conscience and cursse Of the second BEhold thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus This is the declaration of the message the sense whereof is this I by Gods commaundement doo bring thée woord that shortly thou shalt be a moother beare a sonne whom thou shalt name Iesus Undoutedly héere the most chast virgin thought vppon the promised séede She héere 's it told hir on Gods behalfe that she shal bear a sonne whom she is willed too name Iesus this name Iesus which signifieth a Sauiour she tooke too bée set ageinst the cursse and death intoo which our first parents were falne for their transgression This name is woont too bée expounded more at large vpon the day of the Circumcision wherfore as now I passe on too the rest He shall bee great sayth the Angel Great in déede as who is the son of the highest Great in déede as who should ouercome Sathan Great in déede as who should giue the greatest things Great in déede as whose kingdome is euerlasting The Lord God saith he shall giue him the seat of Dauid his father and he shal reigne in Iacobs house for euer and of his kingdome there shall bee none end If wée marke this description wée shall finde foure things too bée spoken héere concerning Chryst. For first he sheweth his true manhoode when he sayth that he shall bée borne of the virgin Ageine he suppresseth not his Godhead for he saith he shall bée called the sonne of the highest The sonne of the highest is of al one nature with the highest Thirdly whē he addeth he shall bee great he signifieth the vnion in person For although he bée God and man yet is he one person and not two In the fourth place is noted his office that he is a Sauioure and a king that shal reign for euer How could it be said of Christ that he should haue the seat of Dauid his father when as he himselfe sayth My kingdome is not of this world according also as the sequele hath declared and that Dauids kingdome was a ciuill gouernement in Iewrie Dauid hild but the shadowe of the kingdome but this his sonne possesseth the very kingdome it selfe Dauids kingdome was a figure and shadowe of Chrystes kingdome and therefore both are called one kingdome bicause Dauid was the shadowe and Chrystes was the very kingdome it selfe Besides this it is the manner of the Scripture too peint out heauenly things by outward images too the intent the comparison may help our weaknesse ¶ Of the fifth ANd Mary sayd too the Angel hovv shal this come to passe seeing I knovve no man As if shée should say how can I bée made with childe bodily as thou sayst séeing I haue not as yet companyed with man The most chaste virgin knew it was an order established by God that men should bée conceyued of the séed of man and woman Neither had shée séene or herd of any example too the contrary since the creation of our first parents And therfore folowing the iudgement and experience of hir reasō in the order that God had stablished shée demaunded How may this bée séeing I know no man shall this conception come by some straunge maner And the Angell ansvvering sayde vntoo hir The holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the povver of the highest shall ouershadovve thee And therfore that vvhich shall bee borne of thee shall be called holie the sonne of God Héere the Angell sheweth the manner of the Conception and remoueth the cause of the Conception from nature vntoo GOD the maker of nature As if hée had sayd Thou shalt not conceiue of mannes séed but of thy séede alone shalt thou beare a Sonne and that by the operation not of nature but of grace For the holy ghost by his heauenly power shall cause a very manchilde too bée conceyued of thy séed alone Héerupon sayth Austin By the grace of God or the power of God and the woorking of the holy Ghost was that thing which is vnited too the woord taken of the virgins flesh and that for this cause that if it had bin conceyued of the seede of man it had bin vncleane as all the rest are that come of Adam And that which is of y e fleshe is flesh vntruthe and vanitie Iohn 2. Nowe it behoued that by Chryst should bée brought in grace and truthe Therfore hée could not bée begotten by man but it behoued that thing too be done by some secrete power of God too the intent that béeing cléere from all sinne and holy he might also make vs pure and holie by becomming an holie vnspotted sacrifise too his Father Ageine hée was conceyued of the holy Ghost too the intente wée might knowe that whatsoeuer the sonne speaketh is the moste assured wil of the father For the holy Ghost is the substātial loue of the father and the sonne Furthermore bicause the holy Ghoste is the spirit of sanctification and purging For he of that blud which he had made pure framed the body of Chryste that it might bée cleane and frée from all sinne as is sayd afore also These were and are the causes why it was not séemely for Chryst too bée begotten of the séed of man but by the operation of the holy Ghost alone And thereof dooth the Angel giue an incling when he sayth and therfore that holy thing that is borne of thée shalbée called the sonne of God Now although y e blissed virgin gaue credit too these words of the Angel yet notw tstanding too the intent hir faith might bée the better confirmed hée addeth a signe wherby shée is assured And beholde sayth hée thy cousin Elisabeth also hathe conceyued a Sonne in hir olde age and this is the sixth moneth too hir that is called barein As if he had said thou reasonest w t thy selfe that it is ageinst the law of nature the order established by God that thou shouldest cōceiue and bée stil a virgin bear a child and continue stil a virgin But I wil shew thée another thing which is also ageinst the order of nature Thy cousin Elizabeth is barrein both by nature by reason of yéeres By nature surely bicause shée hath liued so many yéeres with a husband and neuer had child in so muche that too hir reproche shée is called barreine By reason of yéeres for that shée is now past the yéeres of childbearing although shée had bin neuer so frutefull in times paste notwithstanding this is the sixth month since shée cōceyued such is Gods ordinance and will Wherefore confirme thy selfe with this signe and assure thy selfe it shall come too passe in déede that thou shalt beare a Childe also Sée héere the custome of God who neuer dealeth with mā by his bare woord but alwayes addeth some outward signe too the intent he may apply him selfe the more too our weaknesse while he offereth his will too our mind by his woord as it were visibly too
aske importunately that he should doo as hee had alwayes doone vnto them Therefore as they were clustered togither Pylate answered vnto them Yee haue a custome that I should let one loose vnto you at Easter therefore whither wil you that I let go vnto you Barrabas or Iesus that king of the Iewes whiche is called Christe For he knewe that the cheefe Preestes had deliuered him for enuie Now as he was sitting in the place of iudgement his wife sent vnto him saying Haue thou nothing too doo with that rightuous man for I haue suffered many things for him this night in my sleep But the cheefe of the preests the elders stirred the people persuading them too desire too haue Barrabas let loose to them too haue Iesus put too death The president answering sayd vntoo them which of the two wil yee that I let loose vntoo you And all the whole multitude cried out toogither saying Away with this man and let looce too vs Barrabas And Pilate spake too them agein and being desirous too haue let go Iesus sayd What wil yee then that I doo vntoo Iesus whome you call King of the Iewes And they all cryed ageine crucifie him crucifie him Thē sayd he too them the third time VVhat euil hath he doone I finde no fault in him woorthy death I will therefore chastise him and let him go But they cried out the more saying Let him bee crucified And they cryed importunately vpon him requiring that he might bee crucified And the noyse of them and of the high Preests preuayled Then Pilate tooke Iesus and whipped him And the presidentes men of warre caryed him away intoo the Palace whiche is the Counsel house and called vntoo him all their band and vnclothing him put vpon him a purple garment and platting a crowne of thorne set it vppon his head and gaue him a reede in his right hande and bowing their knees before him began to salute him in mockage saying Hayle king of the lewes And they buffetted him And when they had beespitted him they tooke the Reede and smote him on the head and kneeling downe woorshipped him Pilate therfore went foorth ageine and sayd vntoo them Beholde I bring him out vntoo you that you may knowe I finde no cause in him Iesus therefore went foorth wearing a crowne of thorne and a robe of purple And Pylate sayde too thē Beholde the man VVhen the high preests and officers saw him they cried out saying crucifie him crucifie him Pilate sayd vntoo them Take you him and crucifie him For I finde no cause in him The Iewes answered him we haue a law and according too our lawe he ought too die bicause he hath made him self the sonne of God VVhen Pilate had heard this saying he was more afrayd And he entred againe intoo the common Hall and sayd vnto Iesus From whence art thou But Iesus made him none ansvvere Then sayde Pilate too him speakest thou not too mee Knovvest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and that I haue power too let thee go Iesus ansvvered Thou shouldst not haue any povver against mee vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue Therefore he that deliuered mee vntoo thee hath the greater sinne From that time foorth sought Pilate to acquit him But the Iewes cryed out saying If thou quit him thou art not Caesars freend For vvhoo so euer maketh him selfe a King is ageinst Caesar. VVhen Pilate herd that vvoord he brought Iesus foorth and sate dovvn too giue iudgement in a place whiche is called Lithostrotos and in Hebrew Gabbata And it was about the sixt hour of the day of the preparation of the passeouer And he sayd to the Iewes Behold your king And they cried away with him away with him crucifie him Pilate sayd vntoo them Shall I crucifie your King The high Preestes answered we haue no King but Caesar. Then Pilate seeing hee auayled nothing but that the noyse encreased more willing too satisfie the people adiudged him too bee dealt with according too their demaunde And taking water hee washed his hands before the people saying I am giltlesse of the blud of this righteous person Looke you too it And all the people answering sayd his bloud be vppon vs and vppon our children And he let loose Barrabas vntoo them whoo for insurrection murder had bin cast in prison according to their demaund And hauing whipped and mocked Iesus he deliuered him intoo their hands too be crucified The souldyers taking Iesus put of his purple garment and put vpon him his owne garments and led him away bearing his owne crosse to be crucified And as they were going out they found one passing by a man of Cyrene named Simon cōming from his ground the father of Rufus Alexander Him they layde holde vpon and compelled him to take vp his crosse And they layd the crosse vpon him that hee might carye it after Iesus And there followed him a greate multitude of people and women that wept and bewayled him Iesus turning him to the women sayd vnto them Yee daughters of Hierusalem weepe not for mee but weepe for youre selues and for your children For behold the dayes shal come in which they shall say blessed be the barreyn and the wombes that haue borne no children and the brests that haue not giuen suck Then shal they begin too say too the mountayns fall vpon vs and to the hilles couer vs. For if they doo these things in a greene tree what shall bee doone in the withered And there were two other also led with him that were offenders to be put to death And they led him to a place whiche in Hebrewe is called Golgatha whiche is by interpretation a place of dead mens skulles And there they gaue him eyzle or mirrhe wine mixt with gall too drinke And when he had tasted of it hee would not drinke And they crucified him in Golgatha and with him twoo theeues one on his right hand and another on his left and Iesus in the midst And the scripture was fulfilled whiche saith and he was acounted among the wicked And it was the third houre when they crucified him And Iesus sayd Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doo Moreouer Pylate wrate a title cōteyning the cause of his death and they set it vpon the crosse ouer the head of Iesus the wryting was this Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes This title did many of the Iewes read bicause the place where Iesus was crucified was neere vnto the Citie And it was written in Hebrue Greek and Latin letters Then sayd the highe Preests of the Iewes vnto Pylate write not king of the Iewes but that hee sayde I am king of the Iewes Pylate answered That whiche I haue written I haue written Then when the souldiers had crucified Iesus they took his garments and made foure peeces vnto euery souldier a pece and his cote also But this cote of his was without seam wouē from the top
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
intoo the Temple and began too caste out them that sold therin and them that bought saying vntoo them It is vvritten My house is the house of prayer but yee haue made it a denne of theeues And he taught dayly in the temple But the high preests and the Scribes and the cheefe of the people vvente aboute too destroy him but coulde not fynde vvhat too doo For all the people stacke by him and gaue him audience The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell consisteth of twoo partes wherof the one teacheth what Chryst did without the Citie Hierusalem and the other techeth what he did in the temple after he was come intoo the Citie While he was without the citie hée beewayled the miserie that was too come vppon the Citie and therwithall prophesied of the destruction of the whole citie and the people In whiche thyng he bothe shewed his affection toward all mankynde and also declared playnly how great Gods wrath is toward sinners that repent not Then entring intoo the temple he fyndeth faulte with the abuse of the Temple he driueth the byers and sellers out of the temple hée testifieth that the temple is a house of praier that it is too say a house dedicated to God and his seruice and that it is not méete too defyle this house with worldly busynesses Nowe there are as I sayde twoo partes of this Gospell one of Chrystes wéeping and of his prophecie concerning the sacking of the citie and the destruction of the whole nation And an other of Chrystes déede in the Temple But these twoo partes conteyne in them many poyntes and lessons and therefore I will speake of them seuerally one by one ¶ Of the firste parte Of this first parte there bée twoo places which are 1 Christes Prophecie ageynst the Citie Hierusalem with the circumstances therof 2 The vse of this part in our churche ¶ Of the firste IN the fyrst place doo méete many circumstances which are first Christes affection towardes mankynd 2. The prophecie it self 3. The time of the visitation 4. Wherby they might haue known the time of their visitation 5. Why they knew not the time of their visitation 6. Their punishment for neglecting their visitation 7. The delay of their visitation The first Christ beholding the Citie vvept vpon it This wéeping of Chrystes is a notable witnesse of Gods mercye towardes mankynd For our Lord béewaileth their destruction no lesse than a most pitiful father bewaileth the destruction of his own children whom he loueth as himselfe which destruction hath surely none other cause than their vnthankfulnesse towards the gospell For how could it otherwyse bée but that the sonne of God who was borne very man too this intent that he should by the offering vp of himself in sacrifyce set mankind frée from euerlasting damnation should bée gréeued at so great vnthankfulnesse of men whom he hath created to saluation from the beginning and afterward called too repentance by sending his Prophets and Apostles vntoo them The second For the dayes shall come vnto thee that thyne enimyes shal cast a banke about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side and make thee euen vvith the ground and thy children vvhich are in thee Héere Chryst prophesyeth of the miserie that should come vppon Hierusalem which miserie happened vntoo them in very déede the fortith yéere after I will deuide the storie of this miserie intoo thrée partes wherof the first is an assignement of those things that happened before the destruction of the citie Hierusalem The second is a reckening vp of the euyls which the Citizens suffered in the séege And the third is a noting of y e miserie that folowed the sacking of the Citie What happened before the spoyle of the Citie Surely many things wherby God would haue called his people too repentance as Prophesies signes woonders foretokens Prophesies as this Prophesie of Chrysts wherof wee haue herd and wherof mention is made in these woords Zach. 1. And it will come too passe in that day that I shall make Hierusalem an heauy stone for al people Al that lift it vp shalbée torne and rent and all kingdomes of the earth shall bée gathered toogither ageinst it Also ther went woonders béefore A whole yéere toogither there appéered a Blasing starre ouer the Citie Hierusalem in the likenesse of a firie swoorde And warlike Chariots and horses were séene encountring toogither in the aire Signes The doore of the temple opened of it selfe in the nyght and a voyce was herd in the Temple saying Let vs remoue from hence let vs remoue from hence Foretokens A man of the common sort named Iesus cryed in the stréetes A voyce from the West a voyce from the East And the more he was chastised by the officer the more hée cryed out By these Prophesies woonders signes and foretokens did the Lord allure the Iewish people to repentance but al was to no purpose and therfore ensued most gréeuous punishment Let vs then speake of the punishment The firste daye of swéete bread began the séege and continued vntoo the eight day of September By and by after arose inward sedition in the Citie wherethrough fréendes and kinsfolke slue one an other without mercye By reason of the stinche of the carcasses of them that were dead there grew a most sore plage in so much as it was not possible too bury the dead Héerevntoo came hunger whiche was so great that the mothers did eate their owne children besides a number of other most shamefull matters which I let passe In the ciuill sedition wherein were slayne twoo thousand men the Temple was set on fire and vtterly consumed Afterwarde the foreparte of the Citie was taken of the enimie and within a while an other parte and at length all the whole Citie came intoo the hande of the enimies After the siege the vanquished people was had in so great contempt that seuen thousand of the nobilitie and chéefe personages were appoynted too the common woorkes lykâ— slaues and many wer reserued too open shewes The number of them that were slayne besides those that perished of hunger in the Citie was fourescore and seuentéene thousand As many as were vnder â—xvj yéeres olde were sold by the souldiers The honest women and maydens were rauished by the men of warre Afterward ageyne vnder Domitian there arose a newe persecution For Domitian made a serch for all that were of any kinred or allyance too Dauid or Chryste Thus muche concerning the bodily punishment that ensued the contempt of the sonne of God wherewithall was ioyned a spiritual punishment in conscience and at the end folowed eternall torment in hell The third If thou haddest knovvne yea if thou haddest euen in this day c. The time of visitatioÌ„ is that wherin God visiteth sometyme too punishe sinners and other whiles too doo good too the godly and that manye wayes Howbéeit the chéefe tyme of the visitation of Gods mercy was the tyme of
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
but twoo places wherin lie hid many other as shall appéere and these they bée 1 The storie of Christes birth with his circumstances and members 2 The vse and practise of this storie ¶ Of the first IN the Storie let vs consider nine members whereof the first is concerning the time Christe was borne after the building of Rome the 751. yéere after the creation of y e world the .3963 yéere the 42. yéere of the reigne of the Emperor Augustus From the birth of Christe vntoo this present day are fulfilled .1560 yéeres But why dooth the Euangelist make mention so euidently of the time of the Emperoures commaundement and of the léeuetenant Cyrenius There are thrée causes The first is the foresayings of the Prophets The Prophecies of Christes comming are of twoo sortes For some doo simply declare that Messias should come with out foreappoynting any certeine time Of which sorte are these The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpents head Also in thy séede shall all nations be blissed And Esay 7. Behold a mayd shall conceiue c. Also Dauid The Lord sayd vntoo my Lord. c. And Balaam there shall ryse a Starre out of Iacob Other Prophecies foretell the time and yéere of Christes passion and of his reigne Iacob The Scepter shall not bée taken from Iuda vntill Zilo come that is too say hir sonne namely the sonne of the woman As if he had sayde the séede of the woman that is promised too destroye the woorkes of the Deuill shall then come when the Scepter shall bée taken from Iuda Therefore when as Luke maketh mention of Augustus of the tribute and of the foreine gouernour he meaneth that euen then the time was come wherein it behoued Chryst to bée borne according to the Prophecie of Iacob Danyell also expressed in his ninthe Chapter the yéere of Christes crucifying and resurrection in this wyse Know thou and vnderstande that from the end of this talke of the leading backe of the people and building ageine of Hierusalem vntoo Chryst the Capteine there shall bée seuen wéekes and thrée score and twoo wéekes And after thrée score and two wéekes Christ shalbée slaine And in one wéeke shall he stablish his couenant with many and in halfe a wéeke shall he make the Sacrifise too cease Héere dooth Daniell foretell plainely the time of Christes deathe But thrée thinges are too bée marked héere What a wéeke is when the account is to bée begonne and why he disposeth the thrée score and tenne wéekes intoo thrée sortes A wéeke in this place is not too bée taken for a wéeke of dayes but of yéeres as in Leuit. 25. so that a wéeke may conteine seuen yéeres and seuentie wéeks foure hundred foure score and ten yeares But from what tyme must wée begin too account them from the end of the talke This end of the talke diuers men vnderstand diuersly Some referre it to the decrée of Cyrus who after the accomplishment of the thrée score and ten yéeres of the Captiuitie graunted the Iewes leaue too returne and build the temple of Hierusalem How bée it for as much as the building of it was letted by their neighbors the space of fortie and two yéeres vntill Artaxerxes with the long hands graunted new licence ageine at which time Haggeus and Zacharias also prophecied of the building of the Temple that it should goe foreward there are that begin too recken from the second yéere of Longhand If wée folow the first reckening there shaâ—â— bée thrée score and ten wéekes of yéeres vntoo the birth of Christ. If we follow the latter there shall bée thrée score and ten wéekes of yéeres vntoo the baptim of Christe sauing halfe a wéeke that is too say thrée yéeres and a halfe in which time Christe stablished his Testament according to the saying of Daniell If yée conferre these thinges with the storyes yée shall finde that Luke noted the time of Christes birth according to this reckening The second cause is that the Iewes may be confuted whiche looke still for a Messias now after that the common weale of Moyses hath béene vtterly extinguished many hundred yéeres ago The third cause is that we should bée assured that Christe is borne and giuen vnto vs in very déed already whom God long agoe promised too bée the deliuerer of mankinde out of the chappes of the serpent The second is of the place Hée is borne in Bethléem and in wayfaring In Bethléem for too fulfill the Prophecie of Micheas whiche Mathew alledgeth in his second Chapiter out of the fifth of Micheas And in wayfaring too giue vs too vnderstand that Christes Churche shall in this world continue in wayfarings and that not without contempt and persecution The same thing dooth Iohn declare by his thryce repeating of one sentence The darknesse comprehended him not the world knew him not his owne receyued him not And these things doo argue that Christes kingdome is not worldly The third is of his parents According too his manhoode hée is borne in wedlocke truely but of a mayden of which thing there are right weightie causes The first is promisse The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpentes heade Also Beholde a maide shall bréede childe and bring foorth a sonne The second is necessitie for no manne that is borne according too the course of nature is without spot and sinne Therfore was it of necessitie that the Messias should by the holy Ghost bée conceiued of the séede of a mayd without the séede of man too the intent he might bée cleane from all spot of sinne as it became the true Emanuell God and man too bée The fourth for that Christe is very God and verye man I must out of the first Chapiter of Iohn speake of the Godhead of Christe and declare the circumstances of time maner matter place déede and cause Therefore if thou demaunde when Christe was as touching his Godhead Iohn answereth In the beginning was the woorde that is to say the woord was before the beginning of all things that were created Christe then is no creature If thou aske how hée was Iohn answereth and the woorde was with God Ergo he is another person than God the father If thou enquire what he was He answereth the woord was God by which saying is mente that the substaunce of the Godhead is all one If thou demaunde what hée did Hée answereth all thinges were made by him If thou aske what hée doeth He answereth hee lightneth euery man that commeth intoo this worlde If thou aske whether hée came He answereth intoo this worlde he came intoo his owne hée came If thou aske in what manner hée came Hée answereth the woorde became fleshe If thou demaunde wherefore he came He answereth that he myght giue power too as many as beléeue in him too bée made the sonnes of GOD. If thou aske when hée came He answereth there was a man sente from GOD whoos 's name was Iohn c. These
is not too bée imputed vntoo God but too the malice of men which will not followe God that draweth thē by his woord Why the vngodly shall persecute the apostles the Lord sheweth plainly in the tenth of Mathew where he sayeth And yée shall bée hated of all man for my names sake Iohn the .xvj. And the houre commeth that vvhosoeuer sleaeth you shall think he doth God hye seruice And these things shall they doo too you bycause they knovv not the father nor mee Héere hée alledgeth the cause why the vngodly are so mad vppon the godly that is to say bicause they knowe not God which want of knowing God bringeth too passe that the murtherers them selues doo think they offer holy sacrifices vnto God when they put the faithfull too death Yea and they that knowe not God runne hedlong into hipocrisie and out of hipocrisie intoo murther vntill they haue filled vp the measure of their wickednesse What then dooth Christ He commeth too the sicke But they as folke out of their wittes set them selues against Christe whom they couet too dispatch out of the world He by his ministers sheweth them their disease They on the other side will be knowen of no disease and therfore they bothe dispise the Phisitian and persecute his messengers ¶ Of the seconde THat vppon you may come all the righteous blood that is shed vpon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel c. How sore the persecuters of the church doo sinne he sheweth héere For hée sayth that they shall bée giltie of all the blood of the Sainctes that euer was shed no lesse than if they wyth their owne hands had slaine all the godly men and sainctes yea and Christ him selfe For amongst all the vngodly there is a certeine alyance of vngodlynesse whiche maketh their punishementes a lyke gréeuous and their giltinesse a lyke equall ¶ Of the thirde VErely I say vntoo you all these thinges shall come vppon this generation Althoughe these things are peculiarlye spoken of the Iewes béeing persecuters yet generally they perteine to all persecuters of the Church The othe that the Lorde addeth teacheth vs two things First that the vngodly shall one day in déede bée caried too punishment how long so euer hée séeme too delay their iudgement And secondly that the godly which suffer persecution shal one day bée gloriously deliuered and their ennimies bée put too euerlasting torments Whereby the godly may learne not too grudge at the vngodly persecuters but rather too bée moued with compassion for their assured damnation and too make intercession for them that the Lord will turne them that they bée not al damned according as Stephan did as wée haue heard before ¶ Of the fourth O Hierusalem Hierusalem vvhich sleaest the Prophets c. These woordes of Christ calling vppon Hierusalem by name conteine first an vpbraiding Secondly they declare Christes affection towardes them Thirdly they doo vs too vnderstand that they perish through their owne default and lastly they threaten punishment For when he sayth how often wold I haue gathered thée toogither hée vpbraideth them with vnthankfulnesse for that they would neither receiue the benefite that was offered them nor had any regarde of their owne welfare and much lesse would acknowledge the liberalitie of their benefactor or be thankful too him for it Would God that a number of them that heare the Gospell at this day were not like them which thing verily they shew by their frutes The Lord declareth his affection towards them when he compareth himself too a hen which loueth hir chickens most entierly and doth al that shée is able too doo too the intent shée may kéepe them from the foules that are ennimies too them God forbid that it should enter intoo any godly hart too think that Christ determined otherwise with him self concerning the Iewes by some secrete wil than he pretended by his teares and by his spéech For it is a horrible thing too think that there are contrary willes in Chryst who himselfe condemneth a double heart Therefore hée willed their saluation in déede according too the saying of the Prophet I will not the death of a sinner but that hée should conuert and liue In the third place when the Lord sayth And thou vvouldest not ▪ he opēly testifieth that the Iewes peryshed through their owne default and that of their owne malice they striued against Christ who offered them saluation Hée sayeth not And God vvould not receiue thee intoo fauoure but thou vvouldest not Wherfore wée may learne twoo things héereby One is that béeing made warer by the harme of the Iewes wée giue eare too Gods woorde and yéeld our selues obediēt too Christ when he allureth vs that wée striue not against the holy Ghost who stirreth vp the witts of al men that héere the Gospell An other is that whosoeuer héere the woord obey it not doo perishe through their owne fault Whose destruction and damnation is not too bée ascribed too any destinie or secrete will of God as thoughe there were some whom hée would not haue saued Fourthly when he addeth And your house shall bee left desolate vnto you Although this threatning of punishment perteine in speciall too the Iewes that were persecuters too whom he threatneth the vtter ouerthrow of their religion common weale and priuate state yet in generall it perteyneth too al persecuters of the gospell And he thretneth them that at least wise some of them shoulde amende For all the thretnings of the prophets haue a couert condition namely vnlesse yée repent like as wée sée in the Niniuites and as wée héere Chryst witnessing in these woords Unlesse yée repent yée shall perish all toogither Luke xiij Let vs then bée warned by this threatning if wée minde too scape the wrath of God too repent vs in good earnest and too call vpon Chryst our sauiour with true gronings that he may kéepe vs in true faith and inuocation Too whom with GOD the father and the holy Ghost bée praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen The third holiday in Christmas commonly called S. Iohn the Euangelists day ¶ The Gospell Iohn xxj IEsus sayd vntoo Peter Folovv thou mee Peter turned about and savv the Disciple vvhom Iesus loued folovving vvhiche also leaned on his brest at Supper and sayd Lorde vvhiche is hee that betrayeth thee VVhen Peter therefore savv him hee sayde vntoo Iesus Lorde vvhat shall hee heere doo Iesus sayde vntoo him If I vvill haue him too tarrie till I come vvhat is that too thee Follovv thou mee Then vvent this saying abroade among the brethren that that Disciple should not die Yet Iesus sayed not too him hee shall not die but if I vvill that he tary til I come vvhat is that too thee The same Disciple is he vvhich testifieth of these things and vvrote of these things and vvee knovve that his testimonie is true There are also many other things vvhiche Iesus did the vvhiche if they should
toogither with him did set foorthe Christe with some kinde of melody wherby the godly may lerne too encourage one another too set forth and too vtter the praise of God Another is that shée teacheth the people For when as the Scribes Pharisies ceased a holy woman commeth forth speaketh of him vnto all y e looked for redemptiō in Ierusalē The third is that shée openly acknowledgeth Christe too bée the Sauiour and redéemer For shée vnderstoode that this babe was the promised séed that should tread down the serpents head and so deliuer man that was lost out of the Deuils tiranny ¶ Of the third ANd the Childe did grovve and vvas strengthned in spirite and vvas filled vvith vvisdome and the grace of God vvas vvith him This is as much too say as according as the childe Iesus grew in age so the diuine nature vttered it selfe in him and he profited from day too day more and more in wisdome and toogither with his age encreased also the giftes of mind in him How bée it in as much as the Godhead can by no meanes bée increased it is manifest that these things perteine too his manhode For as he grew vp by little and little in his body so in respect of his soule the giftes of the mind encreased daily more and more Neither is this a straunge thing in Chryst whoo for our sakes tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant wherein he was also abased For like as he was abased for our sake so also grew he ageine by little and little vntill that by his resurrection he entered ageine intoo his glorye Neither was this doone without a lesson and warning vntoo vs. For wée are taught that the cause why he grew was for that we should out of his fulnesse receiue grace for grace Wée also are admonished by the example of the sonne of God too endeuer our selues continually too encrease that wée may daily more and more abound in the true knowledge of God and all vnderstanding and that wée should with an vpright iudgement and affection try what things are godly holy and honest and daily bring foorth the true fruites of faith and that in such wise that the day folowing may surmount the day that went before For he that goeth not still forward in the knowledge of GOD and vnderstanding of godlinesse goeth backeward For by little and little fayth is quenched in him and Chryst is buried ageine in his heart whereby it commeth too passe that he falleth againe intoo sinne against his conscience Héereof wée haue example in Dauid For he had profited in Ghostly wisdome aboue al the men of his time and the grace of God was w t him But what came too passe By sitting still in his Princely throne he became somewhat faint That glowing zeale of Gods glory which was in him when he fought ageinst Golias ouercame him which was in him when he was in perill through the daily persecution of Saule was by little and little alayed And what ensued theruppon There came in hys sight a faire and beautifull woman and his lustes were stirred vp without any let For the heate of the spirit was then become starke cold Wil giueth place too affection and by by he falleth into sinne ageinst conscience by committing aduoutrie wheruntoo within a while after he addeth the murder of one of his best subiects which wickednesses he afterward recouered with hipocrisie by y e space of a whole yéere although in the meane while he pretended godlinesse which notwithstanding was banished from him as long as Gods spirit was not with him There are many other suche examples which admonishe vs too folow herein the example of the childe Iesus that wée fall not from the state of grace Therfore like as he grew in wisdome and the grace of God was vpon him so let vs also grow in wholsome wisdome and let vs pray too Iesus the fountaine of wisdome that he will giue vnto vs abundantly of his fulnesse Which thing if wée doo it will come too passe that the grace of God which wée obteine by Chryst and for Chrystes sake shal abide vppon vs. For as the only grace of God is the cause of our daily procéeding and furtherance in spirituall giftes so grace is reteined and abideth when wée are not drowsie but worke lustely so as wée may not séeme too haue receiued grace in vaine Too this purpose maketh y e saying of y e Apostle Yée are made partakers of Christ if wée hold stedfast vntoo the end the faith that is begon in vs. Too this purpose also maketh this sentence of Paule Quenche not the spirit Gods gifts therfore must bée chéered vp with continuall exercise that wée may profit daily more and more too the glory of God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Too which onely God bée honor and glory for euermore Amen The day of the Circumcision of the Lord commonly called Newyeeres day ¶ The Gospell Luke ij ANd after that eight dayes vvere finished that the childe should bee circumcised his name vvas called Iesus according as he vvas named by the Angel before he vvas conceiued in his moothets vvombe The exposition of the Text. THis feast of the Circumcision of the Lord is solemnized in the Churche for thrée causes Of which the first is that the storie may bée knowen The second is that the benefite of God toward mankinde which the storie setteth out may bée vnderstoode The third is y t we may vse the benefit of God aright both too the glory of god also too our owne saluation and the edifying of others The storie is that our Lord Chryste the eyghte day after his carnall birth was circumcised according too the Law of Moses that the name was giuen him which was foretolde by the Angell and he was called Iesus The benefit which the storie setteth out is that that was done for our sake according as Paule teacheth He was made subiect too the Lawe too the intent he might redéeme them that were vnder the Lawe Lastly the vse consisteth in these things that knowing the benefite wée may bée thanckfull too God confirming our fayth by this déede and after the example of God the father and his Sonne Iesus Chryst endeuer too deserue well towards al men And too the intent these things may serue the more effectually too informe vs of this benefite I will handle twoo places which are 1 Of the Circumcision 2 Of the most swéete name Iesus ¶ Of the first TOo the intent wée may the more distinctly vnderstande this doctrine of the circumcision these are the things that séeme méete too bée expounded in order Howe God is woont too instruct man of his will what maner a thing that Circūcision of the flesh was and what things are too bée marked in it whereupon shall bée grounded the order of the Sacramentes both of the old Testament and of the newe Why Christ was circumcised and which is
olde For like as in Circūcision there méete foure things viz. promis commaundement of the signe the vse of the signe and the beléefe of the promis So in the méening of euery sacramēt the same things must of necessitie méete namely that a godly Sacrament bée a visible signe commaunded and ordained by God wherby like as God heareth recorde of his promis vnto men so man accepting the signe doth on the other side professe his faith towardes GOD and confirmeth the same with the vse of the signe and by thinking vpon it How bée it in euery signe the singular likelinesse of the signes vnto the thing signified by them is too bée considered For example the likelinesse of water in Baptim vntoo the thing signifyed therby is this Like as water washeth a mā outwardly frō outward filth so the blood of Christ washeth our consciences inwardly frō deadly woorks And so of all other sacraments But why was Chryste circumcised séeing he is exempted from the number of sinners This doth Paule expound too the Galathians when he sayth when the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne borne of a woman made subiect too the Lawe that he might redéeme those that were vnder the Lawe Wherefore as he was borne for vs so also was he circumcised for vs. Neither was it his wil too abolish circumcision before he had made his perfect sacrifice vpō the altare of the Crosse by which doing he bare witnesse that Circumcision was a sacrament ordeyned by God Now are a few things too bée added concerning spirituall Circumcision which in the scripture is called the Circumcision of the hart made in spirit and not by hand which is signified by the outward Circumcision as a thing inuisible by a thing visible Of this the Lord giueth commaundement in the tenth of Deuteronomy Cut of the forskin of your harts and harden not your necks any more But in the third to the Phillippians Paule most plainly of al defineth this spirituall Circumcision where he sayeth wée are the Circumcision which woorship God in spirit and bost of Christ and put not our trust in flesh In these woordes of Paule twoo things are too bée considered The cause and the effect or the actiue Circumcision and the passiue Circumcision The cause is Christ himselfe and consequently the actiue Circumcision is that whereby the sonne of God cutteth of whatsoeuer sinne and cursednesse is in vs which Circumcision is felt in all the godly sort of all ages The effect or passiue circūcision is that whereby the regenerate sorte doo daily more and more cutte of the relikes of sinne and giue themselues too newnesse of life shredding of all vices as much as may bée But Paule in most goodly order distributeth the effectes maketh thrée sortes of them One is that wée worship God in spirite another is that wée boast in Chryst The third is that wée cast away the trust in fleshe by denying our selues The effect that is set last in place is the first in order of consequence next which foloweth the second and lastly that which was set in the first place Therefore wée must circumcise all our members as wel inward as outward Inward as the mind the hart the will The mind is too bée circumcised by casting away of erroure and by getting the true knowledge of God From the heart must all sinful thoughts bée cut of The wil must bée circumcised by conuerting vnto God The outward such as are the eares the eyes the lippes the nose c. So as now they may no more yéelde obedience vntoo corrupted nature but obey the spirit of regeneration ¶ Of the second CHildren were woont to haue their names giuen them in their Circumcision as they haue them now giuen them in their baptism Then too the entent they might bee witnesses of their circumcision and now too the intent they may bée signes of the baptism bestowed vpon them And therfore as often as wée hear our selues named wée must call too minde the couenant that wée haue made with God in our baptism And so after the maner of other children Christs name was giuen him in his baptism and hée was called Iesus Names were woont to bée giuen too children either at the pleasure of men and that was sometimes by meanes of kinred and aliance sometime for the vertue of noble men sometime vpon chaunce sometime vpon affection or at the commaundement of God and that not without some representation of a thing eyther past or too come For God whoo cannot bée deceyued dooth not giue names too things without cause why Why then was the Sonne of the virgin named Iesus For the office sake which he should haue in the worlde For thus sayth the Angel by the commaundement of God in the firste of Mathew Thou shalt call his name Iesus bycause hée shall delyuer his people from their sinnes For Iesus is as much too say as Sauiour The Angel added the kinde of saluation namely from sinne and so consequentlye from death damnation Gods wrath and hel Wherevpon it must néedes folowe that hée pacifieth the Father restoreth the Image of God and rewardeth the beléeuers with eternal life For all these things are ioyned with forgiuenesse of sinne How bée it too the intent wée may more certainlye kéepe in minde the vse of this name Iesus I wil reduce it intoo foure respectes The first is that it putteth vs in minde that wée are forlorne if it were not for this Iesus that is too say this Sauiour And therfore it putteth vs in minde of our sinne and of repentance The second is that it pointeth vs too the fountaine of saluation For hée that wil bée saued must néedes draw out of this wel And so wée are admonished therby too beléeue vpon this Sauiour The third is that it is our comfort ageinst dispair ageinst the greatnesse of sinne ageinst repining ageinst particularitie and ageinst the power strength of the Deuil And herevpon groweth the ground or establishment of faith The fourth is that it putteth vs in mind of obedience and thankfulnesse that throughe our owne default wée fall not from the saluation purchased for vs by Christ too whom bée glory for euer and euer Amen The Gospell on the day of Epiphanie commonly called Twelfth day ¶ The Gospell Math. ij WHen Iesus vvas borne in Bethleem a Cittie of Ievvrye in the time of Herode the King Beholde there came vvise men from the East too Hierusalem saying vvhere is hee that is borne King of the Ievves For vve haue seene his Starre in the East and are come too vvoorship him VVhen Herode the King had heard these things hee vvas troubled and all the Citie of Hierusalem vvith him And vvhen hee had gathered all the cheefe Preests and Scribes of the people toogether hee demaunded of them vvhere Christe shoulde bee borne And they sayed vntoo him at Bethleem in Ievvrie ▪ For thus it is vvritten by the Prophete And thou Bethleem in the
offereth himself redily too al men yet doth he open the eares of none but such as resist not the Lord through their own stubbornnesse Wherfore it is our duetie to crie vntoo the Lorde with continuall gronings that he may open our eares prepare our hartes and clense our affections so as wée may héere his woorde to our owne saluation the glory of God to whom bée honour and glorie for euer Amen The Sunday called Quinquagesima or Shroue Sunday ¶ The Gospell Gath. iij. THen came Iesus from Galilee too Iordan vntoo Iohn too bee baptized of him But Iohn forbad him saying I haue neede too bee baptized of thee and commest thou too bee baptized of me And Iesus aunsvvering sayd vntoo him Let bee novve for so it becommeth vs that vvee may fulfill all rightuousnesse Then hee let him alone And Iesus beeing baptised came by and by out of the vvater and beholde the heauens vvere opened vntoo him and hee savve the spirit of God comming dovvne like a doue and lighting vpon him And behold a voice from heauen saying This is my vvell beeloued sonne in vvhome I am vvell pleased The exposition of the text THis feast is solemnized in our Churches for the storie of Christs baptim which storie conteineth the chéefest déede that euer hapned in the worlde neither shall any greater euer happen vntill wée sée Chryste comming in the cloudes with his angels and with great power If then wée bée delighted in stories of great mightie princes wée haue héere the storie of the greatest Prince whiche not only with the pleasantnesse thereof delighteth the mindes of the readers but also it selfe alone bringeth more commodities than all the stories of the world can bring But before wée go too the exposition of this storie wée must discusse two questions Of whiche the first is for what cause this feast is instituted in the Ecclesiasticall ordinance of our Churches and the other is why it is appoynted at this time of the yéere rather than at any other Too the former question I aunswer The storie of Chryst is framed for our saluation and therefore wée Danes in our Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces would not omit this chéefest part of the storie but set it foorth at a time certeyne in the yéere Untoo the later question I say that this time was most conuenient for this storie too bée intreated off and that for twoo causes First for the order and continuance of the story For hythertoo wée haue herd in order first of the birth of the Lord. Secondly of his circumcisiō Thirdly of his appéering Fourthly of the offering vp of him in the temple Fifthly of his disputing in the temple when hée was a twelue yeres of age What hée did from the said twelfth yéere vntoo his nine and twentith yéere there is nothing written but that hée was at the commaundement of his parents Sixthly of his baptim which is very well recited in this time of the yéere Seuenthly foloweth of his fasting Eyghtly of his temptation Nynthly of his doctrine and miracles Tenthly of his passion Eleuenthly of his resurrection Twelfthly of his ascention intoo heauē Thirtéenthly of the sending of the holy Ghost wherby Chrysts doctrine was cōfirmed Fourtéenthly folow in the rest of the yéere sundry sermons wherin the benefits of Chryst are commended to his Church examples of godlinesse are set forthe and men are exhorted too godly holy life And fiftéenthly is intreated of the last iudgement of the rewards of the godly and the punishement of the vngodly These are the chéefe members of the storie of Christe which in very good order according as the things were doon are euery yéere handled in our Churches There is besides these another cause why our Churches intreateth of Chrystes Baptim this time of the yéer namely that men may bée taught what maner of garment becommeth Chrystians too were against that deuilish and heathenish furie and manner of belly chéere that hithertoo hath bin practised in many places of Christendome not without greate offence towardes God And let these things suffise too bée spoken concerning this present feast The places therof are thrée 1 The storie of Christes baptim with the circumstances thereof 2 The vse of this storie in the Churche 3 The maner and vse of our Baptim ¶ Of the first IN the Baptim of our Lord many circumstances are too bée weyed specially these fiue First what persons are the dooers in this case 2. The place 3. The talke betwéen Chryst and Iohn 4. The baptising of Christ. 5. The sequele that is too wit the thing that hapned too Chryste when he was baptised Of these fiue circumstances I wil speak in order The firste Then came Iesus from Galilee vntoo Iohn Héere wée haue twoo persons Iohn who was sent in the spirit of Elias too prepare the way of the Lord In respect wherof his father Zacharie by the spirit of prophecie sayd of him béeing yet but a babe And thou child shalt be called the prophet of the highest for thou shalt go before y e face of the Lord too prepare his wayes And for the same cause Chryste himselfe auoucheth Iohn too bée more than a Prophete as than whiche there was not a greater borne of a woman Ageine wée haue héere an other person namely Chryste him selfe God and man Héere therefore are twoo persons than the whiche the whole world hath not any thing more excellent Iohn was the most high Prophet of God Christe was the euerlasting sonne of the euerlasting God Of bothe whome in as much as the dignitie and authoritie is moste excellent wée haue thereby an inkling giuen vntoo vs how greate the woorthinesse and authoritie of Baptim is whiche procéeding from God is solemnized by them that are the most excellent of all the world The second He came too Iordan Héer is shewed wher the baptim was celebrated It is not for nothing that the Euangelist maketh mention of Iordan For his meaning is that wée shuld haue an eye too the former miracles that were doon long ago in Iordan that thereby wée may gather how great force and effect spirituall baptim is of The first miracle therfore that commeth too minde is that which hapned when the people vnder the conduct of Iosua entred intoo the land of promise For the riuer of Iordan cōtrary too the nature of water stood at one side like a wal and gaue way too Gods people too passe through so as they passed drie shod folowing the Ark of the Lord whiche the Préestes of GOD caryed before the people By this tipe is signified that wée are conueyed out of the kingdome of Sathan intoo the kingdome of God by baptisme Christe going before vs who is the true Arke of propiciation Helias deuided Iordan with his cloke and passing the riuer was lifted vp intoo heauen Naaman the lepre of Syria washing him selfe in Iordan at the commaundement of the Prophet was made whole and sounde Nowe as the déede of Helias dyd
that we being instructed by Chrysts woord and miracle shoulde cast off the care of the belly and folowe Chryst intoo the desert leauing all care for our selues vntoo him according too his commaundement cast thy care vpon the Lorde and he shall nourishe thée The méening therefore of all this whole Gospell is too teache that they which héere loue and kéepe the woord shall not perish for want of foode bicause Christ taketh vpon him too care for them The places are these 1 That God hath care for them that folow him 2 The circumstances of this present miracle and the vse therof to vs wards 3 The déede of this people that wold haue made Christ king and of Chrysts fléeing ¶ Of the second IN this first Doctrine many things offer themselues too bée weyed of which euery one dooth minister some Doctrine and admonition As are Chrysts iourneying and woorking the earnestnesse of the people to héere him what moued the people so to do what profit redoundeth therby to the people and what wée ought too lerne by the example of the people and the déede of Chryst. Chryst iourneying is shewed in these woords Iesus vvent his vvay ouer the Sea of Galilee vvhich is the Sea of Tyberias This Tyberias was a Citie builded by Herode néere vntoo Iordan in the honor of the Emperor Tyberias In this iorney of Chrysts there is too bée marked the end and the example therof The end of it was to spred abrode his Gospell by teaching and miracles The example is that we woulde folow Chryst euery man in his vocation not sparing our selues but night and day by land and by sea endeuer to answer our calling And this example is not too bée folowed by the ministers of the woord only but of all men according too the maner of eche mans vocation What dooth Chryst in this iorney Mark in his .6 chapter sayth that Chryst had pitie vpon them bicause they were as shéepe that had no shepherd and that he began to teach them many things ▪ Mathew addeth that he was occupied al day in healing the diseased Héere do foure things offer themselues too bée weyed First Christs loue Secondly the cause of this loue Thirdly what wée be without the ministration of the woord Fourthly what is the end of the ministerie When Christe taketh pitie of the people we are admonished too think how like a father he is minded towards vs as who is sory for our miseries This is it that the Apostle saith too the Hebrues we haue a high préeste that can suffer with vs in our infirmities The cause why he pitied the people is shewed by Marke Bicause sayth hée they were as shéepe that haue no shepherd But what are shéepe without a shepherd Wretched redy too take harme by theeues woolues Now when the Lorde sayd these things the people was by false teachers led away from the true seruice of GOD vntoo sundrie superstitions the frute whereof is the losse of their soules like as wée erewhile tasted vnder y e Popedom wher in sted of the true seruice of GOD there were broughte intoo the churche moste horrible superstitions Praying vntoo Saincts heathenishe abusing of the Sacraments Purgatorie and other bables whiche would GOD did not stick stil in many mennes mindes at this day Héereby therefore wée may lern what men be without the ministerie of the woord namely y t they be as shéepe straying in a wildernesse where they are euery moment in very great danger of théeues and woolues or rather too tell all at one woorde wheras is not the woord of God there is no saluation Also wée may learne héer the end of the ministery of the woorde Men without the woord are as shéep that go astray without a shepheard Ergo the woord is too them as the shepherds staffe wherwith men are gathered toogither out of the wildernesse too their owne shepherd Also it is fodder wherewith they are refreshed and nourished And it is the salue wherewith our soules are healed Too be short it is the immortall séed by which we growe vp new ageine too eternall life when we beléeue the woorde that is preached It is easy then too vnderstand héereby how néedful a thing the woord of God is The earnestnesse of y e people too hear Chryst is also declared héer A great company sayth the Euangelist followed him yea that far intoo a desert place from the Cities wher was neyther meat nor drinke Beholde the excéeding greate earnestnesse where through the people were so ioyful to héer Chryst that they séemed too haue no care at all of their body The day was far spent sayth Mark. Why the people folowed Christ in this wise Iohn declareth in this dayes Gospel when hée sayth bicause they sawe the miracles that he wrought And his miracles were partly a witnesse of the power of the Godhed in Chryst and partly as it were certeine seales of his doctrine and tokens of his excéeding great good wil towards men For the people came too the thinking vpon these thrée things by the signes miracles whiche the Lord wrought The people then by this their folowing after Chryst reaped this profit that they came too the knowledge of their saluation For when he had by woonderful miracles confirmed the doctrine that he had taught them by mouth they gaue credit too his woord by which faith all those were saued that cōtinued in it vntoo their end Besides this many receyued corporall benefites at his hand For he healed suche as were diseased according as the other Euangelists make report How now is this example of the people too bée followed of vs First wée folow the example of this people if wée héer Gods word diligently and beléeue the same as ouercome by Chrystes miracles wherwith hée hath confirmed the truth of his doctrine Secondly wée shall followe the example of the people in this that they obey the rule which Christ giueth in the .6 of Math for thus saith Christ. First séek the kingdome of God his righteousnesse all the 〈◊〉 shall bée cast vntoo you This order is too be obserued diligently of all the godly The first care muste bée for the kingdome of God the righteousnesse of God And then also they must labour according too the state of their calling For thus sayeth the Scripture In the swet of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread And in the Psalme it is sayd Thou shalt eate of the labours of thy handes Also Paule sayeth He that laboureth let him eate So is laboure appoynted to all men how be it according too euery mannes estate For the laboure of a shepherd is one of a plowman another of a king another and of a Chauncelor and Senator another But all men must beware that they woork not arsiuersie which thing they doo that care first for the belly and last of all for the soule Therefore let him that beareth an office thinke thus My Lord Chryst sayeth
good his owne promises For he promised his Disciples that after hée had bin deliuered too the Gentiles and mocked of them he should be put too death and rise ageine the third day And he preuented not the third day bicause all men might certeinly know that hée was dead in déed Therfore by lying fortie houres in his graue he shewed himselfe too haue bin dead in very déede And why he delayed not his resurrection til the last day there are right weightie causes ready too be shewed The first is bicause it was written Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one too sée corruption For Chrystes body might not rot in the graue First for that it was made of the bloud of the moste chaste virgin by the woorking of the holy ghost Secondly for that as long as hée liued in this world he kept it pure and vndefiled Therfore had it bin vnméet that suche a body should haue become woormes meat The seconde cause why hée delayed not his resurrection is our hope For thus sayeth Peter Blissed bée God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryste for begetting vs ageine too a liuely hope throughe the resurrection of Chryste from the dead The third cause is that hée should be the first of them that rise ageine For like as Adam was the firste that appéered in mortall body by reason of sinne so ought Chryste too bée the first that should appéer in immortall body iustifying vs and healing our bodies from eternall death And although wée shal all rise ageine and that others besides Chryst haue risen ageine Yet is there excéeding great difference betwéene the resurrection of Chryste and of other men For first Chryst rose ageine by his owne power whiche thing no man coulde euer doo saue onely hée Secondly the other that were raysed as the widowes sonne the ruler of the Sinagogs daughter and Lazarus and others rose too die ageine But Chryste rose too liue for euermore Besides this Chrysts Resurrection differeth from the Resurrection of other men in frute and efficacie For Chryste by his owne power rayseth vp others which thing was shewed in the Garden where he was buried and rose ageine at the rising of the Sunne Lastly Chrysts rising ageine differeth from oures in time also For as it is already shewed and as we knowledge in our Créede Chryst rose ageyne the third day but our Resurrection shall bée delayed till the last day For then shall appéere the euerlasting life and endlesse righteousnesse which he shall giue too all his that is too say too all them that beléeue in him Thus much concerning the second place why Christ rose ageine the third day and how his resurrection differeth from oures that by the Resurrection of Chryst wée may conceiue liuely hope of the euerlasting and incorruptible heritage in heauen ¶ Of the thirde NOw remayneth the thirde place concerning the frute of Chrysts Resurrection which is more plentifull and abundaunt than that it may bée expressed by mannes tung Paule saythe that by Chryste all things are restored in heauen and in earth For first Chryste by comming out of his graue sheweth himselfe conquerour and triumpher ouer Death Hell and Sathan and so maketh good the promisse vttered concerning him in times past The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpents head whiche Prophecie Iohn expounding sayth Chryst appéered too destroy the woorkes of the Deuill How bée it as too vs warde that are men for whose saluation he came downe from heauen was made manne dyed and rose ageyne there are foure sundrye kindes of frutes of Chrystes Resurrection too bée considered For Chrysts Resurrection is first our Iustification Secondly the power whereby sinne is subdued in vs thirdly an example of newnesse of lyfe the cause therof and fourthly the cause of our resurrection and a most assured warrant of the same Of these foure maner of frutes I will speake in order Therfore the first frute of our Lordes resurrection is the iustification of vs of which frute Paule speaketh in y e fourth too the Romanes Hée died for our sinnes and rose ageine for our iustification And Daniell in his .ix. Chapter Iniquitie shal bée taken away and euerlasting righteousnesse shal bée brought in To the intent this frute may bée the swéeter wée must consider of how great value it is Wée are borne in sin and subiect too Gods wrath Ephes. 1. Wée are all by nature the children of wrath The reward of sinne is death Ro. 6. frō this death are wée deliuered by the resurrection of Christ. For by Christ wée are quit from the gilt of sinne and so consequently from eternall death Héervpon commeth that saying in the Apocalips Blissed and holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for vpon them hath the second death no power but they shal bée préests of God of Chryst and they shall reigne with him For as the first death is by Adam so the first Resurrection is by Chryst. Héervntoo also perteineth this saying Blissed are they that wash their garmentes in the Lambes blud that they may haue power in the trée of life and may enter in at the gates of the Citie The second frute of our Lords Resurrection is that it is the power whiche is shed intoo the beléeuers which maketh them able too ryse from vices vntoo vertue This power is bestowed vppon vs in Baptim and confirmed in the Lordes Supper so that wée bée not behinde hande with our partes And yet this power is felt in those only that are borne agein of immortall séede 1. Peter 1. The thirde frute is the example For as Paule sayeth Chryste rose ageine too the intent wée might walke in newnesse of lyfe Those therefore that folowe their owne vices liuing wickedly vnclenly doo testifie by their own doing y t they despise Chryste whose Resurrection is set before vs as a glasse to sée how we ought too leade our life For they think that Chryst was scourged crowned with thornes and shed his blud vppon the altar of the crosse too the intent that they may giue ouer themselues too all outragiousnesse tyranny pryde and lusts and after this maner as much as in them lieth they crucifie the sonne God of new agein We therfore who couet not only to be called but also to be the same that we are called that is to say Christians must think vppon the mater as it is in déede namely that Chryst dyed for the clensing of suche mennes sinnes as receiue Faith with him and liue in true repentance by mortifying the old man and quickening the new man There bée foure euils wherewith men are burthened ignorance giltinesse of sinne vices and feare of endlesse damnation Ageinst ignorance Chryste is vntoo vs wisdome whyle he by his Gospel instructeth vs of his will towards vs. For if we were not instructed concerning his will by the woord of god our mind should be wrapped in continual darknesse which darknesse is put away by the
this present life shall in the end enioy ful glory with Christ so shée continue stedfast in his faith vntoo the end The places are thrée 1 Chrysts forewarning concerning his owne death and Resurrection 2 The weaknesse of the apostles and so consequently of all mortall men 3 The Crosse of the Church in this world and the glorious and ioyfull deliuerance of the same ¶ Of the firste COncerning the death and resurrection of Chryst I will speake somwhat bréefly bicause wée haue herd all thinges alate more plenteously After a vvhyle yee shall not see mee and ageine after a vvhile yee shall see mee for I goe too the father Héere doth Chryst somwhat darkly foreshew them his death and resurrection But his méening is this After a vvhile sayth he yee shall not see mee that is too say I shall lye dead a thrée days in my graue so that you shall not sée mée And againe after a vvhile yee shall see mee that is too say I shall be raised ageine from death and you shall sée mée fortie days before I ascende visibly into heauen and be taken away out of your sight by a cloude And this is it that he sayeth bicause I go to the Father that is too say after my death I shall passe from persecution to the glorie of heauen What is he not present with his churche after his ascension Yes he is present according too his promise euen vntoo the end of the worlde Howbéeit not after a bodyly maner but after a diuine and spiritual maner For Gods woord and the holy Ghost are the glasse â–ª wherin Chryst will be holden and this beholding is sufficient wherwith wée must be contented vntill he himselfe come to iudgement for afterward wée shall enioy the sight of him for euermore But why did hée put his Disciples in minde of his death and resurrection Surely there be many causes of which the chéefe is this which he alleageth in these woords I haue told you of these things before hand that vvhen they bee come to passe you may beleeue For mens minds are gretly strengthned when they sée things fall out â–ª according too that whiche was tolde them before Neither dyd any thing more raise the Apostles than that they saw all things aunswerable too Chrystes foresayings wherby they might bothe vnderstand his Godhead and throughly perceiue his office Moreouer the Lordes will was by the often forewarnings too prouide for the infirmitie of his disciples For this is the poynt of a faythfull maister to haue a consideration of their capacitie whome he taketh vppon him to teache and too remedie theyr rawnesse by often beating the selfe same things intoo their heads Besides this also he therfore foretold his death and resurrection too the intent his disciples shoulde knowe that he knew before of his owne death and resurrection and that he willingly obeyed the father euen vntoo death too the intent he might deliuer vs froÌ„ death This sermon of Chrystes is too bée applyed vnto vs also for not muche vnlike happeneth vntoo vs. Hée sêemeth too bée a whyle from vs when he leaueth vs comfortlesse wrestling vnder the crosse And afterwarde ageyne hée is séene of vs when hée comforteth vs by the Gospell and manifesteth the presence of his spirite in our prayers ¶ Of the second THe rawnesse of Christes disciples in matters of saluation is described in these woords VVhat is it say they that he sayth After a vvhile yee shall not see mee and ageyne after a vvhile yee shall see mee and that I go to the father vve knovv not vvhat he speaketh It is a greater wonder that they being so often warned of the Lordes death and Resurrection not only by types figures and riddles but also by expresse woordes coulde neuer the more vnderstande him What is the cause héerof Surely there are twoo causes One is for that an opinion once conceiued in the mynde is not easly pulled out specially if it haue taken déepe roote The Iewes yea and the Lords Disciples themselues dreamed that Chrysts gouernement should haue bin ciuill so as Chryste himselfe béeing made chéefe Emperor should subdue the whole world and reign ouer it and that his disciples should haue bin next about him whiche thing the moother of Zebedies children declared sufficiently when she made request that the one of hir sonnes might sit at Chrystes right hande and the other at his left An other cause is the dimnesse that is in all mankynd wherby it commeth to passe that no man is able too perceiue the things that pertein too God vnlesse he haue the holy Ghost too bée his teacher Héerby we may leene first too bewaile this our blindnesse Secondly too héere Gods woord more often wherby we may bée deliuered fâ—rom this dimnesse of ignorance and thirdly to craue of God that he him selfe will teache vs according too that place of the .xxv. Psalme Leade me foorth in thy truth and teach mée bycause thou art the God of my saluation Good and rightfull is the Lord therfore shall he teach sinners in the way But wée must take héede that when the Lorde teacheth we shut not the eares of our hert against his voyce lyke as all they doo that héere Gods woorde without frute As for those that so stop their eares against Gods voyce they may at length deserue too be left vp in their blindnesse and ignoraunce for euer God preserue vs that we incurre not this penaltie of vnthankefulnesse wherewith wée sée many to be horribly punished For there are many too bée found that if a man aske them after the héering of a Sermon what they haue brought away haue not a woord to aunswer But if yée question with them of talke had at a feast or in game they can reherse you euery thing so as they will not misse ye a woord What is the reason In some folke the cause of it is mannes naturall dulnesse in matters of Saluation In other some the cause of it is the punishment of sinne also that héering they héere not and vnderstanding they vnderstande not Wherfore right déere beloued let vs fall too amendement of lyfe let vs call vpon God for help and when wée féele in our selues a wéerinesse of héering and learning the woord of God Let vs by and by think that the diuel layeth a snare for vs and let vs forthwith flée vntoo Praier beséeching GOD that he will both teach vs and also by his spirit make roome for his woord in vs. ¶ Of the third VErely verely I say vntoo you that you shall moorne and vveepe but the vvorld shall reioyce And you shall be sadde but your sadnesse shall bee turned intoo ioy He repeteth the same thing that he had spoken a litle before concerning his death and Resurrection For by thrée signes which were set foorth he gaue an inklyng what should come after although somwhat darkly By the moorning of his Disciples is signified the death and buriall of Chryste By the gladnesse of
suche as lye extréemely sicke or for others that haue néede of our prayers Thankes giuing is an humble lifting vp a mans minde vntoo God wherby wée yéelde thanks vntoo God eyther for beneats bestowed vppon our selues or others or for ridding our selues or others from some inconueniences Now wée perceiue what Chrystian prayer is and how many kindes there bée of it Héerafter remayneth that wée speake of the continuall circumstances of godly prayer ¶ Of the second IN euery godly praier ther must néedes bée alwais these .v. properties circumstances Forst the earnestnesse of hart in him that prayeth secondly coÌ„sideration of the causes that moue vs too pray thirdly who it is that wée cal vpon fourthly by whom wée are herd and fifthly what wée ought to aske of God For these things shal make vs a difference betwéene the vaine babling of the heathen and the effectuall prayer of the godly Wherfore I beséeche you déere brethren that you will diligently lerne and thorowly wey these continuall circumstances of prayer The first circumstance of a godly prayer is the affection of the hart that the hart bée wel bent and settled in praying For if honestie require that our body bée well ordered when wée haue communication with men of more honor than our selues it is much more méete that our minde bée very well disposed when wée shal speake before God in the sight of his Angelles What maner of affection then ought his too bée that will call vppon God with frute First of al let him put off all imagination of his owne glory woorthinesse and desert Next let him thinke vpon his owne néedinesse and pâ—rswade himselfe that he is vtterly destitute of al ayde vnlesse the Lord reach him out his helping hande Then let him cast downe himselfe by true repentance And lastly let him bée kindled too prayer by confidence of gods promisses For who so euer swelleth either with opinion of his owne vertue or féeleth not his own needinesse or casteth not himself downe before God through true repentance or wanteth fayth he prayeth with the Pharisie and not with the Publicane that is too wit he prayeth not aright and effectually The second circumstance is of the causes whereby wée must bée moued too pray And there bée many causes wherof I wil reherse some too the intent that greater desire of praying may be stirred vp in vs. The first cause is Gods commaundement wherevnto it becommeth all creatures too bée obedient Call vppon mée sayth hée in the day of thy trouble And Chrysts Apostles doo oftentimes prouoke vs too pray by the commaundement of God Wée must diligently muse vppon this cause which may stirre vp in vs a desire too pray The second cause is the promise For God hath promised that he will héere our prayers according as it is saide in this Gospel VVhatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he shall giue it you Also in the Psalmes Call vppon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil héere thée Too héere is nothing else but too graunt our requests The third cause is the crosse pressing vs that is too say the féeling both of our owne and other mennes néedynesse Héere wée must looke about vs what pincheth vs at home and what abrode wée must thorowly wey the publike and priuate harmes wée must thinke vppon the distresse of the Church encountring in this world ageinst the deuil and his members and too bée short wée must think vpon all the necessities that nip vs in this life wherby wée may bée stirred vp too call vppon God The fourth cause is victorie in temptations Whervpon in the first of Sainct Iames wée are commaunded too pray as often as wée are troubled with temptations And Chryst sayeth Pray that yée enter not intoo temptation For hée that prayeth earnestly and continually shall not easly be ouercome eyther by the slightes of the deuill or the wickednesse of the worlde or the prouocation of his sinnefull flesh Héervpon Salomon sayth The name of the Lord is a most strong towre that is too say The calling vppon God is a most assured defence ageinst all euils The fifth cause is the sundry suttleties of Sathan who layeth snares for vs in our doctrine and conuersation Paule Eph. 6. biddeth vs take that sword of the spirit which is the woorde of God ageynst Sathan by all maner of intreataunce and prayer The sixth cause is the most plentiful frute of often prayer For the custome of praying kéepeth vs in the feare of God and in godlynesse For that man is not easie too take a fall whoo fencing him self with continual prayers dooth earnestly set his minde vppon godlynesse Contrarywise they that neglect the exercise of prayer ar subiect too diuers casualties Many that are led too execution knowe not so muche as the forme of prayer prescrybed by Chryste and thoughe some knowe it if a man aske the question they confesse they prayed seldome or neuer The seuenth cause is the examples of holy men whose chéefe care in this life was too call vpon God earnestly The Iewes prayed thrice a day in the morning at noone and at night So also did Daniell and many others whoos 's godlynesse is commended But among manye yée shall finde some that in stéede of prayer doo not only in the morning at noone and at night but also whole nights whole dayes togyther giue them selues too wickednesse too make a soft pillowe for the Deuil that hée may rest the more quietly in their hartes These moste weightie causes it behooueth vs too think vppon earnestly too the intent we may driue away our drouzinesse and bée stirred vp too call vpon God in good earnest But some passing ouer these moste weightie causes say God knoweth wherof wée haue néed and hée beareth vs good wil. For he is our Father therfore wée néed not wéerie oure selues with praying I answere True it is that GOD knoweth what things wée haue néede of and hée is our father in déede conditionally that wée bée his sonnes by faith Neither doo wée therfore aske of God bicause we wold teach him that which he knoweth not But it is too be knowen y t he wil not haue y e order broken which he hath apointed For as he hath ordeyned that he wil haue vs fed with meat drink whiche thing he could notwithstanding doo without these meanes so his wil is y t wée should obteine the good things that perteine as wel too our saluation as to the sustentation of this life by prayer whiche procéedeth of fayth Yée receiue not sayeth S. Iames. 4. bicause yée ask amisse And Christ sayth The lord shall giue the holy Ghost too them that aske but he sayth not too loyterers or them that liue carelesse Wée must therefore aske if we set by our own welfare Wée must acknowledge bothe as wel the goodnesse of GOD whoo is redy too giue too those that ask as the néedinesse of our selues whoo should not be able
faith alone Yes it is true But there is a difference too bée put betwixt the causes of saluation and the obedience that God requireth of those that bée his Wée are iustified by faith only but when wée are iustified wée are made new men that is too wit the sonnes of God and hence foorth wée must after the example of our father lead a new and blissed life But héere is too bée considered also that as there is a double marke of the children of God so ther is a double marke of the children of Sathan The marke of the children of God is one while inward and another while outward The inward is repentance faith godlinesse good conscience The outward is héering of Gods woord and honest conuersation among men For as Chryste sheweth héere that the loue of his woord and the héering of it is a marke of his Disciples so Peter requireth honest conuersation among men whereby God may bée glorified his church edified But the inward marke of Sathans children is too bée without faith without godlynesse too haue an euil conscience and euil affections too haue the maistrie The outward mark is outward contempt of the woord and a leude life Mark wel these marks and let euery man examine him self whither he bée too bée accounted among the children of God or among the children of the Diuel If hée perceiue him self too bée among the children of Sathan let him pul back his foot out of hand least he be thrown headlong intoo damnation sooner than he looked for If he perceiue him self too bée among the children of God let him giue God thanks and desire encrease of faith loue and other vertues let him desire too bée strengthened by the holy Ghoste least he bée withdrawen from his godly and holy race by the sleights of Sathan ¶ Of the second ANd my father vvill loue him and vvee vvill come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Heere are rehersed the moste swéete frutes of kéeping the woord of God The firste frute is that the Father loueth suche as kéepe Chrystes woord For hée holdeth them right déere in his beloued Ephe. 1. How great a good thing this is it may bée vnderstood héerby that those which beléeue not in Chryst abide vnder Gods wrath according too this saying Hée that beléeueth not in the sonne the wrath of God abideth vpon him Wher as the wrath of God is there is sinne death damnation hel the tirannie of the Deuill and too bée shorte all mischéefe Contrarywise wheras is the loue of God there are the enimies ouercome there is saluation there is ioy there is life euerlasting Therefore let vs think vpon this first frute of keping Gods woord that by thinking theron wée may be kindled the more too loue the woord The seconde frute is and vve sayth hée vvill come vntoo him Than the whiche comming there can bée no greater honor If God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost come too him that kéepeth Chrystes woords vndoubtedly it foloweth that they came not too him before But that hée was in the diuels power and in the kingdome of darkenesse where death and damnation reigne It is a great frendship if a King come too his subiect it is a great honor too be visited of a mans better but vntoo this honor none other is comparable that God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost come vntoo a man that loueth Chryst and kéepeth his sayings The third frute is that the Trinitie not only cōmeth too a man that kéepeth Christs sayings but also maketh his dwelling with him abydeth in him Christ méeneth by this most swéete promisse that those whiche héere Chrystes woord and kéepe it are the temples of the Trinitie in whome dwelleth the father the sonne the holy Ghost And although that all the whole church is called one church of God yet is euery seuerall Christian a seuerall temple of the holy Ghost Behold how princely a promisse this is If any body should promisse a miserable man a great treasure of gold he should haue good cause too be mery and reioyce that of a poor and wretched creature he should become a riche and happie man But héere is promised a moste incomparable treasure namely the dwelling of the Trinitie in vs whiche farre surmounteth all the treasures of the world But what dooth the Father when hée dwelleth in a man what dooth the sonne what dooth the holy ghoste The father with his might shéeldeth and defendeth the men in whom he dwelleth ageinst the rage of sathan wheras sathā executeth ful power vppon all beléeuers The sonne with his wisdome and light teacheth and lighteneth them ageinst all mistes of all maner of darknes The holy ghost with his holinesse sāctifieth consecrateth anoynteth them too bée the Prophets Kings Préests and saincts of the Lord. Too be Prophets bicause we sée those things with the eyes of our faith which no bodily eare is able too conceiue Of this Propheticall office speaketh Ioel according as Luke also maketh mēcion Act. 2. Too be Kings partly bicause we are made the childrē of God by the victorie of Christ and also bicause that by the power of Christ we reigne ouer death and hel Lu. 22. I appoynt vntoo you a kingdome like as my father hath appoynted vntoo me Too bée préestes bicause when wée beléeue in Chryst wée haue aucthoritie too offer vntoo GOD the sacrifice of prayse wée haue libertie too cal vpon God through Iesus Christ our only mediator and high préest wée haue aucthoritie too teach Gods woord Howbéeit euery man according too the maner of his calling And too bée saincts bicause that through Faith in Christ wée are accoūted as pure as if wée had fulfilled y e law to the vttermost Behold what a nūber of frutes the keping louing of Chrysts woord bringeth with it There can bée no greater dignitie there can bée no greater glory there can bée no honor or worship more excellent But what shal wée lern by it To liue worthy so great honor that wée by our owne vnclennesse driue not God out of our harts but rather that wée exalt him with continual prayses in true godlinesse and sanctificatiō That so great worship ought to put vs in mind héerof Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2. where he sayth thus you are a chosen generation a kingly préesthood a holy nation a people whom God claymeth proper too himselfe that yée should set foorth his woorks whoo hath called you out of darknesse intoo his woonderfull light You that in times past were no people are now the people of God you which in times past obteyned no mercy haue now obteyned mercy Héerevppon the Apostle inferreth Absteyne therfore from fleshly lustes which fight ageynst the soule and make your conuersation honest among the Heathen As many benefites of God then as wée héere of towardes vs so many spurres shall there bée to pricke vs forward too godly and holy lyfe Wherfore sith Chryste
héere promyseth so great things and sith that the heauenly Trinitie dwelleth in them that beléeue Let vs endeuer too bée cleane and pure as it be commeth Gods temples too bée Let vs bée spiritual things that wée may reigne ouer sinne and not serue it any more in the lustes thereof Let vs bée prests that may offer quicke sacrifices vntoo God and call vpon him by fayth in Chryst. Let vs bée saincts and segregated from the heathenish routes of the world that wée fall not intoo our former filthinesse agein ¶ Of the thirde ANd the comforter the holy Ghost vvhom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things This is Chrysts promisse whereby he promiseth his Disciples the holy ghost Wée haue herd before what is the woorthinesse of the Chrystians Now let vs héer what is ioyned with this woorthinesse And bicause I am not able to vtter these things according too their woorthinesse I will after the manner of babes prattle of eche thing that is spoken in this royall promisse These few woords therfore doo conteine seuen poynts concerning the holy ghost the which I will reherse bréefly and apply them too our vse For these points contein the causes why the holy ghost is sent and giuen First he is called an Aduocate Although I haue spoken somewhat an eight dayes hence concerning this name Yet peraduenture it shal not bée amisse too repete it agein too day Therfore he is called an Aduocate that is too say a spokesman bicause hée is at hande too the afflicted and dooth teache them comfort them take their case vpon him as his owne and in conclusion compelleth vs too crye out and too say with all our hart Abba father haue mercy vpon vs for thy sonnes sake whom thou hast giuen too bée our Sauiour And this is the first cause why the holy ghost is giuen The second is that he may quicken vs and thervpon he is called a spirit Now there is a double life The one naturall wherethrough all liuing creatures liue and this endureth for a short time for it is swalowed vp by death and the other life is of God from which Paule sayeth that all those are estraungers which haue not knowne Chryste The author of this life is that spirit of Chryst which he promised too his disciples This is not of short continuance but euerlasting as which is proper too the euerlasting God And this life liue al they that beléeue in the sonne of God Gala. 2. The thirde cause of sending and géeuing the holy ghost is that he may make vs holy of which operation he is called holy and he maketh vs holy at what time he worketh faith in vs when he regenerateth vs when he reformeth our vnderstanding affections and will and too bée bréefe when he bringeth too passe that wée become newe creatures and liue according too the will of God The fourth cause of sending giuing the holy ghost vntoo vs is that he may stablish a certeyne louingnesse among vs and therfore he is said too bée sent from the father too his children For as the father embraceth his children with an inward kindnesse loue so he desireth nothing more than that the childrē folowing the nature of their father should mainteine brotherly loue among them selues Thus too doo it béecommeth them that acknowledge God too bée their common father As for those that refuse too doo so either they neuer were his children or else they are shamefully growen out of kind from the nature of their father The fifth cause of sending the holy ghost is that wée may lerne of him in what sort our heauenly father is mynded towards vs. Therfore the Lord sayth and he shal teach you al things What Shall he teach any other thing than y t which the Prophets and Moyses haue taught Or any other thing than is deliuered vs in the scripture No forsoth For he shal teach the self same things Doth not y e scripture suffise Yes it suffiseth as in respect of doctrine but not as in respect of our capacitie For although wée héere the woord a thousande times yet is it vneffectuall vnlesse he teache within For anoynting as sayth the Apostle teacheth all things The sixth cause of sending and giuing the holy ghost is shewed in this saying in my name By which saying is signified the vttermost ende or the final cause why the holy ghost is giuen which is that they which beléeue in Chryst may bée saued For in as much as Chryst is our saluation that the holy ghost is sent in his name there is no dout but he is sent for our saluation sake The seuenth cause is that he may confirme Christs woord in vs. He sayth Chryst shall teach you all things he shall put you in mynde of all thyngs that I haue spoken vntoo you These things ar signifyed bréefly concerning the holy ghost in our Gospel that is red this day in our Church mo things are noted yet more bréefly in our Créede which are that the holy ghost is very God that he is the thirde person in Trinitie that he quickeneth and sanctifyeth that wée must leane vntoo him by liuely fayth as vntoo the father and the sonne But as concerning these things wée shall héer more another time and haue herd more a while ago ¶ Of the fourth MY peace I leaue vntoo you my peace I giue vntoo you not as the vvorld giueth doo I giue you This promisse of Chryst is right great also and much greater than the world vnderstādeth Dooth not Christ say as we haue herd of late in the world ye shall haue trouble and they shal cast you out of their sinagoges It is so Therfore Chryst maketh a difference betwéene the two sortes of peace betwéene the peace of the world and his peace What maner of peace the peace of the world is there is no man but he vnderstandeth But what maner of peace Chrysts peace is onely the children of God vnderstande For it is that peace whereof the Gospell speaketh and of which I haue entreated abundantly the first Sunday after Easter Neuerthelesse too the intent I may bréefly repete the same things The peace of Christ is our reconcilemēt vntoo God the remission of our sinnes the giuing of the holy ghost and euerlasting life according too this prayer of the Church O God which by the lightning of the holy Ghost hast taught the hartes of the faythfull giue vntoo vs that peace which the world cannot giue and that our hartes may bée quiet This peace the sonne of God graunt vntoo vs too whom with the father and the holy Ghost bée honour and glory for euermore Amen Vpon Whitson Monday ¶ The Gospel Iohn iij. SO GOD loued the vvorld that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that vvho so euer beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne intoo the vvorld too condemne the vvorlde but that the vvorlde
them too héere Chryste and too liue after a godly and vertuous maner Héerupon is that saying of Paule Bring vp your children in the lawe and feare of the Lord. The Magistrate shall likewise compell his subiectes by good lawes and ordinances by example and by taking away of idolatrie Like as Ezechias and Theodosius did who tooke away the instruments of Idolatrie But of all men it belongeth chéefly to the ministers of the woord too coÌ„pell folke by thretning and rebuking them as wée réede that Chryst the prophetes and the apostles did ¶ Of the fourth NOne of those men that vvere bidden refused too come shall taste of my Supper That is to say All despisers of the Gospell shall be shut out from euerlasting lyfe For the wrath of God abydeth vpon all that beléeue not in the Son This is the effect of the fourth place Howbéeit this dayes Gospell serueth too thrée vses The first is that weying throughly the greatnesse of Gods mercie wée shold giue him thanks by Iesus Chryst. The second is that wée should beware that we withdraw not our selues from obedience of the Gospell vnder no pretence The third is that wée bée not mysseled by the example of men of â—ower rich men and voluptuous men and so fall headlong intoo destruction but rather that wee endeuer by al meanes wée can too bée conueyed intoo this heauenly supper by our Lord Iesus Chryst too whom with the father and the holy ghost bée honor and glorie world without ende Amen Vpon the .iij. sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xv THEN came vntoo him all the publicans and sinners for to heere him And the Phariseis and Scribes murmured saying Hee receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them But hee putte foorth this parable vntoo them saying VVhat man among you hauing an hundreth sheepe if he lose one of them dooth not leaue ninetie and nine in the vvildernesse and goeth after that vvhiche is loste vntill he finde it And vvhen hee hath founde it he layeth it on his shoulders vvith ioye And assoone as he commeth home he calleth togither his louers and neighbours saying vntoo them Reioyce vvith me for I haue founde my sheepe vvhich vvas lost I say vntoo you that lykevvise ioy shall bee in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more than ouer ninetie and nine iust persons vvhiche neede no repentance Eyther vvhat vvoman hauing ten grotes if she lose one doth not light a candle and svveepe the house and seeke diligently till she fynde it And vvhen she hath founde it she calleth hir louers and hir neighbours togither saying Reioyce vvith me for I haue founde the grote vvhiche I lost Likevvise I say vntoo you shall there bee ioye in the presence of the Aungels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth The exposition of the Text. THe occasion of this dayes Gospell is this For as much the goodnesse of our lord was so great that hée disdeyned no man were he neuer so miserable or neuer so great a sinner but rather allured all men vnto him according too this saying Math. xj Come vntoo me all yée that labour and are loden and I will refresh you It came too passe that the very Publicanes â–ª knowing of this mercy and goodnesse of Chryst came too him that they might bée partakers of the grace that was offered most fréely and bountifully too all men And therfore would Chryst not only coÌ„fort them with woordes but also with déedes and with kéeping companye with them Therfore when any of them bade him too a meales meate he came and ate with them and that too this end that he might win them too God the father that is too saye might turne them from their moste naughtie wayes vntoo true and healthful repentance too the intent that being quit from the gilt of cursednesse they might bée made heires of eternall lyfe through Iesus Chryst. The Pharisies marking this dooing of Chrysts as they were a proude sect swelling in their own pharisaicall that is too say false righteousnesse murmured ageinst Chryst and priuily accused him of breaking Gods law But what sayth Chryst too this He techeth them both The Publicans if he coÌ„meth to saue sinners and the Pharisies why he kéepeth company with sinners wherby is gathered y e Chrystes kingdome sighteth ageinst the opinion of the Pharisies the kingdom of SathaÌ„ For as Christes kingdom is mercy forgiuenesse of sinnes in so muche that the angels in heauen reioyce at euery sinner that repenteth so Sathans kingdome is mercylesse crueltie and a certein ouerthrowing of sinne The places are two 1 The murmuring of the Pharisies wherfore Chryste kept company with sinners 2 It is taught by twoo parables why Chryste came intoo this worlde and what wée must doo if wée will bée saued ¶ Of the firste THe Publicans and sinners resorted too him too heare him and the Scribes and Phariseys murmured saying This man receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them Héer are set forth vntoo vs twoo kindes of men and their manners The one is of Publicanes and sinners which come vntoo Chryst too heare him that they might bée gathered intoo his shéepfolde and be saued For after that they herde how Chryst reiected no sinners but offred grace too all so they refused not too amende they douted not too come vntoo him yea and that vpon great hope of saluation The other is of Phariseys and Scribes These disalowed Chrystes dooing and his mercifulnesse towards sinners and therfore murmured saying This man receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them Now of this murmuring of the Phariseys there bée many causes whereof I wil reherse some that we may sée with what spirite they speake and beware oure selues that wée be not attached with the same disease and séeme too hinder the saluation of other men The first cause therefore is enuie or spitefulnesse whiche is proper too the Deuill and his members For this spitefulnesse sticking in their hartes makes them that they cannot abide too sée Chryste and the Publicans in company toogyther â–ª for they enuyed the Publicans so much that they could not finde in their harts that they should bée amended by kéeping company with good men Of this sorte of Pharisies there bée 〈◊〉 at this daye than wil be knowne by the name of Pharisies The seconde cause of murmuring was intollerable pryde in the Scrybes and Phariseys wherethroughe they despised the Publicanes as Dogges in so muche that they eschued too eate meate with them or too enter intoo the house where they were The thirde cause of murmuring was the ouerwéening of their owne rightuousnesse and holynesse For as they vaunted them selues too bée rightuous for kéeping the traditions of their Fathers for their sacrifices as he that sayth I am not as other sinners nor as yonder Publican I fast twice a wéek c. so they stoutlye dispised those that had not this vysour of holynesse as folke accursed and abhominable The fourth cause was their desirousnesse too haue
too bée iustified or too become rightuous And that Chrysts rightuousnesse is imputed too him that beléeueth it is proued by many textes of Scripture Hée that beléeueth on him that instifieth the vngodly vntoo him is his fayth imputed for rightuousnesse And Rom. the .5 Cha. Like as by the disobedience of one man many became sinners so by the obedience of one man Iesus Chryst many become rightuous 2. Corin. 5. Him that knewe no sinne hée made sinne that wée might become rightuous before GOD in him And that too this rightuousnesse of the Gospel the woorks of the law are not required many testimonies proue Rom. 3. Wée suppose that a man is iustified by Fayth without the woorkes of the Lawe And Gal. 2. Wée knowe that a man is not iustified by the déedes of the law but by fayth in Iesus Chryst and wée beléeue in Chryst Iesus that wée might bée iustified by fayth and not by the déeds of the Lawe Héeruppon now is concluded that Chrystian iustification is an acquiting of that person from sinne that beléeueth in Chryst and an imputing of Chrystes rightuousnesse vntoo him and an accepting of him vntoo eternall life freely for Chrystes sake Thus muche bréeflye concerning the thrée sortes of rightuousnesse Nowe wyll I adde a fewe thyngs touchyng the difference And first I will tell how christen rightuousnesse differeth from the ryghtuousnesse of the Lawe and afterwarde how it differeth from the rightuousnesse of the Pharisies The first difference therfore betwéene the rightuousnesse of the Lawe and the chrysten ryghtuousnesse is that the ryghtuousnesse of the Lawe is of the woorkes of the Lawe but the Ryghtuousnesse of the Gospell is wythoute the woorks of the Law The second is that the rightuousnesse of the law is the rightuousnesse of the woorker but the ryghtuousnesse of the gospel is the rightuousnesse of the beléeuer The third is y t the rightuousnesse of the law is not imputed fréely but cōmeth to passe of y e desert of a mās own obediēce but the rightuousnesse of y e gospell is imputed without desert of a mans owne obedience The fourth is that y e rightuousnesse of the law is a formall rightuousnesse as which is framed to a man by his iust dealings but the rightuousnesse of the gospell is an imputed rightuousnesse when the iust dealyngs of Chryst are imputed too him that beléeueth Therefore that man is saide too bée iustified according too the forme of the lawe whiche of an vnrightuous person becommeth rightuous through his owne iust dealing and fulfilling of the law according too this saying The man that dooth these things shall liue in them But he is said too bée iustified af rer the maner of the Gospell who of a giltie person is made not giltie by reason of Chrysts rightuousnesse whiche is taken hold on by Fayth The rightuousnesse of the lawe is a perfect obedience of a man too the lawe of GOD. But the Chrysten or Gospellcuyghtuousnesse is Chrysts obedience imputed too him that beléeueth A rightuous man after the lawe is hée that dealeth iustly and vprightly according too the méening of the lawe But he is rightuous after the gospell too whom God forgyueth his sinne and imputeth Chrystes ryghtuousnesse and whom he accepteth too eternall lyfe freely for Chrystes sake Iustification after the lawe is an abling a man before God for the soundenesse and perfection of his obedience too Gods law but christian or Gospell iustification is an abling of man before God for the soundnesse and perfection of Chrysts obedience too God the father Thus haue wée the difference betwéene the christen rightuousnesse and the rightuousnesse of the lawe Now let vs sée howe the Christian rightuousnesse exceedeth the rightuousnesse of the Pharisies The Chrysten rightuousnesse excéedeth the Pharisaicall in these foure things In cause qualitie effecte and ende The cause of christen rightuousnesse is God Chrystes desert and fayth taking hold of the benefit offered but the cause of Pharisaical rightuousnesse is mans hypocrisie ignorance of Gods rightuousnesse and outward obseruaunce of mens traditions The qualitie of christen rightuousnesse is the obedience and fulfilling of the lawe in Chryst but the qualitie of Pharisaicall rightuousnesse is but only an outward visour of feyned and counterfeyt holynesse The effect of Christen rightuousnesse is newnesse of spirite the feare of God true godlynesse inuocation true humilitie patience and a beginning of obedience towards Gods lawe in so much that a man béeing iustified by fayth desires nothing so much as to obey God Too bée bréefe his chéefe pleasure is in the law of the Lord after he knoweth that damnation is taken away by Christs merit but the effect of Pharisaicall rightuousnesse is pryde glorying before God superstition disdeyne of ones neighbour and too bée short such as the trée is such is his frute For an euil trée can not bring foorth good frute The ende of Christen rightuousnesse is too haue peace with God too haue accesse vntoo God too giue glorie vntoo God and finally too obteyne euerlasting life fréely for Chrysts sake but the end of Pharisaical rightuousnesse is too giue prayse too a mans owne selfe and too take it from God and too vaunt among men vppon whiche at length shall ensue horrible punishment vnlesse there bée a turning too the Lorde Let this suffise concerning the thrée sorts of rightuousnesse the differences of them the which it is behouefull too beare in minde ¶ Of the second THe fifth commaundement Thou shalt not kill the Lorde interpreteth himself too the intent too confute the false interpretation of the Pharisies They thought that only outward murther was prohibited But Chryst looked déepelier intoo the lawe and spyed out thrée of her murthers beside the outward manslaughter Yee haue herd sayth hée hovv it vvas sayde too them of olde tyme Thou shalt not kill for vvho so euer killeth shall bee in daunger of Iudgement That is too saye who so euer shall kyll a man shall bée giltie before the iudgement for in this place hée speaketh of outwarde manslaughter and the punishment thereof whiche is a ciuil condemnation by the Lawe That was called the iudgemente wherein sate thrée men at suche time as the cases were easie too bée discussed For hée that had comitted outward murther with his hand was giltie of death by the sentence of the Lawe whiche sentence few were able too pronounce Héer hée speaketh onely of mannes iudgement by the sentence of the law For the spiritual iudgement which was the curse was sufficiently known Now foloweth the interpretation But I saye vntoo you hee that is angry vvyth his brother is in daunger of iudgement Héere hée putteth anger among the kindes of murther The Pharisies perceyued not that thys was forbidden by the fifth commaundement Wherfore hée sayth But I say vntoo you As if he had sayd The Pharisies holde opinion that he onely breaketh the fifth commaundement that hathe killed a man with his hande But I say vntoo you
calling vppon God For whatsoeuer thou hast as thine owne is another bodies and vnlawful vnlesse thou desire it of him Héervppon it is that Chryst teacheth his seruants too pray Giue vs this day our daily bread Sée héer The selfe same bread is called oures and Gods It is oures when wée get it by iust trauell And it is Gods bycause it is his creature which it is not lawful for thée too vse except thou aske him leaue before Therfore Paule addeth also for it is sanctified or made holy by the woord of God and by prayer It is sanctified that is too say the vse of it is made pure and lawfull vntoo vs that wée may vse the creature with a good conscience But by what meanes is it sanctified By the woord and by prayer By the woord vnderstand thou faith which the word requireth For by the woord taken holde on by fayth we professe our selues too beléeue two things The one is that the Lorde according too his vnmeasurable and infinite wisedome hath created all things for mannes sake The other is that we are of y e number of those who through grace in Chryst haue recouered that right of lordship ouer al other liuing things which was loâ—â— in Adam that we may mayntayne this lyfe whiche wée ought too imploy too the enlarging of his glorie This profession of fayth is accompanyed with prayer that GOD may graunt vs too enioye the foode receyued at his hande with a good conscience in all feare and reuerence Lastly wée must knit vp our meales with thanksgiuing yea and with repetition of prayers and so are our meats halowed vntoo vs. But they too whom their meats are not halowed in this wise doo double wrong For first they robbe God of his honor in that they call not vpon him nor acknowledge him too bée the giuer of all good things And secondly they vse the creature of God ageinst the will of it Whereuppon Paule sayeth that the creature is made subiect vntoo vanitie From the whiche vanitie God in the second of Osée promiseth that he wil deliuer the creature Now although these things which are already spoken may sufficiently warne vs too vse Gods creatures aright after the example of Chryst yet notwithstanding too the intent our slothfulnesse may be the more reproued I wil recite certeine reasons that may moue vs. The first Chryst himselfe who created all things prayed gaue thankes as often as hée had occasion too vse Gods giftes Muche more then becommeth it vs so too doo who are stark beggers in the Lords sight The seconde The yoong Rauens doo after their maner call vppon the Lord and hée féedeth them Whereupon Dauid sayth that the Lord giueth food to the yoong Rauens that call vpon him For the Rauen acknowledgeth not hir birds for hir owne as long as they bée callowe and therefore shée forsaketh theÌ„ but the Lord bicause they should not starue féedeth them with little wormes til they bée spoone fethered and then their damme commeth ageine and knowing them brings them vp The third The Turks assemble twice a day before dinner and before supper too desire the blissing of the Lord and wée chrysten folkes neglect it The fourth The Heathen men began their meales alwayes with sacrifice and inuocation although they could not call vpon God aright The fifth The church froÌ„ the beginning of the world begaÌ„ with blissing whensoeuer it had occasion to vse Gods gifts For nothing was more rise amoÌ„g theÌ„ thaÌ„ calling vpoÌ„ God For by oure prayers wée bid God too our meales too whom bée honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .viij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospel Math. vij BEvvare of false Prophetes vvhiche come vntoo you in Sheeps clothing but invvardly they are rauening VVolues Yee shall knovve them by their frutes Do meÌ„ gather Grapes of thornes Or Figges of thistles Euen so euery good tree bringeth foorth good frutes But a corrupt tree bringeth foorth euil frutes A good tree cannot bring foorth bad fruites neyther can a bad tree bring foorth good fruites Euery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruite is hevven dovvn and caste intoo the fire VVherefore by their fruites yee shall knovve them Not euery one that sayth vntoo mee Lord Lord shall enter intoo the kingdome of Heauen but hee that dooth the vvil of my Father vvhiche is in Heauen hee shall enter intoo the kingdome of Heauen The exposition of the text OF thys Gospell there were twoo causes One was the doctrine of our Lord Chryst whiche hée set foorth in the v.vj .vij. chapiters Another was the vanitie of false teachers among the Iewes who partely corrupted the doctrine of Moyses and the Prophetes and partely abolished it The Lorde therefore commaundeth all men bothe too learne the things that are arighte and too beware of the corruptions of false teachers And in this respect the Lorde who is the Phisition of mennes soules foloweth the maner of faithful Phisitians of the bodie For like as these after they haue ministred true Physicke doo teache what hurtefull things are too bée auoyded So the sonne of God our Sauior Phisitian dooth first and formost appoynt a wholsome medicine for the soule and afterward warneth what things are too bée eschued The effect of this gospell is this That as the false Prophets which are too bée knowne by their woorks are too bée shunned so true godlynesse consisteth not in the bare professing of religion but in true repentance and ameÌ„dment The places are thrée 1 A charge of eschuing false Prophets 2 A description of false Prophets 3 The forewarning of Chryst Not euery one that saith vntoo me Lord Lord shal enter intoo the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of my father c. ¶ Of the firste BEvvare of false Prophets This charge of Chryste is vniuersall and perteyneth too all men wherefore it is too bée aduisedly weyed and borne away And in this charge thrée things are too bée considered Néedfulnesse Bond and Use. The néedfulnesse surely is muche greater than the coÌ„mon sorte vnderstandeth For the Diuell the enemie of Chryst and of mankind dooth all that he can eyther too abolishe vtterly the kingdome of Christ or too deface it with stumbling blocks For the performance wherof he vseth diuers fetches according too his owne woont For either he laboreth too take the wholsome doctrine quite away as he hath doone in Turkey or else he endeuereth too corrupt it with his trash as he did in Paradise and at all times sithens or else he mangleth and misturneth the Sacraments as he hath doone in the papacie and many other places Or else he poysoneth the manners and liues of men with his venim Then he assaileth the Scripture and the sound Doctrine too the intent too obteyne at least wise one of these four things First too persuade vs that God regardeth vs not Secondly that wée should attempt somwhat ageinst our own vocation Thirdly that we
Apostles testifie These are the things in generall that are too bée considered in this Gospell Howbéeit too the intente wée may receiue the greater frute thereby I wil propound thrée places whiche I will intreate of in this Sermon 1 What maner of affection Chryste beareth towardes vs. 2 The declaration of this present miracle with the circumstances of the same 3 An Image of all Mankinde ¶ Of the first THe Euāgelist telleth a storie of a certeine yong man that was dead and caryed out too be buryed at the sight wherof our Lord was moued with compassion For when hée behilde the sorowfull moother hée conceyued a déeper thoughte There came too his remembrance the fall of mankinde the tirannie of the Deuil the greatnesse of the miseries wherwith mankind is distressed by reason of sinne He considered it was his office too ouerthrow these fortificatiōs of Sathan For he saw in this womā a paterne of mans wretchednesse whiche did put him in minde of mannes fall and of his owne office Wée may therefore gather twoo things of this place One what wée be and another what Chryst is toward vs. Wée in very déede are miserable in distresse and damned and we cannot of our owne power wrest our selues out of so greate mischéeues Chryste is God and man and came too saue that whiche was loste who in this case vttereth his affection towardes mankinde For hée is none otherwyse mynded towards vs than he was towards this widow Hée is gréeued for hir calamities and he is gréeued for ours He helpeth hir and he wil help vs also This is the very thing that the Apostle sayth writing to the Hebrues we haue a high préest that can bée sory with vs in our infirmities Yea surely hée hathe greater affection and loue towards vs than this widow hath toward hir only sonne whom shée foloweth héer wéeping too the place of his buryall For thus sayeth the Prophete Can a woman forget the Babe of hir owne wombe though shée doo forget yet wil not I forget thée But what are the causes of this vnspeakable louingnesse of Chrystes towards vs that are all too bée dawbed with the filthinesse of many wicked crimes Surely there is no desert of ours ne woorthinesse in vs. Howbéeit there bée foure causes whereby the sonne of God is moued too embrace vs with so great louingnesse The first is his fatherly kindnesse For hée created vs and therefore wée are his by righte of creation And although hée know vs too bée ful of filth and wickednesse yet notwithstāding he findeth somewhat in vs that is his namely that wée bée his creatures Thou hast mercy on all things sayeth the wise man and thou hatest none of the things that thou haste made The seconde is the woorthinesse of our creation Namely for that wée are created too the likenesse of God according too this Let vs make man after our own image and likenesse And bicause this image was for the chéefe part thereof defaced through sinne the Lord himself came too repair it ageine Which thing cometh then too passe when wée beholding him stedfastly by true faith are transformed intoo the likenesse or image of God The third is the ende too whiche wée are created For wée are created too be the temple of God glorifying God And albéeit that this Temple was then vnhalowed through sinne yet the stuffe of it was stil remayning wherof Chryst might buyld vp a new Temple The fourth is the destruction of Sathans kingdome too ouerthrow the which Chryst came intoo this world A certein hansel of this destruction was giuen in this miracle Chryste encountered oftentimes with Sathan and oftentimes didde put him too flight and at length ouercame him when hée rose ageine from death This victorie of Chrystes shall bée séene perfect in the last day whē the last of al enimies death shall bée abolished These foure causes moued oure Lorde too take flesh vpon him and to become man and in the flesh that is in the nature of mā too suffer both in soule body for mankind And although this affection of Chrystes bée oftentimes cōmended vntoo vs in the woorde of God and warranted with many miracles yea and with the obedience of the Sonne of God himself who was obediente too the father euen vnto th◠death of the crosse yet notwithstanding there be thrée things that laboure too persuade vs otherwise That is the law cōscience and the heap of miseries wherwith ▪ we be ouerwhelmed in this life For these things crye vntoo vs that wée are abiects from Chryst. The law sayeth Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the law And there is no man but hée séeth hée hathe innumerable wayes transgressed y e law Wée look vpon Eue who became subiect to the sentence of cursing for breaking of one cōmaundemēt and what shall become of vs that haue offēded God so often The sentence of this law is confirmed by the fearfulnesse of the conscience whiche is as good as a thousand witnesses as it is sayed in the Prouerbe The conscience is a thousand witnesses Héeruntoo perteyneth this saying of the Poet As eche mannes conscience findeth him so feeles he in his hart a ioyfull hope or dreadful feare according too desert And S. Bernarde sayth The euil conscience of our sinnes is our witnesse our iudge our tormentor and our prison for it accuseth vs it iudgeth vs and it condemneth vs. What can bée more gréeuous I pray you than day night too cary suche a witnesse about vs in our brest Many béeing conuicted by the recorde of this conscience haue abridged their owne liues while they could not endure too heare hir accusing them and bearing witnesse ageinst them Too the furtherance héerof cometh the huge heape of calamities which confirme y e sentēce of the law the conscience Ageinst these .iij. moste gréeuous temptations let vs in true repentance set Christ alone He came intoo the world to take away y e curse of the law too wipe out sin too turn intoo glory al the miseries of those that beléeue in him howbéeit in such wise as al things ar doon orderly This world is a wast wildernesse frō whence wée must passe intoo our countrey The people of Israel came not by by intoo the resting place that was promised them Ioseph came not too so great dignitie in Egipt without imprisonment before Christ entred not into his glory till he had bin first crucified dead buried Wherfore it behoueth vs also to enter into glory by the crosse For thus sayth Paule If we suffer with him we shall reigne w t him also He y t shunneth the encounter looketh for y e garland in vain No mā shal be crouned saith the Apostle but he that contendeth lawfully The same sayth we are made safe by hope Therfore ageinst the cursse of the law let vs set Christ who became accursed for vs. Ageinst our conscience
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
it procéeded of faith but the Pharisies déede was abhomination bycause the persone pleased not GOD. Twoo husbande men tyll their grounde the one dooth God high seruice ploughing in the feare of GOD and looking for blessing from God And the other pleaseth not God bicause hée is voyde of fayth and the feare of God And yet haue bothe of them commaundement of the woorke In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate thy breade The handmaydes that doo seruice obedientlye too their mistresse peraduenture in swéeping the flore haue bothe of them the commaundement also But shée that bringeth fayth with hir too hir businesse dooth seruice vntoo GOD where as shée that wanteth Fayth thoughe shée doo in déede that whiche shée is bound too doo of duetie yet cannot hir woorke bée called a seruice of God Furthermore the woork that is commaunded wrought in Fayth must tende too Gods glorie chéefly This is confirmed by the testimonie of Esay Euery one that calleth vpon my name haue I created too mine owne glorie I haue shapē him I haue made him But what is it too glorifie GOD In fewe woordes it is too attribute all glorye vntoo him and too praise him with hart with mouth with confession and with behauiour Now foloweth that whiche I promised too speake of in the fourth place That is too witte who they bée that are able too yéeld true woorship vntoo God Although this may bée gathered of the things that wente before Yet notwithstanding I wil shew it bréefly héer They only can doo seruice and woorship vntoo God that haue accesse vntoo him but the children of God onely haue accesse vntoo him wherfore they only can doo him seruice aright His children are all those that beléeue in his name Iohn 1. And these haue accesse vntoo the Father through fayth Rom. ◠And for the same cause Chryst teching his Disciples too pray biddeth them say Our father whiche art in Heauen meaning that none but his Children can call vpon him Let this suffise cōcerning the true seruice of God the summe wherof is conteyned in louing God our neighbour Now remayneth that I speake of the third doctrine ¶ Of the thirde WHhat thinke you of Chryst sayth he vvhose sonne is he They say vntoo him Dauids The Pharisies thought themselues rightuous by the law but if that had bin true Chryst had bin promised in vayne For thus sayth Paule in the seconde too the Galath If rightuousnesse come by the lawe then Chryste dyed in vayne Our Lorde therefore asked them of the Messias that is of Chryst that by making mention of him he might stirre them vp to know and consider to what end the law was giuen and too thinke wherefore the Messias was promised Whiche thing if they hadde doone aright they should haue reasoned thus The Messias was promised too take away sinne like as Esay witnesseth He bare our diseases Gen. 15. In thy séede shall all nations bée blissed Therefore it is néedefull that the sonne of Dauid should bée not only man but also God the Lord of Dauid according as the Psalme testifieth The Lord said vntoo my Lorde c. By this kinde of reasoning they might haue iudged aright bothe of the lawe and of Chryst and so they had embraced Chryste the Sauiour too whom bée honour world without ende Amen Vpon the .xix. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. ix IESVS entred intoo a shippe and passed ouer and came intoo his ovvne citie And beholde they brought too him a man sicke of the Palsey lying in a bedde And vvhen Iesus savv the fayth of them he sayde too the sicke of the Palsey Sonne bee of good cheere thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee And behold certeine of the Scribes said vvithin them selues This man blasphemeth And vvhen Iesus savv their thoughtes hee sayd vvherfore think ye euill in your harts vvhether is it easier to say Thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee or to say arise and vvalke But that yee may knovv that the sonne of man hath povver too forgiue sinnes in earth Then sayth he too the sicke of the Palsey Aryse take vp thy bed and goe vntoo thine house And he arose and departed too his house But the people that savv it marueled and glorified God vvhich had giuen suche povver vnto men The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell conteyneth one of those miracles wherewith as our Lorde testifieth his power will and office so hée confirmeth the certeyntie of his doctrine It is shewed in this present story how Chryst healed a man y t was diseased of the Palsie Whiche déede his héerers accept not all with one mind For the Pharisies blaspheme the cōmon sort by beholding the miracle are put in minde of the presence of God and are confirmed in Chrystes doctrine wherby they not onely conceyue feare ▪ and faythe but also vtter the true frutes of fayth by setting foorth y e goodnesse of God This gospell therfore is as a certeine picture wherin Chrystes kingdome in this worlde is paynted out in which there bée some that bring the diseased vntoo Chryste and some that murmure as the Pharisies in all times and other some that feare god aright and glorifie him for his déedes Among these sundrie sortes of héerers standes Chryste in the middes receyuing all that come vntoo him despising no man for his miserie healing their woundes releasing our sinnes and with his holy spirite as with a most precious balme he assuaged our brooses and healed them This is the summe and the drift of this dayes Gospell which for instructions sake I will diuide intoo thrée places 1 Of those that broughte this man that was sicke of the palsie in a bedde vntoo Chryste that he might heale him 2 The murmuring of the Pharisies accusing Chryst and his defence 3 The end and vse of Chrystes miracles ¶ Of the firste ANd Iesus taking Ship c. Héere firste and formoste is too be considered the occasion of the miracle wrought in this place by our Lord. Chryst taking ship sayth hée passed ouer and came intoo his owne Citie that is too witte Capernaum For hée kept there very muche What was the cause of this his going thither Hée had bin in the lande of the Gergesenes where bée healed a man that was possessed of the Deuil and when the Deuilles desired that they mighte enter intoo the swine the Lord agréed and so the herd of swine ranne headlong intoo the Sea and were drowned When the inhabiters saw this they came vntoo Iesus desiring him for too depart from them for they did set more by their swine than by Chryst and his Gospell And surely they haue many felowes in these dayes whom wée may rightly call Gergesenes Twoo things therfore are too bée obserued héere one whiche is set foorth for vs too eschue and another whiche is commended too all godly folke too folowe The vnthankfulnesse of the Gergesenes is too be eschued that set more by a péece of Bakon than by their soule
in the wedding garment ¶ Of the third MAny are called and fevv chosen This saying of Chryste conteyneth twoo things that is too witte a setting foorth of the mercy and goodnesse of GOD who calleth all men too his sonnes mariage Neither is it too bée thought that hée calleth any whoÌ„ hée would not haue too bée at his sonnes wedding and a complaint ageinste the vnthankfulnesse of the greatest part of tâ—â— world Many sayth hée are called For the Bridegroom commaunded his Apostles too go foorth intoo all the whole world and too call men too this mariage as hée sayd afore Cal too the mariage whosoeuer yée finde But fevv are chosen That is few haue the wedding garmeÌ„t For such are chosen as are sorted out from others and are excellente aboue others Therfore Peter saith that Christians are chosen too sanctification of spirit that is too wit that they should bée holy in spirit Uerely GOD will haue all men saued as Paule teacheth and this parable sheweth yea and Chrystes owne woords witnesse Math. xj Come vntoo mée all yée that labour and are loden and I wil refreshe you Let vs set this saying ageinst all the enimies of Gods grace Therefore if thou looke too Godwarde Gods will is that all men shoulde bée saued and come too the knoweledge of the truthe and hée calleth all men without exception too the mariage of hys Sonne But if thou looke vntoo menwarde fewe are chosen that is too saye fewe when they heare the Gospell doo receiue it by fayth and become holy in spirite Wherefore the cause of damnation is not in GOD but it is too bée sought for in our selues How often sayth Chryste would I haue gathered thy Children toogither and thou wouldest not Beholde thou hast héere twoo things Chryste would and Ierusalem would not Therfore by this saying wée are warned that it is not inough too hear the Gospel but wée must also obey the Gospell For as Peter sayeth it is therefore preached that wée should bée mortified as towarde the fleshe and too liue after the spirite Thus muche concerning this dayes Gospel wherby wée may lerne that God hathe not created vs too damnation but too blisfulnesse and that hée hathe fréely prepared all things that perteine vntoo true blissednesse And ageine that those which are damned are damned through their owne fault as which would not obey the Gospel Wherfore if we haue regarde of our soulehelth let vs put on the wedding garment and let vs minde true holinesse through Iesus Chryste oure Lord Too whom with the Father and the holie Ghoste bée honour for euermore Amen Vpon the .xxj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Iohn iiij THere vvas a certein ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke at Capernaum Assoone as the same hearde that Iesus vvas come out of Ievvrie intoo Galilee hee vvent vntoo him and besought him that hee vvoulde come dovvne and heale his Sonne For hee vvas euen at the point of death Then sayde Iesus vntoo him except yee see signes and vvonders yee vvill not beleeue The ruler sayde vntoo him Sir come dovvne or euer that my Sonne die Iesus sayeth vntoo him Go thy vvay thy Sonne lyueth The man beleeued the vvoorde that Iesus hadde spoken vntoo him And hee vvente his vvaye And as hee vvas goyng dovvne the seruauntes mette him and tolde him saying Thy Sonne liueth Then enquyred hee of them the houre vvhen hee beganne too amende And they sayde vntoo him Yesterdaye at the seuenth houre the Feuer lefte him So the Father knevve that it vvas the same houre in the vvhich Iesus sayd vntoo him Thy Sonne liueth and hee beleeued all his housholde This is ageine the second miracle that Iesus did vvhen he vvas come out of Ievvry intoo Galilee The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell teacheth vs whither wée ought too flée for succour in all the troubles of this lyfe that is too wit too the fountayne of all welfare and felicitie Iesus Chryst. Which thing Esay also putteth vs in minde of when he sayâ—h Yée shall drawe water out of the welles of the Sauioure Too this well wée must come not with féete but with minde not with reason but with Fayth Furthermore this Gospell sheweth howe forwarde Chryste is too helpe who sendeth away none that commeth too him without comforte For he is not otherwise affectioned towards any man than towarde this noble man this Courtyer of Herodes court whom hée not only comforted by worde but also helped by miracle The summe of this Gospell therefore is included in this saying of Ioel Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shalbée saued The places are thrée 2 Of mens miseries and of the cause and remedie of the same 2 Of the rebuke wherewith Chryst rebuketh this seruant of the kings 3 The true nature and inclination of Faith ¶ Of the firste THere vvas a certeine Ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke This sad father and his sicke sonne doo set before our eyes the miseries of this worlde which as they are the punishments of sinne so are they also as it were certein sermons of Gods iudgement whereby wée are allured too repentance like as this Courtier béeing sad for the sicknesse of his sonne féeleth his owne sinne bewayleth it Héervntoo maketh also that saying of Esay Their distresse shall bée a lerning vntoo thée Howbéeit too the intent wée may the better consider Gods goodnesse towards vs I will declare by what meanes God is woont too call vs chéefly too repentance These wayes are chéefly sixe The first He setteth foorth the doctrine of the law wherin he paynteth out our sins as in a table sheweth the blindnesse of our minde be wrayeth our douting of Gods prouidence promises and threats vttereth the vnclennesse of our affections and sheweth the stinche of the stomacke the turning away our will from God and the horrible atteinting of all our powers Agein in the second table of the law he paynteth our vnfaythfulnesse towards men and the vncleanenesse of our thoughtes so that yf there appéere any vprightnesse in our whole life before wée bée conuerted vntoo Chryste the same is no better than a cloth stayned with matter and most vnpure blud which thing Esay complayneth of in these woordes All our rightuous dooing are as a moste filthie cloute The cause why the lawe setteth this our filthinesse before vs is that wée béeing warned of their stinche should repent and departe from our moste wicked wayes The second The excesse of inward miseries which no maÌ„ is able too describe and bewayle sufficiently was neuer yet so great neither was any mannes calamitie yet so extreme but that any of vs might fall intoo the same as Ambrose godlyly admonisheth vs saying Wee eyther are now presently or heeretofore haue bin or may be in the selfe same ease that this same man was in In how great miserie was Adam who not only sawe the one of his sonnes murther his brother but also behilde the moste sorowfull fallings of
lost shéepe How largely extendeth this mercy of God The virgin aunswereth from one generation too an other that is too say too all ages and too all nations according too this saying The earth is ful of Gods mercy Héertoo perteyneth this place of y e psalm Gods mercy endureth for euer and euer By Gods Iustice Adam and all his posteritie was made subiect too wretchednesse And by Gods mercy Adam and his ofspring was made partaker of grace so they purchase not damnation too themselues by theyr owne default Héervntoo perteineth that saying of Esay I haue giuen thée too bée a light too the Gentyles that thou mayest bée my Saluation too the vttermoste parts of the earth And Simeon sayth A lyght which thou hast prepared too all people Too whom befalleth this mercy Mary aunswereth Too those that feare him This selfe thing dooth Dauid witnesse in these woords The mercy of the Lord is from generation too generation vpon them that feare him And agein his saluation is néere them that feare him Therfore where as is the true feare of God there also Gods mercy taketh place But what is this fear of God It is true godlynesse and religion wherewith they are endued that leane vntoo Chryst by stedfast faith But héere must discretion bée had betwéene the cause of mercy and the qualitie of them too whom it befalleth Ther is none other cause than Gods fatherly good wil well liking in his déere beloued son according as he him selfe sayth This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased The qualitie of them too whom mercy befalleth is not merite or desert but a marke of Gods children whiche are made his children by faith according too this he haue power too as many as beleeue in his name too become the sonnes of God By fayth only are wée borne the sonnes of God but when wée are become the sons of God wée must as it becommeth Gods children liue in al godlynesse innocencie other vertues the which the blissed virgin cōprehendeth héer vnder y e name of the feare of God 6 He hath shevved strength vvith his arme he hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their ovvne harts 7 He hath put dovvne the mighty from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke 8 He hath filled the hungry vvith good things and the rich he hath sent empty avvay Shée setteth out Gods iudgement ageinst the proude and his mercy towards the lowly Héereof are shewed examples without nūber both by y e holy histories by daily experiēce 9 He remēbring his mercy hath holpen his seruant Israel 10 As he promised too our forefathers Abraham and his seede for euer This is too say God hath accōplished his promise of mercy by sending his son Therfore he is sothfast to be praised for his sothfastnesse Too whō bée prayse confession and glory of mercy power rightuousnesse truth for euer euer Amen Vpon the feast day of S. Michael the Archangell ¶ The Gospell Math. viij AT the same time came the disciples vntoo Iesus saying VVho is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Iesus called a chylde vntoo him and set him in the middest of them and sayd Veryly I say vntoo you except yee turne and become as children ye shal not enter intoo the kingdome of heauen VVhosoeuer therfore humbleth himself as this child that same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen And vvhosoeuer receyueth such a child in my name receyueth me But vvhoso doth offend one of these litle ones vvhich beleue in me it vvere better for him that a milstone vvere hanged about his necke and that he vvere drovvned in the depth of the sea VVoe vntoo the vvorlde bicause of offences necessarie it is that offences come But vvoe vntoo the man by vvhom the offence commeth VVherfore if thy hand or thy foote hinder thee cut him of and cast it from thee It is better for thee too enter intoo lyfe halt or maymed rather than thou shouldest hauing tvvo handes or tvvo feete bee cast intoo euerlasting fyre And if thine eye offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee It is better for thee too enter intoo life vvith one eye rather than hauing tvvo eyes too bee cast into hell fyre Take heede that yee despise not one of these little ones For I say vntoo you that in heauen their Angels do alvvayes behold the face of my Father vvhich is in heauen The exposition of the Text. THis feast was appoynted and receyued in the Church too the intent wée might learne Gods benefites towards vs who hath giuen vs his Angels too bée our kéepers Wherefore the congregation is too bée taught this day concerning Angels chéefly Howbéeit forasmuche as the Gospell that is woont too bée red this day conteineth singuler lessons I will first open the Texte of the Gospell and afterwarde speake somewhat concerning Angels The occasion of this Euangelical lesson was the statelynesse of Chrysts disciples who after they had herd Chryst make mention of his departure fell at strife for the soueraintie whom Chryst calleth back from their error sets a child in the middes of them saying Except ye be as children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heauen Besides this hée dissuadeth them frō ministring occasion of offence cōmendeth children vnto vs that wée should receiue them intoo the churche knowing that of suche is the kingdome of Heauen The places are foure 1 The reasoning of the Apostles about the soueraintie and the reproofe of them 2 The warning too auoyd offence 3 Chrystes commaundement of receyuing Children 4 The nature and office of Angels ¶ Of the first THe Disciples came vnto Iesus saying vvho is greatest in the kingdome of Heauen Héer cometh first too bée marked the blindnesse of Chrysts Disciples vnderstanding not yet what maner a one Chrystes kingdome is They dreamed it should bée a ciuil gouernment wherin Chryst should reign as chéefe souereigne his Disciples as Dukes should rule the whole world vnder him And therfore they demaund which of them should bée chéefe and next vntoo Chryst. So wonderful blindnesse had bewitched their mindes Agein wée may sée héere the Deuils venim which wrought euen in those instrumentes of God namely Chrystes Disciples who were ordeyned too bée Apostles and ambassadours of Chryst our king in his spiritual kingdom What dooth the Deuill hée stayneth them with the moste vgly vice of pride in so much as they fell already too reasoning for the soueraintie that is too say which of them should be Lord ouer the rest What dooth Chryst vntoo this foolishe pride of his Disciples Surely he might iustly haue cast them of as proud vtterly vnméet too bear any sway in the gouernment of his spirituall kingdom yet doth hée not so but admonisheth them fatherly And as he correcteth their error so hée sharply reproueth the vice of pride For thus saith he Iesus called a Child vnto him set him in
Wirtemberge ▪ maynteyned a fortie yeres agon and yet stil mainteineth And also which those most excellent men the studentes of this Uniuersitie D. Iohn Machabeus of the Alpes D. Peter Palladie D. Iohn Seming and D. Olaus Chrisostomus all which doo now rest in the Lord looking for full deliueraunce by the comming of the Sonne of God haue taught In this consent stande wée also who haue succéeded them in office in this Schoole and wée pray God hartily that wée may liue and die in this consent For wée doo not dout but that this is the continuall consent of Gods Churche as wée haue sufficiently shewed before I beséech God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryst too knit vs toogither with his spirite that wée may bée at vnitie in him Fare yée well and God sende yée good lucke in Chryste At Hafnie the .xxx. of Marche The yeare since Chryst was borne 1561. The fyrst Sunday in Aduent ¶ The Gospell Math. xxj AND WHEN THEY drevve nigh vntoo Ierusalem and vvere come vntoo Bethphage vntoo mount Oliuete then sent IESVS tvvoo of his disciples saying vntoo them Go intoo the tovvne that lieth ouer againste you and anon yee shall finde an Asse bound and hir colte vvith hir loose them and bring them vntoo mee And if any man saye avvght vntoo you say yee the Lorde hath neede of them and straight vvay hee vvill let them go All this vvas doone that it might bee fulfilled vvhich vvas spoken by the Prophet saying Tell yee the daughter of Sion beholde thy King commeth vntoo thee meeke sitting vpon an Asse and a colte the foale of an Asse vsed vntoo the yoke The disciples vvent and did as Iesus commaūded them and brought the Asse and the colte and put on their clothes and sette him thereon And many of the people spred their garments in the vvay Other cut dovvne braunches from the trees and stravved them in the vvay Moreouer the people that vvent before and they also that came after cryed saying Hosanna too the sonne of Dauid Blissed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest The exposition of the Text. FORASMVCH AS this feast of Aduent or of the comming of our Lorde is the first of all in order which is solemnized in the church It is necessarie that wée bée put in minde what things are too bée considered in euery seuerall feast least either with the wicked and Heathenish world we abuse them too the dishonor of God or else solemnize them with lesse deuotion than it béecommeth vs not without the offence of many In generall there are thrée things too bée considered in euery feast The storie which is the foundation of the feast the benefite whereof the storie maketh mention and the true and lawfull vse of the feast For as the storie instructeth the mind So the benefite of God the remembrance wherof the storie stablisheth dooth nourish and strengthen Faith Out of which Faith issueth thankfulnesse which praiseth God for the benefite receiued with mind with voyce with confession and with behauior In which thankfulnesse the true vse of the Feast is too bée séene These thrée things are too bée applied vntoo all feastes Wherfore inasmuch as this feast is instituted concerning the comming of our Lord the storie of his comming which perteineth too the Conception birth doctrine and dooings of Christ which are the chéef Articles of our beléef is too bée lerned The benefite of God which is to saue the lost shéepe by the sacrifise propiciatorie is too bée recorded in remembrance With the first the mind is too bée instructed with this latter Fayth is too bée cherrished and strengthened too th entent that theruppon may spring thankfulnesse of mind wherby wée both with mind voice confession and behauior ▪ set out the glory of God whoo hath voutchsaued to giue his sonne for vs. Now too the entent this present feast may become the more behoouefull bothe too the glory of God and too the instruction of our selues I will entreat of thrée places in order which are these 1 Of the comming of the Lord. 2 The description of Christ our king of his kingdome 3 Of the Citizens of this king of their duetie and in conclusion of the true vse and healthful meditation of the Lordes comming ¶ Of the first TO the intent wée may the better certeinlier be instructed of the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ too the praise of God and the helthful edifiyng of our selues Let vs with S. Bernard propound sixe circumstances to bée weyed in it whiche are these Whoo hée is that commeth from whence whither too what purpose when and what way 1 He that commeth is according to the testimony of Gabriel the sonne of the highest equall too the moste high Father in true Godhead Heereby we may learne how great is his maiestie dignitie power Hée that commeth is the séede of the woman very man of the séed of Abraham and Dauid according too the oracles of the Prophets the testimonies of the Apostles lesse than y e father as touching his very māhood Whereby wée may lerne with what societie of nature hée is alyed vntoo vs so as we néed not too bée afraid too come vntoo him It is Christ then that commeth whoo is bothe very God and very man béeing one persone in twoo natures whoo is bothe able too saue bicause hée is God and wil saue bicause hée hath taken our nature vppon him that he might bée made a sacrifice for vs. 2 From whence commeth hée he commeth from heauen hée commeth out of the bosome of the father whoo filleth all things and is inuisible euery where Also he commeth in the virgins womb conceiued by the woorking of the holy ghost Hée is nourished with the virgins bloud hée is borne hée is brought vp hée is circumcised 3 Whither commeth hée Hée commeth intoo the world which was made by him He commeth intoo his owne his owne receiued him not Hée came intoo the lower partes of the earthe And out of all dout this is that great misterie wherof the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 3. God was shewed openly in the fleshe iustified in the spirit beholden of the Angels preached of vntoo the Gentiles beléeued vppon in the world and receiued vp intoo glorye 4 Too what purpose came hée The causes of the Lordes comming intoo the world the voyce of God foretelleth the Types prefigurate the sayings of the Prophets proclaime the woordes and woorkes of the Lord being come doo proue the writyngs and Preachings of the Apostles witnesse and the ioyfull congregation of all Sainctes confesseth God sayd too the Serpent Gen. 3. The séede of the woman shall tread downe thy head Which text the Apostle expounding sayth Christ appéered too destroy y e woorks of the diuel The same god did oftētimes beat the méening of this saying intoo the holy Fathers heades and specially intoo Abrahams saying In thy séed shal all natiōs bée blissed By these