wyll of God and brynge forthe the sentes of the spirite WhaÌ„ we worke the wyll of God and fashon our lyfe â—â—â—â—rdynge to the rule of Christes gospell than may we be certen that â—ur sayth is ryght and that we are the sonnes of God fellowe enheritâ—â—rs w t Iesus Christ. Nether nede â—e doubte of ony thynge that God hathe promised in his holy scriptuâ—â—â— but beleue stedfastly y t we shall â—aue al thiÌ„ges accordiÌ„g to hys promises in asmuch as we bryng forth the frutes of faythe But if we lyue 〈◊〉 carnally and do the fylthy worâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 as droÌ„ckeshyp whore 〈◊〉 theafte couetousnes amp c. than 〈◊〉 we no cause to reioyse nor yet 〈…〉 of our faythe For the true 〈…〉 the great maruelous thynges as we maye se in AbrahaÌ„ whiche truly beleued in God therfore wroughte many godly workes He obeyed the word of God he lefte hys owne natiue countrey he was contented at the commaundement of God to kyll offer hys owne soÌ„ne to what soeuer the spiriâ—e of God moued hym to do Of this nature are so many as truely beleue They y t thus worcke not haue not Abrahams fayth neyther are they y e sonnes of Abraham For Christ sayd to the Iewes if ye were the sonnes of Abraham ye woulde do 〈◊〉 workes of AbrahaÌ„ Therfore after that we are persuaded of the goodnes of god towarde vs and beleue fâ—ythfully y t god for his promises sakâ— which hâ— hath made vs in christe 〈…〉 be bouÌ„teous and mercifull vnto vs we must note that the scrâ—pture coÌ„maundeth workes to be dne of the faythfull For after that we be once iustifyed by fayth before GOD we must expresse that faythe whiche is knowne to god alone by externall outward workes y t we may appere â—â—ghteous both before God man Nether is there ony better sygne or more manifest argument as I sayd before y t our fayth is ryghâ— true lyueth than whan it produceth and bryngeth for the good workes euen â—s there is not a more manifest probacion that a tree is good than by the bryngynge forth of good frute I faythfull man therfore is not coÌ„pared without a cause of the Psalmographe to a tree planted by the ryuers syde which bryngeth forthe 〈◊〉 fruyte in due season I beynge 〈◊〉 a frtefull Olyue tree saythe Dauid in the house of GOd haue trusted in the mercy of god for euer 〈◊〉 euer A christen man is compared to a grene Olyue for he is euer full of fruyte and neuer barren all waye grene neuer seare â—â—er workyng and neuer idle He y t truly beleueth hath no nede of lawes to coÌ„pell hym to do good workes as the scripture sayth the lawe is not gyuen vnto a ryghteous man but vnto the vnrighteous disobedieÌ„t c. For of hys owne fre wyll sâ— lyuyshe and myghty in operacion iâ— faythe whan God gyuethe an occasion he wyll bryng forth good workes euen the frutes of faythe vnto â—he glory of God and the health of hâ—s neyghbour The sonnes of God are not coÌ„tent to syt ydle sayth Chriâ—ostome but the spirite prouokethe them to take some great and commendable worke in hande Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. Gregory The loue of GOD is neuer idle for it worketh great thynges if it be y e loue of God in dede but if it cease the to worcke than is it no loue The vnfaythfull is lyke vnto a dead stocke which briÌ„geth forth no frute at all but is vnprofitable altogyther and therfore shall he be hewen downe and cast into hell fyre To be shorte in this matter they that are frutefull bryng forthe good workes pertayne vnto the chyrche of God and they whych are vnfrutefull and bryng forth no good workes belong vnto y e chyrche of the Dyuell for there is a double chyrche and shall be cursed as the â—ygge tree was Fortely we ought to do good worâ—es that we may wynne our neyghâ—our also vnto Christ as S. Peter â—ryteth you wiues be ye obedieÌ„t to our husbandes y t they also whiche â—hey not the worde maye be wonne â—y the conuersacion of theyr wyues â—ythout the worde whyle they consydre your chaste and pure conuersacion ioyned wyth reuerence For as christ came not iÌ„to thys world to wynne the fauoure of hys eternall father for hymself but what so euer he dydde was done for vs so in lyke maÌ„ner what so euer we do we must do it also for oure neyghboures to wynne theÌ„ vnto Christ to make th â— professours of Christes Gospell anâ— the perfecte chyldreÌ„ of GOD our father Let that same affeccioÌ„ be in you saythe S. Paule that was in Christ Iesus whyche beynge in the shape of God thought it no robber to be equall wythe God Neuerthelesse he made hymselfe of no reputacion and toke on hym the shape of â— seruaunt and became lyke vnto in was founde in the figure as a maÌ„ He humbled hym selfe beâ—ame obeâ—dient vnto the death eueÌ„ the death of the crosse Fyftely we must do good workes that the mouthes of y e vngodly may be stopped as S. Peter sayth thys is the wyll of God that by well doyng ye shulde stoppe the mouthes of folysh and ignorant parsonnes Do all thynges wythout murmurynge and disputyng sayth S. Paul that ye maye be fautlesse and pure and the sonnes of God wythout rebuke in the myddes of a croked peruerse nacion among whome se y t ye shyne as lyghtes in the worlde holdynge faste the worde of lyfe Uerely if it ware euer expedient that Christen meÌ„ shoulde lede a godly lyfe it is at thys tyme moost necessary For whaÌ„ the aduersaries of Goddes trueth se them y t professe the Gospell of Christ lyue dissolutely not fast not praye not gyue almes not mortify the affectes of the flesâ—he but lead a more vngodly lyfe thaÌ„ the other sorte do than blaspheme they the gospel thaÌ„ call they the worde of God heresye than hate they extremely persecute presonne condemne and vtterly destroye so many as cleaâ—â— purely to y e doctrine of christ And all this come to passe thorowe the wyckednes and vngodly conuersacion of the grosse Gospellers the raylyng readers of the scripture the â—aye lâ—ke ianglers of Gods worde and brâ—yneles bablers of y e gospell whych â—able muche of gods trueth and yet â—yue no part therof Oh what a great hinderauÌ„s is this to goddes mooâ—â— holy wordâ— God giue vs grace both to loue and lyue the gospell Finally we ought to do good workes seynge it is none â—nprofitable seruice neyther shal our laboure be loste in so doynge but we shall hyghly be rewarded for doynge of them not only in thys worldâ— but muche 〈◊〉 pleÌ„teously in y e worlde to come Reioyse and be mery saythe Christ to all that do good workes for great is your rewarde in heauen Agayne he that receaueth a Prophet in the name of
and was very man and he toke thys flesh of y e seed of Dauid which was Mary the most pure viâ—â—gine These wordes are open â—nough for them that wyllâ—e A lyke thyng he wryteth to Timothe remember that Iesus Christ is rysen agen froÌ„ death of the seed of Dauid Behold howe he styl maketh mencion of the seed of Dauid because he wold haue vs earnestly imprynte the humanite of Christ in our brestes whych he receaued of the virgine Mary For he dyd afore se in y e spirite that ther shulde aryse certen false Prophetes which should labour to wreste oute of our hartes thys necessary article of Christes humanite To the Galathians also he wryteth on this manner whan the tyme was fulfylled God sente hys sonne borne of a woman or rather as the Greke worde â—enomenon â—ouÌ„deth begotteÌ„ or made Christe by the wounderfull and supernaturall operacion of the holye Ghoste was begotten made man of the virgine Mary yea and that wythoute the seed of ony man He only receaued hys flesh and man heâ— of Mary whiche God so workynge by his holy spirite was so pure clene and vndefyled that there was no spot of vnclennes in her at all And as Christ was begotten of God the father goddes owne sonne and very God from euerlasting yea and that wythoute the coÌ„pany of ony womaÌ„ so was he begotteÌ„ conceaued made borne very man of the moost pure virgine Mary wythout the seed of ony maÌ„ the holy Ghoste dyd so come vpon her and the power of the hyest ouershadowed her And as Christ receaued hys godhed only of God the father â—o receaued he hys manhedâ— onely of the virgine Mary hys mother Wherof we may coÌ„clude the as Christ is very God of God the â—â—â—ther without a mother so is he very man of Mary his mother wythout ony father Therfore maye hâ—â— godâ—hed be as iustly denyed as his 〈◊〉 and fleshe takynge of the blyssed virgine Mary But Christ abydeth very God and very man what so euer the wycked Heretykes bable in thys behalfe I wyll rehearse another text of S. Paule to the Hebrues and make an end of thys matter He was tempted made lyke to vs in all thynges synne alone excepte If he were lyke vnto vs in all thynges synne alone excepte than followeth it that he had a body of flesh as we haue and that there was no differeÌ„ce but that hys moost blyssed body was wythout all synne and our bodyes are synful For he was borne wrapped in cloutes layd in a maunger fedde circumcised embrased in armes grewe was made stronge in y e spirite profited in wisdome age hongred thyrsted wepte was wery reioysed was moued w t wrathe and indignacioÌ„ sorowed was heuy sad at the last suffered the moost spyteful death of the crosse Are not these very signes manifest tokeÌ„s of maÌ„ Coulde he haue done these thynges if he had had eyther a fantastical body or elles a body from heauen Na verely for what fantasticall or heauenly thynge hongreth thyrstethe wepeth slepeth reioyseth c. which all Christ dyd A lytle before hys passhon was he not in such an agony y t his sweat was lyke droppes of bloud tryckelynge downe to the ground Dyd he not so greatly feare deathe that he desyred his father to wythdrawe the cuppe of hys pashon from hym Are not all these euident tokens of a verye man seynge hys flesshe so greatly feared deathe â–ª Seyng than that he was very maÌ„ whense had he thys body but of the moost holy virgine Mary thorowe the meruelous operacioÌ„ of Goddes spirite CoÌ„founded therfore be Manicheus whiche deny the humaniâ—e of Christ. ConfouÌ„ded be Ualentius which affirmed that Christ brought hys bodye withe hym from heauen toke no flesh of the virgine Mary Confounded be the Anabaptistes so many as holde mayntayne this wycked doctrine contrary to Gods trueth For God was shewed in the flesh iustifyed in the spirite sene of Angels preched vnto the Gentiles beleued on in the earthe and receaued vp into glory Thus se you neyghboures that Christ the gyfte of God which bryngeth saluacion to all men hathe appered yea that in the flesh whiche he receaued of the moost blyssed and pure virgine Mary He appered say one S. IohnÌ„ that he myghte 〈◊〉 awaye our synnes yet was there 〈…〉 in hym Agayne for thys cause appered the soÌ„ne of God that he myghte loosen the workes of the dyuell but of all theyse thynges ye haue heard abundaÌ„tly before therfore wyll I go forthe wythe youre newe yeares gyfte It followeth And teacheth vs that we shulde deny vngodlynes and worldely lustes We hearde before that christ beynge borne of the virginne Mary brought health and saluacion to all men bothe Iewe and Gentile Here agayne S. Paule teachethe what pleasure he hathe done vs more He hath not only brought saluacion to vs by that meanes delyuered vs out of the miserable state where w t we were deteined before but he hath also taught vs what we shoulde do that thorowe oure owne faulâ—â— we loose not agen y e dignite whiâ—â— we haue gotten thorowe the fre mercy of God And in this behalfe also are we much bound to thys oure gyfte For what doth it profytte to haue a treasure gyuen vs to loose it agen streyght wayes Are we not muche bound to them which both gyue vs treasures and shewe vs also howe we maye safelye kepe them to oure great pleasure and conforte Howe muche than are we endetted to our sauyour Christ whyche hath not only gyuen vs the treasure of saluacioÌ„ which of all treasures is moost excellent but also taughte vs howe we shall behaue our selues that we lose it not hereafter But let vs heare what he hath taught vs Euse. I pray you speake on for we desyre greatly to heare it Phil. His doctrine is this That we shulde deny vngodlynes and worldely lustes We heare here none vnwrytten verites nor the fansys of men nor yet olde wyues fables and suche thynges as edify not but those thynges that haue ben taught of Moses and the Prophettes many yeres before hys commyng as we maye se in the holy scriptures therfore maye they not be reiecte and cast a waye The olde Ethnyckes harkened not more to the Oracles and answers of Apollo than we oughte to harken gyue eare to the doctrine of this gyfte of God Christ our sauyoure For he is that Prophet which God promised that he would rayse vp and put his wordes into hys mouth so y t who so euer wyll not heare hym God wylâ— be reuenged of hym He is a master sent from God He hath the wordes of euerlastyng lyfe He is the lyghte of the world Who so euer followeth hym walkethe not in darkenes but shal haue the lyght of lyfe â–ª He is the waye trueth and lyfe He is y e God that can not lye He is faythefull in all
another mannes wyfe mayde or seruauÌ„t to desyre and lust after deynty meates that the fleshe maye be the more prone and redy to synne this to do ye are forbydden if ye do it ye are cursed of God as y e Psalmographe sayth cursed be they that turne awaye from thy coÌ„mauÌ„dementes Thus perceue ye I trust what is ment by y e denieng of worldly lustes Theo. We perceaue it ryght well Phil. Seyng ye do so neyghboures looke ye be no forgetful herers but diligent accomplyshers of suche thynges as ye knowe vnlesse youre knowledge turneth to your greater damnacion â–ª Mortify youre carnall affectes and worldly lustes Suffer none of them to crepe into your hartes â–ª Caâ—â— to God for helpe wythout ceasynge that ye maye â—e able thorowe hys grace to suppresse all euell affectes concupiscences lustes and deâ—yres â–ª Kepe your harte so pure y t nothing may come froÌ„ you but purenes veâ—tue godly innocency Remember that so many as are baptised in Christ Iesus are baptised into hys death They are buryed togyther w t hym by baptisme into death that as Christ was reysed vp from death thorowe the glory of y e father so they lykewyse shoulde walke in a newe lyfe If ye be rysen agayne w t Christ seake for those thynges that are aboue where Christ is syttynge on the ryght hande of GOD. Prouyde for those thynges y t are aboue and not vpon the earth For ye are dead your lyfe is hyd wyth Christ in God â–ª Iâ— ye do these thynges follow the teachyng of your scholemaster Christ so that ye deny vngodlynes and worldly lustes than shal ye shewe your selues to haue ben good studentes in the schole of Christ and ye shal take forth a new lessâ— which here followethe Chri What is that Philemon Euen thys And that we shoulde lyue soberly ryghteously and godâ—y in this prâ—sent worlde Euse. Thys is a godly lesson Phil. Labour therfore the more diligently to remember it Before ye herd how ye must forsake syn now ye are taught to practyse vertu godlynes For it is not ynough to cease from doynge euell excepte we also do good as the Psalmograph sayth Departe from euel do good Also y e Prophet â–ª ceasâ— to do euel lerne to do good Therfore as before we were taught to decline froÌ„ euel so are we here monyshed to do good to embrace vertue And in this our lessoÌ„ which I nowe last rehersed we are taught how to behaue our selues both toward our selues our neighbours god in this world we must lyue soberly toward our selues righteously toward our neyghbours godly toward God â–ª Here is y e hole lyâ—e of a christeÌ„ maÌ„ paynted described set forth in few wordes To lyue so y t we nether offende our selues our neyghboures nor God is not thys the whole summe of the christen religion What is the duty of a christen man more to do Chri. what is it to lyue soberly Phil. The Greke worde Sophronos soundethe on such manner that to lyue soberlye shoulde seme to be so purely discretely modestly temperatly lagely to institute our lyfe that our conscieÌ„s should neuer accuse vs of ony euell but testify wyth vs that we lyue do all thynges godly He that thus lyueth lyuethe soberly For there is a certen sobriete so well in y e mynde as in the bodye There is also a certen dronckeÌ„nes so well in the mynd as in the body Lykewyse as the body is recouÌ„ted sober in salue estate so longe as it is not distemperate w t the superfluite of meates and drynkes so in lyke maner so long as the mynd is not troubled with vicious affectes but remayne in her natiue purite it is recounted sober So y t we are here taught not only to lyue soberlye modestly and temperately concernynge the bodye but also the mynde For a christen maÌ„ must haue a special respecte to y e mynde which beyng dronken w t vices what doth the sobriete of the body profytte If I kepe my bodye sober in neuer so good temperaunce my mynde be dronken w t wrathe yre contencion desyre of vengeaunce whoredome vnclene thoughtes and suche other carnall affectes and worldly lustes what dothe it profyt Therfore as y e body is to be kepte from dronkeÌ„nes so muste the mynde be from vices Than shall we be truly sober lyue well toward our selues But for as muche as this tyme of Christmasse men vniuersally are moost of all gyuen to banckettyng volupteous eatynge and drynkyng so that y e christen sobriete moderate temperauÌ„â— is forgotten wyth many and glotony dronckenshyp beare chefe rule therfore I desyre you brothers by y e tender mercies of God that ye lyue soberly and beware of surfettynge and dronckeshyppe Use a sober and temperate dyette Ouercharge not your stomackes w t to muche eatyng and drynkynge Let other glory in theyr Christmas banckettes made for the bely haue you your whole reioysyng plesure delyght in that meat which perissheth not but abydethe into euerlastynge lyfe Make no prouision for the flesh to fulfyll the lustes therof Be not droÌ„cken wyth wyne wherin is excesse Cast awaye the workes of darkenes put on the armoures of lyght Walke honestly as in the day lyght not in banckettyng and dronkennes not in chamburyng wantonnes nor yet in stryfe enuyeng but put ye on y e Lorde Iesus christ RemeÌ„ber that we lyue not to eate but eate to lyue And nature is contented with a lytle What so euer is superfluous is synfull and damnable Remember that AdaÌ„ and Heua dyd fall thorowe glotony RemeÌ„beâ— that Nohe whan he was droncken was vncouered in hys Tente laye with his priuities bare Remember that Loth beynge dronken committed incest with his owne doughters Remember that whan the chyldren of Israel had sat downe to eate and dryncke they fell streyght weys vnto Idolatry worshipped the goldeÌ„ calfe Remember that Ammon the brother of Absolon was slayne at a bancket whan he was droncke Remember y t Holofernes beyng droÌ„ke was slayne of an woman RemeÌ„ber that at a bancket it was graunted that S. IohnÌ„ Baptist should loosâ— hys heade yet no cause why but â— lytle enuy because he would tel y t kiÌ„g truth wherw t y e flaterers y t were about hiÌ„ could not away RemeÌ„ber that the rytche gloton which fared deyntely euery daye was buryed throwen downe into hell RemeÌ„ber that thoccasion of the wickednes of Sodome was pryde fulnes of meat abundans ydlenes All these be terrible hystories agaynst glotony and dronckeshyp Agayne what diseases come therof Howe many sorowes troubles do they bryng to mans body Lette vs heare what Salomon sayth Where is wo Where is sorow Where is stryfe Wher is brawling Where are woundes wtout a cause Where be red eyes Euen amonge those that be euer