silence the thing that he himself complayneth of wher be sayeth by his prophet Dauid Psa cxx I am a worme and not a man a laughing stocke or an obprobrie of men and the refuse of the people As many as behold me mocke me they shake their hedes at me What is thys but to cast Christ into trouble and heuynesse not only hym but also hys apostles and louyng frēdes whyche kept hym company And albeit Christe dothe specially in this place speake of the tyme of his owne crosse whych shulde be the occasion of weping and mournyng to his apostles yet hys mynde was hereby to shewe what state and fortune is to be loked for in thys world vnto all true christiās True christians no doubt can not but suffer in this world moch displeasures and persecution wheras the wicked persons and such as care neither for God nor deuell make good chere and lyue according to their hartes ease Prou. iij Hereunto agreeth Salomon in his prouerbes sayeng Cast not awaye the chastisement of the lord Lo ye se how Christ instructeth his apostles and armeth them with pacience to abyde and suffer thobprobriouse wordes scornes and persecutions of the wicked persons and Antichristes And that he willeth the apostles to do the same he commaūdeth and speaketh euen vnto vs so many as wolbe hys disciples and folowers Sorowe turned to heuynes Fourthly forasmoche as Christe hath tolde hys apostles of the sorowe and heuines of the persecutions that shuld happen vnto them for hys sake he nowe agayne doth comforte them declaringe vnto them what shall happen after such stormes of affliction Your heuines sayth he shal be chaunged into ioye as who shulde saye the worlde as sone as they shal haue kylled me woll thynke they haue won the spurres that they haue put me downe but it shall not be so for the thyrde daye after shall I ryse agayne from death maugre theyr heades I shall comforte you and in your heuynes pacifie you make you gladde And albeit after that tyme also ye must styll suffre moch wronge and reproche for my name and for the gospel sake yet your affliction crosse shall not laste longe but eternall ioye shall anone ensue folowe An exemple of thys thynge I wol ye take in a woman that traueleth with chylde The parable of the trauelynge woman A woman whā she traueleth ye know is in heuynes payn for her houre is at hande But assone as she hath brought forth into the worlde a chylde is delyuered she remembreth no more her payne and greife for the ioye she hath of the chylde that is borne into the worlde In semblable wise ye be nowe sadde and heuy for my departure but I shal come see you agayne and thā your hartes shal leape for ioye no man shal be hable with all the displeasure he can do you to take awaye this your ioye from you Assuredly my frendes thys similitude whych is here brought forth of Christ is excedingly comfortable For fyrst of all yt sheweth that persecution trouble and crosse must as surely folowe the confession of the gospell as it is sure that a trauelyng woman cannot brynge forth her chyld without sorow and grefe but in the meane season the Christen man thorough the word of God muste nedes afterwarde haue greate comforte and ioye Furthermore this trouble crosse affliction and persecution of the true christians shall not be continuall and euerlastinge but it shall endure but for a season And on the contrary parte the worlde shall ioye for a season But their ioye shal not longe laste as Christe himself in an other place witnesseth wher he sayth Luc. vi Wo be to you which laugh here for ye shal wepe and lamente Albeit in very dede the christian man shall not be cleane voyde of ioye in this worlde but what ioye is thys I woll sayeth Christ see you agayne and your hartes shal ioye and no man shal take your ioye from you Vndoubtedly the ioye that Christe here speaketh of is the gladnes and peace of conscience that the true christians shall haue in asmoche as they knowe that God shal be merciful vnto them throughe Christ and shal kepe and preserue them into euerlasting liefe whych was prepared for them before the worlde was made as Christ hymself witnesseth by the father of heuen To whome wyth the sonne and holye ghost be thankes .c. The Epistle on the .iiij. sonday after Ester daye The .i. chapter of Iames. Th argument ☞ Saynt Iames sheweth that Gods worde is an heuenly gyfte and howe it ought to be receyued MOst derely beloued brethren euery good gyft and euery perfect gyft is from aboue and cōmethe downe frome the father of lyghtes wythe whome is no variablenes neyther is he chaunged vnto darkenes Of his owne will begate he vs wyth the word of trouth that we shulde be the first frutes of his creatures Wherfore deare brethren let euery man be swyfte to heare slow to speake slow to wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that whych is ryghteous before God Wherfore laye a parte all fylthynes and superfluitie of malyciousnes and receaue with mekenes the word that is grafted in you whych is hable to saue your soules The holy Apostle saynt Iames good christian brethren and systres in the epistle of this daye doth fyrste open and declare vnto vs the causes of gods worde frome whence it commeth and then he commendeth and setteth oute the authoritie of the same as a meane or instrument whereby throughe new birth or regeneration we be the chyldren of god and as saynt Iames here speaketh the firste frutes of gods creatures As towching the causes of gods worde ye shall vnderstande that the gospell or word of God is no humaine thinge it is the word neither of Emperour Kinge Prince Duke nor other temporall ruler neither is it any meritorious word whych cā chaūce vnto vs for our own deseruinges or merites neyther yet is it an vnpythy weake or vnperfect word whych eyther of it selfe is not stronge ynough or nedeth any other worde to the perfection and accomplyshement therof but it is a diuine or heuenly worde a good gyft of God and perfecte that is to saye whyche hath almyghty god for authour of yt whych god gyueth of his mere grace and fauour whych is stronge and full of efficacie and power according to saynt Paule whych sayth it is the power of god to the helth and sauetye of all such as beleue the same Rom i. It is perfecte forasmoche as it neither nedeth any other word neyther yet can it suffre any other to be matched with it Nowe al thys tendeth to this purpose and intent that saynt Iames woll cōmende and set forth vnto vs the authoritie of gods worde lest by errynge and strayeng out of the waye we myght happen to deceiue our selues thynkyng it ynough sufficient to heare the worde of god wyth out
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
Saynt Ambrose agreyng hervnto sayth that the redemption of Christes bloude were very vyle yf iustification whych is done by grace shuld be due to the merites goynge before so that it shuld be not the gyfte of the gyuer but the reward of the worker Also Ierome wrytynge vpon the epistle to the Galathians sayeth Ierome None is saued by the lawe but we be all saued by fayth Austine Neyther doth saynt Augustine disagre from thys saynge Our fayth that is to say the catholyke faythe discerneth the ryghtuouse froÌ„ the vnryghtuouse not by the lawe of workes but by the selfe lawe of fayth But what go I aboute to allege a fewe doctours All the prophetes as Peter here sayeth Christe hymselfe all the Apostles yea all the holy scripture throughe out all the auncient and ecclesiasticall doctours and holy expositours of scripture do gyue wytnesse to Christe that through hys name whosoeuer beleueth in hym shal receyue forgyuenesse and pardon of theyr synnes It foloweth in the texte Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whych herde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whych beleued were astonnyed c. Brethren ye shall note that Christ was peculiarly promysed to the Iues as he hymselfe also sayeth in the .xv. Chapter of Mathew I am not sent but to the lost shepe of the house of Israel Howbeit the callynge of the Gentyls was longe before prophecyed of by the prophetes and here also it was opened to saynt Peter by a vision of a shete sente downe from aboue vnto hym Actu x. And therfore he began hys sermoÌ„ on thys wyse Of a trouth I perceyue that there is no respecte of persons wyth God but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh ryghtuousnes is accepted wyth hym Now so many as beleued of the circumcision that is to wyt the Iues not knowyng hereof but beynge ignoraunt that the Gentyls also were to be admytted to the felowship of the Gospell wondered whan they sawe that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost and herde them speke wyth tonges magnifyed God Here ye shal also marke ☜ that thys gyft of tonges wherwyth at the sendynge downe of the holy goost the Apostles and other were so indowed that they were vnderstanded of the people of al nacions is now ceased but in the meane season the prayse of gods name ceaseth not nor ought not to cease It foloweth in the texte Then answered Peter can any man forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whych haue receyued the holy goost aswell as we Here ye se manyfestly good people that the Gentyls by Peters preachynge of gods worde were replenyshed wyth the holy goost before they were outwardly baptysed wyth the water for wyth the spirit it is playne that they were baptised Saynt Peter therfore to confirme them and as it were to seale them wyth an outwarde sygne commaundeth them to be baptised wyth water in the name of the Lorde For baptisme is not only a sygne of mortificacion and of remission of synnes What is baptisme but it is also a badge or knowlege that we be receyued into the noÌ„ber of the chyldren of God Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre there be two maner of baptismes Ierome suê‘ Esa Now as also saynt Ierome affirmeth maÌ„ only gyueth the water but God gyueth the holy goost wherby the fylthe is washed awaye and the synnes of bloude purged The same Ierome also wrytyng vpon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth in thys wyse Yf then they that be baptised in Christe haue done on Christ it is manyfest that they whych haue not put on Christ be not baptised in Christe For it was sayd to them whych were counted faythfull whych were supposed to haue had the baptisme of Christ Put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ Yf a maÌ„ taketh only thys corporall washyng of water which is sene wyth the eyes of the flesh he is not clad with the Lorde Iesus Christ For albeit SimoÌ„ Magus in the actes of the Apostles had receyued the washing of water yet bycause he had not the holy gooste he was not baptised in Christ Wherfore as I declared vnto you on the AsceÌ„sioÌ„ day baptisme wythout fayth is as who shulde saye a paper sealed wythout any wrytynge in it But ye shall alwayes vnderstaÌ„d that I excepte and speake not of the baptisme of infauntes or babes For they as saint Austine and the other expositours of scripture do full well declare be saued yf after baptisme they chaunce in theyr infauncy to dye by the fayth of the catholyke church And furthermore we saye agaynst the wycked Anabaptistes that the baptisme of children is not vayne but necessarye to saluacion For no doubte the promyse of saluacion perteyneth also to chyldren or infauntes But it pertayneth not to them that be oute of the church where is neyther the worde nor the sacramentes And here vpon do all lerned men agre Now therfore good christen people syth your baptisme woll not serue you wythout faythe no nor all the workes ye can do I ernestly exhorte you that accordynge to saynt Peters declaracion here for the obteynynge of remission of youre synnes ye woll fastlye beleue in Christ So doyng no doubt the holy goost shal enter into your hartes make you euen of loue without compulsion of lawe to worke wel to the glorye of God and helth of your soules eternally Amen The gospell on the seconde daye of Pentecost The .iij. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ The moost comfortable glad tydynges of Christ is here wonderfully well described IEsus spake vnto a ruler amonge the pharises God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlastynge lyfe For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued He that beleueth on hym is not condempned But he that beleueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of the only begotten sonne of God And thys is the condempnacion that light is come into the worlde and meÌ„ loued darkenes more thaÌ„ lyght bycause theyr dedes were euell For euery one that euell doeth hateth the lyght neyther commeth to the lyght lest hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth trouth commeth to the lyght that hys dedes may be knowen how that they are wrought in God THe Gospell of thys daye good people is in very dede an Euangell or gospell that is to saye a glad tydinges For in fewe wordes it declareth vnto vs the summe of the Christen mans religion Fyrst therfore it sheweth the cause that moued God to sende downe hys sonne to the earth The wordes here spoken be Christes wordes vnto Nicodemus Thus he sayeth God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that who soeuer beleueth in hym shulde
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
trouth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that coÌ„forter wyl not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyl rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgemente Of synne because they beleue not on me Of ryghtousnes because I go to my father and ye shall se me no more Of iudgemente because the prynce of thys world is iudged alredy I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto youe but ye cannot beare them away nowe Howbeit when he is com whych is the spirite of trouth he wyl leade you into al trouth He shal not speake of himselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of myne and shall shewe vnto you Why tholy goost was promysed THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good brethren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purposis sente of Christe that he myghte reuelate and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this kingdome For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde no more then is his iustice and beatitude forasmoch as the worlde bicause it is ledde with reason requireth an other kingdome an other iustice and consequently an other blesse euen such as be most agreable to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely handes Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them they flatter the worlde and they be lettes and impedimentes that the true spirituall raigne or kyngdome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene ☜ Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and heuynesse As though they shulde saye vnto hym We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some carnall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome But when the holy ghoost come he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power TheÌ„ also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost and our iugement shall appere wherby accordinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe Finally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towardes Chryst the only Sauiour when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our workes and suche lyke And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the knowlege of gods worde But now I go c. Now therfore sayth Christe I go my wey to him that sent me to thinteÌ„t I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you ye aske me not whether I go As who shulde saye yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thynges ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go syth I tolde you I must departe Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes be full of sorowe not so much bycause of my departure as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome Expediâ— vobis Howbeit I tel you the trouth it is expedient for you that I go my waye as who shulde saye your opinioÌ„ concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste departe partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what maner kyngdome my kingdome is and partly what ye ought to loke for in it I saye it is expedient and profitable for you that I departe Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde that is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death He addeth For yf I go not awaye that comforter shall not come vnto you The profyte of Christes death Lo good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father For therfore departed he out of this world bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome which neuertheles could not helpe yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome and we yet carnall we coulde in no wise vnderstande nor ê‘ceiueit No more then euen at thys daye we vnderstaÌ„d it but by the helpe and ayde of the holy gooste Wherefore let vs remembre that Christ hath for our cause sent the holy goost whych myght leade vs into all truth that is to wite whych might disclose and open vnto vs oure synnes that do naturally stycke in vs and yet neuertheles we take them for no synnes whyche holy ghost also myght bewrey our ryghtuousnes to be befor god more vnrightuousnes finally whych myght shewe the deuell to be iuged by the ouerture and openyng of the gospell all whyche thinges noman shuld haue vnderstanded had not Christ sente his holy ghost Actu i. whom in this place he surely promiseth shulde come and he came in dede accordinge to hys promise vpon the daye of Pentecoste as it is redde in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Now the holy ghost is called a comforter whych in the Greake is called Paracletus of hys effecte or office forasmuche as his office and feate is euen froÌ„ tyme to tyme so longe as this spirituall kyngdome shall endure Paracletus quid fit to comforte mens consciences in this world When this comforter commeth saith Christ he shal rebuke the worlde of synne of rightuousnes and of
in Christ So doynge no doubte the holy goost shal come and dwell wythin you and declare and open vnto you all trouthe necessary to your soules helth to the extirpacion of all wycked doctrine and auauncement of gods glorye Vnto whome be all honoure and prayse worlde wythout ende Amen The gospell on Wytsondaye The xiiij chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Of the worde of Christe and of the holy goost IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples Yf a man loue me he wyl kepe my saynges and my father wyl loue him and we wyl come vnto him ād dwel with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayenges And the word which ye heare is not myne but the fathers whych sent me These thynges haue I spoken vnto you beynge yet present wyth you But the comforter which is the holy goost whome my father wyll sende in my name he shall teache you all thynges and brynge all thynges to your remembraūce what so euer I haue sayd vnto you Peace I leaue wyth you my peace I gyue you Not as the worlde gyueth gyue I vnto you Let not your hertes be greued neyther feare Ye haue herde howe I sayd vnto you I go and come agayne vnto you Yf ye loued me ye wolde verely reioyse bycause I sayd I go vnto the father For the father is greater then I. And now haue I shewed it you before it come that whan it is come to passe ye myght beleue Hereafter wyll I not talke many wordes vnto you For the prince of thys worlde commeth and hath nought in me But that the worlde maye know that I loue the father And as the father gaue me cōmaūdement euen so do I. BEfore we touch the gospell my brethrē we shal speake somwhat of this dayes feast The original begynning of Pētecost This feast whych they call Pentecost began in thys wyse Whan God shulde leade the Israelites out of Egypte the nyght before he ordeyned Passeouer which we call Ester to be solemnised and cōmaunded that euery yeare about that tyme that daye shulde be kepte holydaye for a memory of theyr departure out of Egypte And from that daye afterwarde for the space of fyfty dayes they walked in the wyldernes tyll at last they came to the moūt Sinay where by Moses the lawe was gyuen them of God For thys cause they kept that solempne holydaye whyche we call in Greke Pentecost that is to saye the fyftye daye and in Englysh Wytsonday Now therfore fyfty dayes from Ester beynge accomplyshed and the memory of the lawe whych god had promulgate to the people in the mounte Sinay fulfylled the holy goost came and gaue an other lawe Nowe therfore thys day is celebrate of vs not because of the olde facte but because of the newe I meane of the sēndyng of the holy ghost So we declare a certayne difference betwene oure Pentecoste and the Iues Pentecost Fyrste the Iues kept this daye bycause the lawe wrytten was then gyuen vnto them But we oughte to celebrate oure Pencecoste bycause the lawe of God was then spiritually delyuered vnto vs. For the better vnderstandynge hereof ij co iij and iiij Saynte Paule is to be broughte forth whiche also putteth the same difference wher he speaketh of two maner prechynges And as there be two maner preachynges so be there two sortes of people First was the lawe wryten which God commaunded and comprised in lettres and therfore it is called the lawe of the lettre bycause it remayneth in lettres and entreth not in the brest neyther do any workes folowe it saue hypocritical and constreyned workes and therfore the people also remayne styll but lyterall and fleshly And bycause it was comprysed onlye in lettres and was all togyther in deade wrytynge it kylled and made a dead people for the hart was dead bycause it dyd not of the owne accorde the commaundement of god For yf euery man shuld be lefte to his owne wyll to do what hym lusteth wythout all feare of punyshement there shulde be founde none but wolde rather be fre and louse from the law then bounde therto For thus he naturally thinketh Lo God wyll surely punyshe me yea and dryue me into hel onles I kepe his commaundementes Thā nature feleth it selfe vnwyllynge and to do them with no maner loue or delectation wherfore man is forth wyth made enemye to god by reason of the penaltye when he fealeth hymselfe a synner and that he walketh not ryghtly before God so that he wold rather that there were no God Thys bytternes is infixed in the harte agaynst God thoughe nature goeth about neuer so much to garnysh her selfe wyth fayre workes It appeareth therfore how that the lawe cōprysed in scripture and letters doth iustifye noman nor yet can entre into the harte The law spritual The other lawe is spirituall whyche is wrytten not with penne or ynke nor is declared wyth the mouth after the fashiō as Moses wrought the mater in tables of stone but lyke as we se in thys story The holy goost commeth downe from heauen and fylleth them all together makynge them to haue clouen fyry tonges and to preache frankely and frely farre otherwyse then it was done before so that al the people was astonnyed thereat and wondered The holy gooste I saye commeth and replenisheth the harte he chaungeth the man whych loueth God and doth gladly all that euer is acceptable vnto hym Wherfore al thynges be there lyuely quycke is the vnderstandynge the eye the mynde and the harte whyche brenneth and is rapte wyth the desyre of all goodnes And thys is the true difference betwene the lawe comprysed in letters and the spirituall lawe here is it sene whych be the workes of God Wherfore here is al the crafte set to discerne and preach ryghtly of the holy goost Heretofore men haue preached of hym that he bryngeth to passe and prompteth all thynges what so euer eyther the counsayles decerne or the B. of Rome in hys canonical law cōmaūdeth where as neuertheles al those thynges be only externe and outwarde whych he ordeneth or gouerneth Wherfore thys order of thynges is clene ouertwharte and preposterous in that they make of the workes of the holy goost a lettered and a dead lawe where it ought to be spiritual and lyuely so there is made of it a Mosaicall and humane tradition The cause is that they know not what the holy goost is wherūto he was gyuē or what hys feate office is Let vs learne then and consyder wel what he is to thintent hys offyce maye be discerned The office of the holy goost In the epistle of thys daye it is shewed howe the holy goost is sent downe from aboue and fylleth the disciples whych before sat in heuynes feare he cleueth theyr tonges he kyndleth he enflameth them that they myght take strength of harte and frely preache the Gospell without feare of any man Here thou seest it is not the offyce of the
mē that they maye se your good workes But why is thys see of glasse lykened to Crystall Surely bycause Crystall is a water whych by continuaunce of tyme is tourned into the hardenes of a stone suche ones ought they that be baptised to be brought vnto that is to saye stronge and harde in faythe By the .iiii. beastes full of eyes before and behynde some do vnderstande the .iiii. Euangelistes other whose iugemente better agreeth to the scripture as it semeth do vnderstande those heauenly and ministratoriouse spirites or angels whych be appoynted to stande at the foure quarters of heauen by whych the kyngdome of Christ that is Heb. ij the church is spred to execute the thynges that be determined by the vnserchable and eternall counsayle of God to be done in mens thynges These be full of eyes before and behynde that is to say they be replenyshed wyth the science and knowlege of thinges passed and thinges to come And the fyrst beast was lyke a Lyon the seconde lyke a Calfe the thyrd had a face like a Man and the fourth was lyke a flyenge Egle. Brethren ye shall vnderstande that in a lyon is courage and strength in a calfe laboure and diligence in the face of a man prudence and ryght iudgement in an egle swyftnes and also facilitie in doynge theyr ministeries al whych vertues they haue nede of ☜ whych wol administre well and prosperously any kyngdome And for thys cause in the psalmes the Lorde is said to syt and ryde vpon Cherubim bycause that by them he executeth hys iudgementes couragiously diligētly prudently and wyth great swyftnes To thys interpretaciō doth the scripture agre For the prophete Ezechiel in the .x. chapter doth vnderstande by the .iiii. beastes the Cherubim and he maketh also the foure beastes one hauynge yet foure faces or formes for the forsayde vertues wherwyth those ministrynge spirites whose seruice Christ vseth in the administracion of hys kyngdome were indowed In that they haue syxe wynges a pece is betokened theyr swyftnes of obedience to execute the thynges that they be appoynted vnto Esa vi In lyke maner doth Esay describe Seraphim These āgels or yf ye lyst these foure Euangelistes whych also be angels that is to say messangers by whome Christ the greate conquerour of the aduerse powers is caryed throughe out the hole worlde as it were in a triumphall charette haue no rest neyther day nor nyght but crye without ceasing Holy ☞ holy holy that is to saye holy father holy sonne and holy spirite comforter one Lorde God almyghty Math. xxviij in whose name all we that beleue be baptised And whan those beastes gaue glorye honoure and thankes to hym that sate on the seate whych lyueth for euer and euer the .xxiiii. elders of whom mēcion is made before fel also downe before him which sate on the trone and worshypped hym that lyueth for euer Now therfore good christen people syth those holy spirites or angels and the hole quere and church triumphant in heauen do wythout ceasynge laude prayse and magnifye the hygh maiestye of the Godheade let not vs whych be the churche or congregacion militant here in erth be behynde wyth our prayses cōmendacions and thankesgyuynge The holy angels do crye before let vs answere in the same note saye Holy father holy sonne holy goost cōforter Let vs I saye accordynge to the exemple of the .xxiiii. elders cast oure crownes before the trone that is to saye confesse the crownes and rewardes whyche we that be iustifyed persōs haue come of Christes mere goodnes and no parte of our owne deseruynge and saye Thou arte worthy o Lorde our God to receiue glorye and honoure and power For thou hast created all thynges and for thy wyll they be c. The gospell on Trinitie sondaye The .iij. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ A conflicte betwene the iustice of the flesh and the iustice of the spirite THere was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes The same came to Iesus by nyght and sayd vnto hym Rabbi we knowe that thou arte a teacher come from God for no man coulde do such myracles as thou doest excepte God were wyth hym Iesus answered and sayd vnto hym Verely verely I saye vnto the excepte a mā be borne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God Nicodemus sayeth vnto hym how can a man be borne whan he is olde can he enter into hys mothers wombe and be borne againe Iesus answered verely verely I saye vnto the excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdome of God That whych is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite Maruayle not thou that I sayd to the ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it lysteth and thou hearest the sounde therof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Nicodemus answered and sayd vnto him how can these thynges be Iesus answered and sayd vnto hym arte thou a mayster in Israel and knowest not these thynges Verelye verelye I saye vnto the we speake that we do knowe and testifye that we haue sene and ye receyue not our wytnes Yf I haue tolde you earthly thinges and ye beleue not how shall ye beleue yf I tell you of heauenly thynges And no man ascendeth vp to heauen but he that came downe from heuen euen the sonne of man whych is in heauen And as Moses lyfte vp the serpent in the wyldernes euen so muste the sonne of man be lyfte vp that who so euer beleueth in hym perysh not but haue eternall lyfe IN thys Gospell good people is conteyned a sore disputacion vpon the iustyce of the spirtye and the iustice of the fleshe Christ teacheth and defēdeth the spirituall iustice Nicodemus thother but so yet that he suffreth himselfe to be taught and instructed of Christ Fyrst therfore we shall consyder the person of Nicodemus as the Gospell describeth hym and howe folyshly he speaketh of the new byrth The description of Nicodemus For hereby we shall espye what we also can do of oure owne power in godly and spirituall maters Now the Euangelyst certifyeth vs that Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Iues meanynge herby that for the outwarde conuersacion he was fautles in lyuynge and floryshed in such apparaunce of honesty and holynes that he was nombred of the Iues euen amongest the chefest fyrst Lo here thou hast the descripcion of Nicodemus person which before the worlde is both prudent and ryghtuouse And yet neuertheles this worldly wyse and holy man is not so hardy nor so stronge that he dare openlye come to Christe or speake vnto hym albeit he iudgeth Christ a teacher sente from God and can not denye hys sygnes and myracles I praye you why doth not reason here come forth openly to
of thys Gospel let vs fyrst seke for our soule helth and foode as we se the people dyd here and doubt we no thynge but God wyll prouyde well ynough for our bodely foode Let vs not do as the Romane citizens dyd whych fyrst sought for money and then for vertue but let vs fyrst seke for vertue and for the kingdome of God and then wythout muche sekynge the rest shal be aboundauntly gyuē vs. Let vs not trust to much to our owne carnall reason as the Apostles dyd here but let vs thynke nothynge impossible to God yea let vs be ful assured that he wol helpe whā he seeth best hys tyme beynge throughly persuaded that all thynges come by the large blessynge of god To whome be all glorye Amen The Epistle on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .viij. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the mortification of the fleshe BRethren we are detters not to the fleshe to lyue after the fleshe For yf ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But yf ye thorowe the spirite do mortifie the dedes of the body ye shall lyue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare eny moare but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirite that we are the sonnes of god Yf we be sonnes then are we also heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres ānexed wyth Christ yf so be that we suffer wyth hym that we maye be also glorified together wyth hym FYrst in thys Epistle we be taught good christen people We ought to mortifie our lustes that after we be ones grafted by the sacrament of baptysme into the holy communion of christen persons and thervpon through the intercession and merytes of Christes most holy bloude shed for vs be iustyfyed and reconcyled to the father of Heauen we ought nowe not to lyue accordynge to the lust of the flesshe but vtterly to mortyfye the dedes of the same and to do the workes of the spirite that is to say not fleshly workes but spirituall workes honest vertuous and charitable workes the stypende and reward wherof is euerlastyng lyfe wheras the rewarde of them that do otherwyse and that lyue after the fleshe is death without ende And here the Apostle Paule setteth before our eyes aswell the promyses as the thretnynges terrours wherwith he frayth vs away from carnall workes and exhorteth vs to the mortyfycacion of the flesshe and vnto ghostly workes whiche be semynge for christen men to vse To the carnal workes he yeldeth for rewarde death and consequently eternal damnacyon To spirituall and good worckes in place of rewarde he ascrybeth lyfe wherein the godly parsons do here in this worlde lyue holyly and after this worlde shall enioye eternall lyfe Secondly we be here taught by S. Paule that yf we be right Christiās I meane yf we lyue not after the fleshe but after the spirite and christianly we be sure to be the sons and chyldren of God And on the contrary syde yf we lyue otherwyse we be vndoubtedly the chyldren of Satā Two spirites And forasmuch as there be two sortes of spirites the spirite of feare or bondage and the spirite of adoptyon wherof the fyrste pertayneth to wycked persons and the other pertayneth to the good and godly persons therfore ye shal vnderstande that they whiche haue the spirite of bōdage do all that they do coactly and not of a fre hert these be the chyldren of the law or letter and be mere hypocrytes But they whiche do good workes euen of a fre hert and not as cōpelled by feare of the lawe but euen of loue these be the ryght chyldren of god these be the true christians these haue the harte and the grace in all their necessities to crye to God theyr father and to call hym Abba father and to aske of him with certayne and sure fayth all that they want whiche is necessarye for them to haue These haue peace of conscyence wherby they beynge iustyfyed and led of the spirite of god be throughly persuaded in their conscience that by the merites of Christ they haue God their mercyfull Lorde and father whiche wyll bothe helpe them and here them in theyr nede Of this peace speaketh S. Paule in the .v. Chapter of the Romaynes saying Nowe then that we be iustyfyed by fayth we haue peace towardes God by our Lord Iesu Christ But of the seruyle feare wherwith all hypocrites no true christians by indowed saynt Iohn wryteth in this wise i. Io. iiij feare is not in loue but perfecte loue casteth forthe feare because feare hath torment The office of the holy goost Thyrdly we be here taught what is the moste propre offyce of the holy ghost that is to say to certyfye vs of our enheritaunce whiche we receyue in Chryst Iesu With this confyrmacyon of the holy Ghoste were all sayntes and holy men sealed euen as many as constantly stode and persisted in the confession of Christe and whiche at this daye do persyst And for this cause dothe the Apostle oftentymes wyshe and desyre to suche as he wrote the strengthnyng of the holy ghost Eph. iij as to the Ephesians where he sayth For thys thynge do I bowe my knees that ye maye be strengthened by hys holy spirite And of thys office or propertie whych the holy goost hath Ephe. iij. cor i. he is oftentymes called the ernest the pledge the gage the seale or certificate Fynally we be here instructed the way of glorifyenge vs. that albeit we surelye knowe we be the heyres of God and felowe heyres with Christ yet neuertheles it behoueth vs to be glorifyed by tamynge and mortifyenge of oure lustes by pacient suffrynge of tribulation and displeasures as the apostle sayeth here Heyres wyth Christe yf so be we suffre wyth hym that we may also be glorifyed wyth hym Wherfore my frendes yf we couet to be of the saued nombre let vs accordynge to S. Paules exhortacion kyll the lustes of oure fleshe to thyntent we maye lyue and walke spiritually Then in all oure nedes we shall as louynge chyldren be bolde to call to our moost tender and kynde father for succoure Then shall we be certifyed by the holy goost that we be the sonnes and heyres of God and ioynt neyres wyth Christ wyth whome yf we suffre wyth hym we shall also be glorifyed To whome be honoure and glorye per infinita secula Amen The Gospell on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vij. chapter of Matheu Th argument ☞ Signes wherby to discerne false teachers IEsus sayd vnto hys dysciples Beware of false prophetes whyche come to you in shepes clothynge but inwardly they are rauenynge wolues Ye shall knowe them by theyr frutes Do men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystles Euen so euery good tre bringeth forth good
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
chapter of the aforesayd epistle sayeth Cast al your thought in him which hath care of you And for this cause saynt Hierome expounynge thys place sayeth in thys wyse Hierom. We be here commaunded by Christe not to be careful what we shulde eate for in the swet of our face we prepare vnto vs breade Laboure ought therfore to be exercised Chrysostomus suê‘ Mattheum but care taken away Here wyth agreeth Chrysostome sayenge Not with spirituall cares but wyth bodely labours we muste seke our fode whyche fode abundeth to suche as laboure for it by gods gyfte for a rewarde of theyr diligence and on the other syde it is wythdraweÌ„ from such as despyce laboure ☞ by gods doynge for a punyshment But thys that Christ speaketh here sayeth saynt Hierome is to be vnderstande of the bodely meate and rayment For of the goostly fode rayment we ought alwayes to be carefull Our Lorde for to rebuke vs the more of our lytle fayth byddeth vs beholde the byrdes and the lylies of the feldes vnto whoÌ„ God prouideth And be we no more worth then the byrdes or then the floures of lylies of the feldes He doth then defende vs to take thought for earthly thynges to th ende that our spirite maye the better be lyfte vp vnto the heauenly thynges for a man to take thought and care for the one and the other it is vnpossible Who so euer hath tasted of the true goodnesse of God he doth vntaste and myslyke the flatterynge and vayne goodnes of the earth For none can serue two maysters at ones He can not serue both God and also Mammon Mammon in the Syriake spech sayeth S. Hierom is called ryches Hierom. Let the couetouse person thaÌ„ heare thys that he can not both serue Christe and ryches and yet he sayeth not he that hath ryches but he that serueth ryches For he that is the seruaunt of ryches kepeth ryches as a seruaunt or bondman but he that hath shaken of the yoke of bondage or seruitude Austine he gyueth them as a lorde And saynt Austine sayth He that serueth Mammon that is to say ryches serueth hym which by the meryte of hys peruersitie is called of our lord the prince of thys worlde that is to saye the deuell Wherfore here be reproued all couetous folkes whych do set and fixe so much theyr hartes vnto the worlde and so lytle vnto god Let vs then beleue at the lest Iesu Christ whych doth not lye and care we not for to gather goodes but let vs rather care for the kyngdome of God only and for hys iustice and to obtayne hys grace and for the rest ther shal be gyuen vs asmuche as we shall lacke for to passe soberly thys lyfe wyth pacience Chrysostome Seke ye than fyrst sayeth Christ the kyngdome of god and the iustice therof The kyngdome of God KyngdoÌ„ of God as holy Chrysostome expouneth is the retribucion or rewarde of good workes and the iustice therof is the waye of godlynes wherby sayeth he we go to the kyngdome of God Yf thaÌ„ thou wylt consyder how great the glorye of the saintes shal be it must nedes folow that eyther for feare of paynes thou must go froÌ„ euell or for desyre of glorie thou must hasten the to do good And yf sayeth thys holy doctour thou wylte consyder what is the iustice of God I meane what God hateth and what he loueth the selfe iustice shall shewe vnto the her wayes which foloweth such as loue her For we shal not be called to a rekenynge whether we be ryche or poore but whether we haue done well or euel which thynge sayeth he is in our fre wyll Wherfore good people se ye do not care for your bodely sustenauÌ„ce for our Lorde doth promyse you that it shal be gyueÌ„ vnto you you nede not to doubt of it yf ye cast from you thys fleshly worldly thought full of mystrust of the prouision of God Do ye rather the contrary haue no trust in your selues but al in God and you shal be truly faythfull and the chyldren of almyghty God and you shall lacke nothynge in thys presente tyme nor in the other to come by oure Lorde Iesu Christe vnto whome be glorie and thankes worlde wythout ende Amen The Epistle on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .iij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Of the power heygth bredth and depth of Christ that is to say that he is euery where and potent in all thynges SAynt Paule wrote vnto the Ephesians sayeng I desyre that ye faynt not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whyche is youre prayse For thys cause I bowe my knees to the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ whych is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he wolde graunt you accordinge to the ryches of hys glory that ye may be streÌ„gthed with might by hys spirite in the ynner man that Christe maye dwell in your hartes by fayth that ye beyng roted and grouÌ„ded in loue myght be able to coÌ„preheÌ„de wyth all sayntes what is that bredth and length depth and heyght and to knowe the excellent loue of the knowlege of Christ that ye myght be fulfylled wyth all fulnes which commeth of God Vnto hym that is able to do excedynge aboundauntly aboue all that we aske or thynke accordynge to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacion by Iesus Christ thorowout all generacions from tyme to tyme. Amen THe charge my frendes of a byshop or of a curate is to teache continually and to praye for the people whych is commytted vnto hym to thintent that it wolde please God to redresse coÌ„forte and assure them agaynst the temptacions of this world as saynt Paule doth teach vs by all hys epistles in the epistle of thys daye he sayeth I praye you my brethreÌ„ that you do not discomforte your selues for my tribulacions whych I suffre for you That is to say yf you se that I do suffre much harme iniuries and persecutions forbycause that I do preach vnto you the gospell do not discourage your selues but perseuer in the fayth of the same Yf the mayster hath ben euell entreated by good ryght the seruauÌ„t must be in lyke maner Our Lorde Iesu Christe sayeth in the .x. chapter of S. Mathew It suffiseth vnto the disciple for to be lyke vnto hys Mayster For thys cause to th ende that you shuld not discourage your selues I pray and requyre humbly the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ the great father of housholde of the heauen and of the earth whych is the sprynge fountayne of all goodnes For I knowe well that wythout hym you nor I can do nothynge I praye hym that by the rychesses of hys glorie and grace it woll please hym to gyue vnto you by hys spirite streÌ„gth not bodely but spiritually and inwardly for to endure and to suffer And that it wol