things and thy neibor as thy self .j. Tim. j. The summe of the commaundement is loue from a pure hart .j. Ioh. iij. He that loueth not abideth in death Héeruppon Paul reasoneth that the loue of a mannes neybor is too bée preferred beforethe gifts of tungs eloquence miracles learning c whiche are not needfull for all Christians Straunge and vnknowē languages are no more too the profit of the héerers than sounding brasse or a tingling cimball that lulleth the eares with a vayne sound Ageine the giftes of Tungs without charitie is not true godlynesse ne maketh a man a right Christian nor acceptable to god So like wise Prophesying which is able too opē euen the darkest places of al the scripture faith or y gift of working miracles al vnderstanding or the knowledge of all Arts without louingnesse is not the chéef and most excellent seruice of God. Much wrangling is there in the disputations of these dayes about this saying If I haue all fayth and yet haue not loue I am nothing and it séemeth that there is not any more notable saying y can bée set ageinst this proposition Onely fayth iustifyeth But I answer First by the rule of Logicke The truenesse of propositions Hypothetical that is to say of sentences grounded vppon if is not too bée measured by the vntwyning of the proposition intoo his partes but by the knitting togither of his members matching rightly or otherwise among themselues As for examples sake If an Asse flye he hath fethers This proposition or ground is true but the members of it being vnknit are most false An Asse flyeth An Asse hath fethers Also .j. Cor. xv If Chryst bée not risen in vayne is our preaching vayne is your fayth This proposition in the partes knit togyther is true but the partes being vnknit are most vntrue So also this proposition I◠I haue fayth and yet haue no loue I am nothing is very true But if yée take asunder the proposition intoo his partes and say y fayth is nothing or he y is endued w true faith is nothing or is not a godly mā in déed that loue may bée pulled away from fayth all men perceyue that this dissolution or dismembering is false and too bée found fault with Other some answere that Paule in this place speaketh not of the iustifying Faith but of the gift of woorking miracles which may bée euen in the vngodly Mathew vij But were it so that Paule spake of the iustifying Fayth yet can it not bée concluded thereby that wée are not iustified by fayth only or for Chrystes sake only For certeine it is that the loue of God and a mannes neybor doo of necessitie go ioyntly toogither with fayth Like as with the rising of the sunne there goeth ioyntly of necessitie the spreading foorth of his beames or lyght Euen so of necessitie loue foloweth Fayth in those that are iustified in so much as he that loueth not abydeth in death Like as that body wherein there remayneth no féeling or mouing liueth not and yet it foloweth not therupon that feeling and mouing are the cause of lyfe but lyfe is the cause of mouing Euen so the efficient cause of our iustification is God for the obedience passion and death of Chryst only And fayth is the instrument wherby wée take hold of Chryst our ryghtuousnesse Now must the loue of God and a mannes neybor of necessitie folow Fayth in him that is iustified like as mouing and féeling doo of necessitie folow lyfe But loue can not procéede but of fayth like as there can grow no good frutes but of a good trée Of the second A register of the woorkes of charitie or of the vertues that flow out of the true loue of God and a mannes neybor as out of a fountaine LEt them bée conueyed intoo preceptes agréeing too the ten commaundements let them bée set out by adding their definitions and laying the vices too them Loue is long suffering j Long sufferance or patience is a vertue that represseth wrathfulnesse desire of reuenge And though it haue cause too hurt others yet for Gods sake the common peace it remitteth offences beareth with him that did the displeasure as Aristides bare with Themistocles Scipio with the Tribunes and Dauid with Saule It perteyneth too the fifth of the tenne commaundements The vyces that encounter it are desyre of reuenge as in Marius and Sylla also crueltie as in Tyberius Nero And ouermuch forbearing or silinesse Courteous or Gentle. ij Courteousnesse or Gentlenesse not only letteth offences slip and forgiueth them but also by all meanes it cā deuise as by counsell trauell and ayde dooth good to others as well fréends as foes For the Gréeke woord Chrestos which commeth of Chraomai to vse dooth properly signifie such a one as easly and willingly yéeldeth him self to other folk too vse as Aristides by his counsell and trauell benefiteth the common weale of Athens which had bannished him It perteyneth to the fifth and seuenth commaundements The vyces that encounter it are discourtesie or vngentlenesse frowardnesse or chorlishnesse also fond lauishnesse or wastfulnesse and counterfet courtesie or feyned gentlenesse Loue enuieth not iij Freendlynesse modestie or myldnesse which acknowledgeth and loueth Gods gifts in other men willing good too the good and reioycing in their prosperitie Ageinst this vertue fyghteth Enuyousnesse which is gréeued that an other man should excell vs or bée preferred afore vs and longeth too remoue him or take him away to the intent wée lose no part of our estimation as Saul enuyed the glorie of Dauid Pompey enuyed the power of Cesar Marius repyneth for spyght ageinst Sylla Loue dealeth not frowardly or is not giuen to lewdnesse or is not malapert and vngraciouse iiij Good meening modestie or myldnesse which lyeth not in wayte for other folks like the brothers called Perperanes who of a singular vngraciousnesse lewdnesse laying wayt for other mennes lyues were at length taken by Hercules and he hung them vp at his backe vppon his club It perteyneth to the fifth commaundement Thou shalt not kyll Loue swelleth not v Lowlynesse repressing pryde acknowledging a mānes infirmitie submitting himself vnto others and employing his gifts to the behoof of others without disdeyne It perteyneth to the first and .iiij. cōmaundements The vyces that beset it are pride puffed vp with ouer wéening of itself trusting in his own vertue wisdom welth other gifts and despysing othermen Euery mā may behold an example of pryde in his own hart Loue is not disdeynfull neyther is shee vncomly vj Grauitie whiche is too doo rightful necessarie things constantly so to rule al the outward gestures dooings that they may agrée with the order of nature of persones and of places The vyces that encounter it are lyghtnesse skornfulnesse which proudly disdeyning others doth with vncomlygestures expresse the pryde or the hatred or
counsel of the Godhed for mankind and turning vppon himselfe the most rightful wrath of God against sin ioyning too himself our nature by euer lasting and indissoluble bond Secondly the holy ghost hath sanctified the flesh taken of the substance of the virgin Marie and fashioned in Maries wombe the body of Chryst redy too bée borne Luke j. The causes inforcing the birth and Incarnation of the Sonne of God our mediatoure were chéefly foure First the excéeding loue and mercy of God towardes mankind which he would not haue forlorne for euer Secondly Gods iustice binding men either too obedience or too sufficient punishment Therefore when man had transgressed it was of necessitie that the punishment should be performed by man Thirdly Now that the pryce might bée of full value and the greatnesse of the desert might excéede the greatnesse of the sinne it béehoued the redéemer too excell all creatures and too bée a person of the Godhed Fourthly It is the duetie of a redéemer and high priest too appease Gods wrathe and too ouercome sinne and death and too bée at hand in all places and too héere and defend the Churche and too restore ryghtuousnesse and eternall life vntoo it But this can no man doo that is not also Emanuell that is too say in very déede and by nature God. The outward forcing cause is sinne and the most sorowfull damnation of all mankind which God wold not should vtterly perish The finall cause is shewed in the Sermon of the Angell Beholde I bring you tidings of great ioy for there is borne too you a sauioure Chryst the Lord. For the highest benefit that the sonne of God hath wrought vntoo vs by his birth is saluation that is too say deliuerance from Gods wrath from sinne from death from curse of the law from the tirannie of the deuil and from endlesse damnation and on the other side attonement with God ioy of conscience adoption too be the sonnes of God the gift of the holy ghost rightuousnesse and euerlasting life Too bée short the woord of God Iesus Christ is become that which wée bée too the intent he might make vs fully that which he is For that I may vse the woordes of Ciprian Chryst the sonne of God voutsaued too become the sonne of man to the intēt he might make vs men the sonnes of God He tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant too the intent he might set vs frée that are the seruauntes of sinne and death He was wounded that he might heale our wounds and it was his will too die that he might giue vs mortal wights immortalitie These benefits are brefly conteined in the promises made too Adam Abraham In thy séede shall all nations be blissed Also the womās séede shall tread downe the serpents head And the summe is vttered in cléere and lyghtsome woords by Paule Galath 4. After that the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne borne of a woman made vnder the lawe too the intent he myght redéeme those that were vnder the law that wée myght bée adopted the sonnes of God of which notable sentence I will intreat more at large the next Sunday The .iij. Of the applying NOw forasmuch as these are great good things which the sonne of God bringeth the sorowful minds demād how wée wretches defiled with sinnes can atteine them That do the Angels teach vnto you is borne a sauior And Esay a child is born vnto vs a sonne is giuen vntoo vs And hereuppon is grounded this sentence Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne to the intent that all y beleeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting For too this purpose was the sonne of God sent that wée al whoo are vtterly vnwoorthy and horibly defiled should bée accepted of God for his sake and atteyne remission of sinnes and eternall saluation And wee are most straightly commaunded of God too beléeue assuredly that these good things are giuen vs for his sonnes sake and through this faith shining before vs too sing all our life long with the Angels 1 Glorie bee too God on high that is too say nowe that the sonne is borne for the same sonnes sake is true and perfect glorie yéelded vntoo God not only for that he is God wyse rightuous and a iudge but also for that he is mercifall and certeinly accepteth vs for his sonnes sake and rewardeth vs with eternall life This glorie doo neyther heathenmen nor Turkes nor hipocrites but only they that beleeue in the sonne that is borne too vs and giuen too vs yéelde vntoo God. 2 In earth peace that is too say men haue God reconciled and fauorable too them and mainteine mutuall loue among themselues 3 Too men gladnesse that is too say although miseries and distresses befal them yet are their hartes quiet and merie and rest stedfastly in this souereine goodnesse that the sonne is borne too vs and giuen too vs. ¶ THE CONCLVSION In the knitting vp let the thrée places bée repeted and let a thanksgiuing bée added for the sending of the sonne and a prayer that God will voutsaue to gather a churche too his sonne among vs and kindle our mindes and hartes with his holy spirit so as wée may looke somewhat more déepely intoo this woonderfull deuise of our redemption and magnifie it with thankfull hartes Vppon Christmas day ¶ The Epistle Heb. j. GOd in times past diuersly many ways spake vntoo the fathers by Prophets but in these last days he hath spokē vntoo vs by his own sonne whom he hath made heire of all things by whō also he made the worlde Which sonne beeing the bryghtnes of his glory and the very image of his substāce ruling al things with the woord of his power hath by his own person purged our sinnes and sitteth on the right hand of the maiestie on hie beeing so much more excellent than the Angels as he hath by enheritaunce obteined a more excellent name than haue they For vntoo which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my sonne this day haue I begottē thee And agein I wil bee his father and he shal bee my sonne And agein when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne intoo the world he saith And let all the Angels of God woorship him And of the Angels he saith he maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire But vnto the sōne he saith thy seat o God shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter Thou hast loued rightuousnesse and hated iniquitie Wherefore God euen thy God hath anointed thee with Oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foūdation of the earth And the heauens are the woorkes of thy handes They shall perish but thou endurest They all shall wex old as dooth a garment and as a vesture
is the scepter of thy kingdom But the Angels are but only the seruauntes of this king and impart not their rightuousnesse vnto any others 5 Christ is verely and naturally the sonne of god Ps. 45. O God Christ thy God the eternall father hath anoynted thée with the oyle of gladnesse for thy felowes sakes Now the Angels are not God but creatures 6 Christ is anoynted with fulnesse of the holy Ghost too the entent he may annoynt his felowes that is too say the rest of the members of the church The Angels are not anoynted with fulnesse of the holy Ghost neither can they of their owne power anoynt others and garnish them with the giftes of the holy Ghost 7 Christ sitteth at the right hand of the eternall Father that is too say reigneth in equal maiestie and glory with the euerlasting father The Angels sit not at the right hand of the Father nereigne in equall power with the eternall father but are the ministers of Christ and of the whole churche pitching their tents round about all those that feare him according as is sayd more at large concerning the office and benefites of the holy Angels vppon S. Michaels day ¶ The second Epistle Titus iij. BVT after that the kyndnesse and loue of our sauiour God to manward appeared not of the deedes of righteousnesse which we wrought but of his mercie he saued vs by the fountayn of the newe byrth and with the renewing of the holy Ghost whiche he shed on vs abundantly thorowe Iesus Chryst our sauiour that we once iustifyed by his grace should be heyres of eternal lyfe thorowe hope This is a true saying The disposement IT perteyneth too the kynd of caces that instruct For it is a doctrine cōcerning the benefits of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God borne too vs and giuen too vs comprehending a summe of the Gospel concerning our iustification saluation Now forasmuch as there is no wisdom more néedful and profitable for mākynd neither any other good thing greater to bée sought of mē with more earnest desyre and endeuer than the doctrine that concerneth the maner meane how too atteyne euerlasting lyfe and saluation Let the doctrine of this epistle bée with singular héede and diligence fastened in the innermost closets of mens harts For the righter consideration and weying wherof I wil reduce the same too the accustomed places of instruction or orderly questions This woord Saluation comprehendeth all the good things that God bestoweth vppon his Church for hys sonnes sake which was giuen to vs and borne too vs of the virgin Marie that is too wit forgiuenesse of sinnes attonement with God deliuerance from Gods wrath from sinne from death and from the Deuils tyrannye the gift of the holy ghost regeneration renewing of our nature abolishment of sin and death and restorement of rightuousnesse lyfe and endlesse ioy All these benefits dooth Paule méene in this place when he sayeth he saued vs And the Angell in the first of Mathew Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinne Paule distinguisheth the parts of Chrystes benefits intoo twoo members which cleaue toogither as it wer the cause the effect namely rightuousnesse and lyfe and these things repeteth he in sundry woords Wée are iustified that is too saye wée obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and are accepted for rightuous through his grace or frée good will and are made heires of euerlasting lyfe The same Paule had sayd a little before that wée are saued by the wasshing of regeneration that is too say by Baptim wherwith wee are dipped in token of remissiō by renewing of the holy ghost by whom a new lyfe rightuousnesse is kindled in our harts The chéef efficient cause of our saluation is God regenerating vs iustifying vs and receyuing vs too the inheritāce of euerlasting life of his excéeding great goodnesse and loue towards mankynd and of his frée mercie and grace And the woords are piththye effectual wherwith Paul describeth the efficient cause of our saluation in this place The gréeke woord Chrestótes signifieth properly goodnesse coueting too doo good too profit all men of a frée good will. It cōmeth of the woord Chraomai which signifieth too vse and therupō cōmeth Chrestós which signifieth such a one as willingly easly yéeldeth himself vnto other mē to vse him such a one is Chryst in déed a good man yea a cōmon good thing ▪ Philanthropia louingkindnesse betokeneth not only a courtesie gentlenesse to speak vnto or a méeldnesse in ordinarie méetings in coūtenance in spéech in outward behauiour but in especially a burning loue towards mākind which y sonne of God hath vttered by this notable warrantyze in that he hath by euerlasting and indissoluble bond cuppled too himself the masse of our nature and is becomme our Emanuell and brother flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones and vndertooke the most bitter tormentes of death for vs. Of this louing kindnesse is spoken 1. Iohn 4. Herein is the louing kindnesse of God towardes vs made manifest that he hath sent his only begotten sonne intoo the world that wée might liue through him Also Christ Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. Eleos Mercy is too bée touched with the féeling of another mannes miserie too succor the distressed and too asswage and take away their miseries of a fréeharted goodnesse and pitifulnesse which executeth not the sharp extremity of the law Therfore albeit that al calamities death and euerlasting torments too which wée are subiecte by reason of sinne bée most rightfull punishments yet notwithstanding God of his excéeding goodnesse pitying vs is in déede sory for our losse lyke the louingharted father that is strikē with great gréefe for the miserie of his sonne and of his woonderfull gentlenesse and mercy helpeth vs and by sending his sonne who for vs was borne crucified and raised from death againe hath restored vntoo vs rightuousnesse and euerlasting saluation Grace signifieth the frée good will or fauor or the mercie of God receiuing vs for his sonnes sake The forcing cause or the mediator and spokesman that moueth God too bestow euerlasting saluation vpō vs wretches and vnwoorthy is the only sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who by his birth hath deliuered vs from the Deuils power and voutsaued too become the sonne of man that he might make vs the sonnes of God hath taken vpō him the shape of a seruaunt that he might set vs at libertie And by dying vanquished death that he might giue too vs mortal wightes immortalitie life and glory euerlasting This man alonely dooth truly possesse the name of Iesus or of the sauyoure of mankind neither imparteth he this his honor too any creature too any vertues or too any deserts of oures And like as the Arians by taking away the
and honour that is too maynteyne it chaste and holye and not to defyle it with lustes of concupiscence as the Heathen haue giuen themselues leaue without controllement In this place is to bée repeted the whole doctrine concerning chastitie wedlocke and in especially the eyght causes for which al the godly must with singular héede and diligence defend the honour of chast shamefastnesse Which causes are recited in the declaration of the vertues of the sixth commaundement in my rules of lyfe Now will I adde but only one saying of Tertulliā most woorthye to bée borne away Inasmuch as wée all are the temple of God by putting into vs the holy Ghoste who haloweth vs the Churchwarden and chéef Chaplein of that temple is chastitie which may suffer no vncleane or vnholy thing too bée brought in thither least GOD who dwelleth there taking displeasure too sée his abode defyled should vtterly forsake it The third part concerning interchaungeable ryghtfulnesse which shunneth deceyt in bargayning THis is the will of God that no man deceyue and beguyle his brother in chapmanship bycause the Lord is the punisher of all such things The proposition or ground is Let no man deceyue his brother in bargeyning or bée yée iust in your bargaynings The reasons are twoo THe first reason is for that it is honest This is the will of God that no man misuse or deceyue his brother The second is for that it is profitable Bycause God is the punisher of all such things Althoughe the sent of lukre by any meanes séeme swéete for a whyle and that they think it hygh pollicie that their craftinesse is not espyed yet will god fynd out the offender yet hath God a reuenging eye God the reuenger séeth all things And experience proueth the méening of Hesiodus verse too bée true By euill meanes seek not too gain such gain as rendreth losse and pain God hath by wonderfull forecast ordeyned and established lawfull bargayning among men and he hath so diuersly distributed among them the goods that perteyne too the mayntenance of this mortall lyfe that eche hath néede of others help too the intent that in exchaunging of things and in bargeyning they should put in vre ryghtfulnesse loue towardes their neyghbour and other vertues and that many being knit bound togither with these bondes should liue in companie and conuersation toogither and shewe the doctrine concerning God one too another and the examples of vertues one to another Therfore God alloweth lawfull bargenings will haue indifferencie and vpryghtnesse kept and vsed in them And in this place by expresse woords he forbiddeth defrauding which keepeth not equalitie in bargeynes but catcheth too himself a greater part than he ought of ryght too haue For the woord that Paule vseth signifyeth the same thing that it dooth in the fifth booke of Aristotles Ethicks that is too wit Pleonectein of pleon echein whiche is as much too say as too haue more thā ryght or too take of another mānes goods without recompensing as much for it or too encrease a mannes owne stock too another mannes losse The vertue that encounters it is interchaungeable vpryghtnesse which in marchandyze or bargening beguyleth not other men but maynteyneth proportionable indifferencie according too the Lawes of Nature Thou shalt not steale Loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Doo not too another which thou wouldest not haue doone too thyself Vppon the Sunday called Oculi or the third Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle Ephes v. BEe you the followers of God as deere chyldren and walke in loue euen as Chryste loued vs and gaue himself for vs an offeryng and a sacrifice of a sweet sauour too god As for fornication and all vnclennesse or couetousnesse let it not bee once mamed among you as it becommeth Sainctes or fylthynesse or foolish talkyng or iesting which are not comely but rather giuyng of thankes For this yee know that no whoremonger eyther vncleane persone or couetous persone which is a worshipper of ymages hath any inheritaunce in the kyngdome of Chryste and of god Let no man deceyue you with vayne wordes For bycause of such thyngs cōmeth the wrath of God vppon the chyldren of disobedience Be not yee therfore companions of them Yee were sometymes darknesse but nowe are yee lyght in the Lord walke as chyldren of lyght for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in all goodnesse and ryghtuousnesse and truthe Accept that whiche is pleasing vntoo the Lorde and haue no fellowship with the vnfruiteful workes of darknesse but rather rebuke them For it is a shame euen too name those things which are done of them in secrete but all things when they are brought foorth by the lyght are manifest ▪ For whatsoeuer is manifest the same is light wherfore he sayeth awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from death and Chryste shall gyue thee lyght The disposement THe state of this Epistle is an Exhortation too newe obedience or too good woorkes by name it giueth preceptes of these thrée vertues 1 Of the loue of God and a mannes neyghbour 2 Of chastitie which shunneth whordome filthynesse and all vnclennesse 3 Of frankhartednesse or liberalitie esche wing couetousnesse which is the seruice of Idols And in this exhortation ▪ Paule vseth six Argumentes of which the first is gathered 1 Of the example of God. 2 Of the dutie of children 3 Of the exāple of Chryste who hath loued vs in such wyse that he hath giuen himselfe too bée an offring and sacrifice for vs. 4 Of the comlynesse as it beséemeth the Saints 5 Of the punishements of wickednesse For these things commeth the wrath of God vppon all that bée disobedient 6 Of the finall cause Therefore are yée deliuered out of the darknesse of sinne and endued with a newe lyght and with the holy Ghost that yée should exercise gentlenesse vpryghtnesse and truthe This disposement of the principall members of this Epistle being considered there may a twoo or thrée of the notabler places bée the easlyer picked out and entreated of An exhortation too newnesse of lyfe or too good woorkes in generall MAny when they héere that a man deserueth not forgyuenesse of sinnes by his good woorkes what néede wée say they to employ any studie or care to doo well Therefore let vs giue our selues ouer to all entycements of pleasure and sinne The wicked and horrible talke of these men is playnly confuted by Paule in this Epistle Wée are not able by our vertues to deserue forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall lyfe but the only sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryste hathe obteyned these moste hygh benefites for vs by his obedience and death Neuerthelesse there are other foure ryght weightye causes for whiche wée ought too stryue ageynst the entycementes of sinne and to exercyse ryghtuousnesse truthe liberalitie chastitie and other vertues First necessitie of the commaundement and the det For this purpose were men created by God and afterward redeemed
warres destructions of Cities and other innumerable miseries of all men and the slaughters of all the Sainctes as of Abel and Iohn Baptist by which notwithstanding Gods wrath could not bée pacifyed but that the sonne of God must bée made a sacrifyse Ageine the greatnesse of Gods wrath is after some manner shewed by the examples of many men who for the conscience of one wickednesse haue bin striken with most heauie fearfulnesse which hathe driuen them too fordoo themselues As the examples of Orestes of Aristobulus king of the Iewes of Iudas the traitor of Theodorich of Verona and of dyuers others Now if the féeling of Gods wrath ageinst one sin alone doo bréede so bitter sorow in the hart that it dispatcheth a mā of his life What an vnmeasurable huge heape of Gods wrath and of horrible sorowes think you wer thronged vppon Chryst who susteined not one sinne alone or the sinnes of some only one mā but mine and thine yea and al mennes offences Idoll gaddings and murders all their sinfull inclinations affections and outward faultes toogither with the fire of Gods wrath ageinst these sinnes Being ouerwhelmed with this houge burthen of Gods wrath he cryeth out Psalm xxij O God my God why haste thou forsaken mée My hart is become like melting wax my strength is withered like a potsherd and thou hast brought mée downe too the dust of death This féeling of the houge and horrible wrathe of God ageinst al the sinnes of all men was the first and chéefest part of Chrystes passion The second part was the heauinesse and excéeding great torment rysing in his hart for the féeling of Gods wrathe ageinst sinnes and for the feare of death and tearing of his bodie which so appalled all the partes of his bodie that he swet droppes of blud The third and lyghtest part of all was the tearing of his bodie and streyning of his sinewes when he was whipped ▪ buffeted and fastened too the crosse with nailes The causes of Chrystes passion IT is not the wisdome of any creature that can serche out the causes of Gods woonderfull purpose concerning the redemption of mankynd too bée brought too passe in this wyse that the sonne of God should make intreatance for vs take our nature vpon him and bee sacrifysed for vs neuerthelesse God will haue the consideration of this woonderfull Decrée begonne in this lyfe The principall efficient cause is the will of Gods sonne making intercession of his owne mere motion for mankind falne intoo sinne and death and offering himself too this obedience and punnishment wherby he myght make satisfaction for mankynd Iohn .x. I am the good shepeherd and I giue my life for my shéepe The inward cause that moued or enforced him too doo so is the vnmeasurable mercy of God tēpered with his iustice For sith that God is vnchaungeably iust he is in déede and horribly angry with sinne and destroyeth sinners like a consuming fire Neyther relenteth he his anger ageinst sinne of a fondnesse lyghtnesse but vnchaungeably most streightly kéepeth this rule of iustice that men shall eyther performe due obedience or else abyde the fire of Gods wrath Therefore God receiueth not men that are faln without equal and sufficient amends which forbicause mākind was not able to yéeld therfore was too bee cast intoo endlesse torments the sonne of God béeing inflamed with vnmeasurable loue and mercy towards mankynd maketh intretance for vs and too the entent Gods iustice should be satisfied he vndertaketh him self the punishmēt amends making for our sinnes taking our nature vppon him becometh a sacrifise susteining Gods dreadful wrath ageinst sin payeth too Gods maiestie a rāsome too the full value of our sin vanquishing sin and death and restoring men too ryghtuousnesse and eternall lyfe The outward cause that moued or enforced him so too doo was the fal of our first parents the sin that frō thens did shed it self intoo all vs who for the same must haue perished in euerlasting paynes had not the sonne of God bin sacrifysed The instrumentall and outward woorking cause are the Diuels and their instruments the Iewes who burning in hatred ageinst Chryste for finding fault with their wickednesse and false opinions coueted too rid him away and too destroy him too the entent they myght without checke maynteine their hypocrisie and wicked lustes These enforcing and finall causes make an infinite difference betwéene the will of the Iewes crucifying Chryste and the will of God Who béeing moued by his owne exceeding mercie toward mankynde and through the entreatance of his sonne would haue Chryst too suffer too dye and too ryse alyue agein too the entent he might restore men too lyfe and euerlasting saluation The matter wherin as in moulds Christes Passion was wrought are the mynd will hart and body of Chryste The forme or manner is the very feeling of Gods horrible wrath and the anguishe as well of Chrystes mynd as of his bodie and his chyldly obedience through which he willingly submitted himselfe with true reuerence and woonderfull lowlynesse too the eternal father and without grudging or repyning endured Gods wrathe poured out vppon him and most bitter formentes for the loue of Gods iustice and mannes saluacion The end of his Passion is first that mankynd béeing redéemed with sufficient ransome from Gods wrath and euerlasting damnacion myght bée rewarded with ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe Iohn .iij. Like as Moyses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp too the entent that all that beléeue in him should not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting Secondly that wée myght become conformable too the image of Gods sonne that is too say that wée myght bée like the sonne of God our patterne in bearing the Crosse Romaines .viij. Thirdly that wée should folowe the example of Chrystes patience and méeknesse .j. Peter ij Fourthly that wée in all our lyfe should expresse the humilitie that Chryste performed in his passion Philip. ij Through lowlynesse of mynde let euery man estéeme others better than himselfe And let the same mynd bee in you that was in Iesus Chryst Fifthly that being dead to sinne wée might liue vprightly and blamelesse For like as Chryst caryed downe our sinnes intoo his graue and abolished them by his death euen so wée mortifying the dregges of sinne as yet sticking in our flesh must performe new obedience and ryghtuousnesse agréeing with the will of god j. Peter ij Chryste bare our sinnes in his bodye vppon the trée that wée béeing dead to sinne should lyue too ryghtuousnesse The effectes of Chrystes passion are all his benefites which for instruction sake wee will distribute intoo eyght formes FIrst the redemption of mankynde from Gods wrath sin death and the diuels tyranny j. Tim. ij There is but one mediator betwéene God and man the man Iesus Chryste who gaue himselfe for vs too redéeme vs The
you VVee knowe that wee are translated from death vntoo lyfe bycause wee loue the brethren He that loueth not his brother abideth in death Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslear And yee knowe that no manslear hath eternall lyfe abyding in him Hereby perceyue wee loue bycause he gaue his lyfe for vs and wee ought too giue our liues for the brethren But who so hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him ▪ My babes let vs not loue in woorde neyther in tong but in deede and in veritie The disposement THis Epistle is of those sort that persuade For first there is a comfort too bée set ageinst the hatreds of the world Secondly there is an Exhortation too louingnesse and liberalitie towardes a mannes neyghbour The first place MAruell not my brethren though the world hate you Mannes reason iudgeth of the tooyles and troubles of the godly and specially of the contentions among the teachers euen for all the world after the same manner as Salust sayeth in his preface too the warres of Iugurth Too labour in vayne and too preache nothing else by ouertooyling a mānes selfe but hatred and slaunder is a poynt of vtter madnesse For all the godly and specially the Ministers of the Gospel who performe the déedes of most singular louingnesse and most earnestly séeke the euerlasting welfare of their héerers and execute their dutie most faithfully doo reape in manner none other reward than most bitter hatred and vtter vnthankfulnesse at the hands of those vppon whom they haue bestowed greatest benefites Ageinst this temptation and the bitter fordoomes spyghts and hatreds of the wysemē of the world whereby many are woont too bée withdrawen from the ministerie Iohn comforteth vs in these woordes Maruell not my brethren though the world hate you as if he had sayd the iudgement of God and of the godly is farre of another sort than is the iudgement of the wicked worlde The greater that any man is before God the more contemned and abiect is he before the world And seing that at many mennes hands there is no token of a thankfull mynd rendred too God for his excéeding great benefites which he poureth out by heapes vppon all men but all kynd of spyght Let not vs wonder if the world hate vs also For the Diuell enuying vs this so greate felicitie that wée are conueyed from death too euerlasting lyfe stirreth vp his instrumentes and inflameth mennes hatreds ageinst vs Therefore ageinst the most bitter hatred of the world and of the vngodly let vs set Gods good will and fatherly loue towardes vs which the sonne of God hath shewed by this notable token that he hath spent his lyfe for vs and deliuering vs from death by the death of him selfe hath restored vs to the possession of eternall life Wherefore let eche of vs bee so disposed in mynd that they may with a true harte say thus It is sufficient for mée hauyng my full delyght in Chryst too doo those things which are godly and to speake such as are godly The second place AN exhortation too louingnesse and liberalitie towards a mannes neybour and the argumentes of this exhortation are three Of the honestnesse of it Of the profitablenesse of it And of the example of Chryst FIrst of the honestnesse or the necessary couplyng of the cause and the effects I knowe that we are translated from death too lyfe bycause wee loue the brethren or bycause our fayth is effectuall by loue For too this end are wee washed from our sinnes by the bloud of Chryste and translated from death intoo lyfe that wee shoulde hereafter eschue sinne and earnestly execute loue towardes God and our neybour which is the fountayn of all vertues Now like as mouing in a mannes bodie is an vndouted token effect of lyfe yet left in the body euen so louingnesse is the next effect and an vnfallible signe of fayth shyning in the hart wherby wée are translated from deathe vntoo lyfe And like as in this Euthymeme I knowe there is lyfe still in him bycause there is stirring yet left in his bodye it foloweth not that stirring is the efficient cause of life but by the effect I gather according too reson that the cause is present so in this place of Iohns wee know wee are translated from death to life bycause wee loue the brethren this part of spéeche bycause betokeneth not the efficient cause of whiche is spoken in the fifth of Iohns Gospell in this wyse He that beleeueth in the sonne is passed from deathe vnto lyfe but it betokeneth the effect whervpon the argument is gathered that we are verely translated from deathe vntoo lyfe like as Luke in his vij Chapter reasoneth vppon the effect that many sinnes are forgiuen too the sinfull woman bycause she loued muche Likewise as if I should say I knowe for a certeintie that the Sunne is vp bycause I sée the sunne beames glaring in my chamber And in this selfesame Epistle is sayde In this haue wee knowne his loue bicause he hath spent his life for vs. The second argument of the profitablenesse or of the necessitie of holding faste Fayth lyfe and euerlasting saluation For he that loueth not hath not lyfe euerlasting abyding in him but he continueth in deathe according also as Paule sayth j. Cor. vj. No whoremongers Idolaters abusers of themselues with the mankynde pillers c. shall inherite the kingdome of god Therefore too the intent wee lose not the remission of sinnes receiued the deliueraunce from Deathe the grace of GOD and the euerlasting lyfe wée must of necessitie fall to louingnesse and new obedience agréeable with Gods will. And yet it foloweth not therevppon that oure louingnesse or newe obedience deserueth forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall lyfe For this louingnesse cannot so muche as bée begon neyther pleaseth it God except remission of sinnes be first freely giuen for Chrystes sake and that faith shyne in the hart Bréefly euen altoogyther after the manner of Logicke hath Iohn included this argument in the forme of reasonyng agréeing to the moode Celarent But in the first place he hath put the conclusion in the second the minor and in the last the maior Ce Euery murderer hath not lyfe euerlasting abyding in him or abydeth in death la Euery one that hateth or loueth not his brother is a murtherer before god Math. v. rent Ergo he that loueth not his brother abydeth in Death or hath not eternall lyfe abyding in him The third Argument OF the example of Chryste who spent his soule or his lyfe for vs as he sayth in Iohn xv Greater loue than this can no man haue than that a man shoulde giue hys lyfe for his freends Paule Rom. v. GOD commendeth his owne loue towardes vs in that when wée were his enemies Chryst dyed for vs. Vntoo these three arguments Iohn addeth a warnyng
stayednesse For drūken folkes do soone slip vnwares into great offences by quenching theyr fayth earnestnesse in prayer in their studies and affaires are euen layd like naked vnarmed folke in daunger of theyr most cruell enemie the Diuell The third chéef defence ageinst the slights of sathan specially ageinst the first kind of temptacions which are most perilous of all is sound fayth not giuing way to the thoughts which the deuill or our owne flesh putteth in our heads but fastening most stedfastly the eyes both of body mind vpon the onely word which god hath deliuered vs which is the onely Ancor of our life and welfare from whiche it muste not suffer it selfe to bee pulled by any thoughts by any prosperitie or by aduersitie The fourth is the example of brotherhoode or of all the brethren and godly men in the worlde who susteyne the same temptations and sleyghts of the Diuell as well as we and yet ouercome them and put them to flight by the help of Gods sonne and by fayth staying vppon the worde of God and by the comfort of the godly brethren The fifth is the God of all grace who hath called vs to his euerlasting glorie by Iesus Christ who suffereth vs not to bée tempted aboue our power but rayseth and settleth and strengtheneth and stablisheth the buylding of our faith that it sinke not but continue and stand stedy and vnmonable against all the stormes of temptacions that the very true God may be truely honored Vppon the fourth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Rom. viij YF we be sonnes we are also heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres annexed with Christ yf so be that wee suffer with him that wee may also be glorified with him For I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed vppon vs For the feruent desire of the creature abideth loking when the sonnes of God shall appere because the creature is subdued to vanitie against the wil therof but for his wil which hath subdued it in hope For the same creature shall bee deliuered frō the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God. For wee know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauayleth in payne euen vntoo this time Not onely it but euen wee also whiche haue the firste frutes of the spirite mourne in our selues and wayte for the adoption euen the deliueraunce of our bodyes For wee are saued by hope But hope that is seene is no hope For howe can a man hope for that which he seeth But and yf we hope for that we see not then do we with patience abide for it Likewise the spirite also helpeth our infirmities For wee know not what to desire as we ought but the sprite maketh intercession mightily for vs with gronings which can not be expressed with toong And he that searcheth the heartes knoweth what is the meaning of the sprite for he maketh intercession for the Sainctes according too the pleasure of God. The disposement THis Epistle is persuasiue For it is a comforte of the Church vnder the Crosse in this life The proposition or ground of it is The godly must beare the crosse or suffer tribulation paciently and quietly The arguments of comfort are six THe first is vppon the efficient cause or the order established by God and also vppon the example of Gods sonne All godly men are bound to obey Gods wisdome and Iustice méekely and reuerently But Gods wisedom hath appoynted this order that al the children of God and heires annexed with Christ shold bée made conformable too their patterne the sonne of God our Lord Iesu Chryst who suffered excéeding great miseries persecution and death before hée was glorified Ergo all the godly muste reuerentely obey this order of Gods wisedome and become lyke their pattern the Son of God in persecution patiently abide the small troubles of this lyfe whiche are the wicket to life and glory euerlasting Now this conditionall phrase If wee suffer with him signifieth not a cause or desert but the order stablished by God that he whiche desireth to come to the marke of life and glorie euerlasting should paciently endure the peynes and troubles of so short and needfull a iourney For eternall life is giuen fréely for the sonne of Gods sake as it is sayd in Ro. vj. Iohn iij. and .vj. c. And in this place he sayth expressely that our afflictions are not woorthy or deserue not the glorie to come The second chéef argument is grounded vpon the end of persecution or vpon our most gladsome riddance out of all miseries Light discommodities which shall fall out in the end to our welfare and bée recompenced with excéeding great and endlesse glorie are to bee endured with a manly and a quiet minde After the crosse tribulacions of the godly there shall assuredly ensue to them a most ioyfull end and eternall gladnesse and glorie wherwith we shal be crowned after wée haue wrestled out of all miseries and enioying the sight companie of God his Church we shal be filled w the light wisdome of God euerlastingly For to al those that exercise godlinesse the ende shall bée moste swéete Ergo wée must in this very shorte race of our lyfe paciently and with willing mindes endure some troubles of so needfull a iourney Paule enlargeth the minor by a comparison of things that are not matches that is too wit of the miseries of this life the glorie to come For as there is no comparison of one little waterdrop to the whole huge Sea or of one small grayne of duste to the mountayne Imaus euen so the light short troubles of this most short race are not worthy to bée compared with the great eternall glorie of the life to come as is sayd ij Cor. iiij The small continuaunce lightnesse of our afflictions procureth an excéeding eternal weyght of glorie vnto vs while we consider not the thinges that are séene but the things that are not séene So fayeth he héere that the glorie of the godly which is to come is not seene with eyes but that the reuelement thereof is to be wayted for by fayth and hope The 3. argumēt is groūded vpon an exāple of the whole nature of all things or of the frame of the whole world The harmes that are common to many are to be borne the more quietly bycause it is ageinste righte to couet oddes and to refuse such burthens as other men that are much better than our selues are compelled to beare All the whole world is subiect to the fondnesse or abuse of the vngodly to the thraldome of corruption and carefully wayteth for deliueraunce to the intent it may serue to the glorie of Gods children for whom it was made Therefore let vs also suffer the common miseries the quietlyer beare with the
For when wicked men obiected vntoo Paule if good woorkes deserue not forgiuenesse of sinnes iustification and saluatiō there is no need why wée should regard too doo wel or it néedeth not too doo good woorks Paule turneth this obiection vppon them and raesoneth thus For this cause dooth grace surmount aboue sinne and for this cause are forgiuenesse of sinnes and the holy Ghost giuē vs through frée mercy that sinne and death should bée taken from vs and new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe bée kindled in vs. All Christians or as many of vs as are baptised intoo Iesus Christ haue obteined remission of sins through frée mercy for Christes sake and sin is dead buried in vs by baptim Ergo it is of necessitie that all Christians or all those that are baptised must no more sin héereafter but must begin a new obedience and life agréeable with the will of God. The second argument is of the efficient cause That which is dead dooth nothing and so sinneth not Wée are dead too sin that is too say sin is dead or released and abolished yea and drowned buried in baptim that is to wit by the frée remission of the sin and by the imputacion of Christes rightuousnesse by the beginning of such mortificatiō or abolishmēt of sin that hēcefoorth although sin be not vtterly suppressed yet not withstanding it may not reigne any more Ergo sin must not héerafter bée effectuall and woorkfull any more in thse that bée baptised or those that bée baptised must not sin any more The third argument is of the efficient cause also That which liueth and reigneth is woorkfull and effectuall that is too say is alwayes dooing of somewhat Newnesse of life or rightuousnesse is kindled by the holy ghost in those that bée borne a new or iustifyed by fayth Ergo the regenerate must néedes from hencefoorth walke in newnesse of lyfe that is too wit in new lyght and knowledge of God and in new ryghtuousnesse and obedyence according too all the commaundements of God. Then folow thrée similitudes or rather arguments groūded vppon the effectualnesse of the baptim and of the death buriall and resurrection of Chryst First of his Baptim Like as in baptim a man is ducked intoo the water and ducked out of the water ageine so likewise sin or the old man is by the effectualnesse of baptim drowned in vs and the new man or new lyfe and obedience ought too ryse out and fiorish ageine Secondly of the death and resurrection of Chryst ▪ Like as Chryst béeing raised from death liueth vntoo God so wée also béeing set frée from sin in true repentance or mortifying of sin by Chryst or in the effectuall woorking of Chrystes death and resurrection must héereafter not sin any more but liue vntoo God that is too say enter intoo a new lyfe and obediēce acceptable too God. Thirdly of Chrystes buriall Like as Chryst béeing buryed rose ageine so wée also béeing buryed with Chryst or hauing killed and buryed sin in our selues through Chryst must ryse agein and yéeld vntoo him the seruiceablenesse of a new life acceptable too God. These arguments grounded vppon the effectualnesse of baptim and of Chrystes death buryall and resurrection are repeted foure times by Paule with exchaunge of woordes in this Epistle As many of vs as are baptised in Iesus Chryst are baptised too dye with him Then are wée buryed with him by baptim for too dye that like as Chryst was raised vp from death so wée also should walke in newnesse of lyfe That is to say all that bée borne ageine by baptim through fayth or all Christen folke are by the merite and operation of Chrystes death dead and buryed vntoo sin or set frée from sin and by the operation of Chrystes resurrection new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe is kindled in them Therefore like as Chryst rose ageine from Death and from his graue So wée also hauing deathe killed and buryed in vs by Baptim and Fayth that leaneth vppon the Death and Resurrection of Chryst must walke in newnesse of lyfe that is too say in new lyght or knowledge of God and in new ryghtuousnesse and obedience acceptable too God. He repeteth the same sentence with exchaunge of woords in the next processe folowing For if wee bee graffed in death or bee made partakers of death like vntoo him wee shall bee partakers of his resurrectiō also knowing this that our old mā is crucified with him also that the body of sin might be vtterly destroyed that wee shuld no more bee feruaunts vnto sin for he that is dead is iustifyed from sinne That is too say like as Chryst hauing bin dead is risen ageine So also our nature béeing dead in Baptim and by true conuersion from sinne vntoo God and set frée from sinne by the merit of Christes death must rise ageine and not sinne any more but lead a new life such a one as pleaseth god Our old man or sinne sticking in vs or our sinnefull nature is crucifyed dead and buryed with Chryst that is too say is clensed and set frée frō sinne by the merite and operation of Chrystes death and resurrection and is mortifyed by true repentance persecution troubles that the body of ūnne or our sinfull nature may bée put away not so as it should vtterly perishe but that it should no more bée subiect too sinne For he that is dead too sinne is iustified or set frée from sinne or sinne which is dead and put away and buryed with Christ must not from hencefoorth woorke and bée effectuall any more The third tyme he repeateth the same sentence in other exchaunge of woordes thus For if wee bee dead with Chryst wee beeleue that wee shal liue with him also And the fourth tyme he repeateth euen the selfe same sentence in somwhat more euidēt woords Knowing that Christ beeing raysed from death dyeth no more Death hath no more power ouer him For in that he dyed too sinne he dyed once and in that he liueth he liueth too god So thinke you also your selues too bee dead as touching sinne but too bee alyue vntoo God in Chryst Iesu our Lord that is too say like as Chryst hauing died once for our sinnes and risen ageine dyeth no more but liueth too God So wée being dead vntoo sinne and béeing set frée from sinne through the operation of Chrystes death by baptim and fayth must not sin any more nor liue in subiection too sinne but vntoo God in Christ Iesu who kindleth new life and rightuousnesse in vs and maketh the same acceptable and pleasant vntoo God. This is the disposement as it wer a short enlargement of the text of this Epistle in which wée sée set foorth the doctrine concerning the new obedience whiche of necessitie is too bee performed by those that are borne a new And therefore a summe of the whole place concerning good woorkes may bée opened too the full vntoo the people Whither
of theyr places Of this fayth he speaketh thus in the chapter folowing If I haue neuer so greate fayth yea that I can remoue mountaynes out of their places Such fayth was in the Apostles and in our dayes with Luther who with a stout and vnabashed courage of hart did spred abroade the doctrine of the Gospell when all the worlde was ageinst him iiij The gifte of healing as the Apostles healed the diseased and S. Pantaleon restored health to many that were sicke in Maximilians Court. v. Operations of power or mightie operacions or working of miracles and wonderfull deliueraunces as Esay deliuered Hierusalem from beséeging or of the dueties of a mans owne calling like as Paule is paynfull and laboursome in his vocation and spréedeth the Gospel further abroade than the rest of the Apostles vj. Prophesying that is to wit the gift of foretelling things too come suche as was in Agabus Act. xj and .xxj. and in the daughters of Philip the Gospeller Act. xxj or els a singular aptnesse and fitnesse in expounding the prophesies of the scriptures and such a singular aptnesse was there in Luther euen by the witnesse of Erasmus vij Iudgement to discerne spirites or discernement of opinions whiche are decked with a counterfet colour of truth like as Malchion was the firste that discouered the slightes of Samosetane Alexander spyed out that Arius taught false doctrine and Hilarius found fault with the crafty conueyaunce of Auxentius viij Diuersitie of tongues as Ierome was séene in diuers tongues as in the Latin Gréeke Hebrew Slauonish and the Chaldey tongues ix The interpretacion of tongues or the ablenesse too translate forreyne languages properly and expressely intoo a mans owne toong as Luther with a singular cléernesse turned the Psalmes and the Prophetes intoo the Dutch toong or generally it is an eloquence or gifte of vtteraunce and handsome expounding of entangled opinions in controuersie whereof many ryse onely of the ignoraunce of the toong and of the phrases of the same Hitherto I haue reckened vp a beadroll of the cheef giftes of the holy Ghost The second place THe efficient cause or author and giuer of all spirituall gifts is the one and self same holy Ghost which distributeth seuerally to eche mā according as he listeth Then it is the greatest foly in the world too bee proude of an other mans goods whiche neyther are in our power nor can bee gotten by our owne cunning and too vaunt ones self aboue other men for them and too kindle harteburning and cherish hatred for them as it happened in the Church of Corinth and in other places at all times The third place IF God of his goodnesse haue bestowed any gifts vpō vs they are to be vsed reuerently not to boasting or to the disdeyne and contempt of other folkes the nurrishment of such like fond affections but too the common profite welfare of the whole Church like the members of mans body which though they bee one vnlike another and some haue more excellent offices than the rest yet striue they not ambitiously among themselues but employ all theyr workings to the common welfare of the whole body And hereuntoo may this most honest sentence of Euripides bée referred If euery man taking the benefite or good gift of God bestowed vppon him would regard it and employ it too the common profite of his countrey then should Cities bée afflicted with fewer inconueniences and become happy hereafter The fourth place LEt the notable testimonie concerning the person and benefites of the holy Ghoste set foorth in this Epistle bée considered For by expresse woordes the title of Lord and God and the peculiar woorkes of the diuine and almightie nature are attributed vnto him which do conuince that the holy Ghost is God in very déede and by nature and that he is of one substaunce and of one continuaunce with God the Father and the sonne But a more plenteous and full declaracion of this doctrine may bée fetched out of the place that concerneth the holy Ghost Vppon the .xj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xv BRethren as perteyning to the Gospell which I preached vnto you whiche ye haue also accepted and in the which ye continue by the which ye are also saued I do you to wit after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleeued in vaine For first of all I deliuered vnto you that which I receyued how that Christ died for our sinnes agreeing to the scriptures and that he was buryed and that he rose ageyne the thirde day according to the scriptures And that he was seene of Cephas then of the twelue After that he was seene of moe than fiue hundreth brethren at once of whiche many remayne vnto this day and many are fallen a sleepe After that appeared he too Iames then to all the Apostles And laste of all he was seene of me as of one that was borne out of due time For I am the least of the Apostles whiche am not worthy to bee called an Apostle bycause I haue persecuted the cōgregacion of God. But by the grace of God I am that I am And his grace which is in me was not in vayne But I laboured more aboundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God whiche is with me Therfore whether it were I or they so wee preached and so ye haue beleeued The disposement ALl the whole xv Chapter of the firste Epistle too the Corinthians perteyneth too those kinde of cases that instructe For it is a doctrine concerning the resurrection of the dead And the partes of the whole discourse are thrée 1. Whither there shall bée any rysing ageyn of the dead 2. What manner of rysing that shall bée or what maner a bodyes they shall rise withall 3. What is the cause of the rising ageyne of our bodies that is to wit the death and resurrection of Christe whereby he hath swalowed vp our sinne and death restored lyfe and glorie euerlasting to his Church The firste parte of this discourse namely that there shall bée a rising ageyn of the dead is confirmed by Paule with foure reasons of the whiche the firste in this dayes Epistle is taken of the efficient cause Christ hauing bin dead is risen ageyn Ergo wée also shall ryse ageyn He proueth the antecedent first by the holy scripture as Psal xv Esa. liij Ose vj. and also by the story of Ionas And secondly by the record of many that with theyr eyes saw Christ risen from death For Christe the same day that he rose ageyne to lyfe appeared first too Marie Mawdline alone Iohn xx Mar. xvj Secondly to the rest of the womē togither Mat. xxviij Thirdly too the twoo men that were going intoo the féeldes whom the Apostles beléeued not Mar. xvj Fourthly too Simon Peter or Cephas Luk. xxiiij j. Cor. xv And sixthly to all the Apostles at once as
they were gathered toogither sauing Thomas Iohn xx Luk. xxiiij and .j. Corinthians xv And all these discoueries were made in one day on which day Ierom supposeth that Christ shewed himself to Iames the lesse also Afterward he shewed himselfe certeine times too the Apostles when Thomas was with them and at the sea of Tyberias Iohn xx and .xxj. Also in Galilée too mo than fiue hundred brethren at once Mat. xxviij j. Cor. xv Also hée appéered too all the Apostles or Disciples And this is the proofe of the Antecedent And the consequent of this argument is euidently confirmed by this Syllogisme Whatsoeuer Chryst bothe will and can bring too passe shall out of all dout take effect Chryst bothe will call the dead too lyfe ageine as the sayings of Iohn doo witnesse Iohn v. vj. and .xj. And also he can restore lyfe too the dead for by his death he hath swalowed death intoo victorie and by his Resurrection be restoreth lyfe euerlasting too vs when wée bée dead Ergo wée also shall out of all dout bée called too lyfe ageine The cheefe places THe first and most principall place is the doctrine concerning the rysing agein of the dead which perteyneth to the Article of our Créede I beléeue the resurrection of this flesh and the life euerlasting This is the end mark of the whole lyfe and fayth of christen folke and the chéefest and most stayed comfort in all the tribulations of this most miserable and flyghtfull lyfe yea and in death also that wée for a certeintie persuade our selues beléeue that wée are not created too the miseries of this troublesome and mortall lyfe only but that after the death of this bodie there remaineth assuredly a blissed and euerlasting lyfe in which receyuing ageine the same bodyes howbéeit renued and the same flesh which wée now beare about vs and that béeing set vtterly frée from all sinne labor and sorow wee shall face to face enioy the sight of the whole Godhead and so béeing filled with heauenly lyght rightuousnesse life and gladnesse shal praise God for euermore The doctrine of this Article is most euidently confirmed by many Sermons of Chryst of the Prophets and of the Apostles and most bryghtly set foorth in this fiftene Chapter of the first too the Corinthians Too the intent therefore that wée may surely fasten in the inward bowels of our hartes this wholsom and most effectuall comfort in all miseryes Let the chéefest textes bée alwayes in our sight As these Iob. xix I knowe that my redéemer liueth and I shall ryse out of the earth in the latter day and shall bée compassed agein with my skin and in my flesh shall I sée my God whom I shall beehold euen I my selfe and myne eyes shall behold him and none other for mée This hope is layd vp in my bosome Iohn v. The houre shall come that all which are in their graues c. Iohn vj. This is the will of the father that sent mée that euery one which séeth the sonne beléeueth in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioh. xj I know that he shall ryse agein at the last day The foundacion and cause of the rysing ageine of our bodyes and of lyfe and saluation euerlasting is the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God whereby he hath swallowed vp sinne death hell and the diuell intoo victorie and conueyeth all those that flée vntoo him from death vntoo a blissed and endlesse lyfe And this is the cause why Paul in this Epistle confirmeth this sentence with so many woordes that Chryst is risen from death in déede I doo you too wit of the Gospell The second place THe enterance intoo this Epistle dooth vs too vnderstand that the true wholsome and necessary Doctrine concerning the chéef Articles of the christen faith ought oftentimes and continually too bée repeated yea and the self same things too bee beaten intoo the héerers eares in the self same woords that they may déepely sinke and stedfastly sticke in their mindes as Paule sayth Phil. iij. It is no paine vnto mée but it is for your welfare that I wryte one thing oftentymes béeware of dogges which chaunge and marre the doctrine of the Gospell which I deliuered you Therefore let those that teache faythfully repete oft times one doctrine that is profitable and necessary as that wyse man sayd that he speaketh the selfe same things too the selfe same persons And this most profitable rule of studyes giuē by Epictetus is wel knowne Knowe thou that it is not easie for a man too bée lerned vnlesse that he doo euery day either heare or read suche things as he would be grounded in and likewise vse them in this lyfe So Paule in this place sayeth that he deliuereth not a new Doctrine too them but that he putteth them in mynd of the Gospel by the same woordes that he had preached it too them before The third place OF the effectualnesse of the Gospell or of the liuely woord sounding in the mouth of the ministers by which woord only and not otherwyse God imparteth the true knowledge of himselfe true faith the holy Ghost and euerlasting welfare too those that beléeue Therefore sayth Paule in this place by the Gospell which I haue preached vntoo you which you haue embraced and by which you are saued if yée hold it fast by fayth onlesse perchaunce which God forbid yée haue now shaken of the faith and beléeued héeretoofore in vaine And it agréeth fully with this sentence Rom. j. The Gospel is the power of God too the saluation of euery one that beléeueth Act. xj Peter shal speake woords too thée by which thou and thy house shalt bée saued Such other texts as these wée shall héere in the Epistle of the next Sunday which are too bée set ageinst the Enthusiastes who imbrace the woorking of the woord sacraments and looke for new enlightenings and heauenly traunces without the woord The fourth place OF the passion death and resurrection of Christ and of the witnessings of the Prophets in the scripture as Esa. liij Dan. ix Psal xxij Zach. xiij in which places Chrystes death and passion is foretold and of the causes benefites of Chrystes death which things wée haue made mencion of alreadie vppon good Friday last The fifth place OF Paules modestie in boasting who termeth himselfe the least of the Apostles and vnwoorthy the name of an Apostle yet declareth of himself that he hath labored more than the rest of the Apostles Modestie or mildnesse and true glory are cousin vertues like as sparingnesse and liberality vprightnesse streightnesse true dealing and streight iustice Modestie acknowledging a mans owne weakenesse and filthinesse is not proud ne exalteth himself either in conceit or in talke or in dooings aboue that he is able too performe but vppon trust of Gods help diligently executeth
all misdoing and offence the welspring is concupiscence And it is most manifest y the more part of miseries and mischéeues do grow of a desire of excellencie honor riches reuengement pleasures lustes that are in all mankynd The kindes of good workes he deuideth intoo stayednesse rightuousnesse and godlinesse Stayednesse which of the Gréekes is called Sophrosyne of the Latines modestie frugalitie or temperaunce signifieth not only a sobernesse or sparenesse of diet in meate and drinke but also a maistering or brideling of all the affectiōs and motions of the mind and body in behauior in gesture in talke in apparell and in all other things Rightuousnesse includeth within his compasse an vniuersarl obedience too the magistrates and lawes the other vertues of the second table Godlynesse conteyneth the vertues of the first table as the true knowledge of God louingnesse hope inuocation thankesgiuing patience and such other And so Paule hath comprehended the dueties of all vertues or all good works in thrée woords Of the second THe forcing causes that must stirre vp euery man too the studie of vertue and the exercise of good woorkes are in this Epistle reckened too bée foure The first is Gods commaundement teaching vs most streightly charging vs too renoūce or shun vngodlynesse and sinfull lustes and too liue soberly vprightly and godlily The second is blissed hope of the appeering of the great God and of our sauior Iesus Chryst who at his glorious cōming too iudge the quicke and the dead shall giue most ample rewardes too the godly Saincts that haue liued soberly vprightly and godlily in this present world and shall with euerlasting punishment ouer whelm the vngodly which haue abandoned themselues too worldly lustes in this lyfe The third is the finall cause for which Christ was sent the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst was therefore born rose ageine not that wée myght welter in our sinnes and from hēcefoorth still defile our selues with the foul filthinesse of our misdeedes but that he might redéeme vs and set vs frée from al vnrightuousnesse and that sinne euerlasting death myght bée taken from among vs and that wée being clēsed from sinne not only by imputation of ryghtuousnesse but also by beginning too putte away sinne it selfe shoulde from henceforth earnestly with a singular loue and ardent zele doo good woorks and serue God in all rightuousnesse and holinesse before him all the dayes of our life This matter is intreated of at length by Paule Rom. vj. The fourth cause is of the nature of correlatiues that is of things that haue relation one too another The churche is the people of purchace or the peculiar and proper people of God chosen out of the rest of mankind and halowed too the one Lord God Ergo the Church must with singular zele obey and doo the things that are acceptable too this hir redéemer and Lord. It is thought that the Gréek woord Periousion answereth too the Hebrew woord Segula which in Exod. xix is trāslated a holy people and in Ps. cxxxiiij possesion in Pet. j. Ep. ij chap. the people of purchase that is too say a people purchased and redéemed with the blud of Christ that they should be his propre and peculiar people iij. How good woorks may be doone how they may please god Although that the outward limbes as the eyes the tung the hands c. may after a maner bée bridled by mannes diligence and by the proper strength of mannes will so as they may doo honest iust woorks not fall intoo manifest offences for bidden by the law of God according too that which is sayd in the former Epistle Tit. iij. not by the woorks of rightuousnesse which wée our selues did yet notwithstanding the inward obedience the obedience that pleaseth God the true feare of God the true trust in gods mercy the true and earnest calling vpō God true pacience stedfastnesse in bearing out aduersitie death cannot bée performed except the wil which is a prisoner bondslaue too sin bée set at libertie ayded by Christ according as Christ himself saith without mee yée cā doo nothing And in this place Paul sayth expresly that Chryst hath redéemed and clensed vs too the intent wée should folowe good woorkes Therfore in the accōplishment of good works there méet thrée causes The first and principal is Christ redeming and clensing vs from all iniquitie by his holy spirit kindling in our mind the light of true acknowledgement of God and mindfulnesse of Gods cōmaundement concerning true obediēce to be performed vntoo him mouing enforsing helping the will that it may bée able too obey Gods cōmaundement The second cause is Gods word by which Christ is effectual in instructing vs too renounce all vngodlinesse worldly lustes and too liue soberly vprightly and godly The third is the mind and wil of mā not striuing ageinst Christ when he teacheth vs ruleth our members that they may yeeld themselues in rightuousnesse to God vnto sanctification Also for this Chrystes sake our owne good woorkes please God although they doo not as yet fully satisfie Gods law but bée ioyned with great weaknesse and vnclēnesse of nature remaining in vs For as the person of man becōmeth good rightuous and acceptable too God only through fayth for Chrystes sake who gaue himselffor vs c so the woorkes that are wrought by a person that is iustified and reconciled too God doo please God not for their owne woorthinesse but through the grace of God which woorketh saluation too all men or for Christes only sake through faith as is said Heb. xiij By him doo wée offer the sacrifise of praise alwayes vnto god And j. Pet. ij Offer yée spiritual sacrifises acceptable too God through Iesus Christ Vppon the day of S. Steuen the first Martyr ¶ The Epistle Actes vj. and .vij. chapters ANd Steuen ful of faith power did great wōders and miracles amōg the people Thē there arose certein of the sinagoge which are called Libertines Cyrenites of Alexādria Cilicia Asia disputed with Steuē And they could not resist the wisdom the spirit with which he spake Then sent they in men which sayd we haue herd him speake blasphemous woordes ageinst Moses and ageinst god And they moued the people and the elders the Scribes and came vppon him and caught him and brought him too the counsell and brought foorth false witnesses which sayd This man ceaseth not too speake blasphemous woords ageinst this holy place and the law for wee herd him say this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the ordinances which Moses gaue vs And all that sate in the counsell looked stedfastly on him and sawe his face as it had bin the face of an Angell The .vij. Chapter THen sayd the cheefe Prest is it euen so And he sayd yee men
losse of lyfe for a mannes stedfastnesse in standing too the true and vncorrupt doctrine of Chryst Cōmonly they make difference that those are confessors which haue endured hatred terrours imprisonmentes and some other hurts of the body for confessing Chryste but yet haue not bin put too death as the holy men Athanasius Paphnutius Macarius Iohn Frederick Duke of Sanonie Luther and such others And those are Martyrs that haue spent their blud their lyfe in their confession as Saint Steuen the most of the Apostles Ignatius Bishop of Antioche who was cast vntoo beasts by Traiane Attalus who was rosted vppon a spit at Lyons in the tyme of the Emperour Antonie Vere Vincent who was most cruelly rent a péeces in Spayne by Diocletian Laurence who was broyled vppon a gréedyron by the Emperour Decius Boniface Byshoppe of Mentz who was put too death by the Fryselanders the yéere of Christ 775 Iohn Hus And in our dayes many are slayne for y truthes sake and by cruell woounds doo purchace a noble death The efficient causes are FIrst the holy Ghost the conforter who reléeueth our infirmitie and kindleth in our hartes a myndfulnesse of Gods most streight commaundement too prefer our profession before lyfe and all worldly things and of the promises of lyfe and glorie that shall ensew Ageyn he addeth strength to the will and hart that they may bée both willing and able to endure bodily punishements reproche and death for our professions sake Secondly the woord of God which both enioyneth profession and threateneth the renouncers with most sore manaces of casting away for euer and offereth promises of lyfe glory and crowne euerlasting too those that constantly professe Chrysts truthe Math. x. He that denyeth mée before men him will I also denye before my Father whiche is in heauen ij Cor. iiij The lightnesse of affliction for the twincling of an eye purchaceth an euerlasting weyghtynesse of glorie Psal Cxv. Precious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saincts ij Timoth. Now is there a crowne of rightuousnesse layd vp for mée Thirdly mannes mynd thinking vppon Gods commaūdement and the promises of the Crowne of eternall glorie wherewith the constant witnesses of the true doctrine shall bée adorned And his will and hart which through the help and furtherance of the holy Ghost beléeueth the promises and conceyuing an assured hope of immortalitie and glorie euerlasting endureth death quietly and with a chéerefull mynd as is sayd of Steuen He went reioycing in his brest and through strong hope his harmes supprest Besides these thrée causes of stedfastnesse common too all Martyrs there is another also in Steuen the first Martyr namely the singular comfort by beholding the Sonne of God who shewed himself visibly vntoo him By which shewing wée also may lerne this that the sonne of God sitting at the right hand of the Father is not vtterly gone away from the Church but is in deed present with it regarding it comforting it defending it and helping it like as he is here present with Steuen at his death refreshing and strengthning him by shewing himself too him that he may with a glad chéerfull mynd suffer death for Chrysts quarell and receyue a crowne of glorie that shall neuer wither The matter wherabout martyrdoome is occupied is the true and vncorrupt doctrine set foorth in the Gospel concerning the persone and benefits of Chryst and concerning the true woorshipping of god For as sayeth Apollinaris wheras Chrystes truthe is not there is no true martyrdoome And the saying of Peter is knowen Sée that none of you suffer as a murtherer or an euill dooer c. and Austins not what any man suffereth but wherfore he suffereth is too bée considered Also Ciprians It is the cause that maketh a Martyr and not the martyrdoome Therefore are not mad-braynd felowes too bée honored with the tytle of martyrdoomme which are iustly put too death for their sedition and manifest blasphemies The forme of martyrdoome is the confession of y truth or the witnesse which is borne too the truthe both by the lyuely voyce and by the bludshed and death of the partye The ends effects of martyrdome are these First Gods glorie which is set out and spred far abrode by the witnessebearings of the Martyrs Secondly the preseruation of the true doctrine concerning god For onlesse there should from tyme too tyme bée stirred vp some Martyrs or witnesses of the true doctrine who in the persecutions of Tyrants should preferre the professiō of the truthe before their own lyfe within a whyle the true knowledge of GOD vppon earth would bée quite quenched with ▪ Idolatrie and errours Thirdly that the weaker sort are strengthened and the Churche enlarged by the example of the constancie of the Martyrs The church was founded vppon blud and by blud hath it encreaced Fourthly that the deathes of the Martyrs may bée witnesses of the certeintie of the doctrine of the Gospell lyke as Steuen by his bludshed and death sealeth vp the doctrine concerning the Messias promised too the Fathers and now performed Fifthly that they may bée witnesse of the immortalitie of the iudgment too come wherin Tyrants and Hipocrites shall bée cast intoo endlesse paynes and the holy Martyrs bée honored with euerlasting rewards Sixtly that the godly may not lose the forgiuenesse of sinnes which they haue receyued and the inheritance of euerlasting saluation Math. xxiiij He that continueth too the end shal bee saufe Rom. x. By the mouth is acknowledgement made too saluation The Alyances or neybourvertues of martyrdoome are Stedfastnesse Stoutnesse in bearing out aduersities Patience Continaunce and in especially earnest fayth hope and calling vppon God. The thing that fyghts ageinst martyrdoome is reuolting or renouncing of the true doctrine which eyther procéedeth of an epicurish skornfulnesse and malice as the reuolting of the Emperour Iulian or ryseth of fearfulnesse and infirmitie of mynde as the renyall of Peter and of many others or else is committed in fact as when those that vnderstand the true doctrine of the Gospell are present at the Idolatrous seruice of the Masse and dissemble their méening or when wée beare about the Gospell in our mouth and yet aunswer not too our profession in lyfe and behauiour Vppon the Sunday next after Christmas day ¶ The Epistle Gal. iiij AND I say that the heire as long as he is a chyld differeth not from a seruant though he bee Lord of al but is vnder tutours and gouernours vntill the tyme that the father hath appointed Euen so we also when we were children were in bondage vnder the ordinances of the world but when the tyme was full come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made bond vnto the law to redeeme them which were bond vntoo the law that we through election might receyue the inheritaunce that belongeth vntoo the naturall sonnes
it punisheth vs with death sicknesse and other miseries all which are sermons of the lawe concerning Gods dreadfull wrath ageinst sinne And the lawe is called our schoolemaster vntoo Christ for thrée causes First bycause the lawe by shewing vs the hugenesse and horriblenesse of sinne and by pronoūcing vs subiect too Gods wrath and euerlasting damnation driueth vs too séeke oure Phisitian and helper the sonne of God who alonely hath by his owne death taken away sinne and death and deliuered vs out of the prison of the lawe Secondly bycause Chryste orderly is effectuall onely in those that eschue the outward offences forbidden by the law of God and frame their manners according to Gods lawe He is not effectuall in those that wittingly willingly perseuer in outward offences contrary too Gods lawe Thirdly bicause the Ceremonies of Moyses were preachings or figures instructing the church concerning Christes benefites as the Lambe that was slaine for Passeouer betokened Chryst the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world All the Leuiticall sacrifices were sermons of Chrystes sacrifice Let yoongmen beare in mynd this exposition of Paules saying The lawe is our schoolemaister vntoo Chryste and so muche the more let them looke that they frame their manners according too honest discipline too the intent they shake not off the grace of Chryste but continue the Temples and dwelling places of God that Chryst may dwell in them and bée woorkfull in them Vppon the Sunday next ensuing the Circumcision of our Lord. In this church of Rostocke before noone is expounded the storie of Chrystes Baptim out of the third Chapter of Mathew and after noone the Epistle Tit. iij. concerning the lauer of regeneration and renewment by the holy ghost The disposement of which Epistle is recited heretoofore on the feast of Chrystes birth Vppon twelfth day ¶ The Epistle Esay lx GEt thee vp betimes and be enlyghtened O Hierusalem for thy lyght commeth and the glory of the Lord is risen vppon thee For lo while the darknesse and cloud couereth the earth the people the Lord shall shew thee lyght and his glory shal bee seene vppon thee The Gentyles shall walke in thy lyght and kings in the brightnesse that springeth forth of thee Lift vp thyne eyes and loke round about thee al these gather themselues and come vntoo thee Thy sonnes shall come too thee from a farre and thy daughters shall gather about thee on euery side Then thou shalt see and bee a flote thy hart shall wonder and bee enlarged when the abundance of the sea shall bee turned vntoo thee when the power of the gentiles shall come vntoo thee The multitude of Camels shal couer thee the dromedaries of Madian and Epha All they of Saba shall come bringing golde and incense and vttering the praise of the Lord. The disposement THis feastful day which commonly is called the day of the thrée kings was in ancient time named Epiphanie that is too say the feast of Christes appéering or shewing himselfe openly too the world For they wryte y as on this day being the .vj. of Ianuarie how bée it in sundry yéeres both y starre appéered too the wise men or diuines of Persia and Chryst was baptised in Iordan where the whole Godhed did shew it selfe openly by euident witnesse so as the thrée seuerall persones were séene and beheld by Iohn Baptist and also Chryst vttered his own glory by his first miracle at the mariage in Cana of Galilie And therefore in the hymne of Sedulius which beginneth O Herod wycked fo c. they are ioyned all toogither And although it bée a more likelyhod that the mariage in Cana was kept some other day yet notwithstanding dyuers old fathers are of opinion that the selfsame day twoo yéere after Chryst was borne the wysemen came vntoo him and that the same day in the thirtyth yéere after his birth was Christ baptyzed also according as Nazianzene of set purpose taketh vppon him the story of Chrystes baptim too expound vppon the day of Epiphanie which they name also the holy-day of lyghtes And Epiphanius in his disproofe of fond tales the hundred foure score and seuenth page hath noted many pleasant things woorth the knowing concerning the time of the comming of the wise men and other storyes which bring singular lyght too the things that are declared by the Euangelistes And this sermon of Esay is red vppon this day bicause it séemeth too agrée with the story of the wysemen which comming too Hierusalem by the lyght of a starre that went before them offered golde and frankincense too Chryst our lord Héeruppon also peraduenture it myght ryse that they were called kings wheras they were not kings but Magies that is too say préests and diuines of the Persians Neyther is it certeinly knowne whither they were but only thrée or mo that came vntoo Chryst And that they came not immediatly the .xiij. day after Chrystes birth bothe the length of their forney sheweth for the néerest borders of Persia vntoo Iewry are twoo hundred and twenty Germane miles off from Iewry And Saba the head Citie of happy Arabie is about twoo hundred and foure score miles from Hierusalem and also Luke the Euangelist manifestly proueth who writeth that Christ the .xxx. day after was offered in the temple and born in Simeons armes Wherupon it foloweth he was not the same time a banished person in Egipt Moreouer the names of the wisemen are pleasantly and lernedly deuised Melchior that is too say a king of light or a lightsome king Balthazar that is too say a captaine or generall of the warres Caspar a secretarie or Chauncelor For these names betoken that the king wyth his Capteines and officers of courts or that the whole state of gouernmēt both of peace and warre ought too serue Chryst But I will leaue these vymatters and go in hand with Esays sermon which is woont too bee set foorth this day in the church which is altogither a prophesie of Christes kingdom The chéefe places are thrée j Of the person and benefites of Chryst the king ij Of the multitude or Churche gathered toogither of Iewes and Gentiles which is subiect too this king iij Of the tributes or dueties and seruices which the Church on hir behalfe dooth yéeld and perform agein too hir king Chryst THe Prophet beginneth with an exhortation wherwith he prouoketh the whole churche and all men too receiue Chryst the king and light of the world reuerently and too embrace his doctrine Get thee vp betimes neglect not despise not thy Lord and king Iesus Christ bée not luskish or cold in héering and learning his doctrine but get thée vp betimes that is too say vse watchfulnesse diligence and earnestnesse in hearing and mainteining the doctrine of the gospel embrace thou Christ the lyght of the world reuerently and hartely and endeuer too holde him fast As is sayd Rom. xiij It is time for
alreadye and will hereafter call all the deade ageyne too lyfe shoulde be a lyar But for asmuch as these thyngs are manifestly false and impossible it followeth that the proposition out of whiche these thinges ensue is false And therefore the playne contrarye is true namely that the deade shall ryse The fourth argument IT is impossible that the best and holyest part of mankynd should bee created only too the miseries of this present lyfe and too eternall destruction For séeing that God is ryghtuous and also a iudge it must néedes fall out that the godly and the ryghtuous must at one time or other bée in good case and the wicked in ill case But those that liue godlyly in Chryst Iesu are of all men most miserable in this lyfe Ergo it must néedes bée that there remayneth an other hauen and another lyfe in which the godly béeing raysed from death shalbée set frée from all miserie and bée crowned with eternal blisse and glorie The fifth argument BVt now is Chryst risen from death and is the first frutes of the dead Fifthly he repeteth the first Argument and reason which holdeth of consequence expounding and enlarging the consequence with many woordes Chryst is rysen ageine Ergo all the dead shall ryse He proueth the consequence For like as by Adam death entered vppon all men So by Chryste the cause and author of lyfe all men shal bée called too lyfe agein In this order that the first frutes or fyrst of them that ryse ageine from death bée Chryst himself Then those that bée Chrystes or which haue departed out of this life in the faith of Chryst shall rise at Chrystes comming too iudgement Afterward shall bée the ende of the world or of worldly things when he shal deliuer vp his kingdom too God the father that is too say when he shall bring vntoo his Father all the whole Church gathered toogither on earth by the ministerie of the Gospell too the entent that all kingdomes being abolished and all power as well of Diuels as men suppressed yea and the ministerie of the sonne of God whereby he gathered his Church in this world cessing onely GOD without other meanes may reigne in the godly and bée all in all filling all things with his lyght wisdome ryghtuousnesse lyfe blissednesse and glorie vnspeakable The sixth Argument THe very maner of Baptim whereby wée are first graffed intoo the churche or body of Chryste betokeneth that wée looke assuredly for the resurrection from death for they are baptized ouer the deade or ouer the graues of the dead as it is vsed in these dayes also protesting in the behalfe of the dead that they beléeue of a certeintie that they shall returne too lyfe ageine according as the Créede whiche wée hold professeth in our Baptim And the very dipping in the water and taking out agein is a token and representation not only of the abolishment of sinne and of the regeneration and renewing of the soule but also of the death of our bodyes and the rysing of them ageine The .vij. Why are wee also in daunger euery houre HErepeteth the .iiij. Argument and amplifyeth it by an absurditie of Epicure heathnishnesse ensewing it which he describeth in woordes taken out of the .xxij. of Esai And he expresseth the reproof of it in a verse of Menanders Euill communication corrupteth good manners With whiche agréeth this saying of Theogius Thou mayst lern good of the good but if thou kéepe companie mith the wicked thou marrest thyne owne mynd The .viij. Argument of a like LIke as séedes that are cast intoo the ground doo rotte there and spring vp agein and eche of them yéelde foorth most goodly frute in their kynd So our bodyes being sowen intoo the ground and buryed shall certeinly liue agein ryse ageine much more beautifull and bryght than they were héere vppon earth This comparison hath Stigelius expressed in very trim verses This corne that growes of bodye voyd of blud in lyuely plyght Immortall honor after death our bodyes dooth behyght Deepe vnderneath the turned clod the dryed seedes lye hid In which a man would ill suppose that any strength abid Yet growing vp by secret meane they ryse agein and beare A greater strength encreast too more thā heretofore they were Euen so our courses being layd too rot in holowe graue A lyuely beautie afterward in glorious state shall haue When death hath hild thē downe awhyle anon they shal aryse ▪ Eternally too liue in lyght with God aboue the skies Right many and notable tokens of the resurrection hathe God imprinted in the whole nature of things which too consider after a reuerent and godly fashion it is behouefull The day dooth dayly fade intoo nyght and is buryed in darknesse But in the morning killing his death and breaking out of his graue of darknesse it becommeth alyue agein as Tertullian sayeth And this entercourse of dayes and nyghts is fynely expressed in this Gréek ridle A father there is that hath sonnes nine and three And eche of those sonnes eke hath children thrice ten Not one like another some fair and white bee Some black all immortall yet dead now and then The Moone dying euery mooneth quickeneth agein and recouereth hir lyght that shée had lost The beames of the Starres whiche are dimmed by the rysing of the Sunne are kindled agein in the nyght The foure seasons of the yéere Lenton Sommer Haruest and Winter doo fade and returne by mutuall course In Springtyme the earth that was dead and barrein in the winter becōmeth lyuely agein bringeth foorth herbes grasse floures and frutes The trées are clad agein with leaues floures and fruites The swallowes which were dead and buryed in the waters in wintertyme recouer lyfe agein in the Springtyme Flyes also and other Cutfoules whiche were killed with cold recouer their former force and lyfe by warmth The Phenix bréedeth ageine with fyre and hir own asshes For shée perisheth too liue and yet shée ingenders hirself atteyning immortalitie by the benefite of death as Lactantius sayeth Finally all this most beautifull Theater of heauen and earth which was made of nothing giueth vs to vnderstand that God who made all things of nothing may with much more ease at the latter day restore our flesh or bodyes agein which haue bin somewhat before than he made them at the beginning But in thinking vppon this Article let vs alwayes haue our myndes and our eyes fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Chrystes death and resurrection and vppon the promises concerning the restitution of our bodyes and the eternal lyfe too ensue without fayle after this lyfe warranted by the Resurrection of himself and the raysing vp of Lazarus and others Iohn xj I knowe he shall ryse agein in the resurrection at the last day Iesus sayd vntoo hir I am the resurrection and lyfe He that beléeueth in mée yea though he were dead he shall liue Iohn
Also there bee heauenly bodyes and there bee earthly bodyes that is too say there shall bée a difference betwéene the bodyes of the godly and the bodyes of the vngodly There is one glorie of the Sunne and another glorie of the Moone and another glorie of the starres y is to say euē amōg the godly and the Saincts in heauen there shall bée a differente of glorie For like as one Starre excelleth another in bryghtnesse so shall Chryst the Prophetes Apostles and other constant Martyrs and acknowledgers of the sonne of God shyne bryghter than the other common sort of the godly as is sayd Dan. xij Then shall the lerned shyne like the bryghtnesse of heauen and those that haue instructed many in ryghtuousnesse shall shyne like the Starres for euer and euer Then declareth he by foure Iscolies set one ageinst another what maner of bodyes the bodyes of them that ryse agein shalbée verely euen the selfsame that they bée at their buriall as touching their substāce but immortal made bright and glorified Wherein the phrase of Paules wryting is too bée considered how the nowne adiectiue in forme of a substantiue is ioyned too the subiect by the preposition In. It is sowen in corruption that is too say it is buried in the ground a mortall or corruptible bodye ▪ It ryseth in incorruption that is too say it ryseth an incorruptible or immortall bodye It is sowen in dishonour that is too say a foule or ylfauoured bodye stinking and crawling full of wormes It ryseth in glorie that is too say glorious shyning cléered and pure from all blemish It is sowen in weaknesse that is too say weake frayle transitorie of a dayes continaunce a shadowe a froth a Ghoste a steme a blast a fether a breth a puffe a dreame a bubble a flud a temple a strydey a wynd a dust It ryseth in power that is too say myghtie strong florisshing and frée from all infirmitie It is sowen a natural body that is too say liuing the naturall lyfe by reason sense and nourishing power which is susteyned with meat and drink and is encreased and begetteth and may dye It ryseth a spirituall body that is too say liuing the spirituall lyfe kindled by the holy Ghoste which is not maynteyned with meate drink ne begetteth ne dyeth but is like the lyfe of the Angels Math. xxij and like the lyfe of God. The first man was made a liuing soule Gen. ij That is too wit not simply as the beastes liue but such a one as Chryst should also with his spirit quicken without meat and drink too the spirituall and euerlasting lyfe The first man is of the earth earthly Hée alludeth too the originall of the woord Adam which signifyeth earth or clay whereof he was made like as also among the Latines man is called Homo of Humus which signifyeth the earth as if he had sayd made of the earth clay and earthly The second man is the Lord from heauen Chryste being risen from Death hath now a heauenly immortall and glorious body too which our bodies shall in all respectes bée like and conformable when they are raised ageine from Death Phil. ij Like as before Death they were altoogither like Adams body which was subiect too Death and other miseries Flesh and blud cannot inherite the kingdom of God that is too say this corruptible body defiled with sinfull inclinations and fleshly affections and subiect too death cannot possesse the kingdome of God vnlesse it bée altered of a body mortall defyled and stained with sinne bée made a body pure and cleane and fined from all filthinesse immortal The same flesh that is buryed shal rise agein and the same substance of flesh and blud shall remaine still as Iob sayth I shal sée God in my self whom I my self shall sée and none other for mée For as Tertullian reasoneth plainly in his bóoke concerning the resurrection of the flesh God forbid that God should for euermore abandon too destruction mannes flesh which is the woorke of his handes the care of hart the case of his breth the Quéene of his woorkes the heire of his liberalitie the préest of his religion the souldyer of his warfare and the sister of his Chryst ▪ c. Behold I shew you a mysterie that is too say I will more plainly expoūd and declare that which I told you more darkly in my former woords when I sayd that flesh bloud shuld not possesse the kingdome of god For that saying is too hée vnderstood not of the substance of fleshe and bloud but of the exchaunge of their properties For it behoueth this corruptible body which wée now beare about vs too put on incorruption and this selfsame mortal body too put on immortalitie before it can obtein possession of Gods kingdom Some also shall not die at all whom the sonne of God shal find aliue at his comming too iudgement but they shalbée sodeinly changed endued with new lyght glory power immortalitie The third part of the Chapter THen shal the saying be fulfilled which is written Esay xxv Osee xiij Death is swallowed vp intoo victorie O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks bee to God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryst The efficient cause of the raysing of our bodyes and of restoremēt of ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe is the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who in his Death hath swalowed vp our Death and by his ryghtuousnesse obedience hath purged our sinnes and pacifying Gods wrath taking away the curse of the law hath gottē vs victorie ageinst sin death and the curse of Gods law For these thrée are the cruellest enemies of mankynd and the chéef mischeues plages which moost cruelly and féersly make hauock of all mankind without difference killing them and deuouring them euerychone Therfore Paul in this place by feining a person peinteth out death like a most mischeuous outlaw or cruell souldier armed with a pike or a darte that is too wit with sinne wherwith he assaileth all mankind without gainsaying and pusheth all men through and killeth them For by reason of sin all men are subiect too death and are slaine by death as is sayd Rom. v. By one man sinne entered intoo the world and by sinne death And so death ran ouer al men bicause al men haue sinne Also sinne reigned by death slaying all men The very same is the méening of the woords in this text the sting of Death is sinne that is too say all men are slaine by Death bycause of sinne Now when this sting or speare of Death wexeth dul and blunt so as sin cannot execute his ful force vppon vs and bée felt Gods law like a whetstone sharpneth sin and both sheweth the greatnesse and horriblenesse of sin and also maketh it more
promis Luke xj How much more shal the heuenly father giue the holy ghost to those the ask him Therfore let this most large promise stir vs vp to sue daily vnto God with most harty and ernest entreatance that this gouerner the holy ghost may be sent into our harts his gifts be incresed in vs And let vs with so much the more héed circumspectnesse modestie rule our behauior least through our offences coÌ„mitted ageinst coÌ„science the holy ghoste be gréeued and so taking displeasure depart out of the teÌ„ple of our hart vtterly forsake vs Finally let vs coÌ„tinually recite this prayer of Dauids A clean hart create in me O God renue a stedfast spirit in my bowels Cast mée not away from thy face and take not thy holy spirit from mee Restore to mée the gladnesse of thy saluatino and strengthen mée with thy free spirite Vppon Whitson Monday ¶ The Epistle Act. ij BVt Peter stepped forth with the eleuen and lift vp his voyce and sayd vnto them Yee men of lewry all yee that inhabite Hierusalem be this known vntoo you and with your eares heare my wordes These are not drunkeÌ„ as ye suppose for it is yet but the third houre of the day But this is that which was spoken by the prophete Ioell It shal be in the last days sayeth God of my spirit I will poure out vppon all fleshe And your sonnes and your doughters shal prophesy and your yong men shal see visions and your old men shal dreame dreames And on my seruaÌ„ts and on my handmaydens I will poure out my spirit in those days and they shal prophesie And I will shewe woonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath bloude and fyre and the vapour of smoke The Sunne shal be turned into darknesse and the Moon into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lord come And it shal be that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Yee men of Israel heare these woordes Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God among you with miracles woonders and signes which God did by him in the mids of you as yee your selues know him haue ye taken by the hands of vnryghtuous persons after he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and fore knowledge of God and haue crucified and slayne whom God hath raysed vp and loused the sorowes of death by cause it was vnpossible that he shoulde bee holden of it For Dauid speaketh of him A fore hand I saw God alwayes before me for hee is on my right hande that I shoulde not bee moued Therfore did my hart reioyce my tongue was glad More ouer also my flesh shall rest in hope bicause thou wilte not leaue my soule in Hell neyther wilte suffer thyne holy too see corruption Thou haste shewed mee the wayes of lyfe and shalt make mee full of ioy with thy countenaunce Men and brethren let me freely speak vnto you of the patriark Dauid For hee is bothe dead and buried and his sepulchre remaineth with vs vnto this day Therfore seing he was a Prophete and knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that Chryst as concerning the flesh should come of the frute of his loynes and sit on his seat he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Chryst that his soule should not be left in hel neither his flesh shoulde see corruption This Iesus hath God raised vp wherof we al are witnesses Since now that he by the ryght hand of God is exalted and hath receiued of the father the promise of the holy ghost he hath shed foorth that which ye now see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but he sayd The lord sayd to my Lord syt on my right hand vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole So therfore let all the house of Israell knowe for a suretie that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified Lord and Chryst When they heard this they were pricked in their heartes and sayde vntoo Peter and vntoo the other Apostles Yee men and brethreÌ„ what shall we do Peter said vnto them repeÌ„t and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remissioÌ„ of sins and ye shal receiue the gift of the holy ghost The disposement of Peters Sermon taken out of the redings vpon the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles THe state of Peters first Sermon which he made vpon Whitson Sunday is a doctrine concerning the holy ghost of the maner how to obtein euerlasting saluation The parts of this Sermon are chiefly three FIrst of the principall efficient cause of oure conuersion and saluation that is to wit of the holy ghost by whom the eternal father kindleth in mens harts the true knowledge of himselfe and true fayth and Inuocation Secondly of the forcing cause or the deseruing of our saluation that is too wit of the death and Resurrection of our lord Iesus Chryst by whom and for whom only forgiuenesse of sinnes the holy ghost rightnousnesse and saluation euerlasting are giuen to them that belâ—eue Thirdly of the means by which the holy ghost worketh and by which he offreth and applyeth vnto vs Chrysts benefites or euerlasting saluation Which are the Woorde Of the law Repentance Of the Gospell Faith. Sacraments Of Baptim Of the Lords supper THe enterance of his oracion though it bâ—e shorte hath neuerthelesse the two places of Beneuolence and attentiuenesse He seeketh beneuolence or the fauour and good will of his héerers by a most honorable title such a one as was wel liked of amoÌ„g theÌ„ Yee men of Iury and ye that dwel at Ierusalem For like as Demosthenes doth ofteÌ„times speak to his couÌ„trimeÌ„ by these words Ye men of Athens bicause they thought theÌ„selues farre to excell the inhabiters of all other cities of Grece for many giftes so it liked well the people of IerusaleÌ„ too bée termed by the name of Iewes as wherby was mente that they were the professers of the true God and of the true doctrine woorshipping of God and that they were better than all other nations And he procureth attentiuenesse in these wordes Let this bee knowen vnto you and geue eare vnto my woordes This doone like as Cicero in his oration for Milo before â—e entreate of the matter dooth dispatch certeine doutes out of the Iudges mindes and preuenteth certeine foredéemings So Peter first of all displaceth out of the minds of his hearers that brute which wandred farre abroade that opinion y the Apostles were dronke with wine Afterward be steppeth too the case it selfe and that it may bée of the more authoritie hée vseth the saying and witnesse of the Prophete Ioel whiche in singular lightesomnesse of woordes comprehendeth the doctrine concerning the persone and benefites of the holy Ghoste Of which doctrine for asmuch as the chéef pointes are touched in the story of Whitsun Sunday I will now breefly
which is to be touched with no feeling of another mannes miserie The third is of brotherly loue or christē fréendship which perteineth too the .iiij. and .v. commaundements The vices that encounter it are hatred or enmitie and counterfet good wil. The fourth is mercyfulnesse or frankhartednesse which with a willing hart or with a redy chéerfull mynd endeuereth to his power to do good to others with his coūsel trauel mony c. It perteineth to the .v. and .vij. commaundements The vices that encoūter it are churlishnesse which either dooth no good too others or else doth it not with a willing hart a chéerful coūtenance lauishnesse which doth aboue mesure The fifth is of gentlenesse or courtesie which in familiar méetings in talking with men or in héering them in answering them in performing all other poynts of fréendly behauior sheweth a good wil towardes them with a certein pleasantnesse in countenance gesture without churlishnesse or disdein It perteineth too the .v. viij commaundements The vices that encounter it are churlishnesse and lightnesse The sixth is of méeknesse which is a vertue that executeth no priuate reuengement but suffereth wrongs reproches and other displeasures for gods sake and for the quietnesse of the church the common weale And it perteineth too the .v. commaūdement And vntoo this part of his exhortacion he addeth arguments groūded vpon honestnesse profit Ye know how you are called to this purpose that ye shuld be heirs of blissednesse that is to say séeing that you are blissed of God for the blissed séedes sake that you may enioy the heritage of eternall blisse It standeth with honestie right or it is good right reason that you also on your behalfe shuld blisse others requite other mens slaunderings and wrōgs not with railing hatefulnesse but with curtesie and well dooing ▪ For in any wise it becommeth Christians too speake do as Gelon king of Syracuse saith to the ambassador of Lacedemon in Herodotus Surely thy delight to rail thus in thy talk shal not cause me to serue thy turn in requiting thée with reproche The other argument grounded vppon the profitablenesse is expoūded with the most swéet words of the .xxxiiij. Psalm the which I wold wish yoongmen to lerne whole without booke and to cun it by hart Now wheras the words of the Psalme doo in general promisse rewards to the godly who in religion in their daily conuersation exercise truthe which eschue lying rayling slaundering backbyting deceites sophistrie c. and practise ryghtfulnesse which doth no mā any euil but al men good and endeuereth too maintaine peace and concord Peter in this place restreyneth them too a certeine peculiar kynd of folke and behighteth quietnesse of lyfe successe of welfare Gods care and defence in all perils too the méeke and milde which beare wrongs and reproches paciently And vntoo the vnryghtuous and such as are desirous of reuenge he threatneth the countenance that is too say the wrath of God and horrible punishments The seuenth is of patience or peaceable manlinesse or cōstācie which shunneth not the profession of the truth nor the defence of a rightful case nor any dooings that bée honest and helpfull vntoo others for any fear reuilings threates slaunders or reproches but with a stout courage suffereth for the ryght and awayteth for the rewardes that are behyght the patient in heauen according too this saying Math. v. Blissed are they that suffer persecution for ryghtuousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdom of heauen Blissed are you when men reuyle you c. It perteyneth too the first and fifth commaundement And the vyces that encounter it are faint hartednesse which is so discouraged with fearefulnesse or with reproche that he forsaketh the profession of the truth rightful cases or the dueties of his vocation that are necessary and behouefull vnto others but as Ierom sayth the feare of God must work this in vs namely too set lyght by al other feares And wilfulnesse or stiffenesse in defending vntrue néedlesse or wrongfull cases c. The woordes are taken out of Esay the eyght Chapter The eyght is of noble and stedfast profession of the true doctrine concerning god Sanctifie the Lord god in your harts and bée redy at all tymes too rēder a reason too euery one that asketh you of your faith It perteyneth too the second precept of the .x. commaundements The vyces that encounter it are vtter renouncing of God or hyding of a mannes profession when it is néedfull too bée shewed And vngodly rashnesse or wilfulnesse in maynteining errors These places of this dayes Epistle haue I diuided as shortly as I could the full setting out of which at large may bée fetched out of my declarations of the vertues First concerning endeuer too exercyse concord courtesie and liberalitie towards others Secondly of méeknesse which restreyneth desire of priuate reuengement And thirdly of constancie in profession and in enduring the troubles that accompanie the profession Vppon the sixth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Rom. vj. WHat shall wee say then Shal wee continue in sinne that there may be abundance of grace God forbid How shall wee that are deade as touching sinne liue any longer therein Remember yee not that all wee which are baptysed in the name of Iesu Chryst are baptysed too dye with him VVee are buryed then with him by baptim for too die that likewise as Christ was raysed vp from death by the glory of the father euen so wee also shoulde walke in a new life For if we be graft in death like vntoo him euen so shall wee bee partakers in the resurrection knowing this that our olde man is crucified with him also that the body of sinne might vtterly bee destroyed that hencefoorthe wee should not bee seruaunts vntoo sinne For he that is dead is iustified from sinne VVherfore if wee bee dead with Chryst wee beleeue that wee shal liue also with him remembring that Chryst beeing raised from death dyeth no more Death hath no more power ouer him For as touching that he died he died concerning sinne once And as touching that hee lyuteh he lyueth vnto god Likewise imagine yee also that yee are dead concerning sinne but are alyue vntoo God throughe Iesus Chryst our Lord. The disposement THis Epistle is of those kind of cases that instruct And the state proposition or matter wherof it entreateth is this New obedience is needful or As many as are baptised Christians and iustified by faith for Chrystes sake muste all from henceforth eschue sin and yeeld new obedience agreing with Gods will or else Those that are regenerated must doo good woorkes This proposition confirmeth he with thrée arguments gathered out of the place of causes and he setteth it foorth with as many similitudes taken of the Baptim of death and buryall of Chryst The first argument is of the finall cause of iustification
remayne any sense of euill Ergo in death whiche vtterly quencheth a man bringeth him to nothing there is no euill at all The second THat whiche riddeth men from the troubles and miseries that hang ouer them and is the ende of all mischéeues and harmes is not to bée counted among euill things Death riddeth men from the troubles that hang ouer them and is the end and vttermost refuge from all miseries Ergo death is not euill The third THat which many excellent men haue of their owne accord or certeinly with a stout and quiet minde vndertaken is not to bée feared Many valiaunt and good men haue with stout courage vndertaken to dye for their countrey and for other causes as the Decians the Scipios Theramenes Socrates Leonides c. Ergo death is not to be feared as the chéef euill The fourth In sléepe there is none euill Death is like to sléepe Ergo there is none euill in death The fifth No naturall things are euill Death is due vnto nature who hath lent vs the occupying of lyfe as it were of money without setting any day of payment Ergo death is not euill The sixth No commendable thing is euill The deathes of such as excelled in vertue and specially of those that vndertooke them for their couÌ„try sake purchase euerlasting commendation Ergo they bée not euill These argumentes haue I bréefly set downe not onely to the intent the reading of the first Tusculane question may bee the playner to the yonger sort by shewing too them the framing and order of the argumentes but also to thintent the difference betwene the Christian doctrine and the doctrine of the Philosophers might bée séene the more euidently For Philosophie knoweth vtterly nothing at all of the restitution of our dead bodies and the resurrection of our flesh but déemeth that the same are resolued into their first matter whereof they were made and there vtterly perish for euer euen as the bodyes of beastes doo Neyther hath it any certeyn stable and stedy beleef of the immortalitie of the soule and of the euerlasting felowship with God and the blissed sort but floting â—oâ—â—ing gazing about sticking and making many backe-turnings like a ship y is wether driuen on the huge sea like images the wauer in a troubled water w eout bringing any certeins and sound comfort too the mindes that are encountring and wrestling with death Therfore let vs with most thankfull mindes embrace Gods voyce auouched with the resurrection of his owne sonne whiche alonly sheweth both the causes of death and all miseries and the true and effectuall remedies of the same that is to wit the most ioyfull resurrection and lyfe and glorie euerlasting with God. Vppon the first Sunday in Aduent ¶ The Epistle Rom. xiij THis also we know I meane the season how that it is time that we should now awake out of sleepe For now is our saluation neerer than when we beleeued The night is passed and the day is come nye Let vs therfore cast away the deedes of darknesse and let vs put on the armour of light Let vs wake honestly as it were in the day light not in eating and drinking neyther in chambering and wantonnesse neyther in strife and enuying but put yee on the Lorde Iesus Christe And make not prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lustes of it The disposement THis Epistle is of that kind that is persuasiue For it is an exhortacion to watchfulnesse or diligence in learning the doctrine of the Gospel and in framing the whole lyfe after the rule of Gods word The state or summe of it is this I exhort you to embrace earnestly the Gospel wherin is offeâ—â—d you euerlasting saluation by Iesus Christ and to worshi 〈…〉 with true fayth dutyfulnesse of all vertues The cheef places are three THe doctrine of the Gospell concerning Christes delight of the world by whom lyfe and euerlasting saluacion are offered giuen to vs must earnestly and with singular heedfulnesse and diligence bee of all the godly sort learned kept and spred abrode ij Of the faith of the Fathers and that all holy men of all ages obteyned eternall saluation by one selfe same way that is to wit by the voyce of the gospel for the only mediator Christes sake through faith iij An exhortation too new obedience or a lyfe agreeable with the Gospell or too good woorkes of which he reckeneth fiue kindes in order 1 Diligence and watchfulnesse in learning the Doctrine and folowing true godlynesse according too the lyght shewed in the Gospell 2 Sobrietie which eschueth drunkennesse and gluttonie 3 Chastitie or stayednesse which eschueth forbidden lusts and wantonnesse 4 Méeknesse and desire of concord which represseth wilfulnesse and enuiousnesse 5 Gouernement or brideling of all the affections Concerning these vertues sobrietie chastitie méeknesse and desire of concorde and concerning the vices that encounter them there bée orderly expositions set foorth in the declaration of the ten commaundements and in my rules of lyfe Which I would wish too bee matched with this booke conteining the disposements of the Epistles in the end thereof for this cause that there should not néed too tedious turning and returning too the morall preceptes or places of vertues and vices in euery seueral Epistle Now therfore wil I adde certeine aduertisements to the first two places of this dayes Epistle which are propre too the gospell and will expound certeine of the darker termes and spéeches ¶ THE ENTERANCE FIrst formost in this place the preacher may make some short preface concerning the tyme For our aunceters of old tyme termed the four Sundayes next before Christmas the Sundayes in Aduent And their méening was that their héerers should bée put in remembrance and prepared too discharge their mindes from all other cares desires and with greater care watchfulnesse sobretie reuerence and héedfulnesse too settle them selues too consider this woonderfull purpose of God concerning the redemption of mankynde by the comming of his sonne in the flesh And our forefathers made foure commings of Christ First in the flesh Secondly in the ministerie Thirdly too his Passion whereof is spoken in the gospel of this day And fourthly too the last iudgement wherof wée shall héere more this day seuennight Therefore too the intent that men might bée stirred vp too the more héedfull consideration of so great matters at this time which goeth next before the comming or birthe of our Sauior Iesu Christ the Epistle that is red this day was appoynted very fit for the time For in it Paul making mention of the tyme also exhorteth all the godly too wake out of their sléepe and darknesse of sinnes ignorance of God and carelessenesse which neglecteth GOD and letteth loose the reynes too all misdéedes and lustes and not too let slip the occasion of atteyning eternall saluation by the Gospell but too lerne the doctrine of it with singuler endeuer watchfulnesse and héede
by the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that they should obey God and set foorth his glorie by liuing vertuously Ephe. ij Wée are his woorke created to doo good woorkes And an eyghtdayes ago wee haue herd this is y wil of God euen that you should bée holy Iohn .v. This is my coÌ„maundement that you loue one another And in this Epistle Bée yée the folowers of God walke in louingnesse as the sonnes of lyght walke yée Therfore are yee deliuered from the darknesse of not knowing God and from the darknesse of sinne and by the Gospell lyghtened with the lyght of knowyng God aryght and endued with the holy Ghoste that yee should liue in new knowledge of God in rightuousnesse in purenesse in dooing of good turnes in truthe and in all other vertues agréeing with the wil of god Nither may al precepts concerning good woorks bee referred Secondly necessitie of eschewing peynes present eternall which vnchaungeably accompanye such as are defiled with sinnes ageinst conscience as in this Epistle there bée moste gréeuous threates Knowe ye this that no whoremonger and vncleane persone or couetous persone whiche is an Idolater haue inheritauÌ„ce in the kingdome of Christ and of god Let no man deceyue yée with vayne talke that is too wit that simple fornication couetousnesse and vsurie are no sinnes for these things commeth Gods wrath that is too say horrible plages vppon the disobedient The horriblenesse of this threatning may bée amplified by expounding the weightynesse of the woords and putting too of like sayings and examples gathered out of the Historie of the whole world Thirdly the necessitie of holding fast fayth Gods grace the holy Ghoste and euerlasting lyfe For all these good things are shaken of by euill woorkes or simes ageinst conscience Fourthly the rewardes of good woorkes promised by God .j. Tim. iiij Godlynesse hath promises of the present lyfe and of the lyfe too come For although remission of sinnes eternall lyfe bée giuen fréely for Chrysts sake onely yet are good woorkes recompénsed with other most bountefull rewardes as well ghostly as bodyly both in this lyfe and in the euerlasting lyfe And Paule giueth commaundement by name concerning loue of our neyghboure which repressing bitternesse yrefulnesse backbyting and all malice honoreth wel dooing mercye and frankhartednesse towardes others For the beginning of the fifth Chapter too the Ephesians hangeth too this part of the fourth chapter Therfore all the whole summe of the doctrine concerning the loue towards a mannes neyghbour c may bée conueyed hither out of the exposition of the first fifth and seuenth commaundements Concerning Chastitie whiche escheweth whordome vnclennesse and filthynesse matter too entreate off may bée taken out of the methodicall exposition of Chastitie whiche I haue registred in the sixth commaundement Concerning Couetousnesse which fyghteth with the first and .vij. commaundements let doctrine bée sought out of the declaration of the vertues of the .vij. commaundement Concerning the sacrifice of Chryst who offered him selfe for vs too the father an oblation and sacrifyce of swéete sent wée will speake about a fortnight hence vppon the Sunday called Iudica Now will I bréefly expound the text Bee yee folowers of God therefore that is too say in loue benefiting .j. Iohn iiij Héerin is Loue not that wée haue loued God but that he hath loued vs and hath sent his sonne too bée a reconcylement for our sinnes Déerbeloued if God haue loued vs so wée also must loue one another GOD is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Walke in loue toward God and your neyghbour Too walke is too liue or to rule the will and outward dooings in suche wyse that wée may loue our neybor and doo him good And gaue himselfe for vs. That is also a witnesse of Christes feruent loue towards vs which is set out Rom. v. An offering and sacrifyce The sacrifyse intoo which was conueyed Gods wrath ageinst our sinnes whom it béehoued too bée slayne and put too death too the entent wée myght bée spared For a sent of sweete smell For a swéete sauor and acceptable It is a phrase taken out of Moyses Leuit. j. The Préest shall burne it vppon the Altare for a burnt Offering and a swéete smell vntoo the lord Genes viij The Lord smelled a swéete smell God is woonderfully delyghted in the obedyence of his sonne the sacrifyse And he sheweth that for his sake our prayers also and our thanks giuing and our almefdéedes are acceptable and swéete vntoo him in like wyse as wée are delyghted with the fresh sent of a Vyolet or a Rose And all the sacrifyses and good woorkes of the godly must bée smelles that is too say a farre spred and wel sented fame concerning God. As it becommeth Sainctes The saincts are clean Whore-hunting filthynesse ribaudry c. are vncleane Ergo they become not Sainctes A couetous man whoo is an Idolater He is an Idolater eyther which surmyseth that too bée a GOD which is not God or which yéeldeth to some other thing that is not God the honor peculyarly due vntoo God as fayth feare and loue aboue all things So is a couetous persone an Idolater bycause he bestoweth his loue aboue all things and his trust which are due only too God vppon his mony and setteth more by it than by God. Ye wer sometime darknesse that is too say without knowledge of God nouzeling your selues in all sinnes yée were without true acknowledgement of God without true ryghtuousnesse and without lyfe But now you are lyght in the Lord. Now yée are lightened with true knowledge of God yée know what woorks please God and what woorkes displease him yée are borne ageine by the holy Ghoste Vppon the Sunday called Laetare or the fourth Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle Galath iiij FOr it is wryten that Abraham had two sonnes the one by a bondmaide the other by a free-woman Yea and he which was borne of the bondwoman was borne after the flesh but he which was borne of the freewoman was borne by promys which things are spoken by an allegorie For these are twoo Testamentes the one from the mount Sinai vvhich gendreth vntoo bondage vvhich is Agar For mount Sinai is Agar in Arabia and bordreth vppon the Citie vvhich is novv called Ierusalem and is in bondage vvith hir children But Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the moother of vs all For it is vvrytten Reioyce thou barren that bearest no chyldren breake foorthe and crye thou that traueylest not For the desolate hath many mo children than shee vvhich hath an husbande Brethren vvee are after Isaac the children of promys But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh persecuted him that vvas born after the spirite Euen so is it nowe Neueâ—thelesse vvhat sayth the scripture put avvay the bondvvoman and hir sonne For the sonne of the bondvvoman shall
bée afrayde bycause thou Lord art with mée Esay and Ezechias although the Citie was beséeged by Sennacherib yet faint they not for pensiuenesse but flée vnto God by earnest prayer and wayt for deliueraunce Hereafter ensue the disposements of of certeyne Epistles which are vsually read to the people vppon the feast dayes of Sainctes Vpon the feast of the Annunciation of our blyssed Lady Sainct Marie or vppon the feast of the conception of Christ The Epistle Esay vij GOd spake once ageyn vnto Ahaz saying require a token of the Lorde thy God whether it bee towarde the depth beneath or towarde the hevghte aboue Then sayde Ahaz I will requyre none neyther will I tempte the Lorde And he sayde hearken to ye of the house of Dauid is it not ynough for you that ye be greuous vntoo men but yee must greeue my God also And therefore the Lorde shall giue you a token Beholde a virgine shall conceyue and beare a sonne and thou his mother shall call his name Emanuell Butter and hony shall he eate that hee may knowe to refuse euill and chose the good Therfore before the childe may know good or euill malice shall dissuade from choosing the good THe first feast of the new Testament and the beginning welspring of our redemption and euerlasting welfare is the wonderful coÌ„ception or cuppling of the two natures of the Godhead and manhood of our Lorde Iesus Christe the Sonne of God the memoriall whereof the Churche celebrateth as this day And of singular purpose was it Gods wil that the times of his wonderfull works and of his reuelementes should agrée For vppon this day beyng the .xxv. day of Marche was the Sonne of God conceyued in the wombe of the Uirgin Marie or as this day he cuppled too himselfe mans nature by eternall alyaunce a thousand fyue hundred thréescore and ten yéeres ago The yeere after the first promis making of the womans séede in Paradise 3962. After the renewing of the same promis vntoo Abraham that all nacions should bée blissed in the same séede 1938. After the prophesiyng of Iacob concerning Syloh or the Uirgins issue a thousand seuen hundred and six yéeres and the same day beyng the xxv of March now ful a thousand fiue huÌ„dred xxxvij was our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God made a sacrifise for vs vppon the Altar of the Crâ—sse The same day also is Adam the first man reported to haue bin created 5532. yéeres ago And afterward about the same time it is thought that Abell was slayne and Isaac layd vppon the Altar to haue bin sacrifised Therefore inasmuch as the day it selfe putteth vs in mind of most weyghty matters as of the sonne of God the founder and redéemer of the Church of the creation of our selues of the wonderfull alyaunce of the Godhead and manhoode made in the Uirgins wombe and of the causes and benefites of this wonderfull vnion let vs with all godlinesse and reuereÌ„ce cast our selues downe before God and yéeld him thankes for his so excellent woorkes and benefites and by deuout and earnest musing vpon so great things kindle and confirme in vs fayth prayer and most assured hope of euerlasting saluation And to the intent our hartes may bée the more fitte and earnest to the reuerent minding of them and to thankesgiuing for the same Let vs also celebrate this feast with greater modestie and sobernesse of behauiour The doctrine of this holy day concerning the causes and benefites of the wonderfull Incarnacion of Gods sonne is all one with the doctrine that is set forth vppon the byrthday of the same sonne of god And therfore the disposement of that matter may bee borowed out of that place into this day Now will I bréefly entreate of the prophesie of this dayes Epistle Behold a virgin shall coÌ„ceyue and bring forth a child and thou shalt call him Emmanuell which was vttered by the Prophet Esay seuen hundred and lvij yéeres before that the Angell Gabriell brought woord of the fulfilling of it too the virgine Marie and conteyneth the doctrine of the conception of the sonne of God whiche is the foundacion of our redemption and saluation I will therefore in few woordes set out the chéef pointes of this doctrine comprised in accustomed questions or orderly instruction The conception or incarnation of the Sonne of God is the wonderfull cuppling or personall vnion of the two natures that is to say of the Godhead begotten of the substance of the euerlasting Father and of the manhood taken in the wombe and of the substaunce of the virgin Marie wrought in Christ our Mediator that he may bée Emmanuell y is to say God with vs of one substaunce both with God the eternall Father and with vs reconciling God vnto vs and by paying the full raunsome for vs appease Gods most iust wrath ageynst sinne and restore to vs men rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe The partes of the Emmanuell conceyued in the virgin Marie may bée sayde to bee two the Godhead or the sonne of God the woorde the manhood taken of Maries substaunce and of the ofspring of Dauid Hither may all the whole doctrine concerning the person of Gods sonne the differences of the persones of the Godhead and of the two natures in Christe c. bée referred The causes THe efficient cause of the conception or incarnacion of the sonne of God is the whole Godhead For although that the persone of the sonne cuppled to it selfe mannes flesh by personall vnion yet is it the worke of all the thrée persones togither which also go ioyntly togither in this saying the holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the hyghest shall ouershadowe thee The hyghest is God the Father The power of the hyghest is the sonne of God who ouershadoweth the virgine Marie and the whole Churche making intercession for vs too the euerlasting Father cuppling our nature to him selfe and couering vs as a shadow ageynst the heate of Gods wrath The holy Ghost halloweth the flesh taken of the virgine Maries substaÌ„ce therof shapeth in the virgins wombe the body of the Messias redye too bée borne which body togither with a reasonable soule the woord the sonne of God by taking vnited by vniting tooke vnto him And therefore it is sayd in our Créede whiche was conceyued by the holy Ghost The inward forcing cause of the conception byrth passion and death of Christ is al one that is to wit the infinite goodnesse and mercy of God toward manhood tempered with his heauenly Iustice for the full satisfiyng whereof with sufficient amendes the very sonne of God taking our nature vppon him became both man and a sacrifise for vs. The outward forcing cause was the fall of our firste parentes and the sinne that soked from thence into all men with death and moste sorowfull damnacion of all mankind which the sonne of God was Loth should perish vtterly Now the
causes why it behooueth our redéemer too bée both God man are twelue which I haue gathered out of the booke of Athanasius concerning the incarnation recited them in another place First it behooued him too be man For like as the impe that is graffed into a trée is borne by the trée and taketh sap and life of it euen so our humane nature shuld haue vtterly perished bin brought to nothing like as the body perisheth that is forsaken of the soule yf the masse of our nature were not vphild and mainteyned by the sonne of God the woorde Secondly forasmuch as man had sinned the order of Iustice required that man should aby the penaltie On the other side it behooued him to bée God that he might be able to pay the full pryce and to vanquish sinne and death and to restore rightuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting The matter wherof the sonne of God our Immanuell tooke mans nature is the virgine Marie according as Esay interpreting the first promis of the séede and the prophesie of Iacob concerning Siloh that is to say the Virgins issue sayeth in this place behold a Virgin shall conceyue and bring forth a Sonne For in asmuch as of the mixture of the séede of man and woman is engendred a nature defiled with sinne according as it is sayde In sinne hath my Mother conceyued mee it was the will of Christ our Immanuell whom it behooued to be vndefiled and faultlesse to bée borne not of the séede of man but onely of the Virgins séede halowed and clenzed by the holy Ghost The manner of this wonderfull cuppling or vnion of the twoo natures is expressed with lightsome and most weyghtie wordes in the Créede of Athanasius The righte fayth therefore is that wée beléeue and confesse that our Lord Iesus Christ is very God and very man God of the substance of the Father begotten before all worldes and man of the substance of his mother borne in the world c. The endes and effectes of Christes conception are described in the two names of Immanuell and Iesus For Christ is called Immanuell that is to say God with vs not only for the taking vppon him of our nature but also bycause he is our patrone and aduocate not accusing and condēning vs any more but stāding on our side couering excusing and defending vs embracing vs with brotherly good will and receyuing vs to the felowship of al heauenly good things according as is sayd in these verses Christ is aright our Immanuell not only because he is bloud of our bloud now and flesh of our flesh alike But for that to the Father in heauen for vs al he becōming our Preest and patrone offreth a sweete sacrifise And for that with an earnest zeale of loue he receyueth all that long for his help or couet health at his hand The other name which the Angell Gabriell interpreting this place of Esay attributeth too Christe is Iesus which is as much to say as a sauiour or deliuerer And in déede the highest benefite of all that redound to vs by Christes incarnacion or conception is deliueraunce from sinne from Gods wrath and from curse of the law and the giuing of rightuousnesse saluacion life euerlasting Too the setting foorth of this benefite may all the sayings of the Gospell bée referred out of the whole scripture Of kin to this wonderfulll vnion of the twoo natures in Christ may these things bée named namely the similitudes and shadowes of that wonderfull alyance which are settled in nature That is to wit the vnion of the reasonable soule and of the body in man The coniunction of the Christall humor and the spirite of sight whiche is as it were a little fire in the apple of ones eye And also a péece of iron or stéele red whot The things that fight ageynst it are the chéef errours wherewith the doctrine concerning the conception or incarnacion of the sonne of God is corrupted by the heretikes Valentine Apelles Marcion Nestorius Eutyches Apollinarius and other The Antheme vppon the day of the Annunciation of our Lady sainct Marie THis is the day whiche the Lorde hath made This day hath the Lord looked vppon the affliction of his people and sent redemption This day hath the séede of a woman chased away the death whiche a woman first brought in This day is God become man continuing still the same thing that he was and taking vppon him that which he was not Therfore let vs deuoutly hallow the beginning of our redemption and let vs leape for ioy saying Glory bée to thée O lord This day is God become man This day is God become man c. Vppon the feastday of Iohn Baptist The song of Zacharie ¶ The Epistle Luc. j. BLessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raysed vp an horne of saluation vnto vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophetes which were since the world began That wee should be saued from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs. To fulfill the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remēber his holy couenaunt And to performe the othe whiche he sware to our Father Abraham for to geue vs. That we deliuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him without feare all the dayes of our lyfe in holynesse and rightuousnesse before him And thou childe shalt be called the Prophete of the hyest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord too prepare his wayes And too geue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of sinnes Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day spring from an hie hath visited vs. To giue light to them that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our fete into the way of peace The disposement THis song of Zacharie perteyneth too the demonstratiue kind For it is a thanks giuing wherby Zacharie setteth out this excéeding great benefite of God for that according too his promises made too Dauid and Abraham he sendeth Chryst the redéemer too deliuer men from sinne from death and from the Diuels tyrannie and too giue them lyght lyfe and soule health euerlasting The partes of this song are two In the first viij verses be setteth out the benefite of the sending of Chryst And in the last foure verses he entreateth of the office of Iohn Baptist and therwithall of Chrystes benefites also Blissed bee the Lord God of Israell who hath visited and redeemed his people The proposition I thanke the Lord the only true GOD who hath discouered himselfe among the people of Israell by his woorde and by assured witnesse of miracles that he hath exhibited Chryst the redéemer according too the promises made too the fathers The woord blisse signifieth ere whiles too wish good too one and ere whiles too praise or glorifie As in the