of thys Gospel let vs fyrst seke for our soule helth and foode as we se the people dyd here and doubt we no thynge but God wyll prouyde well ynough for our bodely foode Let vs not do as the Romane citizens dyd whych fyrst sought for money and then for vertue but let vs fyrst seke for vertue and for the kingdome of God and then wythout muche sekynge the rest shal be aboundauntly gyuē vs. Let vs not trust to much to our owne carnall reason as the Apostles dyd here but let vs thynke nothynge impossible to God yea let vs be ful assured that he wol helpe whā he seeth best hys tyme beynge throughly persuaded that all thynges come by the large blessynge of god To whome be all glorye Amen The Epistle on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .viij. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the mortification of the fleshe BRethren we are detters not to the fleshe to lyue after the fleshe For yf ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But yf ye thorowe the spirite do mortifie the dedes of the body ye shall lyue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare eny moare but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirite that we are the sonnes of god Yf we be sonnes then are we also heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres ānexed wyth Christ yf so be that we suffer wyth hym that we maye be also glorified together wyth hym FYrst in thys Epistle we be taught good christen people We ought to mortifie our lustes that after we be ones grafted by the sacrament of baptysme into the holy communion of christen persons and thervpon through the intercession and merytes of Christes most holy bloude shed for vs be iustyfyed and reconcyled to the father of Heauen we ought nowe not to lyue accordynge to the lust of the flesshe but vtterly to mortyfye the dedes of the same and to do the workes of the spirite that is to say not fleshly workes but spirituall workes honest vertuous and charitable workes the stypende and reward wherof is euerlastyng lyfe wheras the rewarde of them that do otherwyse and that lyue after the fleshe is death without ende And here the Apostle Paule setteth before our eyes aswell the promyses as the thretnynges terrours wherwith he frayth vs away from carnall workes and exhorteth vs to the mortyfycacion of the flesshe and vnto ghostly workes whiche be semynge for christen men to vse To the carnal workes he yeldeth for rewarde death and consequently eternal damnacyon To spirituall and good worckes in place of rewarde he ascrybeth lyfe wherein the godly parsons do here in this worlde lyue holyly and after this worlde shall enioye eternall lyfe Secondly we be here taught by S. Paule that yf we be right Christiās I meane yf we lyue not after the fleshe but after the spirite and christianly we be sure to be the sons and chyldren of God And on the contrary syde yf we lyue otherwyse we be vndoubtedly the chyldren of Satā Two spirites And forasmuch as there be two sortes of spirites the spirite of feare or bondage and the spirite of adoptyon wherof the fyrste pertayneth to wycked persons and the other pertayneth to the good and godly persons therfore ye shal vnderstande that they whiche haue the spirite of bōdage do all that they do coactly and not of a fre hert these be the chyldren of the law or letter and be mere hypocrytes But they whiche do good workes euen of a fre hert and not as cōpelled by feare of the lawe but euen of loue these be the ryght chyldren of god these be the true christians these haue the harte and the grace in all their necessities to crye to God theyr father and to call hym Abba father and to aske of him with certayne and sure fayth all that they want whiche is necessarye for them to haue These haue peace of conscyence wherby they beynge iustyfyed and led of the spirite of god be throughly persuaded in their conscience that by the merites of Christ they haue God their mercyfull Lorde and father whiche wyll bothe helpe them and here them in theyr nede Of this peace speaketh S. Paule in the .v. Chapter of the Romaynes saying Nowe then that we be iustyfyed by fayth we haue peace towardes God by our Lord Iesu Christ But of the seruyle feare wherwith all hypocrites no true christians by indowed saynt Iohn wryteth in this wise i. Io. iiij feare is not in loue but perfecte loue casteth forthe feare because feare hath torment The office of the holy goost Thyrdly we be here taught what is the moste propre offyce of the holy ghost that is to say to certyfye vs of our enheritaunce whiche we receyue in Chryst Iesu With this confyrmacyon of the holy Ghoste were all sayntes and holy men sealed euen as many as constantly stode and persisted in the confession of Christe and whiche at this daye do persyst And for this cause dothe the Apostle oftentymes wyshe and desyre to suche as he wrote the strengthnyng of the holy ghost Eph. iij as to the Ephesians where he sayth For thys thynge do I bowe my knees that ye maye be strengthened by hys holy spirite And of thys office or propertie whych the holy goost hath Ephe. iij. cor i. he is oftentymes called the ernest the pledge the gage the seale or certificate Fynally we be here instructed the way of glorifyenge vs. that albeit we surelye knowe we be the heyres of God and felowe heyres with Christ yet neuertheles it behoueth vs to be glorifyed by tamynge and mortifyenge of oure lustes by pacient suffrynge of tribulation and displeasures as the apostle sayeth here Heyres wyth Christe yf so be we suffre wyth hym that we may also be glorifyed wyth hym Wherfore my frendes yf we couet to be of the saued nombre let vs accordynge to S. Paules exhortacion kyll the lustes of oure fleshe to thyntent we maye lyue and walke spiritually Then in all oure nedes we shall as louynge chyldren be bolde to call to our moost tender and kynde father for succoure Then shall we be certifyed by the holy goost that we be the sonnes and heyres of God and ioynt neyres wyth Christ wyth whome yf we suffre wyth hym we shall also be glorifyed To whome be honoure and glorye per infinita secula Amen The Gospell on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vij. chapter of Matheu Th argument ☞ Signes wherby to discerne false teachers IEsus sayd vnto hys dysciples Beware of false prophetes whyche come to you in shepes clothynge but inwardly they are rauenynge wolues Ye shall knowe them by theyr frutes Do men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystles Euen so euery good tre bringeth forth good
trouth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that coÌ„forter wyl not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyl rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgemente Of synne because they beleue not on me Of ryghtousnes because I go to my father and ye shall se me no more Of iudgemente because the prynce of thys world is iudged alredy I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto youe but ye cannot beare them away nowe Howbeit when he is com whych is the spirite of trouth he wyl leade you into al trouth He shal not speake of himselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of myne and shall shewe vnto you Why tholy goost was promysed THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good brethren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purposis sente of Christe that he myghte reuelate and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this kingdome For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde no more then is his iustice and beatitude forasmoch as the worlde bicause it is ledde with reason requireth an other kingdome an other iustice and consequently an other blesse euen such as be most agreable to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely handes Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them they flatter the worlde and they be lettes and impedimentes that the true spirituall raigne or kyngdome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene ☜ Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and heuynesse As though they shulde saye vnto hym We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some carnall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome But when the holy ghoost come he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power TheÌ„ also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost and our iugement shall appere wherby accordinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe Finally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towardes Chryst the only Sauiour when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our workes and suche lyke And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the knowlege of gods worde But now I go c. Now therfore sayth Christe I go my wey to him that sent me to thinteÌ„t I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you ye aske me not whether I go As who shulde saye yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thynges ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go syth I tolde you I must departe Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes be full of sorowe not so much bycause of my departure as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome Expediâ— vobis Howbeit I tel you the trouth it is expedient for you that I go my waye as who shulde saye your opinioÌ„ concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste departe partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what maner kyngdome my kingdome is and partly what ye ought to loke for in it I saye it is expedient and profitable for you that I departe Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde that is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death He addeth For yf I go not awaye that comforter shall not come vnto you The profyte of Christes death Lo good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father For therfore departed he out of this world bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome which neuertheles could not helpe yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome and we yet carnall we coulde in no wise vnderstande nor ê‘ceiueit No more then euen at thys daye we vnderstaÌ„d it but by the helpe and ayde of the holy gooste Wherefore let vs remembre that Christ hath for our cause sent the holy goost whych myght leade vs into all truth that is to wite whych might disclose and open vnto vs oure synnes that do naturally stycke in vs and yet neuertheles we take them for no synnes whyche holy ghost also myght bewrey our ryghtuousnes to be befor god more vnrightuousnes finally whych myght shewe the deuell to be iuged by the ouerture and openyng of the gospell all whyche thinges noman shuld haue vnderstanded had not Christ sente his holy ghost Actu i. whom in this place he surely promiseth shulde come and he came in dede accordinge to hys promise vpon the daye of Pentecoste as it is redde in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Now the holy ghost is called a comforter whych in the Greake is called Paracletus of hys effecte or office forasmuche as his office and feate is euen froÌ„ tyme to tyme so longe as this spirituall kyngdome shall endure Paracletus quid fit to comforte mens consciences in this world When this comforter commeth saith Christ he shal rebuke the worlde of synne of rightuousnes and of
to these vayne tryflers Christe sayeth that the holy goost shall testifye of hym to the worlde and shall make mē mete and apte to receceyue his gospel and shall teach none other thynge than that whyche he hymselfe hath taught But these tryflers bable that the holy goost ought to teach some thynge of more excellencye than that whych is comprysed in the holy gospell Surely I wolde thynke it moost conuenient that we shulde obey and beleue hym to whom the father of heauen bare wytnes sayenge math iij Thys is my welbeloued sōne in whom I am right wel pleased heare ye hym But they that can not be satisfied wyth Christes doctrine to whome not only thapostles but also the holy goost hath borne wytnesse let them at theyr parell chose them other doctrines Certes I wyll not counsayle you lyke owles to wāder in darkenes but rather to fyxe stedfastlye youre fete in the lyght Last of all ye shall consyder and note good christen brethren and systers in thys gospell that the word and institution of Christ of whych the spirite the apostles do testifye can in no wyse b gratefull and acceptable to the worlde For those that wol admyt thys worde the worlde wolle caste them out of al honest mens company as they call honeste men they woll as heretykes dryue them out of theyr churches and assembles they woll excommunicate them they woll curse them wyth boke bell and candell Yea yf they may wyth all kynde of punyshment and death persecute the true Apostles and messēgers of Christ they wyll thynke to do a hygh seruice to God that theyr zeale hath hyghly serued gods wyl But what sayeth Christ in the meane season Therfore I wyll be wyth you They shal so handle themselues towardes you bycause they knowe nother me nor my father Here ye se wyth what successe and fortune in thys wycked world the moost precious worde of the gospell wyth the imbrasers therof be commonly receyued For thou mayst not loke to lyue a swete an ydle and a delicate lyfe yf thou wolte confesse Christ For he that woll lyue after a godlye sorte as sayeth saynt Paule must nedes suffer persecution ij tim ij And in an other place he sayeth Gala. ij Yf I wolde please men I shulde not be the seruaunt of Christ Wherfore yf persecution shall inuade vs for cōfessynge of Christ it is good that we be armed wyth goddes worde that we maye knowe how persecutiō hangeth ouer our heades by the proper wyl of God to thyntent our fayth myght thus by such persecution be clarifyed tryed and purged For yf we be ful certifyed hereof we can not easely be offended wyth temptation but wyth a pacient mynde we shall suffer all the wronge that the world for Christes cause woll put vs to And surely thys shal be a comforte vnto vs that oure persecuters for all theyr proude bragges and vauntes neyther know Christ nor his father Fynally we be ryght well assured that the trouble and affliction of thys tyme as Paule sayth can in no wyse be cōpared wyth the glorye to come that shal be disclosed vnto vs. Ro. viij Wyth thys our knowlege comfortynge our selues we shall remayne quyet in our conscience styll awaytynge wyth stedfaste hope for the immortall crowne of the sayd glorye whyche the father of heauen hath prepared for vs. To whom wyth the sōne holy goost be al glorye and prayse for euer and euer AMEN The Epistle on wytsondaye The .ij. chapter of the actes of the Apostles ☞ The holy goost is here gyuen accordynge to Christes promyse before WHan the fyftye dayes were come to an ende they were all wyth one accorde together in one place And sodenly ther came a sounde frō heauen as it had bene the cōmynge of a myghty wind and it fylled al the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouē tonges lyke as they had ben of fyre and it sat vpon ech one of them and they were all fylled wyth the holy goost and begā to speake wyth other tonges euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iues deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When thys was noysed aboute the multitude came together and were astonnyed bycuase that euery man herde thē speake wyth hys owne langage They wondered al and marueled saynge amonge themselues behold are not al these whych speake of Galile And how heare we euery man hys owne tonge wherein we were borne Parthians and Medes and Elamytes and the inhabyters of Mesopotamia and of Iury and of Capadocia of Ponthus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia of Egypte and of the parties of Lybia whych is besyde Syren and straungers of Rome Iues and Proselytes Grekes and Arabians we haue herde them speake in oure owne tonges the great workes of God CHrist had oftentymes good people promysed vnto hys disciples the holy goost to confirme them in the true doctrine For wythout the holy goost noman can ryghtly eyther vnderstande or certainly beleue the worde of God neyther can stycke by it cōstantly wythout staggerynge or shrynkyng from it It is the holy goost doubtles that teacheth al thynges and that putteth men in mynde of gods wyll Io. xiiij And therfore Christ sayeth in the .x. Chapter of Mathew It is not you that be the speakers but it is the spirite of your father whych speaketh in you Wherfore thys often promyse of sendynge the holy goost which was made to the disciples Christ now in this daye of Pentecost perfourmeth But bycause it helpeth lytle to know that the disciples receyued the holy goost onles we draw thys receyuyng also to our profyte auauntage therfore it were good to know the causes why the holy goost was sent Ye shall therfore vnderstande good people that the holy gost was not sent to thapostles nor at this daye is sent as some men do dreame to teache a dyuerse or straunge doctrine frome Christes doctrine whych Christ either taught not before or had forgotten to teache The causes why the holy goost is sent But he was sente and is sente for thre causes The fyrst is that he shulde teache and put in mynde expoūde all such thynges as Christ taught And of thys fynal cause and offyce of the holy goost our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the .xiiij. and .xv. chapters of Ihon very copiously and at length speketh The seconde cause that the holy goost is sente is to confirme strengthen and as it were to seale vs to make vs full assured and certayne of the veritie of gods worde Of thys office the epistle of thys day maketh mencion whyle it declareth that the holy goost sat vpō euery of them and fylled them whych thynge betokeneth nothynge els but that the holy goost confirmed and certifyed the myndes of the Apostles vpon the veritie of gods word Ephe. i. i. cor i. and therfore he is called of Paule
that I am come froÌ„ the father Wherfore good christen brethren syth we haue suche an aduocate and mediatour for vs yea sithe we also our selues be admitted by Christe to the function offyce of prestes I pray you why shulde we so muche depeÌ„de vpoÌ„ confideÌ„ce of others to be meanes suters for vs This thyng also doth the auncient and holy father S. Chrysostom ful wel declare in his homely De profectu euangelij Where he writeth in this wyse Chrisostome Thou shall nede no patrones or aduocates with god neyther shalt thou nede to runne hyther and thyther to flatter other that they maye intreate for the but albeit thou be alone and hast no patrone or intercessour but prayest to god by thy selfe alone yet shalt thou throughly obteyne thy sute demaunde For god doth not so easely graunte when other men praye for vs as when we praye our selues although we be full of many vices and synnes Lo what thys holy doctour saythe He certifieth the that thou arte soner herd when thou praiest for thy selfe then when thou makest other to praye for the. Theophilactus in Iohan ca. xv Whyche thynge Theophilactê° affirmeth also where he saith Marke that albeit sayntes or holy men praye for vs as the Apostles dyd for the woman of Cananee yet we be rather herd when we praye for our selues Furthermore we muste take hede good people that we be suters vnto god in our prayers for nothinge that is repugnaunt to the glory of god to our owne saluation and to gods will For in thys behalfe that god almyghty wyll neither admytte nor heare oure prayers it is manifestlye shewed by that he teacheth vs in our pater noster to saye Fiat voluntas tua Math. v. thy wil be done Wherfore we shall then be hard when in our necessities we desire and require gods helpe hauing respect euer and casting our eyes to his wyl to hys coÌ„maundement and promise and not alledging our owne worthynes whyche is nothyng at all but only the merite of Christe then I saye oure petition and sute shal surely be admitted hard Forasmoch as all the promises in Christ be est and amen that is to saye moost certeine and sure ij cor i. as Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians wryteth Moreouer bicause oftentymes we be so vntoward and folyshe that we cannot espye oure owne necessitie and nede Therfore Christ wil likewise teache vs what maner thyng our petition ought to be Ro. viij praye sayth he that your ioye may be ful What ioye I pray you is this vndoutedly it is no worldely or corporall leapynge or daunsing and reioising but it is a spirituall ioye wherof saint Paule maketh mention wher he saith Phi. iiij Reioise in the lord And againe I saye reioise From whence then procedeth this ioye Surely of faythe But howe is this Truly if at any tyme I heare the gospell taughte wherin is offeryd by Christe to all men remission of synne I muste beleue it if I woll that that sermon or preachyng of Christe shulde do me good But beleue it I cannot onles by the word the holy ghost be gyuen me whych maye worke such feith in me That if the worde the spirite workethe in me fayth I nede not to doubte any thynge at all herein but that Christe hathe not only perdoned me my synnes in suche wise that they canne no more be called into iudgement and condemne me From whence the peace of coÌ„science springeth but also that he hath recoÌ„ciled the father in heauen vnto me and made him my speciall good lorde and father in such sorte as he now knowledgeth and reputeth me for his sonne and that he wol preserue and conserue me vnto euerlasting liefe and from hens afterward spryngeth oute peace of conscience vnto me and the spirituall ioye wherof in thys gospell oure sauioure Christe speaketh but suche ioye oughte alweyes to growe and to be increased if it wolbe made perfecte and ful ij pe iij. Wherfore that it may growe and wyth perpetual encrease waxe greater and greater vndoubtedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe if so be we instantly call vpon hym with coÌ„tynuall prayers Syth therfore good christen people Christ hath gyuen vs in commaundement that for such ioye of harte we shulde praye to thentente it myght be made consuÌ„mate fully perfecte we must here obey him that we may truly saye with the blessed virgine Marye Luce. ij Et exultauit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo That is to saye My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Finally my brethren Christe doth here agayne setoute the rudenes and ignorance of his apostles before theyr eyes and confesseth that hys lessons and teachinges haue bene hithervnto but as ridles and parables vnto them and that to the vnderstanding of such thynges as he taught them it was necessarie that he shulde not speake vnto them in parables and ryddelles but that he shulde speake of hys father vnto them openly and frely that is that it was necessary that he shulde sende them the holy ghoste who myght make them able to attayne hys wordes And suerly good people this kinde of ignoraunce and blyndnes was not only in the apostles before they were confirmed with the holy ghost Psa xiij Ioh. iij. but it is also naturally planted in all men in so moch that ther is not one whych canne either vnderstand or worke any thinge that good is onles he be transformed by the spirite of god vnto a newe creatute We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge lo nowe thou speakeste frely openly neyther speakest thou any parable now I know that thou knowest al thinges c. But no doubt thys was a very folyshe rashnes and arrogauncie euen as that was that Peter dyd when he wolde go with Christ both into pryson and into death by whyche rashe promise he shamed hymselfe when before the cocke crewe he denied his Maister Christ thryse Wherfore all thys hole thynge is wrytten for oure cause that we shuld not arrogauÌ„tly presume to take any thynge vpon vs rashely and temerariously but that we shuld rather walke in an humble mynd and spirite confessinge and knowledginge continually that we be bothe miserable and ignoraunte persons in such thynges as concerne Christes glorye forasmoche as without the spirite of god we canne neuer vnderstande the mystery of the gospel For assuredly the wysdome of the fleshe is foly before god and the more knowlege it boasteth pretendith in spiritual and diuine thynges so moch the more is the foly of it declared and vttered Let vs then my good brethren and sisters in all oure necessities and troubles pray accordynge to the wordes of this gospel but to whom To the father of heuen In whose name In Christes ☞ And what shall we praye for that our ioye may be perfyte
full What is thys to saye that by Christ our sinne beynge taken away our conscience maye be quyet and sure of euerlastinge lyfe whyche is a ryght perfecte ioye Let vs praye that we maye be taught openly and playnly wythout prouerbes or parables that is that we maye receyue the holy spirite of cōforte into our soules whych in gods worde maye instructe vs of all trouth Whych graunt vs God the father of heuen Qui viuit et regnat in secula seculorum Amen A sermon in the Rogation weke or a briefe instruction for the weake in the faithe what they ought to do in these dayes of Rogation GOod people thys weke is called the Rogation weke bicause in thys weke we be wōte to make solemne and general supplycatiōs or prayers which in Greke be called Lytanyes litanies Nowe therfore I exhorte you and in the Lordes name I require you that in al your Litanies or supplications ye wol so do that the thynge maye agre to the name and that this oure Litanye thys our supplication and rogation may be made wythe such true and ernest fayth that we may admonishe god and put him in mynde of hys fatherly promises He that wyll not endeuour hymselfe to do this let hym tarye styll at home let him kepe him and absteyne from thys holy processiō lest he happen to iritate and to angre god more then other men shal be hable to pacifie and styll hym The abuse of these dayes Albeit alacke for pitie these solemne accustomable processions and supplications whyche we vse commonly as in this weke to make be now growen into a ryght foule and detestable abuse so that the moost parte of men and women in these solemne dayes of supplication do come forth rather to set out shewe themselues and to passe the tyme wyth vayne vnprofytable tales and mery fables than to make general supplications and prayers to god for theyr necessities I let passe the other enormities and vices whych on these dayes be customably perpetrate and done I wyll not speake of the rage and furour of these vplandysh processions and gangynges about whych be spente in ryottynge and in bely chere Furthermore the banners and badges of the crosse be so vnreuerently handled and abused that I maruayle greatly God destroye vs not all in one yeare What shall I say Surely they are now growen into such abuse that there be farre greter causes to take them awaye and vtterly to abrogate them wyth the other holydayes than ther were in tymes past to institute and ordeyne them And assuredly it is the parte of byshops of parsons of vycares and curates yea also of the prophane Magistrates to se that those vnchristen and vngodly abuses be auoyded and taken awaye or yf the thynge be past remedy vtterly to abolish and abrogate these letanies and supplicaciōs thus abused For assuredly it were much better and more christian lyke ☞ that christian men and women were gathered and assembled together in the church there to make theyr supplications prayers to god than after such an hethē vnruly fashion to mocke God and his holy sygnes And no doubt such as be curates and herdmen of Christes churche shall rendre a sharpe rekenynge and accomptes to God for wynkynge at these abuses Now in these Rogation dayes What is to be demaūded in supplications two thynges are to be asked of God and prayed for The fyrst is that God of hys goodnes and clemēcy woll defende and saue the corne in the felde and that he woll purge the ayer to thintent that not only the lappe of the earth may be replenished wyth seasonable rayne and that the ayer maye be tempered to the vtilitie and furtheraunce of the corne but also that it be not infected that by the eatynge and drynkynge therof neyther we nor our bestes do catche any pestilence poxe feuers or other diseases i. Timo. iiij For as testifyeth saynt Paul in hys fyrst epistle to Timothie gods creatures as meate drynke corne ☜ and such other thynges be sanctifyed by the worde of God and by prayer For frō whence come pestilencies the other kindes of diseases and of syckenesses than that the noysome spirites do infecte the aier And by reason herof cōmonly our corne and grayne be peryshed infected and blasted and so we God permyttynge the same by eatynge and drynkynge our owne grayne do gette vs death and greuouse affections of the body For this cause be certayne gospels redde in the wyde felde amōges the corne and grasse that by the vertue and efficacie of gods worde the power of the wycked spirites whych kepe in the ayer may be broken and the ayer made pure cleane to thintent the corne maye remayne vntouched not infected of the sayd hurtfull spirites but serue vs for our vse and bodely sustenaunce Wherfore my deare brethren we oughte to make these solemne processions wyth ernest myndes and wyth all reuerence in especiall we oughte to handle and to heare the worde of God wyth deuoute and religiouse myndes Thus doynge doute we nothynge but that gods worde wol vtter and execute hys vertue vpon the corne and ayer that those noysome spirites of the ayer shall do no hurte at all to our corne Seconde thys is also moost of all to be desyred humbly to be prayed for in these rogation dayes that God woll vouchsaue to blesse hys creatures not only as before is sayd for the cōmoditie of oure bodyes but also for our soules helth lest our miserable soules do herby catche vnto themselues pestiferous infection and damnable contagion I meane as thus The poyson and infection of the soule is synne Now whan God poureth vpon vs plentyful croppes and increase of all thynges forthwyth we beynge moost ingrate and vnkynde persons do vylaynously gyue oure selues to dayly bankettes and feastynges and to moost beastly fyllynge of our pāchies herof by by ensueth ydelnes of it sprynge whordomes adulteries blasphemies cursynges periuries murders warres and all myschiefe so that it were much better for vs yf our corne and cattel dyd not so happely and plenteously prosper and take So the thynge that we demaunded in our processions and supplications we do fynde for god maketh vs here aboundauntly in this behalfe to enioye our requestes and desyres and doth minister al thynges to the bodye wyth a large blessynge whyche thynge neuerthelesse is moost present poyson and pestilence to the soule and it is the occasion of great myschefe For doubtles surfettynge and ydelnes of all noughtynes be the rotes and the fountaynes of all euels But alake alake thys goostly infection we nothing at all regarde we passe not of it No man regardeth the spirituall pestilence The pestilēce which noyeth the body we eschue it with great care and we study to dryue it awaye wyth often prayers and supplications laynge vnto it all the medicines and remedies we can deuyse But in thys
Math. vi Forgyue vs our trespasses as we forgyue thē that trespasse agaynst vs. And by these wordes sayeth saynt Austine humblynge oure soules we cease not after a maner to do dayly penaunce But it is to be feared lest many of vs playe rather the pharisees parte thynkynge our selues hyghly in gods fauour and in the meane season despysynge our neghbours whych by theyr humble submission and penitent hertes shall get vp before vs. Heauen is gyuen not to such as iustifie themselues by their owne dedes but to such as mekely and penitently call for mercy pardon and grace wherby they maye afterward worke that maye be pleasaunt in gods syght Who wol surely in heauen crowne them wyth glorye immortall To whome be honoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xij. sondaye after Trinitie The .ij. Epistle to the Corin. the .iij. Chap. Th argument ☞ The ministration of the gospel is here praysed BRethren such trust haue we thorow Christ to godwarde not that we are sufficient of oure selues to thynke any thynge as of oure selues but yf we be able vnto any thynge the same commeth of God whych hath made vs able to minister the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter kylleth but the spirite gyueth lyfe Yf the ministracion of death thorow the letters fygured in stones was glorious so that the chyldren of Israel coulde not behold the face of Moses for the glorye of hys countenaunce whych glorye is done awaye why shall not the ministracion of the spirite be much more glorious For yf the ministrynge of condemnation be glorious much more doth the ministration of ryghtuousnes excede in glorye FOr bycause that saint Paule welbeloued brethrē in our sauiour Christe had a lytle before the begynnynge of the epistle of thys daye praysed the Corinthians sayenge vnto them that they were hys epistle in Iesu Christe in asmuch as they had receyued hys gospell and had wrytten and imprinted his fayth in theyr hartes by hys administration preachynge Ministred by vs sayeth he not wryttē with ynke but by the spirite of the lyuyng God Not written in tables of stone as those that Moses had but in tables of flesh in the harte therfore to thyntent to gyue them none occasion that they shulde waxe therwyth proude and to hope and glorie in themselues and not in God and also for to holde them in humilitie vnder the sauegarde of God saynt Paule sayeth We haue truely such hope in God by Christ not that we are sufficient of our selues c. As yf he had sayd Thys that I saye I do not speake it arrogantly presumynge of myne owne wyttes but I haue such hope in God by Iesu Christ that thys that I say is true and shall abyde true I do not saye it of my selfe as of my selfe for we be not sufficient to thinke any thynge of our selues as of our selues but oure sufficientnes and all that whyche we maye thynke speake and do touchynge goodnes cōmeth and dependeth from God whych is begynnynge myddes and ende of all goodnes The whych hath made vs and gyuen vs power to be ministers and preachers of the new testament of the new and good promises whych are by Iesu Christ He hath gyuen vs authoritie and commission to be a preacher not of the letter but of the spirite for the letter sayeth saint Paul sleeth the soule and the spirite doth quycken it We ought here to note well the difference that there is to preache the letter and the spirite For vnto the tyme that the lyuely worde of God be by feruēt fayth rooted in our hartes vnto the tyme I say that we serue God nomore wyth euell wyll but ioyfully and frely what studye or lections soeuer we take yea yf we knewe the olde and new testament by rote of harte yet folowe we the letter But the spirite of God the spirite of scripture the spirite of the which S. Paul speaketh of here is out of feare it serueth in lybertie For where the spirite of the Lorde is there is lybertie fredome Saynt Paule now after that he bare the lyght of God I meane the worde of Iesu Christ beynge desyrous and wyllynge not to hyde it vnder a bushell but exaltynge it and settynge it vp to be bruted and praysed of angels and of men commeth to compare the eternall gospell vnto the transitorye lawe of Moses He calleth the lawe of Moses the executynge or administracion of death damnation Not but that the law is good and holy yf it be vsed lawfully but forbycause the Iues haue abused it to theyr damnation And for the same cause by occasion it is called administration of death He sayeth than yf the administration of death that is to saye yf the auncient lawe was delyuered and gyuen in lyght in puissaunce and in glorye what shall the lawe of the gospell be whych is the administration of the spirite of lyfe and of iustice But forasmuche as dyuerse heretikes and vnlearned persones haue mysvnderstanded thys wrytynge of saint Paule in thys place therfore I thynke it not amysse brefly to make a faythfull reapport vnto you of S. Austines wordes concernynge the interpretacion of thys place Thus he wryteth in hys seconde boke agaynst the aduersary of the lawe and prophetes The lawe albeit it be holy iust and good The wordes S. Austine yet it bryngeth death to the transgressours and breakers therof whome the grace of God helpeth not to fulfyl the iustice of the lawe For it behoued that in the olde testament a lawe shuld be layde vpon the proude and stubborne Iues and on such as trusted vpon the power of theyr owne wyll whych lawe shuld not gyue them ryghtuousnes but shulde commaunde vnto them ryghtuousnes and so beynge wrapped and in tangled wyth the death for transgression that they myght fle to grace which grace not only cōmaūdeth but also helpeth thys grace in the new testament is reuelate and opened vnto vs. And of thys occasion do these blasphemours of gods worde thynke that the lawe was nought whych was gyuen by Moses bycause it is called the ministration of death fygured in stony letters They consyder not that it was so called bycause of them whyche thoughte by theyr owne fre wyll to satisfye the lawe not holpen with the spirite of grace were holden gyltye of transgression vnder the letter of the same lawe For assuredly the transgression or breakinge of the lawe shuld not be euell onles the law it selfe were good What maruayle is it than yf it be called the ministracion of death where the letter kylleth in prohibitynge euell whych is done and in commaundynge good whych is not done and on the contrary syde that the other is called the ministracion of the spirite whych quyckeneth that we mought ryse from the death of preuarication and rede not gyltie in tables ryghtuousnes ☞ but beynge fre might haue it in our hartes and maners that is to
chapter of the aforesayd epistle sayeth Cast al your thought in him which hath care of you And for this cause saynt Hierome expounynge thys place sayeth in thys wyse Hierom. We be here commaunded by Christe not to be careful what we shulde eate for in the swet of our face we prepare vnto vs breade Laboure ought therfore to be exercised Chrysostomus suê‘ Mattheum but care taken away Here wyth agreeth Chrysostome sayenge Not with spirituall cares but wyth bodely labours we muste seke our fode whyche fode abundeth to suche as laboure for it by gods gyfte for a rewarde of theyr diligence and on the other syde it is wythdraweÌ„ from such as despyce laboure ☞ by gods doynge for a punyshment But thys that Christ speaketh here sayeth saynt Hierome is to be vnderstande of the bodely meate and rayment For of the goostly fode rayment we ought alwayes to be carefull Our Lorde for to rebuke vs the more of our lytle fayth byddeth vs beholde the byrdes and the lylies of the feldes vnto whoÌ„ God prouideth And be we no more worth then the byrdes or then the floures of lylies of the feldes He doth then defende vs to take thought for earthly thynges to th ende that our spirite maye the better be lyfte vp vnto the heauenly thynges for a man to take thought and care for the one and the other it is vnpossible Who so euer hath tasted of the true goodnesse of God he doth vntaste and myslyke the flatterynge and vayne goodnes of the earth For none can serue two maysters at ones He can not serue both God and also Mammon Mammon in the Syriake spech sayeth S. Hierom is called ryches Hierom. Let the couetouse person thaÌ„ heare thys that he can not both serue Christe and ryches and yet he sayeth not he that hath ryches but he that serueth ryches For he that is the seruaunt of ryches kepeth ryches as a seruaunt or bondman but he that hath shaken of the yoke of bondage or seruitude Austine he gyueth them as a lorde And saynt Austine sayth He that serueth Mammon that is to say ryches serueth hym which by the meryte of hys peruersitie is called of our lord the prince of thys worlde that is to saye the deuell Wherfore here be reproued all couetous folkes whych do set and fixe so much theyr hartes vnto the worlde and so lytle vnto god Let vs then beleue at the lest Iesu Christ whych doth not lye and care we not for to gather goodes but let vs rather care for the kyngdome of God only and for hys iustice and to obtayne hys grace and for the rest ther shal be gyuen vs asmuche as we shall lacke for to passe soberly thys lyfe wyth pacience Chrysostome Seke ye than fyrst sayeth Christ the kyngdome of god and the iustice therof The kyngdome of God KyngdoÌ„ of God as holy Chrysostome expouneth is the retribucion or rewarde of good workes and the iustice therof is the waye of godlynes wherby sayeth he we go to the kyngdome of God Yf thaÌ„ thou wylt consyder how great the glorye of the saintes shal be it must nedes folow that eyther for feare of paynes thou must go froÌ„ euell or for desyre of glorie thou must hasten the to do good And yf sayeth thys holy doctour thou wylte consyder what is the iustice of God I meane what God hateth and what he loueth the selfe iustice shall shewe vnto the her wayes which foloweth such as loue her For we shal not be called to a rekenynge whether we be ryche or poore but whether we haue done well or euel which thynge sayeth he is in our fre wyll Wherfore good people se ye do not care for your bodely sustenauÌ„ce for our Lorde doth promyse you that it shal be gyueÌ„ vnto you you nede not to doubt of it yf ye cast from you thys fleshly worldly thought full of mystrust of the prouision of God Do ye rather the contrary haue no trust in your selues but al in God and you shal be truly faythfull and the chyldren of almyghty God and you shall lacke nothynge in thys presente tyme nor in the other to come by oure Lorde Iesu Christe vnto whome be glorie and thankes worlde wythout ende Amen The Epistle on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .iij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Of the power heygth bredth and depth of Christ that is to say that he is euery where and potent in all thynges SAynt Paule wrote vnto the Ephesians sayeng I desyre that ye faynt not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whyche is youre prayse For thys cause I bowe my knees to the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ whych is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he wolde graunt you accordinge to the ryches of hys glory that ye may be streÌ„gthed with might by hys spirite in the ynner man that Christe maye dwell in your hartes by fayth that ye beyng roted and grouÌ„ded in loue myght be able to coÌ„preheÌ„de wyth all sayntes what is that bredth and length depth and heyght and to knowe the excellent loue of the knowlege of Christ that ye myght be fulfylled wyth all fulnes which commeth of God Vnto hym that is able to do excedynge aboundauntly aboue all that we aske or thynke accordynge to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacion by Iesus Christ thorowout all generacions from tyme to tyme. Amen THe charge my frendes of a byshop or of a curate is to teache continually and to praye for the people whych is commytted vnto hym to thintent that it wolde please God to redresse coÌ„forte and assure them agaynst the temptacions of this world as saynt Paule doth teach vs by all hys epistles in the epistle of thys daye he sayeth I praye you my brethreÌ„ that you do not discomforte your selues for my tribulacions whych I suffre for you That is to say yf you se that I do suffre much harme iniuries and persecutions forbycause that I do preach vnto you the gospell do not discourage your selues but perseuer in the fayth of the same Yf the mayster hath ben euell entreated by good ryght the seruauÌ„t must be in lyke maner Our Lorde Iesu Christe sayeth in the .x. chapter of S. Mathew It suffiseth vnto the disciple for to be lyke vnto hys Mayster For thys cause to th ende that you shuld not discourage your selues I pray and requyre humbly the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ the great father of housholde of the heauen and of the earth whych is the sprynge fountayne of all goodnes For I knowe well that wythout hym you nor I can do nothynge I praye hym that by the rychesses of hys glorie and grace it woll please hym to gyue vnto you by hys spirite streÌ„gth not bodely but spiritually and inwardly for to endure and to suffer And that it wol