commendeth his own care and earnestnesse towards vs. Fourthly this name signifieth y t we haue néede of continuall looking too and of continuall care and that the Lord had néede too put too his hande if he minde too haue true fruteful vine braunches Fifthly that they whiche are receiued intoo the churche are bound too bring foorth good frute For as the vine branches doo bring foorth good grapes not wilde grapes so Christians must doo the woorks of the spirit not of y e fleshe Now is too be séen how euery Christiā must behaue himself in the Lords vineyard For as there bée sundry duties in a vineyard for one plāteth another watereth another shreddeth another bindeth another vnderproppeth another diggeth and another dungeth the earth So are there sundry vocations and offices in the Church according too the diuersitie wherof men must labour in the Churche The Lord appointeth vntoo euery man his taske according too his owne wil. For like as in a vineyard the housholder giueth to one man a shreddinghook too another a spade and too another a knife or a hatchet So in the churche one is appointed of God too bée a preacher another too be a magistrate the third too be a householder the fourth a teacher in a schoole another to bée a scholler and another too be a craftsman and so foorth But héer euery man in his labor must cōsider thrée things First whither his labour be profitable in the vineyarde and commaunded him by the housholder Secondly what is too be auoyded of him in his laboring Thirdly what and how it is too bée doone Whither thy labor bée profitable cōmaunded thée by the housholder thou maist know by twoo things namely by the commaundement and by thy calling Euery labor that maketh too the planting watering cherishing and preseruing of this vineyard hath a commaundement that is too wit the labor y t serueth too the glory of God the edifying of the church the harbroughs of the church that is too say cōmon weales and housholdes is commanded by God in the first table and in the fourth commandement Besides this it is not inough that thou arte commaunded too labour vnlesse thou bée enabled too labor in lawfull vocation For hée that taketh vpon him too labour in the vineyard without calling is rash and bringeth foorth no frute In labouring thou must béeware firste that thou bée not proud if thou séeme too thy selfe too labor more or also better than another man Secondely that thou haue not an eye too the rewarde of thy labor performed but too the commaundement of the housholder whoo hath set thée in the vineyard too the intent thou shouldest woork Thirdely that thou despise not such as woork lesse than thy self And fourthly that thou grudge not ageinst y e master of the house though he apéer liberall too them that séeme too haue wrought lesse than thou What is to bée looked vnto and cōtinually too bée thought vpon while thou art woorking First it behooueth euery mā too think hée is brought intoo the Lords vineyarde not too bée ydle but too woork For in the Lordes vineyarde there is no roome for slouth and sluggishnesse No man can without displeasing the master of the house put ouer his taske too another man Therefore whoosoeuer is brought intoo this vineyarde let him labor lustily without deceyt For cursed is hée that dooth the Lords woork deceitfully Secondly in laboring let him think he standeth in his masters sight whoo not only beholdeth the outward doings but also féeth the secretes of the hart and estéemeth the work by the méening of the hart rather than by the effect of the woorke Thirdly this looking on of the master shal stir vp the laborer too woork héedfully that hée may with a chéerfull minde beare out the heate and burthen of the day Fourthly an eye is too bée had too nothing else than too the goodnesse of the housholder God which commaundeth too labor and that one thing alone wil encorage a man too go through with his task lustily Fifthly when thou hast doon all that thou canst doo thou shalt say thou arte an vnprofitable seruant For if thou eyther be proude bicause thou camest sooner intoo the Lords vinyard or despise others that may séem too haue wrought lesse than thou or murmur ageinst the goodman of the house whoo is alike liberall too others as too thée thou shalt héer Frend I doo thee no vvrong diddest thou not couenant vvith mee for a penny take that is thine ovvne and go thy vvay Is it not lavvfull for mee too doo vvith mine ovvne vvhat I list Is thine eye euill bicause I am good Thrée things are héer founde faulte with in the murmurer First that hée presumeth vpon the woorthinesse of his woork Secondly that he doth not commend and set forth the liberalitie of the householder but rather blameth him for it Thirdly that hée enuieth other men for the bountifulnesse of the liberall householder towardes them Suche are all they that séeke too iustifie themselues by woorkes béeing vtterly voyde of fayth ¶ Of the second TO the intent wée may the more distinctly vnderstand the doctrine of good workes thrée things are to bée throughly weyed First what things are requisit to the account of good woorks Then what are the causes of good woorks and thirdly why God hath added so many so notable promises vntoo good woorks and why hée voutsaueth rewards vntoo them As perteining too the first fiue things are requisite that a woork doone by man may woorthyly bée called good One is commaundement Another is Chrystes spirit The third is faith The fourth is a right end And the fifth is grace wherthrough the default is taken in good woorth Now that too the ratifying of a good woorke commaundement is required it is manifest by these foure things by our owne state by the commaundement by the forbidding and by the maner of worshipping God Our state is that wée should bée the seruantes of God and hée bée our Lord God Wherfore as it is his prerogatiue too commaund vs what wée shall doo so is it our duty too folow his wil as the moste certeine rule of our dutie The same thing teacheth the commaundement Ezech. 20. Walke yée in my precepts and kéep my iudgements and do them ▪ Esay 48. I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thée profitable things and maketh thée walke in the way that thou walkest Hierem. 33. I haue made thée a watch man ouer the house of Israel thou shalt hear the woord out of my mouth thou shalt doo my message too them from mée The forbidding is manifest Deut. 12. Yée shall not doo euery one of you what séemeth right too him selfe Ezechiel 20. Walke not in the commaundements of your fathers The maner of worshipping God requireth that the work that should please him should bée commaunded by him and therupon the Lorde telleth vs plainly it is too no purpose too woorship him with
the commaundementes and doctrines of men And Esay 29. It is named one of the wickednesses for whiche the Lord threatneth euils vntoo his people that they worshipped him with the coÌ„maundements of men wherfore Paule Col. 2. dooth manifestly condemn all wilworshipping Héereby therefore it is euident that too the ratifying of a good work the commaundement of God is requisite Therefore let the woorde of God bée our lampe too shine before vs in all our dooings Secondly vntoo the ratifying of a good worke is required Chrystes spirit For whosoeuer bée led by the spirit of God they be the sonnes of GOD. The spirit of the fleshe defileth the worke in so muche that they which are in the fleshe cannot please God Then haue wée néed of the spirite that regenerateth vs intoo new men without the which neyther wée nor our woorks doo please Thirdly is faith required For by faith the person is recoÌ„ciled too God and made rightuous Through faith then are our woorks also acceptable For without faith it is impossible too please God For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Fourthly is required a right ende too the goodnesse of the work according as these words of Augustine testifie Knowe thou sayth hée that vertues are too be discerned from vices not in working but in end The working is that which is to bée doon and the end is that for which it is too bée doon Therfore when a man dooth any thing wherein he séemeth not too sinne if he doo it not too that end for which he ought too doo it he is conuinced too sinne And it is méete that the vttermoste end of all our dooings bée the glory of God vnder which many other are often times ordeyned Fifthly too the accomplishment of a good woork is required grace wherebâ— the default is taken in good worthe For although he that is iustified by faith dooth not fulfil the law of God but rather findeth many blemishes in all his woorkes yet doo his woorks please God in déed and what fault so euer is in them that dooth grace couer These are the fiue things therefore that are requisite too the ratifying of a good woork without whiche the woork can in no wise be called good before God Now whiche I promised in the secoÌ„d place I wil recite the causes that may moue throughly too do good and they are in all thrée necessitie dignitie and rewarde Necessitie is of fiue sortes that is too wit of commaundement of det of keping faith of eschuing punishement and of conuersion The first necessitie is Gods commaundement wheruntoo al reasonable creatures ought too obey And Paule sayth This is Gods wil that you should be made holy The second necessitie is dette whereof Rom. 8. wée are detters too GOD and not too the fleshe For we are not masters of our selues but we are his who hathe redéemed vs with his precious bloud The thirde necessitie is faith whiche cannot bée kept as long as wée folowe sinne ageinst conscience Whervppon Paule sayth If any man haue not a care of those that are his and chéefly of those that are of his owne houshold hée hathe renounced the fayth and is worse than an Infidel Fight thou an honeste fighte hauing faith and a good conscience The fourthe necessitie is the eschuing of punishement For their iniquities saith Dauid thou punishest the childreÌ„ of men The fifth necessitie is conuersion As truely as I liue saith the Lord I wil not the death of a sinner but that hée shuld conuert and liue For when a man turneth too amendment hée is quickened ageine and regenerated intoo a newe man that he may from thenceforthe mortifie the déeds of the fleshe by the spirite Rom. 8. The second cause of good works is dignitie For those that be iustified are the children of God they are gods holy temple they are kings and préests annointed of the holy Ghost Who béeing endued with rightuousnesse ought too set forthe God with minde voice confession and conuersation The third cause is rewarde that is too say the recompensing of the patience and obedience of the beléeuers towardes God For God promiseth rewarde whiche wee must looke for by faith not hauing any respecte too the woorks that wée haue doone but too the frée promises So in the eleuenth too the Hebrues Moyses is read to haue had respect to the recoÌ„pensing Therfore when GOD promiseth recompence wée must doo twoo things First we must acknoweledge the vnworthinesse and imperfection of our own work And secondly we must stedfastly beléeue that God the promiser is true of his promises trusting wholy too the goodnesse of him that promiseth and not too the woorthinesse of the work In the thirde place I propounded it as a thing to be thoroughly weyed why God added promises too good workes why he vouchsaueth too rewarde them The causes of this matter are chéefly fiue The first is that they might be testimonies of Gods prouidence For GOD wil haue it knowne bothe that bodily goodes are things by him created and also that they are not scattered by chance but that they are giuen by him and preserued by him for the churche according too this saying Hée filled the hungry with good things and the rich he sent emptie away The second is that they should be witnessings that God wil preserue his churche euen in this life Whereupon 1. Tim. 4. Godlinesse hath promises both of this present life and of the life too come The third is that God wil that both bodily necessitie shall be a putting of vs in minde of Fayth Prayer Hope and thankesgiuing and also that these good things should bée craued by Faithe and wayted for by patience The fourth is that they might put vs in remembrance of the promise of grace For corporall benefites are vnto the faithful a sealing vp of grace The fifth is that God wil haue bothe these things done namely his Churche too bée subiecte too the crosse and also too be preserued euen in the middes of peril in this life Bothe these things are shewed in the .37 of Esay O Lord our GOD saue vs from the hande of Sennacherib that all kingdomes of the earth may know that thou onely art the Lord. ¶ Of the third THis sentence wherewith the Lorde closeth vp this parable is too bée marked with héed So shall the last be first the first be last Why so For many are called and fewe bée chosen The proposition of this sentence which is an aâ—ke thing too reason as it rayseth vp the weake harted that acknoweledge their infirmitie So it casteth downe the proude Hypocrites swelling in opinion of their owne rightuousnesse and holynesse and beateth them flat vntoo the grounde as it were a thunderbolte from Heauen But who are those first and who are the last Those that are first with them selues in their owne opinion and in the estimation of their owne woorkes shall bée last with God that is too say of no value yea rather
miserie shuld be rewarded with euerlasting lyfe which is called héer the great supper and in Mathew the mariage of the kyng vntoo whiche great Supper men are called of Gods méere mercie too the intent they may bée filled at it with spiritual daynties euerlastingly Howbéeit too the intent the delicates of this Supper may bée the plesanter vntoo vs I will set out seuerally one by one the circumstaunces that are noted in the text and shew what instruction and admonishment is too bée learned by eche of them The first circumstance therfore too bée considered in this supper is concerning him that biddeth vs vntoo it For thervpon hangeth the estimation of it Who is it then that prepareth this Supper Is it some worldly kyng No. Yet wer that King woorthy too bée muche made of for his liberalitie too bée praysed for his mercie that would prepare a princely feast royally furnished for miserable and poore soules Who is it then It is God our heauenly father the Lord of Lords and king of kings who only is riche and well stored with delicates This circumstaunce is a most euident testimonie of Gods goodnesse and mercy The second circumstance is that God héere the master of the house biddeth guestes too Supper c And what is ment by the name of supper The very Gospel and all those things that are ioyned with the Gospell as is saluation and eternall lyfe Sée how great mercy shyneth foorth héere What is the reason of the terming of it so Why are these so great good thinges called a supper Surely it is not doone without great causes of which number there bée thrée chéef The first is bycause the Gospell promiseth euerlasting ioye and endlesse good things For as the Supper is set before men in the latter end of the day so the good things which the Gospell offereth shall of the méere mercy of God bée giuen in rewarde too the beléeuers after that they in dystresse haue outworne the manyfolde labours of this lyfe The second cause is for that lyke as the euening whiche is the tyme that men are woonte too prepare for supper is the ende of the daye so the age in which all men by the ministerie of preaching are bidden too repaste of the heauenly Supper is of the laste age The third cause is for that the Gospell is the last voyce of GOD in the worlde after whiche there is none other too bée looked for in lykewyse as the Supper is the last meate that is set béefore men in the day For ther shall neuer sound any other voyce of God from heauen but thys selfe same voyce of the Gospell shall sounde vntoo the laste daye of iudgement The third circūstance is in this woord Great by whiche is commended vntoo vs the richnesse of Gods mercy For God biddeth not a kyng or twoo or a wiseman or twoo vntoo this supper but he biddeth the whole world He ouerskippeth not the poore he neglecteth not the riche men he shutteth not out the gentlemen he kéepeth not the country folke nor the townesmen from his feast he holdeth no skorne of the little ones disdeyneth not y e great ones al men without exception that are dispersed through the whole worlde biddeth he too that great supper For the text witnesseth both that it is a greate supper and that many are bidden The fourth circumstance is of the manner of his bidding The manner is expressed in these wordes And he sente his seruaunt at the houre of Supper too saye too them that vvere bidden Héer by the name of seruant is ment the Prophetes Apostles and all godly teachers whom God hath sent from the beginning of the worlde too bid guestes too the Supper Too this supper dyd God himselfe bidde the patriarke Noe. He being bidden bad the rest of the world in Gods sted Afterward when the world throughe it owne vnthankfulnesse was perished in the flud Abrahā was by Gods owne mouth bidden too this supper After which time when the malice of the world was encreased vpon the earth God chose one peculiar people among whome he often times raysed vp Prophets that bad guests too this supper And the master of the house continued in so dooing vntill he sent his owne Sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst whome those that were bidden hanged vpon the Crosse. And he being raised ageyn from death sent out his Apostels intoo the whole world too byd all nations too this most delicate supper The fifth circumstance is of the hour of the supper What is this houre It is the time of grace and the time of glory The time of grace is the time wherin is preached vnto men the liberality mercyfulnesse of y e master of the house which tyme is deuided intoo thrée parts Intoo promise performāce and the tyme that hath folowed the performance The time of promis was from Adam vntoo the birth of Chryst almost foure thousand yéere Then was the tyme of performance during all the while that Chryst was conuersant héere vpon earth in the flesh and preached and offered himselfe the price of redemption for them that wer bidden too this supper The tyme that followed the performance is thencefoorth from the sending of the Apostles intoo the whole worlde vntill the daye of Iudgement in whiche tyme wée also bée and are bidden too this Supper by the voyce of the Ministers of Gods woorde The tyme of glory in eternitie When wée shall sit downe in the heauenly glorie not onely wyth Abraham and Isaac but also with God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy ghoste and shal enioy euerlasting mirth and gladnesse in Chryst Iesu our Lord. The sixth circumstance is the manner of the biddyng Come sayth he for all things are ready That is too saye as wée sée in the bidding of Iohn Baptist and Chryst Repent and beléeue the Gospell for the kyngdome of heauen is at hand This bidding requireth repentance that is too wit an alteration of the former life that wée shuld depart from euil and doo good and it requireth fayth that is too wit that wée should beléeue that this Supper is set on the Table for vs not in respect of our deseruyng but of méere mercy for the Sons sake whom God hath giuen vntoo vs too bée our wysedome ryghtuousnesse sanctification and redemption For with these gyftes and as it were garments of the Sonne of God muste wée enter intoo the Supper of euerlasting lyfe For Chryst by his wysedome reformeth our myndes wyth his ryghtuousnesse he decketh vs when wée beléeue on him with his sanctification or halowyng hée clenseth vs and at length he receyueth vs intoo his parlor where shall bée perpetuall redemption glorie and happinesse And thus muche concerning the firste place wherin is set oute vnto vs the mercyfulnesse of GOD which is from generation too generation vppon all that feare hym as the virgin our Lordes moother singeth ¶ Of the second BVt all began vvith one consent to excuse them selues
things then it is too bée vnderstād that Christ came for twoo causes The first is to destroy the works of the diuel and the other too bring the blissyng vpon the children of Abraham y t is too say vpon all that shall receiue Christ by fayth as Abraham did For when Adam had by his fall yéelded him selfe and all his ofspring bondslaues vnder the Tirannie of Sathan and cast them intoo deserued curse the rightuousnesse of God required that either wée should suffer due deserued punishmēt or else that some of mankinde should satisfie Gods iustice Now forasmuch as no meane power was able too vanquish the diuell and pacifie Gods wrath the sonne of God cōmeth foorth of his secret dwelling place he cōmeth intoo y e world he becomes man he taketh our case vpon him he ouerthroweth the kingdome of the deuill and pacifieth his Fathers wrath being made vntoo vs both our sacrifice and our préest This selfe same thing doo many types figurate as the sacrifices of the Fathers the pascall Lambe the sprinklyng of the red cowes blood vpon the people and moreouer the Arke of couenant and all the Aaronical sacrifice with all the rites and ceremonies thereof Innumerable sayings of the Prophetes doo declare these selfe same causes of the Lordes commyng with agréeable consent as Esay 53. He suffered our diseases and bare our sorowes in déede he was wounded for our transgressiōs and was torne for our iniquities The Lord did take vpon him the iniquities of vs al. Many such testimonies as these are in the Prophets which for bréefnesse sake I omit The woordes and woorkes of Chryst at his comming doo proue the same thing Come vntoo mée sayth he all yée that labour and are heauie loden and I will refresh you Also he that beléeueth in mée shall not perishe but haue life euerlasting Also For these do I sanctifie my self that is to say I offer my selfe a sacrifice too God the father for the purgyng of their sinnes Which thing not onely the great numbre of miracles that he did and by which he destroyed the woorkes of the diuell doo assuredly proue but also his very death and his glorious victorie ensuing the same The testimonies of the Apostles who is able to numbre Paule sayth He dyed for our sinnes and rose ageine for our iustification The same man wryteth thus Him that knewe no sinne hée made sinne too the intent that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of god in him Iohn Baptist cryeth out Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Iohn the Apostle Iesus Chryst clenseth vs from al our iniquitie The same apostle making a bréefe summe of Christes benefites writeth Christ appéered too destroy the diuels woorkes Finally the whole Churche of Christ ioyfully through Christes spirit confesseth these selfe same causes of Christes cōming singing thus Thou taking vpon thée to deliuer mā didst not abhorre the virgins wombe Thou when thou haddest ouercome the sharpnes of death didst set open the kingdome of heauen to all beléeuers Now if yée demaund the time of his cōming the Apostle Paul answereth After that the fulnesse of time was come God sent out his sonne borne of woman boūd vnder y e law too the intent he should redéeme them that were giltie of the law that wée might receiue the adoption of childrē He came therfore neither later nor slowlyer than hée ought too come Concerning this time of the Lords comming the Prophets Iacob and Daniell spake before Of which thing more shalbée spoken in the day of the Lordes birth One thing more is yet behind namely the way by which hée commeth This also is too bée sought out diligently that wée may méet him rightly Therfore like as too our saluatiō he came once in the flesh visible so too saue eche mans soule wheresoeuer his woord is thought vpon red or preached hée commeth daily in spirit and inuisible yea rather hée is there alwayes present according too his promise I will bée with you vntoo the end of the world And then againe shal hée appéere visible too iudge the quick the dead too the intent that they which héertofore held scorne too take him for their phisitian and sauyour shall then féele him a most iust iudge and punisher of their wickednesse Of which comming wée shall héere more the next Sunday And thus much bréefly concerning the comming of the Lord. ¶ Of the seconde THe second place which the text of the Gospel conteineth importeth the description of Christ our king and of his kingdom Which description is confirmed by the testimonie of Zacharie which the Euangelist alledgeth that wée may vnderstand how this pomp was not instituted rashly but foreshewed long before according too the wil of God and the secrete counsell of the Trinitie For this pomp teacheth vs many things of the state of Christ our king and of his kingdome First this pomp of Chrystes riding intoo Hierusalem maketh a difference betwéen Christ our king and the kings of the world and sheweth the diuersitie of their kingdomes For this base pompe dooth sufficiently argue that neyther Chryst is a worldly king nor the administration of his kingdom worldly For worldly kings to the intēt they may bée counted honorable of their people are gorgeously apparelled In likewyse the administration of worldly kingdomes requireth gorgeousnesse and sumptuous furniture Secondly this storie teacheth y t vnder this base pompe lieth hid a certeine almightinesse godhead For when hée sayeth loose yée and bring vnto mée and ageine the Lord hath néed of them and also he shall by and by let them go Christ our king giueth vs too vnderstand that by his heauenly power hée is able too bring too passe what hée listeth yea and that hée hath the hartes and willes of men in his hand Therefore although the kingdome of Christ séem dispisable in this world yet notwithstanding if a man look vpon y e power diuinitie of y e king nothing is more stately nothing is more mightie nothing finally is more glorious than it Moreouer the prophecy of the Prophete conteyneth thrée things First an exhortation too the churche at that time cast downe and vtterly vnder foot Be glad saith he and leap for ioy thou daughter of Sion Héereby wée are taught that the Gospel perteyneth too them that are cast down vnder foot and altoogither broken in spirit Secondly this prophecie coteyneth a cōmaundement from God that wée should doo homage too this king like as y e second Psalme exhorteth wher it sayeth kisse the sonne Thirdly this prophecy conteineth a description of the person of Christ namely that he is y e king that was promised too the church Beholde saith it thy king cōmeth As if he should haue said héer is at length that king that was promised thée of whom are written so many testimonies which shall restore the kingdome of God that the diuel hath inuaded destroyed through sinne He saieth that this king is
horrible tumultes and of certaine vnaccustomed and vehement windes And hathe not our age séene very many signes of this sort The fourth kind of signes issueth out of the second third which is a pining away for feare and for looking after those things that shall come vpon the whole world The fifth sort is that the powers of heauen shall bée moued that is too say there shalbée vnwoonted sights in heauē and earthquakes in the earth Too bée short both heauen and earth shall after a sort resemble the countenaunce of the angry iudge that sinners béeing moued by these tokens of Gods wrath should repent and turne vntoo the Lord. These signes doth the Lord apply in this wise too the last iudgement Behold the Figtrée all other trées when they haue shot foorth their buddes yée séeing it doo know of your selues that sommer is nye at hand So likewise when yée sée these things come too passe vnderstand yée that the kingdom of god is nye For these signes out of all creatures which are caried vp downe shal bée as it were messengers by whose mouth such men shal bée summoned to appéere at y t dreadful iudgement seat as running at ryot héere in this world haue neglected their owne saluation and like dronken men haue despised Christ the author of saluation Besydes these fiue sortes of signes whereof the text maketh mention there are others also Math. 24. Marke 13. 2. Thes. 2. Daniel 2. 7. Apoc. 17. all which are as it were certaine visible sermons of repentance by which god forewarneth men too flée too his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryste in whom only is saluation The second circumstance is that he which is the sonne of God and man Iesus Christ shalbée a iudge Wherin bothe the godly and vngodly haue to learne The godly too knowe that hée shall bée their iudge who had promised eternall life too all that beléeue in him adding an othe Uerely I say vntoo you all that beléeue in mée shall not perishe but haue life euerlasting This promis confirmed with an othe cannot by any meanes fayle And the vngodly haue too lerne either too repent and forsake the rable of the wicked and so too enioy their saluation purchased by Chryst or else too remember that he whom they haue refused too bée theyr Sauyoure shal adiudge them to endlesse paines that then at least wise they may too their great miserie learne howe horrible a thing it is too fall intoo the hands of the liuing God The third circumstance is that hée shall come in the clouds glorious and terrible not a seruaunt as before but a Lord not too bée iudged but too iudge not now too allure men too repentance but too punish vnrepentant persones with eternall paines and that as a righteous iudge The fourth circumstance is that he shall come mightie with power and great glorie wherby it is too bée learned that he can bothe damne the rebellious is able too rewarde the beléeuers with eternall life The fifth circumstance expresseth the cause of Chrystes comming vntoo iudgement so farre forth as it perteineth too the godly Your redemption is at hād By which saying like as Christ sheweth that his Churche shall not bée wel at ease in this world for before that day it can not be deliuered frō the vanitie of the world so he dooeth too vnderstand that the accomplishment of Chrystes benefits towards his Churche is the ful deliuerance from all euils wherwith is ioyned the perfect fruition of the eternall God with euerlasting ioy These things therfore perteine too the comfort of the godly But as touching the vngodly this day of the Lordes comming shall bée a day of wrathe and sorrowe and not of deliuerance a day of mist and darknesse and not of light a day of moorning and not of mirth a day of destruction and not of saluation And the maner of the iudgement is described in the .25 of Mathew by these words When the sonne of man shal come in his maiestie and all the Angels with him then shall he sit vppon the throne of maiestie and all nations shalbée gathered toogither before him and he shal seperate them a sunder as a shepeherd putteth his shéepe a side from the Gotes and shall set the shéepe on his right hand and the Gotes on his left Then shal the king say too them on his right hand come yée blissed of my Father and possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was hungry and yée gaue mée too eate c. And vntoo them on his left hand he shal say Away from mée yée cursed intoo euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels For I was hungry and yée gaue mée no meat c. And so the vngodly shall go intoo euerlasting punishment but the rightuous intoo euerlasting life And in the Apocalipse 20. chapt Hée shall sit vppon a great white throne at whose looke the heauen and earth shal flée away and the dead both great and small shall stand in the sight of his throne and then shalbée opened the booke of life and the bookes of consciences they shall bée iudged by those things that are written in those bookes according too their woorks They that haue doon good shal go intoo euerlasting life and they that haue doone euill intoo euerlasting fire Now in the sentence of iudgement twoo things are too be considered On Gods behalfe blissing on mennes behalfe good woorks When he sayth come yée blissed of my Father he méeneth that they are fréely saued through Iesus Chryst whom they haue receiued by Faith For in Chryst only are men blissed receiued intoo Gods fauor fréely iustified But when he calleth foorth too good woorks the Lord dooth it not for that they are causes of saluation but for other respectes Namely for that they are witnesses of true fayth the feare of God and moreouer that by setting before them a recompence of the miseries which they abide in this life hée may the more stirre them vp too godly and holy conuersation ¶ Of the seconde WHy Christ forewarned his disciples of his cōming too iudgement he declareth when he sayth When these things begin too come too passe looke vp and lift vppe your heads c. All these things wil put vs in minde of a certaine continuall repentaunce in this life But what doo wée wée sée the last day redy too light in our necks and yet neuerthelesse wée delay too repent and féede our owne fansies What doo noble men What doo princes what doo learned men what doo vnlearned men what doo townes men what doo countrey folke and too bée short what doo in maner al men What is hée that earnestly myndeth this forewarnyng of Christes Wée make more accompt of a ferme in the countrey than of the kyngdome of GOD. Yea rather who is hée that preferreth not the commodities of this life bée they neuer so slender before the
be instructed by the voice of the minister in this entrance of theirs intoo wedlock Thirdly that the Churche may bée a witnesse of the assurance made betwéene them lest they might liue with offence vntoo others as if they were Lemans rather than maryed folkes Fourthly that they may be openly helped with the Prayers of the Churche so as the mariage begoon may turn too Gods glory their owne commoditie and finallye too the edifiyng of the whole Churche by their godly conuersation in holy mariage Now remayneth somewhat too be spoken bréefly concerning the mariage feast wherein it is too bée considered what behooueth too bée there and what too bee away In any wise there must bée vtterly excluded frō Christian mariages first Surfetting secondly Pride thirdly too muche sumptuousnesse fourthly filthie and vnmannerly talke suche as the talke of ribauldlie minstrels is woont too bée and fifthly forslowing of godlinesse namely that they followe not their feasting at suche time as deuine seruice shoulde bée doone in the Church whereby God is displeased the neighbor offended and occasion of falling is giuen too many On the cōtrarie part there must be present first godlinesse secōdly honest mirth thirdly holy talke and fourthly often wishing y e God may prosper this his state with his blissing For as we réede these things were customably vsed too bée doone in the mariages of the saincts and therfore God also hath with his goodnesse furthered such mariages ¶ Of the second NOwe that wée haue noted certein things concerning mariage I wil héereafter adde a few things of mariage finished and confirmed and I wil do but two things First I wil recite the finall causes of mariage And afterward I wil shewe by what vertues the societie of maryed folkes is made swéete and amiable All godly folk know that the finall causes of mariage are foure Whereof the first is mutuall helpe for when Salomon sayeth wo is him that is alone he méeneth that mutuall help and societie is néedful that we may the better and more quietly endure the miseries of this life For this cause may old men marye whose bodies are so withered that they can beget no children The second cause is procreation of children for it is Gods will that mankinde should bée mainteined by this meanes And therfore he sayd to our first parents Encrease and multiply and fulfil the earth The third cause is that euery housholde might bée as a church in which the parents as it were Prophets are adorned with propheticall dignitie too the intent they may instruct their children concerning God and religion and that their children as it were certeine yong impes myght bée watred with continuall doctrine and exhortations so as at length they may grow too bée trées and bring forth the most swéete frute of fayth The .iij. cause is the auoyding of whoredome in this corrupted and depraued nature For thus sayeth Paule for auoiding of fornication let euery mā haue a wife of his own For wedlocke is the remedie ageinst that most filthy sinne of fornication and aduoutrie wherein doo méete togither many and horrible sinnes For first it is a wilfull breaking of Gods law 2. a peruerting of the law of nature 3. a shamefull and foule transgression of ciuill lawes 4. a miry puddle of regeneration 5. a horrible treason for wée are not at our owne libertie but his who hath redéemed vs with his precious blood 6. a dishonoring of the Resurrection For what is more filthy than with most shamefull wickednesse too defile the body which in time too come shall rise ageine to eternall glorie 7. a horrible defiling of the temple of GOD. Corinth 6. Now séeing that so many sinnes méete héere toogither there is no cause why any mā should thinke that God will not punish it with his owne handes But the company of man and wife is made amiable and swéete by these fiue meanes by godlinesse vertue mutuall forbearing mutuall loue and by dutifulnesse performed busily and godlily on bothe sides Godlinesse of right holdeth the chéef place For there is no stable and stedfast frendship vnlesse it haue his beginning from God and therefore must godlinesse néedes shine before the rest For when couples haue determined to obey God al things afterward become more easie Uertue and honest conditions bréede mutuall delight betwéene man and wife For when vertue is exercised it maketh conuersation of liuing more amiable Mutuall forbearing whereby we take in good woorth one anothers conditions and faultes is very néedful For in this weakenesse of nature there happen many scapes which wil bréede strife if they be not couered by mutuall forbearing Mutuall loue hauing his beginning of godlinesse and true vertue maketh vs not too bée too sharpe sighted in looking intoo one anothers faultes But that many things eyther wée marke not or if wée marke them wée couer them with loue For charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes Duetie performed godlily and busily on bothe sides maketh the yoke light and swéet For when man wife marke one another and find like héedfulnesse in their duetie bothe their company is made more pleasant and they are the more stirred vp on both sides too render duetifulnesse that the one may requite the other alike Where these fiue things bée not the company of their life is most bitter or rather more sharpe than death Therefore let the godly couples doo their endeuer y t these vertues may bée séene in their life continually ¶ Of the third HAuing expounded those places that gaue occasion too this miracle now let vs looke vppon the miracle it selfe with the circumstances thereof The circumstances are many as time occasion the request of Chrystes moother and his answer the preparature of the miracle the miracle it selfe the confirmation of the miracle and the vse and frute of the same The time is noted bothe in that it was doone the thirde day after his comming intoo Galilée and in that it was the first of all the miracles that the Lord wrought The time therefore admonisheth vs too way thys miracle with singular héede Foure occasions of this miracle may bée gathered of the text First the mariage it selfe that was kept in Cana. Secondly the bidding of Chrystes moother too the wedding Thirdly the want of wine And fourthly the virgins heart most redy too helpe Therefore vvhen vvine failed the moother of Iesus sayd too hir sonne They haue no vvine Too vvhom Iesus ansvvered vvoman vvhat haue I too doo vvith thee Mine houre is not yet come His mother truely speaketh this either for pitie sake or else too the intēt hir sonne should by some meanes or other help the present necessitie But Chryst answereth his moother somewhat hardly and that for right great causes In this behalfe he voutsaueth hir not the tytle of moother but calles hir simply by the name of woman And moreouer he sayeth vvhat haue I too doo vvith thee mine houre is not yet come The Lord had héer a
in a shadowe signifie that oure passage intoo heauen should bée made by baptisme so the clensing of Naaman the Syrian did prefigurate the spirituall clensing from sinnes too bée made by baptisme For look what baptism figureth outwardly y t doth y e lord work inwardly by his own power Therfore whē we here mēciō made of Iordā let vs cal too mind what it signifieth spiritually cōcerning our baptim The third But Iohn forbade him saying I haue neede too bee baptized of thee and commest thou too mee And Iesus ansvvering sayd vntoo him Let bee novv for so it becommeth vs too the intent vvee may fulfill all rightuousnesse Then hee let him alone In this communication are many pointes too bée considered First concerning Iohns forbidding wherein he put Chryst of both by intreatance and with his hand Uerely Iohn weyed twoo things héedfully in this case but the third he neglected Hée weyed him selfe too bée vnworthie too loose the latchet of Chrystes shooes and therfore muche more too washe his naked body And secondly he weyed that Christ is frée from sinne and therefore he thinketh him too haue no néed of baptisme that hée should bee washed therewith in token of repentance The third thing as I sayd he neglected namely what belonged bothe too his owne office too Chrystes office For hée ought too haue looked vpon his office and not vppon the worthynesse of his person Hée ought too haue bin resolued that Chryste could not attempt any thing that perteyned not too the office of a mediatour And therefore hée heard Chryst say Let be novv for so it becommeth vs to fulfil all rightuousnesse Thou arte sent too baptize and I come too giue saluation too those that are baptized therfore let eche of vs doo that which becommeth him These thrée things therfore we may lerne of Iohn First too acknowledge our selues vnworthie too haue any ministerie committed vntoo vs in the church Secondly too acknowledge that Chryst is hée who alone is able too washe vs from the spottes of sinne And thirdly too obey Christes commaūdement in our vocation notwithstanding our own vnworthinesse but hauing an eye too the Lordes commaundement whiche vrgeth vs too doo our dutie The fourth is And Iesus beeing baptized Héere the eternall sonne of God holy without spot cléere from sinne and higher than the heauēs is baptized But why is hée baptized there may bée mo causes than one alledged For first it was his wil too enter intoo the ministerie of God by baptim as it were by this couenant too shewe that hée is the minister of God Secondly that outward Baptim shoulde bée a figure of his death burial resurrection in whiche respect hée termed his passion by the name of baptim when he answered y e children of Zebedie Mark 10. saying Can yée bée baptized with the Baptim that I am baptized withall Thirdly too leaue the waters halowed for all them that were too bée baptized afterward For the sacraments of the church are not halowed by the office of the préest as it were by magicall inchauntment but the halowing of the Sacramentes is made by the foundaton déed and promises of Chryste and by oure obedience towardes him Fourthly it was his pleasure too be baptized as wée are as a most assured witnesse and pledge of the vnion societie whiche hée vouchsaued too haue w t vs. Whervpon Paule prooueth vs too bée the sonnes of God who haue put on Chryste As many of you sayth hée as are baptized haue put on Christ. Fifthly it was his wil too doo that which he cōmaunded all others too doo according as Augustin sayth He is best too teach commaund which is an example of his own doctrine y e first y t doth the things that he cōmaundeth Fifthly the sequele is too be considered For the things that happened as Christ was baptized and praying are the greatest miracles of al that euer happened at any time First the heauen opened wherby is signified both that the onely way intoo heauen is Chryst whom wée put on in Baptim that heauen abideth shut vp vntoo all men that acknowledge not Chryst the only way vntoo heauen Secondly he saw the spirit of God comming downe in the likenesse of a Dooue sitting vpon him This is a moste swéete image of Christes benefites All wée were ouerwhelmed in the flood of sinne but Christ came as an Ark too vs took vs in too him self saued vs from the flood in witnesse whereof came the Dooue and rested vpon him A figure héerof was the Ark of Noe and the Dooue that he sent foorth which returning brought an Olife braunche in hir mouth in token that the flood was dried vp Euen so the holy ghost appéering héer in the shape of a doue is a witnesse that the flood of sinnes is swalowed vp But sauegard is only in the Ark that is too say Chrystes church wher the holy ghost dwelleth Thirdly a voice was herd frō heauē this is my beloued sonne by whom I am pacified Lo héer wée héere the father of heauen a preacher of the Gospel I pray you what can bée more wonderful What is more too bée amazed at O lamentable blindnesse of men O detestable deafnesse The heauenly Father soundeth his Gospell from heauen and wée blinde wretches sée not heauen wée deafe wretches héere not the voyce of the teacher But what teacheth hée I beséeche you This sayeth he is my beloued sonne Beholde the fathers testimonie of his sonne giue credit too it if thou regarde thy saluation He is his sonne by nature and wée by adoption and grace Therfore calleth he him beloued not for that wée are not beloued but for that wée are beloued in his beloued in whom only he maketh account of vs. He loueth him for his owne sake and vs for his sake For by nature wée are the children of wrath Ephes. 2. but by Chryst wée are adopted his children Whereon it foloweth in the Sermon of God In vvhom I am vvell pleased that is too say by whom I am pacified towarde mankinde and made at one with him agayne Héere are thrée things too bée déepely weyed in mind First that without Chryste God is angry with vs and that is for the sinne wherwith wée offend God Secondly that Chryst is the only reconciliatiō of vs. For he is the propitiation for sinne For y e blood of christ purgeth vs frō al iniquity Thirdly that his fatherly good will attonement is to bée receiued by faith and to be sealed vp by baptim Upon this faith must folow a new obedience and thankfulnesse towards god Behold thou hast héer the summe of al the gospel whervnto we must haue an eye all our lifetime and in the houre of death For there cannot from elsewhere bée taken any substantiall comfort of conscience And thus muche bréefly concerning the declaration of the Gospell ¶ Of the seconde ALthough the vse may easly bée gathered by those things that are
the world is signified the triumph of the Iewes kylling Chryst. For when they had put him too death they thought theÌ„selues and their common weale too bée out of all hazard And when he addeth Your sorovv shall be turned intoo ioy Hée signifieth that he will rise ageyne from death wherby his disciples shall conceiue ioy This selfe same thing declareth he by the similitude of the woman trauaylyng with chylde whoo as long as she is in hir labor féeleth gréeuous throwes but as soone as shée séeeth the child borne she taketh so great ioye that she vtterly forgetteth the paine that shée felt a little before After the same maner the disciples of the Lord felt gret sorow of mynde when the Lord was dead and buried but anon after when the Lord was raised ageyne from death for ioy they forgate the sorow past And this is it that he sayth And I will sée you agein and your hart shal reioyce bicause you shal sée mée raised from death and no man shal take your ioye from you that is to saye I shall die no more that yée should be cast into heauinesse for my death but I shall liue for euer so instruct you by my spirit concerning the knowledge of God that you shall haue no more néed too aske mée any moe questions Thus haue wée playnly séene the méenyng of the Text. And nowe are all these things too bée applyed too the church of all times whiche in this world shall bée vnder the crosse whyle the vngodly reioyce Howebéeit at length when Chryst appéereth it shall obteyne full perfect ioy wherof shal be none end For these thréedays wherin our Lord suffered and rose ageyn are an image of y e crosse of the church and of the ioy of the world that is to say of the vngodly persecuting Chryste and killing him in his membres of the glorious deliueraÌ„ce of the church which shal at y t time be full wheÌ„ our Lord shalle â—ome in the cloudâ— with glorie and great power and shall take vp those that bée his intoo euerlasting ioy and deliuer the vngodly too the diuell too bée tormented with eternall paines For as muche then as this place admonisheth vs of the Crosse of the Churche and of the glorious deliuerance of the same I will first shew what the Crosse is and how diuers next what are the causes of the Crosse Then the difference betwéene the crosse of the Godly and the punishments of the vngodly Also with what minde the Godly may beare the crosse and lastly from whence comfort is too bée sought vnder the Crosse. What is the Crosse It is any affliction whereunto the meÌ„bers of Chrysts Church are subiect in this world wherof there seme to be foure differences For the crosse of a godly person is first either a gréefe of mynd and affliction of body and that for sundry causes as for the receiuing of some losse for the sorowfull mischaunce of some fréend for thirst nakednesse imprisonment or torture as holy Iacob had exceding gréefe of mynde for the losse of his sonne Ioseph Ioseph suffred affliction of body in y e prisoÌ„ Lazarus felt hunger and the peyne of his byles at the richmans gate and many are exercised at this day with sundry troubles and gréefes both of mind and body 2 Or iâ— is a most sharpe fight betwene the fleshe and spirite in the Godly For the fleshe lusteth alwayes ageynst the spirit and now and then getteth the vpper hand séeming to giue the spirit an vtter ouerthrowe as wée sée in Dauid who being ouercome with the concupiscences of the fleshe felt intoo the most heynous offences of murther and aduoutrie and had perished for euer had he not bin called back too repentance and the flesh subdued agein vnder obedience of the spirit Heervpon Paule cryeth out whoo shal deliuer mée from the body of this death The grace of God through Iesus Chryst. 3 Or it is a hardnesse and distresse of vocation in household state ciuil state or ecclesiasticall state that is too say of priuate publik ecclesiastical state How great a crosse euen the godly husbands wiues féele in bringing vp their children and in séeking néedefull things whereby too liue they know that haue had the triall of it Such as beare office as kings noble men counsellors and presidents are not frée from the crosse at least wise if they bée godly So also godly bishops parish préests and the other ministers of the Churches doo oftentimes féele a crosse by reason of the difficultie of their office 4 Or else the crosse is a punishment for some certayne fault Like as there bée many causes of the troubles of the Church of which causes I will now intreate What then are the causes of the crosse of the church Certein causes of the crosse are within vs and certein without vs. Within vs are thrée causes of the crosse whereof the first is sinne inhabiting in vs that is too say originall sinne If this sinne were not brydled it woulde bring foorth damnable frutes The seconde is Concupiscence shooting out of the same as a flame out of fire which flame vnlesse it were quenched with the water of the Crosse woulde kindle the fire of hell The thirde cause is that there bée in vs daylye backslydings which originall sinne procureth by his concupiscences Seuen times in a day sayth Salomon dooth the righteous man fall and riseth ageine These dayly fallings dooth the crosse stay that is layd vpoÌ„ vs by God too the intent wée should not bée damned with the world in our sinnes Besides these there are also causes of the crosse without vs but of an other nature For God of his fatherly goodnesse visiteth vs with his rod. For whomsoeuer hée receyueth him hée chastiseth with none other affection than the good father Agein the diuil lies in wait for the church as wée sée in Iob but God appointeth him bounds beyond which he is not able too raunge Moreouer the limmes of the diuell that is too say tyrants and euill men in this world which trouble the Church in this life Also there bée other causes of the crosse which I will let passe and speake of the difference betwéene the crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly What is the difference then betwéene the Crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly sith wée sée as wel the godly as vngodly striken with gréeuous miseries in this world surely there bée many differences The first difference is taken of the efficient causes For as the affection of the godly procéedeth of the fatherly loue of the heuenly father towards his children so the punishments of the wicked procéede of the wrath and sore displeasure of the iust iudge god who punisheth the wicked as his enemies and aduersaries The second difference is taken of the finall causes for the godly are exercised with the crosse too their good but the vngodly are striken with punishementes too
Chrystes preaching when hée allured both them and all the world too repentance offering grace and euerlasting lyfe too those that repented Of this tyme speaketh the Lord. The fourth Wherby myght the Iewes haue known the tyme of their visitation They had many euident proofes and tokens of it First Chrystes miracles did openly shewe his power If yée beléeue not mée sayth he beléeue my woorkes for they beare witnesse of mée Secondly Daniel foretolde this tyme of visitation in Babylon Thirdly the kingdome of Iuda was remoued according too the Prophesie of Iacob Genesis .48 The scepter shall not bée taken from Iuda vntil Zilo shal come that is too say the séede of the woman which is Chryst the Lord. Fourthly least they should bée offended at Chrystes pouertie they were warned of it béefore by the Prophet Zacharie whoo in his nynthe Chapter sayeth Beholde thy King shall come poore Fifthly Iohns recorde concerning Chryst. Sixthly the voyce of GOD the father ouer Chryste in his baptim and in the Mount These many other things might haue certified the Iewes of Chrystes presence and of the time of their visitation The fifth But therefore knew they not the time of their visitation séeing they were put in mynd of it by so manye signes There were twoo veyles the one fleshly the other spirituall The fleshly veyle was for that béeing masked in the pleasures allurements and cares of the world they could not consider those things that perteyned too their soul health but they thought as is written in the seconde Chapter of the booke of Wysdome Short and full of wéerinesse is the tyme of our lyfe and ther is no ease in the end of man neyther is there any man knowen too haue returned from the deade Come on therfore let vs enioy the pleasures that be present let vs leaue tokens of our mirth euery where for that is our portion After this maner was the rich glutton masked whō some write too haue bin a citizen of Hierusalem So was he also that sayd when he sawe his barnes full of corne Nowe my soule take thy pleasure But what happened too him In the middes of his pleasures he was called awaye too punishment And their spirituall veyle was that whereof Chryste speaketh héere and whereof Paule speaketh in the firste too the Romanes He gaue them ouer intoo a reprobate or froward mind And .2 Thess. 2. He gaue them strong delusiō that they shuld beléeue lyes which wold not obey the truth And this is the rightfull iudgement of God The sixth The punishment for neglecting their visitation which is double Bodily and temporal Ghostly and eternall Untoo the temporall and bodily punishments perteyneth this horrible wasting of the Citie and also all the miseries and mischéeues of mankynd which miseries and mischéeues ought of dutie too put vs in mynd of repentance The seuenth The cause of the delay of the punishment This dooth Paule expound Roma 2. when he sayth that the riches of Gods goodnesse and long sufferance doo prouoke vs too repentance For God is slowe vntoo anger that is too say vntoo vengeance and that is to the entent that wée at length acknowledging our sinnes should mourne for them and flée vntoo Chryst by true fayth ¶ Of the second FOrasmuch as Paule sayeth That all that is wrytten is written for our lerning Let vs sée what is the vse of this Doctrine First therefore let vs that beléeue in Chryst and are the holy Hierusalem of God héer the voice of Christ bewayling our sinnes and let vs lerne how hée is affectioned towardes vs. Also let vs know the tyme of our visitation whom God hath visited woonderfully in this realme Firste with his woord which surely is preached purely in al the Churches of Denmarke Howbéeit bicause wée haue slenderly obeyed his gospell he hath visited vs with warre with famine with pestilence and euery man after a sundry fashion And if wée repent not yea and that betimes he wil visit vs ageine with warre pestilence and famin and at length will vtterly destroy vs. Let vs repent therfore let vs promis amendment let vs embrace Chrystes gospell and too bée short let vs frame our liues after a godly and holy maner that wée may skape in the day of wrath ¶ Of the second ANd hee entered intoo the temple c. In this second part of the Gospell there are foure circumstances chéefly too bée obserued The firste is the wickednesse of the hygh Préestes The Temple of Salomon was ordeyned not too kéepe marts and markets in but for these purposes First that Gods woord should bée taught in it and that the people should come toogither in it and pray according too that which Salomon himselfe sayeth in the Dedication of the Temple Whatsoeuer thy people shall pray in this place that is in this Temple thou shalt héere them in thy dwelling place in heauen and when thou hast herd them thou shalt bée fauorable vntoo thē Besides this it was established by lawe that the Sacrifices should bée slaine hard by the Temple according too the lawe The Pharisies and highe Préestes did all things contrarye héereuntoo For they despised Gods woord they practised heathenish chopping and chaunging yea rather as Chryst saith of Gods temple they made a den of théeues Théeues murther manye too the intent too get their goodes too themselues And the high préestes through their false doctrine and misinterpreting of the scriptures murthered many thousandes of men while they traiterously bereft their soules of euerlasting blisse Héereby it sufficiently appéered howe wicked these highe préestes were ageinst God for they not only despised Gods woorde themselues but also gaue other men occasion too despise it and wilfully too withstand it too their vtter destruction The second is the driuing of the byers and sellers out of the Temple Chryst driueth out the byers and sellers that with outward violence By which déed first he testifieth him selfe too disallowe the vngodlynesse of the Pharisies And secondely he declareth himselfe too bée the true King and highe préest of this people Their king verely in that he setteth his hand too the taking away of vngodlynesse like as Ezechias did when he tooke away the brasen Serpent bicause the people did Idolatrie vntoo it and their high préest in that hée defendeth the true Doctrine and rebuketh the baggage of the Pharisies Moreouer this driuing out was a certeine fatherly warning y t the temple should bée destroyed vnlesse they amēded By this déed he giueth them to vnderstand of the punishmēt whiche all the vngodly shoulde runne intoo that had misused Gods temple namely that Chryst should one day cast them quite out of the Temple Furthermore let bothe parties I say bothe Magistrates and gouernours of Churches learne héereby The one too take away the instruments of wickednesse by force of hand and outward violence And the other too cutte of all Supersticion as much as maye bée with the swoorde of the spirite that is
Lord was bidden too dinner by a certein Pharisie vppon the Sabboth day and that a certeine man diseased of the Dropsie was brought before him he demaunded of those that séemed too themselues too bée wyser than other men whither it were lawfull too heale vppon the Sabboth day And the cause why he put foorth this question was for that as the Pharisies had with their gloses corrupted the other scriptures So also had they defaced the kéeping of the Sabboth Howbéeit forasmuche as the question is concerning the Saboth wée wil set foorth the whole doctrine coÌ„cerning the Saboth and speake of foure things in order First wherfore God ordeined the Sabboth day Secondly what is the right vse of the Iewes Sabboth Thirdly what maner of holy dayes ours ought too bée And fourthly of the true Ceremonies of the Church and of the ends of them Why then did God ordeine the Sabboth day There bée rekâ—ened chéefly fiue causes Of which the first is that it should bée a perpetuall Sacrament or remembraunce of Gods rest after the creation of the world which he made in sixe dayes with all the furniture and contentes therof This cause is alledged in the seconde of Genesis where Moyses sayth that the Lord coÌ„maunded the Saboth day too bée kept holy bicause he rested that day froÌ„ creation The same thing also is declared in the .xx. of Exodus in these woords The seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lord. For in sixe dayes the Lord God made heauen and earth The second cause of the ordeyning of the Sabboth is that it should bée a type and counterfigure of Chrystes Sabboth kéeping For it represented the Sabboth whiche Chryst the true Passeouer and creator of the new Heauen new earth should rest in his graue vpon the Sabboth day and kéep the very Sabboth arighte And therefore hée commaundes the Iewes streightly too kéepe the Sabboth day And by the vnserchable deuise of his wisdome hée ordeyned that Chryste the true Paschall Lamb should bée slaine and put too deathe vppon the very day of the Passeouer and that hée rested the Saboth day folowing in his graue The third cause also why the Saboth was ordeyned was that it should be a pledge of the promisse For God promised his people a Saboth that is too say a rest Esay â–ª the .xiiij. And in that daye when GOD shall giue thée reste from thy laboure and from thy confusion and from thy harde bondage wherein thou didst serue c. The people of GOD looke for thrée kindes of rest The first is from the laboure of the presente troubles in this life The second is from the temptations wherewith oure owne Conscience and the Deuill assaulteth vs. The thirde is from the thraldome of the Deuil so as hée may neuer more bring vs vnder his bondage and hard yoke The fourth cause of the institution of the Sabboth is too the intente there shoulde bée a time certeine for teaching and hearing the woord of GOD or that there shoulde bée a time wherein there might bée an open and common professing of the religion in which the godly might take comfort the ignoraunt bée instructed in godlinesse Esay 58. If thou call a delicate Saboth Then shalt thou delight in the Lord Iob. 22. Then shalt thou delight in the almightie and lift vp thy face vntoo GOD. For the Saboth was not ordeyned too play and drinke in but too pray and praise God in Wherevppon Austin sayeth it is lesse euill too go too plough than too play vpon one of those dayes The fifth cause is for ciuil policie which is commended too Gods people Deut. 5. in these woords Kéep the Saboth day that thy man seruant thy mayd seruant and thy selfe maye rest And afterwarde Thou shalt doo no manner of woorke therein thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and thy mayde seruant thine Oxe and thine Asse and the Straunger that is within thy gate And thus haue wée the true causes and the right vse of the Iewishe Sabboth Now although the Iewish Saboth toogither with other ceremonies of Moyses bée abolished and disanulled so farre foorth as perteyneth too the kéeping of the seuenth day of the wéeke Yet notwithstanding as touching the vse of it it is continuall as a thing ratifyed by the lawe of God and nature For like as God wil be serued and that his woord shal bée preached So nature telleth vs it is vtterlye necessary that there should bée some certeine time appoynted for holy matters Therfore there must néedes bée certaine dayes appoynted for folke too assemble and méet in openly at certein houres that the woord of God may bée taught and learned too the intente all things may bée doone orderlye and after a comely fashion in the Churche according as Paule teacheth the Corinthians Moreouer in oure holydayes twoo things are too bée obserued One is what is to be eschued Another is what is to bée doone Thrée things are too bée eschued The firste is outward labour And that too the intent the minde maye wholly intend too Gods seruice that is too say that it may wholly intend too heare Gods woord too learne it and too consider vppon it And therefore it is the Magistrates duetie too prouide that the seruice of God be not hindered at such times by bodily laboures Howbeit héere it is too bée knowne that there bée foure exceptions which excuse those that laboure at suche a time The first is necessarie For our Lord himselfe excuseth his Disciples for plucking the eares of corne vppon the seuenth day as sayth Mathew in the twelfth Chapter The seconde is the profite of the Church like as the préests did all things vpon the Saboth day which séemed néedfull in the Churche without trouble of conscience for the Saboth The third is the profit and sauegard of our neighbor wherfore our Lord also healed the man that had the dropsie vpon the Saboth day The fourth is the aucthoritie of the superiors too whom wée must bée obedient But let the superiors take héede that they offend not him which is their superior while they hold their inferiors too streight The second thing that is too bée eschued is voluptuous lyfe toogither with all the woorkes of darknesse which fight full ageinst kéeping holy the Saboth day Thirdly thou must eschue the contempt of godly ceremonies soothly least eyther by absenting thy selfe or by despising the holy Ceremonies thou giue others example too become woorse Thus haue we what things are too bée eschued in our holydayes Now let vs sée what is too bée doone in them First therefore in as much as the Iewes were occupied in killing sacrifices and in offering Let vs also slea the sacrifices of our owne bodies and offer the Calues of our lippes Let vs earnestly repent let vs glorifie God with hart mouth confession and behauiour let vs offer the incence of our hart that is too wit faith and hope let vs offer the sacrifice of well doing
sted shall put too his hand too the healing of vs. The third is too reproue the Pharisies by this saying who iudged not aright either of his person or of his office For alwayes there be some y t séeke too picke quarels too the woorks of God Which thing warneth vs that wée should not bée the lesse diligent in dooing our duetie The fourth is that taking hold of this occasion he might instruct vs more fully concerning his owne person his loue towardes men and his office for which he was sent intoo the world by his father Now let vs wey our Lords woords for he sayth too y e Palsieman Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiuen thee These bée the woords of the sonne of God wherfore they are to be weyed aduisedly This woord sonne is to be set ageinst despair which this present disease wold haue persuaded him vntoo This saying bee of good cheere is to be set ageinst the cursse which euil conscience weÌ„t about to persuade y e wretch in Thy sinnes sayth he Héer grace surmounteth farre aboue sinne This saying are forgiuen is to be set ageinst y e dreame of satisfaction of merites of rightuousnesse that coÌ„meth by the â—awe Thy sinnes sayth he are forgiuen thée In so saying he applieth the benefite of his grace too the poore wretch Thus haue wée héere the Doctrine of saluation remission of sinnes iustification and adoption For these benefites sticke linked togither so fast continually that they cannot bée plucked asunder He requireth faith to him that beleueth he forgiueth his sâ—nnes whom he hath absolued froÌ„ his sinne him he adopteth too his sonne accepteth him as rightuous and whoÌ„ he hath iustified him also will he glorifie by bestowing euerlasting blisse vpon him neither is ther any other way of obteyning saluation than y â— which is set out vntoo vs in this exaÌ„ple The palsiemaÌ„ dooth .iij. things He acknowledgeth his sin he acknowlegeth himself to be iustly punished for his sin he putteth his trust in the sonne of God Agein Chryst doth iij. things He releaseth sin he adopteth him to be his sonne accepteth him too eternal life Folow y u this exaÌ„ple Acknowledge thy sin in good ernest acknowlege gods iust iudgemeÌ„t and beléeue in the sonne and thou shalt féele sensibly that Chryst will bestow his benefites vppon thée Let this suffise to bée spoken concerning the first doctrine of this Gospel and now foloweth the second ¶ Of the second ANd beholde some of the Scribes saide vvithin them selues This man blasphemeth And vvhen he savv the thoughtes of them he saide vvhy thinke you euill in your hartes Héere the grudging of the Scribes and Chrysts answere doâ— shew in what sort the kingdome of Chryst and the kingdome of Sathan méete one ageinst another Wée haue héere two things of which the one is the accusation of the Scribes accusing Chryst and the other is Chrystes most rightfull defence The accusation of the Scribes was this This man is a blasphemer Wherfore bicause he taketh vppon him too forgiue sinnes which perteyneth onely vntoo God For according too the phrase of the scripture Blasphemie is too attribute that thing vnto a creature which is proper or peculiare vntoo God Now too forgiue sinne is propre vntoo God â–ª which thing is assured by the testimonie of Esay where the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet sayth I am I am he that wipeth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and I will no more remember thy sinnes Héervppon they thinke they may conclude as by an infallible consequent y t Chryst is a blasphemer after this manner Whosoeuer taketh vppon him that which is peculiare vntoo God is a blasphemer This Iesus taketh vppon him that which is peculiare vnto God Ergo this Iesus is a blasphemer And vndoubtedly it had bin a true argument if Christ had bin like the Scribes that is too wit if he had bin mere man and not God also Sée I pray you how much our Papistes and Monkes are worse than the Scribes The Scribes were taught by the wordâ— of God to defend this proposition No man caÌ„ forgiue sinnes but onely God But the Papistes attribute forgiuenesse of sinnes too the merites of saincts too Masses and too pardons which things they deale not fréely but fel them very déerely Surely a wonderful kinde of chapmen They sel that which they haue not they sell men the smoke of woords take ready Golde for it They promisse their chapmen Heauen and deliuer them Hell But what shall wée saye of the ministers of Gods woord Doo they forgiue sinne They forgiue not of themselues but they pronounce forgiuenesse of sinnes too all that they finde like this man that was sicke of the Palsie They giue not ought of their owne But they offer another mannes by the commaundemente of Chryste For they offer forgiuenesse of sinnes by the voyce of the Gospell As many as receyue this voyce by fayth doo out of all doubte receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes For Chryst sayeth hée that héereth you héereth mée But what sayth Chryst too this accusation VVhen he savv their thoughtes hee sayde vvhy thinke yee euyl in your harts vvhyther is it easier too say thy sinnes are forgiuen thee or too say arise and vvalke Héere Chryst dooth thrée things First hée sawe the thoughtes of them whiche is the propertie of God onely Whereupon the Scribes ought too haue thought that Chryste was more than mere man For no man is able too sée the thoughts of another man For onely the spirit of God searcheth the depth of mennes hartes Secondly hée blameth them vvhy doo yee thinke euill in your hartes As if hée had sayde yée sinne in thinking amisse of mée By this wée may note â–ª that euil thoughtes are sinnes â–ª Thirdly by visible signe he confirmeth his hidden Godhead As if he had sayd you say that hée that taketh vppon him that whiche is peculiar vntoo GOD alone is a blasphemer for hée hurteth Gods name and fame Uerely I confesse this too bée true But in that yée beléeue not mée too bée GOD you doo amisse Wherfore you are blasphemers and not I. And nowe that I may shew and proue my self too be very God I heale this Palsie man with a becke onely whiche surely is peculiar too the power of the Godhead If I can doo this by my diuine power why shoulde I not also forgiue sinne Who can vtterly take awaye a disease but hée that taketh away the cause of the disease Nowe you sée with your owne eyes that I take awaye the disease and why beléeue you not that I am able too take awaye the cause of the disease also which is sinne Thus Chryst appealeth too his owne dooings whiche beare recorde of him For thus sayeth hee in Iohn If yée beléeue not mée beléeue my woorks which bear witnesse of mée Of this seconde doctrine therefore wée maye learne thrée things Firste that there is continuall battaile betwéene the kingdome of
bothe eternal and present punishment Héer had hée bin forâ—â—â— for sorowe if hée had not herd the comforte of the Prophete in Gods roume Thou shalt not die the Lorde hath taken away thy sinne At the hearing of this comforte fayth kindled in him wherby taking holde vpon the releasement began too beholde the mercie of God and rested vpon the mediatour Wée haue hearde a late a moste goodlye example in the Publicane whoo in suche wise acknowledged the greatnesse of his det that hée durst not so muche as lift vp his eyes And yet hauing bearde of the greatnesse of Gods mercie hée rayseth himselfe by faith and prayeth O God bée mercifull too mée a sinner And so hée obteyned a frée discharge of y e whole dette Let vs set before vs these exaÌ„ples which playnly shew vs the doctrine of repentance and fogiuenesse of sinnes That forgiuenesse of sinnes is the frée releasement of the dette which happeneth too him that repenteth and fléeth too Gods mercie for Chrysts sake And although this release bée vtterly frée as in respect of our selues yeâ— if wée looke vppon Chryst who for our sinnes suffered dreadfull punishment there is made satisfaction too God for our det Let vs therfore marke wel this woord releasement which of itselfe alone conteyneth in it right manyfolde Doctrine First it ouerthroweth the Moonkish doctrine of satisfaction For if saluation befall men through releasement of the dette according too the Gospell what a madnesse is it too say that saluation happeneth for satisfaction of the det for releasemeÌ„t and payment doo so fight one ageynst an other that they can innâ— wise stand both in one respecte Secondly it ouerthroweth all merites of men For howe 〈◊〉 that bée of merite which is of frée gift Paul sayth openly Unto him that woorketh rewards is giuen not of fauour but of duetie but vntoo him that woorketh not but beléeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is imputed too him for rightuousnesse â–ª According wherewitâ— Dauid also sayth Blissed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Thirdly the woord of releasment ouerthroweth satisfaction which the Papists teach â–ª whiche satisfaction muste bée made as they beare men in hand by pilgrimages fastings almes déedes Also it quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For if the det bée released why is the detter punished Lastly this woord releasement openeth vntoo wretched sinners the gate of grace in the conflict of death it is the hauen of saluation and it is the welspring of al comfort And thus much concerning the first place ¶ Of the second BIcause this text coÌ„cerning the parable of the creditor sheweth how gret gods loue mercy are toward mankind â–ª I will speake somewhat therof The mercy of God is of twoo sortes The one is vniuersall wherthrough he suffereth the sunne too rise vppon the good and bad and the other is particuler wherewith as a most déere father he embraceth the Churche of his sonne Of which Christ speaketh in the third of Iohn So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Our heauenly father could not by any greater recorde haue declared his mercy towards vs than in giuing his sonne who might by his death redéeme â—â— from deserued damnation and giue vs euerlasting life Therefore as ofte as wée héere Gods mercy named let vs thinke thâ—â—â— things First let vs thinke how great the miserie of mankinde is before he bée receyued intoo fauoure Mankinde lieth vnder foote and wounded by the Diuell with whose venime being moreouer poysâ—â—ed he breatheth nothing but sin for which he is subiect too eternall paines 2. The causes of this miserie are too bée thought vppon which are partly the sinnes of our first parents and also our owne filthinesse For although that by the fall of them wée hée bound vntoo the sentence of damnation yet notwithstanding by our owne 〈…〉 from day too day we are bouÌ„d too sorer punishments 3 The louingnesse of God and his gentlenesse toowards mankinde is too bée thought vpon For the louing kindnesse sayth Paule and the gentlenesse of God our Sauiour appéered vntoo all men What greater louing kindnesse could there 〈◊〉 than that he hath not cast vs away for so great shamefulnesse and filth 4. Is too bée thought vppon the raunsome that is too wit the Sacrifice of the sonne whereby mannes misery is reléeued and sinne abolished Him that knewe no sinne he made 〈◊〉 that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 5 Is too bée thought vpon the way by which wée may come too the possession of Gods mercy That way is shewed in the first place and is none other than true repentance 6 Is too bée thought how far foorth Gods mercy stretcheth that it is not belonging too a fewe or too the men of one age but indifferently too all that feare him For the holie virgin béeing taught by the spirit of Chryst whom shée had conceyued by the holy Ghost singeth in this wise Gods mercie is from generation too generation too them that feare him that is too all that repent 7 Is too bée thought vppon continuall thankfulnesse in all the whole life that wée may glorifie GOD for his so greate mercie with hart mouth profession and behauiour 8 Wée must thinke howe wée may bée héedfull in framing our whole life that wée lose not so greate a benefite through our owne fault as this detter did ¶ Of the thirde THe third thing that I purposed vpon is of mutuall forgiuing eche others skapes that are woonte too happen For this goeth iointly with beléefe of forgiuenesse of sins Nowe there are twoo things y t go ioyntlye with beléefe of remission of sinnes Namely Grace Gifte Grace is the very Iustification it selfe whereby Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too them that beléeue and their sinnes cléerely are forgyuen Of this wée haue spoken in the firste place Gifte is the very bestowing of the holy Ghost wherthrough a man that is iustified by faith only is toogither therwithal regenerated and sanctified that is too say is mortified in the fleshe and quickened in the spirit The flesh is mortified when the custome of sinning is abolished and the spirite is quickened when wée begin to performe new obedience vnto God A certeine parcell of this quickening is mutuall forgiuing wherby eche of vs forgiue other their misdéedes and displeasures Howe necessarie this forgiuenesse is this dayes Gospel sheweth most euidently as I sayd at the entrance intoo it Chryst hath commaunded vs too pray forgiue vs our dets as wée forgiue our detters For Christ wil haue vs too folow his fathers exaÌ„ple How bée it there are twoo kindes of men that offende vs. Some as soone as they perceiue themselues too haue offended doo by and by in humble wise desire forgiuenesse But as touching those that procéed too offend
of GOD. Blissed are they vvhyche suffer persecution for ryghtuousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen Blissed are ye vvhen men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsly say all maner of euyll sayings ageynst you for my sake reioyce bee glad for great is your revvard in Heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets vvhiche vvere before you The exposition of the Text. FEastes of Sainctes were appoynted in the Churche not without right weighty causes which I wil reherse in order that we may vse the feastes of Sainctes too our owne behoofe The first cause is that the Storie of the Church may bée knowen for that is excéeding profitable For thereby wée vnderstand both the state of the Church and also what defenders what enimies the church hath had The second is that Gods benefits towards the membres of his Church may bée thought vppon Paule of a persecuter became an Apostle Peter for all that he had denied his master was receyued intoo fauor ageyne Mary Magdalen the sinner was accepted for a daughter whyle she stayed vppon Chryst by fayth At the very poynt of death Chryst offered himself too be séene of Steuen And so in euery of the Saincts are seuerall benefits of God to bée séene The third is that hauing considered these benefits of God towards the Saincts wée should giue God thanks for that he was so merciful to wretched sinners turning themselues too the Lord by true repentance as to receiue them intoo fauor and too garnish them with so many benefits and to hold them vp with his spirit in this wildernesse The fourth is that the sundry casualties of the Sainctes should be weyed and compared with the perils of our times As the godly were oppressed by the vngodly in old time So are they at this day In times past the Sainctes reioyced vnder godly gouernours and now and then ageine were faine too féele the hard yoke of Tyrantes and so doo they in these dayes also In these variable chaunces wée must harten our selues with the examples of the Sainctes The fifth is that wée should folowe the Sainctes in pacience in lyfe in seruing God in profession in stedfastnesse and in other vertues The Sainctes therefore must bée as it were examples and rules too lead our life by Gods woord requireth repentance woorshipping of God confession and pacience And the Sainctes minister vntoo vs examples of the same The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the company of the Sainctes too the intent that being at length deliuered from these distresses wée may liue blissedly for euermore with Chryst. In consideration wherof Chryst auoucheth his disciples to be blissed although they bée afflicted with sundry miseryes in this lyfe And to this purpose perteyneth this dayes Gospell concerning sundry blissednesses according as wée shal héere anon Therfore let vs declare euery blissednesse seuerally by it selfe There is but one poynt ¶ Of the blissednesse of Christs Disciples BLissed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 〈…〉 of this place is that there is no cause why they should thinke them selues vnhappie that from the bottome of their harte féel themselues in very déed too be voyd of all rightuousnesse sith this selfe same féeling of a mannes own poorenesse is the first step wherby hée mounteth vp too the chéef riches that is too saye too the kingdome of Heauen not by it selfe and of it owne nature but bicause it compelleth vs too séeke him who is the onely way intoo Heauen What manner a thing spirituall or ghostly pouertie is it may bée the easlier vnderstood by a comparison For like as the poorenesse of beggerie is not onely extréeme néedinesse but also the open profession of the same so the poorenesse of spirite is not onely the vttermoste want of heauenly riches that is too wit of rightuousnesse holinesse and innocencie but also the profession of the same want before God of whō wée desire reléefe of oure néedinesse for Chrystes sake This poorenesse then consisteth in true repentance and in crauing the riches of Heauen The Moonkes abused this place For out of it they taught that by pouertie that is too say by beggerie men merited the kingdome of heauen whereas Paule in the sixth too the Romaines sayeth plainely Eternall life is Gods gift through Iesus Chryste our Lorde If it bée a frée gifte surely it is not purchased with pouertie whiche doutlesse deserueth nothing of it owne nature but is a punishement the cause whereof is partly wastefulnesse partly slouth partly the penaltie of some sinne and partly tryalles sake as was the beggerie of Lazarus Blissed are those that mourne for they shall receyue comfort This is a woonderful Sermon He auoucheth the mourners too bée blissed whereas nothing is more ageinst blissednesse than mourning But Chrystes saying is too bée vnderstoode of the successe of the mourning and not of the time of mourning For thus sayth he bicause they shall receiue comforte that is when their mourning is at ende in this world This mourning procéedeth partly of the poornesse of spirit partly of the miseries of this present life which doo as it wer with a certeine fire boile vs trie vs as it were w t spurres quicken vs vp too craue the endlesse ioy whiche shall wipe away all teares Then is not mourning of it selfe the cause of blisfulnesse but bicause it driueth vs vnto Christ who is the author of all comfort Héervntoo therfore maketh that saying of Paule wée reioyce in tribulations bicause they woork pacience pacience trial trial hope and hope is not confounded bicause god loueth vs. Héerby it may bée easly perceiued that Chryste speaketh not of euery kinde of mourning but of the mourning y t is according to God not according to y e world Blissed are the meke for they shall receyue the inheritance of the earth The méeke are peaceable milde gentle curteous such as bridle their affections such as are easie too be entreated to forgiue wrong when they are misused and such as had leuer lose a thing than to stand in contention for it This vertue of méeknesse springeth of the true feare of God of true lowlinesse the which Chryst commendeth to those y t are his saying lerne of mée bicause I am méeke lowly of hart It is a rule y t Chrysts Disciples must be méeke The exāple of the rule is Chryst. For hée wil that we looke vpon him when we mind this vertue The Lord sayth not lerne of mée too rayse the dead to chase away diuels to walk drishod vpon the sea to fast .xl. dayes .xl. nights without sustenance but he sayth lerne of mée for I am méeke and lowly of hart This lowlynesse hathe with it brotherly louingnesse whereof the Lorde sayth By this shall all men knowe yée too be my Disciples if yée loue one another But what is promised too the méeke Blissednesse and that is for the
sequele therof For they shall possesse the earth by right of inheritance not for that we shal liue vppon the earth but figuratiuely For the land that was promised in old time vntoo the Fathers was a figure and representation of the heauenly kingdome and therfore the very thing it selfe is called by the name of the shadowe of it They that abuse this place too stablish the doctrine of merits as though wée could earne heauen by our owne power are fooles and vnderstand not Chrysts woords He saith they shall possesse the earth by right of inheritance Wher is that right of inheritance Are wée not therfore heires bicause we are fréely adopted in Chryst by faith Doth not Paul say Eternal life is gods gift through Iesus Chryst our Lord It is another matter too speake of the causes of saluation and too speake of the new qualities of thē y t are heirs of y e saluation Blissed are those that hunger and thirst after rightuousnesse for they shall bee satisfied Christen folke in this life shal neuer draw so much water out of the fountaynes of saluation but that they shal bée more thirstie than before Wherfore héer the Lord comforteth them promising that the time shal come that they shal bée satisfied for the which satisfying and suffizance they shall professe themselues happy Whosoeuer hungreth and thirsteth after rightuousnesse wisheth two things First that God may bée openly glorified by right doctrine holy life and profession And secondly that ech man priuatly should acknowledge God conceiue faith in Chryst bée filled with the holy Ghost and mind gods rightuousnesse in holy and pure life Of this filling speaketh Dauid sayth it shall then bée when his glory shall appéere For there as it is in the Apocalips the Saincts shall neither hunger nor thirst any more Blyssed are the mercyfull for they shall obteyne mercye Héere is commended vntoo vs mercy towardes those that bée in miserie For Chryst will haue his Disciples not only too bée touched with their owne misfortunes but also too rue other folkes miseries Which thing vndoutedly is the duetie of true charitie Neyther dooth Chryst require only that wée should bée sorye with other men for their harmes and miseries But he requireth our déede therewithall Hys wyll is that wée should put too our helping hand And least they might bée discouraged with the vnthankefulnesse of men he addeth a promise For he promiseth that he which is mercifull too his neighbour shall obteyne mercy ageyne and that not only with God but also among men God promiseth mercy too the mercifull and bringeth too passe also that wée finde mercy among men while he boweth their mindes too doo vs good Blissed bee the pure in hart for they shall see God Cleannesse of hart is héer commended vnto vs which is set ageinst two very great vices craftinesse and lustfulnesse When it is set ageinst craftinesse it is a simple or single good mening wherby we deale with men vnfeinedly and plainly without crooked fetches too deceiue them This saying of Chryst therfore is quite ageinst the iudgement of most men For a numbre thinke themselues then happy then when they can craftely compasse men and wind them in too deceyue them In respect whereof they hunt bothe for the commendation of wisedome and for gayne and also gape for the fauor of great men Notwithstanding Chryst will not haue his Disciples doo so but rather that they should be contented with a simple well mening so as their hart hand and tongue may séeme al too agrée throughly at one Too these dooth he promisse that they shall sée God in the sight of God consisteth the highest blisse But whē cleannesse of hart is set ageinst lustfulnesse it is the very true chastitie whiche Paule calleth holynesse when he saith Performe holinesse without the which no mā shal sée God For like as God abhorreth lustes so he is excéedingly delighted in the chastitie of the faithfull Blissed are the peace-makers for they shall bee called the children of God Héere Christ commendeth too his Disciples a great vertue and a rare Peacemakers and those that endeuour too make and mainteine peace and quietnesse These bicause they haue a contrary desire too the children of Sathan shal bée called the children of God as who after the example of God their father are authors of peace quietnesse and do helpe delight many with this their séeking of peace For like as precious balme filleth all the whole house with his swéete sent so one man that is a séeker of peace is able too bring too agréement a great companie that is at oddes And therfore not without cause dooth Dauid commend the desire of concorde and peace singing thus Beholde how good and pleasant a thing it is for brothers too dwell in vnitie As the excellent oyntment that runneth downe from the head vppon the beard euen vppon the beard of Aaron and droppeth downe by the skirtes of his garmentes As the dew of Hermon that falleth vppon the mountayns For as the dew maketh the ground fat through the blissing of y e Lorde so whersoeuer there bée many peacemakers there are fruitefull and happie common weales Churches and householdes Contrarywise where as is not the loue of peace there is scorchyng and droughte that is too say extréeme miserie and wretchednesse Blissed are they that suffer persecution for rightuousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Bicause the stumbling blocke of persecution dooth moste shake the mindes of the weake he dooth in very good season put his Disciples in mynde of the Crosse too the intent they shoulde not bée dismayde with the sharpnesse of persecutions and so renounce their profession but rather looke wisely vpon the kingdome of heauen which is set before them the desire of atteinement whereof might make them striue more earnestly too enter intoo it by many tribulations Therfore let vs folow the example of those that runne in a race who alwayes haue an eye too the prise that is appoynted by the mayster of the gaming and so runne foorth chéerfully till they come too their races end So will Chryste haue his too do he will haue no loytering but vnwéeryable endeuer of running tyll they come too the end of their race which is the kingdom of heauē Ageine wheras Chryst nameth but one cause of persecution namely Rightuousnesse his méening is that wée shoulde so order our life that wée bée not compelled too suffer for our owne fault or for our owne misdéedes For then should persecution bée a iust punishment and not a testimonie of the defence of rightuousnesse and truth And Peter admonisheth vs that wée should not suffer as euill dooers but as well dooers and that after the example of Chryste the Prophets Apostles and many Martyrs Blissed are you vvhen men reuyle you and persecute you and falsly reporte all maner of euill sayings ageynst you for my sake He expoundeth what it is too suffer persecution for