesson is nothynge but an exhortation to good workes after the exemple of Christe Thus than he sayeth Be ye therfore sobre and watch vnto prayer Thys texte contayneth a generall exhortacion to all such thynges as become christen men to do in this lyfe Sobrenes and modestie For modesty and sobrenes be not so greatly good workes as they be the selfe rules wherby al good woorkes be tempered Ye shall therfore vnderstand here by modestie and sobrenesse fyrst those ciuile vertues whych haue contrary vyces arrogancye and pryde In lyke wyse doth also Paule vnderstande them in the .xij. to the Romaynes where he wryteth I saye vnto you by the grace whych is gyuen me to euery one of you that none thynke proudly of hymself aboue that it becōmeth hym to thynke but lette hym so thynke that he be demure and sobre euen as God hath bestowed to euerye one the measure of fayth Seconde ye shal vnderstande by modestye and sobrenes here also the soūdnes of mynde so that ye thynke modestly soberly of gods worde lest through your owne ymaginations and good intencions ye go awaye from the true vnderstandyng of gods worde or suffer your selues to be plucked away wyth any maner wynde of new doctrine Now whā we be modest and sober aswell in lyfe as in doctrine it foloweth consequently that we muste nedes watch and gyue our selues to prayer It foloweth But afore all haue feruent loue amonges youre selues for loue shal couer the multitude of synnes As though saynt Peter shuld saye It may happen peraduenture that a man may fayne wyth hymselfe that he is sober Charite modest and busye in prayer Therfore before al thynges se ye haue charitie without whych youre demurenes youre sobernes your prayer maye be but fayned and cloked workes with out whych charitie also they be nothynge worth nor yet thankfull to God accordynge to the sayenge of Christ Math. v Whan thou shalte offer thy offerynge at the aulter and remembrest that thy brother haue ought agaynst the leaue there thy offeryng and go and be at one wyth thy brother first and then come and offre thy oblation Doubtles my brethren charitie is to be preferred before all other workes for wythout it none of all oure other workes can please God as Christ hymselfe wytnesseth Math. v. And also the prophete Esay in the fyrst chapter Thou shalt nomore offer to me sacrifice and so forth but learne to do ryghte helpe the nedye c. Vehemēt charitie And saint Peter wyl that our charitie be vehement or feruent not colde and negligent such as theyrs is whych wyth theyr mouth make as though they loue a man but wyth theyr harte they hate hym as euel as a tode And he addeth the cause ☜ for loue or charitie couereth the multitude of synnes Thys sentence is taken forth of the x. chapter of the prouerbes For the moost proper office of charitie is to hyde the infirmities of the neghboure Furthermore hospitalitie and harbourynge wythout murmurynge or grudgynge is also one of the effectes of charitie It foloweth in the texte As euery man hath receyued the gyfte euen so minister the same one to another as good dispensours or stewardes of the manyfold grace of god Here good people the Apostle Peter exhorteth euery man particularlye to do hys office in hys callynge He that is a preacher of gods worde oughte to be content wyth hys gyfte and to execute his dutie in hys vocatiō that is to wyt he ought to preach not hys owne dreames but the sermōs and wordes of God and so of all other offices in Christes cōgregation whych yf they were done accordynge to S. Peters aduyse here we shuld both haue gods word more purely set forth and also the churche in better vnitie and concorde Then accordyng to euery mās gyfte and as Paule sayeth euen as God hath
to these vayne tryflers Christe sayeth that the holy goost shall testifye of hym to the worlde and shall make mē mete and apte to receceyue his gospel and shall teach none other thynge than that whyche he hymselfe hath taught But these tryflers bable that the holy goost ought to teach some thynge of more excellencye than that whych is comprysed in the holy gospell Surely I wolde thynke it moost conuenient that we shulde obey and beleue hym to whom the father of heauen bare wytnes sayenge math iij Thys is my welbeloued sōne in whom I am right wel pleased heare ye hym But they that can not be satisfied wyth Christes doctrine to whome not only thapostles but also the holy goost hath borne wytnesse let them at theyr parell chose them other doctrines Certes I wyll not counsayle you lyke owles to wāder in darkenes but rather to fyxe stedfastlye youre fete in the lyght Last of all ye shall consyder and note good christen brethren and systers in thys gospell that the word and institution of Christ of whych the spirite the apostles do testifye can in no wyse b gratefull and acceptable to the worlde For those that wol admyt thys worde the worlde wolle caste them out of al honest mens company as they call honeste men they woll as heretykes dryue them out of theyr churches and assembles they woll excommunicate them they woll curse them wyth boke bell and candell Yea yf they may wyth all kynde of punyshment and death persecute the true Apostles and messēgers of Christ they wyll thynke to do a hygh seruice to God that theyr zeale hath hyghly serued gods wyl But what sayeth Christ in the meane season Therfore I wyll be wyth you They shal so handle themselues towardes you bycause they knowe nother me nor my father Here ye se wyth what successe and fortune in thys wycked world the moost precious worde of the gospell wyth the imbrasers therof be commonly receyued For thou mayst not loke to lyue a swete an ydle and a delicate lyfe yf thou wolte confesse Christ For he that woll lyue after a godlye sorte as sayeth saynt Paule must nedes suffer persecution ij tim ij And in an other place he sayeth Gala. ij Yf I wolde please men I shulde not be the seruaunt of Christ Wherfore yf persecution shall inuade vs for cōfessynge of Christ it is good that we be armed wyth goddes worde that we maye knowe how persecutiō hangeth ouer our heades by the proper wyl of God to thyntent our fayth myght thus by such persecution be clarifyed tryed and purged For yf we be ful certifyed hereof we can not easely be offended wyth temptation but wyth a pacient mynde we shall suffer all the wronge that the world for Christes cause woll put vs to And surely thys shal be a comforte vnto vs that oure persecuters for all theyr proude bragges and vauntes neyther know Christ nor his father Fynally we be ryght well assured that the trouble and affliction of thys tyme as Paule sayth can in no wyse be cōpared wyth the glorye to come that shal be disclosed vnto vs. Ro. viij Wyth thys our knowlege comfortynge our selues we shall remayne quyet in our conscience styll awaytynge wyth stedfaste hope for the immortall crowne of the sayd glorye whyche the father of heauen hath prepared for vs. To whom wyth the sōne holy goost be al glorye and prayse for euer and euer AMEN The Epistle on wytsondaye The .ij. chapter of the actes of the Apostles ☞ The holy goost is here gyuen accordynge to Christes promyse before WHan the fyftye dayes were come to an ende they were all wyth one accorde together in one place And sodenly ther came a sounde frō heauen as it had bene the cōmynge of a myghty wind and it fylled al the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouē tonges lyke as they had ben of fyre and it sat vpon ech one of them and they were all fylled wyth the holy goost and begā to speake wyth other tonges euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iues deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When thys was noysed aboute the multitude came together and were astonnyed bycuase that euery man herde thē speake wyth hys owne langage They wondered al and marueled saynge amonge themselues behold are not al these whych speake of Galile And how heare we euery man hys owne tonge wherein we were borne Parthians and Medes and Elamytes and the inhabyters of Mesopotamia and of Iury and of Capadocia of Ponthus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia of Egypte and of the parties of Lybia whych is besyde Syren and straungers of Rome Iues and Proselytes Grekes and Arabians we haue herde them speake in oure owne tonges the great workes of God CHrist had oftentymes good people promysed vnto hys disciples the holy goost to confirme them in the true doctrine For wythout the holy goost noman can ryghtly eyther vnderstande or certainly beleue the worde of God neyther can stycke by it cōstantly wythout staggerynge or shrynkyng from it It is the holy goost doubtles that teacheth al thynges and that putteth men in mynde of gods wyll Io. xiiij And therfore Christ sayeth in the .x. Chapter of Mathew It is not you that be the speakers but it is the spirite of your father whych speaketh in you Wherfore thys often promyse of sendynge the holy goost which was made to the disciples Christ now in this daye of Pentecost perfourmeth But bycause it helpeth lytle to know that the disciples receyued the holy goost onles we draw thys receyuyng also to our profyte auauntage therfore it were good to know the causes why the holy goost was sent Ye shall therfore vnderstande good people that the holy gost was not sent to thapostles nor at this daye is sent as some men do dreame to teache a dyuerse or straunge doctrine frome Christes doctrine whych Christ either taught not before or had forgotten to teache The causes why the holy goost is sent But he was sente and is sente for thre causes The fyrst is that he shulde teache and put in mynde expoūde all such thynges as Christ taught And of thys fynal cause and offyce of the holy goost our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the .xiiij. and .xv. chapters of Ihon very copiously and at length speketh The seconde cause that the holy goost is sente is to confirme strengthen and as it were to seale vs to make vs full assured and certayne of the veritie of gods worde Of thys office the epistle of thys day maketh mencion whyle it declareth that the holy goost sat vpō euery of them and fylled them whych thynge betokeneth nothynge els but that the holy goost confirmed and certifyed the myndes of the Apostles vpon the veritie of gods word Ephe. i. i. cor i. and therfore he is called of Paule
and that we haue the true fayth whych is of value before God To whome wyth the sonne and the holy goost be prayse for euer and euer Amen The Gospell on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie The .v. chapter of Matheu Th argument ☞ Christ correcteth the false doctrine of the pharisees and teacheth the true iustice IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples Verely I saye vnto you except your ryghteousnes excede the ryghteousnes of the scribes and pharisees ye can not entre into the kyngdome of heuen Ye haue herd that it was sayd vnto them of the old tyme Thou shalt not kyll who soeuer kylleth shal be in daunger of iudgement But I saye vnto you that who soeuer is angrye wyth hys brother vnaduisedly shal be in daunger of iudgement And whosoeuer saye vnto hys brother Racha shal be in daūger of a councel But whosoeuer sayeth thou fole shal be in daūger of hell fyre Therfore yf thou offrest thy gyfte at the altare and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst the leaue there thyne offrynge before the aulter go thy way fyrst and be reconciled to thy brother then come offre thy gift IN thys Gospell good people our sauiour Christ correcteth the corrupte doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees and vtterly disproueth theyr ryghtuousnes and teacheth vs whych is the true ryghtuousnes sayenge Onles youre ryghtuousnes passe the ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharisees ye can not entre into the kyngdome of heauen As who shulde saye onles your cōuersacion your good lyuynge in loue and charitie your studye and zele to folowe gods commaundementes be aboue the pharisees thynke not to come to heauen Fyrst ye muste marke the difference betwene gods cōmaundementes and mans whych is touched in thys selfe chapter a lytle before where Christ sayd Whosoeuer shal breake one of these lest commaundentes shal be called the leste in the kyngdome of heauen that is he shal be sure neuer to entre into heauen Here ye may not gather that these be lytle or small commaundementes of God For Christe speaketh here after the iudgement of the people For the scribes and pharisees had so taught and entysed the people to folowe the lawes and constitutions of men that gods lawe was lytle or nothynge regarded So that Christe there dyd speake after the maner and reputacion of them But surely he that shal teache so shal be called the lest in heauen that is he shall not come there at all For the pharisees had auaunced the lawes commaundementes ceremonies tradicions and inuencions of men aboue the lawes and commaundementes of god Howe Christ expouneth the lawe Christ therfore expouneth the lawe accordynge to the mynde and sentence of God whych requyreth euē moost pure affections of the harte wheras the pharisees thought it ynough to fulfyl the lawe in outwarde worke after theyr exposition Ye haue herde sayeth Christ that it was sayd vnto them of the olde tyme. Non occides Thou shalte not kyll c. My frēdes fyrst ye muste note that it is the father of heauen that speaketh these wordes and that he speaketh them to euery one of vs. Nowe what meaneth he by these wordes Surely he meaneth playnly herby that thou mayst not slee neyther wyth thy body nor wyth any member But seynge these wordes were spoken to man let vs consyder wherof man is made Euery one of vs is made of body and soule To the bodye longeth the heade feete armes and the other mēbers In the soule or mynde of man do raygne affections as rancour malice hatred grudge wrath and enuie To the bodye I saye perteyne all thy mēbers Then thou mayst kyll noman wyth thy heade that is thou mayest gyue no token to any other man to kyll nor yet gyue counsayll to any other to do it Nor thou mayest kyll noman wyth thy handes So in lyke wyse of the mynde thou mayst not be wroth nor out of charitie wyth thy brethren nor desyre or wyll them any hurte by corrupte affections of thy mynde yf thou doest thou surely breakest thys cōmaūdement Now the Iues pharisees dyd not vnderstande theyr lawe but toke it carnally For they thought yf they did not kyl outwardly wyth sword all was saufe But bycause they were so blynded wyth ignoraunce therfore Christe expouneth them thys commaundement sayenge But I saye vnto you that whosoeuer is angry with hys brother wythout cause shal be in daunger of iudgement Racha is a signe or a gesture of an angry person and who soeuer sayeth to hys brother racha shal be in daunger of counsayll But who so euer sayeth foole shal be in daunger of hell fyre Surely my frendes to beare malyce and yre in hart secretly agaynst thy neyghbour is not so greate as to speke it also as to cal thy brother Racha as who shulde saye ah or well For vndoubtedlye it is a token of a greater malyce whan it breaketh out and is spoken But it is a more offence to speake it wyth a greater violence as to saye foole to thy brother in despyte and malyce wyllynge hym hurte and it is vndoubtedly ryght damnable and so be they al thre but yet there be degrees For loke how the grefe of the offense be spoken and done so shall the payne be distributed I saye they be all damnable but the one is deper then the other The greater the offence be the more paine in hel But now a dayes we go further then to saye foole For we call in despyte hooremayster thefe horeson vilayne yea traytour heretique pharisee infidele and not alonly in speakynge but also intendynge to auenge and execute our malicious mynde Oh what a depe damnation hangeth ouer these men How hygh a presumption is thys to compare wyth God to auaunce oure selues in gods rowme and to auenge our selues whych thynge only perteyneth to hym For he sayeth Let me alone wyth vengeaunce and I shall paye it It foloweth Therfore yf thou offerest thy gyfte at the aultare and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst the leaue there thyne offerynge before the aultare c. Good people I praye you marke well thys maner of speakynge that Christ vseth He byddeth vs leaue there our offeryng He differreth no tyme but sayeth go by and by and reconcile thy brother or els I hate the and thy offerynge Therfore fyrst reconcile thy brother and then come and offer vp thy gyfte Reconcile By recōcilyng of thy brother is meant to make hym at one whan thou haste brought hym out of charitie or hast seperated him out of Christes flocke and made hym the chylde of euerlastyng dāpnacion And thys makynge at one in to brynge hym agayne into Christes flocke to make hym the chylde of saluation Furthermore yf thou perceyuest thy brother offended and angrye wyth the though thou hast gyuen hym no cause yet thou arte bydden here of Christ to go and make him at one and then come and offer vp thy gyfte After
men vpon theyr syngular gyftes at thys daye haue springeth principally herby that they consyder not what they were before the openynge and reuelacion of the gospel Hetherto pertayneth the sayenge of Paule in the .viij. chapter of the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians Scientia inflat Sciētia inflat Knowlege maketh a man swell in pryde as who shulde saye When men knowe that they be no longer vnder the condemnation of the lawe but in the state of grace thys knowlege namely yf it be not ryghtly vnderstanded maketh many men proude arrogant puffed vp negligent slacke in the office of charitie and ouermuche spirituall whych oftentymes wyth great contempte of other do glorie of theyr giftes and take a pryde in them But agaynst thys inflacion and pryde as I haue sayd there is no remedye more present for vs then often to cal agayne to our remēbraūce our pristine and former state of lyfe which thinge the apostle Paule before the rest of the Apostles doth moost diligently in all hys epistles namely in thys epistle To thys agreeth that whych he sayeth in the fourth chapter of thys epistle i. cor iiij What haste thou that thou hast not receyued the same before And yf thou hast receyued it why doest thou bragge Secondly we be here taught and informed of the authour and cause of these gyftes that is to saye the holy ghost of hys principall office and in especiall of the greatest gyft of all whych is to endowe vs with the knowlege of Christe out of whych gyfte the other speciall gyftes do flowe none otherwyse then out of a quycke sprynge ☞ For Christe beynge knowen and apprehended by a lyuely fayth whyche is euer in a redynesse whan occasion serueth to worke by charytye and to fructifie is the cause that we receyue the holy ghoste and all hys gyftes accordyng to the sayng of the prophete Psalm lxxvi When he ascended vp to heuen he led captiuitie a prysoner and gaue giftes to mē Thys ascension is yet daylye accomplyshed in vs when by the ayde of the holyghoste we knowe Christe and take holde of hym by lyuely fayth who beynge knowne apprehēded sendeth vnto vs more abundantly the holy ghoste and endoweth vs with gyftes To saye then that Christe is the Lorde is the verye gyfte of the holy gooste wherupon all the reste of the gyftes be founded and layde as appeareth by the verse of the psalme aboue remēbred Ascendit in altū captiuā duxit captiuitatē dedit dona hominibus And surely who soeuer hath thys gyfte of the holy ghoste that he can saye Christ to be the Lorde maye sone be made also partaker of the other gyftes But he that defieth Christ he that calleth Christ Anathema he can be partaker of no gyftes of the holye ghoste They call Christe Anathema whyche denye hym to be Lorde whyche thynge is as moch to saye as to denye hym to be the Sauiour of the worlde whych hath ouercome death and whych nowe wyth great power raygneth ouer synne death and the deuell It is also to denye Christ to be our iustice sanctification and redēption who furthermore lyke a moste valiaūt Lorde protecteth defendeth and saueth vs from all euels Anathema what it is Anathema is a Greke worde signifyeth a layenge asyde or separacion of gyftes which were offred vp to goddes and whyche was lawfull for no man to remoue out of theyr place Euen so do hypocrites set aparte Christ and vse not hym ☜ but the workes of theyr owne inuention to such hypocrites Christ is Anathema that is to saye a cast awaye a thynge accursed abhorred and detested as in lykewyse the Iues by Anathema do sygnifye an execracion or cursynge as saynt Hierome also wytnesseth Hierom Thyrdly the apostle doth here teach vs the final vse and ende of all gyftes whych is vnitie and concorde so that we must knowe that the holy goost as he is one so he gyueth hys gyftes to men to the vnitie and edificacion of the churche and not that men shulde after a contenciouse and vncharitable sorte be proude and glorie of theyr gyftes and talentes that God hath indowed them wyth These men preache rather for vayne glorie and to wynne them prayse of men than to edifye the christen flocke Wherfore they haue theyr mede and rewarde Let vs then my welbeloued brethren cease of all such contenciouse vncharitable boastyng despysynge of others that haue not the knowlege whych we haue Yf they offende let vs rather gently and charitably monyshe them betwene them and vs and not rayle triumphe detracte and defame them with vnsemynge names Let vs call to mynde what we were oure selues and what we be of oure selues Let vs remember that what so euer we haue the same we haue receyued of gods grace and not of owne proper powers Thus doynge we shal edifye our brethren and systerne we shall declare that we be in dede the persons that we be named that is to saye christen men and women folowers of Christe and fynally inheritours of euerlastynge blesse prepared for vs by the father of heauen To whome be all glorye and prayse worlde wythout ende AMEN The gospell on the .x. sondaye after Trinitie The .xix. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ The punyshment of such as despice goddes worde and how Christ casteth out byers and sellers in the temple WHan he was come neare he behelde the cytie and wepte on it sayenge Yf thou haddest knowen those thynges whyche belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye thou woldest take hede But nowe are they hydde from thyne eyes For the dayes shall come vpon the that thyne enemyes also shall caste a banke aboute the and compasse the rounde and kepe the in on euery syde and make the euen wyth the grounde and thy chyldren whych are in the. And they shal not leaue in the one stone vpon an other bycause thou knowest not the tyme of thy visitacion And he wente into the temple and began to caste out them that solde therin and them that bought sayenge vnto them It is writtē my house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues And he taught dayly in the temple MY welbeloued frendes in Christ ye shal vnderstand that God is right good and much mercyful towarde vs. Father of mercy and God of all consolation is he as saynt Paule sayeth And yet for all that we muste take good hede that we do not abuse the hygh benefyte and commoditie of hys mercyfulnes goodnes as they of Ierusalē hath done lyke as in thys storye we rede We se how Iesus Christe was come for to brynge them grace for to teach and to saue them and they haue refused him It was for that cause only that he wepte whan he dyd beholde the cytie as is now made mēcion in the gospel And in that that he hath wept he hath wel shewed that he wold not couete the death
nor the damnation of the synner He dyd not wepe for the ruyne and fall that he knew shuld ensue of the fayre houses of the towers and great edifices and buyldynges but he bewayled the losse the ruyne and damnation of the people He sayde O Ierusalem yf thou dyddest knowe the thynges that belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye thou woldest take hede As yf he had sayd yf thou knewest thy mysery the confusion desolation whych is to come to the and specially yf thou dyddest knowe it in these dayes whan I am descended from heuen for to make thy peace wyth god my father and get the remyssion of thy synnes yf thou I saye dyddest knowe it thou shuldest haue good cause for to wepe wyth me But now all thys is hydden from the thou fearest nothynge forbycause that thou carest for nothynge But the dayes shall come in the and thyne enemyes shall enuiron the wyth bulwarkes c. Now my frendes by desolation and confusion temporall of them of Ierusalem whych wold not beleue nor receyue Iesu Christ is fygured the spirituall confusion whych shal come vnto them which yet wyll not receyue hym nor folowe hym and which make resystence agaynst hym hys gospel of whom the nomber is great For whome also Iesus Christe knowynge theyr distruction that was to come hath wept Those whych thynke to be saued by any other meanes then by hym and whych haue theyr fayth theyr hope in any other then in hym and by him surely they haue not yet receyued hym and euell shall come vnto them For God alone is the obiecte of the fayth hope and charitie of christen men Then foloweth that after he was arryued there he entred into the temple and droue out of it the byers and sellers God yf hys pleasure were I hertely beseche hym to vysite agayne hys holy temple I meane the churche of christen men and women and the house of prayer where as he alonly ought to be serued and worshipped by hys subiectes in spirite Ioh. iiij and veritie And that it wolde please hym to caste out those whych shal be founde byers and sellers by simonye and couetousnes and that woll resyst hys moost holy and sacred worde and that wyll let that the seruice of god in spirite and veritie be not accomplyshed accordynge as he wolde by hys ryghte holy worde ordenaunce to be serued and honoured Vnto him be al glorye and honoure in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xi. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle to the Corin. the .xv. chapter Th argument ☞ The resurrection of the deade BRethren as perteynynge to the gospel whych I preached vnto you whyche ye haue also accepted and in the whyche ye continue by the which also ye are saued I do you to wytte after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleued in vayne For fyrst of all I delyuered vnto you that whyche I receyued howe that Christe dyed for our synnes agreynge to the scriptures And that he was buryed and that he arose agayne the thyrde daye accordynge to the scriptures and that he was sene of Cephas than of the twelue After that was he sene of mo then fyue hundred brethren atonce of whyche many remayne vnto thys daye and many are fallen aslepe After that appeared he to Iames then to all the apostles And last of all he was sene of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the lest of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of god I am that I am And hys grace whych is in me was not in vayne THe thynge good people wherfore saynt Paule beynge in this worlde toke moost thought for and the whych he had moost at hys harte nexte Iesu Christ was for to knowe how euery churche dyd gouerne and entertayne themselues in the Gospell of Iesu Christ to thintēt that yf perdauenture any went out of the waye of trouth he shulde be forth wyth redressed as specially he doth shewe in the epistle of thys daye He admonysheth and reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās principally two thynges on the whych all the fayth and all the assuraūce and hope of christen men is founded The fyrst is that Iesus Christ is deade for our synnes It is a worde whych ought well to be imprinted in the hartes of christen people or els one ought not nor is not worthy to be called christened Iesus Christ is dead for our synnes sayth saynt Paul Then we be nomore in dette for our synnes syth that Iesus Christ hath satisfyed and payde for vs. Nor also we ought nomore to serue vnto synne seynge that by hys death he hath wylled to cause synne to dye in vs yf so be we beleue stedfastlye in hym The seconde thynge whych he reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās and to vs is that Iesus Christ hath ben buried and is rysen to lyfe agayne Thys is it where on the hope of the christen people ought to be founded For yf the heade be rysen agayne to lyfe in triumphe glorye in lyke case shall the mēbers ryse agayne They shal ryse agayne vnto grace and vnto spiritual lyfe in thys worlde and vnto glorye and lyfe eternall in the other Apo. xx As saynt Ihon sayeth in hys Apocalyps Happye shall they be holy is he whych hath parte in the fyrst resurrectiō the secōde death hath no power ouer them Some false preachers wolde haue tourned the Corinthians from the sayd fayth for thys cause doth saynt Paule warne them so busely sayenge My brethren I do you to vnderstande and I do reduce to your memory the good newes which I haue preached vnto you I meane the gospell which ye haue receyued by fayth to the whych ye haue stayed your selues and by the which ye shal be saued yf you folow it I let you to wyt for what reason in what fashion I haue preached it vnto you yf ye haue remembraunce therof yea yf ye haue not beleued in vayne Fyrst that whyche I haue receyued of God whyche hath bene to me reuelate What Christe is deade for our synnes accordynge as it is wrytten as it hath ben sayd before and wryttē by the prophetes Then he sayeth he hath bene buryed and is rysen agayne to lyfe And for to confirme the same the more he sayeth more ouer that Iesus Christ after hys resurrection hath bene sene by Peter and after by the xij apostles and sythin hath bene sene by .v. hūdreth brethren beynge together As yf he had sayd You ought to be well assured of thys for asmuch as these mysteries haue not ben shewed vnto me alone but the holy wrytynges doth wytnesse the same And also they vnto whome he hath appeared after hys resurrection whych be of great nomber Certes who soeuer leseth the hope of resurrection the same also
lyfe than no doubte ryghtuousnes shulde come by the lawe But the scripture concluded all thynges vnder syn that the promes by the fayth of Iesus Christ shuld be gyuen vnto them that beleue SAynt Paul my welbeloued frendes in the epistle of thys day declareth vnto vs that they chaūge the testament the euerlastynge wyll of God which testament wyll or couenaunt god hath concluded in Christ our only iustifyer and sauiour which seke saluation and iustification by the lawe not by Christ I speake sayeth saynt Paule after mans fashion that ye maye the better vnderstande me Though it be but the testament and last wyll of a man yet yf it be ones authorised and allowed nomā cutteth it of or addeth any thynge therto Ambrose Here saynt Ambrose noteth that the Apostle vseth thys comparison or similitude to thintent he wold declare that they be falsifyers of goddes testament whych wheras they beleue in Christ yet mengle with Christ the law whych hope to be partly saued by the law For in very dede the hole cause of our saluation is Christ Iesus and no iote of the lawe as the Apostle saynt Paule doth in thys epistle very fully and effectually proue Yf mans testamēt ought to be of such strength that we ought nether take ought therfro nor put ought ther to how much rather ought gods testament wyl to be such But in gods testamēt to Abraham was the promise of eternal saluacion and iustification made and vnto hys sede Ge. xxij In thy sede sayd god to Abrahā shall all the nations of the earth be blessed He sayth not in the sedes as many but in thy sede as of one whych is Christ Now thā seynge this wrytyng this testamente and couenaunte maketh mencion but of one heyre in whome God promysed that we shulde all be saued and iustifyed then we ought to allowe none other thynge to our iustification to oure blesse and saluation but only Christ Secondly S. Paule proueth by the circūstaūce of the tyme that the law blessed not nor iustifyed mākynde For the promyse or wrytyng of the testament was proued and confirmed by god in the only heyre Iesu Christ before the law was gyuen For the law was gyuen longe after that is to saye as Paul here wytnesseth aboue foure hundred and thyrty yeares after Wherfore yf the law were any cause of our iustification then the people whych were before the law was gyuen coulde not be iustifyed whych thynge is false Ro xiiij as the Apostle manyfestly proueth in hys epistle to the Romaynes For Abraham was iustifyed lōge before the lawe came yea and that before he was circumcised It is therfore playne that the euerlastyng inheritaunce can not come by the law For yf it were by the lawe as reasoneth saynt Paule than it can not come by promyse But so it is that god gaue it vnto Abraham by promyse Ergo the heritage of heuen and saluacion commeth by promyse and not by the lawe An obiection But here sayeth he ye wol aske me syth the law is not the cause of saluation but Christ is the onely gyuer of it to such as cleaue faste vnto hym by true fayth hope and charitie wherfore then serueth the lawe Solutiō what good do it Surely much good my frendes The vse profyte of the lawe is great thoughe it be not cause of our iustification I say the workes of the lawe saue vs not but it is only the merytes of Christ that saueth vs that iustifieth vs yf we stycke vnto hym by ernest quycke fayth whych worketh of loue and not of compulsion In dede a true and ryght christon man I meane a person that is cleane turned into a new man whych hath so great fayth and charitie in hym that for Christes loue he is ready to do all thynges such as man nede no lawe i. Tim. i. For the lawe as the Apostle also testifyeth is not gyuē vnto the ryghtuouse man but vnto the vnryghtuouse and disobedient to the vngodly and vnto synners to vnholy and vncleane to murtherers of fathers and murtherers of mothers to mansleers to whoremongers to beastly persons to theues and so forth The lawe than is rather a restrayner from euell than a iustifyer it is as it were a brydell tyll Christ come and be setled in vs whyche maye cause vs to worke euen of loue wythout cōpulsion of law The lawe sayth Paule was added bycause of trāsgression tyll Christ whych was the sede that was promysed came So the lawe is not agaynst the promyse of God but it standeth wyth the promyse it is as it were our schole mayster and leader to Christe For sayeth saynt Paule yf there had ben any lawe gyuen which coulde haue gyuen vs lyfe that is to say whych coulde haue iustifyed and saued vs than no doubt shulde ryghtuousnes haue come by the lawe But that could not be And therfore the scripture cōcluded al vnder synne to th ende that the promyse by the fayth of Iesus Christ shuld be gyuen to al such as beleue the same The lawe than was added not to iustifye but to brydell vs in to leade vs lyke a scholemayster vnto Christ And it was ordeined and gyuen sayeth Paule by angels as is wytnessed also in the Actes in the hande of a mediatoure Actu vij that is to saye in the hande of Moses whych went betwene as a spokesman betwene the angels and the people The people coulde not heare the lawe that was ordeyned and gyuen of the angels from god wythout a mediatour Wherfore nowe we haue muche more nede of the mediatour Christ whych may brynge vs the waye to God Here therfore good people ye lerne in this epistle two thynges the one is wherfore Christ serueth and the other wherfore the lawe serueth The lawe must be our brydell our staye our scholemayster to directe and leade vs to the true vnfayned fayth in Christ whych fayth may make vs to worke euen of loue But Christ must be counted our only iustifyer and the only cause of our saluacion We must do the workes of the lawe not as compelled by law but as prouoked by loue whych we beare fyrst to God and consequently to our neyghbour for Christes sake This doynge we shall surely be iustifyed and sanctifyed persons and shall inherite the eternall inheritaunce of God To whome be glorye c. The Gospel on the .xiij. sonday after Trinitie The x. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Of the lawyers question of Christes answere IEsus sayd to hys disciples Happye are the eyes whych se the thynges that ye se For I tell you that many prophetes and kynges haue desyred to se those thynges whych ye se haue not sene thē and to heare those thynges whych ye heare and haue not herde them And beholde a certayne lawyer stode vp and tempted hym sayenge Mayster what shall I do to inherite eternal lyfe He said vnto him
in fayth or at leste way neither hot nor colde forasmoche as he thought our Sauiour Christ could not help hys sōne except he wente home wyth hym where as in verye dede Christ was able by the only word and commaundement of hys mouth to heal hym namely sith with hys wil he created and made al thynges of nought wherfore by thys he rebuked all them that do demaunde outward signes For he wil not giue vs any signes but only the token of his death and resurrection as only sufficient for oure temporall consolation and eternal saluation knowinge as saith saynte Paule that our olde man that is our sinnes and concupiscences is crucified and deade wyth hym to the ende that we serue no more to sinne but that we shuld walke in newnes of lyffe as risen agayne wyth hym Thys is the token that is giuen vnto vs for our saluation And albeit that he of whom we speake had not such fayth vnto Iesu Christ as he ought to haue had for he demaunded hys bodyly presence as neadefull for to helpe hys sōne yet for all that by hys inestimable goodnes he shewed hymselfe vnto hym suche as he was that is to saye God whyche is not absent from any place hauyng might by hys only word to heale all maladyes and infirmities as well spirituall as corporal and sayd vnto hym Go thy waye thy sōne lyueth and he beleued hys word And in goyng dyd mete wyth hys seruaūtes the whych gaue hym witnesse of the lyfe and health of hys sonne And whan he had demaunded of them the houre of the health of hys sonne and that he knewe that at the selfe houre that Iesu Christ had spoken the worde he was healed he beleued the more and hys fayth was augmēted and he dydde not only beleue but also all hys housholde Degreis in fayth after S. Bede Wherfore my frēdes the excellent clerke Bede noteth here in thys place that in fayth ther be degrees lyke as in other vertues whych haue initiū incrementum et perfectionem that is to saye a begynnynge an increase and a perfection The faythe then of thys man had begynnynge when he asked hys sōnes health increase when he beleued Christes wordes saynge thy sonne lyueth perfection when hys seruauntes brought hym tydynges that hys sōne was hole in dede aboute what tyme he recouered O howe the worde of god is myghty and of greate power the whych destroyeth thus al syknesses principally infidelite whych is the greuoust syknes that maye be for yt is cause of death not only bodely but eternall Let vs then haue fayth and stedfast hope in our Lord Iesu Christ whych seeth all and knoweth all and whyche is in all places And wyth one onlye worde shall he gyue vs lyfe both bodely and gostly vnto the glory of the celestiall father whych healeth all and wyll heale all that be sycke by him Qui uiuit et regnat c. Amen Thepistle on the .xxij. Sondaye after Trinitie sonday The first chap. to the Philippyans Th argument ☞ Paule wishethe that the grace of god charitie myght increase in vs. BRethren we trust in our Lord Iesu Christ that he whych hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntyll the daye of Iesus Christ as it becōmethe me so to iudge of you all because I haue you in my harte forasmoche as ye al are companyons of grace with me euen in my bondes and in the defendinge and stablyshynge of the gospell For god is my record how gretly I long after you all from the very hert rote in Iesus Christ And this I pray that your loue maye increace yet more and more in knowledge and in all vnderstandinge that ye maye accepte the thyngs that are most excellēt that ye maye be pure and suche as hurte no mans concsiens vntyll the daye of Christe beyng fylled with the frute of ryghtousnes which frute cometh by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of god THe apostle saynt Paule good people doth here teach vs that we must abyde and wayte for frō God the perfection and accomplyshyng of all good workes begonne sayeng that it apperteyneth vnto hym to make an ende of the woorke that he hath begonne the whych is wtout doute the worke of fayth whych worketh by charytie For Iesu Christe sayeth in the .vj. chapter of saynt Ihon Ioh. xj Yt is the worke of God sayeth oure Lorde that ye beleue in hym that he hath sente And also Iesu Christe is called auctor of fayth Also it apperteyneth vnto God for to gyue vs perseuerance and contynuaūce in the same fayth vnto the daye of Iesu Christe as it is written in the .xxxvi. psalme The afflictions of man shal be redressed in welth by god wherby we maye lightly vnderstand that man as of hymselfe cannot do any good and that all they whych vaunte them of theyr power do erre and blaspheme agaynste God when they attribute vnto thēselfes that whych apperteyneth vnto God whose power it is when we do any good The daye of Iesu Christe is the daye of the death of euery body The day of Iesus Christe and to speke generally it is domes daye at the whych daye he shall yelde vnto euery one accordyng vnto hys fayth or infidelitie that they shal haue folowed vnto the faythfull lyfe eternall and vnto the vnfaythfull the deathe eternall And the apostle might iustly thynke of the Philippians that god wold do vnto them this grace for to make them to perseuer vnto th ende for the charite that he had vnto them the which beleue lightly al thinges that is to the honour forbycause also that themselues did reioyce when they had vnderstande that in prysonmente at Rome he defended hym after suche a sorte that it was vnto the confirmation of the gospell and the greate ioye of the same And therfore he prayed them that thys charytie towarde god and loue vnto hys worde might aboūde and increase alwayes more more in the knowlege of god and in all spirituall sense for to discerne and approue the meruelouse thynges and for to be pure and clene and without offending and rebuke at the day of our lorde Iesu Christ both particuler vniuersal al replenished with the frute of iustice which is the iustice of faith by our lord Iesu christ vnto the glory of the eternal father In this saint Paule giueth vs to vnderstand how that al begynning the endes of good workes ought to be attributed vnto God And the charytie whych one ought to haue to another when one heareth or vnderstādeth that the worde of God doth growe it augmenteth and confirmeth whych is the doctrine of the Gospell for in the same is the true science and knowlege of god and the wit of the holy ghost wherby one maye proue and assaye the better thinges whych be the welthes spirituall and heuenly The whyche graunt vs the heuenly father by our lorde Iesu Christ Amen The gospel on
this maner thou muste offer thy gyfte to the aultare wyth a good mynde and glad harte and not grudgyngly For els all is nought that thou doest For where the spirite of god is there is lybertie So that we muste do all thynges that God commaundeth vs to do frely wyth a good mynde and a louynge harte Christ sayeth yf thou offerest thy gyft Here therfore thou muste consyder fyrste and knowe whether it be thyne or no for yf it be not thyne brynge none Surely as longe as thou gettest thy goodes wyth true laboure and wyth no deceyte nor breakyng goddes cōmaundementes yf the poore man hath no nede of thy goodes so longe it is thyne owne and thou mayest offer it But yf thou kepest it awaye from the poore man whā he nedeth it or gettest it by any false meanes deceyuynge the people than it is not thine but thou arte a thefe and doest steale it Therfore then offer none but restore it agayne for yf thou offerest it it is in vayne and God abhorreth both the and thyne offerynge But as touchynge thy tythes and such offerynges as the lawe compelleth the to paye vnto thy curate Tythes ought to be payde truly surely thou arte bounde faythfully and truly to pay them Thou mayest not take from the prestes duetye and gyue it to the poore for then thou art a thefe and thou robbest Peter to paye Paule Gyue therfore to euery one that whyche is hys Gyue to thy kynge hys duetye to thy poore nedye brother that whych charitie wylleth the to gyue and paye thy curate hys duetye yea though he be neuer so naughty of lyuynge thoughe he be viciouse proude ambiciouse and though he lyue neuer so gloriously and voluptuously Peraduenture thou wylt saye Why shall I paye my tythes and offerynges to such a curate to maynteyne hys vngracious lyuynge Yea forsoth Why For the church hath so decreed and the lawes hathe ordeyned and commaunded Therfore paye him his duetye wyth a good wyl and no doute thou art discharged towardes God But he for receyuynge and spendynge it on that maner is a stronge thefe and shal be hanged in hell for it yf he make not amēdes In dede yf thou gyuest to suche a curate more then hys dutye ☞ then thou mayest be a maynteyner of his euyll lyuinge and naughtynes But yf he be a good curate doynge hys duetye preachyng to hys paryshners the worde of God gyuing them exēple of good lyuynge and teachyng them Christes rule that they may knowe it and folow it forsoth to such one thou canst not gyue to much Why For thou shalte be sure to haue it agayne whan so euer thou shalt haue nede of it For such a charitable man woll surely not se the poore man wante Thus my frendes I haue declared vnto you the true ryghtuousnes that Christ requyreth of vs. Ye be here taught to mortifye the affections of the harte Yf ye do thys ye shall shewe youre selues to be in dede ryght and perfyte christen people the chyldren of saluacion and the enheritours of the kyngdome of God To whome be honoure and glorye Amen The Epistle on the .vij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to good workes BRethren I wyll speake grosly because of the infirmitie of youre fleshe As ye haue gyuen your members seruauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitie frō one iniquitie to an other euen so nowe gyue ouer youre members seruauntes vnto ryghteousnes that ye maye be sanctified For when ye were the seruauntes of synne ye were not vnder ryghteousnes What frute hadde ye than in those thinges wherof ye are nowe ashamed For th ende of those thynges is deathe But nowe are ye delyuered from synne and made the seruaūtes of god and haue your frute to be sanctified and the ende euerlastyng lyfe For the rewarde of synne is deathe but eternall lyfe is the gyfte of god thorough Iesus Christe our Lorde IN thys lesson good christen people thapostle S. Paule exhorteth the Romaynes and in them vs al that now syth by the benefyte of Christes redemption we be made fre frō the condempnation of synne and be iustifyed and reconciled to God the father of heauen by the mediacion of Christes bloude which was shed on the aultare of the crosse for our transgressions and offenses we woll gyue our selues to good and vertuouse lyuynge For albeit sayeth S. Paule ye be enfraunchysed and made fre frō synne and as who shulde saye manumissed as bondmen be wonte yet ye be not so vtterly fre but ye be styl in bondage and seruitude to ryghtuousnes that is to saye to good lyuynge and honest conuersacion So ye be free and not free free from synne but bonde to ryghteousnes and good lyuynge I speake grossely and after an humane fashion sayeth Paule to call you the bondmen and seruauntes of ryghtuousnes But to thys impropre and homelye maner of speakynge I am dryuē bycause of the weaknes of your fleshe humanū I am I saye fayne to applye frame my wordes accordynge to your capacitie vnderstandynge I knowe ryght wel the infirmitie and the weaknes of your fleshe whych as yet is not come to the perfection no nor can not come to the ful perfection so lōge as ye be in thys mortall and frayle lyfe Yea our sauiour Christ hymselfe a lytle before hys departure out of thys worlde complayned of the infirmitie of the fleshe Wherfore my frendes lyke as before ye receyued the Gospell of Christ ye haue frely and volūtarely giuen and exhibited your membres as slaues and bonde to serue all naughtynes all vnclennes wyckednes and that from one wyckednes to an ather euery one worse then other So now where as ye be vnder grace and become christen persons and haue receyued Christes Gospell I exhorte you that ye woll an other whyle serue ryghtuousnes that is to saye that wyth all your myght and force ye woll studye and applye your selues to vertue honest conuersation and good lyuyng Yf ye do thys vndoubtedly ye shal be sanctifyed and made holy in goddes syght whyle through the worke and operation of the holy goost new motions be created in you whyche after a certayne maner shall answere to the lawe satisfye the same though in great infirmitie weakenes makynge you wyth your harte to loue God euen of a good conscience and fayth vnfeyned For so longe as ye were in your former state and knewe not Christe but lyued in ydolatrye and blyndnes of harte seruynge synne ye were as fremen to ryghtuousnes that is to saye ye serued her not ye hadde no iustice no ryghtuousnes in you ye were not vnder her power and dominion I praye you then my frendes what profyte frute and commoditie toke ye at that tyme of your louse and fre lyuynge I meane of your synne whych ye cōmonly then haūted wherof now that ye be in the state of grace and haue receyued the tytle