men damned by the iust iudgement of God They be last with them selues which in good earnest acknowledge their owne vilenesse and infirmitie as whiche féele them selues too haue no desert and these shall bée first with God that is too say accepted with God so that they leane vntoo Chryst the Mediator by stedfast fayth The meaning of this sentence Many are called and fevve chosen teacheth twoo things the one is howe great is the goodnesse mercy of God that calleth all men too the knowledge of his sonne by his gospell The other is how great is the vnthankfulnesse of men of whome so few are found that are chosen that is too say godly sincere and practising earnest repentaunce For there are fewe that renounce theyr owne woorkes yea themselues altoogither and that trust onely too God and glorifie him in minde talke confession and conuersation This sentence therefore admonisheth vs first too acknowledge the benefite of God that calleth vs by the Gospell secondely too detest the vnthankfulnesse of the world which accepteth not the benefits offred thirdly too ioine our selues too those fewe in repentance fayth and true inuocation which receiue the Gospel sincerely too the glory of God too whome bée honor for euer Amen The Sunday called Sexagesima ▪ ¶ The Gospell Luke viij WHen much people vvere gathered togyther vvere come too him out of all Cities he spake by a similitude The sovver vvent out too sovv his seede and as hee sovved some fell by the vvay side and it vvas troden dovvne and the foules of the aire deuoured it vppe And some fel on stones and assone as it vvas sprong vp it vvithered avvay bicause it lacked moystnesse And some fell among thorns and the thornes sprang vp vvith it and choaked it And some fel on good groūd and sprāg vp and bare frute an hundreth fold And as he sayd these things he cried he that hath eares to heer let him heere And his disciples asked him saying VVhat maner of similitude is this And hee sayd Vntoo you it is gyuen too knovve the secretes of the kingdom of God but too other by Parables that vvhen they see they shoulde not see and vvhen they heer they shold not vnderstand The Parable is this The seede is the vvoord of God those that are beside the vvay are they that heere then commeth the diuel and taketh avvay the vvoord out of their hartes leaste they shoulde beleeue and bee saued They on the stones are they vvhiche vvhen they heere receyue the vvoord vvith ioy and these haue no rootes vvhich for a vvhile beleeue and in time of temptation goe avvay And that vvhich fel among thorns are they vvhich vvhen they haue herd go foorth and are choaked vvith cares and riches and voluptuous liuing and bring foorth no frute That vvhich fell in the good ground are they vvhich vvith a pure and good herte heere the vvoord and keepe it and bring foorth frute through pacience The exposition of the text THys Gospel conteineth a goodlie image of the church militant in this world and springing of the incorruptible séede of Gods woorde in the visible companie wherof how many and how sundry sorts of héerers ther bée hée peinteth out by the similitude of the naturall séed For hée beareth witnesse that it happeneth alike too the heauenlie séede as is woont too happen too the naturall séede cast intoo the grounde For like as all bringeth not foorth frute that the husbandman casteth intoo the grounde no nor scarce the fourth parte of it Euen so the word of God hath sundry héerers in very fewe of whome it bringeth foorth wholsome frute Héerof are thrée places 1 The exposition of the Parable 2 The diuers sortes of the héerers of Gods woorde 3 As concerning the Lordes saying Hée that hath eares too héere let him héere ¶ Of the first THe causes why the Lord spake vntoo the people in parables are many The first may be the foretelling of the Prophets For the Prophets had foretold that when Christ came he should teache the people in parables And it was a very auncient maner of teaching too teache in parables and similitudes Secondly for that this kinde of teaching dooth wonderfully enter intoo the eyes and minds of men Thirdly bicause the things that are taught by suche kindes of images and tokens doo helpe the memorie that the doctrine by them as it were by tokens of remembrance may bée sent out too all that shall come after Fourthly also Parables doo assuage the ouer harde rebukes and as it were hide thē with a certein veyle that they may the lesse offend And yet afterward being conceyued vnderstood in the minde they teach and doo as muche as plaine doctrine and yet they touche no man openly Finally the partes of this parable are the sower the séede the frute and the ground The sower is God who although he cast his séed into the grounde by men yet notwithstanding hée is presente with them him selfe and worketh with them By reason whereof the ministers of the woord are termed Gods helpfelowes by which name both things are ment that is too wit that bothe GOD dooth woorke after his owne maner and that men as workfellowes doo bestowe their labour in Gods behalfe Here wée may learne twoo things First that the séed is precious and noble For we sée in the worlde that the excellenter the séede is so muche more cunning and skilfull persons are set too lay it intoo the grounde If the kings of the worlde toogither with the wise men of the worlde were sayde too bée the layers of this séed into the ground al men wold wonder at it all men would be very desirous too knowe this séede But now is God become the sower héere and the stewards of Gods mysteries are héere present And therefore it muste néeds bée that this sowing is both an earnest and a noble sowing aboue all others The other thing that we may learne héerby is that it is a great fault and worthy too bée punished with most gréeuous punishment eyther to receiue the séed of the sower God intoo a ground that is too say a heart not tilled before with the plough of the lawe or when it is receyued not to cherishe it with all the attendance carefulnesse diligence that may bée so as it may growe and bring forthe moste acceptable frute too the sower The séed is the very word of God and not of man whiche séed the only begotten sonne of God hath brought out of the bosome of his father This séed is liuely wherfore if it séeme at any time not too bring forth frute it is not the fault of the séed but of the ground They that eyther corrupt this séed as hereticks doo or choke it as hipocrites do or kéep it down by force as tirants doo or thrust in other in stéed of it as the papists doo shall one day féele the iust wrath of God who as he hath giuen
Chrystes must as well the godly magistrate as the ouerséers of Gods religion folowe that there be no defiling of Gods religion in the churches of christians Other that haue not this authoritie must be sory and testifie it in woords that they disallow the corruption of gods seruice Thirdly the signification of this déede is too bée weyed For as the temple was defiled so he ment that there should bée a spirituall purging of the temple by his owne death and glorious resurrection Moreouer in the cause of this déede which is expressed by these woords my house shal bee called a house of prayer c. we may lerne twoo things First that the temple is the visible seat of Gods seruice For all be it that euery place bée a temple too the godly in as muche as it is lawfull for them to call vppon God euery where yet notwithstanding the temple or church is the common place wherein we must assemble to pray and too doe other things that perteine to the outward discipline of godlinesse Another is that wée should reuerence the churches that are appoynted too Gods seruice and kéepe them cleane from Idols and Idol seruice But alas for sorow the Popish superstition sticketh so fast too the ribbes of a nuÌ„ber that they cannot abide that an Idol should be pulled out of their church But héerof shal more be spoken at an other time ¶ Of the second THe second part of the things doone by Chryst in the temple is that he healed the lame and blinde that came vnto him By which déed he testifieth first that he is the true Messias For the Prophet Esay foretold that when Messias was come he should woorke such miracles Secondly this déede sheweth that the office of the Messias is to destroy y e workes of Sathan For when Chryst taketh away the disease he remoueth the cause also and the cause of all diseases in sinne Thirdly he sheweth by an outward token how men should vse y e church for the healing of bodily diseases is a representation of the clensing of mennes soules from spiritual filthinesse Therfore the church must be appoynted too this purpose y t we may be purged there froÌ„ our spirituall diseases which thing is then doone when we beléeue the word that is there preached and by beléeuing are washed from our sinnes with the bloud of Chryst according as Iohn sayth The blue of Iesus Chryst clenâ—eth vs from all iniquitie ¶ Of the third parte WHen the children tryed in the temple Hosanna too the Sonne of Dauid and that the Pharisyes chid them Chryst tooke vpon him to stand in defence of the children and iustifieth their doing by record of the Scripture Haue yée not red saith he Out of the mouth of babes and suckelings hast thou made perfect thy prayse Héere wée haue to lerne of both that is to wit of the children and of Chryst. Of the children first let our childreÌ„ lerne too know Chryst and to set forth his praise For séeing that Chryste sayeth that the kingdome of heauen belongeth too children vndoutedly his will is too be praysed and magnified by the faith and by the voyce of children But alas there bée many children which not onely are Ignorant of Chryst but also are so leudly brought vp that they learne nothing but too sweare too lye too talke ribaudry too practise other naughtinesse who shall not onely bée punished themselues one day for their lewdnesse but also their parentes shall bée punished of God for that they haue so wickedly neglected the children that God hath giuen them to bring vp in nurture and godlynesse Ageine we may lerne of the children to confesse Chryst in the middes of his enemies Héere were present the Pharisies and Scribes the chéef Gouernours of this common weale who persecuted Chryste and were angrye with all those that yelded any honor vnto Chryst. Yet could not this cruelnesse so abashe the children but that the more they were forbidden the more they cryed oute For suche is the strength of fayth that whersoeuer it bée it can not bée hidden but always bursteth out intoo the praise of GOD. This dutifulnesse is required at all mennes handes according too that saying of Paule in the .x. to the Romanes with the hart we beléeue vntoo rightuousnesse with the mouthe is confession made vntoo saluation By the dooing of Chryst we may lerne first that he will defend those that beléeue him And secondly that after the example of Chryst according too the state of our vocation wée are bound to defend the innocencie of others and specially too succour maynteyne the godly that they bée not oppressed and troden down by the wicked ¶ Of the fourth parte THe fretting of the Princes the Préests and the Scribes against Chryst was foretold long ago by the voice of god and the Prophets For where as God in the third of Genesis told before hand that it should come to passe that the séede of the woman shoulde treade downe the serpents head hée méeneth that Sathan and his members heathenish and vngodly men should persecute Christ and his Church And Dauid in the second Psalme not onely foresawe in Spirit this fretting of the Iewes ageinst Chryste when he sayth why did the HeatheÌ„ frette and why did the people imagin vaine things But also by the sayd place of Genesis he promiseth it should come to passe that the womans séede that is to say Chryst and all that beléeue in him should ouercome Sathan his members Now in what thing this victorie consisteth Dauid in the â—ame Psalme declareth saying Blissed are all they that put their trust in him Wherefore let vs renounce Sathan and his members and with strong faith leane vpon Chryst the vanquisher of Sathan and giuer of eternall life to whom be honor and glorie for euermore â–ª Of the Lordes supper the first Epistle to the Corinthians and the xj Chapter THat vvhiche I deliuered vntoo you I receiued of the Lord. For the Lorde IESVS the same night in vvhiche hee was betrayed tooke bread and vvhen hee hadde giuen thanks hee brake it and sayd take yee and eate yee this is my body vvhich is broken for you This doo yee in remembrance of me After the same maÌ„ner also he tooke the cup vvheÌ„ Supper vvas doone saying this Cup is the nevv testament in my blud This doo as oft as yee drink of it in remembraunce of mee For as oft as yee shall eate this bread and drink of this cup yee shall shevve the Lords death til he come VVherfore vvho so euer shall eate of this bread drink of this cup vnvvorthely shal be giltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let a man therfore examin himself so let him eat of that bread drink of that cup. For he that eateth or drinketh vnvvorthely eateth and drinketh his ovvne damnation bicause he maketh no difference of the Lords body The exposition of the text THe cause why this feast is instituted
Dauid the periurie of Peter the harde yoke that Ioseph layde vpon the Egiptians and the gréedie gathering of Zachey too the intent they may sel themselues too al naughtinesse Yea rather they séek by mennes vices how they may hardeÌ„ them selues too the contempt of God Wherefore not without cause this kinde of stumbling is called deuilish as the whiche is shored vp with slaunders too the contempt of God ¶ Of the third THe third place is of the persecutioÌ„ or crosse of the churche for whiche place looke before in the thirde Sunday after Easter ¶ Vpon the feast of Pentecost which we call Whitsonday ¶ The Gospel Iohn xiiij IF yee loue mee keepe my commaundementes and I vvil pray the Father and hee shall giue you another comâ—orter that hee may abide vvith you for euer euen the spirite of truth vvhom the vvorld cannot receyue bycause the vvorld seeth him not neyther knovveth him But yee knovve him for he dvvelleth vvith you and shal bee in you I vvill not leaue you comfortlesse but vvill come too you Yet a little vvhile and the vvorld seeth mee no more but yee see mee For I liue and yee shall liue That day shall yee knovve that I am in my Father and you in mee and I in you Flee that hathe my commaundementes and keepeth them the same is hee that loueth mee And hee that loueth mee shall bee loued of my Father and I vvill loue him and vvill shevve my ovvne selfe vntoo him Iudas sayth vntoo him not Iudas Iscarioth â–ª Lord vvhat is doone that thou vvilte shevve thy selfe vntoo vs and not vntoo the vvorld Iesus ansvvered and sayd vntoo them â–ª if a man loue mee hee vvill keepe my sayings and my Father vvill loue him and vve vvil come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Hee that Ioueth mee not keepeth not my sayings And the vvoord vvhiche yee heere is not mine but the Fathers vvhiche sent mee These things haue I spoken vntoo you beeyng yet present vvith you But the comforter vvhich is the holy Ghost vvhome my Father vvil sende in my name hee shall teache you all things and bring all things too your remembraunce vvhat so euer I haue sayd vntoo you Peace I leaue vvith you my peace I gyue vntoo you Not as the vvorld giueth giue I vntoo you Let not your hartes bee greeued neyther fear Yee haue herd hovv I sayd vntoo you I go and come ageine vntoo you If yee loued mee yee vvoulde verely reioyce bycause I sayd I go vntoo the Father For the Father is greater than I. And novv haue I shevved before it come that vvhen it is come too passe yee might beleeue Heereafter vvil I not talke many vvoords vntoo you For the Prince of this vvorld commeth and hathe naught in mee But that the vvorlde may knovve that I loue the Father And as the Father gaue mee commaundement euen so doo I. The exposition of the text THis feast which wée call Pentecost that is the fiftith daye was ordeyned in remembraunce of the confirmation of the Gospell the fiftith daye after Chrystes resurrection For that day our Lord sent the holy Ghost from heauen who sate vppon the Apostles visibly in likenesse of flambes of fire and hée according too Chrystes promisse not onely leadeth the Apostles intoo all truthe but also certifieth the whole world that Iesus Chryst is in heauen who from thence confirmeth his doctrine by this woonderfull déede For like as the fiftith day after the Iewish passeouer which they ate first in Egipt the law was giuen and the doctrine thereof confirmed with great miracles according as it is written Exod. 19. Euen so after the true Passeouer that is too wit after the killing of the Lamb of GOD which is Chryst Gods wil was too confirme the Gospel of his Sonne with this woonderful déede that is by the visible giuing of the holy Ghoste according as wée shall héere more largely in the lesson at Euensong Now let vs enter vppon the most swéete Gospell which also is a péece of that long Sermon that the Lord made to his Disciples the day before he suffered The summe of the text that you haue herd is that Chryste giueth a true marke of faith and loue of God and of the frute of the same fayth and loue namely that the disciples should haue quiet consciences through the holy ghost whom he promiseth that the father shall send in his name Also Christ giueth them to vnderstaÌ„d of his victorie ageinst Sathan that euen by this victorie the world may know how well the father loueth it And al these things tend too y e strengthening of his disciples least through offence of the crosse they might go backe from their profession The places are foure 1 The true marke of fayth and of the loue of God 2 The frute and vse of kéeping the woord of God 3 Chrysts promising the holy ghost the comforter 4 Of the peace that Christ promiseth too those that bée his ¶ Of the firste IF a man loue mee he vvill keepe my sayings Let vs marke these woords aduisedly For they shew a true mark of faith of the loue of God He that loueth Christ héereth him willingly He willingly kéepeth that which he héereth And he willingly dooth that which he kéepeth For these things are by nature ioyned togither Wée sée it is a custome among men that they doo not without wéerinesse héer those persons towardes whom they are not very well minded And that contrarywise they couet nothing more than with all attentiuenesse of mind to héer those whom they loue entirely specially when they know they speake many things sagely and wisely too their welfare and profit But what is the saying of Chryst First too repent For so did his messenger Iohn Baptist and he himself also begin his preaching Héerby is vttered his affection towardes vs For without repentaunce it is vnpossible too bée saued Wherevpon he sayth except yée repent yée shall all perishe Secondly too beléeue the Gospel that is too beléeue assuredly that Chryst is suche a one towards him as he is declared too vs in his Gospell too bée that is too wit a Sauiour a Iustifier and a Redéemer The end of this faith is the health of our soules 1. Peter 1. and in Iohn Hée that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life Thirdly too bring foorth frute by this faith First deuotion too godward or seruice of God â–ª Secondly inâ—â—cencie of life and kéeping holy both of minde and body Thirdly loue of our neighbor flowing out of a true faith a pure hart a good conscience And fourthly too doo the woork of our vocation in feare too the glory of God and profit of our neighbour All these vertues ar beutified with true patience which is a certeyn obedience towards God vnder the crosse He that wil bée my Disciple sayth the Lord let him take vp his crosse and folow mée What Wherfore requirest thou so many things Are we not iustified saued by faith alone Yes it is true But there is a difference too bée put betwixt the causes of
came behind him Lastly let the minde be kindled too pray by assured fayth For except a man bring stedfast faith with him he wasteth his woordes rather than praieth And it is manifest by the promises that this woman brought such a kind of faith with hir vntoo the Lord. The second The causes that may moue vs too pray are many This woman without doubt thought vppon Gods commaundement in whiche he earnestly requireth this seruice at our hands Ageine she was not ignorant of the promises Otherwise she had not come foorth too praying with so great confidence Whatsoeuer you shal aske in my name sayth Chryst my Father will giue it you Besides this she had felte the Diuels tyrannie and hir owne néedinesse whereby shée was moued too séeke helpe of him who onlye is able too helpe Also shée considered the examples Shée sawe howe Iairus had made sute vntoo the Lord for his daughters health and many other examples did she thinke vppon By these and many other causes she was stirred vp too praye Therfore let vs also bée stirred too yéeld vntoo God this seruice of Inuocation First by the commaundement of God Secondly by the promises Thirdly thinking vppon the Diuels tyrannie Fourthly by féeling our owne miserie and néedynesse and fiftly by the examples of the saincts The third Who is too bée called vppon Only God who is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste For neither Angels nor men are too bée called vpon For this is the euerlasting commaundement of God Call vppon me in the day of trouble Also Thou shalt woorship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue For too call vppon any creature it is rank Idolatrie for which the world is horribly punished bicause such Idol seruice is high blasphemie ageinst God The fourth There is good cause too demaund vpon what foundation wée may ground our selues too preace intoo Gods sight For if wée looke vppon our selues our owne confusion and shame will fray vs away from praying Ageyne the scripture sayth God héereth not the sinners Certeine it is that no man trusting vppon his owne woorthynesse is able too pray Wherfore that onely Mediator betwéene God and man Chryst Iesus is too bée sought vntoo who offereth him selfe too bée our spokesman when he sayeth Whatsoeuer you shall aske of the father in my name he shall giue it you Through the woorthinesse of him therfore haue wée accesse too God the father The fifte What is too bée prayed for Thrée kinde of things are too bée sought for by prayer and thrée kinde of things are too bée wished awaye by prayer First wée must pray that Gods glorie may bée reuerenced amongs men Secondly wée muste pray for soule health and thirdly for things necessarie too the maintenaunce of this present life And contrarywise we must wish away firste whatsoeuer hindreth Gods glory secondly whatsoeuer is ageinst our saluation and thirdly whatsoeuer is troublesome too vs in this life Let vs assure our selues wée shall obteine these things and specially those which are set in the first and second place The good things or bad things of the third kind must be praied for or wished away with condition that Gods glorie bée not diminished nor our owne saluation hindred The fourth thing that I purposed vppon concerning this woman is the healing of hir Wherin is too bée tolde what Christ sayd and did and what had happened vntoo hir What sayd Chryst Daughter bée of good comfort thy fayth hath made thée whole And in so saying he healed the woman by his diuine power What happened too the woman And the woman was made whole from that houre Héere wée haue many things First that those which beléeue are adopted Gods children according too this text Too as many as beléeued on his name he gaue power too become the sonnes of God Secondly in what sort Chryst is minded towards the afflicted Thirdly that faith obteyneth any thing of God And fourthly that Chryst sheweth héere the power of his owne Godhead vttereth his wil manifesteth his office and confirmeth the truthe of his Gospel Of these things I will speake no more bicause of the shortnesse of the time ¶ Of the second ALso in this Ruler Iairus wée haue an example of fayth Inuocation Confession and Hope Beholde there came a certeine Ruler Héer hast thou his faith and vvorshipped him Héer hast thou the fruit of faith Inuocation These two conteine confession Lorde sayth he my daughter is euen novve deceased but come and lay thy hande vppon hir and she shall liue Behold with how great hope he praieth Wée then may lerne héereby too repaire vntoo Chryst in our necessities too call vppon him by faith too confesse him and too assure our selues that wée shall obteine of him whatsoeuer is for our welfare But what dooth Chryst He foloweth him And when Iesus came intoo the house of the Ruler and sawe the minstrels and the people making a noyse he sayde Get yee hence And when the people were put foorth he sayd too the Damsel Damsel arise And the Damsel arose and the fame héereof was bruted ouer all that countrey Bicause the circumstances of this example doo almost in all poyntes agrée with the example of the woman Let the things that I haue spoken alredy concerning the woman suffise at this time ¶ Of the third WHen Chryste sayde the mayd is not dead but sleepeth they skorned him Héere let vs looke vpon thrée things First that the world not only is vnthankful towards Christ his benefactor but also laughed him too skorne And why so bicause the world is blind and therefore cannot iudge aright of Chrysts doctrine and dooing The fleshly man perceyueth not the things that are of Gods spirit Flesh hath no tast but of flesh The wisedome of the fleshe is at enmitie with God Therefore vnlesse wée will go astray and become skorners with the world let vs herken too the Gospell that our mind may bée more rightly instructed concerning Gods woorkes The second thing which wée ought héere not only too looke vppon but also too wonder at is that Chryst neuerthelesse procéedeth in his holy purpose Hée is not driuen away with neuer so great vnthankfulnesse of the world that he should forsake his Churche He beareth rule euen in the middes of his enimies The thirde thing that he teacheth to bée obserued héere is Chrysts example Therefore if wée bée skorned for our profession let vs looke vppon the sonne of God and let vs set light by these skornes which are the Diuels dizardes The malice of the world must not trouble vs but the example of gods sonne must encourage vs for he is with vs according too his promisse I will be with you vntoo the end of the world Untoo this our onely mediatour toogither with the Father and the holy Ghost bée honour and glory for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .xxv. Sunday after Trinitie The Gospell Math. xxiiij WHen yee therefore shall see the abhomination
vp the bréers wheÌ„ he sayth bring yée forth fruts worthy of repentance A like example haue wée in the Prophet Nathan First he did cast downe the mountaine that is to say the hipocrisie in Dauid who hauing coÌ„mmmitted aduoutry and murder liued carelesse as though he had done very well And this did he by propounding a parable of twoo men of whome the one was poore and the other rich The rich man had many Oxen and shéepe the poore man had nothing but only one shéepe which he had bought and nourished and which had growen vp in his house among his owne children eating with hym of his bread and drinking of his cuppe and sléeping in his bosome and was to him as his daughter But when a straÌ„ger came to the rich mans the riche man tooke this poore mannes shéepe and set it on the table for his guest sparing his owne When Dauid heard this he was sore displeased saying he is the child of death that hath done this déede Nathan aunswered thou art the same man Thou hast slaine Urias the Hethite with the sword and hast taken his wife too bée thy wife Behold sayth the Lord I wil raise vp mischief ageinst thée Sée how Nathan chargeth Dauid with his sin taketh away the matter of boasting least he should think he ought not too bée punished bycause he was a king and he threatneth punishmeÌ„t vntoo him Héere is that great mountaine and hipocrisie beaten downe But when Nathan saw Dauid cast downe vnder foote in so much that he sayd with a great outcry I haue sinned ageinst the Lord hée raiseth vp this vallie saying the Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not dye Afterward also he cutteth vp the Bréers when by prophecying the death of his sonne for a punishment hée kéepeth him in his dutie After the same sort Peter in the Actes of the Apostles first by preaching the law cutteth the combes of the Iewes and maketh low their mountaines He chargeth them with their sinnes he telleth them it bootes them nothing at all too bée of the posteritie of Abraham and he layeth before them the threatnings of punishments vnlesse they amend By and by after when he héereth how they are stricken too the hart and cast downe with consideration of their sinne he rayseth them vp by offering Chryst vntoo them He biddeth them repent and bée baptised in the name of Chryst. And finally he taketh héede that no Bréers grow vp by promising them the holy Ghoste These examples are notable and agree to the conuersion of the first maÌ„ Adam by folowing his new schoolemaster the Deuil wexed proud Him dooth God first cast downe too the ground by rebuking him in setting before his eyes the greatnesse of his sinne Anon after he raiseth him vp ageine by giuing him a promis of the séede that should tread downe the Serpents head Likewise the Lorde abaseth the proude Pharisies and raiseth vp the troubled Mary Magdalene whom he encourageth too godly and holy lyfe saying Thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace But as for those ministers of the woord which after this sort do neither beate downe the mountaines nor raise vp the vallies nor cut vp the brambles they deâ—e not like the seruants of God but like the bondslaues of the Deuil and of their owne bellye Many make outcries in generall termes ageinst whordome incest vsurie and other vices but there are few that wil chardge a man with his faults too his face as Iohn did Herod the Pharisies and hypocrites as Chryst did to his héerers as Ambrose did to Theodosius And why doo they not so Partly bicause they wey not earnestly whose roome they supply and partly bycause they feare hazarde of their life and goodes But let them ageinst this blindnesse and fearfulnesse set the commaundement of their calling the promis whereby Chryst hath assured his seruaunts that he wil be present with them and that he imputeth doone vntoo himselfe whatsoeuer is doone vnto his ministers Furthermore they must coÌ„firme themselues by the stedfastnesse and example of Iohn of other holy ministers they must from tyme to time pray vnto god to giue them corage that they may bée bolde too doo those things which may make too the furtherance of his glorie too whom bée honor world without end Amen The feast of Christes birth ¶ The Gospell Luke ij THere vvent out a commaundement from Augustus the Emperour that all the vvorlde should be taxed And this first taxing vvas made vvhen Cyrenius vvas liuetenannt in Syria And euery â–ª man vvent vntoo his ovvne Citie too bee taxed And Ioseph also ascended from Galylie out of a Citie called Nazareth intoo Ievvrye vntoo the Citie of Dauid vvhich is called Bethleem bycause he vvas of the house and linage of Dauid too bee taxed vvith Mary his spoused vvife vvhich vvas vvith child And it fortuned vvhyle they vvere there hir tyme vvas come that she should bee deliuered and shee brought foorth hir first begotten sonne and vvrapped him in svvadling clothes and layd him in a maunger bycause there vvas no roome for them vvithin the Inne And there vvere in the same region shepherds abyding in the feeld and vvatching their flocke by night And loe the Angel of the Lorde stoode hard by them and the brightnesse of the Lord shone round about them they vvere sore afrayd But the Angel sayd vntoo them Bee not afrayd For behold I bring you tydings of great ioy that shall come too all people For vntoo you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a sauior vvich is Chryst the Lorde And take this for a signe ye shall find the child svvadled and layd in a maunger And streight vvay there vvas vvith the Angel a multitude of heauenly souldiers lauding God and saying Glorie too God on high and peace on the earth and vntoo men good vvil The exposition of the text THYS Storie is a confirmation of the Article of oure beléefe Whiche was borne of the Uirgin Marie Which Article setteth forth vntoo vs hys newe byrth whiche sanctifieth the olde Adamish and corrupte byrth in all them that take holde vppon this CHRISTE by Fayth And albeit that this Article of Chrystes birth oughte too bée throughly knowne euen vntoo the children of the Chrystians yet notwithstandyng the Church for great causes hath appointed a certeine Feast thereuntoo verely that the Storie thereof with his circumstaunces may bée set foorth and learned not onely that wée might bée delighted with the declaration of this most goodlie storie but rather much more that the vse and profite of this most high Article may bée séen in strengthening and raising vp of mens consciences For the holy stories are not too bée red as the stories of men but too the intent wée should continually thinke vppon them and exercise our selues in them for our teaching instruction and comfort and too the intent that by reading the scriptures wée may haue hope Hereof wée wil make
ensueth errour For wée flippe out of one sin intoo another out of one heresie intoo another Out of these at length springeth an euill conscience which bringeth foorth despaire What is too bée done in these miseries Chryst is too bee soughte Hée alone is able too remedie these mischéeues But where I pray you is hée to bée sought among our kinred and aquaintaunce No not so Where then In the holy citie Hierusalem that is too say in the churche Among whome among them that haue the woord Whē thou hast héere foūd Christ whom thou hadst lost thou must kéepe hym by faith by calling vpon him and by holy conuersation least hée forsake thée againe and so thou perish by the losse of Chryst as Iudas did ¶ Of the third BIcause the dooing of Ioseph Marie putteth vs in minde of the care and dutifulnesse of parents towards their children and in likewise the dooing of the childe Iesus admonisheth vs of the dutie of children and of their obedience towards their parents I will therfore speake of them bothe howbéeit somwhat briefly bycause y e same thing is woont too bée taught more exactly in the Catechisme Therfore on the parents béehalfe I thinke these admonishments ensuing too be necessarie First let parents beare in minde that the cause why they bryng forth chyldren is y t their children should be Citizens of the Churche and that they shoulde toogyther with them woorshyp God and that whēsoeuer thēselues shal fal a sléepe in the Lorde they may leaue woorshyppers of God in theyr roomes I would God there were many that would thinke thys earnestly Besides this let them persuade themselues that al their laboure is loste but if they bring-vp their children in the feare of God oftentimes call vpon Gods helpe ageinst so many snares which the diuel layeth for the tender age Wée héere many complain of the disobediēce of their children but they marke not that they are punished by God for that they would make their children good without the blissing of the Lord which they seldome call for in good earnest Thirdly let them consider how noble a thyng a childe is whom God himselfe hath shaped in his moothers wombe nourished brought foorth intoo the light and endued with bodie and soule to the intēt he should as it were in a table represent God his first paterne Fourthly let them know that these things are too be delt withall in order Untoo the body nourishment bringing vp apparell and sometime correction that they may kepe their children in awe Untoo the soule they owe doctrine and that of twoo sorts namely of Godlinesse of ciuilitie By the one they shall kéepe a good conscience before God by the other they shall obteine a good report among men For these are the twoo things that we must chéefly séeke after in this lyfe Paule comprehendeth them both when he sayth Yée parēts bring vp your children in nurture and awe of the Lorde Which is confirmed by the déede of Tobias who instructing his sonne sayth All the dayes of thy life beare GOD in thy minde and beware that thou consent not vntoo sinne Héere first he cōmendeth vnto his son the study of godlynesse and secondly he chargeth him that he consent not too sinne that is that he giue not eare too such as intice him to sinne And so he requireth of his sonne a certeine holy ciuilitie Last of all let parents consider how many sinnes they cōmit and heape one vpon an other which doo not their dutie in bringing vp their children as they ought too do First they trāgresse y e law of nature which telleth al men y t their duetie is to bring vp their children godlily honestly Secondly they sinne ageinst God For they despise the commaundement and authoritie of God For he commandeth that children should bée brought vp godlily and honestly and he is a despiser of GOD that refuseth too doo as he is commanded Thirdly he offendeth ageinst his owne estimation For gods wil is that parents should after a sort bée in his sted so far foorth as perteyneth to outward discipline But they make small account of this dignitie who neglect their dutie Upon these sinnes ensue many punishments both ghostly and bodily as well in the parents as in the children yea and in all the posteritie Now what maner of duetie children owe to their parēts the example of the child Iesus sheweth euidently so that it néedeth not greatly to séeke precepts from elsewhere First he went vp too Hierusalem with his parents wherby good childrē may lerne too worship god with their parēts and to loue holy méetings and reuerently too bée present at the Ceremonies of the Church Secondly he disputeth demaundeth and héereth Héereby may our children lerne too demaund the things y t they know not to dispute of things doutfull and to harken to suche as teach aright For although Chryst disputed not of any thing bicause he was in dout of it nor demanded any thing bicause he was ignorant of it ne herkned to thē bycause they could teach him more rightly Yet the example profiteth vs. Therfore must godly children at their cōming home dispute with their parents if they stand in dout of ought that they haue heard c. Furthermore Chryst loseth his parents his kinsfolk and his acquaintance for the woord of God Héerby may our children also lerne too set more by God than by their carnal parents and too haue the woord of God in greater regarde than the hestes of their parents Lastly Chryst returneth with his parents is obedyent vntoo them Héerby our children may lerne too stād in awe of their parēts to obey them in al things that are godly honest These vertues of childrē as they haue very large promises of good successe in this life so the vices in childrē which fight against these vertues haue threatnings of most gréeuous punishments which also extend themselues euen vnto their posteritie For the ofspring for the most part receiueth the vices of the auncitrie as it were by inheritance ¶ Of the fourth BIcause I haue spoken somewhat already of this .iiij. place the .viij. day agoe I will now speake not past a woorde or two Chryst in respect of his Godhead did not grow in age wisdome and fauor but in respect of his manhod and bicause he tooke vpon him the very nature of man in déede in it hée grew in age wisdome and fauoure Whose example would God wée could folow y t as wée grow in yéeres so wée might grow in wisdome and fauor bothe with God and men And that this may befall vntoo vs Chryste graunt vs too whom bée glory world without end Amen The .ij. Sunday after Epiphany ¶ The Gospell Iohn ij ANd the third day there vvas a mariage in Cana a citie of Galilee and the moother of Iesus vvas there And Iesus vvas called and his Disciples vntoo the mariage And vvhen the vvine failed the mother of Iesus
awake he had of his owne accorde helped them at the pinche as in so great a daunger though his disciples had not prayed him And albeit that of his goodnesse and fatherly affection towards vs hée be ready too giue vs all things that be necessary to our welfare yet is hâ—e not 〈…〉 giue them but at our entretaÌ„ce For prayer is the ordinary instrument too atteyn all things that are needful for vs of God whiche thing is done for this cause that we should reuerence him the true God creatour fountaine of all goodnesse and acknowledge oure selues weake creatures as what without GOD neyther haue ought nor ought are able too do 3 The woorking of faith is héere séene For faith is not an idle assent or thought but it is a stout Giant which ouercommeth the world as Iohn saith This is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen your faith verely faith ouercommeth but yet through the conquerour Christ whom it possesseth Thus faith hath 〈◊〉 his enimie the worlde that is too wéete sinne Death the Diuel daungers and the fleshe On sinnes side standeth the Lawe conscience and dispaire On faiths side standeth the Gospel Christes sacrifice and 〈…〉 Therefore when the Law assayleth thée wyth his lightening smoake fyre vapoures and thunder Let fayth take the Gospell vntoo him and set that betwéene him and the Lawe And when the Lawe sayth Cursed is euerie one that dooth not al the things that are written in the booke of the Law set the Gospel ageinst it saying Euerie one that beléeueth on the Sonne hath life euerlasting When Death threatneth death set thou ageinst him the ouercommer of Death Iesus Chryst who casting Death in the téeth sayth Death where is thy sting Hel wher is thy victorie The same in the Gospell of Iohn sayeth Hée that beléeueth in mée shall not taste of Death for euermore but shall passe from Death vntoo Lyfe Then is Death profitable too the godly person for it is only a passage vnto the better life so little cause is there that the godly should be afrayd of it The Deuill in déede accuseth and packs vp a great beadroll of sinnes toogither But sette thou ageynst him the sentence of Chryst which sayeth The Prince of this worlde is iudged already and this saying of Paule It is God that iustifieth who then can condemne If hée lay our owne vnrighteousnesse too our charge Let vs answere with Paule Him who knew no sinne made hée a sacrifice for sinne that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him In likewise the daungers of sinne reprooue vs for they are as it were a sermon of God concerning sinne But aunswer thou that iudgement beginneth at Gods house that the Lorde chastiseth euerie childe whom hée receyueth vntoo him yea and that too the childes behoofe The fleshe moueth too despaire But make thou the fleshe subiect too the spirite and say that fleshelie iudgemente hath no place in this behalfe And so doo a thousande things méete vs that will hinder our saluation Could Nero then haue gainsayde sinne the Law Death and the flesh in maner aforesayd No verely For the onely children of God haue that priuiledge The rest are hilde in bondage vnder sinne bicause they are the seruants of sinne as which commit sinne by mainteining it agaynst the spirit or rather vtterly quench the spirit with it Whosoeuer therfore will geinsay sin the law death the deuill the flesh c. let him looke whither hée féele true repentance let him looke whither hée haue fayth and a good conscience and finally let him looke whither hée bée so framed that hée can preferre the obedience of God before all the commodities of this life vtterly casting away all purpose of sinning 4 Chryst findeth faulte with twoo things in his Disciples First with their fainthartednesse bycause they ought not too haue bin afrayd as long as hée was with them for in asmuch as they had séene so many miracles of his they might easily haue learned that it is not possible for him too perishe with whoom Chryst is present And secondely with the smalnesse of their fayth bicause they beleued not that hée coulde doo as much sleeping as waking or as much vpon the sea as vpon the lande being the maker both of sea and lande 5 And as in sléeping hée shewed himselfe too bée man So héere in commaunding the windes hée prooueth himselfe too bée GOD both which things doo serue the slendernesse of our Faith For his manhood sheweth his good wil towardes vs and his godhed sheweth his ablenesse which twoo things are requisite in euerie frée acte 6 Too bée short Chryste by this storie sheweth that hée willed in déede the saluation of men and especially of them that call vpon him For as it is his will that we should call vpon him in our perils so also is it his will too vtter his fatherlie affection towards vs in deliuering vs from danger ¶ Of the thirde THis is a most plesant Allegorie For here is painted out the state and image of the Church The sea is the world the ship is the Church the winde is the Deuil the Disciples are the godlie companie of the beléeuers Chryst is the truth and the Gospel is faith First mark héere that before Christe with his Disciples entred intoo the ship the Sea was calme that is too say the world slept soundly in his own sinnes But as soon as Christ entred into the ship ther arose a mighty tempest in so much as the ship séemed too bée ouerwhelmed But what ensued Christe the Lord was there present who could commaunde the sea and the windes Héereby therefore wée may learne that out of this little ship that is too say the Churche there is no safegard Howbéeit we must looke wel about vs héere that we take not our enimies ship for the true ship The enimies ship is bothe better decked outwardely and of greater receit within But the true ship hath hir decking inwardly and it hath a muche more stately maister namely the holye Ghost All the mariners that it hath are godly It hathe the woord of God and the sacraments in right vse and obedience too the ministerie And with these treasures this ship holdeth it selfe contented in so great waues 2 It is too bée obserued that this shippe sayleth not in the calme sea but is tossed in the waues whiche driueth it hither and thither whiche thing too bée moste true the storie of the world sheweth When GOD had made the world hée put this ship in the middes of it And by and by the deuil the enimie of Gods sonne tossed it with stormes and from thence foorthe it was miserably turmoyled vntoo the time of Noe and after Noe too Abrahams time from Abraham too Moyses time and from thence vntil Christs time who too the intent too saue this ship came intoo the world Yet ceassed not the waues thereof as then But what is the cause that the world cannot abide
aske importunately that he should doo as hee had alwayes doone vnto them Therefore as they were clustered togither Pylate answered vnto them Yee haue a custome that I should let one loose vnto you at Easter therefore whither wil you that I let go vnto you Barrabas or Iesus that king of the Iewes whiche is called Christe For he knewe that the cheefe Preestes had deliuered him for enuie Now as he was sitting in the place of iudgement his wife sent vnto him saying Haue thou nothing too doo with that rightuous man for I haue suffered many things for him this night in my sleep But the cheefe of the preests the elders stirred the people persuading them too desire too haue Barrabas let loose to them too haue Iesus put too death The president answering sayd vntoo them which of the two wil yee that I let loose vntoo you And all the whole multitude cried out toogither saying Away with this man and let looce too vs Barrabas And Pilate spake too them agein and being desirous too haue let go Iesus sayd What wil yee then that I doo vntoo Iesus whome you call King of the Iewes And they all cryed ageine crucifie him crucifie him Thē sayd he too them the third time VVhat euil hath he doone I finde no fault in him woorthy death I will therefore chastise him and let him go But they cried out the more saying Let him bee crucified And they cryed importunately vpon him requiring that he might bee crucified And the noyse of them and of the high Preests preuayled Then Pilate tooke Iesus and whipped him And the presidentes men of warre caryed him away intoo the Palace whiche is the Counsel house and called vntoo him all their band and vnclothing him put vpon him a purple garment and platting a crowne of thorne set it vppon his head and gaue him a reede in his right hande and bowing their knees before him began to salute him in mockage saying Hayle king of the lewes And they buffetted him And when they had beespitted him they tooke the Reede and smote him on the head and kneeling downe woorshipped him Pilate therfore went foorth ageine and sayd vntoo them Beholde I bring him out vntoo you that you may knowe I finde no cause in him Iesus therefore went foorth wearing a crowne of thorne and a robe of purple And Pylate sayde too thē Beholde the man VVhen the high preests and officers saw him they cried out saying crucifie him crucifie him Pilate sayd vntoo them Take you him and crucifie him For I finde no cause in him The Iewes answered him we haue a law and according too our lawe he ought too die bicause he hath made him self the sonne of God VVhen Pilate had heard this saying he was more afrayd And he entred againe intoo the common Hall and sayd vnto Iesus From whence art thou But Iesus made him none ansvvere Then sayde Pilate too him speakest thou not too mee Knovvest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and that I haue power too let thee go Iesus ansvvered Thou shouldst not haue any povver against mee vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue Therefore he that deliuered mee vntoo thee hath the greater sinne From that time foorth sought Pilate to acquit him But the Iewes cryed out saying If thou quit him thou art not Caesars freend For vvhoo so euer maketh him selfe a King is ageinst Caesar. VVhen Pilate herd that vvoord he brought Iesus foorth and sate dovvn too giue iudgement in a place whiche is called Lithostrotos and in Hebrew Gabbata And it was about the sixt hour of the day of the preparation of the passeouer And he sayd to the Iewes Behold your king And they cried away with him away with him crucifie him Pilate sayd vntoo them Shall I crucifie your King The high Preestes answered we haue no King but Caesar. Then Pilate seeing hee auayled nothing but that the noyse encreased more willing too satisfie the people adiudged him too bee dealt with according too their demaunde And taking water hee washed his hands before the people saying I am giltlesse of the blud of this righteous person Looke you too it And all the people answering sayd his bloud be vppon vs and vppon our children And he let loose Barrabas vntoo them whoo for insurrection murder had bin cast in prison according to their demaund And hauing whipped and mocked Iesus he deliuered him intoo their hands too be crucified The souldyers taking Iesus put of his purple garment and put vpon him his owne garments and led him away bearing his owne crosse to be crucified And as they were going out they found one passing by a man of Cyrene named Simon cōming from his ground the father of Rufus Alexander Him they layde holde vpon and compelled him to take vp his crosse And they layd the crosse vpon him that hee might carye it after Iesus And there followed him a greate multitude of people and women that wept and bewayled him Iesus turning him to the women sayd vnto them Yee daughters of Hierusalem weepe not for mee but weepe for youre selues and for your children For behold the dayes shal come in which they shall say blessed be the barreyn and the wombes that haue borne no children and the brests that haue not giuen suck Then shal they begin too say too the mountayns fall vpon vs and to the hilles couer vs. For if they doo these things in a greene tree what shall bee doone in the withered And there were two other also led with him that were offenders to be put to death And they led him to a place whiche in Hebrewe is called Golgatha whiche is by interpretation a place of dead mens skulles And there they gaue him eyzle or mirrhe wine mixt with gall too drinke And when he had tasted of it hee would not drinke And they crucified him in Golgatha and with him twoo theeues one on his right hand and another on his left and Iesus in the midst And the scripture was fulfilled whiche saith and he was acounted among the wicked And it was the third houre when they crucified him And Iesus sayd Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doo Moreouer Pylate wrate a title cōteyning the cause of his death and they set it vpon the crosse ouer the head of Iesus the wryting was this Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes This title did many of the Iewes read bicause the place where Iesus was crucified was neere vnto the Citie And it was written in Hebrue Greek and Latin letters Then sayd the highe Preests of the Iewes vnto Pylate write not king of the Iewes but that hee sayde I am king of the Iewes Pylate answered That whiche I haue written I haue written Then when the souldiers had crucified Iesus they took his garments and made foure peeces vnto euery souldier a pece and his cote also But this cote of his was without seam wouē from the top
good his owne promises For he promised his Disciples that after hée had bin deliuered too the Gentiles and mocked of them he should be put too death and rise ageine the third day And he preuented not the third day bicause all men might certeinly know that hée was dead in déed Therfore by lying fortie houres in his graue he shewed himselfe too haue bin dead in very déede And why he delayed not his resurrection til the last day there are right weightie causes ready too be shewed The first is bicause it was written Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one too sée corruption For Chrystes body might not rot in the graue First for that it was made of the bloud of the moste chaste virgin by the woorking of the holy ghost Secondly for that as long as hée liued in this world he kept it pure and vndefiled Therfore had it bin vnméet that suche a body should haue become woormes meat The seconde cause why hée delayed not his resurrection is our hope For thus sayeth Peter Blissed bée God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryste for begetting vs ageine too a liuely hope throughe the resurrection of Chryste from the dead The third cause is that hée should be the first of them that rise ageine For like as Adam was the firste that appéered in mortall body by reason of sinne so ought Chryste too bée the first that should appéer in immortall body iustifying vs and healing our bodies from eternall death And although wée shal all rise ageine and that others besides Chryst haue risen ageine Yet is there excéeding great difference betwéene the resurrection of Chryste and of other men For first Chryst rose ageine by his owne power whiche thing no man coulde euer doo saue onely hée Secondly the other that were raysed as the widowes sonne the ruler of the Sinagogs daughter and Lazarus and others rose too die ageine But Chryste rose too liue for euermore Besides this Chrysts Resurrection differeth from the Resurrection of other men in frute and efficacie For Chryste by his owne power rayseth vp others which thing was shewed in the Garden where he was buried and rose ageine at the rising of the Sunne Lastly Chrysts rising ageine differeth from oures in time also For as it is already shewed and as we knowledge in our Créede Chryst rose ageyne the third day but our Resurrection shall bée delayed till the last day For then shall appéere the euerlasting life and endlesse righteousnesse which he shall giue too all his that is too say too all them that beléeue in him Thus much concerning the second place why Christ rose ageine the third day and how his resurrection differeth from oures that by the Resurrection of Chryst wée may conceiue liuely hope of the euerlasting and incorruptible heritage in heauen ¶ Of the thirde NOw remayneth the thirde place concerning the frute of Chrysts Resurrection which is more plentifull and abundaunt than that it may bée expressed by mannes tung Paule saythe that by Chryste all things are restored in heauen and in earth For first Chryste by comming out of his graue sheweth himselfe conquerour and triumpher ouer Death Hell and Sathan and so maketh good the promisse vttered concerning him in times past The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpents head whiche Prophecie Iohn expounding sayth Chryst appéered too destroy the woorkes of the Deuill How bée it as too vs warde that are men for whose saluation he came downe from heauen was made manne dyed and rose ageyne there are foure sundrye kindes of frutes of Chrystes Resurrection too bée considered For Chrysts Resurrection is first our Iustification Secondly the power whereby sinne is subdued in vs thirdly an example of newnesse of lyfe the cause therof and fourthly the cause of our resurrection and a most assured warrant of the same Of these foure maner of frutes I will speake in order Therfore the first frute of our Lordes resurrection is the iustification of vs of which frute Paule speaketh in y e fourth too the Romanes Hée died for our sinnes and rose ageine for our iustification And Daniell in his .ix. Chapter Iniquitie shal bée taken away and euerlasting righteousnesse shal bée brought in To the intent this frute may bée the swéeter wée must consider of how great value it is Wée are borne in sin and subiect too Gods wrath Ephes. 1. Wée are all by nature the children of wrath The reward of sinne is death Ro. 6. frō this death are wée deliuered by the resurrection of Christ. For by Christ wée are quit from the gilt of sinne and so consequently from eternall death Héervpon commeth that saying in the Apocalips Blissed and holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for vpon them hath the second death no power but they shal bée préests of God of Chryst and they shall reigne with him For as the first death is by Adam so the first Resurrection is by Chryst. Héervntoo also perteineth this saying Blissed are they that wash their garmentes in the Lambes blud that they may haue power in the trée of life and may enter in at the gates of the Citie The second frute of our Lords Resurrection is that it is the power whiche is shed intoo the beléeuers which maketh them able too ryse from vices vntoo vertue This power is bestowed vppon vs in Baptim and confirmed in the Lordes Supper so that wée bée not behinde hande with our partes And yet this power is felt in those only that are borne agein of immortall séede 1. Peter 1. The thirde frute is the example For as Paule sayeth Chryste rose ageine too the intent wée might walke in newnesse of lyfe Those therefore that folowe their owne vices liuing wickedly vnclenly doo testifie by their own doing y t they despise Chryste whose Resurrection is set before vs as a glasse to sée how we ought too leade our life For they think that Chryst was scourged crowned with thornes and shed his blud vppon the altar of the crosse too the intent that they may giue ouer themselues too all outragiousnesse tyranny pryde and lusts and after this maner as much as in them lieth they crucifie the sonne God of new agein We therfore who couet not only to be called but also to be the same that we are called that is to say Christians must think vppon the mater as it is in déede namely that Chryst dyed for the clensing of suche mennes sinnes as receiue Faith with him and liue in true repentance by mortifying the old man and quickening the new man There bée foure euils wherewith men are burthened ignorance giltinesse of sinne vices and feare of endlesse damnation Ageinst ignorance Chryste is vntoo vs wisdome whyle he by his Gospel instructeth vs of his will towards vs. For if we were not instructed concerning his will by the woord of god our mind should be wrapped in continual darknesse which darknesse is put away by the
this present life shall in the end enioy ful glory with Christ so shée continue stedfast in his faith vntoo the end The places are thrée 1 Chrysts forewarning concerning his owne death and Resurrection 2 The weaknesse of the apostles and so consequently of all mortall men 3 The Crosse of the Church in this world and the glorious and ioyfull deliuerance of the same ¶ Of the firste COncerning the death and resurrection of Chryst I will speake somwhat bréefly bicause wée haue herd all thinges alate more plenteously After a vvhyle yee shall not see mee and ageine after a vvhile yee shall see mee for I goe too the father Héere doth Chryst somwhat darkly foreshew them his death and resurrection But his méening is this After a vvhile sayth he yee shall not see mee that is too say I shall lye dead a thrée days in my graue so that you shall not sée mée And againe after a vvhile yee shall see mee that is too say I shall be raised ageine from death and you shall sée mée fortie days before I ascende visibly into heauen and be taken away out of your sight by a cloude And this is it that he sayeth bicause I go to the Father that is too say after my death I shall passe from persecution to the glorie of heauen What is he not present with his churche after his ascension Yes he is present according too his promise euen vntoo the end of the worlde Howbéeit not after a bodyly maner but after a diuine and spiritual maner For Gods woord and the holy Ghost are the glasse â–ª wherin Chryst will be holden and this beholding is sufficient wherwith wée must be contented vntill he himselfe come to iudgement for afterward wée shall enioy the sight of him for euermore But why did hée put his Disciples in minde of his death and resurrection Surely there be many causes of which the chéefe is this which he alleageth in these woords I haue told you of these things before hand that vvhen they bee come to passe you may beleeue For mens minds are gretly strengthned when they sée things fall out â–ª according too that whiche was tolde them before Neither dyd any thing more raise the Apostles than that they saw all things aunswerable too Chrystes foresayings wherby they might bothe vnderstand his Godhead and throughly perceiue his office Moreouer the Lordes will was by the often forewarnings too prouide for the infirmitie of his disciples For this is the poynt of a faythfull maister to haue a consideration of their capacitie whome he taketh vppon him to teache and too remedie theyr rawnesse by often beating the selfe same things intoo their heads Besides this also he therfore foretold his death and resurrection too the intent his disciples shoulde knowe that he knew before of his owne death and resurrection and that he willingly obeyed the father euen vntoo death too the intent he might deliuer vs froÌ„ death This sermon of Chrystes is too bée applyed vnto vs also for not muche vnlike happeneth vntoo vs. Hée sêemeth too bée a whyle from vs when he leaueth vs comfortlesse wrestling vnder the crosse And afterwarde ageyne hée is séene of vs when hée comforteth vs by the Gospell and manifesteth the presence of his spirite in our prayers ¶ Of the second THe rawnesse of Christes disciples in matters of saluation is described in these woords VVhat is it say they that he sayth After a vvhile yee shall not see mee and ageyne after a vvhile yee shall see mee and that I go to the father vve knovv not vvhat he speaketh It is a greater wonder that they being so often warned of the Lordes death and Resurrection not only by types figures and riddles but also by expresse woordes coulde neuer the more vnderstande him What is the cause héerof Surely there are twoo causes One is for that an opinion once conceiued in the mynde is not easly pulled out specially if it haue taken déepe roote The Iewes yea and the Lords Disciples themselues dreamed that Chrysts gouernement should haue bin ciuill so as Chryste himselfe béeing made chéefe Emperor should subdue the whole world and reign ouer it and that his disciples should haue bin next about him whiche thing the moother of Zebedies children declared sufficiently when she made request that the one of hir sonnes might sit at Chrystes right hande and the other at his left An other cause is the dimnesse that is in all mankynd wherby it commeth to passe that no man is able too perceiue the things that pertein too God vnlesse he haue the holy Ghost too bée his teacher Héerby we may leene first too bewaile this our blindnesse Secondly too héere Gods woord more often wherby we may bée deliuered fâ—rom this dimnesse of ignorance and thirdly to craue of God that he him selfe will teache vs according too that place of the .xxv. Psalme Leade me foorth in thy truth and teach mée bycause thou art the God of my saluation Good and rightfull is the Lord therfore shall he teach sinners in the way But wée must take héede that when the Lorde teacheth we shut not the eares of our hert against his voyce lyke as all they doo that héere Gods woorde without frute As for those that so stop their eares against Gods voyce they may at length deserue too be left vp in their blindnesse and ignoraunce for euer God preserue vs that we incurre not this penaltie of vnthankefulnesse wherewith wée sée many to be horribly punished For there are many too bée found that if a man aske them after the héering of a Sermon what they haue brought away haue not a woord to aunswer But if yée question with them of talke had at a feast or in game they can reherse you euery thing so as they will not misse ye a woord What is the reason In some folke the cause of it is mannes naturall dulnesse in matters of Saluation In other some the cause of it is the punishment of sinne also that héering they héere not and vnderstanding they vnderstande not Wherfore right déere beloued let vs fall too amendement of lyfe let vs call vpon God for help and when wée féele in our selues a wéerinesse of héering and learning the woord of God Let vs by and by think that the diuel layeth a snare for vs and let vs forthwith flée vntoo Praier beséeching GOD that he will both teach vs and also by his spirit make roome for his woord in vs. ¶ Of the third VErely verely I say vntoo you that you shall moorne and vveepe but the vvorld shall reioyce And you shall be sadde but your sadnesse shall bee turned intoo ioy He repeteth the same thing that he had spoken a litle before concerning his death and Resurrection For by thrée signes which were set foorth he gaue an inklyng what should come after although somwhat darkly By the moorning of his Disciples is signified the death and buriall of Chryste By the gladnesse of
the world is signified the triumph of the Iewes kylling Chryst. For when they had put him too death they thought theÌ„selues and their common weale too bée out of all hazard And when he addeth Your sorovv shall be turned intoo ioy Hée signifieth that he will rise ageyne from death wherby his disciples shall conceiue ioy This selfe same thing declareth he by the similitude of the woman trauaylyng with chylde whoo as long as she is in hir labor féeleth gréeuous throwes but as soone as shée séeeth the child borne she taketh so great ioye that she vtterly forgetteth the paine that shée felt a little before After the same maner the disciples of the Lord felt gret sorow of mynde when the Lord was dead and buried but anon after when the Lord was raised ageyne from death for ioy they forgate the sorow past And this is it that he sayth And I will sée you agein and your hart shal reioyce bicause you shal sée mée raised from death and no man shal take your ioye from you that is to saye I shall die no more that yée should be cast into heauinesse for my death but I shall liue for euer so instruct you by my spirit concerning the knowledge of God that you shall haue no more néed too aske mée any moe questions Thus haue wée playnly séene the méenyng of the Text. And nowe are all these things too bée applyed too the church of all times whiche in this world shall bée vnder the crosse whyle the vngodly reioyce Howebéeit at length when Chryst appéereth it shall obteyne full perfect ioy wherof shal be none end For these thréedays wherin our Lord suffered and rose ageyn are an image of y e crosse of the church and of the ioy of the world that is to say of the vngodly persecuting Chryste and killing him in his membres of the glorious deliueraÌ„ce of the church which shal at y t time be full wheÌ„ our Lord shalle â—ome in the cloudâ— with glorie and great power and shall take vp those that bée his intoo euerlasting ioy and deliuer the vngodly too the diuell too bée tormented with eternall paines For as muche then as this place admonisheth vs of the Crosse of the Churche and of the glorious deliuerance of the same I will first shew what the Crosse is and how diuers next what are the causes of the Crosse Then the difference betwéene the crosse of the Godly and the punishments of the vngodly Also with what minde the Godly may beare the crosse and lastly from whence comfort is too bée sought vnder the Crosse. What is the Crosse It is any affliction whereunto the meÌ„bers of Chrysts Church are subiect in this world wherof there seme to be foure differences For the crosse of a godly person is first either a gréefe of mynd and affliction of body and that for sundry causes as for the receiuing of some losse for the sorowfull mischaunce of some fréend for thirst nakednesse imprisonment or torture as holy Iacob had exceding gréefe of mynde for the losse of his sonne Ioseph Ioseph suffred affliction of body in y e prisoÌ„ Lazarus felt hunger and the peyne of his byles at the richmans gate and many are exercised at this day with sundry troubles and gréefes both of mind and body 2 Or iâ— is a most sharpe fight betwene the fleshe and spirite in the Godly For the fleshe lusteth alwayes ageynst the spirit and now and then getteth the vpper hand séeming to giue the spirit an vtter ouerthrowe as wée sée in Dauid who being ouercome with the concupiscences of the fleshe felt intoo the most heynous offences of murther and aduoutrie and had perished for euer had he not bin called back too repentance and the flesh subdued agein vnder obedience of the spirit Heervpon Paule cryeth out whoo shal deliuer mée from the body of this death The grace of God through Iesus Chryst. 3 Or it is a hardnesse and distresse of vocation in household state ciuil state or ecclesiasticall state that is too say of priuate publik ecclesiastical state How great a crosse euen the godly husbands wiues féele in bringing vp their children and in séeking néedefull things whereby too liue they know that haue had the triall of it Such as beare office as kings noble men counsellors and presidents are not frée from the crosse at least wise if they bée godly So also godly bishops parish préests and the other ministers of the Churches doo oftentimes féele a crosse by reason of the difficultie of their office 4 Or else the crosse is a punishment for some certayne fault Like as there bée many causes of the troubles of the Church of which causes I will now intreate What then are the causes of the crosse of the church Certein causes of the crosse are within vs and certein without vs. Within vs are thrée causes of the crosse whereof the first is sinne inhabiting in vs that is too say originall sinne If this sinne were not brydled it woulde bring foorth damnable frutes The seconde is Concupiscence shooting out of the same as a flame out of fire which flame vnlesse it were quenched with the water of the Crosse woulde kindle the fire of hell The thirde cause is that there bée in vs daylye backslydings which originall sinne procureth by his concupiscences Seuen times in a day sayth Salomon dooth the righteous man fall and riseth ageine These dayly fallings dooth the crosse stay that is layd vpoÌ„ vs by God too the intent wée should not bée damned with the world in our sinnes Besides these there are also causes of the crosse without vs but of an other nature For God of his fatherly goodnesse visiteth vs with his rod. For whomsoeuer hée receyueth him hée chastiseth with none other affection than the good father Agein the diuil lies in wait for the church as wée sée in Iob but God appointeth him bounds beyond which he is not able too raunge Moreouer the limmes of the diuell that is too say tyrants and euill men in this world which trouble the Church in this life Also there bée other causes of the crosse which I will let passe and speake of the difference betwéene the crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly What is the difference then betwéene the Crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly sith wée sée as wel the godly as vngodly striken with gréeuous miseries in this world surely there bée many differences The first difference is taken of the efficient causes For as the affection of the godly procéedeth of the fatherly loue of the heuenly father towards his children so the punishments of the wicked procéede of the wrath and sore displeasure of the iust iudge god who punisheth the wicked as his enemies and aduersaries The second difference is taken of the finall causes for the godly are exercised with the crosse too their good but the vngodly are striken with punishementes too
about his neck and were cast intoo the sea Moreouer this offence is coÌ„mitted also as wel by the magistrate as by the subiects As wheÌ„ Hieroboam set vp a calfe in Samaria too bée woorshipped when the same man playing the tyraunt did persecute the holy prophets of God But this offence is most gréeuous in ministers of churches when they eyther by leud doctrine or corrupt life giue occasion too many too speak euil of the Gospel and minister special occasion of fasâ—ing too them that bée weakâ— as are couetous persons whoremongers dronkards murtherers such others as offende the Church with their behauiour Which sort the zelous Bishoppes ought too dispose least they by their falling should draw many mo with them too decay Neyther are subiects too bée excused in this behalfe for wée sée what the worlde is all are corrupt Who offendeth not in dronkennesse who giueth not occasion of stumbling by accustoming himselfe rashly too swearing where is there one among a number that layeth not some snare or other too stumble at Howbéeit bicause offences giuen are not all of one sort for some are giuen by a woord or déede that is euill in it self and other some are giuen by a woord or déed not euil of it self but doone or spoken out of season It is too bée knowne that the first kind without exception is too bée shunned of al men that haue regarde of euerlasting saluation But as for that offence that is giuen by a thing indifferent is not alwayes too bée eschewed but wée must deale according too this difference of men Some men are strong as they that already know the Chrystian libertie Some are weake and haue the beginning of Religion but are not sufficiently settled in the christen libertie Other some are obstinate vnable too bée taught and wilfull The first sort is not offended at the vse of things indifferent but rather reioyseth in the christian libertie The thirde sort are offended but thou shalt not care for them for they are the enemies of Chryst. Neither shalt thou absteine from the vse of things indifferent for their sakes and much lesse shalt thou absteine from true vertues as are the true woorshipping of God true inuocation and true confession of the son of God Neither shalt thou abstein from true doctrine but after the example of Chryste teache thou and professe thou the true Gospell euen in sight of hell gates For so did chryst so did y e prophets so did the apostles yea and al the godly of all ages It is woont too bée commonly sayd that he y e iudgeth aright teacheth aright dooth aright ought not for any offence too forbeare any thing y t is aright This surely is most true and is confirmed by the examples of Chryst his apostles But as coÌ„cerning the middle sort of men that is to wit the weak the rule of Paule is too bée noted Rather thaÌ„ I wil offend my weake brother I wil eat no fleshe while I liue After the same rule it is too bée déemed of other things indiffereÌ„t For in all our dooings there is a consideration too bée had of mutuall charitie and edifying Neuerthelesse this offence giuen wherof we haue already spoken hath yet another differeÌ„ce takeÌ„ of y e difference of the persons For some persons are set in some roome of authoritie other some are inferiors leading a priuate life The offence y t is giuen by a persone set in any authoritie is muche more gréeuous than y t which is giueÌ„ by a priuate person y t is placed in no office therfore it deserueth greter punishmeÌ„t both in respect of y e person him selfe who defileth the place to which he is promoted by God also for other mens sakes too whoÌ„ he by his leud example hath giuen a more forcible cause of falling For euen as the greater a stone is that falleth froÌ„ a high rocke the moe péeces it maketh in the fall Euen so the greater state that a person is of the higher y t he is placed in degrée of dignitie so many y e mo draweth he down with him when hée falleth Likewise also a minister of Gods woorde sinning in dronkennesse whoredome manslaughter or any other crime is a greater stumbling blocke than a souldiour a courtier a mariner or a ploughman and therfore is too be restreyned and punished with greater punishement For hée draweth moe with him vntoo decay After the same manner is too bée déemed of others Dauid in the Realme of Iewrie was not an aduouterer and a murtherer alone yet notwithstanding his sinne by reason of the offence that grewe thereof was more horrible than the faultes of other men in Gods sight wherefore it was punished also with gréeuouser punishements specially of the body Muche more gréeuously sinneth a dronken mayster of a house than a seruaunte For hée is an example vntoo his whole housholde but this other as a despised person â–ª is not taken for anye example excepte it bée of as leude as him selfe And thus farre as touching an offence giuen An offence taken is that whiche any man taketh too himselfe at other mennes wel dooings or otherwise and it is of twoo sortes Humain deuilish Humain is partly of vngodly folk partly of godly folk Of vngodly folke when y e vngodly are offeÌ„ded eyther at the dooings of the godly or at the frée vsage of things indifferent or else at the outwarde countenance of the Churche For when the vngodly sée the godly distressed vnder the crosse too bée as it were outcasts in the world the vngodly take thereby an occasion of a sorer fal As the Iewes which were offended at the lowlynesse of Chryst and the misery of his Church after which sorte many at this day also are offended at the woundes of the Church Contrariwise the godly take offence when they sée the wicked flourishe when the Churche is oppressed by tirants when many giltlesse persons are punished and when they sée the Church turmoiled with heresies But they ouercome this stumbling block ageine partly by the strengthning of the holy Ghoste partly by the examples of Chrysts church and partly by earnest prayer neyther is there any better remedy ageynst the stumbling blockes of this kinde than too set ageinst them the continuall custome of God who suffreth his Churche too bée ouerwhelmed with sundry miseryes in this worlde â–ª too the intent it may in time too come bée glorified with his beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst. The Deuilish offence taken is when men preposterously catche occasions whiche they stretche too a further libertie of sinning Doutlesse the cause why C ham scoffed so malapertly at his Father was that hée might purchase too him selfe libertie too sin without coâ—trolement We sée very many such now a dayes which euer narowly picke out the faults of the holy fathers as y e incest of Loth y e droÌ„kennesse of Noe y e coÌ„cubineship of AbrahaÌ„ the aduoutrie murther of
through him mighte bee saued But hee that beleeueth on him is not condemned But hee that beleeueth not is condēned already bicause hee hath not beleeued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God And this is the condemnacion that light is come intoo the vvorlde and men loued darknesse more than light bicause their deedes vvere euill For euery one that euil dooth hateth the light neyther commeth too the light least his deeds should be reproued But he that dooth the truthe commeth too the light that his deeds may bee knovvne hovv that they are vvrought in God The exposition of the Text. WE heard yesterday how the Gospel of Iesus Chryst was confirmed by a woonderfull miracle namely that Chryst sent the holy ghost from heauen in a visible shape whō not onely the Apostles felt but also al that wer that day at Hierusalem sawe according as Luke declareth Act. 2. This day the Church setteth foorth a Gospel wherin Chryst comprehendeth a summe of that doctrine for the confirmation whereof the holy Ghoste was giuen vpon Whitsonday Chryste talketh with Nichodemus who was one of the Pharisies and a Prince of the Iewes as wée shall héere more at large vpon Trinitie Sunday Untoo him dooth Chryste in the texte whiche I recited euen now declare the causes of saluation and damnation sheweth from whence commeth the originall bothe of saluation also of damnation Hée sayeth that Chryst was giuen too the intent that they which beléeue in him shoulde bée saued The reste hée witnesseth too sticke still in their damnation as wée shall cléerly sée in the exposition of the text The places 1 The commendation of Gods louingnesse and mercy towards men 2 The instrument wherby Chrystes benefites are applyed too men is sealed 3 A comfort for the godly ageinst the temptation of sinne and iudgement 4 The difference betwixte the beléeuers and the vnbeléeuers ¶ Of the first SO GOD loued the vvorlde that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne In these few woords is commended vntoo vs the louingnesse and mercy of God and that not by naked woords but by a déed most excellent of all others For it is not a true loue which eyther lyeth hid in the hart only or sitteth in the tong but which procéeding frō the innermore affection of the hart vttreth it selfe by woord and déede How then dooth God loue héer Hée loueth in such wise that he gaue euen his own sonne too be the price of the raunsome for the redēption of the world that he might by his death redéem them that were adiudged too death damnation Of this loue of God speaketh Paul Rom. 5. God condemneth his loue towards vs in that when wée were yet sinners Chryst dyed for vs. And Rom. 8 If God bée on oure side who can bée ageinst vs Who spared not euen his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all Wée dayly behold great tokens of Gods loue towards men in al our whole life in the gouernment of things Notwithstanding that loue whiche so shineth foorthe in the matters of this life is scarsly a slender shadow of that most excellent loue wherwith he embraceth vs in his sonne whom he hath giuen too most bitter death for vs. This loue of GOD hath excéeding mercy going with it of which Moises the Prophets and the Psalmes doo preach in many places out of whom I wil take a few testimonies too confirme our beléefe concerning Gods good wil towards vs. Moses Exo. 34. saith thus O Lord God of power mercifull and gentle and of much compassion and true which extendest mercy vntoo thousands which takest away iniquitie wickednesse and sinne Deut. 5. I am the Lord thy God that sheweth mercy vntoo many thousāds that loue me and kéepe my commaundements Esai 16. And his throne shalbée prepared in mercy Ionas 4. for I know that thou art a gentle and merciful God pacient and of much compassion a forgiuer of mens wickednesse Dauid Psa. 2. The earth is full of the Lords mercy And the .102 Psal. As farre as the heauen is from the earth so hath he strengthened his mercy vpon them that feare him Also Psal. 103. The mercy of the Lord is from generation too generation vpon them that fear him and his rightuousnesse vpon their childrens childrē Also in the same Psalm The Lord is merciful and gentle slow too anger great in mercy he dealeth not with vs according too our iniquities neither rewardeth he vs according too our misdéedes but as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so much hath his mercy surmounted towards them that feare him As the father pitieth his children so doth the Lord pitie thē that feare him There be many such testimonies of scripture which set out vntoo vs the vnspeakable loue and mercy of God and shew the largenesse of the same loue and mercy and the effect and applying therof For the largenes of gods mercy is séene in these poynts that it extendeth it selfe vntoo thousandes that it filleth the earth that God pitieth as the father pitieth his owne children The effect or frute of it is séene in this that it taketh away sinne that it iustifieth sinners that it acquiteth of y e due penaltie This mercy is groūded in his sone bicause he by offring himself in sacrifice hath satisfied Gods iustice by his obedience towards the law of God hath purchased rightuousnesse vntoo vs. This mercy is applied too them that loue God feare him kéepe his commaundements that is too them that beléeue in Christ which through faith performe new obedience But as touching this matter more is to be spoken in the second place Let vs héere consider more déepely the woords of the text God so loued the vvorld sayth he Who loueth God Whom loueth he The world Héer stay thy self think vpon this woord He loueth this world Ergo his healthfull louingnesse perteyneth not to the Iewes only for they ar but a péece of y e world He loueth the world Ergo he loueth not only a certeine few of y e world as the holy vertuous y t are in the world but rather Chryst cam into y e world of purpose to saue y e sinners What meneth he then by the world Al men that are in y e world Behold the Lamb of God saith Iohn which taketh away y e sinnes of the world And agein gods wil is y t al men shuld be saued As often therfore as we héer y t God loueth the world let vs think our selues to be a parcel of that world which he loueth How falles it out then y t he loueth vs cōsidering y t we are sinners God findeth two things in vs. One whiche he himselfe hath made and another which cōmeth of our selues That we are men consisting of soule body it procéedeth of him This his creature God loueth But that we are sinners we haue it not of him but it procéeeeth of our selues This dooth God hate for the
that thou in thy life time receyuedst thy pleasure and contraryvvise Lazarus receyued paine But novve hee is comforted and thou arte punished Beyonde all this betvveene vs and you there is a greate space set so that they vvhich vvould go from hence too you cannot neyther may come from thence too vs. Then hee sayde I pray thee therefore Father sende him too my Fathers house for I haue fiue brethren for too vvarne them leaste they come also intoo this place of tormente Abraham sayde vntoo him they haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heare them And hee sayde Nay Father Abraham but if one come vnto thē from the dead they vvil repent Hee sayde vntoo him If they heare not Moyses and the Prophets neyther vvil they beleeue though one rose from death ageine The exposition of the Text. FRom the first sunday in Aduent hithertoo hath bin set foorth the doctrine concerning euery seuerall article of our Fayth Now in the Sundayes folowing vntoo the first Sunday in Aduent agein is intreated of Chrysts miracles and of the nature and true frutes of faith and that too this intent that the truthe of the Gospell might bée confirmed by the doctrin of miracles and that the doctrine of fayth and the frutes of the same might stirre vs vp too good woorkes Chryst teacheth of good woorkes fiue wayes For sometime he is contented with the doctrine alone as whē he sayth Bée yée merciful fal too repentance bring foorth frutes woorthy repentance And sometime he alledgeth himself for an example for his too folow as when he sayth learne of me bicause I am méeke and lowly of hart One whyle he propoundeth parables as of the good steward of the ten virgins of the séede cast intoo the groūd and such others wherof there is store in the stories of the Gospel And another while he vseth threatnings as when he sayth except your righteousnesse excéede the righteousnesse of the Scribes Pharisses yée shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Also wo bée too you Scribes Pharisies Hypocrites c. And now then he setteth foorth the rewardes and penalties with notable examples lyke as he dooth in this Gospell Too bée short the Lorde leaueth nothing vnattempted wherby he may make his disciples bent too liue honestly Now let vs come too this daies Gospel the summe wherof is that Chryst our Lord by putting foorth two examples discourageth vs from vnmercifulnesse and crueltie towards the poore and encourageth vs too pitie and too constantnesse in suffering the miseries of this life For as by the example of the rich glutton he teacheth what punishment remayneth for the vnmercifull So by the example of poore Lazarus he exhorteth too pitie and honest life in the feare of God The vse héerof therfore shal bée that the rich men which are mercylesse towards their neighbours may beholde as it were in a table what punishment they shall one day abyde if they amend not betimes And ageyne that the poore béeing godly and afflicted in this lyfe may by the example of this poore man Lazarus rayse vp themselues and patiently tarie for their deliueraunce and blissed rest yf they continue in faith vntoo their death The places bée thrée 1 The description of this Glutton with the lessons therof 2 The description of Lazarus with the comforts therof 3 The Lordes saying They haue Moyses and the Prophets ¶ Of the firste THere vvas a certeine riche man vvhich vvas clothed in Purple and fine vvhite In this first place are foure things too bée marked which are 1. A generall rebuke of them that are cruell to the poore 2. The cause of this riche mannes damnation 3. The right vse of riches 4. The state of the wicked mennes soules after this life First therfore when this Glutton is damned in generall are all they reproued that are hard too the poore and whiche flowing in riches them selues are touched with no care of the poore of which sort there bée many in the world This rebuke perteyneth too those also that neither with their counsell nor with their substance doo helpe the ministerie of the world or the néedy members of the church Wherfore let euery man aduise himself wel and take warning by the damnation of this Glutton that he may lerne too bee wise The cause of this Gluttons damnation ar not his riches and the finenesse of his apparell and his deintie fare so they had bin measurably vsed as it appereth by the Gospel it self For poore Lazarus was taken vp intoo the riche Abrahams bosom For if riches had bin y e efficient cause of damnation Abraham also had bin damned Dauid had bin damned and so had many other kings and rich men bin damned But riches and honor and such other things may bée an occasion of damnation namely when men abuse them to the dishonor of God and the contempt of their neighbor too the maintenāce of pride superfluitie But what were the causes why this Glutton was damned Thrée horrible faults which are noted expresly in the text Of which the first was fleshly carelesnesse which had with it these euils that he repented not that he had no féeling of Gods iudgement and wrath that he was touched with no care nor regarde of his duetie For fleshly carefulnesse hath these things continually going with it An other fault for which this Glutton was damned was ryot and surfeting by which bothe mennes bodyes and myndes are ouercharged that they cannot think a whit of the matters of their saluation The third fault for which the Glutton was dāned was the disdeyning of Lazarus which thing sufficiently bewrayeth that he had no faith For wher as is true faith there can bée no crueltie towardes the poore and néedie For these thrée causes was the Glutton damned After whose example many runne daily too assured damnation which with their riches do meynteine carelessenesse surfetting and disdain of Chrysts members Wherfore if we like too be saued let vs amend betimes and let vs take héede that wée abuse not Gods gifts too our owne destruction In the third place it is to be gathered by this example on the contrary part what is the true vse of riches which true vse consisteth in these foure poynts The first is that we employ part of our substance too the mayntenaunce of the ministerie and this vse is confirmed first by the end of man For man was made too the end he should acknowledge and praise God Wherefore the goodes that he hath ought too bée imployed too this ende Secondly this vse is confirmed by the commaundement of God oftentymes repeted For God commaūdeth vs too help the church with our abilities Moreouer this vse is stablished by the examples of godly kings and other holy men who wished nothing so much as with their riches too beutifie and maintain the ministerie of the woord Ageinst this first and godly vse of riches doo many offend among whome bée First suche as conuert their
riches too the ouerthrow of the ministerie like as many Tyrantes haue doone in times past and doo at this day Secondly such as plucke away the Churche goodes and kéepe them too themselues Thirdly also such as bestowe no parte of their owne goodes too the mayntenance of the ministerie of the woord And moreouer suche as by sute or other sleights get intoo their hands the Church goods vnder an honest tytle as though they were ministers of the Churche wheras they bée no better than dombe dogges which neither haue doone seruice too the Church or commō weale nor euer can doo seruice but are slouthful bellies and dul beasts whoo neuerthelesse wil bée saluted by the names of Prelats Chanons Uicars Abbots c. The second and true lawfull vse of riches is that wée imploy part of them too the maintenance and garnishing of the common weale wherin wée liue For common weales are the sogeorning places of the Churche and therefore wée owe thankefulnesse vntoo them although wée should receiue none other commoditie by them Ageinst this vse many offend as for example those that pay not the ryghtfull Tributes those that rayse vnryghtfull Tributes those that imploy not the Tributes too the mayntenaunce of the common weales but too ryot and surfetting and oftentymes too making wrongfull warres The third right and lawful vse of riches is that euery mā should mainteine his owne estate honestly without nigardship Ageinst which vse offēd first they that wast away their goodes in drinking feasting and apparell too sumptuous for their degrée as many doo And secondly also couetous men which delite in their own filthynesse mainteine not their estate honestly as becōmeth them but are basely appareled and feede grosly when in the meane while their money lyeth rusting and rotting in their cofers The fourth true and lawfull vse of riches is that wée bestow some part of it vpon the poore and specially vpon suche as in their pouertie are also godly For this is y e cheefe cause why God sendeth poore folkes among vs that he may make a proofe whither we will folowe his mercie according too Chrystes commaundement Bée mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull Against this vse doo many also offend with this rich glutton whose felowes they shall be one day in punishment for that they haue in this world folowed him as their master in cruelnesse towards the néedie Now foloweth the fourth thing which I sayd was too bée considered in the example of the rich glutton Namely what is the state of their soules that depart out of this life without faith For wheras Christ sayth y t the rich glutton lifting vp his eyes in hel saw Abraham a far of desired that Lazarus might dip the top of his finger in water too coole his tong he peinteth out a table which representeth the state of wicked mens soules after their death wherin these things are noted First the excéeding great torment the cōtinual worme of the conscience 2. The remembrance of his crueltie which he had executed vppon them that were in miserie 3. Their desire too bée reléeued by the help of those too whom they had bin vnmercifull in this life 4. That there shall bée no end of their torments that it is in vaine for them to sue for any easement of their paynes For looke what our Lord for oure capacities sake peynteth out by way of communication betwéene the glutton and Lazarus that did the glutton féele in his own cōscience which the Lord who knoweth al things could not be ignorant of Let this punishmēt of vngodlinesse therfore allure vs too earnest repētance that wée bée not put too torments whither wée will or no. ¶ Of the second ANd there vvas a certeine begger named Lazaraus vvhiche lay at his gate full of sores desiring too bee satisfied of the crummes that fell from the rich mans table and no man gaue vntoo him In this exāple of Lazarus are many things too bée obserued wherby wée may receiue bothe instruction and comfort First héer is confirmed the Sermon of Peter who saythe that iudgement beginneth at the house of the Lord. For God punisheth his own in this life that they may as it were with a brydle bée kept within the boundes of theyr duetie For if all things shold happen to them as they would wish they would be made drunken with the prosperous successe of things and fall from godlynesse too vngodlynesse Whervppon Moyses speaking of the Iewes sayd The people sat downe too eate and drink and rose agein too play that is too say they fel too Idolatrie and other heinous offences Wherfore let vs beare in mynd the saying of Paul 1. Cor. 11. When wée are iudged that is to say afflicted wée are chastysed of the Lord that wee should not bée damned with this worlde Therfore let vs haue an eye to Gods fatherly mynd as often as wée bée hardly delt withall in thys lyfe and taking warning by our crosse let vs feare God leading a godly and blamelesse lyfe Ageine by this example of Lazarus wée are taught that they are not all wretched before God which are cast vnder foote in this world nor on the other side all in Gods fauor that séeme happy and blissed in this life Lazarus was miserable in this lyfe but he was in fauoure with God The Glutton was happye in this world but he was in Gods displeasure What was the cause Lazarus feared GOD through a liuely faith but the Glutton feared not God but was voyde of fayth Thirdly wée sée in Lazarus an exāple of Gods prouidēce He lyeth despised and disdayned But when he lay without all comfort the dogges came licked his sores Wherby is signifyed that God suffereth not the godly to bée so ouerpressed with miseryes but that hée intermedleth comforte wyth their sorowes For there is no doubt but it came too passe by Gods prouidence that the dogges came licked the sores of Lazarus too the greater damnation of the Glutton and his houshold For the meynie folowed the wickednesse of theyr master for the text sayth and no man gaue vntoo him Fourthly let vs marke héere the common lot of the godly and vngodly The Glutton dyeth and Lazarus dyeth Death is cōmon too them both but not the falling out of their death For the Glutton by death passed too miserie but Lazarus atteyned too felicitie Fiftly héer is too bée marked in Lazarus the ministerie of the Angels The Glutton despised Lazarus while he was alyue but the Angels caryed vp his soule when hée was dead He that was despysed in his lyfe was regarded and honored of Gods Angels in his death Neither happeneth this in Lazarus alone but that which wée read of him is common too all the godly For as the soules of the godly are regarded of God so are they caryed by the Angels intoo the hauen of saluation and blissefulnesse Sixthly in the example of Lazarus wée sée what is the state of
them too héere Chryste and too liue after a godly and vertuous maner Héerupon is that saying of Paule Bring vp your children in the lawe and feare of the Lord. The Magistrate shall likewise compell his subiectes by good lawes and ordinances by example and by taking away of idolatrie Like as Ezechias and Theodosius did who tooke away the instruments of Idolatrie But of all men it belongeth chéefly to the ministers of the woord too coÌ„pell folke by thretning and rebuking them as wée réede that Chryst the prophetes and the apostles did ¶ Of the fourth NOne of those men that vvere bidden refused too come shall taste of my Supper That is to say All despisers of the Gospell shall be shut out from euerlasting lyfe For the wrath of God abydeth vpon all that beléeue not in the Son This is the effect of the fourth place Howbéeit this dayes Gospell serueth too thrée vses The first is that weying throughly the greatnesse of Gods mercie wée shold giue him thanks by Iesus Chryst. The second is that wée should beware that we withdraw not our selues from obedience of the Gospell vnder no pretence The third is that wée bée not mysseled by the example of men of â—ower rich men and voluptuous men and so fall headlong intoo destruction but rather that wee endeuer by al meanes wée can too bée conueyed intoo this heauenly supper by our Lord Iesus Chryst too whom with the father and the holy ghost bée honor and glorie world without ende Amen Vpon the .iij. sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xv THEN came vntoo him all the publicans and sinners for to heere him And the Phariseis and Scribes murmured saying Hee receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them But hee putte foorth this parable vntoo them saying VVhat man among you hauing an hundreth sheepe if he lose one of them dooth not leaue ninetie and nine in the vvildernesse and goeth after that vvhiche is loste vntill he finde it And vvhen hee hath founde it he layeth it on his shoulders vvith ioye And assoone as he commeth home he calleth togither his louers and neighbours saying vntoo them Reioyce vvith me for I haue founde my sheepe vvhich vvas lost I say vntoo you that lykevvise ioy shall bee in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more than ouer ninetie and nine iust persons vvhiche neede no repentance Eyther vvhat vvoman hauing ten grotes if she lose one doth not light a candle and svveepe the house and seeke diligently till she fynde it And vvhen she hath founde it she calleth hir louers and hir neighbours togither saying Reioyce vvith me for I haue founde the grote vvhiche I lost Likevvise I say vntoo you shall there bee ioye in the presence of the Aungels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth The exposition of the Text. THe occasion of this dayes Gospell is this For as much the goodnesse of our lord was so great that hée disdeyned no man were he neuer so miserable or neuer so great a sinner but rather allured all men vnto him according too this saying Math. xj Come vntoo me all yée that labour and are loden and I will refresh you It came too passe that the very Publicanes â–ª knowing of this mercy and goodnesse of Chryst came too him that they might bée partakers of the grace that was offered most fréely and bountifully too all men And therfore would Chryst not only coÌ„fort them with woordes but also with déedes and with kéeping companye with them Therfore when any of them bade him too a meales meate he came and ate with them and that too this end that he might win them too God the father that is too saye might turne them from their moste naughtie wayes vntoo true and healthful repentance too the intent that being quit from the gilt of cursednesse they might bée made heires of eternall lyfe through Iesus Chryst. The Pharisies marking this dooing of Chrysts as they were a proude sect swelling in their own pharisaicall that is too say false righteousnesse murmured ageinst Chryst and priuily accused him of breaking Gods law But what sayth Chryst too this He techeth them both The Publicans if he coÌ„meth to saue sinners and the Pharisies why he kéepeth company with sinners wherby is gathered y e Chrystes kingdome sighteth ageinst the opinion of the Pharisies the kingdom of SathaÌ„ For as Christes kingdom is mercy forgiuenesse of sinnes in so muche that the angels in heauen reioyce at euery sinner that repenteth so Sathans kingdome is mercylesse crueltie and a certein ouerthrowing of sinne The places are two 1 The murmuring of the Pharisies wherfore Chryste kept company with sinners 2 It is taught by twoo parables why Chryste came intoo this worlde and what wée must doo if wée will bée saued ¶ Of the firste THe Publicans and sinners resorted too him too heare him and the Scribes and Phariseys murmured saying This man receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them Héer are set forth vntoo vs twoo kindes of men and their manners The one is of Publicanes and sinners which come vntoo Chryst too heare him that they might bée gathered intoo his shéepfolde and be saued For after that they herde how Chryst reiected no sinners but offred grace too all so they refused not too amende they douted not too come vntoo him yea and that vpon great hope of saluation The other is of Phariseys and Scribes These disalowed Chrystes dooing and his mercifulnesse towards sinners and therfore murmured saying This man receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them Now of this murmuring of the Phariseys there bée many causes whereof I wil reherse some that we may sée with what spirite they speake and beware oure selues that wée be not attached with the same disease and séeme too hinder the saluation of other men The first cause therefore is enuie or spitefulnesse whiche is proper too the Deuill and his members For this spitefulnesse sticking in their hartes makes them that they cannot abide too sée Chryste and the Publicans in company toogyther â–ª for they enuyed the Publicans so much that they could not finde in their harts that they should bée amended by kéeping company with good men Of this sorte of Pharisies there bée 〈◊〉 at this daye than wil be knowne by the name of Pharisies The seconde cause of murmuring was intollerable pryde in the Scrybes and Phariseys wherethroughe they despised the Publicanes as Dogges in so muche that they eschued too eate meate with them or too enter intoo the house where they were The thirde cause of murmuring was the ouerwéening of their owne rightuousnesse and holynesse For as they vaunted them selues too bée rightuous for kéeping the traditions of their Fathers for their sacrifices as he that sayth I am not as other sinners nor as yonder Publican I fast twice a wéek c. so they stoutlye dispised those that had not this vysour of holynesse as folke accursed and abhominable The fourth cause was their desirousnesse too haue
too bée iustified or too become rightuous And that Chrysts rightuousnesse is imputed too him that beléeueth it is proued by many textes of Scripture Hée that beléeueth on him that instifieth the vngodly vntoo him is his fayth imputed for rightuousnesse And Rom. the .5 Cha. Like as by the disobedience of one man many became sinners so by the obedience of one man Iesus Chryst many become rightuous 2. Corin. 5. Him that knewe no sinne hée made sinne that wée might become rightuous before GOD in him And that too this rightuousnesse of the Gospel the woorks of the law are not required many testimonies proue Rom. 3. Wée suppose that a man is iustified by Fayth without the woorkes of the Lawe And Gal. 2. Wée knowe that a man is not iustified by the déedes of the law but by fayth in Iesus Chryst and wée beléeue in Chryst Iesus that wée might bée iustified by fayth and not by the déeds of the Lawe Héeruppon now is concluded that Chrystian iustification is an acquiting of that person from sinne that beléeueth in Chryst and an imputing of Chrystes rightuousnesse vntoo him and an accepting of him vntoo eternall life freely for Chrystes sake Thus muche bréeflye concerning the thrée sortes of rightuousnesse Nowe wyll I adde a fewe thyngs touchyng the difference And first I will tell how christen rightuousnesse differeth from the ryghtuousnesse of the Lawe and afterwarde how it differeth from the rightuousnesse of the Pharisies The first difference therfore betwéene the rightuousnesse of the Lawe and the chrysten ryghtuousnesse is that the ryghtuousnesse of the Lawe is of the woorkes of the Lawe but the Ryghtuousnesse of the Gospell is wythoute the woorks of the Law The second is that the rightuousnesse of the law is the rightuousnesse of the woorker but the ryghtuousnesse of the gospel is the rightuousnesse of the beléeuer The third is y t the rightuousnesse of the law is not imputed fréely but cōmeth to passe of y e desert of a mās own obediēce but the rightuousnesse of y e gospell is imputed without desert of a mans owne obedience The fourth is that y e rightuousnesse of the law is a formall rightuousnesse as which is framed to a man by his iust dealings but the rightuousnesse of the gospell is an imputed rightuousnesse when the iust dealyngs of Chryst are imputed too him that beléeueth Therefore that man is saide too bée iustified according too the forme of the lawe whiche of an vnrightuous person becommeth rightuous through his owne iust dealing and fulfilling of the law according too this saying The man that dooth these things shall liue in them But he is said too bée iustified af rer the maner of the Gospell who of a giltie person is made not giltie by reason of Chrysts rightuousnesse whiche is taken hold on by Fayth The rightuousnesse of the lawe is a perfect obedience of a man too the lawe of GOD. But the Chrysten or Gospellcuyghtuousnesse is Chrysts obedience imputed too him that beléeueth A rightuous man after the lawe is hée that dealeth iustly and vprightly according too the méening of the lawe But he is rightuous after the gospell too whom God forgyueth his sinne and imputeth Chrystes ryghtuousnesse and whom he accepteth too eternall lyfe freely for Chrystes sake Iustification after the lawe is an abling a man before God for the soundenesse and perfection of his obedience too Gods law but christian or Gospell iustification is an abling of man before God for the soundnesse and perfection of Chrysts obedience too God the father Thus haue wée the difference betwéene the christen rightuousnesse and the rightuousnesse of the lawe Now let vs sée howe the Christian rightuousnesse exceedeth the rightuousnesse of the Pharisies The Chrysten rightuousnesse excéedeth the Pharisaicall in these foure things In cause qualitie effecte and ende The cause of christen rightuousnesse is God Chrystes desert and fayth taking hold of the benefit offered but the cause of Pharisaical rightuousnesse is mans hypocrisie ignorance of Gods rightuousnesse and outward obseruaunce of mens traditions The qualitie of christen rightuousnesse is the obedience and fulfilling of the lawe in Chryst but the qualitie of Pharisaicall rightuousnesse is but only an outward visour of feyned and counterfeyt holynesse The effect of Christen rightuousnesse is newnesse of spirite the feare of God true godlynesse inuocation true humilitie patience and a beginning of obedience towards Gods lawe in so much that a man béeing iustified by fayth desires nothing so much as to obey God Too bée bréefe his chéefe pleasure is in the law of the Lord after he knoweth that damnation is taken away by Christs merit but the effect of Pharisaicall rightuousnesse is pryde glorying before God superstition disdeyne of ones neighbour and too bée short such as the trée is such is his frute For an euil trée can not bring foorth good frute The ende of Christen rightuousnesse is too haue peace with God too haue accesse vntoo God too giue glorie vntoo God and finally too obteyne euerlasting life fréely for Chrysts sake but the end of Pharisaical rightuousnesse is too giue prayse too a mans owne selfe and too take it from God and too vaunt among men vppon whiche at length shall ensue horrible punishment vnlesse there bée a turning too the Lorde Let this suffise concerning the thrée sorts of rightuousnesse the differences of them the which it is behouefull too beare in minde ¶ Of the second THe fifth commaundement Thou shalt not kill the Lorde interpreteth himself too the intent too confute the false interpretation of the Pharisies They thought that only outward murther was prohibited But Chryst looked déepelier intoo the lawe and spyed out thrée of her murthers beside the outward manslaughter Yee haue herd sayth hée hovv it vvas sayde too them of olde tyme Thou shalt not kill for vvho so euer killeth shall bee in daunger of Iudgement That is too saye who so euer shall kyll a man shall bée giltie before the iudgement for in this place hée speaketh of outwarde manslaughter and the punishment thereof whiche is a ciuil condemnation by the Lawe That was called the iudgemente wherein sate thrée men at suche time as the cases were easie too bée discussed For hée that had comitted outward murther with his hand was giltie of death by the sentence of the Lawe whiche sentence few were able too pronounce Héer hée speaketh onely of mannes iudgement by the sentence of the law For the spiritual iudgement which was the curse was sufficiently known Now foloweth the interpretation But I saye vntoo you hee that is angry vvyth his brother is in daunger of iudgement Héere hée putteth anger among the kindes of murther The Pharisies perceyued not that thys was forbidden by the fifth commaundement Wherfore hée sayth But I say vntoo you As if he had sayd The Pharisies holde opinion that he onely breaketh the fifth commaundement that hathe killed a man with his hande But I say vntoo you
Pharisie who thought himself godly and rightuous and was not so maketh vs a Prayer too knowe an Hypocrite by Contrariwise the silie Publicane casting himselfe flat before God and acknowledging his own vnclennesse and yet neuerthelesse fléeing vntoo mercy dooth by his exāple set foorth a forme of true and healthful prayer The places are thrée 1 Of the rightuousnesse of the Law and of the fondnesse of the Pharisie 2 Of Christen rightuousnesse and of true repentance 3 Chrystes iudgement concerning the Pharisie and the Publicane ¶ Of the firste HE sayde too certeine vvhiche had an opinion of themselues that they vvere ryghtuous Héere I must néedes speake of the rightuousnesse of the Lawe what is it and what is the vse end and prerogatiue of it For thereby wée shall vnderstand how farre the Pharisies are wide from the true rightuousnesse What is the rightuousnesse of the Lawe It is a perfecte obedience of all our members inwarde and outwarde vntoo Gods lawe of the harte the affections the will the mouth and ▪ bréeflye of all the powers and abilities as well of the bodie as the minde whiche obedience it behoueth too be not at startes but continuall not vayne but perfecte and full not stayned but pure and chaste suche as mighte haue bin performed by Adam before his fall and suche as is performed by the holye Angelles in Heauen That the rightuousnesse of the Law ought too bée suche a one bothe Moyses and Chryst doo teache in these woords Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy harte with all thy soule with all thy strengthe and with all thy power and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Moreouer forasmuche as hée is pure holy chaste nothing can please him but that whiche is pure holye and chaste And they that fulfill this rightuousnesse they onely haue the promisse of the Law For thus sayeth Moyses The man that dooth these things shall liue in thē No man Chryst onely excepted didde euer performe this perfecte and continuall obedience suche as the Lawe requireth Wherefore all they ▪ that thynke them selues ryghtuous wyth thys rightuousnesse of the law are not only blinde and arrogant but also blasphemous ageinst the law of GOD which they measure by their owne slender skill and not by the voyce of GOD. That none is able too fulfil the law of GOD I haue declared a late and will now bréefly bring the same too oure remembrance ageine Firste oure members bothe inwarde and outward wherwith wée should execute obedience to the Lawe are mangled and corrupted with a certeine horrible outrage so as they are able too doo nothing aryght Agein the Law of sinne as a moste stoute Gyant grypeth our limmes euen after that wée bée borne a newe that wée cannot performe what we woulde Héereuppon S. Paule cryeth oute O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer mée from this bodye subiecte too Death And in another place Too will is present with mée but too performe I finde not in my selfe Also I doo not the good that I would doo but the euill whiche I would not doo that doo I. Thus the regenerate haue a forewarde will but they are destitute of ablenesse too performe that which they would so importunate is our houshold enimie withdrawing vs from that whiche is good What shall wée saye then of them whose will is not yet reformed suche as all they bée that are not regenerate Too the furtherance héereof also maketh it that the Law of God is spirituall but wée are carnall For thus hathe Paule béeing at that time a faythfull Chrystian sayd The Law is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne Héereby it is easie too sée that wée are not able to performe due obedience too the law For how is it possible that flesh should performe spirituall rightuousnesse I alledged many and sundry other reasons not long agoe whereby I shewed that no man in this life is able too yéeld perfect and ful obedience too the Law What is too bée doone then Héere thou shalt firste heare the voyce of the Lawe What sayeth hée Curssed is hée that continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the Lawe Héere thou hearest the sentence of the Lawe Let this saying of the lawe humble thée before God and vtterly cast thée downe that thou maist acknowledge both the filthinesse of thy sinne and thy iust damnation What is too bée doone héer Are we able too eschue the cursse of the lawe Thou art not able of thine owne power Wherefore thou must eyther perish or else séeke a remedie ageinst this damnation of the lawe but other remedie surely there is none than only Iesus Chryst who purposely came into the world too take vppon himselfe the curse of the lawe and too delyuer all that beléeue on him from the power of the lawe that is from damnation which the law threatneth too those y t transgresse it Therefore this cursse extendeth it selfe too all men that héere not Chryst nor are clothed with his rightuousnesses that they may appéere apparelled therewith in the sight of God For Chryst is the end of the law too iustifie all that beléeue Rom. 10. These things haue I spoken concerning the rightuousnesse of the lawe too this intent that I might shewe how fond these Pharisies were which thought themselues rightuous and hilde scorne of others as vnholy and vnrightuous But what is the cause that this Pharisie and the rest of his rable thought themselues rightuous The cause was blindnesse For he was so blinde that he saw not the méening of the lawe yea rather he saw only the couering of the lawe and neuer looked into the brest of the lawe according as the text of this gospel sufficiently declareth For he sayth I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publicane He had séene the letter of the law then but not the spirit that is he stacke only in the outward woorks but he considered not the spirituall méening which the law requireth How bée it too the intent these things may be set the playner before our eyes let vs sée first what maner of woorkes this Pharisies were Secondly Let vs lay them too the law of God Thirdly let vs gather therby what wanted in him And fourthly let vs sée of how many sinnes he was founde giltie and cast by the lawe though he vaunted himselfe rightuous before men The woorkes of this Pharisie were faithlesse procéeding of méere misbeléefe and pryde Now in as much as the scripture saieth plainely without faith it is impossible too please God who is so madde as too call this outwarde visor rightuousnesse Let vs lay his woorkes that he bosteth of too the woord of God The lawe requireth pure obedience This man out of his most vncleane hart draweth slaunders ageinst God and his neighboure The lawe commaundeth him too loue his neighboure He accuseth him yea and that before the iudgement seate of God
the neighbour 3. The causes of obedience that is too say of louing God and oure neighboure 4. The maner of louing 1 The affection that the Lawe requireth is louingnesse which can not please vnlesse it bée pure voyd of hypocrisie For nothing can please God which is painted bicause hée is voyd of all paynting and is holy pure and vncorrupted 2 The obiectes that is too wit the things whereabout the affection of louing must bée occupied are God and oure neighbour 3 The causes of louing God and our neighboure are set downe in the commaundement For God is too bée loued bicause hée is our God and Lord and our neyghbour is too bée loued bicause hée is our neighboure 4 The maner of louing is expressed also For God is too bée loued with all the whole heart with all the whole soule and with all the whole thought and a mannnes neighbour is too be loued as a man loueth himself Howbeit the things that wée haue touched bréefly must bée expounded more at large Loue or charitie in general is an entier affection embracing a thing with fréendly and harty good will in suche wyse as the mynd burneth in desire of it wisheth most wel vntoo it This charitie is of twoo sortes the one of God towardes the creature and the other of the creature towards God and other things Ageine the loue of God towards his creatures is of twoo sortes One vniuersall wherewith he embraceth all his creatures susteyning and vpholding them that they may continue in their state This louingnesse is called also his vniuersall mercy Another is peculiar wherby God with the inward affection of his heart loueth his Churche ryght déerely in his sonne This moued him too giue his sonne according too this saying so God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne This moueth him too giue the holy Ghost This moueth him too preserue the Churche Too bée short this louingnesse maketh him too giue himselfe whole too his Churche The thinking vpon this loue of God wyll comfort vs ageinst the sentence of the Lawe ageinst the bitternesse of the crosse and ageinst temptations at the instant of death Also this louingnesse of God causeth God too chastise his children and ageyne too heale them when hée hathe striken them I haue spoken of Gods loue towards his creatures Now foloweth concerning the loue of the creature toward God men and other things This charitie or loue is the entier affection wherwith man must loue God next God his neighbour as him self This loue of the creature therfore is of two sortes also One wherwith it fauoreth God another wherwith it fauoreth the neighbour Now that loue wherewith it becommeth vs too embrace creatures hath many degrées Of whiche the firste is that whereby wée loue our brethren that are knit vntoo vs by aliance of Chrystes spirite The second is that whereby we fauour those that are bounde vntoo vs by any aliance of the fleshe The third is that wherby wée loue others that are vnknowen vntoo vs. The fourth is that wherby wée endeuour too doo good too our enimies The fifth is that wherby wée fauour eche other creature according too the degrée of their woorthinesse Whiche are the causes of louing God or wherfore doo wée loue GOD. Although it may be sufficiently knowne by the commaundement yet notwithstanding I will repeate the causes more déepely and set eche of them seuerally by it selfe Therefore the loue of man towards God first is kindled by the remembrance of Gods benefites towards vs by thinking vpon the vnmeasurable loue that hée beareth vntoo vs ward Secondly it must bée encreased by the liuely féeling of Gods fauour towards vs whereof wée haue experience euery minute And thirdly it must bée excéedingly enflamed by hope and trust of the good things promised These causes are conteyned in these woordes Loue the Lorde thy God Hée is Lorde that is too say Defendor God that is too say Gouerner and Sauiour and Thine that thou shouldest looke for all good things at his hand Wée haue after a sorte what manner a thing the loue of God is wherwith man ought too loue God and therwithall wée haue séene the causes But what is the maner of louing In what manner and after what sorte must wée loue him That is expressed in the text by these woordes VVith all thy vvhole hart vvith all thy vvhole soule vvith all thy vvhole povver vvith all thy vvhole thought This woord vvhole signifieth thrée things which must go ioyntly with mans loue towards God First that the loue of men towardes God must be perfect secondly that it be pure and thirdly that it be continuall Then are they sayd too loue God with all their whole harte which perfectly purely cōtinually bear an earnest loue towards God so as they fear him onely trust in him only and repose their hope in him only Mē are said too loue God with all their whole soule when their wil is answerable in all things perfectly purely continually too his heauenly will Which thing we pray may take place when we say Thy wil be doone Hée is loued with al a mans whole power whē all the members inward and outward doo perfectly purely continually bend thē selues togither too obey and serue God He is loued with all a mans whole thought when there is no space too be found wherein God is not loued purely perfectly and holily This is the manner of louing God substancially which neuer was in any mā since Adams fal saue only in Christ albeit there be certeine slender beginnings of it in the regenerate Of whiche thing there be foure tokens First too prefer the obedience of God before all things in the world according too this He that loueth me wil kéep my commaundements and my father wil loue him Secondly too vse the holy Misteries reuerently in the fear of God Thirdly too allure others by our example too loue God Fourthly too loue our neighbour for Gods sake Where these foure things méet thou hast euident tokens of loue begone towards God whiche must from day too day take newe encreasement in the regenerate I haue spoken of the first poynt of the lawe that is of the loue toward GOD Now wil I speake of the second point that is too wit of louing our neighbours concerning whiche let these thrée things be obserued The causes of the loue the maner and the order The causes are twaine the one is cōmaundement and the other is nature bicause man is neighbour vntoo man The commaundement of God is that wée shuld one loue another Chryst also giueth this charge Loue yée one onother Too dysobey this commandement is a most heinous offence The other cause is nature soothly for that man is neighbour too man and that many wayes as in respect of creation in respect of resemblance in respect of regeneration in respect of the common life and in respect of the glorie too come
of sinnes and inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen too them that beléeue For then verely is the kingdome of Heauen opened wheÌ„ the Gospel that is preached is receyued by faith ¶ Of the third ANd one of them seeing that hee vvas clenzed came backe ageyne vvith a loude voyce glorifying God and fell vppon his face before Iesus gyuing thanks In this Samaritane wée sée a moste godly example of thankfulnesse thankesgiuing Now too the intent wee may bee stirred vp by his example I wil say somewhat concerning true giuing of thankes in this order First what it is and what causes it hath nexte what things are required too it and lastlye for what things wée ought too giue thanks As concerning the first true thanksgiuing is an acknoweledging and confessing of benefits receyued toogither with a thankfulnesse of minde and a publishing of Gods goodnesse This appéereth plainely in this our Samaritan He acknowledgeth himselfe too bée clensed of his Leprosie he confesseth the same thing openly hée returneth with a thankful minde vntoo Chryst giuing him thankes for his benefites and blasing abrode his goodnesse This thankesgiuing hathe diuers causes First the knoweledge of God the benefactour 2. The knowledge of himselfe 3. The perceyuerance of the benefite 4. An affection earnestlye bent by fayth vntoo the praysing of God all whiche things wée sée in this Samaritane Too the furtherance héerof also come the examples which may stirre vs vp too this thankfulnesse Thus haue wée what thankesgiuing is and what causes it hathe Nowe let vs sée what things are requisite vntoo it There are twoo things requisite Firste vertues whiâ—he can neuer bée seperated from true thankesgiuing and secondlye the lawful manner of thanksgiuing The chéefe vertues are twoo Truthe and Rightfulnesse Truthe like as it simplye and openly acknowledgeth GOD the benefactour as this Samaritane dooth so it excludeth Hipocrisie and lying Hypocrisie truely that thou mayest giue thanks not onely with thy mouth as the Pharisie did but with thy minde voyce toogyther And it excludeth lying that thou shouldest not ascribe thy successe in vnhonest things vntoo GOD as if a theefe would giue God thanks for a fat bootie or a harlot for a wanton Louer And Rightfulnesse excludeth pride and the abuse of the thing and on the contrarye parte putteth vs in mynde of thankfulnesse of humbling our selues and of calling vpon God The maner of thankes giuing is sufficiently shewed both in the example of this Samaritan by this saying of Paul I thanke God through Iesus Chryst. For when the Apostle sayth By Iesus Chryst he méeneth first that in thankesgiuing Fayth must shine before Nexte that wée shoulde acknowledge oure selues too haue receyued the benefite by Chryste Then that wée shoulde referre all things too Gods glorie And lastly that wée may both know that our thankfulnesse is accepted through Chryst also that by the same Iesus Chryst wée haue accesse too God the father too giue thankes too him for his benefites receyued Nowe foloweth a question for what things thanks are too bée giuen Iob giueth thanks for the harmes that he had receyued This Samaritane giueth thanks for the riddance from his disease And so it foloweth that thanks are too bée giuen both for aduersitie and for prosperitie howbéeit after a diuers maner When thou giuest thanks for aduersities as for affliction or other miseries thou must doo foure things First the burthen by weying heuy vppon thée must put thée in mynde of thy sinne and of repentaunce For it is the witnesse of Gods iudgement for sinne 2. Thou must accepte the crosse and euery other misâ—rie as a rodde of thy most déere father nurturing thée and chastizing thée lest thou shouldest perish with the disobedient 3. Giue God hartie thanks for this his fatherly chastisement and. 4. Thou shalt humbly desire either deliuerance from the burthen that presseth thée or else assuagement conditionally that it be no hindrance to Gods glorie and thine owne saluation For prosperitie thou shalt giue thanks w t promisse of continuall mindefulnesse of them And thus muche concerning true Thangesgiuing But alas no mo but one of the tenne coÌ„meth backe the other nine go their ways vnthankfull for the good turne that they had receyued Whervpon the Lord sayth Are there not ten clenzed and vvhere are these nyne There are not founde that returned ageyne too giue GOD prayse saue only this straunger Héere thou séest an example of horrible vnthankefulnesse in those that had forgotten the benefite newely receyued There bée many suche in the world But what became of them by shaking faith off they continued in state of damnation when in the meane season this Samaritan héereth Aryse go thy vvay thy fayth hath made thee vvhole Him let vs folow too our only Sauiour which is Iesus Chryst our Lorde too whom with the father and the holy Ghost bée honour prayse and glory for eeuer and euer Amen Vpon the .xv. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. vj. NO man can serue tvvo maisters for eyther he shall hate the one and loue the other or else leane too the one and despise the other yee cannot serue God and Mammon Therefore I say vntoo you Bee not carefull for youre life vvhat yee shall eate or drinke nor yet for your body vvhat raiâ—ment yee shall put on Is not the lyfe more vvorthe than meate and the body more of value than rayment Beehold the foules of the ayre for they sovv not neither doo they reape nor carye intoo the barnes and your heauenly father feedeth them Are yee not muche better than they VVhich of you by taking carefull thought can adde one cubite vntoo his stature And vvhy care yee for rayment Consider the Lilies of the fielde hovv they grovv They labour not neyther do they spinne And yet I say vntoo you that euen Salomon in all his royaltie vvas not clothed like one of these VVherfore if God so cloth the grasse of the field vvhich though it stande too day is too morovv cast into the fornace shal he not much more do the same for you O yee of little faith Therefore take no thought saying vvhat shall vve eat or vvhat shall vvee drink or vvherevvithe shall vvee bee clothed After all these things doo the Gentyles seeke For youre heauenly father knovveth that yee haue neede of all thinges But rather seeke yee firste the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse thereof and all these things shall bee ministred vntoo you Care not then for the morovve for too morovv day shall care for it selfe sufficient vntoo the day is the trauaile thereof The exposition of the text THis Gospell is a parte of that long sermon that Chryst made too his disciples Math. the 5.6 and .7 Chapters In which parte hée condemneth couetousnesse and distrust as which cannot stande with the seruice of God For No man sayth hée can serue tvvoo masters Ageyne with many arguments taken of Gods prouidence he disswadeth from vngodly and
was not arayed like one of them Séeing then that God dooth so much for the Lilies which wither away within a while and shalbée burned why should hée not clothe vs whom hée hath created too eternall life The fifth After all these things doo the Heathen seeke As if hée should say You in times past after the maner of Heathen folke were ignorant of Gods prouidence and voyde of Faith But now yée knowe that GOD hathe a care of you Why then séek yée things néedful for your life with heathenish carefulnesse The sixth Your Father knovveth that you haue neede of all these things Mark these things aduisedly Hée sayeth not the dreadful GOD the iealous God the maker of Heauen and earth hée that visiteth the sins of the fathers vpon their children knoweth but hée sayth your father knoweth whose father your father What maner a father your heauenly father Bicause he is heauenly he is also most good most mightie and moste wise Bicause hée is moste good hée wil giue those things that bée good Bicause hée is moste mightie hée can giue what he wil. And bicause hée is most wise he knoweth how what and when it is méet too giue ¶ Of the third SEeke yee firste the kingdome of God his rightuousnesse all things else shal bee cast vntoo you In this shorte saying of Christ are two things cōmaūdement promise The commaundement is Seek first the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse of God And the promise is And all things else shall bee cast vntoo you First and formost therefore let vs sée the commaundement and then the promise The commaundement is that wée should séeke the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse of God Héere it is demaunded what maner of things Gods kingdome and rightuousnesse are And ageine after what meanes they are too bée sought The kingdom of God is of three sorts in the scripture that is too wit of power of grace and of glorie He biddeth vs not séeke the kingdom of his power but of his grace from whence is the passage too the kingdom of glory What is the kingdome of grace It is that kingdom wherinto wée are receiued of méere grace whyle wée beléeue the Gospell For the Gospell is as it were the voyce of a cryer whereby they are called too this Kyngdome Of this speaketh Chryst in an other place The kingdom of God is among you Then is this kingdome the grace of God which Christes Gospell offereth The promise is the gate The bringer in is the holy Ghoste which sanctifyeth and regenerateth vs a newe in the Laue of Baptime by the woorde Bréefly this kingdome of grace is mercy forgyuenesse of synnes ioyfulnesse of conscience and deliueraunce from the kingdome of Sathan What is that rightuousnesse of God whiche he biddeth vs séeke Out of all doute it is the newe life and obedience which God requireth of his children And it is called the rightuousnesse of God bicause it pleaseth god that is too wit for the faithes sake wherby wée are reconciled too God in the blud of Chryst. The promise is And all things else shal bee cast vnto you That is too say the things that perteine too the sustenaunce of this life shall bée giuen you But Paule wherof no man doubteth did busily séeke the kingdom of God and yet notwithstanding in the .xj. chapter of the seconde Epistle too the Corinthians he cōplaineth that he was distressed with hunger and thirst Agein holy Iacob suffered scarcenesse of corne and other victuals in so muche that he was constreyned too go with his housholde intoo Egypt least he and his shoulde haue perished for hunger Therfore this promise of Chrysts séemeth vayne I answer Chrysts promise fayleth not for the truthe can not lye For Chryst who is our Phisitian is not ignorant when remedies are too bée ministred and when they are too bée withdrawne He regardeth not so muche our vnskilfulnesse as his owne wisedome Therfore let vs take this for a certeintie that he forsaketh not those that are his As for that wée now and then want things necessarie there bée many causes Firste that wée may bée exercise in pacience 2. That nowe and then our sinnes may bée punished with these plagues 3. Forasmuch as wée oftentimes séeke things superfluous wée iustly and rightfully want things necessarie 4. Bicause wée abuse things when wée haue thē 5. Bicause wée yéeld not thanks vntoo God 6. Bicause wée distrust God 7. Bicause wée dyuers times ascribe the good things y t wée receiue rather too our owne endeuer peinfulnesse than too God the giuer of them Wherfore if wée couet Gods blissing let vs confesse and doo as the Prophete dooth which sayth All things are thyne Lorde and wée render vntoo thée the things y e wée haue receyued at thy hand Héer◠as the prophet confesseth al things too bée Gods giftes so he turneth all things too Gods prayse Whiche thing that wée also may do our heauenly father graunt vs through Iesus Chryst too whom bée glory world without end Amen Vpon the .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke vij AND it fortuned that Iesus vvent intoo a Citie called Naim and many of his disciples vvent vvith him and much people VVhen he came nygh too the gates of the Citie Behold there vvas a dead man caried out vvhich vvas the onlie Sonne of his Moother and shee vvas a vvidovve and muche people of the Citie vvas vvith hir And vvhen the Lord savv hir hee had compassion on hir and sayd vntoo hir vveep not And hee came nighe and touched the Coffin and they that bare him stood stil. And hee sayd Yong man I say vntoo thee arise and hee that vvas dead sate vp and began too speake And hee deliuered him too his Moother And there came a fear on them all And they gaue the glory vntoo God saying A great Prophet is rysen vp among vs and God hath visited his people And this rumour of him vvent foorth through out all levvry through out all the regions vvhiche lie rounde about The exposition of the text PAule the Apostle wryting too the Romaynes sayth What things so euer are written they are written for our instruction that through pacience and comforte of the Scriptures wée might haue hope Wherefore when wée read the moste swéete Gospell of this daye let vs knowe that it perteyneth not only too that widow of Naim but also too all mankinde For Chryste in this Gospell beareth witnesse of the power of his owne Godhead of his pitifulnesse towardes them that bée in distresse and of his office For first the Lord proueth himselfe too bée almightie in that hée ouermaistereth Death which is the sting of sinne Agein hée vttreth his pitifulnesse towards vs in hauing compassion vppon this womans miseries And hée sheweth that it is his office too destroy the woorkes of the Deuill for vntoo that purpose came hée intoo the world as Moyses the Prophetes hée himselfe and the
health Like vntoo whome are the moste parte of those that are called by the name of Chrystians Chrystes forwardnesse is set foorth for vs too folowe who vpon euerie occasion that hée coulde catche holde on was earneste too enlarge the bounds of his kingdome For as by this iorney hée sheweth howe greatly hée thirsted mannes saluation so by his example hée commendeth vntoo vs diligence in his vocation Now foloweth the first part of this Gospel And beholde they brought vntoo him a man that vvas sicke of the Palsie lying in a bedde And Iesus seeyng their fayth sayde vntoo him that vvas sicke of the Palsie â–ª Bee of good cheere my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee In this firste parte of the storie wée haue foure things whiche are néedefull too bée obserued The firste is the example of the bearers Secondlye the man him self that had the Palsie Thirdly the respect that Chryst had too the fayth of theÌ„ Fourthly how the man that had the Palsie was receyued of Chryst. As concerning those that bare him their fayth bewrayeth it self by tokens certeine which burneth in suche wise whersoeuer it is that no ashes can choke the flame of it This faith had they conceyued eyther by séeing him teache and heale others before or vpoÌ„ the report that they had herd of Chrysts dooings The effect is that they had persuaded theÌ„ selues that hée woulde receiue them that were afflicted and heale them This liuely faith of these â—earers yéeldeth fiue folde frute of whiche the first is the confession of Chryst whome it was a harde rare matter too confesse among so many outragious enimies The seconde is inâ—ocation whiche can no more bée from true faith than heate can bée from fire For all the wisshes of the beléeuers whiche neuer cease are inuocations The thirde is valiantnesse of minde in that they hazarded their life for acknowledging of Chryste For the Pharisies Scribes and chéefe men of this people did persecute all those that gaue any honour vntoo Chryste The fourth is the loue of their neighbour whereby they fauoured their neighbours vnfeynedlye And the fifth is the paine and trouble that they took for the help of their neighbour For they not only beare him which was a point of charitie but also when they could not come the next way vntoo Chryst by reason of the throng they gate vp intoo the house top and let downe the diseased soule by the windbeams which déed was not voyd of daÌ„ger What learn wée by this Let vs euen in spite of the worlde coÌ„fesse Chryst as these bearers did Let vs cal vpon him both for our selues for others Let vs put our selues in peril for y e truth of y e Gospel if néed so require Let vs loue our neighboure entirely not onely in affection but also in déede And let vs spare no paines if wée may doo them any good An other thing whiche I sayd was too bée obserued in this first part is the man himself that was diseased of the Palsie in whoÌ„ are thrée things too bée marked His disease the cause of his disease and that hée wold bée caryed vntoo Chryst. His disease was the Palsie whiche is when one of a mans sides eyther the right side or the left loseth his féeling and natural mouing Surely a right gréeuous disease whereby y e whole vse of a mans bodie is hindered The cause of the disease was double Uniuersall which is originall sinne in all men And speciall whiche had his beginning eyther of disordered lyuing or else of some very sore disquietnesse of minde Nowe in that hée would bée borne vntoo Chryst it betokeneth that hée had fayth like as those had that did beare him Let vs also folowe this example of him that had the Palsie Let vs acknowledge as wel our inward as our outward disease let vs confesse our sinfulnesse and let vs suffer our selues too bée caryed vntoo Chryste as this man that had the Palsie did The thirde thing that I admonished you too consider in this first parte is that Chryste sawe the fayth of those men that is too witte of him that had the Palsie and of them that caryed him Whereby wée may learne these things First in what sorte Chryste is minded towardes vs. For hée is of the same minde towards vs that hée was towards the man that was sicke of the Palsie For the Lorde is no accepter of persons And secondlie that Chryst hath not an eye so muche too the greatnesse of our sinnes as too our fayth This fayth obteyneth of Chryst all things for the welfare both of the body and the soule And although I think this man that was sicke of the Palsie had some little sparke of fayth yet I will not striue ageinst it if any maÌ„ say that the bearers had the fayth and not the Palsie man For it is no straunge matter for corporall yea and for spirituall benefits too bée obteyned for the faith of other men For like as one man by his wisdome may make another man proue wise so he that beléeueth may by his faith obteine faith for other men Howbéeit like as no man is wise by another mannes wisdome but by his owne so no man is saued by another mans fayth but by his owne Héer then wée may learne both too pray for other folks that the grace of God may increase towards them and also too request others that they will commende vs too God with their prayers For the prayers of the godly is greatly auailable The fourth thing that I set foorth too bée lookt vntoo in this first parte is the manner how hée receyued this Palsie man whiche is expressed in these woordes Bee of good cheere my Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Héere let twoo things bée thorowly weyed The one is why hée receyued this Palsie man in suche wise and the other is the saying of Chryste in receyuing him This Palsie man séekes deliuerance from his bodilye disease and wherfore then sayth Chryst thy sinnes are forgiueÌ„ thée Undoubtedly there bée great and weightie causes The first is too teache vs that diseases are the rewarde of sinne as Paule sayth the reward of sin is death And Christ in the .5 of Iohn sayth vntoo one whom hée had healed behold thou art made whole beware thou sinne not héereafter least some worser thing befal thée 1. Cor. 11. for misusing y e Lordes supper vnreuerently many were dead many were weak The second is too teache vs where the healing of the body is too bée begon namely at the minde whose spottes muste first bée cleane wiped out before a man minister Phisick too the bodie Let vs therfore kéepe this order in curing oure diseases First let vs acknoweledge the disease Next let vs repent and desire forgiuenesse of our sinnes for Chrystes sake Then let vs in the feare of God and with thankesgiuing vse the ordinarie meanes of helpe and let vs acknoweledge the Phisitian too bée Gods minister who in Gods
sted shall put too his hand too the healing of vs. The third is too reproue the Pharisies by this saying who iudged not aright either of his person or of his office For alwayes there be some y t séeke too picke quarels too the woorks of God Which thing warneth vs that wée should not bée the lesse diligent in dooing our duetie The fourth is that taking hold of this occasion he might instruct vs more fully concerning his owne person his loue towardes men and his office for which he was sent intoo the world by his father Now let vs wey our Lords woords for he sayth too y e Palsieman Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiuen thee These bée the woords of the sonne of God wherfore they are to be weyed aduisedly This woord sonne is to be set ageinst despair which this present disease wold haue persuaded him vntoo This saying bee of good cheere is to be set ageinst the cursse which euil conscience weÌ„t about to persuade y e wretch in Thy sinnes sayth he Héer grace surmounteth farre aboue sinne This saying are forgiuen is to be set ageinst y e dreame of satisfaction of merites of rightuousnesse that coÌ„meth by the â—awe Thy sinnes sayth he are forgiuen thée In so saying he applieth the benefite of his grace too the poore wretch Thus haue wée héere the Doctrine of saluation remission of sinnes iustification and adoption For these benefites sticke linked togither so fast continually that they cannot bée plucked asunder He requireth faith to him that beleueth he forgiueth his sâ—nnes whom he hath absolued froÌ„ his sinne him he adopteth too his sonne accepteth him as rightuous and whoÌ„ he hath iustified him also will he glorifie by bestowing euerlasting blisse vpon him neither is ther any other way of obteyning saluation than y â— which is set out vntoo vs in this exaÌ„ple The palsiemaÌ„ dooth .iij. things He acknowledgeth his sin he acknowlegeth himself to be iustly punished for his sin he putteth his trust in the sonne of God Agein Chryst doth iij. things He releaseth sin he adopteth him to be his sonne accepteth him too eternal life Folow y u this exaÌ„ple Acknowledge thy sin in good ernest acknowlege gods iust iudgemeÌ„t and beléeue in the sonne and thou shalt féele sensibly that Chryst will bestow his benefites vppon thée Let this suffise to bée spoken concerning the first doctrine of this Gospel and now foloweth the second ¶ Of the second ANd beholde some of the Scribes saide vvithin them selues This man blasphemeth And vvhen he savv the thoughtes of them he saide vvhy thinke you euill in your hartes Héere the grudging of the Scribes and Chrysts answere doâ— shew in what sort the kingdome of Chryst and the kingdome of Sathan méete one ageinst another Wée haue héere two things of which the one is the accusation of the Scribes accusing Chryst and the other is Chrystes most rightfull defence The accusation of the Scribes was this This man is a blasphemer Wherfore bicause he taketh vppon him too forgiue sinnes which perteyneth onely vntoo God For according too the phrase of the scripture Blasphemie is too attribute that thing vnto a creature which is proper or peculiare vntoo God Now too forgiue sinne is propre vntoo God â–ª which thing is assured by the testimonie of Esay where the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet sayth I am I am he that wipeth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and I will no more remember thy sinnes Héervppon they thinke they may conclude as by an infallible consequent y t Chryst is a blasphemer after this manner Whosoeuer taketh vppon him that which is peculiare vntoo God is a blasphemer This Iesus taketh vppon him that which is peculiare vnto God Ergo this Iesus is a blasphemer And vndoubtedly it had bin a true argument if Christ had bin like the Scribes that is too wit if he had bin mere man and not God also Sée I pray you how much our Papistes and Monkes are worse than the Scribes The Scribes were taught by the wordâ— of God to defend this proposition No man caÌ„ forgiue sinnes but onely God But the Papistes attribute forgiuenesse of sinnes too the merites of saincts too Masses and too pardons which things they deale not fréely but fel them very déerely Surely a wonderful kinde of chapmen They sel that which they haue not they sell men the smoke of woords take ready Golde for it They promisse their chapmen Heauen and deliuer them Hell But what shall wée saye of the ministers of Gods woord Doo they forgiue sinne They forgiue not of themselues but they pronounce forgiuenesse of sinnes too all that they finde like this man that was sicke of the Palsie They giue not ought of their owne But they offer another mannes by the commaundemente of Chryste For they offer forgiuenesse of sinnes by the voyce of the Gospell As many as receyue this voyce by fayth doo out of all doubte receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes For Chryst sayeth hée that héereth you héereth mée But what sayth Chryst too this accusation VVhen he savv their thoughtes hee sayde vvhy thinke yee euyl in your harts vvhyther is it easier too say thy sinnes are forgiuen thee or too say arise and vvalke Héere Chryst dooth thrée things First hée sawe the thoughtes of them whiche is the propertie of God onely Whereupon the Scribes ought too haue thought that Chryste was more than mere man For no man is able too sée the thoughts of another man For onely the spirit of God searcheth the depth of mennes hartes Secondly hée blameth them vvhy doo yee thinke euill in your hartes As if hée had sayde yée sinne in thinking amisse of mée By this wée may note â–ª that euil thoughtes are sinnes â–ª Thirdly by visible signe he confirmeth his hidden Godhead As if he had sayd you say that hée that taketh vppon him that whiche is peculiar vntoo GOD alone is a blasphemer for hée hurteth Gods name and fame Uerely I confesse this too bée true But in that yée beléeue not mée too bée GOD you doo amisse Wherfore you are blasphemers and not I. And nowe that I may shew and proue my self too be very God I heale this Palsie man with a becke onely whiche surely is peculiar too the power of the Godhead If I can doo this by my diuine power why shoulde I not also forgiue sinne Who can vtterly take awaye a disease but hée that taketh away the cause of the disease Nowe you sée with your owne eyes that I take awaye the disease and why beléeue you not that I am able too take awaye the cause of the disease also which is sinne Thus Chryst appealeth too his owne dooings whiche beare recorde of him For thus sayeth hee in Iohn If yée beléeue not mée beléeue my woorks which bear witnesse of mée Of this seconde doctrine therefore wée maye learne thrée things Firste that there is continuall battaile betwéene the kingdome of
bothe eternal and present punishment Héer had hée bin forâ—â—â— for sorowe if hée had not herd the comforte of the Prophete in Gods roume Thou shalt not die the Lorde hath taken away thy sinne At the hearing of this comforte fayth kindled in him wherby taking holde vpon the releasement began too beholde the mercie of God and rested vpon the mediatour Wée haue hearde a late a moste goodlye example in the Publicane whoo in suche wise acknowledged the greatnesse of his det that hée durst not so muche as lift vp his eyes And yet hauing bearde of the greatnesse of Gods mercie hée rayseth himselfe by faith and prayeth O God bée mercifull too mée a sinner And so hée obteyned a frée discharge of y e whole dette Let vs set before vs these exaÌ„ples which playnly shew vs the doctrine of repentance and fogiuenesse of sinnes That forgiuenesse of sinnes is the frée releasement of the dette which happeneth too him that repenteth and fléeth too Gods mercie for Chrysts sake And although this release bée vtterly frée as in respect of our selues yeâ— if wée looke vppon Chryst who for our sinnes suffered dreadfull punishment there is made satisfaction too God for our det Let vs therfore marke wel this woord releasement which of itselfe alone conteyneth in it right manyfolde Doctrine First it ouerthroweth the Moonkish doctrine of satisfaction For if saluation befall men through releasement of the dette according too the Gospell what a madnesse is it too say that saluation happeneth for satisfaction of the det for releasemeÌ„t and payment doo so fight one ageynst an other that they can innâ— wise stand both in one respecte Secondly it ouerthroweth all merites of men For howe 〈◊〉 that bée of merite which is of frée gift Paul sayth openly Unto him that woorketh rewards is giuen not of fauour but of duetie but vntoo him that woorketh not but beléeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is imputed too him for rightuousnesse â–ª According wherewitâ— Dauid also sayth Blissed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Thirdly the woord of releasment ouerthroweth satisfaction which the Papists teach â–ª whiche satisfaction muste bée made as they beare men in hand by pilgrimages fastings almes déedes Also it quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For if the det bée released why is the detter punished Lastly this woord releasement openeth vntoo wretched sinners the gate of grace in the conflict of death it is the hauen of saluation and it is the welspring of al comfort And thus much concerning the first place ¶ Of the second BIcause this text coÌ„cerning the parable of the creditor sheweth how gret gods loue mercy are toward mankind â–ª I will speake somewhat therof The mercy of God is of twoo sortes The one is vniuersall wherthrough he suffereth the sunne too rise vppon the good and bad and the other is particuler wherewith as a most déere father he embraceth the Churche of his sonne Of which Christ speaketh in the third of Iohn So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Our heauenly father could not by any greater recorde haue declared his mercy towards vs than in giuing his sonne who might by his death redéeme â—â— from deserued damnation and giue vs euerlasting life Therefore as ofte as wée héere Gods mercy named let vs thinke thâ—â—â— things First let vs thinke how great the miserie of mankinde is before he bée receyued intoo fauoure Mankinde lieth vnder foote and wounded by the Diuell with whose venime being moreouer poysâ—â—ed he breatheth nothing but sin for which he is subiect too eternall paines 2. The causes of this miserie are too bée thought vppon which are partly the sinnes of our first parents and also our owne filthinesse For although that by the fall of them wée hée bound vntoo the sentence of damnation yet notwithstanding by our owne 〈…〉 from day too day we are bouÌ„d too sorer punishments 3 The louingnesse of God and his gentlenesse toowards mankinde is too bée thought vpon For the louing kindnesse sayth Paule and the gentlenesse of God our Sauiour appéered vntoo all men What greater louing kindnesse could there 〈◊〉 than that he hath not cast vs away for so great shamefulnesse and filth 4. Is too bée thought vppon the raunsome that is too wit the Sacrifice of the sonne whereby mannes misery is reléeued and sinne abolished Him that knewe no sinne he made 〈◊〉 that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 5 Is too bée thought vpon the way by which wée may come too the possession of Gods mercy That way is shewed in the first place and is none other than true repentance 6 Is too bée thought how far foorth Gods mercy stretcheth that it is not belonging too a fewe or too the men of one age but indifferently too all that feare him For the holie virgin béeing taught by the spirit of Chryst whom shée had conceyued by the holy Ghost singeth in this wise Gods mercie is from generation too generation too them that feare him that is too all that repent 7 Is too bée thought vppon continuall thankfulnesse in all the whole life that wée may glorifie GOD for his so greate mercie with hart mouth profession and behauiour 8 Wée must thinke howe wée may bée héedfull in framing our whole life that wée lose not so greate a benefite through our owne fault as this detter did ¶ Of the thirde THe third thing that I purposed vpon is of mutuall forgiuing eche others skapes that are woonte too happen For this goeth iointly with beléefe of forgiuenesse of sins Nowe there are twoo things y t go ioyntlye with beléefe of remission of sinnes Namely Grace Gifte Grace is the very Iustification it selfe whereby Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too them that beléeue and their sinnes cléerely are forgyuen Of this wée haue spoken in the firste place Gifte is the very bestowing of the holy Ghost wherthrough a man that is iustified by faith only is toogither therwithal regenerated and sanctified that is too say is mortified in the fleshe and quickened in the spirit The flesh is mortified when the custome of sinning is abolished and the spirite is quickened when wée begin to performe new obedience vnto God A certeine parcell of this quickening is mutuall forgiuing wherby eche of vs forgiue other their misdéedes and displeasures Howe necessarie this forgiuenesse is this dayes Gospel sheweth most euidently as I sayd at the entrance intoo it Chryst hath commaunded vs too pray forgiue vs our dets as wée forgiue our detters For Christ wil haue vs too folow his fathers exaÌ„ple How bée it there are twoo kindes of men that offende vs. Some as soone as they perceiue themselues too haue offended doo by and by in humble wise desire forgiuenesse But as touching those that procéed too offend
thinks good The second The Angel Gabriel was sent of the message Why so First that Gods ordinance might bée obserued for like as GOD was woont too send his Angels before too giue men knoweledge of his wil so now an Angel is sent of an ambassade in the saluation of mankinde For the Apostle in the first too the Hebrues sheweth that this is the dutie of Angels Agein in as muche as a bad Angel was the cause of our first destruction it was conuenient that a good Angell should bée the first messenger of the restorement of saluation agein And thirdly this was conuenient for the moste pure virgin also that a moste pure messenger should bée sent vntoo hir The third That this messenger was sent from God The Ambassadours of Emperours and Kings are looked for very desirouslye that it may bée knowne what is the pleasure of suche greate Princes Beholde hée that sendeth héere is the highest Emperoure and greate is the Ambassadoure that is sent Wherfore wée ought of dutie too bée stirred vp too great woonder The .iiij. The place to which he is set is rehersed by name For hée is sente too a Citie of Galilee named Nazareth The cause that this was done was for that it was so prophesied before And besides that God sheweth that hée regardeth the things that are base vpon earth Wherfore there is no cause that any man should thinke himselfe a castaway bicause hée is eyther poore or an abiect vpon earth The fifth Too what persone hée is sent namely too a virgin that was betrouthed too a husband In déede Chryst ought too bée conceyued of a virgin and borne of a virgin according too the forsayings of the Prophets for men haue bin brought foorth intoo the world after foure sundry manners The first maner was of Adam onely who was shaped of the slime of the earth The second was of onely Eue who was wrought out of a ribbe of Adams The third was of Chryst only who was borne of a moste pure virgin And the fourth is the common birth of all other men which are conceyued of the séede of male and female toogither Chryst then was conceyued and borne of a virgin Firste for that if hée had bin borne of the séede of man and woman he should haue bin conceyued and born in sinne But it was méete that hée which came too take away sin should be without sinne Ageine it was méete that the Prophesies shoulde bée fulfilled It was said in the third of Genesis the womans séede shall tread downe the Serpents head And in the .29 of Genesis the scepter shal not bée taken away from Iuda vntil the comming of Silo that is too say of the sonne of that foresayd woman Esay 7. Behold sayth he a mayd shal conceiue and beare a sonne Moreouer it was conuenient it should bée so for the signification of the spirituall regeneration whiche is not the will of the fleshe or of the will of man but of the will of God Wherupon S. Austin sayeth It behoued oure head by special miracle as touching his body too bée borne of a virgin too the intent he might doo vs too vnderstand y t those which are his members must bée borne a newe of the spirit And wheras this virgin was betrouthed too a husbād there were good causes therof For by this meanes bothe the woorthinesse of mariage is commended and prouision was made for the sauegarde of the Uirgins honestie and good name yea and the virgin had giuen vntoo hir a kéeper that should haue care of hir The sixth That Ioseph was of the house of Dauid And it was conuenient hée should so bée chéeflye for the Prophesies For it was foretolde that when Chryst came hée should bée borne of the linage of Dauid Whiche thing was not vnknowen too the very Scribes and Pharisies ¶ Of the second THe second membre of this Euangelical storie is the Salutation of the Angel whiche is this Haile full of grace the Lorde is vvith thee blissed art thou among vvomen Héere let vs think of our first moother Eue and the moste holy virgin the moother of Iesus and let vs marke howe diuers sayings they heard Eue heard I wil multiply thy sorowes Sorowes are tokens of cursing before faith Mary herd Haile that is too say bée glad And hée addeth the cause Thou art full of grace that is too say God hath receyued thée intoo fauour and hath chosen thée alone of all womankinde too whom hée will doo a singular benefite The Lord is vvith thee That is too say thou hast God thy defender and Sauioure Blissed arte thou among vvomen That is too saye like as Eue was cursed among women or rather all women were cursed for hir sake So art thou blissed through the gift and fauour of God For vntoo thée is happened so great good luck that thou shalt bée the moother of the promised séede This is the meaning of the Angels gréeting Whereby it is easie too gather how foolish they are that will make a prayer of it wherewith they call vppon the blissed virgin contrary too the manifest woord of God Untoo whiche kinde of people I say no more but this at this time Cursed is euery one that calleth vpon any creature and which wresteth the woordes of the scripture too stablish horrible Idolatrie in contempt of the sonne of God too the slaunder of the most holy virgin and too their owne most certein damnation At such time as true Inuocatiō is taught in the Church it is also shewed therwith that calling vpon Sainctes is a seruice of the Diuell brought intoo the Church by the Diuell ¶ Of the thirde AT the heering of this greeting the virgin is troubled and museth vvithin hir selfe vvhat maner of salutation it should bee Too vvhom the Angel said Mary feare not for thou hast foūd fauor vvith God Sée héer what Gods woord dooth First it maketh afrayde and afterwarde it comforteth Feare not saith he as if he should say I come not too bring thée tidings of any sadnesse I come not too shew that God is angry with thée For thou hast found fauour with God Héere we haue a sure doctrine that only Gods fauour putteth away feare Al other things haue feare ioyned with them Fréendes haue feare ioyned with them least they should forsake vs whē we haue most néede of them Health hath fear least it should bée appaired Riches are not possessed without feare For they may bée lost the losse of them leaueth sorow behind it Power feareth as which may bée ouercome by a stronger thā it self Only Gods fauor driueth feare away He that is in this may fréely both in life and in death laugh the Diuell and all his craftes too scorne Inasmuch as this fauor or grace is possessed by faith and increased by godly exercises it stādeth vs all in hand to beware wée lose it not through our owne default For if wée lose that there remaineth nothing but trouble of
or of God by meanes that is too wit by men that haue aucthoritie too call too any seruice in the common weale or in the Church Ageinst this example of modestie doo curious folkes offend who without calling climb vp into offices by the windowes or the roofe of the house rather than by the dore Such are they which by fréends or by large giftes hunt for spirituall promotions and that not too serue God and edifie his Church but too féede their bellies which thing commeth commonly too an ill end The sixth circumstance is of his office wherof Luke speaketh in this manner And he came intoo all the coasts about Iordan preaching the Baptim of repentance for the remission of sinnes as it is written in the booke of Esay The voice of a cryer in wildernesse prepare the way of the Lord make streight his pathes c. Wée haue Iohns office namely that he baptizeth and preacheth repentance that he may prepare the way of the Lord and poynt out Christ our Lord. And bicause he was the first minister of God that baptized by Gods commaundement he was called Baptist. And bicause he preached repentance he was called a Prophet And bicause he poynted out Chryst he was called Elias that he might come in the spirit of Elias and prepare the way of the Lord. In this mannes office doo shine many vertues as constancy stoutnesse confession tribulation defence of the truthe earnestnesse and endeuoure too enlarge Chrysts kingdome He feared not Herode he regarded not the Pharisies But he mainteined his office stoutly euen too the death The seuenth circumstance is of Chrystes record concerning Iohn Of this circumstance wryteth Mathewe in his eleuenth chapter where Iohn being cast into prison sendes two of his Disciples too Iesus too know of him whither he were the same that was too come or whither some other were too bée looked for And after Chrysts answere is immediatly put Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn What went yée out sayth he intoo the wildernesse too sée A réede How bée it for as much as this commendation of Chrysts giuen vntoo Iohn is declared in the thirde Sunday in Aduent I will say no more of it héere The eight circumstāce is of Iohns death of those things that happened about his death after his death In his death are these things the occasion of it the cause of it the kind of the death Iohns example The occasion was this Herod tooke away his brothers wife and vsed hir as his owne Bicause Iohn saw this thing too bée ageinst the law of God and the honestie of nature he sayd too Herod It is not lawful for thée too haue thy brothers wife Wherwith Herod taking displeasure did cast Iohn in prison Before Iohn had doon so Herod loued him hée estéemed him as a Prophet and now and then vsed him as a counseller But assoon as Iohn began too reproue him for his incest and vncleane life Herod of his fréend became his enimie cast Iohn intoo prison as an euill dooer This example of Herodes is folowed of many nowe a dayes They make muche of Gods seruants as long as they displease them not and as long as they blame not their vyces But assoone as they bewray their disease by and by like mad men they lay hands vpon their Phisicians The cause of his death was Herods othe For when Herod at a feaste had behild the daughter of Herodias daunsing shée lyked him so well with hir daunsing that hée sware hée would giue hir whatsoeuer shée would aske euen too the one halfe of his kingdome As soone as the Damsel her◠this shée runnes too hir moother and asketh counsell of hir what shée shoulde requeste Hir moother who hated Iohn for finding fault with hir whoredom bad hir aske Iohn Baptists head whiche thing shée obteyned For out of hand a hangman was sente for too cut of Iohns head and so it was deliuered too the Damsell Thus haue wée the cause of Iohns death and the kinde of his death Behold héere at the request of a yong wenche was put too death that noble personage than the which there was not a greater among them that are borne of women according vntoo Chrystes testimonie This verely is the lot of the churche Héere wée see that Chrystes churche is gotten with blud and kept with blud This example of Iohns is too be folowed of all sincere ministers of Chryst Namely rather too choose death than too winke at mennes sinnes assuring them selues y t he which accepted Iohns blud as a moste acceptable sacrifise will also haue regard of them in the mids of the fire Too him therefore bée honor praise thanksgiuing and glory for euer and euer So bée it The Visitation of Mary ¶ The Gospel Luke j. ANd Mary arose in those dayes and vvent intoo the Mountaynes vvith haste into a Citie of Ievvrie and entred intoo the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth And it fortuned as Elizabeth heard the Salutation of Mary the babe sprong in hir belly And Elizabeth vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and cryed vvith a loud voyce and sayd Blissed art thou among vvomen and blissed is the frute of thy vvombe And vvhence happeneth this vntoo mee that the Mother of my Lorde shoulde come too mee For loe assoone as the voyce of thy salutation sounded in mine eares the babe sprang in my belly for ioy And blissed arte thou that beleeuest for those things shall bee perfourmed vvhiche vvere tolde thee from the Lorde And Mary sayde My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirite reioyseth in God my sauioure For hee hath looked on the poore degree of his handmayden For beholde from hencefoorth shall all generations call mee blissed Bicause he that is mightie hath done too mee great things and holye is his name And his mercie is on them that feare him throughout all generations Hee shevveth strength vvith his arme hee scattereth them that are proud in the imagination of their harts He putteth dovvne the mightie from their seats and exalteth them of lovve degree Hee filleth the hungry vvith good things and sendeth avvay the riche emptie Hee remembreth mercie and helpeth his seruaunt Israell Euen as hee promised vntoo our Fathers Abraham and his séede for euer And Mary abode vvith hir aboute three Moneths and returned ageine too hir ovvne house The exposition of the Text. WHerfore feasts of Sainctes were appoynted in the Church is already shewed bothe at other tymes and also vppon the very daye of Iohn Baptist. The effect of the matter commeth vntoo this ende that wée may haue examples of repentaunce and of Gods mercy or too speake more at large firste that when wée are falne with them wee shoulde not dispaire of forgiuenesse but looke vp for grace repenting vs earnestly of oure sinnes after the example of the Sainctes Secondly that wée shoulde folowe their fayth according as Paule warneth commending Abrahams fayth vntoo vs. Rom. 4. And thirdly that we should endeuer
of GOD. Blissed are they vvhyche suffer persecution for ryghtuousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen Blissed are ye vvhen men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsly say all maner of euyll sayings ageynst you for my sake reioyce bee glad for great is your revvard in Heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets vvhiche vvere before you The exposition of the Text. FEastes of Sainctes were appoynted in the Churche not without right weighty causes which I wil reherse in order that we may vse the feastes of Sainctes too our owne behoofe The first cause is that the Storie of the Church may bée knowen for that is excéeding profitable For thereby wée vnderstand both the state of the Church and also what defenders what enimies the church hath had The second is that Gods benefits towards the membres of his Church may bée thought vppon Paule of a persecuter became an Apostle Peter for all that he had denied his master was receyued intoo fauor ageyne Mary Magdalen the sinner was accepted for a daughter whyle she stayed vppon Chryst by fayth At the very poynt of death Chryst offered himself too be séene of Steuen And so in euery of the Saincts are seuerall benefits of God to bée séene The third is that hauing considered these benefits of God towards the Saincts wée should giue God thanks for that he was so merciful to wretched sinners turning themselues too the Lord by true repentance as to receiue them intoo fauor and too garnish them with so many benefits and to hold them vp with his spirit in this wildernesse The fourth is that the sundry casualties of the Sainctes should be weyed and compared with the perils of our times As the godly were oppressed by the vngodly in old time So are they at this day In times past the Sainctes reioyced vnder godly gouernours and now and then ageine were faine too féele the hard yoke of Tyrantes and so doo they in these dayes also In these variable chaunces wée must harten our selues with the examples of the Sainctes The fifth is that wée should folowe the Sainctes in pacience in lyfe in seruing God in profession in stedfastnesse and in other vertues The Sainctes therefore must bée as it were examples and rules too lead our life by Gods woord requireth repentance woorshipping of God confession and pacience And the Sainctes minister vntoo vs examples of the same The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the company of the Sainctes too the intent that being at length deliuered from these distresses wée may liue blissedly for euermore with Chryst. In consideration wherof Chryst auoucheth his disciples to be blissed although they bée afflicted with sundry miseryes in this lyfe And to this purpose perteyneth this dayes Gospell concerning sundry blissednesses according as wée shal héere anon Therfore let vs declare euery blissednesse seuerally by it selfe There is but one poynt ¶ Of the blissednesse of Christs Disciples BLissed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 〈…〉 of this place is that there is no cause why they should thinke them selues vnhappie that from the bottome of their harte féel themselues in very déed too be voyd of all rightuousnesse sith this selfe same féeling of a mannes own poorenesse is the first step wherby hée mounteth vp too the chéef riches that is too saye too the kingdome of Heauen not by it selfe and of it owne nature but bicause it compelleth vs too séeke him who is the onely way intoo Heauen What manner a thing spirituall or ghostly pouertie is it may bée the easlier vnderstood by a comparison For like as the poorenesse of beggerie is not onely extréeme néedinesse but also the open profession of the same so the poorenesse of spirite is not onely the vttermoste want of heauenly riches that is too wit of rightuousnesse holinesse and innocencie but also the profession of the same want before God of whō wée desire reléefe of oure néedinesse for Chrystes sake This poorenesse then consisteth in true repentance and in crauing the riches of Heauen The Moonkes abused this place For out of it they taught that by pouertie that is too say by beggerie men merited the kingdome of heauen whereas Paule in the sixth too the Romaines sayeth plainely Eternall life is Gods gift through Iesus Chryste our Lorde If it bée a frée gifte surely it is not purchased with pouertie whiche doutlesse deserueth nothing of it owne nature but is a punishement the cause whereof is partly wastefulnesse partly slouth partly the penaltie of some sinne and partly tryalles sake as was the beggerie of Lazarus Blissed are those that mourne for they shall receyue comfort This is a woonderful Sermon He auoucheth the mourners too bée blissed whereas nothing is more ageinst blissednesse than mourning But Chrystes saying is too bée vnderstoode of the successe of the mourning and not of the time of mourning For thus sayth he bicause they shall receiue comforte that is when their mourning is at ende in this world This mourning procéedeth partly of the poornesse of spirit partly of the miseries of this present life which doo as it wer with a certeine fire boile vs trie vs as it were w t spurres quicken vs vp too craue the endlesse ioy whiche shall wipe away all teares Then is not mourning of it selfe the cause of blisfulnesse but bicause it driueth vs vnto Christ who is the author of all comfort Héervntoo therfore maketh that saying of Paule wée reioyce in tribulations bicause they woork pacience pacience trial trial hope and hope is not confounded bicause god loueth vs. Héerby it may bée easly perceiued that Chryste speaketh not of euery kinde of mourning but of the mourning y t is according to God not according to y e world Blissed are the meke for they shall receyue the inheritance of the earth The méeke are peaceable milde gentle curteous such as bridle their affections such as are easie too be entreated to forgiue wrong when they are misused and such as had leuer lose a thing than to stand in contention for it This vertue of méeknesse springeth of the true feare of God of true lowlinesse the which Chryst commendeth to those y t are his saying lerne of mée bicause I am méeke lowly of hart It is a rule y t Chrysts Disciples must be méeke The exāple of the rule is Chryst. For hée wil that we looke vpon him when we mind this vertue The Lord sayth not lerne of mée too rayse the dead to chase away diuels to walk drishod vpon the sea to fast .xl. dayes .xl. nights without sustenance but he sayth lerne of mée for I am méeke and lowly of hart This lowlynesse hathe with it brotherly louingnesse whereof the Lorde sayth By this shall all men knowe yée too be my Disciples if yée loue one another But what is promised too the méeke Blissednesse and that is for the
â—s that the storye of the celebration of the Lordes Supper should as this day bée handled in the church too the intent the true vse of this holy Supper may bée vnderstoode For when Chryst the day before he should suffer instituted this supper he gaue commaundement to his disciples that they should keep this supper in remembrance of him Wherfore it must nedes bée that there are great ◠〈◊〉 causes why it should be nedfull to make great account of the institutioÌ„ of this supper For vnlesse we thorowly and with good héed wey â—he causes of the institutioÌ„ of this supper we cannot sufficiently extol the goodnesse of our sauiour who although he were in most gréeuous sorow for his death which was at haÌ„d would notw tstaÌ„ding institute this supper leaue it too his church for a most assured pledge of our saluation purchased by him wherin the memoriall of the couenant established betwéene God man by the blud of Christ might be preserued for euer Howbeit to y e inteÌ„t wée may be the more distinctly instructed coÌ„cerning this supper I will propounde thrée places which by Gods grace I wyll expounde at this time The three places 1 The circumstaunces of the institution of this Supper and the signification therof wheruppon shal bee gathered the full description of the same 2 The true and lawfull triall of suche persons as méene too vse this Supper to their profit 3 The right vse and lawfull meditation of this Supper ¶ Of the firste THere be many circumstances in the storie of the Institution of this Supper which I wil set forth in order according too the texte The first is of the time For thus lie the words of the text Our Lord Iesus Chryst in the same night that hee vvas betrayed For he instituted this Supper vppon the Thursday late before the next friday folowing that he should bée crucified Wheruppon wée may gather twoo things First how great it must needes bée that Chrystes loue was towards vs whoo although he knew he shold die the next day would notwithstanding institute this perpetuall remembraunce of his benefits Another is that the celebration of this Supper must bée kept by vs in true repentance according as shall be said ageine afterward The second circumstaunce is of the guestes that were at this Supper The maister of the feast was Chryst they that were at it were his disciples good and bad The good surely were very weake and the bad was but only Iudas the traitor Héereby wée are taught that Chryste will alwayes bée present at this Supper and that this Supper perteyneth too Chrystes disciples And although the wicked doo also mingle themselues in among the reast yet notwithstanding thys Supper turneth to their iudgement and damnation as shall bée said ageine héereafter The third circumstance is of blissiing For he tooke bread and gaue thanks If the sonne of God gaue thanks before he vsed things what becommeth it vs too doo The fourth circumstance is of the elements For he vsed bread and wyne in the institution of this supper For as the outward man is nourished with bread and wine so the inward maÌ„ is spiritually fed with the body and blud of Christ. The fift circumstaunce is of the things that are present inuisible at this supper as are the very bodye and the very blud of our lord Iesus Chryst. The sixt circumstance is the coÌ„mandement for he commandeth his Church to kéepe continually the same maner of celebrating his supper Doo this saith he The seuenth circumstance is of the new couenant This Cuppe sayth he is the nevv testament in my blud Why this Supper is called the new Testament it shall bée tolde you afterwarde The eight circumstance is the end for which the Supper was instituted whiche end is expressed in these woords Doo yee this sayth hée in remembrance of mee That is too say As often as ye vse this supper renue yée the remembraunce of my benefits that is to wit of my death and resurrection and shewe yée forth my death till I come The ninth circumstance foloweth vpon the eyght namely that the celebration of this supper belongeth only too them that be of yéeres of discretion that may bée instructed of the Lordes death and that are able too giue thankes openly too the Lord for his benefits These are the circumstances of this supper that are too be weyed diligently Now will I shewe what things are ment by this Supper For as the Pascall Lamb had many significations in the old Testament So also hath this holy Supper of Chrysts which is succéeded in the place of the paschall Lambe Therfore as the Paschall Lambe firste did put the people in mind of the benefite doone in olde time that is too wit of their deliuerance from the bondage of Egipt And secondly confirmed the faith of them that vsed it and thirdly shadowed the sacrificing of Chryst that was to come and fourthly was a figure of the euerlasting couenant betwéene God man So also hath this supper sundrie significations and that partly in respect of the time past partly of the tyme present and partely of the time too come and partly of the euerlastingnesse Whiche significations I will declare as playnly as I can God further both mée in teaching and you in héering that it may turn too Gods glorie too the healthfull instruction of our selues What is the signification of the supper in respect of the tyme past If we looke back too the time past this holy supper is a certeine calling too mynd of the Storie of our Lords passion according too Chrystes commaundement Doo yee this in remembrance of mee As often then as wée come too the Supper or other wise bée present at the celebration of the supper wée must bée mindfull of the death buryall and resurection of our Lord. What is the méening of the supper in respect of the time present First it signifyeth that we are vnited and incorporated intoo Chryste and that spiritually For so teacheth Paule when he sayth The Cup of Blissing vvhich vvee blisse is it not the communion of Chrystes blud The bread than vve breake is it not the communion of Chrystes bodye That is too say the partaking of the body and blud of Chryst maketh vs to haue a certaine coÌ„munion with Chryst. Agein it signifieth that we also are vnited among our selues by y e spirit of Chryst as many of vs as are partakers too gither of this supper Of which communion the one lofe is a token as Paule testifyeth when he sayeth bycause as there is one lofe so wée béeing many are one body For as the lofe is made of many cornes so as many as communicate toogyther doo grow togyther intoo one body spiritually the head wherof is Chryst and this is the cause that Paule calleth the Supper a communion Hereupon one of the holy fathers sayth The supper is called a Communion first for that by it wée communicate wyth Chryst