worlde commeth and hath naughte in me But that the world may know that I loue the father And as the father gaue me commaundement euen so do I. THE EXPOSITION THis gospell is a part of Christes Sermon whiche he made to his disciples before he suffred And for that cause ought it greatly to be estemed For Christ setteth forth in it a singuler doctrine and lesson whereby he teacheth that all reason is but superfluous to the attainement of the knowlege of God if it take not his first foundation of the loue of Christ. When this is not taught all thinges are vncertaine wauering of no strength that are eyther taught or imagined of god For they can not be comprehended or knowen by any meanes But he that loueth Christe is so farre brought that he loueth the father also But what is the cause of this worde why doth he make mention of loue and speaketh not after his olde customable maner saying he that beleueth in me Is loue the cause of our saluation and not faith wher as he saith if any man loueth me But they are both of like efficacie power strēgth For thou canst not loue Christe except thou beleue in him and dost put thy trust in hym with a certain and sure faith And the worde of faith is somwhat more euident wheras it declareth that we muste withholde our eyes from all other thinges that be and fasten thē in Christ Iesu only For this is the nature of loue that it embraceth that thinge only that it loueth in that thinge doth it set al here felicitie therwith only it is satisfied and careth for nothing besides Suche maner of loue doth Christ require of vs that we shold embrace hym with all oure hearte whiche thynge can not be done but by fayth Wherfore this sentence maketh nothynge againste faith But is spoken to the entent that the nature and condition of fayth with his proper vertue and efficacie might be the better vnderstanded An other cause of this worde is that Christ dyd perceaue that he that receaueth the worde and purposeth to kepe it can not do it without greate endeuor and industrie For diuers temptations do chaunce to them whiche do rebuke and embrayde suche as hath entered into the profession of Godlines of folie and rashnes wher as they reason on this wise with them selfe Alas what haue I done whan I tookee vpon me the office of teachynge I might haue holde my peace and thought wyth my selfe that GOD woulde haue set foorth other Other might haue come that shoulde haue had better successe in this matter Nowe am I in doubt and do not onely litle profit but put my selfe also in perill of lyfe If we will ouercome suche kynde of temptation that the worde maye be surely maintained this onely succour must they especially vse as Christe here sheweth that they loue Christe and put their hole delight in him so that all the professours of the gospell al the good may thus conforte them selues whatsoeuer be cometh of me let it be at the pleasure of God for whose cause and glorie and not for mans sake was this begon of God Wherfore I must endure it And looke wher this loue is not ther can they not endure saith Christe For I geue not goods nor golde but euerlastinge life wherof the possession is not taken in this life but after this life Wherfore all the matter resteth herein that ye loue me If loue be in you ye wil kepe my saing and contineue constantlie although that ye should do it to the perill of your life But if ye loue me not ye wil not kepe my wordes For ye shall haue so many dangers calamities and afflictions that they shall make you faint and put you in desperation But he that knoweth Christe truly beleueth in hym and loueth him he is troubled by no aduersitie For he thinketh surely Christ dyed and was buried for vs and rose againe wherby all suche gather surely that Christ doth greatlye fauor them So that this loue procedeth of faith which afterward is able to withstand all perils and dangers neither doth it feare the greate threatnings wrath of the worlde For it setteh more by Christ and his worde then by all these threatnings and displeasures of men And that is it that he saith if any mā loue me he wil kepe my word my word of my death resurrectiō not the worde of Moyses or ten commaundements That worde is not to be caste awaye nother is any thing to be done contrarie therto For God commanded that worde to be fulfilled but with that worde is there ioyned no consolatiō as is with my worde the conscience is not therby made quiet but the more that we therby know our disobedience toward GOD so much the more we dread feare the wrath indignation of God For the worde of Iesu Christ is the fondation and pillar of all thinges He that hath this saith Christ neither suffereth hymselfe to be plucke frō thence ought not to doubt but my father doth loue him And this is the peculiar phrase of Iohn whiche hath a proper kynde of speache beside all other Euangelistes that first he ioyneth men to Christe and then thorough Christ bringeth them to the father For this is the order and proces in this matter As Christ here teacheth that first we must know Christ loue hym and take him for one that is most desirous of our saluation and profit When we haue suche trust loue toward Christ there foloweth also a sure confidence that the father also loueth vs. And although we had none other confort before our eyes but only this perceauinge and vnderstanding that we nede not feare any crueltie or any wrothe or yre of God yet were that sufficient to certifie vs that we nede not feare synne or the deuill because god loueth vs for that that we loue Christe This is a great confort in all tribulation to beleue constantly that GOD is not againste vs but he louinglye embraceth vs if so be that we loue Christe kepe his worde stedfastly But in the tyme of tribulation oure heartes can hardlye thus be persuaded But we thinke rather contrariwise that God hateth vs and hath no regard to vs but that he goeth about rather to prouide punishmēt for vs. But these thinges are false For Christe doth not lye whan he sayth yf we procede so farre that we loue hym and count it abhominable to hate hym that then we muste not doubt but the father doth loue vs and will so declare hys loue toward vs that he wyth his sonne and the holy ghost will haue their abyding with vs. It is a greate matter and a singuler confort that a righteous man by fayth doth not say in his heart who is ascended in to heauen c. For in whatsoeuer place he be whether he be at Ierusalem or at Rome or
sake And thou art in the state of perfection when thou doest thys But they say that this is the duetie of euery common Christian but they will doo some peculiar thyng that euery man doothe not whiche rise not in the nyght whiche eate fleshe and are apparailed after the common sort where as they bestowe the nyghte in holye seruice and eate fyshe and vse a kynd of apparaile by them selues And so at laste the matter commeth to that poynt that mans traditions kepe them so occupied that they can haue no respect to Gods commandementes Wherfore it is no small doctrine where as Christ saieth that it is the chiefest precept to loue god and that the second is lyke to the fyrst to loue the neighbour as hym selfe For of these two depende all thynges that maye be taught as touchyng good workes Out of this fountaine ought all thinges to procede and to this ought they to be referred agayne· For this is decreed if thou thynkest how thou mayst serue God that can be done by no other meanes then that thou loue God and thy neighbour This doctrine will cause a straight iudgement to be had in the last day For what was done in the Papacie euery manne knoweth He that would serue GOD became a cloysterer he went to Rome or to Saincte Iames. He prayed to thys saincte or that he dydde serue hym eyther by feastyng or fastynge And at that tyme was this called Gods seruice But telle me is not thys trewe that thou seruest God when thou doest that that thou art commaunded Wherfore to serue God can be no other thyng than to doo that which God hathe commaunded and not that whiche ye thynke beste youre selfe But what hath God commaunded truely as Christ reherseth here If thou thinkest to doo Gods seruice thou must not go farre for that cause or bestowe any great coste or charge Loue God and thy neighbour Howe can gods seruice be more nere vnto thee or bee done better cheape then by this meanes that when thou louest thy neyghbour and doest all kynde of benefite for hym God will accept it as thoughe it were doone to hymselfe This is verily a meruailous doctrine that this seruice is Gods and done to God whē thou doest good to thy neighbour And this as I said before shal be the cause of a harde and greuous iudgement in the laste daye For thus saith Christ that the wycked shall saye When dyd we see thee hungry or thirstie But Christ shall answere That ye haue not doone to any of the leaste of myne that haue ye not doone to mee Soo that thow mayest bee sure hereof that whenne thou healpest a poore Christian wyth rayemente and meate it seemeth to bee doone vnto CHRIST And it is euen all one But is not thys a greuous thyng that wee lette passe suche an easye and ready occasion to serue God We think that yf we coulde tell where Christe myght be found that there we would gladdely doo and bestowe all that wee coulde But it is no nede to thynke so Wee do heare here that the seconde precepte is lyke to the fyrste There canne bee noo other meanynge thereof thenne that GOD wyll take it as done vnto hym selfe what soeuer is doone to the neyghboure But thow wylte saye that God is in heauen This maketh no matter he is also here in earth Wherfore whenne thou seeste a Christian in perylle thynke this that it is Christe that suffreth it and that he hath nede of thy healpe as he saieth hymselfe that in the laste daye he will make suche complayntes that we haue not cared for his hunger and thyrst It was a common facion in the popedom that the olde souldiours which had ben horsmen and fotemen in warre and also lawyers and such like which were thought to haue liued in a prophan an vnholy kynde of life wold say that they had serued the world hitherto that now euer after they wold serue god so thei wēt to som monasterie wher they wer made monkes and heremites ▪ but this is a fals and peruers way For he that wil serue god must not seke solitarie places corners but must be conuersant amongest men and help them all that he can For by so doing is seruice doone vnto god which cōmanded it By monkerie is not gods seruice fulfilled For it is not only a thing vncōmanded of god but also al the trade therof is against charitie the true seruice of god wherof Christ in this place speketh nothynge This was vsed also amongest the Iewes They hurted their neighbors diuersly thoughte that if they offered muche burnt offerynge that all thyngs pleased god highly But what saieth God also psal 50. I wyll not argue with thee for thy Sacrifyces Thy burnte offerynges are alwayes in my syghte I wyll not take calues out of thy house neyther kiddes out of thy heardes For myne are all the wylde beastes of the woddes and thousand beastes in thousandes vppon the mountaynes In an other place he sayeth also that hee hathe noo nede of theyr golde and Temple But yf thou studyest to do me true seruice go thy waye vnto thy neyghbour Thou haste a wyfe chyldren a famyly neyghbours rulers lordes maisters and many other states These shall fynde the busines inough Therin do me seruice If ther be any stubburne in thy familie or children wynke not at it but see it duely punished If thy neyghbour be nedie sorowfull or sycke helpe hym se vnto hym conforte him Obey thy gouernour and thinke that all this is done vnto me But it is greatly to be lamented that these thinges can by no meanes moue vs. For whatsoeuer we haue trespassed against god all that doth god forgeue vs of his owne free will so that we wil only be beneficiall vnto our neighbour which thing god wil so take as though it were done vnto himselfe He therfore that were ignorant what the worlde were and howe it handleth God might learne hereby For what other thing do al men of all degrees then through wantonnes folie daylye buffet god treade him vnder fete For this is all mens desyre how they may waxe riche them selues how they may heape vp their owne caring nothing how it goeth with their neyghbour He that could thinke this with himselfe surely that what soeuer he doth to his neighbour is done to god might worthelie abhorre trēble at the fashion and maners of the worlde But ther is no man that thinketh this to be true As Christ saith also That the wicked shall say in the last day Lord when saw we thee hungrie and thirstie But this shal nothing preuayle them For as Christ sayth here The second is like to the first So shal he say then That that ye haue not done to one of y◠least of mine haue ye not done vnto me This is the first doctrine out of this Gospell God graunt that we maye be moued therewith and let
redy a perfect people for the Lord. That Iohn turned many by the preachyng of Gods word vnto the Lord it is manifest in the EuaÌ„gelical history What great multitudes of people S. Peter as I may speake nothing of the other apostels turned vnto Christ by preaching the word blessed Luke in his Chronicle of the Apostles acts doth partly declare Was not the holle world in a maner turned vnto the faith of Christ thorow the preaching of the word As sainct Paul saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing coÌ„meth by the worde of God But I aske Haue they not heard No doubt their sound went oute into all landes and their woordes into the endes of the worlde In matters of controuersie concernyng religion it declareth and sheweth who maintaineth truthe and who approueth falshode It is the true touchestone wherby we easily discerne the true doctrine of Christ froÌ„ the fals corrupte teachyng of Antichrist And therefore it is called of the Psalmograph the faithfull testimonie or wytnes of the Lorde And in all matters of doubt the Prophet exhorteth vs to flee vnto this word of that to learne the certaintie of al matters coÌ„cerning Faith and Doctrine If any man saieth he want lyght lette hym looke vpon the law the testimonie whether they speake not after this meanyng If he doo not this he stumbleth and suffreth hunger And if he suffer hunger he is out of pacience and blasphemeth his king his God So reade we of the noble men of Thessalonica whiche when they herd Paul and Sylas preache that Christ muste nedes suffer and rise agayn frome death for the saluation of the worlde receaued the word wyth all diligence of mynde and yet notwithstandyng searched the scriptures dayly whether those things were euen so as Paul and Sylas preached And therfore S. Paul afterward writing vnto theÌ„ as one greatly alowing this their act saith in his epistle Quench not the spirite despise not prophecyings Examyn al things kepe that which is good And. S. Iohn in his canonicall Epistle saieth Derely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they are of God or not c. It geueth wisedom to the simple to the poore in spirit to the huÌ„ble to the meke to the litle ones to the babes This wisdom is the true knowlege of god of his blessed wil. This wisedom caÌ„ we not haue but by the word as God himself saith by the prophet Unto whom shall I haue respect but vnto him that is poore of a lowly troubled spirit and standeth in awe of my wordes The fyne Phariseys the sawcie Saduceis the subtil Scribes the lustye Lawyers the biteâ—hepe Byshoppes the patteryng Priestes as I maye speake nothyng of the eloquente Oratours noble hystoriographers learned Poetes quickewitted Logitians farre syghted Astronomers c. were before the worlde great wyse learned men and yet vnderstode they nothyng of God aryght The symple ideots and vnlearned men had more true knowledge of God then all they as oure sauiour Christ sayd vnto his heauenly Father I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these thynges from the wyse and prudent hast shewed them vnto babes Uerily Father eueÌ„ so was it thy good plesure Likewise sayth S. Paule Not many wise men after the flesh not many myghty not many of highe degree are called But God hathe chosen the foolish thynges of the worlde to confound the wise And God hath chosen the weake thynges of the worlde to confounde thynges whiche are mightie and vile thinges of the world and thynges whiche are despised hath God chosen yea and thinges of no reputation for to bring to naught things of reputation that no flesh should reioyce in his presence S. Iames also saith Hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde suche as are riche in Faith and heyres of the kyngdom which he promised to them that loue hym It reioyceth and maketh the heart mery as the Prophet Ieremie saieth When I had found thy wordes I dyd eate them vp gredily They haue made my heart ioyfull glad For thy name was called vpon me O Lord God of Hostes. The Prophete Ezechiel saith also I dyd eate the boke and it was in my mouth sweter then hony Were not these the woordes of the two disciples that went vnto Emaus after that Christ had interpreted vnto them the scriptures which wer writen of him Did not our heartes say they burne within vs while he talked with vs by the way and opened to vs the scriptures Who is able to expresse what ioy what mirth what solace what confort Adam and Heua receaued after their transgression when they heard out of the mouth of God that the sede of the womaÌ„ should treade downe the serpentes head Who can sufficiently declare how greatly king Dauid being rebuked of the prophet Nathan for his whoredome and manslaughter was conforted and replenished with all true perfect gladnes when he heard out of the prophetes mouthe these most swete and confortable wordes The Lorde hath put away thy synne thou shalte not dye What ioye and confort the synfull woman conceaued in her heart which before was almost swalowed vp of sorowe for her wicked and synfull life past as her teares and outward behauiour do manifestly declare when she hearde these wordes out of the mouthe of Christ Thy synnes are forgeuen thee Go in peace no man is able to expresse The thefe likewise hanging on the crosse and hearyng these wordes spoken vnto him of Christ Uerily verily I say vnto thee This day shalte thou be with me in Paradise conceaued in his heart an vnoutspeakable ioye Many suche examples fynde we in the Scriptures bothe of the olde and newe Testament The worde of God I meane the Gospel of our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesu apprehended and layde hande on with a sure and strong faith bryngeth to the heart and conscience of man peace rest ioy solace confort c. For thys cause it is called the worde of reconciliation or attonement of ioy of peace of confort of helth of spirite of lyfe c. It lyghtneth the eyes It sheweth vnto men the ryght waie howe they ought to walke to please God and to doo those thynges which are acceptable vnto him It deliuereth men from the cloudes of ignorancie and from the darknes of mens traditions and openeth vnto them the glorious God that they may not stumble and walke safely in that way that the Lord hath appointed declinyng neither on the righte hande nor on the left hande as the Psalmographe saieth Thy worde O Lord is a lanterne vnto my fete and a lyghte to my pathewaies For this cause it is termed of the holye writers Light in diuers places of the sacred Bible Our Sauior Christ saieth This is condemnation that the light is come into the world and men haue loued
lyfe And to this comforte belongeth the goodly similitude of the trees In the spryng sayth he when wynter is at an ende and all the earthe is renewed when colde departeth and heate approcheth and the bare trees begynne to bee greene wyth newe bowghes no other thynge foloweth hereof but that the trees bryng foorthe buddes and after that spreade abroade theyr leaues Then it is the common saying Wynter is gone and goodlye Sommer draweth nyghe We gladly let wynter depart and imbrace pleasant Sommer at hys commyng Therfore in his similitude of the trees may we haue euident resons declaring after what maner we ought to loke for this last day For as after leaues commeth sommer so when the earth shal be moued and the heauens shall tremble and when the sonne and Moone shall appere mourneful let these thyngs seme no more dreadfull vnto vs then when the tender leaues crepe forth of the trees when sommer begynneth to come in For these sygnes are to vs euen as the leaues and iuyce of the trees that we may ioyfully looke for that euerlastyng sommer For this presente miserable lyfe is very well compared to bareyn and euil fauored winter In the whiche all thyng dye and wyther awaye But these thynges shall then come to their ende and euerlastynge sommer shall come in theyr stede that is the kyngedome of GOD whereby the kyngdome of the deuyll shall peryshe Why are there so manye myseries geuen as a punisshement in the earthe because ye lyue amongest the couetous and wycked that blaspheme and curse the Gospell and stirre vp all mischiefe in the worlde This muste we see and here and looke daiely for worse Frome all these thynges will I deliuer you by my commyng that ye may not be constrayned to behold any longer their wickednes Wherfore this terrible state of the world doth not com for you but for your enemies They haue a good cause to be afrayde and sorowfull But reioyce ye as godly Loth dyd whiche sayth Peter dwelt in Sodoma and was constreigned with his innocent eyes and eares to heare and se the detestable synnes vntill they grew to such fulnesse and ripenesse that God coulde no lenger refrayne There came two Angels whyche ledde godly Loth out of the citie Surely this thyng was not without a terrible sighte when the element was horrible wyth clowdes when thunder was hard and the clowde wente aparte with a great wydenesse and brymstone and fyre fell downe by rayne and the gaspyng of the ground ensued and swalowed in all thinges It is not otherwise to be thought but that Loth was greatly dismayd at these thyngs But this comfort was at hande that this horrible and dredful tempest dyd not strike hym but the Sodomites whyche beleued not the word of God but gaue themselues to all kynd of most abhominable lewdnesse yea and that without al mesure These must nedes be meruailously troubled at this fyry rayne But godly Loth behelde this tempest as a pleasant tree in the spryng tyme that putteth forth his buddes and beginneth to be grene For he feeleth and receyueth helpe and mercyfull deliuerance against the wicked So shall it chaunce to vs also in the latter daye if it befall in oure lyfe tyme. It shall seeme a terrible thyng when heauen and earthe shall burne and we shal be changed in a moment and dye But a christian man must not here take his eyes for iudges but marke howe Christe doeth expound it That these flowers and boughes are moste pleasant So that albeit that the greuous syght of the worlde shall terrifie and abashe reason yet let the heart truste to the worde of God that it may not feare that outeward syght but say Mystrust not there is no hurte or damage This dothe not signifie as Christe sayth any euyll but that my redemption and redemer is at hande Hayle my redemer Christe therfore and come on as thou art wyshed for as I haue desyred oftentymes and prayed for whyle I lyued that thy kyngdome myght com vnto me He that can receyue Christ at his commyng after this maner shall in a momente be chaunged into that glory that he may shyne with the sonne for euer After this sort dooth Christ teache vs to knowledge truly the last day that we may lerne how great succour we haue therin and why also we ought to loke for and feruently to desire his comyng The Pope preacheth of Christe that he is a seuere Iudge and that we must haue healpe before hym by our good woorkes and that the Intercession of saintes are to be hadde yf any manne wyll be sure from damnation For so hath he put it foorthe in picture howe Christe commeth to iudgement and howe he holdeth a swoorde and a rodde in his mouthe whiche bothe are signes of wroth And where as Mary and Iohn standeth on bothe sydes it shewethe that the prayers and intercessions of them and of other suche good Sainctes muste be soughte for and trusted in As the good father Bernard persuaded hymself that when the mother sheweth her pappes to the Sonne that he can not denye her any thyng Whiche was an euident proofe that Christe should come lyke a seuere Iudge But in this Gospell he teacheth vs otherwyse that is that he shall not come to iudge and condemne vs but to deliuer redeme vs and that he wil graunt in dede that that we praied for and bring vs to his kingdom And as for other that beleue not in him and vexe the Christians with railyng and reuilyng he will by his sharpe sentence punishe greuouslye Thys saieth he beleue ye onely and looke for my cōmynge ioyfully for it shal be to your welthe that ye may be saued by me for euer from synne deuyll deathe hell and the worlde This is a greate comforte But in thys place one thyng remayneth wherby the fearefull consciences are troubled For Christ saieth that that daye shall come vnloked for So that it shal chance likewise to men as it chanceth to byrdes which flee in the mornyng hungry out of the woddes to fynde meat somwhere suspectyng no euyll bycause they were not deceiued of their hope in that place before and sodeinly they are wrapped in the nettes taken and killed But thei that feare God wil take hede therof And because they proue by dayly exaumples howe soone they that stande fall they are weake hearted and soone ouerthrowen For they thynke it vncertayne what shall become of them to morowe Perchance the houre wil come when thou shalt be most vnready and dydst not see it before orels thou shalt be entangled with this or that sinne Then art thou vndone and this ioyfull day shal be chaunged into mourninge In this doubt Christ leaueth vs not comfortlesse but teacheth christen men howe they shall bee rydde from this pensifenes and sayth See that your heart be not ouerladen with surfet dronkennes and with the cares of this lyfe least this daye oppresse
strengthned made ioyfull And that is not done by the doctrine of the lawe but only by the gospel This is a chereful happy tidinges that Christ hath satisfied for oure synnes This belongeth to the poore saith Christ this is myne entent For with the righteouse I haue no place which wil not be rebuked as synners which persecute the gospel condemne it as heresi saying that good workes are forbid therby that these words are blasphemous against Moses the lawe Wherfore Christ saith after blessed is he that is not offended by me ye truly blessed For al the worlde is offended with this king wisheth that he might sone be cōfounded For they say that he turneth al vp syde doune that he condemneth the righteous and suffreth them not to be in his kingdom that he is redy to geue heuē to the sinners What kind of doctrine is this say they wherin is no respect of good workes and wherin the wicked haue such an easy way to heauen Christ could not be scotfree from this sclander amongest his owne neither can we be where as we are so bacbited of our aduersaries that we teache agaynste good workes make the way of saluation to easy But in thys place is a sentence Blessed is he that is not offended in me For if thou consider Christes doctrine well thou shalt perceaue that this doctrine is not against good workes as the Papisticall dothe falsely report this by vs. This we teache that these thynges are necessary and earnestly to be cared for that nothing may be done agaynst the word and conscience Wherfore the gospell dothe not disanull the Ciuile power it dothe not abrogate the offices of the Maiestrates Why then doth it offende thee and why doest thou imagine that it forbyddeth good woorkes The Gospell dothe not disalowe neyther forbydde good workes But it forbyddeth thys that when wee muste nowe dye and departe into an other lyfe and when we are broughte to our straightes that then we put no trust in oure own rightuousnes workes that we haue no more succour remaynynge but onely in Christe and muste stycke to his merite and satisfaction only that by him we obtayne grace and euerlasting lyfe For God geueth suche a body vnto vs to this ende that we should not be idle as long as we liue that we walke on our fete put our handes to worke that we speake with the mouthe and see with our eies c. And for this hath he put forthe his worde the tenne commandements that we might compare all our workes with them and not do contrary to his glory and the profyte of our neighbour This gospell doth not onely permyt but also commaunde vs to doo it diligently But now when a man is alone and voyd of all these thynges and gothe out of the world to the iudgement seate of God then dothe the gospel teache the to go an other ways about wherfore if thou haste done that is godly in thy life thou couldest not maintayne otherwaies the name of godlynesse in this life thou muste thanke God for that gifte But in death beware that thou put no truste in this godlinesse as though thou hadst deserued heauen therby but yeld thy self wholly to this king Iesus Christ whose office it is as saith the Euangelist to help the blind lame lepres the deafe and dead to preach to the poore that is to comfort the troubled consciences For he is sent from God the father not to punishe vs for our sinnes but to profite vs to susteyn and comfort vs. They that wil not vse hym after this sort but are offended rather with him and despise him as the Iewes and the hipocrites doo yet to this day Those shall he represse at his tyme. And this is one of the offences that ar to be auoyded Then also is Christ an offence when men dare not cōfesse hym for fear of the crosse and fall from hym in temptation Furthermore it is called an offēce when we haue more respect to our hart and conscience what is their entent than to the gospel That is when the sorow of our worke syn is greater then comfort for Christes mercies sake This is the cōmon offence wherby al christen men at vexed So is Christ euery wher in the world an offenceful teacher as he wil shew more plainly after this gospell that men by this doctrine are offended begin to despise and persecute it And that the worlde shall be iudged for this the sermon of the three cities Capernaum Corazim Bethsaida dothe declare Likewyse the greuous cōplainte of Christ against the Iewes is this where he declareth Iohn that rigorouse teacher of repētance dyd eat only hony and locustes dronke water liued a hard life But what preuailed he therby ye said that he had a diuell But I saith he eate drink shewe my self moste full of humanitie to all men they call me a drinker of wyne The adders are so froward that no man can satisfie them Yf a man lyue at libertie he is blamed yf he lyueth straightly he can not please them What shall we do then to please the froward worlde It wold be pleased very well yf all that it doth were allowed where as neuer the lesse it dothe nothing that good is Suche offences must be paciently suffred For if it wer in such a hard case whē Christ taught him self al things were full of his miracles that the blinde dyd see the lame go the dead rise it yet could nothing preuayle herby but that the word was despised Yea rather Christe the auctor of this doctrine was moste shamefully crucified the Apostles driuen out of Iurie no where safe in al the worlde for this words sake what maruell is it then if the worlde hateth the gospell without mercy resiste it handle it moste vilainously Such was the fortune of Christ his apostles at that tyme so that it may seme more maruelous in them because they did not only preach but also wrought many notable famous miracles Wherfore we must endeuoure oure self to beare this miserie of the worlde and to take this rudenes wel a worth For the fortune of the gospell shall neuer be otherwyse It is a doctrine wherewith men are alwayes offended and thei be not of the common sorte but men very holy righteous wise and mightie in the worlde as experience teacheth Blessed are they that knowledge that this is the word of God they are in good case and haue both confort and helpe against these offences But they that knowe it not are inflamed for their good workes sake they fall from this word to their owne righteousnes and thinke that this doctrine is full of offence and sedition And this yt is to stumble and be offended and yet it chaunceth to them whiche before the worlde are counted moste holy Wherfore we haue a iuste cause to complaine with Christ of the
Nazareth of Galile vnto this toune Bethleem They went further then it is from Saxon to Franconie And herof a man may easely gather that they caried not much stuffe with them and that their swathelyng clothes and suche other things wer not very costely so that he put on her smocke on the child and laid it in the maunger For she could not alwayes hold yt in her lappe she must warme the clothes and dresse their couche and do such other things that wer requisite for an infāt And in the meane tyme must the babe reste in the oxe stalle Neither could Ioseph be lackyng to this necessary busynes And it is lyke that he went about to some of the maydens of the house to gett water and to do such other busines But this is not written that any mā came to proffer seruice vnto them in this trauaill They regarded it not whan it was tolde them that the mayde was deliuered of a chylde in the stable Wherfore this towne is worthy to be hated with his great barbarousnes For although Mary because of her pouerty was not thought so much worth and yf she had bene vnhoneste yet at this tyme had it ben the part of a man to shewe humanitie But no man is greued therewith The childe muste suffer paciently this great extreme pouertye and looke for no better In this beggerie sorowfull life this Lord is borne Wheras other deuoure riot awaie cōsume prodigallie al things by costly apparell gorgeous buildīg c. This is the historie Whiche is set forthe to vs to the entent that we should graue this picture of Christes byrthe faste in oure hart with how great miserie the Lord Iesus was borne in this wordle that we might learne to geue God thankes for this so great benefit For we misers and wretched men and also damned came this day to high renoume For on this day were we made one fleshe and bloud with the sonne of God and he that made heauen and earth of nothing is borne a man lyke vnto vs only this thing excepted that with this child all things are without synne Wherfore we may boste magnificently that God is become oure brother oure fleshe and bloude This renoum is not geuen to the angells or diuels but to vs men Wherfore although the angells are more excellēt creatures then we yet God geueth more renoume to vs then to all the angells For he was not made an angell but a mā Wherfore yf we men could thinke and beleue this as the greatnes therof requirethe our mynde wold be moste redie to sett moste by God to thanke him and to obey his will gladly When the Popes religion reigned there was suche an historie read vnto vs That vpon a time the diuell came into the Churche to masse And when these wordes and he was made man were songe and men made no obbeisance by bowinge of their knees he gaue one of them a great blow and rebukinge him said Thou monsterous beaste art not ashamed to be so litle moued why fallest thou not downe on thy face for ioy yf the sonne of God had ben made oure brother as he was youres surely we wold haue no measure in reioycing And although this matter be not true yet it semeth to be fayned of a good man which well dyd perceaue the great renoume geuen vnto vs when the sonne of God became man and that not after the maner of Adam and Eue which was made of the grounde but he was made more conioyned vnto vs. For he was borne of the fleshe and bloud of the virgin Mary as other men were excepte this that Mary the virgin was sole and alone and he was conceaued without synne by the holy Ghoste Excepte this that he is worthely named the naturall sonne of a woman Adam and Eue were not borne but made For God made man out of the earth and a woman of his ribbe But how much nigher is Christ to vs then Eue to Adam because he is oure bloud and flesh We ought to esteme this renoume highly and to haue great meditation thervpon in that the sonne of God is made oure fleshe and that there is no difference betwene his flesh and ours except only synne For he was conceaued of the holy Goste and God replenished bothe the body and sowle of the virgin with the holy Ghoste because she was without synne when she conceaued Christe and afterward wared great with child by hym And this is the only difference in all other things he is lyke other men in that he vsed meate and drynke felt hunger thyrst and colde as other dyd He was subiect to all suche naturall infirmities as Paule sayth in shape he was found lyke a man he eate he drounke he was sorowfull and gladde This is truely a profound humilitie and subiection For he myght haue vsed an other sorte when he became man after what sort he is nowe in heauen where as he hath flesh and bloud as we haue But yet he is not subiecte to naturall actions He might haue done this at the begynning but he wold not that he might declare his singular loue toward vs that we might haue therby sure confort and ioy when we knowe that we haue a brother nowe in heauen whose sure helpe we may stycke vnto are bound so to doo For cursed is euery man that doth not receaue him and conceaue stedfast hope for his sake And therfore is this history rehersed euery yere that the tender myndes might haue meditation theron and geue God thanks and say My matter is in good takynge I haue a brother and he is made lyke me But why he was made so I do not yet tell for this was the cause that he might helpe me agaynst syn and eternall death But nowe I speake of the renoume of all mankynde wherof we boaste and reioyce that the sonne of God is become man Of this renoume may euery man boaste But Christian men somwhat more then all other for because this renoume shall be to their endlesse profyte And this is firste to be learned of the history Secondarily marke also this great example Where as Christe the sonne of God dothe so humble him self and communicate all his glory with fleshe and wheras his hyghe maiestie before whome the Angells tremble dothe so demitte hym self and goeth after the lykenes of a man In heauen the Angels worship him in the earth he serueth vs and is subiect to our beggery Seing then the sonne of God doth this this matter is not lightly to be sett by Lett vs caste our selues away for his glory honours sake And yf aduersitie be to be suffered we muste not refuse it For Christe him self hathe suffered likewise frost hunger miseries and troubles not only these For whan he was borne into the wordle he was poore in all things he had neither place neither bed clothes neither stuffe for houshold A maunger and
man that of God mannes nature might be made one person The diuell can not ioyne him self so nighe to mā But God is made man and yet he remayneth a man And by this meanes he set him self more depely in mannes fleshe than the dyuell can which may enter into mannes body and vexe it but he can not be made man that the diuell and man might become one person Betwene these two natures is ther alway remayning a difference of persones not only in substance but also in person But in CHRIST that is borne these things be one For the sōne of God is made one flesh and one bloud borne of the virgyn Mary after the course of nature as all be excepte that he was not conceaued of mā but of the holy Ghost and hath escaped the fylthy mark of the dyuell and was borne with very pure flesh and bloud wheras oures is full of synne In all other things he is lyke vs which was subiecte to all naturall actions in all poyntes as other men As sayth Paule He was found in behauiour as a man so that all that sawe hym or heard hym dyd affirme that he muste nedes be a true and naturall man not any phantasme or appearing only for he had all the properties that belonge to this lyfe And this is the ioy as touching the which speaketh the Angel I speake only of the glorie not of the fruite For therof is it wont to be declared in the history of the passion and resurrection Now do we speake only of the glory that GOD is so nighe ioyned vnto vs that he is of my flesh bloud and soule very man as we be With this so great and meruailous glory hath he begon this matter and aduaūced mankind therby to high renoume And the Angell setteth this forth vnto men and sayth I shew you great ioy which shall be to the whole people The word sheweth that his mynde was rauished with some great ioy He telleth it boldly to the shepheards He wold that all men with hym shold know of this great honour wherby mannes nature is come to such dignitie that GOD whiche made all things is become oure flesh and bloud And if we wold ponder this well although we had no other profite therby yet wolde it make together amongest vs a great flame of charitie and loue I speake not yet as I said before of the profyt vse but only of the glory therof If we were moued earnestly therwith yt wold suffer no malice to remayne amongest vs. The reason is Who is there that wold hate this kinde or hurt it which is euen as oure God in body and sowle shall we not for this glories sake wher with God hath garnished vs loue all men do the best that we can for all men The Angels are more excellent creatures then we men are But this glory is not geuen them God was not made an Angell neither an Angell was made God Furthermore the Angels are innocent and holy which condicion was more agreable with Gods maiestye But it semeth otherwyse to him he choseth the viler creature which was subiect to syn which is hold captiue vnder the kyngdom of the diuell and the tyrannye of death Whom the dyuel vexeth and troubleth extremely He could not humble him self any lower But should not we be stirred hereby to loue and charitie to esteme one an other and not to neglecte but to proue mastries who can do other moste good Certayn of the fathers and amongest them as it now cometh to mynde Bernarde thought that the diuell whan he was in heauen did se before that the sonne of God should become man and for that cause enuied at man and began to hate God because he had not chosen rather to become an Angell than a man and that for this enuie and pride he was caste out of heauen Whether this were fayned or done in dede yet wold the holy fathers signifie hereby howe great is oure renoume in that that God became man and tooke the very same mannes nature which belongeth to vs all whiche haue ben in the dyuels daunger and captiue to synne and death In what wretched case then are they whiche are ignorante of this renoume But yet are they much more wretched which when the Angels or Apostles shew such things that God hath visited mans nature and tooke it on him and made it Lord ouer al creatures yet do not reioyce O how wretched are they that are not moued with this tidings If one amongest many bretherne should come to be a kīg how wold al the other reioyce how bolde would they waxe As Iosephs bretherne may be an example of this And this is a naturall zeale But how chāceth it that we reioyce not in such a great matter that we are not moued neither do geue thanks to GOD that oure God hath taken oure flesh and bloud and now sitteth at the right hand of God Lord ouer all creatures He therfore that wold esteme this as it is in dede wold loue all flesh and bloud in the worlde for this flesh and blouds sake and wold hate no mā The only gloriouse sight and contemplation of the humanitie of Christ oure God wold so chere vs replenishe vs with ioy that we should neuer be angry with any man Yea and he that beholdeth this image continually that the sonne of God is made man wold not loke for any wrathful displeasure frō Christe but hope for all goodnes at his hand For no man is angry with him self or hurteth him self Now is Christ one of vs and a man How could he hate him self that is to say vs which are his flesh bloud And if this sight were well printed in vs it wold sone put away all exāples of Gods wrathe out of oure myndes as is Noes floud the punishement of Sodom and Gomor All that wold vanishe away at such a contemplatiō if I wold muse of this only man which is God hath estemed mannes nature so greatly that he became man But be these things neuer so inestimable yet some mē are so mad that they care not they caste away this treasure and set their mynd on other things to heape vp riches to purchase get whereto mens myndes are wont wholy to be stirred And this is the cause that we fele no ioy rise in vs at the tydinges of the Angell Wherfore this thing may wel make vs ioyful and proude that we are preferred before all creatures in this renoume yea before Angels and may boaste and say My flesh my bloud sitteth on the right hand of God and hath the rule of all No Angell or creature hath suche renoume but my flesh and my bloud This fier ought to melt as it were in one all mens hartes and to inflame men with suche mutuall loue that we should embrace one an other with al oure hartes But this is the continuall working of the diuell to make vs forget
if he muste redeme the matter by pryce he hath mony enough to do that And this is it with all the other corporall gyftes wit wisdome power For in them is their store of helpe and saluation as farre as God hath appoynted them to be to oure saluation The mother bryngeth foorth chyldern The physition helpeth the sycke The lawyer by the exacte lawe defendeth against the wrongfull doers But when this lyfe is at an ende neither can the cōscience hyde her synnes before Gods iudgement then is there place made for this sauiour Iesu. For then is there no store of helpe in any thing besyde All things do fayle no power is so great or wil so redy that cā defēd against the euill of the conscience and of death In this case if thou demand from whence thou moste looke for helpe haue respecte only to this chylde For that cause is he named Iesus that he might be present and saue all that knowledge him looke for saluation of hym But in this resteth the whole matter that thou suffer no other name to be geuen to this chylde And then that thou graunt not that this name that belōgeth to this chylde should be transposed to other as to Frances Dominike to the Carthusians Masses Uigiles Pardōs almes fastings and such lyke For all this is abhominable And a good cause whi there cā no other sauiour be inuented against synne Wherfore he that wold haue an other sauiour whether it be the rule of the Carthusians or any other thing he goeth cleane without saluation Therfore he that could name this child by his true name and could inculcat Christ into hymself were blessed For in this name are al things wherfore store of saluation is there to be looked for and no wher els But now the dyuels endeuour lyeth all in this that this chyld might haue an other name made that men should perceaue hym to be a iudge and chose them other sauiours and helpers against Gods wrothe But the matter is certaine and can neuer be other wyse or made frustrat Iesus hath not his name that he should healpe the with corporall benefites As touching this matter the disposition and order is certainly ordeyned Gene. 2. where God saith Beare rule ouer the fishes of the sea the byrdes of the ayer and the beastes of the earth But he is called Iesus bycause he is a sauiour then sheweth saluatiō when al things do fayle and are voyd of helpe whan we muste now depart into an other lyfe Wherfore this name casteth of all things whatsoeuer without Christ is caste before vs for the remission of synnes For when the Mounke thinketh my rule is able to make God mercifull It is nothing els to say in dede than My rule is with the name Iesus And whereas the Pope and all teachers of that secte holdeth that only faith iustifieth not but workes also be necessarie to saluation It is no other thing than Good workes are with the name Iesus But it is abhominable sacrilege that my worke should be with the name Iesus This name belongeth only to this chyld The Pope the Byshops and Mounks c. doth not so Neither do we also at all when we geue place in oure conscience to feare for oure synnes sake than to confort for Christs sake neither when we thinke this If I had lyued on this wyse if I had done this or the worke I should haue an easier case before God The holy Ghost can not abyde this but indeuoreth with all might that this chyld may haue his name remayning whole and that no other may be receaued into the felowship therof That when we haue nede of saluation against syn and eternall death we put no trust in oure workes or in the merites of al the saintes but that we stycke vnto this child only by faith which hath this name and is called Iesus Neither can it be taken from hym without sacrilege But they that go about to take it from hym as the Pope Turke and Mounkes do presume they shal perceaue in dede that they haue committed such sacrilege that shall neuer be remitted Cōtrarily if there be but two or three of vs that trust in this name of the chyld all the might and power of hell is not able to caste vs from saluation I will not speake how the world should somwhat feare for hindering of this saluation For the Angell brought this name from heauen and named the child IESVS before he was conceaued in his mothers wombe Wherfore when they that persecute this name and sette vp other sauiours shall go against Gabriel the Angell or shal reproue him of a lye he him self shall appeale to God and say Lord thou hast geuen me this commaundement that I should geue this chylde this name And then shall it be knowen what the persecuters do preuayle against this name they haue remayning for them self neither God neither Iesus And they shall dye and perishe for euer in their synnes This shall be the ende of this matter with their moste greuouse destruction Wherfore let vs neuer forget this name but let vs surely beare this away that this chyld is the only Sauiour agaynst death syn and the dyuell If the world shall hate vs therfore surely it can not doo it with good lucke and prosperitie If it will not knowledge this chylde for a Sauiour we can not constrayne it But let it consyder from whence it shall receaue saluation when death shall fall on his head whether there be any defence agaynst it in mennes workes in faste prayer almes masses inuocation of sayntes c. Let this be the stablishement of all oure matters to know for a suertye this name to be geuen from God to this chylde that it should be called Iesus or a Sauiour For we shall know and fele this oure Sauiour without coaction that is we shall haue a suer truste in hym when the dreadfull senses of synne and death shall be caste agaynst vs that there is prepared in hym for vs moste sure saluation We knowe that this hope and fayth is greatly alowed of God that it receaueth great renoume Where as contraryly he suffereth the great indignation of God whiche doth either seeke other sauiours or els will not know this sauiour at all Now therfore compare the name of the chyld and the thyng that was done when the name was geuen The chylde Iesus receaueth circumcision as other chyldern doo where as neuerthelesse he hath no nede of it as a synner hath because he is without synne and nede not to be purifyed for as muche as he is pure all redye But this is done bycause his name is IESVS that he may be a Sauiour agaynst synne and an euill conscience agaynst death and all euill that commeth of synne For he is circumcised that he might be vnder the lawe and let none of al things vndone that were enioyned of God at any tyme to men
the water If water be mingled now it loseth her name Why then doe we in this place seue◠the word from the water and pronounce it to be water only as though the word of God or as though God hym self were not in this water But it is not so for the Father the sonne the holy Ghoste are present and be in this water As in Iordane when Christ stode in the water the holy Ghost was caried aboue it and God preached by it Wherfore baptisme is suche water that taketh away syn death and all euill and geueth saluation and euerlasting lyfe So great price is now added to this water in the which God demitteth hym selfe But God is the God of lyfe And sith he is in this water it muste nedes be the water of lyfe which taketh away death and damnation and geueth lyfe euerlastinge This ought baptisme truely to be knowen and highly estemed For he is not baptised in the name of any Angell or man but in the name of the Father of the sonne of the holy Ghost Or as it is in the actes of the Apostles in the name of Iesu which is as much For he that confesseth Iesus Christ truely with the same confession compriseth the Father and the holy Ghost For Christ saith that he commeth from the Father and that he sendeth the holy Ghost He then that confesseth truely Iesus Christ can not dyminish the authoritie of his word but shall beleue that the sonne is not alone but that the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost be there together although the Father and the holy Ghost be not named Wherfore let vs not lightly esteme this let vs not separate the word frō the holy baptisme or water wher with he is baptised but let vs confesse that this is therfore appointed of God to purifie vs from oure syn for Christs sake through the holy Ghost For if it were not for this what should the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost haue to do ther Wherfore if thou beleuest that a new borne chyld is synfull dippe hym into baptisme that God may worke his work in hym as his word commandeth and doth promise a new byrth by the water and the holy Ghost and also this that he that beleueth and is baptised might be saued Lykewyse if thou confesse that he is in death dippe hym in this baptisme and lauer after the commandement of Christ and then shall death be swalowed vp Neither muste thou that art baptised thinke any otherwyse than that baptisme is a seale and pledge of assurance that God hath forgeuen thee thy synnes and hath promised lyfe euerlasting for Christs sake For baptisme hath a godly power to take away death and synne For therfore are we baptised And although synnes be committed after that and the works of godlynes not perfectly done yet they that repente agayn do not forfeit their couenant of baptisme and the promise therof For this can by no meanes agree that a man should desyer remission of syn and also geue vp hym self wholy to synne But this is in all poyntes necessarie to repent and to consyder with hym self vprightly and truely that God hath promised vs his grace and fauour When he cam to the baptisme of his Sonne and that we should retourne to that grace and beleue surely that oure synnes are forgeuen not for vs or for any creatures sake but for CHRIST oure Lord whiche hath commanded this baptisme and was baptised hym self also as a synner Wherfore this reuelation passeth not a litle the other whiche was shewed to the wyse men by a starre For out of this the frute redoundeth to all Chrystian men where as in that reuelation of the wise men a few Gentiles only cam to the knowledge of the kynge of the Iewes Wherfore it were not without a good cause if this were called the day of the Baptisme of Christ and in the whiche Christ was baptised Then should we haue a iuste cause geuen to pleade the matter of Baptisme agaynst the Anabaptistes and the dyuell whiche may soner be entreated of vs for any matter then that we should consyder the busynes of oure saluation For ther he setteth agaynst vs with tooth and nayle that we may not come to the sight of oure inheritance As the example of the Popedome doth yet admonishe vs vnder the whiche litle or nothing was set foorth in the congregation as touching this reuelation at Iordane Wherfore thynke this to be a thing most worthye to be remembred where as God this daye with a moste euident sermon as touching his Sonne opened hym self euen that all matters that are betwene Christ and vs do highly please God the Father For he that obeyeth the sonne and kepeth his word he is accepted to God and receaueth the holy Ghost Whiche openeth hym self at this Baptisme in a very amiable and pleasant sight And herevnto also it agreeth that the Father sendeth foorth a verye bounteous voyce when he sayth Behold here is for you not an Angell nor a Prophet nor an Apostle but my sonne and my owne self also What reuelation can be greater And what seruice can we do that is more acceptable to hym than that we obey his decree and proclamation But he that is not moued with this let hym after his seeking perishe with the dyuell neither is he worthye to heare this Godly sermon Wherfore let vs geue thankes to God for this great and vnspekeable grace and let vs pray that he will preserue it in vs and thereby at lenghth saue vs. AMEN The fyrst Sonday after Twelfth day vpon the Gospell Luke ij THE Father and mother of Iesus went to Ierusalem after the custome of the feast day And when they hadde fulfilled the dayes as they returned home the chylde Iesus abode styll in Ierusalem and his Father and mother knewe not of it but they supposing him to haue ben in the companye came a dayes iourney and sought hym amonge theyr kinsfolke and acquayntaunce And when they founde hym not they went backe agayne to Ierusalem and sought hym And it fortuned that after three dayes they founde him in the tēple sitting in the middest of the doctours hearing them and posing them And all that hearde hym were astonyed at his vnderstanding and aunswers And when they sawe hym they meruayled and his mother sayd vnto him Sonne why hast thou thus dealt with vs Beholde thy father and I haue sought thee sorowing And he sayd vnto them Howe happened that ye sought me wyst ye not that I muste go about my fathers busynes And they vnderstode not that saying which he spake vnto them And he went downe with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient vnto them But his mother kept all these sayinges together in her heart And Iesus prospered in wysdome and age and in fauour with God and men THE EXPOSITION THIS Gospel hath a very depe profound vnderstāding and it is a hard thing to
destroyd Fyrst of all we ought to haue singular respecte to the maintenance of the ecclesiasticall body or Church For then is that most in hasard if these things that are ordeyned of God to bring men to repentance and saluation be not openly suffred to be vsed against them that are vnpenitent Wherfore if the Church shold either for superstitiō or for a vayne ostentatiō of mercifulnes omit this authoritie of byndinge and excommunicatinge the vnpenitent and not punishe very sharplie suche offenders and so saue it self holy and vndefiled and not suffer a litle leauen to corrupte the whole dowe it were greatly to be blamed Consider also that this is not donne to destroy them that are excommunicat and excluded from the cōmunion and felowship of saintes For herby are they put to shame to the entent they should amend and obtaine saluation with the Church in Gods kingdō Or if they wold not amēd at all it may appeare that the Churche is not in the faulte whiche dyd the same for feare lest it also should be defyled and destroyd by sufferinge the wicked to intermedell with holye thinges Wherfore the Church doth as it is commanded for a good cause excommunicat the stubbourne synners Neither do they violat and breake CHRISTES commandement which forbad the tares to be pluckt vp For Christ hym self commanded saying Let hym be as an Ethnicke and Publicane And yet is he not against his owne cōmandement where as he forbad the tares to be pluckt vp As it is euidēt by the former description For excommunication hyndreth not the principall entent of Christ it is not against the doctrine of his grace but rather for the maintenance therof where as it casteth out them that behaue them selues disorderedly in the kyngdom of heauen to the entent they may the beter come to them selues and retourne again obediently or if they wil not to be vtterly caste out of this kingdom with the lesse daunger where as otherwyse they should heape together more greuous offences by defilinge and prophaninge the holy company of saintes and the Church also for her negligent regardīge her vndefiled holines should prouoke Gods hyghe displeasure and wrathe Now al other restrayninge of offences is amōgest the magistrates and officers they are bound diligētly to see therevnto lykewyse fathers and mothers are gouerners of families all informers of other in manners and learninge These are not forbydden by this commandement of CHRIST to execute their office but they are rather strayghtly commaunded and charged to do them And as touching their iurisdiction power and gouernance they exercise it not in the kingdom of heauen They exacte not certaine offices and rites to be donne whiche thing belongeth to the kyngdom of grace But they haue the regimēt of that kyngdom that belongeth to the body and bodilie thinges to ciuill maners office order humanitie honestie they firste procure that the bodie and bodelie thinges may be in safegard that therby the soules and spiritual thynges maye be the better gouerned And the magistrate maintaineth not onlie the second table as touchynge the duetie towardes men but also the firste as concernynge our duetie towardes God He punisheth Idolatrie blasphemie wytchcraftes periurie He punisheth restraineth heretikes that are blasphemous against God such as teache false doctrine He taketh to his correction them that are stiffe in defendinge of heresie and errors and punisheth them for malefactors bycause they seduce many from the truth And when he doth this he is not thought to plucke vp the tares for bycause he and his office is not belongynge to that kyngdom whiche is forbid to plucke vp the tares It were a superfluous thing to commande or teach that lesson to gouerners of housholdes or to ciuil officers or such other For they haue all their charges geuen vnto them which they must nedes execute in their offices with all diligence and yet they plucke not vp the tares for that they hynder not the kyngdome of grace but cause rather by their order discipline the kyngdom of grace to be in better case to be troubled with fewe offences All officers shold se diligently to quiet and tranquillitie to be had both in house and citie that the church the kyngdome of heauen might liue a quiet and a peaceable life with all godlines and grauitie in prayers supplications with thankes geuing and intercessions For to th end that this kyngdome of prayer true inuocation which is called of Christ the kyngdom of heauen might be reserued amōg men it is very necessarie that parents maiestrates see straightly to their offices Wherfore magistrates and officers of this corporall lyfe do not plucke vp the tares againste the commandement of Christe when they by sharp straight correction and execution do withstand these offences that disordre the common welth But they do the best that they can to see and prouide that the good corne in the congregation be not ouercome with tares so the kyngdome of heauē shold vtterly be abolished in earth And this haue I sayd as touchynge the true meaning of this parable least it shold by euil vnderstāding therof cause men through superstitiō to abstaine from doinge certaine offices necessarie in the cōmon welth Now to declare at large what an haynouse thing it is that Christe here describeth howe the ennemie in the night sowed his most pestilent tares and howe the byshoppes and superattendēts by their sleping sluggyshnes gaue hym occasion and leaue so to do it were a long matter and not fyt to be handled in so shorte a tyme but at this time I thinke sufficient for me to haue enstructed you as touching the true meanyng of this parable And to th end that ye may earnestlye regarde it euen as Christe would we shold when he put forth this parable of the tares let vs pray vnto our heuenly father as for a thyng most necessary to whome be praise and glory for euer Amen The Sonday called Septuagesima The Gospell Math. xx THe kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a man that is an housholder which went out early in the mornyng to hyre labourers into his vineyarde And when the agrement was made with the labourers for a peny a daye he sent them into his vineyarde And he went out about the third houre sawe other standing ydle in the market place and sayde vnto them Go ye also into the vineyarde and whatsoeuer is ryght I will geue you And they went theyr waye Againe he went out about the vi and ix houre and dyd lykewyse And about the xi houre he went out and foūd other standing ydle and said vnto them Why stāde ye here all the day ydle They sayd vnto hym because no man hath hyred vs. He saith vnto thē Go ye also into the vyneyarde and whatsoeuer is ryght that shall ye receiue So when euē was come the lorde of the vineyarde sayd vnto his steward Call the
labourers and geue them their hyre beginning at the laste vntil the firste And when they dyd come that came about the eleuenth houre they receyued euery man a penye But whē the fyrste came also they supposed that they sholde haue receiued more and they lykewyse receyued euery man a peny And when they had receyued it they murmured against the goodman of the house saying These last haue wrought but one houre and thou hast made them equall with vs whiche haue borne the burden and heate of the day But he aunswered vnto one of them and sayd Frende I do thee no wrong Diddest thou not agree with me for a peny Take that thyne is and go thy waye I will geue vnto this last euen as vnto thee Is it not lawefull for me to do as me lusteth with myne owne goodes Is thine eye euill because I am good So the last shal be fyrst and the fyrst shal be last For many be called but fewe be chosen THE EXPOSITION THe meanynge of this Gospell is very profound high wherby youth and the rude people can not learne muche And yet because it is appointed to be learned at thys tyme we will speake somwhat therof We heare in this parable how the housholder went foorth in the morning and hyred workmen into his vineyard whiche wrought twelue houres Afterward he hyred some that wrought nine houres then also other that wrought sixe and three and laste one Their workes were farre vnlyke and yet their reward is equall one hauing no more then the other For the housholder dyd according to his couenant only with the fyrst as for the other he rewarded at his pleasure without couenāt And yet he gaue as much to them that were last which wrought but one hower as to the first that agreed with hym for a peny a daye This semeth against reason to the world which foloweth this rule He that doth muche work must haue much reward or wages he that doth litle must haue litle And yet can no man there complain of wrong if that be payde to any that is due to one and to an other that is not due Howbeit to geue equal wages where as is not equall labour is not according to the rule of iustice that biddeth to geue to euery mā his due Christ reherseth this parable to shew a differēce betwene his kingdom the kingdom of the world to teach that it is otherwise in his kingdō thā it is in the world wheras cā not be had such equalitie by reson that the degrees states therof be so contrary For where as ther is one degree of masters other of seruātes the master hath more substāce the seruāt more labor it is nothing agreable with this parable wherin Christe taketh away al inequalitie rewardeth al states degrees alike so that the one hath no more interest in this kingdom thā the other But in the corporal ciuil life it is otherwise For there must nedes be inequalitie euē as ther be differēces in degrees The husbands life is vnlike to the life of the citisen likewise the lordes to the knight Here can be no equalitie neither must we go about to seke it But in the kingdom of Christ whether he be king or prince lord or seruāt mastresse or handmaide or any such like they are all equall For we all haue one baptisme one faith one gospel one sacrament one Christ one God For al alike aswel the great as the small heare the Gospell likewise is it as touchyng baptisme For our baptisme the baptisme of children and of all other is all one There is one fayth of Peter Paule Magdalen of the these hanging on the crosse and of vs all if we be christians There is no other God of Iohn Baptist then is of other synners when they repente Neither doth this make any differēce or matter before God that for a ciuile respect there are superiours and inferiors accordyng to mens offices and degrees And this is the chiefest part in this Gospel to lerne that as touching our state cōdition in gods kingdom we ar all equal But before the world this differēce must nedes be had that the father be better then the son the maister better then the seruant the kyng better then the subiect And it is Gods wil that it should so be which dyd ordein constitute diuers states and degrees He that in the kingdome of the world wold go aboute to make the lowest equal with the highest shold bring the cōminalty to cōfusion And to this end tēded the cōmotiōs of the rude people cōmōs wherfore how great soeuer the diuersitie of offices is in the world yet let vs think for a suretie that before God we are all regarded alyke for asmuch as there is but one Christe one baptisme one Gospell one holy spirite of vs all neither hathe one a better Gospell baptisme or Christ then an other The lowest state of seruāts hath as good as the highest For although som hath more good things then thou hast yet he passeth the not in that he hath a better god thē thou hast And this is diligently to be learned specially for this cause euē that euery mā in his vocation may from the bottom of their heart willyngly obey God for asmuch as he may assuredly trust that although he be no emperor nor Pope nor abundant in riches neither is equall in power to the higher states yet that he is equall with the best for that he hath obteined baptisme through the death of Christ hath as sure a confidēce and trust that death shall not hurt hym as hath the highest that is It is not mete now that we that haue obteined so great riches by Christ should be of an abiect fearful heart but rather that we shold lerne litle to esteme thinges that are glorious in the world haue our only hope in this that we are baptised in the name of our Lord Iesu Christ and that he died for vs ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty to aide succour vs against syn death and all euill Wherfore he that knoweth this perfectly that we are all equall in Christ dothe his busines duetie without wearinesse or griefe is not greued at all for that his state condition of lyfe is more base and lowe then an other is For it can not be otherwise in this kingdom but ther must nedes be diuersities of degrees the one les the other greater the one rule the other serue But let not this be any grefe to a christiā He must take in good part this state of the world and not bewaile his case nor grudge for his seruile and miserable lyfe that he leadeth in so base and low degree But he must faithfully maintein that state of lyfe that God hath appointed hym and take well a worth his present degree vntyll
vs. For it is neuer suffered in any place of the worlde long without persecution For the dyuell can not abyde it It is a very busy and styrryng kyngdome of hys He suffereth not his seruauntes to be ydle as we proue and feele by the Papistes dayely more and more Thyrdely he muste take diligent hede in this poynt also that the thornes trouble it not that is that he regard not his substance rychesse pleasures concupiscence of the flesh and eies and the pompe and pryde of lyfe so muche as he dothe the woorde And worldly trauayle is not more to bee estemed then the worde of God But as CHRIST saythe Fyrste seeke the kyngdome of GOD and the ryghteousnesse thereof When the heart is becom studious strong religious with the fear and loue of God then it is pure and apt to this purpose to yeld fruict in pacience and long sufferance For the crosse tribulation affliction caÌ„not be lacking at al. For as Paul saith all that will liue godly in Christ shal suffer persecution Wherfore pacience is a necessary remedy in christian men and so is praier For fyrst of all our greatest incommoditie is that wee are tangled and combered wyth suche lettes we can not by reson of our natural inclinatioÌ„ neglect and despise worldly things Besides all this the deuil letteth no occasion passe but deuiseth all meanes possible to take the word from vs and to put in the place therof couetousnes pride wrath and other thinges of like sort As there be exaÌ„ples to shew For ther shold be many excellent persons in the coÌ„gregation if they wer not hyndred by auarice ambition lechery so that they can not regard Gods word Wherfore it is very expedient diligently to marke our vicious nature and not to lyue so carelesly as the most part doo but to entreate God for the gift of the holy ghost which he promised for a suretie to geue vs. The father geueth that holy ghost to all that aske it that he may remoue froÌ„ vs all suche stops and staies and that he wold cut a sunder these thornes and snares that we may heare and kepe the worde of God and bring forth true fruicte of faith in Christ. By the which faith we may shew not onely obedience to God but may become also his children and heires For this is the chiefest cause why this seede is spread and the Gospell preached throughoute all the worlde euen to yelde suche fruictes into euerlastyng lyfe Nowe after this description of true godlynesse and hope of good encreace therof this doctrine is not to be let passe in this parable Let it not seme any meruaile vnto vs that Gods worde shoulde not euery where yelde fruict For that we learne by the distinction that Christ maketh of fower kynds of hearers wherof one onely is good the other thre ar fautie Yet they ought not to hynder or let the fourthe in doyng theyr duetie For the maner of Gods worde is suche neither can it be otherwise It is put forth to men for their saluatioÌ„ But in the most part of men it nothing preuaileth as this parable specifieth Howebeit the worde and the precher is not in the fault as the ragious and furious Papists thinke they may boast against vs in that behalfe for that there rose also many sectes and offences with the settyng foorth of our doctrine But if this made any thing against vs what wold they saye to the example of Christ Iohn and the apostles Were not all thynges in their tyme also full of greuous offences and trespasses Do not hystories record that there were that hearde Iohn and yet sayd that he had a diuell Herode hym selfe that so greatly estemed hym and was delighted with his doctrine as the Euangelistes testifie at last caused hym to be â—mprisoned beheaded They heard Christ the sonne of God and yet crucified hym Why saiest thou not nowe that Iohn Christe and the Apostles were false teachers for that there was suche incredible stubbornes and malice that verye fewe were conuerted by theyr woorde But here they dare not speake what they thynk lest they should openly betray them selues to be Antichristes They think that they haue a lauful cause therfore to raile vpon our doctrine What is the cause of oure doctrine and by what right we may maintayn it and set it foorth I will not shew at this tyme I haue only respect that it is Christes worde For thus he sayth The sede is the worde And verily it can not fall into a wicked Papistes heart to saye that this worde that Christ speaketh of here is euill and corrupt But now what saieth Christ as touchyng the pure and good ground what encrease coÌ„meth therof The fourth part saith he commeth to good and groweth to ripenesse Who therfore can doubt but that the worlde continueth in wickednes without amendemeÌ„t although the worde and the doctrine be pure true and without faulte I pleade not the cause as I sayde before for our doctrine But we at the least proue this that oure aduersaries the Papists can not but confesse whether they will or no that the wickednes of the worlde can not bee amended thereby or taken awaye althoughe that bothe pure doctrine and preachers come vnto it The very example of Christ besydes Iohn and the Apostles sheweth sufficiently that the matter can not be brought to suche case that all shall beleue and embrace the worde It is the greater parte and it wyll be alwaies euyll lewde and vnfruictfull and very fewe be conuerted and brought to beleue Now if it so chanced to the sonne of God what meruaile is it if it chaunced so to Iohn and to the Apostles and now to vs also at this time Shal the fault therfore be layde to the doctrine Why doo they not as well blame and denie the good sede that fell vpon the way the stones and the thornes But they should rather folow the truth and refrayn from railyng and backbityng His worde is the sede that is sowen And that is neuer euyll neither dooth it of his owne pure nature bring forth any other fruicts then good And if fruicts folow not thereafter beware thou blame not God and his word The fault is in the ground wherin the good sede is hurte corrupte and made vnfruictfull Wherefore this is but a sclander of the Papistes where as they mysreport our doctrine for that it is assaulted with so many offences and sectes Let them condemne them selues rather and such other that wil not receiue the worde with a true heart For the fault is not in the word but in the hearte and mynd They are corrupt also stirred by the diuel to forsake Gods worde As Christe sheweth in an other parable of a good ground which is sowed with good sede and yet it can not be without tares If ye demand how this commeth so to passe the diuel saith Christ soweth theÌ„ in the
matters when he coulde not by fyne and subtile meanes But as for worshippynge hym selfe and Idolatrie he maketh a light matter of it And that that he could not worke by guyle he assayeth to brynge it to passe by power might For there is no redier waye to destroye and peruerte the truth then to geue the setters foorth therof rule and worldly dominion The example of the Pope sheweth what great strength force this temptation hath wheras he estemed so greatly the occasion to take the kyngdome vpon him that he hath euer sythens behaued himselfe as an obedient seruant in all points to the deuil for that For it must needes be that as they which are appointed to beare any office in the kyngdom of god can not come vnto dignitie and power excepte they haue a certayne kynd of lyfe appointed to them so the deuill maketh roome for them in his kyngdome that they maye lyke wise make roome for the deuill in the kyngdome of God They muste crepe vp to this kyngdome by the pretence of religion And this is the very worshipping of the deuil when religion is pretended and yet all is done and applied to outward holines and hypocrisie well allowed by reason And in so doinge they performe two thinges First they paye the deuil his rewarde for his kyngdome and then obtaineth greate authoritie with reason for the beawtiful shewe of coūterfet religion And this is the subtiltie of the deuil in this temptation He setteth forth the kyngdome of the worlde to be a wayghtie thinge profferyng it apon a cōditiō that he may be worshipped how be it there is no great peril in this temptation But when he goeth so to worke that religion hereby may seme beautifull to reason and worthie of kyngdomes and all highe renoums and promotions eyther that through religion thus transformed great patrimonies of kyngdomes and other thinges maye be retained and kept now is this a deuyllishe condition of worshipping Wherefore it is necessarie to haue redie before oure eyes a description of godly worshipping and holines That as often as we be moued by the stirringe of the deuil to thinke that the true religion shold be so fashioned that it might please reason or haue the profittes commodities of wordly thinges ioyned therwith and not be vexed and troubled with the kyngdome of the deuil that then we may haue recours to the true maner of worshippinge For who do not perceaue that ther appeareth to sight greater praise and commendation in mennes traditions then in all the obedience that is geuen to Gods word For wher is it counted so holy a thyng to be a maried person to fynd maintaine his children to do houshold busines to shew obedience fidelitie therin As it is to weare this wede or that not to dwell or lyue as other do not to eate flesh on friday to kepe vigils and prescripte fastes to visite saincts relikes c. This obseruation of traditions is so beautifull and glistring to sight that the heads of the world as emperours and kinges are in loue with them highly reuerence them The Pope by suche seruice inuented by mans traditions rose to such renome with all his secte so that it might better be called a trym then a true religion For he should neuer haue rysen to such power by the true seruice of God pure doctrine of sincere godlynes But this made mē loke vp vpon thē when they went aside into an abbey forsoke all the world as they say applied them selues to Gods seruice laying a side al worldly cares For these were the cōmādatiōs of the monasticall lyues although we know that it was nothing so But to be brief this was a diuellyshe temptation For this religion came not of Gods cōmandemēt neither is this the true seruice worship of god which yet neuertheles is only to be worshipped to be serued as Christ saith here And whē the worship is not geuē to God only forthwith it falleth turneth to the worshyp of the diuel which rewardeth his worshyppers as he promysed here to Christ. He geueth thē the cōmodities of this lyfe as fat prebends lordships and suche lyke But he that wyl worshyp God let him folow the cōmaundement of his word If they be children let them honour their father and mother if they be seruants let them do their dutie and seruice in the familie with diligence fidelitie If they be masters of housholds let thē beware of all kynd of offēces let thē do their dutie cause their seruāts al persons in their familie diligently to apply their mind to godlines And this is the seruice that is due to God and to his word not to diuers persons For his word is playne wherin he commaundeth such thynges to be done Therfore whatsoeuer name before the world such offices and duties haue that are done to fathers mothers to masters of housholdes to neighbors to children and to citezēs they are all counted Gods seruice because they are cōmanded by Gods word which saith Thou shalt loue thy neighbor and shalt in thy outward works declare the office dutie of loue vnto him In that the Pope regardeth not this cōmandement and appointeth certain peculiar worshippings of god deuised of his own brayn as the wearyng of coules the necessary vse of certain meates oile and fyshe to bee eaten in steade of fleshe and butter and suche other triflyng traditions it is altogither diuelyshe For they agree not with the cōmandement of God Yea they make as muche vnto the true iustice before God as it doth vnto the building of a substancial house when children make them houses of papers And this is the reason There can no worshyp be geuen vnto God but that only which is agreable to his worde Therfore where the cōmandement of God is not we worship not God but frewyl and only alone foolyshe fancye And vnto suche worshippers God saith Ask thy reward of hym whō thou seruest For I commanded thee to obey thy parents and the higher powers and to loue thy neighboure But this thou regardest not but doest that whiche I neuer commanded and yet wylt thou that should be taken as a true worshyppyng of me But it can not so bee Of these thinges it is euident that the Pope and all his are playne Idolaters and worshyppers of the deuyll For he dothe not onely despise the word but he also persecuteth it and yet wyl he be counted a good religious man for these outward worshyppynges that he hathe deuised in shauen crownes in coules in vowes in fastynges in meates in massyngs and such lyke And yet from this wickednes he can by no meanes be brought The cause is The diuell hath shewed and promised him the kyngdomes of this worlde And this is the cause why he mocketh vs with our doctrine and woorshyppinges of God For wee mainteynynge the true religion lyue
Christ whiche confydēce without al doubt shal not deceaue vs but bryng vnto vs no lesse bounteous blessynge then these men receaued For Christ is alway at hande to helpe succour and relieue them that faithfully put theyr confidence and truste in hym Cast thy care vpon the Lord saithe the Psalmographe and he shall nouryshe thee Yea CHRIST is of suche power that if there remayne no more then fiue loaues yet can he soo blesse them that they shall suffise fiue thousand men besydes women and chyldren And moreouer of theym also leaue so muche that it shall farre excelle in quantitie the former stoare For the fyrste was scarcely halfe a baskette full but that remayned were .xii. baskets full whereof wee are taughte that yf we beleue the word of God and doubte nothynge thereof framyng our lyues accordynge to the same GOD wyll vndoubtedly care and prouide for vs and abundantlye sende vs what so euer is necessarye for our lyuynge as we maye see in this hystorie Although all be not godlye that came here vnto CHRIST yet some of them were earnestly geuen to godlynesse and sought more the woorde of God than they were carefull for their bealy Therefore Christe careth for theym and bryngeth it to passe that they bee fed when they thought nothynge of the matter As though he shoulde saye Fyrst of all whatsoeuer thou be seke the kyngdome of God beleue in me and lyue accordynge to thy vocation and as for all other thynges leaue the care vnto mee Thoughe that thou haue not excesse thoughe thou haste not thousandes yet that thou shalte haue sufficiente I wyll prouyde For golde syluer money c. are not meete to bee eaten thou haste nede of breade whyche commethe oute of the grounde If thou haste not plentie hereof oute of the earthe if thou hast not ground lande possessions c. onely beleue and folowe thy callyng so shalt thou not want breade Dayely experience mynistrethe vnto vs exaumples of thys thynge Hee that in the begynnynge is but a poore scholer beynge dylygent in his office thorow the blessynge of GOD becommeth a greate doctour A mayde seruant beynge diligent in her seruyce and studiosly lookyng vnto thynges of the house through the fauour of God cometh vnto suche mariage that she is made maystresse of an housholde hauyng substance goodes rychesse and plentie of all thynges There is greate abundance of suche exaumples in all ages As on the contrarye parte they that feare not GOD care not for hys woorde are negligente in theyr office are ydell and geue theym selues to sluggyshenesse They fall into myserie pouertie and beggerye yea though they haue muche lefte vnto them of theyr parentes or frendes yet commeth it to naught and wasteth away as snowe agaynste the sonne Therfore many yong men now a days geuyng them selues rather to ydlenesse then to labour to wyckednesse then to godlynesse are forsaken of God and by thys meanes fall into all kyndes of mysery and lewdnesse so that eyther they dye in battaylle or come to hangynge or ells haue somme other shamefull ende Whyche thynge is to bee vnderstande also of so many as feare not GOD nor faythfully walke in their vocation be it neuer so base and homely All such must nedes be accursed of God and be ouerwhelmed with myseries And well worthy for asmuche as they loue not godlynes beleeue not in Christe folowe not hys woorde walke not in theyr vocation c. For if they did thys they shoulde haue God in all their affaires a moste sure defender tutor patrone prouider encreaser c. so that they shoulde lacke no good thyng Learne therfore of this Gospell to beleue in Christ and that he wyll conserue and kepe vs and prouyde all thynges necessarye for vs if we wyll applye oure selues to godlynes and loue Christs word As though he should say If thou be godly and fearest God loke thou for thy meate at my hande moste certainly despayre not though thy lyuynge be smalle I will blesse thy stoare and prouyde abundantly for thee But yf thou folowe those waies that ar wicked and vngodlye if then thou falle into miserie meruaile not neyther blame thou God but thy selfe yea thoughe thou haue gotten the goodes of the worlde yet if thou bee vngodlye they shall not surely prosper with thee but they shall sodeynly consume and come to naughte so that thou mayste be well assured that he whych despiseth the word of God and. obeyeth not Gods cōmandement shall neuer be pleasured at the hand of God Thys thyng doth Christ teache vs in this his miracle in that with fyue loaues he fedeth fyue thousand men besydes women and chyldren whose numbre peraduenture was equall with the other They all were filled and yet there remayned muche In thus doynge Christe setteth not foorthe the bare worde as he dothe in the syxt Chapter of S. Mathews Gospell but hee expresseth the same in very acte and geueth an example therof As though he should saye I am ryche and can easily fede thee Onely see that thou behauest thy selfe godly Folowe the worde of God and kepe that As touchyng thy foode laye the care therof vpon my backe This is the doctrine of Faith which Christ setteth foorth in this miracle vnto vs. The faithfull only vnderstande it the vnfaithfull regarde it not but rather laugh it to scorne as they doo all the other mysteries of God But besides this doctrine there are remaining two thyngs which the Euangelist doth diligently set forth The first is that Christ asketh a question of his disciples and they answer what they thinke good The second is that he commaundeth to gather vp the fragmentes that nothyng perishe Nowe as concerninge these .ii. disciples Philip and Andrewe it euidently appereth what is the cause that although he prouoketh vs vnto faythe by this his vnloked for blessyng yet it can not be founde in vs so true ryght and perfect as it ought to bee For that letteth vs that was also an impediment to the disciples I meane when we onely consyder howe muche wee haue nede of and haue noo regarde howe muche Christe is able to dooe wyth his blessynge Philyppe leaueth to reason and sayeth that two hundred peny worthe of breade is not sufficient that euery manne may haue a litle morsell If a count be here taken of the people and compared with that summe of money that Philip here nameth it semeth to be lytle in dede For there were not only fyue thousande men but there were also many women and chyldren as S. Mathewe saythe whiche are not numbred Philyp foloweth the rule of reson and accordynge vnto that maketh his accompt Euen so we go to worke Reason altogether ruleth in vs and we caste our accomptes how much we haue nede for our necessary dayly and yerely expences But when we perceaue that our goodes fayle vs then are we out of countenance then fall we to desperation and
more maruelous The Lord hath appointed and set the deuill and the worlde their limites beyonde the which they can not go And this is worthy to be noted and for euer to be remembred that thou in thine affliction persuade thy selfe that what soeuer aduersitie chaunceth vnto thee it commeth not by fortune or by chaunce but by the singuler prouidence councell and determinatiō of god yea and that vnto thy greate cōmoditie althoughe it semeth otherwise to thy blinde and carnal reason And here nowe riseth also a greater difficultie for yf I must thus persuade my selfe that all the aduersities and troubles whiche I suffer cōme by the prouidence of God then by the Iudgement of reason it maye be gathered that the councell and determination of god concernyng myne affliction is vnto my destruction and damnation For what health or saluation maye be loked for of paynes plagues and punishmentes in our great and greuous afflictions we can not otherwise be persuaded but that God euen of displeasure and hatred againste vs doth plague and punishe vs. And this greatly encreaseth our sorowe and in a maner bringeth vs to desperation because God doth so punishe vs If any other thing were the cause of oure plagues and troubles it would not so greatlye greue vs for then we woulde thincke that there were some helpe and conforte remayninge in God towardes vs. In this case therfore must we haue recourse vnto the worde of God and not heare nor obey the iudgement sentence of reason For if we heare and beleue that we shall surely fall into desperation yea and vtterlye detest and abhorre God The worde whiche in this behalfe conforteth and openeth vnto vs the will of God is this S. Paule sayth If we wolde iudge oure selues we should not haue bene iudged But when we are iudged of the Lorde we are chastened that we should not be dāned with the worlde By this sentence of the Apostle it is euident that whome God wil not haue condemned with the worlde but preserued and kept vnto euerlasting life he correcteth and punisheth them neither ought this to be counted a token of hatred but rather a signe of fauour loue good will although they be afflicted and troubled This sentence in affliction is diligently to be considered and remembred One hath this crosse an other hath that whereof they woulde gladly be eased But if euery mā wold thincke on this maner saye to him selfe If thou were not restrained with this byt of aduersitie if thou were not thus correcte thou wouldest surely do that which shold worke thee greater displeasure and be the cause of a more euil but God doth send thee this aduersitie that thou sholdest not be damned with this worlde but hereof take an occasion to amend thy life to call thy selfe vnto repentance to feare GOD to call on his blessed name to thancke him for his benefites c. If euery man in his trouble wold thus thincke with himselfe then would they not be angry with god for laying that crosse vpō them nor thincke that he doth it of hatred displeasure against thē but rather of fauour good wil towarde them yea then would they loue and praise god that he in that affliction sheweth tokens of his fauour and good will toward them by this meanes preseruinge them from eternall damnation vnto euerlastynge saluation Unto this ende also doth S. Paule in hys Epistle to the Hebrues alledge this sayinge of Salomon out of his prouerbes My sonne despise not thou the chasteninge of the Lord neither faint when thou arte rebuked of hym For whom the lord loueth hym he chasteneth yea he scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth If ye endure chastening god offereth himself vnto you as vnto sonnes For what sonne is he whō the father chasteneth not If ye be not vnder correction wherof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Therfore seing we haue had fathers of our fleshe whiche corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence shal we not muche rather be in subiectiō vnto the father of spirites and lyfe And they verely for a fewe dayes nurtered vs after their own pleasure but he nurtereth vs for our profite to the intent that he may minister of his holines vnto vs. No maner chastising for the presēt time semeth to be ioyous but greuous neuerthelesse afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes vnto thē whiche are exercised therby This sentēce of the holy Apostle doth testifie not only that the discipline correction which god laieth vpon vs is no token of his anger displeasure againste vs but also that it is a most manifeste signe euident argument of his fatherly and frendly good wil toward vs. Let vs not therfore thinke whē we are corrected punished that GOD is angry with vs or that he set naught by vs. For the cause why he corrected vs is because we are his sonnes and should not loose oure enheritaunce nor at any time be put from it And as the worde doth preach and declare vnto vs of the crosse and of afflictions so lykewise is it set forth by examples who can or dare say that god the father hated his onely begotten sonne Christe Iesu And yet for all that yf thou considerest his lyfe and death and weighest the matter after the iudgement of reason there shall appeare no great signes of gods loue towarde hym yea rather signes of hatred then of loue and that the vngodly and wicked Iewes were more regarded with god then Christ whom they hādled at their pleasure and entreated as they woulde accordyng to the saying of the Prophete He hath nether beautie nor fauour when we looked vpon hym there was no fayrenes we had no luste to hym He was despised abhorred of menne We reckoned him so vile that we hyd our faces from hym yea he was despised and therefore we regarded hym not We dyd iudge him as though he were plagued cast downe of god And Christ hymselfe sayth by the psalmographe As for me I am a worme and no man a very scorne of men and the outcaste of the people All they that see me laughe me to scorne they shote out their lyppes shake the heade c. They gape vpon me with theyr mouthes as it were a ramping and roaring Lyon c. Yea the very Iewes when he hanged on the crosse mocked him saying If he be the sonne of God let him comme downe from the crosse c. Now as god did handle his owne derely beloued only begotten sonne Christe Iesu here on earth euen so wil he handle al Christians in this worlde as Christ hath to fore saide The seruant is not greater then his maister If they haue persecuted me they wil persecute you likewise And it is sayde both moste trimly and truly in the Epistle to the Hebreues as we heard afore If ye be not
store house might be full therof and flowyng ouer out of this into that And thereby thei thought them self rightuous and for that cause to be blessed of GOD. So doe our Papistes also excuse theim selues Thei saie that our doctrine is true but yet for all that thei muste not departe and swarue from the holy churche leaste there should rise a sedicion and scisme Yea thei thē selues also do feare that if thei should receiue this doctrine that their owne churche and power should decaie and perishe Whereas neuerthelesse onely the Gospell maketh the true churche of GOD and dooeth represse all vniust power and sedicion Furdermore couetuousnes is the cause and impedimente that thei receiue not the Gospell for bicause thei see that the Gospell is defended with a verie simple garde that is with pouertie and persecution But what will be the ende of this Suche as was of the Iewes Thei defended their lawe priesthode kyngdome and riches so longe and so stubburnely vntill at laste thei were all ouerthrowen and loste all so that now thei liue emong straungers as banished persones and sure of nothyng and can not come to the felowship of this supper For the Lorde purposeth now to bid other geastes and bicause he is despised of them he despiseth them also as it foloweth The good man of the house was displeased and saied to his seruaunte Goe out quicklie into the streates and lanes of the citie c. As though he should saie if ye set so muche by your Farmes Oxen wiues that ye care not for my supper that is if ye holde so faste the priesthod the kyngdome and the richesse that ye put a side me and my Gospell this I tel you before that ye shal loose all together And I in the meane season will prouide me other geastes Wherefore thou seruaunt get thee out into the streates and lanes of the citie and bryng hither the same the poore the maimed and weake And so it chaunceth to the Iewes For when the princes priestes and all the chief emongest the people despised the Gospell for the causes aboue rehearsed GOD receiued the humbe fishers whiche is a poore and a despised sorte As Paule saieth to the Corinthians Looke brethren on your vocacion how GOD hath not chosen many wise men after the fleshe nor many mightie nor many of high degree but he hath chosen the foolish thinges of the worlde to confoūde the wise The weake hath GOD chosen to confounde the stronge The obscure of the worlde hath GOD chosen and the abiectes and those that are of no reputacion to bryng to naught those thynges that are of reputacion c. And accordyng to this sentence whatsoeuer thyng in this people had the preeminence in holinesse wisedome power or riches it is reiected bicause thei despised the Gospell Contrarie wise Christ receiued the simple and obscure as Peter Andrewe Simon and Bartholomewe c. whiche were Fishers and verie poore men Whom no manne thought worthie to execute the smallest offices for the chief Princes and Priestes For thei wer the outcastes and as Esai saieth the dragges of the moste excellent wine So that the excellentest of the people the priestes the riche heades the nobles the glorious were caste awaie for their vnbelief euen as a tunne of good wine where remaineth onely the dregges whom Christ here dooeth call the poore the weake and the blinde Those doeth Christ here poinct to the kyngdome of God and not the Pharasei and his whiche doeth faine that thei set greatly by the kyngdome of GOD and the bread thereof But Christ dooeth declare what suche hypocrites doe meane ye would saieth he haue Farmes and Oxen. But as for this supper of the kyngdome of GOD ye care not Wherefore this supper belongeth onely to the poore As it is saied the poore receiue the ioyfull tidynges of the Gospell For the rulers the holie and the wise despise this Supper and be vnworthie thereof He could not haue spoken more geuously against the Iewes and specially against this man that craked of the breade of the kyngdome of heauen and yet vnderstoode no more of this kyngdome then consisteth in Farmes Oxen and other present thynges of this life that their region might not be depriued of the priesthod and kyngdome whatsoeuer becommeth of Christe and his Gospell For thus thought he that he had no nede of Christ to attain thereby the kyngdome of GOD. But that GOD would saie to hym and to all the Iewes Come ye Iewes and high priestes ye holie men ye princes ye excellent citezens for you is the breade and supper prepared But saieth he thus goeth the matter ye are called but ye dooe not regard Ye excuse your selues and affirme that your excuses be lawfull Wherefore I reiect and refuse you and receiue the vile multitude as the lame the weake the blinde the halte the poore c. And thus farre this Gospell belongeth to the Iewes For he speaketh of the lame and weake that are in the streates and lanes of the citie and he calleth the people of the Iewes a citie bicause that people was well ordered and ruled For thei had the lawe ceremonies rites temple priestes kynges and all thynges ordained of God and written by Moises Now he sendeth his seruauntes in to the high waies and commaundeth theim to bryng geastes wheresoeuer thei maie bee had yea the beggers that sitte by the hedges c. And the Lorde saied vnto his seruaunte Goe out into the high waies and vnto the hedges and constraine theim to come in that my house maie be full These that lye at the hedges are wee Gentiles whiche dwell in no citie whiche haue had no forme of seruice but haue been Idolatours and knewe neither our selues neither God Wherefore all that we haue maie well be called an open fielde where all thynges lye open to the deuill at his owne will Goe thither saieth he and constraine them to come in For this is alwaies the frowardnes of the world to resist the Gospell and not to brooke the doctrine thereof Yet neuer the lesse this feast maker would haue his supper often to be vsed For he bestoweth all this coste and charges that he maie not lacke men to be merie and make good chere with hym although he should bee faine to raise theim out of stones And this is the very cause that GOD made the worlde so large and wide whereas yet now of late he hath had sufficient cause for mannes sinne to make bothe it and mankinde more lesse and narowe But he doeth not so bicause as yet he hath not geastes sufficient to furnishe his supper Wherfore wheras his seruauntes bryngeth the Gospell to vs also this is a token to vs that are Baptized and beleue that we pertaine also to this supper For we are those iolie felowes liyng by the hedges that is to saie blinde poore lame and Gentiles moste desperate But how dooeth GOD constraine vs whereas
although many benefites be cast awaie vpon the vnkinde yet ceaseth not their will of well doyng Now doeth Christe procede and deuideth mercie into diuers partes Iudge ye not and ye shall not bee iudged Condemne not and ye shall not be condemned Forgiue and it shall be forgiuen you Christe would haue vs godlie in deede that we should not crake of faithe and the Gospell in wordes as the moste parte doeth that boaste them selues to bee Gospellers and prate muche of Christe But if the matter be well tried thei are but dissemblars And a greate part deceiueth them selues and perishe hereby with their hypocrisie This hypocrisie would Christe gladly restraine Wherefore he putteth forthe to vs no straunge or vnknowen example of his father doen to our profite that as we fele his goodnes and humanitie so we should shew our selues beneficiall and not high mynded toward other For we are in daunger of Gods iudgement and damnation for our synnes What hath the heauenly father doen He would not iudge and condemne thee as he might but he forgaue thee thy synnes tooke from thee hell and damnation and receiued thee to his mercie This example is put for thee Applie thy self thereto Bee thou likewise vnto other then art thou a true christian whiche beleuest in Christ neither condemnest thou thy neighbour but forgiuest hym gladlie thy hurte But if thou wilte not dooe so but rather dooe like the leude seruaunt Math. xviii thou declarest that thou canst receiue no mercie before GOD nor shewe to other in this life that thou art a Christian man but rather that GOD will exclude thee from his mercie and appoinct thee to iudgemente and damnation and depriue thee of all his benefites wherewith he hath indued thee and require again all the debtes that he remitted forgaue Thou nedest not doubt of this For the commaundement is this Iudge ye not and ye shall not bee Iudged but if ye will not cease iudgyng GOD shall iudge you also The common practise sheweth how harde this inibitiō is Assone as we iudge our selues hurt forth with we vse this iudgement Why should I do good to the vnkinde I haue holpen hym often and he dooeth not onely like for like but dooeth a shrode turne for a good I should offende if I should helpe the vnkinde so often But this is an vnmercifull mercie and painfull helpyng When thei Iudge bicause thei obtain not the like And then appereth Gregorius saiyng true True Iustice hath doen compassion but vntrue is double iniquitie For when a man giueth me a croune he is thought to go about to make me his bondman thereby Wherfore assone as any thyng is doen or saied that pleaseth not or if I be not obsequius forth with he embraideth me haue not I doen this for thee and requitest me with suche kindnes This is truely nothyng els but to serue and Iudge as the Gentiles doe that there maie be a recompensation For this is no good waie If thou doe good to an other and he acknowledge it not or doeth euill for good thou maiest admonishe him not so to doe least he offende God greatly But yet hast thou no iust cause to hate hym to iudge and condemne hym Giue hym vp to his Iudge For thou knowest not what GOD will doe with hym whither he will amende hym If he be not amended GOD hath officers sufficiēt to be reuenged of hym And so suche thinges chance daily that there rise sodain tempestes against the stubburne Onely beware that thou iudge him not but thinke thus GOD hath not so cruelly dealte with me For if he had I should haue been killed long a gone in my synne when I liued in filthy Idolatrie and Hypocrisie Likewise also beware that thou dooest not condemne for it is not thy duetie To chide to tell one of his faut to dehort to declare to them that iudge and condemne it is lawfull But thou haste no more to doe then to be mercifull thou maiest not Iudge thou maiest not condemne And if thy neighbour be so obstinatly set to do thee hurt that he will not cease yet thou oughtest to bee willyng to forgiue and not to hinder his profite or goe about to reuenge but rather to furder to helpe him These thynges are harde to doe but remember that thou art a Christian and that more perfection is required of thee if thou earnestly embrace this name euen as the example of our heauenly father plainly declareth before vs. For if thou dooe good to thy neighbour and he be vnkinde and doeth requit thee with euill doubte not but that GOD will laye it to his charge Resigne and giue ouer thou the vengeaunce vnto him and do thou thy duetie GOD doth reuenge all these thynges at his tyme. Wherefore commit thou all other thynges to hym and execute this commaundement that thou reuenge not but be mercifull It followeth in our Gospell Giue and it shall bee giuen vnto you good measure filled vp and shaken together yea runnyng ouer shall men giue into your bosome For with what measure ye meate vnto other with the same shall it be measured vnto you againe Christ hath comprised these preceptes very properly and laboureth specially to cause vs to fulfill the true workes of Charitie Wherefore as he hath commaunded that synners should be mercifullie and gentlely handeled as we are gently handled of hym that we Iudge and condemne theim not but committe that vnto GOD and praie for theim to GOD So he commaundeth to doe thē good by giuyng helpyng and counsaillyng c. and then not to doubt but GOD will requite our liberalitie bee it neuer so greate That so the minde maie abounde with Charitie alwaie and neuer bee ouergrowne with the thornes of vnkindenesse to cease thereby from well doyng as the Gentiles doe whiche can not abstaine from iudgyng and condemnyng For assone as thei thinke them selues hurt thei forgiue not before thei are humblie asked forgiuenesse So thei will not giue any thyng but where as thei loke for gaines and for benefite Wherefore thei can neuer escape the Iudgemente of GOD neither are thei Iudged worthy of Gods benefites and of his mercie and grace This faute must we eschewe and so doe for our neighbours as our heauenly father doeth for vs. He slacketh his straight Iudgement he pardoneth vs he will not be cruell and cōdemne vs although we be vnkinde He enioyneth vs to do likewise also or if wee will not he putteth before vs a dreadfull ende that we shall loke so to be serued of hym as we serue other For with the same measure saith he shall other measure to you as you haue measured with And we can not deny but GOD hath giuen vs good measure For if he would haue giuen vs after our desertes he might haue plagued vs with wrathe plague pestilēce and all euill and put vs to death assone as we were borne I will not rehearse how manifolde waies we haue offended hym
as when we raile vpon any man or obscure his good name by our slaūderous wordes Fourthly whiche is moste grosse and wicked when all these thynges come together a wrathfull hearte an angrie mocion a leude tongue a fearce hande c. and when violence is doen slaughter is committed or at the least the will to doe it is plainly declared And albeit that emong these thynges some be more greuous then other for Christe hym self declareth that by the diuersities of their punishementes yet all as well the little synnes as the greate are against this commaundement and he that offendeth againste the leaste is a murderer before GOD. Now call thy self to a rekenyng and proue whither thou hast doen this cōmaundemēt so sincerely perfectly in all thy life tyme or yet canst doe as it is here required of thee And thou shalte easely finde that neither haste thou doen it neither is it possible for thee at any tyme to doe it What then must be doen For we knowe what punishmēt is appoincted for the transgressours of his worde Cursed saieth Moises is euery one that abideth not in all thynges that are written in the booke of the lawe that he maie doe theim Dooe as Christe biddeth them in this place Be no Scribe or Pharisie that is thinke not thy self rightuous because thou haste dooen no murder with thy hande But looke rather on thy hearte on thy mouthe and other mocions and when thou perceiuest that thou art enuironed besieged and compassed round about with ire and wrathe straight waies tourne thy self to GOD and saie Lorde I as a synner haue offended against thy sixt precept I haue giuen place to wrathe I haue vsed angrie tokens and woordes against my neighbour Forgiue me this great sin and so enstruct me that I trespasse no more against thee And this is one thyng that thou oughtest to doe whiche the Phariseis do not Then must thou adde this also that thou temperate thy self and by no meanes suffer wrathe to rule in thee And although thou canst not vtterly expell and put it out of thy hearte yet confesse thou this thy synne and aske forgiuenesse thereof and euer after so stoutely fight against it that the residue of thy ire gette not vnder her daunger the other mēbers as the countenaunce mouthe tongue handes eyes c. that by this meanes at the laste thou maiest represse thy wrathe and so subdue it that thou maiest not onely not be angrie with thy neighbour but also shew vnto hym all gentlenes whiche thyng thou shalte finde again at thy neighbours hand By this meanes shalt thou by little little driue out al wrathe out of thy hearte and make it vanishe awaie as the smoke This did not the Phariseis Thei had wrathe in their hearte malicious signes in their countenaūce railyng wordes in their mouthe and yet tooke thei all these thynges for no synne For this is the propertie of this vice to shewe outwardly that it doth nothyng without a iuste cause Why saie thei shal I suffer this being so vnworthely prouoked Shuld I by my sufferaunce giue them an occasion to doe worsse We maie not giue place to the wicked that thei maie thereby waxe the more licentious And so are thei that are wrathfull by nature more enkendled and sette on fire when thei are perswaded that their cause is iuste vntill that by the deuilles helpe the flame increaseth so muche that their wrathe must nedes be ended with violence Therefore Christe admonisheth vs that we bee not prouoked vnto euill through the opiniōs of the Scribes and Phariseis But this is required of Christian men that either thei doe good or els confesse their synne and desire GOD to forgiue theim and to create in theim newe heartes And he that after this sort exerciseth hymself in the preceptes of GOD is it not to be thought that he shall haue at all tymes sufficiente cause to confesse his synnes to desire forgiuenesse of the same to exercise his faith and to applie hym self to the studie of the woorde bothe night and daie For confession is necessarie either then wrathe or any other cōcupiscence hath oppressed vs so that wee can not deny or excuse it but must nedes confesse to GOD that we haue synned After this also muste wee praie vnto GOD to forgiue vs and to giue vs his grace from henceforthe better to doe To this praier must faithe also bee ioyned that we by no meanes doubte but that GOD will forgiue vs bothe our synne and all other for Christes sake This is the true practise of the Lawe Neither must thou seke any other woorkes or rites to worshippe GOD as the Pope and his complices dooe whiche are whollie giuen to the rightuousnesse of the Phariseis as their saiyng touchyng this precept testifieth It is necessarie saie thei to put aside rancor but not the signes of rancor that is when thou art hurte beware thou be not angrie therfore as for not speakyng vnto them and fliyng their cōpanie it maketh no matter it is no synne Therfore thei coumpted the commaundementes to be but a vile doctrine whiche prophane persones should hādle For them selues thei haue founde out workes and worshippynges of GOD of a more excellencie and greater price as thei thinke But he that would kepe well the tenne commaundementes as I haue now declared of the sixt should haue enough and to muche to doe so farre is it of that he needed to deuise any other seruices or worshippynges of God Christe maketh this doctrine a matter of greate necessitie and willeth if we will be christians that wee continually excercise our selues in these and suche his woorkes For as it is a sentence graue waightie and of greate importaunce whē he saith first Excepte your rightuousnes excede the rightuousnesse of the Scribes and Phariseis ye can not enter into the kingdome of heauē so likewise doeth he earnestly in the ende conclude and deuideth thē into partes For where dissention and wrathe is there are twoo partes One whiche hath hurted and doen vniustly the other whiche was hurt and suffered wrong As concernyng him whiche is the cause of anger and hath hurte other Christe teacheth hym a good lesson and commaundeth hym diligently to take heede that ye meddle not with GOD nor with any thyng that belongeth vnto GOD till he be agreed with his aduersary If saith he thou offerest thy gift at the alter and doest there remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee leaue there thy gifte before the altare and go thy waie first be recōciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gifte For if thou dooe not this all thyne Oblation shal be in vaine neither shall it please GOD what so euer thou offerest In these woordes Christ tareth and reproueth the thoughtes and fansies of the Phariseis which imagined that thei should so bleare the eyes of God that he should not
perceiue and see their enuie and hatred in their hearte against their neighbour and so thei should bee coumpted rightuous of all men But Christ saieth thus Thou deceiuest thy self God firste of all will beholde the hearte how it is affected towarde the neighbour If he spie any enuie or hatred to be in the heart thinke not that thy oblacions giftes and Sacrifices can please GOD. For when GOD gaue thee this commaundement thou shalte loue thy neighbour as thy self he requireth first of all of thee obedience to this his commaundement whiche excepte thou doest shewe he vtterly reiecteth thee and all that thou doest For what a leude maner were this that thou shouldest offer an Oxe vnto GOD and slea thy brother This wer to offer vp an halfpenie and to steale awaie infinite talentes Thus it becometh thee not to doe But if thou wilt worshippe GOD a right firste of all prouide that there be no hatred in thy hearte against thy neighbour otherwise thou canst by no meanes please GOD what so euer thou dooest And hereof cometh it to passe that many through displeasure borne to their neighbour abstaine from the Sacrament and by no meanes giue them selues to prayer For this peticion maketh them aferde when thei saie Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse againste vs. Thei feare that if thei should not forgiue thei should giue sentence against them selues and desire that GOD also maye not forgiue them And it is true nâ—ither ought thei to thinke otherwise For if thou wilte not forgiue neither will GOD forgiue thee Therefore consider well in what a daungerous state thou standest wheÌ„ thou receiuest anger in thy heart against thy neighbour and wilt by no meanes put it awaie froÌ„ thee Neither shall this profite thee any thing at al that thou praiest not nor receiuest the Sacrament yea thou art so muche the worse because thou wilt not praie thy self that thou maiest come vnto suche and so Godly praiers For as GOD findeth thee so will he Iudge thee Therefore this is the best counsaill euen out of hande to bee at one with GOD to be reconciled to thy neighbour and to caste awaie all anger wrathe and displeasure For otherwise thou hearest here that thou maiest not medle with GOD againe that what so euer thou dooest vnto hym he regardeth it not In consideration wherof Christ saieth Leaue thy gifte before the altare for it shall profite thee nothyng at all And this is the one parte whiche giueth thee cause of anger This partie is bounde not onely to humble himself before GOD and to confesse that he hath doen euill but also he ought mekely to come vnto his neighbour and to desire hym to forgiue hym his synne euen as he would bee forgiuen of GOD for Christes sake The other is the partie that is hurte whiche thinketh that he hath a iuste cause to bee angrie Christ also chargeth this partie that he be redy vnto reconciliation and by no meanes shewe hymself harde vntoward in this matter For it is great ieopardy saieth Christ that if thou differ thy good will thy aduersarie will commit his cause to the Iudge that is to GOD in heauen and saie on this maner Lorde I haue doen that I ought to dooe Thou forgiuest me but menne forgiue not I therfore commit the whole matter to thee If this bee dooen what sentence shalte thou receiue thinkest thou Uerely euen this that forasmuche as thou wilt not forgiue he shall deliuer thee to the Sergeaunt and so thou shalt be cast into prison out of the whiche thou shalt not goe till thou haste paied the vttermoste farthyng that is to saie Thou shalte neuer be forgiuen as Christ saith Loke with what measure ye meate with the same shall it bee mette to you againe This therefore doeth Christ require of bothe partes that thei will suffer them selues to be intreated to giue ouer all displeasure and be coÌ„content one to be reconciled to an other and frely euen from the verie heart one to forgiue an other so that euer after there maie bee betwene theim heartie good will and coÌ„tinuall amitie Otherwise we haue the sixt commaundement against vs whiche accuseth vs and proueth vs murderers before God so that we shal be sure not to escape vnpunished This doctrine and kinde of life muste the Christians maintain emong them and diligently exercise them selues in the same For otherwise we run into daunger before GOD without ende and procure vnto our selues damnacion not onely of body but also of soule as Christ threateneth Notwithstandyng where men are no priuate persones but publique officers as Iudges Sheriffes Conestables c. there goeth the matter otherwise For he that is a ciuill maiestrate or temporall ruler hath a commaundemente to be angrie and to punishe malefactours for their iniurious and wicked doynges Parentes likewise haue a peculiare commauÌ„dement concernyng their childreÌ„ and familie that thei should not wincke at the lasciuious and wanton behauiour of their children or at the vngracious leudnes of their familie but reproue them and according to their desert punishe them GOD commaundeth them thus to doe And if thei doe it not thei obeye not GOD neither dooe thei satisfie their office and the commaundement of GOD. For this is not to be suffered that a thefe should saie to the Iudge Punishe me not For it is writteÌ„ in the sixt commaundemente Thou shalte not kill Thus maie he saie to priuate persones that are not in office But the Maiestrate hath a commaundement to vse the swearde and to punishe euill doers Neither is this tollerable that a maide seruaunt wheÌ„ through her negligence she hath suffered thinges to go to wracke and to be spoiled in the house should saie to her maistresse you maie not bee angrie with me beyng a Christian woman For it is forbidden in the sixt commaundement Christe in deede forbiddeth that any manne should be angrie with his neighbour and saieth that who so euer so doeth is guiltie of Iudgemente But there is an other power in this persone bicause of the coÌ„maundement of GOD that she maie reioyce yea and punishe the negligence and vntowardnesse of her familie accordyng to their merites And this anger is not againste Christianitie as it is not againste Gods worde to be a Father or a Maister of an housholde This were directly againste the Christian profession if thei should not regarde their vocation but neglecte domesticall discipline and suffer their familie to liue after their owne lustes without all good and Godly order We must therefore diligently consider this discipline In the kyngdome of Christ there is no place for anger but for gentlenes and loue that the verie hearte maie bee quiete and without bitternesse towarde all men and that neither the mouthe nor the hande offende or hurte any manne But in the Kyngdome of the worlde in matters of policie in thynges of housholde
to this point that couetousnes may be repressed and the true vse of worldlye goodes receaued and that frendes maye be made by that whiche god geueth vs that when we dye and haue nothyng leafte but leaue all thinges behinde vs we may fynde frendes to receaue vs into the euerlastyng tabernacles for whatsoeuer benefite we bestowe here on the poore the same in the last daye shall not onely beare recorde for vs that we haue shewed Christen charitie but it shal be also abundantlye recompensed Then shall the poore come forth with diuerse witnesses One shal say that he was holpen with a coate an other with money an other with bread an other with house rome and harborow yea as it is written in the Gospell Christ hymselfe shall come foorth and declare before his heauenly Father the glorious Angels and all the blessed Sainctes what good we our selues haue done and howe we haue declared our fayth to be true and vnfayned by doyinge those good workes We shall haue helpe of our frendes and they shall promote vs to the kyngdome of God when we fayle here and leaue all that euer we haue behinde vs. He that wolde beleue this doctrine wolde surely distribute his money and richesse liberally to the poore that can not get their owne lyuinge And so shold they make of the Mammon of vnrighteousnes the Mammon of righteousnes For he wold auoide the abuse folow the true vse For this is not agreable with Christen maners for a man to abuse his goods richesse prodigally wastefully riotously in excesse of apparel in gorgious buildinges in delicate fare in folishe pastimes in wicked playes and sportes c. As the maner of men is now a dayes both in Cities Townes villages For this is their saying Are not my goods mine owne May I not spend them as I lust my prouision is for my selfe If thou hast nede of oughte get it where thou may I haue none that I can spare All that euer I haue is lytle ynough for me and mine This is the Mammon of vnrighteousnes because it serueth in this case to wickednes yet might the vse therof be both good and godly yea and right acceptable to God if it were bestowed on our poore neighbour But consider this with thy selfe if they haue the Māmon of vnrighteousnes that wil forgo nothing therof to the vse of the poore and nedie Howe much more may their goods be called the Māmon of vnrighteousnes which get al that euer they haue with thefte deceipt crafte subtiltie extorcion c. As almost all craftes men marchants brokers vsurers and suche like dayly do both in byinge sellyng in chopping and changyng in bargaines makyng The riche oppresse the poore the hyrelinges thorowe their vnfaithfulnes paye them home againe These shall not only come without frendes but they shal be accompanied also with many enemies whiche shall accuse them before the iudgement seate of God Suche as in this worlde were vniustly oppressed and durst not so much as ones hysse againste those ryche vnmerciful worldlyngs but crouched vnto them saluted them with honorable names and put of their cappes vnto thē shal at the great daye of Iudgement boldly say to the high Iudge Christ Lord we were in great penurie this mā had exceding great plentie of all thinges howbeit of his so large abundance he socoured vs nothing at all if we bought any thinge of him we gaue him much more then it was worth And by his euill example other dyd the lyke Some did hyre out their houses at the greater price Some vttered their victuals the dearer Some solde their marchandise and wares at such excessiue prices that we could not by them for our necessarie vses so that many of vs fel into extreme necessitie some most miserably died for lacke of sustenance These shal be in the daye the complaintes not onely of men but also of Christ againste couetous men and they shall accuse them of their wicked Mammon But howe shall the matter go then What sentence shall then be pronounced to those vnmerciful people Ueryly euen this-Get ye hence ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the deuill and for his angels I haue ben hongrye and ye gaue me no meat I haue ben thirstie and ye gaue me no dryncke c. The Iudgement sayth sainct Iames shall be without mercie to hym that hath shewed no mercie For if they shal not escape vnpunished that will geue nothinge to other what shall be done to them thincke ye that haue don hurte and wronge to other regardyng nothynge but their owne gayne commoditie and profite howsoeuer they come be it and yet persuade themselfes that they do no wronge This sermon therfore is against couetousnes teaching that a Christen man ought not to be so redy to take as to geue For he is bounde wyllingly and liberally to helpe the poore so muche as is he able And this seruice is don to God which also wyll abundantlye rewarde it Whereas they that serue the deuill and do nothyng but increase their owne which also geue eyther nothynge or very litle to any man shall haue their due rewarde of the deuill All the Sainctes specially in that daye shall testifye againste them and saye These men did nothynge all their lyfe tyme but scrape together all that they could and enlarge their possessions either by hooke or by crooke by right or by wrong they cared not howe we had great nede of their helpe but nothing wolde they geue vs no scarsely wold they aforde vs a good word much lesse wold they succour vs with their money Suche a Prosopopaeian or personall action doth Christ imagine in this place where he describeth the matter as it were in doing howe the poore Sainctes shall be about the Lorde Christ and put foorth their cause againste the vnrighteous and niggardly riche men But the riche men that haue vsed their goods well and haue frendelye geuen to other shall be in greate honour and shall fynde many frendes and specially Christe whiche shall declare set forth celebrate praise and magnifie their benefites and good dedes All these thinges doth Christ set forth here to this ende that we shoulde earnestly and studiously embrace godlines declare our fayth by good workes and therby haue wytnesses of our fayth before God at the last daye that we were not geuen to the vice of couetousnes whiche is most shamefull moste fylthye and must abhominable and nothynge els but idle seruice whose nature and propertie is onely to get to scratte together hourde vp nothing regardynge what becometh of other men syncke they swimme they as Cain sayd to God Am I the keper of my brother Synck my brother Swymme my brother What haue I to do with my brother Euery man for himselfe and god for vs all c. It is said moreouer of christ in the parable that
the maister of the housholde did prayse the vnrighteous Steward This is not so to be taken as thoughe he alowed vnrighteousnes but he only prayseth the prouidence and wisedome of the Stewarde commandeth vs to folowe it in a good cause that we should vse lyke care and diligence in that as this Steward vsed in an euil cause to his owne coÌ„moditie although to the damage and losse of his maister Euen as if I should prayse an harlotte for setting foorth of her selfe euen to the vttermost for her owne gayne lucre and aduauntage In that behalfe there is no fault in the golde nor in other thynges because the woman doth abuse them yet this example tendeth to this ende that I may admonishe thee that seinge this woman for a litle aduauntage taketh so greate payne in deckinge and trymminge vp of her selfe to please her louers thou muche more oughtest to sett a worke all the lymmes of thy bodye for the attaynment of euerlastynge lyfe and that thou mayst please Christe thy louer This is not so vnderstanded as though filthynes and dishonestie semed worthy to be folowed but this care and diligence is set forth for an example to induce thee vnto a better thyng But how goeth the worlde Christ pronounceth an horrible sentence saith The children of this worlde are more prudent more forecastyng more circumspect more wise in their generation then the children of lyght The matter is plaine For when there is any hope of game and aduantage howe doth the children this worlde carcke and care swyncke and sweate moyle and turmoyle They spare no labour no diligence no payne no trauaile with howe great combraunces perilles and dangers are robbers theaues afflicted and vexed Their care and pensiuenes ceasseth neither night nor daye Pursepickers stealers whoremongers adulterers c. Haue their paines labours and sweate not a litle to gratifie pleasure the deuill and to satisfye their wicked lustes But contrariwise Christen men lye as it were oppressed with a dead slepe secure carelesse wtout any thought when they shold do the workes of charitie and serue god They thincke al things to much when they either do or suffer any thyng for Gods cause or for the commoditie of their neighbour And whereas the worlde bestoweth so greate payne in purchasing hell and in pleasing the deuil there muste the Christians be vrged and drawen as it were a beare to a stake to do their dutie although god knoweth they do it both slenderly and slowly It is therfore a most goodly and trymme example that Christ setteth forth here vnto vs. If we haue any consideration of our dutie we nede not fetche examples a farre of or borowe them out of these bookes and those monumentes only let euery man consider his owne famely or housholde and diligently marcke howe diligent and paineful his children or seruauntes are to do a mischeife and to worke that which is acceptable and pleasant to the deuill All these may be an example vnto vs that we shoulde with like diligence and care embrace the worde of God and the thinges that beloÌ„g vnto euerlasting life For seing they be careful in euil wicked things ought we not much more to be careful painefull about good and godly thinges Let vs not thincke this by any meanes to be suffred that the wicked lymmes of the deuill shold make such haste to hel and we that wil be counted Christians to stande still lyke dastardes to go about nothing that may further vs vnto the kingdome of heauen and vnto euerlasting life But the worlde doth here helpe vs notably well with an holsome example concernynge the busines wherof Christ speaketh in this place For set before thee som man that is geuen to couetousnes Thou shalt see that he can take no reste neither night nor daye The desire and care of money doth so tosse hym as it were the sea when it is most vnquiet He inuenteth suche subtile wayes to get goods as those that be witty men can none otherwise then greatly marueille at his doinges To be shorte he will not let scape so much as a farthing if there be any hope to come by it For his drie iawes are as gredy as wide gaping for the litle as for the greate Al is fysh that cometh to the net This couetous miser this miserable Mammonisie this wycked worldlyng ought to moue vs all by hys example that as he hath an vnsaciable desire vnto the getting of money so we likewise shold haue as gredy a mynde as feruent a desyre as wel willing an hearte to obtaine and get euerlasting lyfe But where are these Christians that study thus to do their dutie That are as muche delighted to helpe their neighbours nede wyth a lytle money euery man accordyng to his habilitie as this couetous man is delighted to see his stocke of money encreased eyther by vsurie or by any other vnlawful meane When notwithstandynge all that the couetous man getteth as I may speake nothing of the shame dishonestie is but transitorie and soon passeth away and cometh to naught But looke what things we get be Christen liberalitie by doing good to the poore members of Christe they bringe with them euerlastinge fruites and coÌ„modities For thus sayth Salomon He that pitieth the poore lendeth to the Lord and looke what he layeth out it shall be paid hym again Here a man nedeth not to feare the losse of his stocke or gaynes thereby for he is promised that he shall loose nothing but whatsoeuer he bestoweth vpon the poore it shal be abundantly recompenced hym But this wil take no place among vs neither do we beleue it For by the deuil are the sences and iudgements of the vnfaithful hindered and letted that they can not perceaue this nor haue any mynde to this gayne and aduantage whiche farre surmounteth and passeth all worldly lucre and profite Wherfore we are worthely punished for oure madnes seinge that we set more by thynges present although frayle tranâ—itorie then by the things that are heauenlye and euerlastynge so that we do not only synne by couetousnes but we also make our Mammon the author of our destruction and damnation both of bodye and soule Therefore Christe concludeth very truly when he sayth that the children of this worlde are wyser in their generation then the Sonnes of God For the deuill receaueth an hundred times more of his children then God doth of his Yet must we not ceasse from teachyng and admonishyng men be they neuer so sluggyshe and mad but we must be alwayes spurryng and prickyng them forewarde vnto the study of good workes if that by oure importune labour they may be brought vnto some goodnes euen as other by the subtle suggestions of the deuill the wicked councelles of naughtie packes are moued and brought vnto all kynde of lewdnes for although oure matters procede but slowlye in this enterpryce yet this
how children honor their parents howe seruants obey their masters howe the ministers of the churche are handled then shal ye vnderstand who loueth god and who doth not For children haue this commandement worde from god Honor thy father and mother But they say I let passe my father and mother and will honour and loue thee which art God in heauen Do not God saye thou hast my commandement set forth wherfore if thou loue me thou must loue honour thy parentes also and obey them in all things And this is the true louing of god But what do they Children would haue their parents awaye that they might lyue masterlesse Wherefore this must nedes be true that they loue not God So is it also in other kyndes of life Princes hath in their offices officers they charge them to do their deutie diligently If thou aske whether they loue God all will say yea and that they haue no cause to hate God Well I graunt that But answer why shewest thou no obedience and fidelitie to thy kynge If thou louest god with all thy hearte thou wouldest be more faithfull vnto thy Kyng and wouldest do thy office with more diligence So is there no seruaunt in any house so farre paste shame that will suffer this to be sayed by hym that he hateth God and loue hym not But what doth the louing of god signifie doth it not signifie to kepe Gods commandement and worde As Christ also saith If any man loue me he shal kepe my worde For if thou louest God thou canst not despise his commandements But what commandement geueth god to seruaÌ„ts Or what doth seruantes promise their maisters doth not GOD require that And they do promise also meat and drynke with wages and for that cause maketh a couenant that they shold be faythfull in doynge suche seruice as belonge to the house and shew obedience in their seruice And for this cause also are they called seruants because they serue the housholde by their seruice and helpe them that haue families with their labour and seruice But where be any suche in housholdes Yea rather there is almost no greater disobedience negligence pride then amongest suche Ye and here I let passe the pickynge and stealynge of many of them Wherfore they loue not GOD they hate GOD and care not for his worde or els they woulde shewe more diligence in their seruice But at last they shall be rewarded for theyr vngodlines and lyue all the tyme of their lyfe with the curse of GOD in miserie and beggerie But as touchynge the pastours and ministers of the Churche it is no nede in this place to make longe rehersall The matter is plaine howe they are handled of rulers husbandmen and of their neyghbours craftes men and courtyers so that almost they that kepe hogges are more set by But the commandement of GOD is straight that they shoulde be counted worthie of loue honor and that nothynge should be denied them that is dewe vnto them As it appeareth in Malachie and Christe hymselfe sayth also euery workeman is worthie of his wages Wherfore as thou maiste not denie thy seruant his wages because he is euil So must not thou defraud thy pastour and curate because he is euill If Gods commandement moue thee not be thou sure of this punishement that thy corne beastes and other things shall proue ill and thou shalte louse more therby than euer thou tokest from thy pastor and minister Whereby it is euident that the worlde not onely loueth not GOD but that it is full of hatered towarde GOD. And the condition semeth almost tollerable not to loue GOD if it would not hate hym But all deny this crime But in dede this is very hatynge of God when thou art stubburne against thy parents Lordes Officers and when thou doste not that that God commaunde thee For this is his commaundement that thou shouldest obey and by obedience honour them this commandement doste thou hate For thou canst not find in thy hearte to do it and thou doste refuse to hear hit Who will say than but that thou hateste god This do al men crake that they loue god but wher as they heare commonly to be gods commandement that they should flee couetousnes exercise vpright bargeining auoid auarice the more that these thinges are beaten into them by comon sermons so muche the more stuburnely they go againste it What nede that prieste care say they what I do with my goodes Will he take vpon him to rule me If this belongeth not vnto the prieste it belongeth to god He wil surely reuenge it when he shall see his time by pestilence famine and other mischeifes of fyre and water c. This shall take from thee neither shall they knowlege any benefite therin Wheras thou if thou were a Christian mightest get fauour before God and man and fele and perceaue all thy goodes to encrease Wherfore it coÌ„meth to passe that the Pope the Byshoppes and tyraunts but also townes men rustikes noble men and yomen do not only not heare but also moue persecution againste gods worde For they ought to geue honour vnto gods worde to obey it to fynde the ministers of the churche that that is dew vnto them But they are more redie to catch that from them that they haue then to geue them more and then they stande in their owne conceites as though they did well Wherfore this lesson ought to be borne wel awaye He that hath the worde ought also to loue god that is he ought to know what workes god requireth of hym and obey hym and say Lord Iesu Christ thou hast opened mine eyes to see and know howe thou hast deliuered men from death and syn by thy death and hast made me heier of the kyngdome of heauen of euerlasting lyfe I geue thee thanckes for so great a grace will gladly do again all that thou requirest of me Thou commandest me by thy precepte that I shall honour my father and mother and I will do it gladly and with all my heart Thou gauest me charge that I shold serue my master faythfully and with all my heart I will do my worke diligently and with all obedience I will not refuse to do thy coÌ„mandement Thou haste made me a mother and houswyfe ouer a familie I will well regard thy precepte and will rather bestow my lyfe then not regard my children and familie and see to them with al diligence that they be not seduced This is the very fruite that ought to procede of the woâ—de And it is not possible but god must nedes rewarde such Christian men But here let euery man trye inwardly with hymselfe how greatly he loueth god For to loue god consisteth not only in the thoughtes as the Monkes beleue but to loue god is as Christe sayth in an other place to loue thy neyghbour For so sayth god If thou wilt loue me do this for my sake to
were lepers whiche stode a farre of and put forth theyr voyces and sayde Iesus maister haue mercy on vs. When he sawe them he sayde vnto them Go shewe your selues vnto the Priestes And it came to passe that as they wente they were clensed And one of them when he sawe that he was clensed turned backe agayne and with aloude voyce praysed God and fell downe on his face at his feete and gaue hym thankes And the same was a Samaritane And Iesus aunswered and sayd Are there not ten clensed but where are those nine There are not founde that returned agayne to geue God prayse saue only this straunger And he sayde vnto him Aryse go thy waye thy fayth hath made the whole THE EXPOSITION YE heare howe Christe in the gospell of this day setteth forth a notable example of faith Thy fayth saith he hath saued thee And by this he ascribeth all the glory of the sauyng of this Samaritan not to hymselfe as he shold haue done if he had sayed I restore thee to thy helth but to faith Whiche thinge is done of Christ to this entent that we also shoulde he encoraged by this example and beleue boldly and thynke surely that thorow Christ we shall obtaine whatsoeuer we beleue If we beleue remission of syn and euerlastinge lyfe that faith shall not deceaue vs. If we beleue that God is fauorable and mercifull that he can not but be fauorable and mercifull So that all thynges be on this wise referred to faith and not to God which in dede worketh all thynges That all men maye learne that whansoeuer we lacke anie thynge that we woulde haue or wherof we haue nede that the fault is not in God but in our selfe because we beleue not For otherwise if we beleued we should surely haue it And this is the firste doctrine of this gospell that we beleue this that we shall be sure of all these thynges which we hope and loke for of GOD with a constante fayth But he that beleueth not neyther hopeth for any thynge of God let him not truste to obtayne any thynge As Iames saith in the first chapter of his Epistle For he that maketh sute to god and asketh any thynge of hym he ought not to doubt and saye Who knoweth whether GOD wyll graunt it or whether I be worthie It ought not so to be sayde but this rather I know that GOD wyll graunt what soeuer I aske of hym And although he doth it not now nor after that sorte yet wyll he do it at an other tyme and after an other sorte For a wauerynge hearte that beleueth not stedfastlye and thynketh not surelye that he shall obtayne obtayneth nothyng at all For GOD can geue hym nothyng if he would He is lyke a vessell that by a mans handes is moued hyther and thyther wherin nothynge can be poured and whatsoeuer is poured it falleth besyde the vessell and is loste This is it also with an vnbeleuynge heart GOD is redie to geue but we make oure selues vnapte to receaue for as muche as we profer nothynge to receaue the gyfte withall And we greatlye offende GOD by so doynge that wheras he is most redie to shewe his liberalitie yet we by our wauerynge do cause that there can be no place in vs to receaue gods gyftes Contrarily to hym wheras is no wauerynge but the minde is still by fayth he will geue gladlye and willingly As it appeareth in these ten leapers They crie Iesu master haue mercie vpon me They all are styll and doubte not but Christe wyll helpe And as they beleue so is it done vnto them This must we learne to truste stedfastly to his mercie and not to wauer in heart but to be stil and truste for that we desire whether it be health or liuelowd prosperitie wisdom or righteousnes In the other part is an horrible example wheras ten beleue and are healed but nine go from their faith geue not Christ thākes for his benefit We ought to referre this exāple to this ende that we may learne hereby to be thanckefull and to auoide the wicked sin of vnkyndnes For God doth worthylye challenge this glorie to hymselfe that we should render him thanckes And that should we do gladlye and willingly For it is a thing of no great labour or difficultie For what labour is requisite to this yf thou tourne thee to God and saye Lord that hast geuen me sound eyes hādes fett ▪ c. I thancke the heartely for thy gyfte So lykewise what hard thinge is it to geue thanckes to thy parentes masters lordes neighbours when they do thee good It is done onely that they maye vnderstande that their benefite is wel bestowed This also doth this Samaritan he retourneth to the Lorde geueth him thankes This required no coste or charge but a fewe wordes and yet it pleaseth Christ maruelously This is acceptable to men also and they take greate pleasure therof and by this they are prouoked afterward to do them good again The very Ethnickes saide this that vnkyndnes is the greatest syn Therfore when a man is called chorle they iudged that to be the greatest reproch that is And we proue by experience that this vice greueth thee parentes very muche They bestow for their childrens sake all thinges bodye life goods faine and al thinges But what recompence do children make for for the moste parte It chaunceth seldome to fynde amongest many one that is thankfull This commeth of nothyng elles but of the dyuell Lykewise also it chaunceth with other Wherefore thynke thys for a suretie that vnkyndnesse is the greatest and fylthyest vyce wherby the springe is stopped vppe oute of the whiche procedeth all beneficence and liberalitie amongest men But all this chaunceth throughe the greate infirmitie and weakenes of men For this is very greuously taken that he that healpeth other by benefites getteth nothyng therby but vnkyndnes Wherfore by this mens mynds are discoraged frō doyng good ar lothe to cast away their kindnes vpon them that are vnkynd Unkyndnes is the cause of all this which neuerthelesse men do oftentimes fele Wherfore if ye regard godlynes earnestly se that ye be thankfull Fyrst to God our father in heauen which geueth and preserueth body and lyfe and afterward geueth all thynges that belongeth to euerlastyng life Then to our parentes frendes neyghbors which haue bene good to vs that ye maye knowledge this and geue thankes although ye be not able to requite it But seyng this is suche an harde thyng amongest men to obteyne thankes howe much harder is it to make them to requite and recompence it There was a maner in monasteries that if the yonger had taken of gifte but a quill of an elder he shold haue declared hymself thankful with these woordes Blessed is God in all his giftes This was no euyll maner For it was doone that youthe myghte accustome them selues to receaue all thyngs with thankes geuyng
doctrine aboue the lawe For syth we can not perfectly fulfill the lawe The law causeth vs to haue an euil conscience to feare gods wroth for our synnes sake Wherfore this doctrine tendeth to this ende that thou sholdest learne what is Christ and what he hath done And nowe this is his voyce that he is not onely the son of Dauid as the Iewes beleue but also Dauids Lord that is an euerlastinge and verye god But what dothe he he putteth asyde from hym the forme of god as Paule sayeth and becommeth a man He taketh vpon hym the deathe of the Crosse. And why so Uerilye because he is the sonne of god that is to saye a sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde After that he dyed and rosse agayne the thyrde day from death vnto euerlastinge lyfe and sytteth at the ryghte hande of god This must we learne and beare awaye as touchinge Christ. For he that holdethe this faste is safe He that holdeth it not shall perishe vnder his synnes The reason is we are all synners and the lawe doth not only not deliuer vs from oure synnes but maketh vs more greuous synners agaynst god accuseth vs before God so that we are in greate daunger and can fynde no wayes to escape by all that we can doe In sinnes are we conceaued and borne and the longer that oure lyfe is the more do oure synnes encrease For this burden is put on vs not as an other burden which we may put downe cast of when we will It cleaueth to our very mary bones most secret parts of vs neuer suffereth vs to be at reast as we cā not denie this if we wold cōsider wel proue our strēgth Against this is this the only remedie to learne what is Christ. For assone as thou knowest who he is and then what he doth this is the very way to come vnto saluation The reason why is this If thou be a sinner and haste sinned muche againste God haue respecte to this God sendeth this Christ to suffer for synners to make satisfaction for synnes But what should this debte trouble the whiche that most riche Christe hath taken vpon hym to pay yea and hath payd it allredie wherfore this only remaineth that thou embrace with true confidence and fayth this death and crosse of Christe This can be vnknowen to no man that death is dewe to vs all and no man can haue any hope of a priuilege for the contrarie When we are dead we are vndone We can not helpe our selues But consider wherof commeth death Is it not for sinnes sake Nowe haste thou heard wher thou muste set remission of thy synnes euen in the death of thy Lorde Iesu Christ. This Christ whan he was deade remained not in death But he arose frō death to lyfe And this is a sure profe that he is Lord ouer death Wherfore euen as thou hast remission of syn through hym so by him thou hast euerlastyng lyfe in that he shall rayse thee vp againe thy flesh bodie in the last day And this the true knowing of Christ to know whose sonne he is euen the son of Dauid For he is a mā yet neuertheles the Lord of Dauid which sitteth at the right hāde of god hath for his footstoole his enemis sin death and hel Wherfore he y◠nedeth any helpe against these enemies must not require it of Moses nor of the law nor of his own worke or righteousnes but let him require it of the son Lord of dauid wheras he shal be sure to find it This doth the idle kind of Phariseies not know Wherfore they care not for Christ are cōtent with this that they know out of the law how god the neighbour is to be loued Wheras yet it is not possible that god shold be knowen I will not speake of the loue of him except Christ be knowen firste As he saith in Math. 11. No man knoweth the father but the sonne he to whom the son openeth him And this is the cause why Christ by this occasiō moueth this presēt questiō As though he should saye This ye know that god is to be loued But ye shal neuer loue god with all your heart wyth all your soule with all your mynde excepte ye knowe Christ well and perceaue who he is For how can we otherwise knowe what grace and mercie God hath geuen vnto vs This is no smale thinge that God hath made vs and geuen vs bodie and soule and all thinges But we vse these thinges but for a litle time in this lyfe But herein appeareth moste especially the riches and great goodnes and mere mercy of God wheras he spared not his only begotten sonne but deliuered hym vnto the death of the Crosse for our sinnes that we should be deliuered from sinne and obtayne euerlasting lyfe through hym This is the euerlasting infinite and incomprehensible loue and grace whiche no man can know excepte he know Christ. And therfore he can neuer loue God truely without Christ. Wherfore it appeareth hereby what the Phariseies and Scribes get by their question Euen this verely that they are openly conuicted of Christ before them al that they can talke much of the loue of God But they vnderstande not nor yet perceaue the leaste part therof truely And wheras they knowe not god whiche hath bestowed so great benefittes and liberalitie vpō them how shall they loue their neyghbour that hath nede of their helpe and can recompence nothynge for their pouertie Wherfore let vs highly esteme this doctrine and let vs geue thankes to God with all oure heart that we are deliuered out of vncredible darkenes vnder the Popedome euen like as the darkenes of the Iewes were here And we haue the pure doctrine of Christ wherby we do not only knowe howe we ought to be deliuered and saued from sin but we receaue the holy ghost Whiche by this doctrine moueth oure mindes so farre that we may begin to loue God and our neyghbour The whiche thing our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs. Amen Amen The .xix Sonday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. ix IEsus entred into a shipe and passed ouer and came into his owne citie And beholde they brought to him a man sicke of the paulsey lying in abedde And when Iesus sawe the faythe of them he sayd to the sicke of the paulsey Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes be forgeuen thee And beholde certayne of the Scribes sayde within them selues this man blasphemethe And when Iesus sawe theyr thoughtes he sayde Wherefore thynke ye euyll in your heartes Whether is it easier to saye thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saye aryse and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then sayeth he to the sicke of the paulsye Aryse take vp thy bedde and go vnto thine house And he rose and departed to his
hom Dignus est merâ—en c. Math. 24. The rewarde 1. Pet. 5. Dan. 12. Math. 13. Math. 22. Math. 24. Luc. 12. Esa. 66. Apo. 21. 1. Cor. 2. Esa. 64. Math. 12. Iohn 6. Rom. 1. Iac. 1. Psal. 51. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 2. Ephe. 2.5 Tit. 3. Luc. 24. Iohn 16. Math. 9. Psal. 119. Iohn 1â— 1. Cor. 4. Esa. 50. Esa. 61. Ezech. 34. Esa. 61. Luc. 21. Act. 6. Psâ—l 68. Tit. 1. Math. 5. Math. â—3 2. Timoth. 2. Tit. â— 1. Cor. 9. Sap. 15. Iohn 17. Math. 13. Phil. 1. Tit. 1. Iac. 1. Math. 25. Phil. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Iac. 1. Luc. 11. Eccle. â— Iac. 1. Iohn 14. Luc. 24. Act. 1.2 Math. 5. Iohn 6. Of the kyng Christ and of his kyngdom Why Zacharye prophcied the low degre of Christ long before his coÌ„commyng Zacharie 9. What is the power of this kyng and his righteousnes and how it is ioyned wyth pouertie The kyngedome of the worlde is no suche power as Christs is The ryghtuousnes saluation of Christ in baptisme in the supper of the Lorde and in the Gospell The lyfe and saluation of the congregation lyeth hid in the pouertie of Christ. The worlde is vnkynd for this lyght Luc. 11. An abhortatioÌ„ to be ware of danger To vs is this spoken of the kyngdome of Christe The example of the apostles The fyrst seruice of thys king halowed be thy name What the Asse and the colt signifieth The seconde worship Thy kingdoÌ„ come The third Thy wyll bee fulfylled Who began the seruice of this kyng The signes of God goeth be fore strange new mutations The apostles asketh of the destruction of Ierusalem also of the destruction of the world Question Where the signes muste be marked Signes in the Sonne Moone The signes in the sea and waters The sygnes in men A speciall conâ—usion in men The wycked despise the sygnes The coÌ„myng of Christ after the signes These signes are not geuen to terrify the congregation These signes are not geuen to terrifie the congregation The cause of ioy by these signes The sainctes also fear these signes but not deathe The last daye the day of daÌ„nation and redemption Myth 24. Christes commyng is terrible that the oppressed congregation myght be delyuered Christes coÌ„myng is lyke the sprynge The figure of the destructioÌ„ of Sodome compared to the destructioÌ„ of the worlde The suÌ„me of the doctrine coÌ„cernynge the last day The Popes doctrine of Christes coÌ„myng The daye of Iudgemente shall come sodeynly What is to be done â–ª that the day of iudgement be not sodayn vnto vs Watche Prayer Repentance The work of God is hyghly to be magnified The question of Iohn by his disciples Deuter. 18. What Iohn mente by sendyng his disciples vnto Christ. Esay 35. Of Christe his kyngdom Christes doctrine Moyses doctrine Moyses doctrine can doo nothynge against deathe An hystorie Workes can not quiete the conscience of a synner The Gospell is a doctrine of comfort What the gospell is Difference betwene the kingdome of Christe and the worldes The kingdoÌ„ oâ— Christes right hand The doctrine of the gospell is wath offence The doctrine of the Gospel forbyddeth not good workes but the trust in them Christ an offenceful preacher wicked worldlings can not abyde the gospel nor the preachers therof Math. 11. Christe alone saueth Iohn 14. The patriarkes and Prophetes were saued by faith iâ— Christ. Withoute Christe there is no saluatioÌ„ Gen. 3. The office of Iohn Esaye 40. Iohn 8. Esa. 20. Iohn declareth his baptisme The Iewes regarde not Iohns doctrine Papistes can not abyde the word of God Papistes seke saluation by theyr owne workes Matth. 116 Good workes Phil. 3. The differeÌ„ce betwene the righteousnes of faith and good workes Papistes sell theyr words Monasteries Good works ought diligeÌ„tly to be done Math. 1. The cause of the feast 1. The tyme of this byrth 2. The place Miche 5. 3. The Emperour of Rome helpeth knowing not what he doth 4 The maner of the byrth Why this hystory is writeÌ„ We are made on fleshe and blâ—d with the sone of God Hebr. 4. The incarnation of Christ Gen. 1.2 Heb. 4. Phil. 2. The humblenes of Christ. 1. That this natiuite might be confortable to vs. 2. And also that he myght make vs humble and meke 1. The honor of the congregation 2. An example of loue and patience Christ not knowen profiteth lytle Prouerb Gods messengers conforte the fearefull SataÌ„ thorow sinne reigneth in men Christ only ouercommeth Satan Math. 1. Luc. 1. Psal. 51. Ephe. 2. Phil. 2. The byrth of Christ ought to moue vs vnto mutuall charitie and loue Note What Christ is Christ is no corporal thing Christ is the sauiour of meÌ„ Miche 5. Gene. 3. Why the Angell calleth Christ a Lord. Christ is true and naturall God Christ is the Lord of Angells also Why the Angells reioyced in the byrth of Christ. Esai â— Ioan. 3. Rom. 8. The Angel is an huÌ„ble spirit Christes people are pore nedy If Christ be the sauiour thâ—n can not the saincts works be By the ministerie of the worde is the doctrine preserued Good preachers helpe much By the Angels doctrine are al false doctrines to be iudged The office of Christ. Note well Withoute Christ god caÌ„ not be knoweÌ„ nor glorified God is diuersly dishonored in the world Originall syn broughte in ambition To glorifye God The worlde dothe chaunge this verse There is nothynge in the worlde but synne Christen men are peaceable Peace what it signifieth The dyuell changeth this verse what is good wyll Papystes The sermon of thangelles was not vnfruitfull The world forgeteth Gods miracles We also to forget the miseries in the Popedome Nihil citâ—us senescit quam gratia Mary forgetteth not Gods word The word of God is not lightly to be regarded Great diligeÌ„ce is to be geueÌ„ to the learning of Gods word Math. 6. He that will serue God must not chaÌ„ge his vocatioÌ„ as Mounkes do Christ commeth not to change externall thyngs Christ chaungeth the heart The example of the shepheards The chaunge of creatures in the last day Galat. 3. The prophetes do alwais require the inward change True godlynes consisteth not in outewarde obseruations Luke calleth Ioseph the father of Christ Math. 1. This meruailyng ryseth of faythe we ought not to be voyde of meruailyngâ— It becoÌ„meth a christen maÌ„ to be proude Howe offence is hadde in Christ. The offence to the Iewes Iohn 8. The offence to Monkes Christen men are offence to other Christ is put foorth to be a risyng Math. 18. 1. Cor. 11. The Gospell is not the cause of trouble but mens stubbournes The Gospell openeth the heartes The Gospell plucketh of the visards of the world and openeth the heartes The Gospell openeth the heartes The holyest hateth the Gospel moste This opening pertayneth to Iudgement The opening pertayneth to confort The greatest vice is to preseÌ„te the word of God to despise it The greateste vice is to persecute
deuyl is the cause that men remeÌ„ber not the word and doctrine Luc. 21. Gen. 3. Howe dangerous a rhynge it is lyghtly 〈◊〉 regarde Gods worde Math. 13. What maner of thynge a good hart is Math. 6. Fruicte in pacience 2. Tim. 3. Luc. 11. The word is not euerye where fruictfull Math. 11. Math. â—14 Marc. 6. Luc. 9. The word of Christ himself was not euery where fruitfull The cause why the worde is not fruictfull Math. 13. Leui. 12. The fyrst begottâ—n male muste be presented to the Lorde Exod. 13. Nuâ—â— â— The Turke taketh the first borne Exod. 11. Christ an example of obedience Of the fyrste borne The first begotteÌ„ by pride waxed worst Lucifer Cayne Ismaell Esau. The Iewes Dauid 1. Reg. 16. Carnall prerogatiues ought not to be applied to pryde Psal. 103. Luc. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Gen. 49. They that beleue in Christ are the first be gotten Math. 20. Ephes. 4. God hateth pride Iac. 4. â— Pet. 5. Iob. 4. 2. Pet. 2. Howe Christ is reueled Luc. 1. Math. 1. Luc. 1. Luc. 2. Math. 2. Luc. 2. The reuelation of SimeoÌ„ came by the holy ghost Gene. 49. The state of Christes churche in this worlde is poore and miserable Death maketh hartes to feare Rom. 6. Simeon learned not this way to dye by man Math. 1. The law and good workes caÌ„ do nothing against sin death The worlde ordaineth his sauiours besyde Christ. The saluation of God canonly saue How this sauiour saieth Iohn 1. Good works Simon hath no more prefermeÌ„t in this saluation then we haue Christ is the saluation of all men Simeon putteth no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile Gene. 22. What reason thynketh of Esai 9. 1. Timo. 2. The cause why all are not saued Note well There is no saluation but in Christ alone God is not the author of any mannes damnation Christ giueth lyght to the Gentiles Iohn 3. A syngular comfort for al synners The diligent study of Simeon in the prophetes Gen. 49. Dan. 9. Esa. 49. Rom. 3. Galat. â— Halowyng of candels The Papists borowe the most parte of their religion of the Iewes of the Gentiles Luc. 24. The disciples of Christ vnderstande not Christ. The workes of God are not vnderstanded before thei â—â—me to passe Faythe is requisite The example of Dauid 1. Reg. 17. Baptisme the resurrection of the dead God is almyghty can doo what he wyll Math. 19. Luc. 1. Reson ought not to Iudge Gods works Math. 13. Iohn 20. Luc. 15. Luc. 18. The word of God deceueth not although it seme impossible Note Howe we must praye We must be instant in prayer The praier of the blynd Iohn 16. Prayer prouoked God Luc. 1â— Prayer with out faith is a mockyng of God Luc. 4. TemtatioÌ„ is 〈◊〉 for Christians Diuersitie of temptation Howe we must staÌ„d sure when we are tempted Christ lead of the spirit Note well Our proper imagination without the worde is nothyng Rom. 14. Math. 15. The first teÌ„ptation that he shoulde haue no trust in god Two sortes of bread Psalm Iohn 6. The second temptation is to make to trust more in god then his worde requireth Psal. 91. Mat. 27. Deut. 6. To teÌ„pte god The deuill vseâ—h scriptures Math. 19. Anabaptistes Baptisme Iohn 3. Marc. 16. WheÌ„ that angels defeÌ„deth vs not The third teÌ„ptation is to make theÌ„ cast awaye true religion for riches poore Riches corrupted religion A change of the spirituall kyngdome in to a wordly of the wordlie into a spirituall Worshippyng of the deuill The popes religion is rather trymme then true A general admonition What is worshâ—ppinge of God God ought to be worshyped accordynge to his word and not after meÌ„s traditions Deut. 6. The dignitie and excelleÌ„cie of this gospel The deuyl is moste buly at the hower of deaâ—h The woman of Cananee diuersly temâ—â—ted 1. She is a Cananite Math. 10. A greuous stomblynge blocke Faith obteyneth al thynges of Christ Why this historie is sette foorth All thynges must be asked of God alone for Christes sake 2 Christ answereth nothing We must continually prayr and not cease â–ª Note and practise 3 Christ denyeth to helpe The constancy of this woman Marc. 7. Continue in prayer 4 Christ recouÌ„teth the woman as a dog Faith is before God a thyng most excâ—llent Faithe interpreteth all thyngs to the best Iohn 1. Roma 3. By fayth and prayer Christ is ouercome â—ohn 6. Why Christe shewed himself so hard to the woman Faithe obteyneth all thynges of God PerseueraÌ„ce in prayer Gen. 49. God for triaâ— of our faythe sometyme deferreth his helpe Gods promise is to be apprehended with strong and coÌ„ +stant faith Iohn 16. God geuethe more then we can or dare aske Ephe. 3. An extremities God heareth oure of hande When God â—eferreth to heare Abacuck 2. The Pope the Turk extreme enemies to the Churche of Christ. Iohn 36. Prayet made in fayth obteyneth all thynges of God Christ ouercometh the deuill Christ at this daye casteth out deuils by the worde and SacrameÌ„ts Esay 55. Baptisme Iohn Rom. 6. The declaration of Gods mercy to penitent sinners Math. 17. Iohn 20. Mat. 11. The Supper of the Lord. Math. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. Luc. 1â— Iohn 14. Colos. 4. A Christiane must coÌ„tinually fight agaiÌ„st Satan 1. Pet. 5. Iac. 4. Iohn 12.16 Christ and in hym all Christians haue gotten the victory ouer the deuill and the worlde 1. Iohn 3. The papecie The wickednes of the minister hindereth the dignitie of the worde or sacraments nothing at all The worde the sacrameÌ„ts oughte to be had in greate reuerence The worde of god driueth awaye Satan Rom. 1. Esay 6. It is a greater miracle to driue the deuil out of mens heartes then out of their bodye Three sortes of people iudg of this miracle The first meruell at the worke The second blaspheme Beelzebub what it is in Englishe 2. Cor. 4. The godly reioyce in the gospell the vngodly blaspheme it The aduersaries grauÌ„t many thinges to be true yet they go forth to persecute 2. Cor. 4. The power of the deuill is not to be set lyght by The papistes in persecuting the true ChristiaÌ„s thincke they do God great seruice Iohn 16. The thirde seke signes from heauen The wise of the world are offeÌ„ded at the word because the preachers therof are so homly poore creatures The glorious worldlinges can not abyde to be reproued for their wycked lyuing Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. Exod. 22. TeÌ„porall rulers owe no lesse obedience to God hys worde then subiectes do Esa. 53. Iohn 16. Preachers haue authoritie to rebuke the sinnes of all men without exception Preachers may be no meÌ„ pâ—easers Gala. 1. Marcke this well O thou preacher Christ confuteth his aduersaries Discorde The kyngdoÌ„ of the deuill Why so fewe receue the worde Why the deuyl preuaileth not agaynste Gods electe Acts. 9. Obiection Exorcistes Answere ii Thess. ii The deuyll worketh miracles to confirme