and not vnto the worlde Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him If a man loue me he wyll keepe my saiynges and my father wyll loue hym and we wyll come vnto hym and dwell with him He that loueth me not keepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye heare is not myne but the fathers which sente me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beeynge yet present wythe you But the comforter whyche is the hollye ghoste Ioh. 15. and .16 Act. 2. whome my father wyll sende in my name hee shall teache you all thynges and bringe all things to your remembraunce whatsoeuer I haue sayde vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I geue vnto you Not as the world geueth geue I vnto you Let not your hartes be greued neyther feare Ye haue hearde howe I sayde vnto you I go and come againe vnto you Yf ye loued me ye wolde verely reioyse bicause I sayde I go vnto the father For the father is greater then I Ioh. 13 and 16. And nowe haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleue Hereafter wyll I not talke many wordes vnto you For the prince of this worlde cometh and Ioh. 12. and .16 hath nought in me But that the worlde maye knowe that I loue the father And as the father gaue me commaundemente euen so do I. THE EXPOSITION THe apostels were euer of that mynd The ignorauÌ„ce of the flesh before the holy ghost was confirmed in them that the kingedome of Christe shulde haue ben temporall and wordly wherin he shuld haue mightely raigned as in times paste did Dauid and Salomon Truly when Iudas not the Iscariot according to this saiyng did aske Christ in his laste supper Lorde what is the cause then that thou wilt shew thy selfe vnto vs not vnto the world Christ did lead him with the other disciples away from this hope and trusting of a temporall kingedome to those thinges that were more necessary which was the fulfillyng of his word And therfore he doth teache in this gospell Fyrste of all hee teachethe heere what the frute of oure loue towarde god is whiche muste needes flowe oute of the harte and cannot stande without faith For how can I loue him Loue towards God of whome I hope and loke for no goodnes For in that I loke for goodnes of Christe that I hope and truste in him and set al my consolacion and comforte in him that faith I say oÌ„ly bringeth to passe which receiueth the worde and thereby knoweth that the father wyll be knowen and glorified in this Christe alone Ioh. 1. And that is the meaninge of this sentence Who so euer beleueth not that he receiueth of his fulnes that by Christe he hathe a mercifull father in heauen and remission of sinnes righteousnes and saluacioÌ„ moreouer that it is God through Christ that keepeth vs and defendeth vs frome the ieopardyes and periles of this worlde hee loueth not Christe but rather his owne propre workes righteousnes and wisedome Moreouer where Christ is neither loued nor knowen there of a suertye is his worde neither obserued nor kepte And contrarye wise Where the same mercifull father with all his benefites done vnto vs is knowen and all oure hope caste in hym by Christ yt is not possible but that there shal be trewe loue towardes Christ Trewe loue wylleth that god willeth lyueth accordinge to his godlye wyll hath greate delyte and pleasure to heare what god desireth of vs and when he heareth it he fulfilleth it in worke And suche faith and loue dyd Moyses require of the people of Israell Deut. 6. saying Heare o Israell the lord our God is one lord onely and thou shalt loue the lord thy god with al thy hart with al thy soule c. Faythe Chieffely here note that Moyses as a lawe gyuer requireth faith and hope of the harte towarde the onlye god that he is the same that kepeth and preserueth the people and wil be to vs a mercifull father And after that he requireth loue towardes god though he cannot giue it by the lawe that we shuld loue god with all our hart with all our soule with all our might And on this wise Moyses draweth vs from all creature and directeth vs to god only Moreouer he desireth such maner of loue Loue towardes God that not constrained but frely and volutarily shal serue god and keepe his commaundementes and fulfyll his wil as the nature of loue is Which more plainly we find in the gospel Mat. 13 that the seed that fell in a good grouÌ„d gaue frute c. Here thou hearest that the word of god taken with the hart through preaching bringeth forth frute By the worde we receiue faith from faith cometh loue toward god our neighboure of loue cometh the fulfilling of godê coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts Finally Faith loue bring a godly a christian coÌ„uersacion lyfe Wherefore Christ in the gospell of this day constraineth no maÌ„ by the law but exhorteth them to faith and loue as they that willyngly wolde kepe his word and fulfyll his comaundment accordinge to sainte Paules saiyng 1. Tim. 1 howe that the lawe is noâ— gâ—uen vnto the righteous but vnto the vngodly disobedient and sinners Secondaryly this gospell teacheth The kiÌ„gdome of god ioin the harts of the faithfull wher Christ will haue his kingedome and dominioÌ„ namely in the harts of the faithfull Likewise he promiseth vs here not onli that if we shew this loue outwardly with the word that the father shal loue vs but also more greater and more excellent thinges that is to saue â–ª that he with the father and the vertue of the holy ghost wyll come vnto vs. O comforte O grace It was out dewty to 〈◊〉 vnto him seing that our nature is so corrupte and wanteth so muche ameÌ„demente But behold God wil come vnto vs. so mercifull is our god that he preuenteth vs and promiseth to come vnto vs by Christ And what will he do with vs He wyll make hym a dwellinge place with vs. If wee considre the disposition of oure nature and firste natiuity we shall fynde that our harte is the dwellyng place of the diuell Which alas is to trewe in so much that S. Paul saith Ephe. 2. that naturally we were the childreÌ„ of wrath euen as well as other And for this originall sinne that is grafte in vs god by right might condempne vs wretched creatures But yet considre how mercifully goodly he handleth vs which not all only forgiueth vs our originall and actuall sinne as they call it so mercifully through Christ but also he geueth vnto vs Christ himselfe And so he giueth him vnto vs that he with him voutchsafeth to dwell in vs whereby Satan is expulsed and driuen away 1 Cor. 6. and our hartes made the dwelling place and temple of the holy ghoste He now that here in this worlde
into heauen with the approue confirmacion of the same For thus sayth the texte And the Lorde after that he had spoken vnto them he was taken vppe into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God c. Hetherto Christ had preached and taught after that he was crucifyed and rysen agayn the thyrd daye from the dead and truely after his resurrection he had muche a do with the incredulitee of his Apostles to whom also at the last he shewed what he would theim to do And after he had all this doone Mar 16 he ascended into heauen and sytteth on the right hand of God that is he taketh to himselfe a newe kyngdome that he perpetually with his father beyng Lord on heauen and yearth may and shal reigne in equal power with God his father What it is to syt on the right hand of God for to conserue gouerne maintayn and defend all that are his from all euils For this to do is to syt on the right hand of God Furthermore lest his assencion into heauen should be without an euident vtilitee and profyte he would sende from heauen his holy ghost which might confirme his in the fayth make them strong in all their troubles and persecucions and defende comfort them against their threttes that hated the word euen as the Prophet did testifi Ps 67. saiyng Hee ascended into the highth and hath ledde captiuitee capteiue and hath geuen gyftes to men Oh deare brethren is not this a mightie Lord that hath coÌ„quered and deliuered vs from the captiuitee of Sathan hath geuen frely to vs his worde and spirit and lastly by this meanes hath made vs the sonnes of God Surely he that wyll not beleue and put his confidence in this god and suche a Lorde doubtlesse his vnbelif shal turne briÌ„g him vnto perpetual dampnacion and losse bothe of body and soule The whiche God vouchesafe to turne froÌ„ vs for his great infinite grace through Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen The gospel on the Monday after Witsondaye Ioh. 3. FOr God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Luce. 19 For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemn the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued Hee that beleueth on hym is not condemned But hee that beleueth not is condemned already bycause he hath not beleued in the name of the onlye begotten son of god And thys is the coÌ„demnacioÌ„ Iohn 1 and. 12. the lyght is come into the world and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause their deedes were euel For ♣ Eph. 5 euery one that euell dooeth hateth the lyght neither commeth to the lyght least hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth truthe commeth to the lyghte that hys deedes maye bee knowen howe they are wrought in God After these thynges came Iesus and hys disciples into the land of Iewrye and there he taryed with them Ioh. 4. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Mar. 4 and baptized And Iohn also baptized in EnnoÌ„ besyds Salim bicause ther was muche water there and they came and were baptized For Ihon was not yet put in pryson THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell CHRIST setteth out highly The loue of God toward vs that excedinge loue and charitye of oure heauenly father that he euer hath borne vnto man kâ—nde And this loue doth Christe so highly extoll and magnifye that he affirmeth that loue to haue beene the chiefe principall and onlye cause wherfore hee wolde giue his onlye begotten sonne into this worlde Lette vs therefore with most herty attentioÌ„ coÌ„sider this praise wherwith Christ setteth out the loue of his heaueÌ„ly father For in it we shal plainely perceiue what moued god to redeme vs and by whome he would worke our redemtion And what moued the heauenly father to doo thys Dyd men obtaine it with their good works Or deserued they it by theyr honest conuersacion Truly if that time that Christ came into to the worlde he wold haue iudged men accordinge to their merites and workes it was to be feared least as it happein the tyme of Noe he shulde haue drowned all the worlde with water for doubteles at that tyme ther were not very many good in al the world For euen the Iewes which receiued the law prophets and therfore ought to haue been more holier and better then the other nacions these I say were a fewe except more wretched and abhominable then anye other Then needes must ther be a far other cause of our redemtioÌ„ Out of loue and grace ar we saued then the merites of man What is it then Christe answereth God so loued the worlde Do not you heare now that our redemtion dependeth and consisteth vpon mere loue grace compassion and mercy And this loue ought well to styrre vs vp and to bringe vs to faithe For if we wel consider and weye this loue in our hearts it wil sufficiently teach vs how high ye vnspeakable it is For suerly we had deserued by vnbeliefe and our sinnes perpetual damnacioÌ„ god mought most rightfully haue shed vpon vs his terrible wrath furor and indignacion and haue condemnd vs vnto ê‘petual daÌ„nacion but what dyd he So mighty nowe was not his wrathe but his loue that not only he saued vs froÌ„ destruction but also made vs free safe froÌ„ synne death dyuel and hell But howe did he this or by what meane or mediator Wold he do this by his angels or by any other mediator or mean Nay verily But to do this he sent gaue freely his only begotten son Here againe that excedyng loue is glorified which was the cause the god would redeme vs. For truely all that euer god giueth that giueth he of grace no merites goyng before With this agreeth the saying of S Paul If when we wer enemies we were recoÌ„ciled to god by the death of his son much more now that we be reconcyled we shal be saued by his life Here also in this saying the apostell coÌ„fesseth that god receiued vs of grace ye when we were yet his enemies Finally God hath deliuered vs from our sins from hel hath giuen to vs eternall life by free grace loue that hath he done by his beloued and only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christe Secondarily althogh our saluacion be gotten made perfect by Christ only yet this must we learn to knowe how men maye obtaine it And thys also doth Christe manifestly shew in this gospell That euery man saith he the beleueth in him shuld not perishe but shoulde haue lyfe eaternall You heare in these wordes whether saluacion gotten by Christe may be receiued by works or apprehended by faith Without doubte our workes do nothinge in this matter But here muste needes be a true faith and an assured confidence and beliefe in god But wheÌ„ is that beliefe and faithe trewe Fayth When
Yea likewise if Israel shulde haue had no cause to glori or reioise of this child he shuld not haue biÌ„ called the glori of the people of Israel Moreouer marke here nowe whether that al men shal knowe this same sauiour lyght Lo saith SimeoÌ„ he is set to the fal how to the fal Esai 8. Bicause that many shal be offended in him wheÌ„ thei shal se him go in maÌ„ner of a bondmaÌ„ or seruauÌ„t not after the fashioÌ„ of kingê princes And especiallye suche as doth not beleue but put their confidence in their own workes wil attaine to the righteousnes before God by their own workê merites not through his only grace Of the which also S. Paul speaketh in the 10. Rom. 10 cha to the Rom Thei that know not the righteousnes of God sekiÌ„g their own be not subdued to Goddes iustice And thei be such that wheÌ„ they hear the righteousnes of God coÌ„mended yet will they not beleue nor in a maÌ„ner can beleue bicause those thiÌ„gs that they do of their own wil be to be reiected cast awai Wherfore they do persecute this doctrine be offeÌ„ded in Christ do stil remaine in their misbilfee leste they shuld at any time be saued Ther be neuertheles amongst those also very many to whom Christ is set to their vprising but that is to those all only which of them selfe do dispaire knowledge that there is no name vnder the sun Ioel. 2. Act. 4. geueÌ„ to meÌ„ wher through thei shal be saued but only in the name of Christ And such be by Christ reserued to euerlastiÌ„g ioy as the prophet Esai saith Esai 28. Lo I wil set in SioÌ„ in the fouÌ„dacioÌ„ a corner stone euery maÌ„ that beleueth in him shal not be lost Now if thou desire that Christ may not be set to the to stumble at but to thine vprising go to and cast away al the hope of thine own merits embrace Christ as the sauiour of this world Mat. 16 And theÌ„ shal not hel gates preuaile against the. And if thou se the more part of meÌ„ not willing to receiue this doctrine but defeÌ„ding the righteousnes of their works The swerde shulde perse Maryes herte reiectiÌ„g the iustice that cometh by faith theÌ„ remeÌ„bre those wordê that SimeoÌ„ saith that Christ shal be set for asign or token which shal be spokeÌ„ against of meny And think you that it was spoken in vayne that a swearde shulde perse throughe Maryes herte Simeon knew wel inough that our Lord Iesu Christ shuld suffre muche paynes for his doctryne And therefore said vnto Mary that with her welbeloued son she shulde suffre also great sorowes that the secrete thoughtes of many shulde bee opened whiche although they were taken for the moste holyest of al yet shuld they be of all the most wicked Thou hast nowe here the testimony of that iust man Simeon that Christ is the sonne of God the very trew Messias and sauyoure of all the worlde SecoÌ„darely we haue here the testimony of Anne the prophetise concerning Christ Ann propheceeth of Christ And besides that that the euangelist doth describe and set forthe her conuersacion he saith further also that she wheÌ„ the verye houre came knowledged the Lorde and spake of him to euery man that longed for the redemtioÌ„ of Israel Obserue and mark now the order of this testimony Fyrst she prayseth and commendeth God for none other cause but that she knewe in this child not only the greate kyndenes of God but also that all prophecies were fulfilled and that the same acceptable time was come Ephe. 5. wherein Christ shulde be borne and to the whiche also God willed her to be reserued and kepte And trewlye all christen people oughte to geue thankes vnto God the father for his suche greate benefite that throughe this childe he willed vs to bee saued from all euell And certainlye this Anne knoweth and knowledgeth that of oure selues we canne nothing do And therfore praiseth God that he hath voutchsaued to send vs our sauioure from heauen And that al other shulde knowe the same she speaketh of him to all that longed for the redemption of Israell But what speaketh she of him Doughteles nothinge els but euen as Simeon did before Simeon told that the same childe was the lighte and sauioure of the Gentils Anne confirmeth the same and saith He is now presente before oure eyes and euen at hande The saiyng of Anna. whom they loked so longe for She frely confesseth her praiers fasting widowhed and honest conuersation to be of no respecte except by this childe through grace she be made righteous and holy and delyuered froÌ„ euerlasting death Of this place it becometh all women widowes maydens to take example folow the steppes of Anne in the knowledging of Christ in good and honests life and in the trew worshipping of God She perceued very wel that it was necessary for her throgh the truste that she had in this child to be saued that is to be iustified by trewe faith in Christ And here may it wel be vnderstand that faith must be liuely effectual And this certificat or knowledg of faith must we al haue or els trewlye the same faithe that maketh vs iust righteous Righte faith is not in vs but rather a false persuasion and opinion of Christ Christe was very man Thirdely this gospell confirmeth the article of oure faith wherin we knowledge that Christ was borne of the virgin Mary For as I must beleue that this is trew so must I also faythfully beleue that Christ naturaly as al other meÌ„ doth iÌ„cresed in age wit strength wisedome spirit not that the holye ghost was not at the first in him but that the more he was in age the bigger he was the bigger he was the wiser he was And the wiser he was so much the stronger he was in spirite before God in himselfe and before al men And to be short In that that the Euangeliste saith The childe encreased and was strengthed in spirite ful of wisedome and the grace of God was in hiÌ„ he sheweth that the same child euerye day more and more did growe in goodnes and wisedome And we shulde highly wish that our children might be like broght vp The briÌ„ging vp of chyldren that thei might more and more increase and do that is iust good This childe Iesus increased and was strengthned in spirite And we suffre oure chyldren to fall run into their own carnal lust desyre Nor we do any thing care or prouide that by the word of God they may be brought to faith and honest liuing Christ incresed in wisdome And our children increase in folishnes And wilt thou know the cause thereof Their parents be in the faut that wil not instruct bring vp theyr children in goodnes vertu nother teach them the
thoughe any Iewe had done it But he that beleueth that by the onlye meryte of Chryst he ys iustyfyed he shall haue euerlastyng lyfe Ioh. 3. Secondarelye wee learne out of this gospell that Chryste came into thys worlde not onlye for the Iewes but also for the Gentyles And so yt ys declared by these wysemen that seeke Christ that the preachynge of the gospel shulde be taken from the Iewes geuen to the Gentyles The callynge of the HeitheÌ„ And that for thys cause that althogh they hard the gospel fyrst of Chryst afterward of hys dyscyples yet did thei dispyse persecute yt wyth slaunderous wordes reiected it froÌ„ them For I pray you which of all the Iewes ranne to seke this childe although it was openly said that their kyng was theÌ„ at hand and present with theÌ„ The heythen which neuer had god came from the Est seking and enquiring so long for this chyld vntil they had founde him And that the Iewes through their misbilefe be now abiected it is by the iust iudgement of God and it maye bee well of euery man said Ps 118. Lord thou art iust and thi iudgemeÌ„t is ryghteouse And in contrary wise The cause that we miserable hethen be taken and called to the gospell is the very grace and mercy of God And if therefore we did our dutyes we shulde neuer cease from geuinge thankes for the greate clemencye of God that he hath had towarde vs all And that we the wretched sinful gentiles through grace are called to the knowledg of the gospel it apeareth by the wordes of Esai sayeng I am sought of theÌ„ that neuer asked for me Esa 65. am found of theÌ„ that neuer sought me And I haue saide Lo I lo I am found of a nation that neuer called on my name Thou herist that they shall fynde hym that neuer sought hym ys not thys playnly spoken of vs the gentiles Therfore of thys place we may learne and knowe that euerlastyng ioy commeth not by the merytes of oure owne workes but throughe grace and accordyng to the saiyng of saynct Paule Ephe. 2 wee are saued by grace throughe fayth leste we shulde glorye A carnal man Thirdelye we perceyue by thys gospell what a myserable and wretched thyng the carnall man is in whome the same olde Adam through the spyrite and faith is not yet mortified The Kynges come from the east to Ierusalem inquiring for the king of Iewes newly borne and shewe that they sawe his star in the East and that they came to worship him that is to geue to him reuerence and honour Worship Here it had bene meete that the whole citye of Ierusalem shulde with all reuerence and ioye haue sought out this kyng and haue receaued him seiÌ„g that they had loked for his coming so many years before They knew by the prophecy of Iacob GeÌ„ 49 that at the same tyme he should suerly come But what do they Not only Herod was so sore moued therw t when he hadde herde thereof but also all Ierusalem with him that is the more part of the citizins especiallye such as with good Simeon Anna dyd long for the redemptioÌ„ of Israel Wherto now were all the pomises how well do they now remember the prophecy of Iacob And what doth it profit them to be vnder the law of Moyses Herod thinketh he had good and iust cause to be moued therewith although yt was but in vayn not necessary But what cause doth the Iewes preteÌ„d to whome by this kyng sure redemtion was promised The frute of the fleshe Here thou mayst perceyue the nature and custome of the flesh such is oure strength and power The fleshe canne dooe none otherwise yt is subdued to synne and bryngeth forth none other frute then synne whether it bee outwardlye as manifeste offences and crymes or inwardlye as be suche workes that seeme good wherein the fleshe deliteth and flattereth himselfe And alwayes suche thinges as it shulde loue it hateth and those thinges that be to be hated yt loueth And in thinges concernyng Gods honour and our saluacioÌ„ it alwaies foloweth the coÌ„trary And therfore it is necessary that the flesh and nature be renewed in vs through the holy ghost brought to the feare of god and loue of his neighboure or els the fleshe wyll alwayes be fleshe that is hardened and blynded Rom. 8. Fourthly this gospell teacheth vs in that that the wisemeÌ„ were by the aungel admonished to tourn into their couÌ„trey by an other way that God our father in heaueÌ„ wil mercifully coÌ„serue kepe defeÌ„d not only froÌ„ inward spiritual ieoperdies but also froÌ„ the outward bodely periles al such as knoledg honour worship his welbeloued son Iesu Christ setting all their hope and truste in hym afterward by loue thaÌ„kes geuiÌ„g good coÌ„uersacion shew forth declare their faith as these wisemeÌ„ did The aungels seru to the electe of God by their giftes Is not the loue of God towarde vs a great thiÌ„g ye so great that the auÌ„gels must desceÌ„d froÌ„ heaueÌ„ minister to the elect of God in theyr necessities And not onli the angels but other creatures also ar necessary meanes to maÌ„ to the obtainiÌ„g of saluacioÌ„ First of al the sterre is compelled to serue the wisemeÌ„ theÌ„ the priests seniors of the people were coÌ„strayned to serue theÌ„ likewise when they shewed to them wher Christ shuld be born And at last also the aungel waiteth vpon them wil not suffre theÌ„ to reuisite the wicked Herod which not onlye bare an enuious hart toward the child newly borne but also was of a cursed stomack toward the same wise men Hereto may that be applied that is spoken of the aungels in the fyrst epist Hâ—b 1. to the Hebrewes Are they not al ministring spirites sent to minister for theire sakes which shal be the heires of saluacion And in the 33. psal The aungel of God shall come downe in the middest of theÌ„ that feare hym shal deliuer theÌ„ GeÌ„ 19. GeÌ„ 14. And likewise the aungel delyuered Loth froÌ„ the fyer of Sodom And did not the aungel of god also leade forth the children of Israell oute of Egypte Act. 14. And lykewise delyuered Peter out of hys bondes Wherfore yf we wold diligentli geue hede and with those wisemeÌ„ know Christ worship him honour him and offre the sacrifyce of oure lippes to hym as Oseas the prophete sayth Ose 14. Trewly we shuld find also before God the same comfort helpe socoure which not only those wisemeÌ„ but also all gods electe from the beginning of the world hath obtayned in so much that god himselfe wold serue vs by his aungels To whoÌ„ be geueÌ„ all honour c. The fyrst sonday after Epiphany â—ay Luc. 2. ANd when he was twelue yeares old they went vp to Ierusalem after the custom of the feaste daye And when they
and constantly adioyne this vtilitie or profite with the doctrine of penaunce and ofte tymes to repete and beate in the same in theyr sermons There is no greater or sweter comfort neyther in heauen nor in earth wherw t the troubled coÌ„science may be better pacefied then is the passion resurrection of Christ And for that cause Paule saide vnto the Cor. That he knewe nothing but Christ and that he was crucified 1. Co. 2. And to the Gal. God forbid that I shuld reioyse Gal. 6. but onlye in the crosse of our lord Iesu Christ by the which the world is crucyfyed to me I vnto the world Lette other reioyse in theyr workes we will reioyse in the merites of our lord Iesu Christe Yet neuertheles doinge through the grace of the holy ghoste that which is commaunded vs of him to be done Thirdelye it is not to be omitted which be the enemyes and the dispisers of Christ but diligentely to be noted and marked that Christ so specially dyd shewe of whome he shulde be condemned to death that is of his owne people of the chiefest of his priestes of the phariseis and scribes And S. Luke addeth of the gentiles also But S. Math. sheweth by name that wee maye playnlye knowe what they were that haue not onlye frome the begynnynge persecuted Christe and his doctryne but also shall persecute euen to the very end That is these most holy highest learned and greatest meÌ„ of power in this world For they be so depely drowned in theire carnall wisedome and learnynge that theye canne by no mâ—anes attayne to and vnderstande the word of God which is contrary to their reason Yt must needes chaunce to those men as Ieremy the prophete saith in his 10. chap. Euery man is become folish and destitute of wisedome Loke on the texte of this place and vppon the 44. chap. of Esaias And moreouer they muste needes discharge Dauyd and make him no lyer who complayneth of the greate men of power of this world and saieth Psal 2. The kynges and princes of the earthe haue risen vp and gathered together against theyr lorde and against his Christ In such prophecy are comprehended al men of great power learned men wise men and the holy men of all times to the ende of the world The cause of the blindnes of the great lerned men For trewly the gospel reiecteth and condeÌ„neth al colour ypocrisy and requireth only the fayth and goodnes that cometh from the hart And therfore they must needs with a deadly hatred persecute the same when they repute and take theire outewarde shadowe of holines to be righteousnes before God Fourthelye wee haue in this blynde manne an example of faythe and howe wee shuâ—de praye For doughteles he hadde herde of Christ that he was a man of greate humanitye and gentlenes and wold deny his help to no man Howe we shuld praye By this hearyng he receaued faith of Christ trewly beleued the Christe wolde work mercy with him as he had done also before tyme with many other And hauing this truste of mynd he asketh helth And although for his crienge he was of the great multitude blamed yet he left not of his purpose but styl cried vntil he harde that ioyfull voyce Thy faith hath saued the. Wherein wee may considre and learne that faithe muste worke all thinges as it is saide in the 19. Fayth bringeth all thing to passe cha of S. Marke All thinges be possible to him that beleueth Also if ye had fayth as a mustarde seede and wolde say to this tree roote vp and growe in the sea yt shulde be doone He that now wyll aske any thing of God he must not come voyde emptye that is withoute fayth For as much as thou beleuest so muche shalte thou obtain thi peticion And withoute faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. But and if thy faith be so farre tempted that thou shalte heare thine enemyes saye by the Psa 5. God wyll not help or saue him Yet leaue not of thy purpose but crye Iesu the sonne of Dauyd haue mercye on me Crye with harte and mouthe that he maye remember hys mercye which thing by the often calling thou shalt bringe to remembraunce and he wyll heare the as he hath herde this blynde man The firste sonday in Lente Math. 4. THen was Iesus Mar. 1. Luc. 4. led away of the spirite into wyldernes to be tempted of the deuel And when he fasted fourty dayes and fortye nightes he was at the laste an hungred Bud when the temter came to him he sayied Yf thou be the sonne of God coÌ„maund that these stones may be made breade But he aunswered and saide It is written Deut. 8. Luc. 4. Sap. 16 man shall not lyue by breade onlye but by euery word that procedeth out of the mouth of God Then the deuel toke hym vp vnto the holy city and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple and saieth vnto him Yf thou be the son of God caste thy selfe downe hedlynge For it written Psa 9.2 He shall geue hys aungels charge ouer the and with theyr handes they shal hold the vp leaste at any tyme thou dashe thy foote against a stout And Iesus sayde to hym It is wrytten agayne Deut. 6. Luc. 4. Thou shalt not tempt the lorde thy God Agayne the deuell taketh hym vp into an exceding high mountaine and sheweth hym all the kingdomes of the worlde and the glory of them and sayeth vnto hym All these wyll I geue the yf thou wylte fall downe and worshippe me Then sayth Iesus vnto hym Auoyde Sathan For it is written Deut. 6. and .10 c Thou shalt worship the lord thy God and hym only shalte thou serue Then the deuell leaueth hym and beholde Luc. 4. c 1. Re. 7. the aungeles came and ministred vnto him THE EXPOSITION FIrste of all in this gospell is shewed vnto vs The teÌ„ptacion of Christ is our victorye how Christ was ledde through the holy ghoste into wildernes and tempted of the diuel And also how strongly he ouercame trode vnder foot the diuel that cruel enemy to christian men And yf we wold behold these things with the eyes of faithe we shulde proue by experience that Christe suffered all these thinges for our sake For there was nothing done of him more or lesse wherin hee didde not seruice to vs wretched synners His temptaeions fastinges victorye yea and his verye passion and bitter deathe was seruice vnto vs Luc. 22. as he in S. Luke saythe that he came to minister or serue other and not that other shuld serue or minister to hym Wherfore I must here in this place take Christ as a gift that he with al that he hath done is geuen to me by the father so that hereafter he maye bee mine And furthermore I muste putte him before myne eyes as an exaumple and take my crosse vppon me
suche subtyl obiections Here out it cōmeth that whiche Dauid the Prophet complayneth of these wicked persons Psal 20 saiyng Lo they haue bent their bowes made ready their arrowes in the quiuer that they may priuily shote at thē which are true in heart So likewyse do these Phariseys here they go to counsel howe they might take Iesus in his saiynges euen the same that they cōcluded they cōmaund their disciples instructyng thē how what they should say vnto him namely this Mayster we know that thou art true teachest the way of God truly carest for no man For thou regardest not the outwarde apparance of men c. Howe goodly are these wolues drest with shepes garmēt They cal Christ a maister al for to constrain him with suche flatteryng wordes to make answer vnto them yet be not they of suche disposicion to become his disciples although ther had been taught neuer so much goodnes vnto thē Furthermore thei adde that he is true teacheth the worde of God truely This is not euil spoken of Christe Iho. 14 For he teacheth not only Gods worde truly but also he is the truth himselfe And this is required of al preachers that they so endeuor them selfes that these wordes may be truly spoken of thē For it is our office to be true to teache Gods word truly Furthermore that thei say Thou carest for no mā nor regardest the outward apparance of men partaineth vnto vs also For the truth is not to be hidden for no mans pleasure but faythfully to bee preached teached yea although his distructiō shuld folow should be put to death as S. Ihon Baptist was And although Christ is excellently described vnto vs by these wordes yet they that were sent did speake it with a false fainyng dissemblyng heart Wherout we may learne the disposiciō of those hypocrites which persecute the word of god Thei omit the head the principal of the thing and bryng in vnprofitable questions They speake nothing with the heart But whatsoeuer thei speake is for that purpose that they may take and tryp the innocētes and good men in their communicacion Secondarily after that the Phariseys had put furth their subtill deuised question Christ knowyng that thei did it to tempt him so he did answer them that it was not spoken in vayne of the wyse man Pro. 21. saiyng There is no wysedome there is no vnderstādyng there is no counsail against the Lord. Therfore he calleth them hypocrites And that thei might wel vnderstand that he knewe their malicious thoughtes he added Why do ye tempte me Whiche wordes by right should haue reuoked the Phariseys and the ministers from their maliciousnes and deceit and caused them to haue amended their liues But they were blynde remayned styll blynd Yet notwtstādyng Christ bad them to shewe him their tribute money and sayd Whose is this ymage superscripcion They sayd vnto him The Emperours Then sayd he vnto them Geue therfore vnto the Emperour that whiche is the Emperours and geue vnto God that whiche is Gods As though he would saye Forasmuche as you are come therto that for your synne you are brought vnder the yoke of the Emperour of Rome you must nedes geue as vnto your head highest lorde here vpon yearth vnder God that whiche belōgeth vnto him Here is to be noted the difference that Christ maketh betwene the kyngdome of God and this worlde For he doth not onely approue and allowe this high power and polliticke life The kīgdome of Christ but also confermeth it For the kyngdome of God or of Christ is spiritual whiche consisteth in the spirite fayth and truth wherfore it commeth not with outwarde doynges but it must be inwardly in vs. Now because that it is a spiritual kyngdome God requireth and wyll be worshypped in spirite Luc. 17 Ihon. 4 and in the trueth as Christ sayth in the fourth chapiter of sainct Ihon. The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and in truthe But to worship God in spirite and truth is to loue him with all thy heart Deut. 6. with all thy power and to truste in him For suche fayth and loue geueth God his honor and kepeth his cōmaundementes as Christ sayeth in an other place He that loueth me shall keepe my woorde Ioh. 14 Wherefore when I put my whole truste in god the father through Christe and loue him aboue all creatures then doo I gyue god that pertaineth to god and pull from him none of his honour And herevnto pertaineth the fruteful admonicion of the prophete Dauid saying Psal 28. Adscribe vnto the Lorde O yee mighty ascribe vnto the Lord worshyp strength And contrary wise Cesars kingedō the kyngdome of the Emperour is worldly it is visible in the which the Emperour him selfe gouerneth and beareth rule mightely with hys lordes and prynces as the scripture witnesseth in an other place sayinge Luc. 22. The Kynges of the worlde haue dominion ouer the people and they that beare rule ouer them are called gracious lordes Neuertheles that kingdome is of god Rom. 13 and stablished by goddes ordinaunce in suche wise that he that resisteth this ordinaunce resisteth god him selfe Thinkest thou that princes and greate lordes in the scripture are called goddes in vaine and withoute a cause For if they bee goddes Psa 8◠and are made by god partakers of his magnificence then muste they needes be in goddes steed whose roome they beare Therfore seyng they rule in gods steed it is both meete and conuenient to giue theim that wee are bounde to giue theim But what are those thinges S. Paule setteth them furthe and sayth Geue vnto euery man his dutie Ro 13. Tribute to whom tribute belōgeth Custome to whō custome is due Feare to whom feare belongeth honour to whom honour pertayneth Here thou hearest what thou art bound to geue vnto highe powers But paraduenture thou wilt say Shall I geue obedience vnto a tyrant an vngracious prince or Lord Yea truly thou art bound both to geue obey him For what hast thou to do with his tyranny If the magistrate doth naught contrary to equitie he hath a iudge whom he must answere in that appointed day Iudgement is not here graunted vnto thee except he constrayneth thee to do any thyng against God Then thou mayst say with the Apostles Act. 5. We ought more to obay God then men But if he cōstrayneth the do nothyng against God then hast thou here the sentence of Christe Geue to Cesar that belongeth vnto him and to God that is Gods Whiche answere is so good and godly that they that were sent of the Phariseys meruailed at it And for because they could say nothyng against it They wēt their wayes God graunt vs his grace The gospel on the .xxiiii. sonday after Trinitee sonday Math. 9. WHyles he thus spake vnto them Mat. 5. Luc. 8.
is not possible that I can haue any peace in my conscience towarde God for my synnes sake whiche alwayes accuseth me in my conscience nor wyll not suffre me to come nor attaine to this spiritual peace Fourthly The cōfession of Thomas wee fynde here an excellent confession in Thomas in whiche he knowlegeth Christ to bee his God and his Lorde And this confession is so nedefull and necessary without the whiche no man can haue the true righteousnes that preuaileth before God nor entre into the kyngdome of heauen But note also howe afore that Christe had shewed his handes and his feete vnto Thomas he could not haue this cōfession Handes and fete what it is in scripture Handes and feete in scripture betokeneth often tymes workes and conuersacion Therfore when Christ sheweth vs his handes and feete that is When he hath brought vs to that point throught his spirite and worde that we acknowlege his merites passion death and finally all his workes onely to be the cause of our righteousnes and saluacion then may we saye with the Apostle My Lorde my God and put all our trust in him accordīg to the saiyng of Dauid Ps 54. Set your trust in the Lorde and he shall care for you When Christ doth not in suche wyse shewe vs his handes and fete so is it for vs vnpossible to make any such confession For sainct Paule sayeth not without a cause to the Corinthians saiyng 1. Co. 12 No man can say that IESVS is the Lorde then through the holy ghost Wherefore it is Christe that must bryng vs to this confession Further note that Thomas beyng enflamed with the holy ghost calleth Christ his god This such lyke sentences by the whiche it is proued that Christ is the true naturall God ought diligently to bee noted and surely layde vp in our mindes and especially nowe in this last and perilous tyme. Wherfore it is very necessary when suche errors abuses crepe in whiche God forbid that wee bee well instructed with this confession of Thomas lest wee bee vtterly drawen from the true fayth of Christe With this confession of Thomas sainct Ihon in his canonical Epistle agreeth very aptely 1. Iho. 5 where he calleth Christ very God and euerlastyng light whiche is freely confessed Christ to be the true God He that wyll these admonicions notwithstandyng be deceiued on his perill be it For we truely through the helpe of God wyll stand liue and dye in this article in suche hope and trust that the almightie God of his great mercy goodnes will maintayn vs here euerlastyngly through his only sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen The Gospell on sainct Stephin his day the Martyr Math. 23. WHerfore beholde Mat. 10 Luc. 11. Ioh. 16 Act. 6. and. 7. I sende vnto you prophetes and wyse men ◠Scribes and some of theim ye shall kyll and crucifie and some of theim shall ye scourge in your synagoges and perse cure theim frō citie to citie that vpō you may come all the righteous bloud whiche hath been shedde vpon the yearth frō the bloud of righteous Gen. 3. Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharye the sonne o◠Barachias 2. Pa. 24 whom ye flewe betwene the temple and the altar Verely I say vnto you all these thynges shall come vpon this generacion Luc. 13. O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that kyilest the prophetes and stonest theim whiche are sent vnto thee howe often would 4. Es ◠I haue gathered thy children together euen as the Henne gathereth her chickyns vnder her wynges and ye would not Behold Psal 9. your house is lefte vnto you desolate For I say vnto you ye shall not see me hencefurth tyll that ye say * Ps 118 Luc. 9. Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell Christ handeleth the Iewes somewhat roughly like as one that almost had made an ende of his course runnyng and nere to his death ready to be offered vppe Yea he reproueth them in suche wyse of their blyndnes maliciousnes and their indurate heart and that with so great vehemency and so ernestly that he could not hardlyer assault them And that their ingratitude shuld be the better knowen vnto them and be brought to light he reciteth vnto theim the great benefites that God from the beginnyng of the worlde had visited theim with all yea and that whiche was yet commyng before that their great cicie of Ierusalem should bee destroyed And sayd howe he sent theim Prophetes Wysemen and Scribes and euer had sought all meanes and occasions to bryng them through their preachyng to saluacion yet al would not helpe Prophetes He calleth Prophetes those whiche throughe the inspiracion of the holy ghost and by the commaundement of God prophecie and teache the people the will of God And which haue been taught of no mā except of God onely as Moses was Wyse men And he calleth wyse men those that haue learned and heard all their wysdome of other good men and are ready to vtter it againe to all men as was Aaron in the olde Testament and sainct Stephin in the newe Testament Scrybes Scribes he calleth those whiche not onely throughe preachyng the woorde of God but also through their diligent labour in writyng teache other menne and profiteth theim highely as were many after the Apostles tyme and likewyse in our tyme there be many that haue done muche good in the church of Christ and dayly yet dothe Of the whiche in another place Christ sayth Mat. 13 Euery Scribe taught vnto the kyngdome of heauen is like an housholder which bringeth furth of his treasure thynges newe and olde Out of whiche woordes lightly may bee gathered the greate benefites that God had shewed vpon the Iewes And how I pray you can be so wyse or wel learned that can comprehend with words al the benefites that god had shewed vnto the Iewes from that tyme that he had brought them out of Egypt and deliuered them frō bondage A great benefite to haue the word of God And yet amongst all other this was the greatest highest benefite that he had geuen them his worde without doubt a most precious and excellent gyfte Whiche gyfte was so great Rom. 4 that as sainct Paule sayth they farre excelled vs Heathen people forasmuche as God hadde committed his woorde vnto theim And the prophete Dauid boasteth Psal 16 that god had doone no suche thinge to all nations lyke as he had done vnto the Iewes But they shewed them selues againe so vnthankefull that it constrained god to take awaye that same worde from them as wee see in the eight chapiter of the prophet Amos saying Beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde god Amos. 8 that I shall sende an hunger into the earthe not the hunger of breade neither the thruste of water but an hunger to heare the worde of the lorde And the truthe of
or two yonge pigeons And behold there was a man in Ierusalem whose name was Simeon the same maÌ„ was iuste and godly and loked for the consolacâ—on of Israel and the holy ghost was in hym And an answer had he receiued of the holy ghost that he shulde not see death except he fyrst saw the Lordes Christ And he came by inspiration into the Temple And when the father and mother brought in the chylde Iesus to doo for hym after the custome of the Leu. 12. lawe then tooke hee him vppe in his armes and sayde Lorde now lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace accordyng to thy promyse For mine eyes haue seene thy saluacion whiche thou haste prepared before the face of al people Esa 49 Act. 17. A lyght to lyghten the Gentiles and the glorye of thy people Israell THE EXPOSITION THe gospel thys daye red deareli beloued describeth first the purificacion of Mary and the offeryng vp of the childe Iesu into the temple And doubtles there was a meruelouse great meekenes and lowlynes in the blessed vigin Mary and also in the child Iesus to submit themselues so lowly and so diligently to fulfyl that lawe which they were nothing at al bound vnto I praye you who can say they were bound vnto the lawe Let vs fyrst speake of Mary The law of purificacioÌ„ containeth this in summe Leu. 12. That wheÌ„ a woman hath borne a man child she must remaine fourty dayes in the bloud of her purifiyng if she bare a woman child fourscore days But this law could by no means include Mary forasmuch as she was vyrgin before the byrth in the byrth of her chyld The perpetuall virginiti of Mari perpetually for euer continueth virgin Neyther ought she to be accoÌ„pted among those women whoÌ„ that law speaketh of which haue conceiued borne by the seed of maÌ„ Neither saith the scripture Examples of loue and meekenes in Mary and in Christe A certain womaÌ„ but a virgin shuld bere Christ Yet that notwithstanding in this matter she gladly doth as other women yea and that with the pure loue of the heart wherin she wold serue teache other And in this she instructeth vs that we shulde many times do by brotherly loue some thinges that we are not bounde to doo But what shall wee saye of the chylde Iesus Was not hee aboue the lawe and lorde of the whole lawe yet for all that he is offered vp in the temple as another childe should be with the accustomable sacrifice by the lawe required at suche purifiynges that for this cause that in the oblacion of this childe it might bee signifyed that oure fyrst natiuitee is so vnpure so full of malice so fylthy Rom. 8. as nothing is fylthyer And in like maner by this purifciacion it is signified that by this childe as by the fyrst borne among many brethren al men must needes be purifyed Furthermore Christ also submitteth himselfe vnder the lawe not that it was necessary for him so to do as concernyng his owne person but that he would satisfie the lawe for vs so abrogate it The law is abrogate by Christe that in the matter concernyng iustificacioÌ„ it shuld haue nothyng to do euen as Christ hath brought it to passe For doth not sainct Paule say Rom. 6. You are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace This nowe is very comfortable to vs. For the law commaunded many thynges whiche wee were vnable to fulfyll Actes xv yet neuerthelesse it was necessary and that vnder paine of eternal damnacion that we should fulfill the lawe and satisfie it Wherfore without doubt we all must needes haue dispayred if Christ had not come and fulfylled it abrogate it and by his grace and merites only obtayned for vs remission of synnes righteousnes and eternal heâ—lth And here note that the lawe in â—he matter of iustificacion is abrogate as wee haue before monished But in asmuche as partayneth vnto the obedience of fayth so muche it becommeth vs to fulfyl and do as christians and the children of God Secondarilye for as muche as Simeon shulde bear witnesse of this child and of his doctrine that shuld folow to the intent that his testimony might take as it is worthy more waight and estimacion therfore is he so wel described of the Euangelist by his vertu and godlines For thus sayth the euangelist And this man was righteous and godly Simeon But no man can be righteous and godli without the holy ghost faith For why faith only maketh vertuous righteous as the scripture witnesseth Furthermore he that beleueth feareth god Feare not with seruile or bond fear but with a childly fear or suche a fear as becometh a son to beare vnto his father If theÌ„ it be true that the euangelist writeth of SimeoÌ„ as wtout doubt it is needs must it folow that Symeon had a faithfull and godly heart But suche a faith wherevnto did she pretend or wherin did she put her truste and confidence To woorkes of the lawe Nay But he looked for the consolacion of Israell as the euangelist saithe What is this that I do heare Is this babe the only comforte of Israel Suerly without dout he is euen so The fathefull are euery where fewe in numbre How many think you were ther among so many thousandes of men in Israel Iuda that knew this I warant ye a smal numbre if ye take away from theim Mary Ioseph Anna the prophetisse this Simeon What a woÌ„derful thing is this Yea ther is no such meruaile as this that among so holy a people enryched with so many prerogatiues froÌ„ god him self ar found so smal a numbre that acknowledged this time of grace saluacion Only this old man Simeon Anna the prophetisse toke heed vnto the prophecy of Christ and marked this tyme of grace certainly beleuing that it shulde be so in deed that he shulde not taste of death but that he shulde firste beholde the Christ of the lorde And what folowed For asmuche as his faithe and hope was certayne and right therefore he receaued an oracle or answer of the holy ghost that he shuld not se death before he had seene the lordes Christ Oh in what ioy was this good father then And on the other side howe greuous was the abidyng so longe tyme vnto him tyl he myght see that daye and attaine to that ioye Notwithstandyng at the laste it came and he obtained his herty desire For wheÌ„ the parents brought in the childe Iesus to do for him after the custome of the law this Simeon came also into the temple not of his awne heade but by the mocion of the holy ghost And theÌ„ receiued the babe into his armes and confessed him to be his lorde and sauioure and wished vnto him all thinges fortunate and prosperous as in this place in goodly ordre and frutefully the Euangelyst describeth it
beleuest that all this was done for thy wealth then receyuest thou that glad tidynges which preacheth vnto the that thou shalt not perishe but art deliuered from all thy synnes and shalt liue with Christ eternally Is not this a wonderous great profyte that thou hast by the passion of Christ where are I pray you nowe Note this ye sectaries that sell your merites to other those iusticiaries whiche ascribe their saluacion not vnto the passion and death of oure Lorde Iesu Christ but vnto the merites of their owne workes Surely they erre exceadyng sore that so beleue For doubtlesse our owne woorkes were neuer able to performe so great a thing but Christ Christ I say Christ only is he that by his death passion and by the effusion of his precious bloudde geueth freely and maketh vs to possesse eternal helth For he is made vnto vs wisedome from God 1. Cor. 1 and righteousnes and sanctificacion and redempcion Secondarily wee heare nowe of the Euangelist Ihon that when Christ had ended that his last supper had finished that excellent sermon made then vnto his disciples he went furth with his disciples ouer the broke called CedroÌ„ into a certain garden to pray Prayer requireth a secrete place 1. Ti. 2. Some men wyll say what meaneth this that Christ taryeth not within the house Shuld prayer be bound vnto certaine prescrybed places Nay truly For sainct Paule wylleth that in euery place we holde vp our handes vnto God Yet that notwithstanding suche is the nature of feruent and earnest prayer that it may bee farre better and deuoutlyer done Mat. 6 in some secrete place or as Christ sayth in thy chambre then in suche places where is great resort of people Ma. 14 as we also see in the gospel of Mathewe howe Iesus weÌ„t alone into the mountaine to pray But then specially is it agreable that he that prayeth be alone and farre from other when his necessitee panges of his mynd are great that he may so much the more frely shed furth his whole heart before the Lorde his God and in his lappe laye furth all his aduersitee whatsoeuer it be And now what thynke you moued Christ to departe asyde into the garden to pray Necessitee compelleth men to pray Surely that exceadyng great anguishe of his heart For nowe he knewe that the tyme was come of his passion whiche he so sore feared that he sayd My soule is sorowfull vnto the death And againe O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe froÌ„ me You heare in this place howe great feare how great anguishe how great tribulacion and pensiuenes was in the fleshe of Christ And doubtlesse the same feare inuaded him when he haÌ„gyng vpoÌ„ the crosse cryed out with the saiyng of the Psalmist Oh God Oh my God why hast thou forsaken me Psa 21. But nowe ponder what Christ doth in suche necessitee froÌ„ whence he asketh comfort helpe Christ asketh at his heaueÌ„ly father Doubtles he hath no maner of helpe comfort or hope but in his heaueÌ„ly father at whose hand also he loketh for all coÌ„solacion seyng that it was impossible for any creature to helpe in suche necessitee and trouble And although he muste needes drynke of the cuppe of his passion yet was he comforted strengthned by his heauenly father whiche sent an Angel from heauen to comfort him Luc. 22. which altogether was done for vs. For this infirmitee of Christe that wee here see was made our strength For surely we could neuer haue been able to ouercome any temptacioÌ„ but only by Christ Whensoeuer therfore in our necessitee wee aske any thyng of oure heauenly father for Christes sake we shal doubtles for Christ obtayne helpe comfort and all oure heartes desire and bee assured of most sure consolacion Thirdely when Christe hadde ended his prayer Iudas came with the seruantes of the Bishoppes and Phariseis to betraye his Maister and Lorde to delyuer him into the handes of the Bishops and Priestes Is not this an horrible thing to speake especially that an Apostle betrayed Christe Before he had preached the gospell before hee hadde done myracles yea and so behaued him selfe that he seemed nothing vnlyke the other Apostles Besydes this it was not longe before that he sate at one table with Christ and his Apostles and was partener of his Supper and hadde hearde with howe greate pacience and meekemes although in close wordes the lorde had called him vnto repentance Yet notwithstandinge he was so sore indurate and blynded that for a little vyle money he selleth hys Lord Ther is no truste in man and betrayeth him vnto the Iewes Who canne nowe haue any truste in manne seeyng this traytour dare be so bold as one that hathe none euell in his mynde or thynketh no harme to kysse Christe Who also shall boast himselfe of the gyfte that God hath gyuen him before hee come vnto a blessed and christian end Doutles it was not said for noughte Mat 24 Hee that perseuereth vnto the ende shal be saued There are manye that haue a good begynnyng when they firste beginne to beleue as we haue experience of suche in our times For ther haue been some whiche in the beginning when the gospell beganne to florysh were so feruent and excedinge herty that in manner they dyd durste oute all togither with feruent loue and seemed as they wold at ones deuour the whole gospell But a verye small numbre is there of theim that haue continued the same hartye good mind vnto a good fortunable and perfecte ende Wherefore this is euer true that our sauiour Christ saith Mat. 1â— The last shal be fyrst and the fyrst laste What nedeth mo wordes When suche men ones fall frome the gospell they runne into suche enuye and hatred against it that without doubt they would do as Iudas here doth to his lorde and maister if god woâ—d permitte vnto them occasion to do it Howe often I praye you complaineth S. Paul of such false brethren Note this O chrisâ—ian reader do it Therfore all christian men haue a greate cause without ceassyng to offre prayers vnto god by Christe that not only he wold bring vs vnto the trew and right faith but also that of his great mercy and vnspeakable goodnes he voutchsafe to conserue vs in the same vnto the ende Fourthely we see in this place Christe wyllinglye gaue him vnto the crosse howe willyngly Christe gaue himselfe vnto the crosse for so saithe the texte Then Iesus knowinge all thinges that shulde come vnto him hee wente to meete theym and sayde Whome seeke ye They answered hym Iesus of Nazareth And Iesus sayd vnto them I am he Is it not fulfilled in this place that the prophete sayd Esa 53. Hee shall bee ledde as a sheepe vnto the slaughter and as a lambe before the sherer so shal he hold his peace and he shall not open his mouth And
of the fyrste and of the other whiche was crucyfyed with hym But when they came to Iesus and sawe that he was deade already they brake not his legges but one of the sowldiers wyth a speare thruste hym into the syde forth with came therout bloude and water And he that sawe it bare record and his record is true And he knoweth that he sayth true that ye myght beleue also For these thynges were done that the scripture myghte be fulfilled Exod. 12 Ye shall not break one bone of hym And agayn another scripture sayeth ♣ Zac. 12 They shall looke on hym whome they pearsed Mat. 26 Mar. 15 Luce. 23 After this Ioseph of Aramathia whych was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for fear of the Iewes besought Pylat that he myght take doune the body of Iesus And Pylate gaue him licence He came therfore and toke the body of Iesus and ther came also Nicodemus whiche at the beginninge came to Iesus by nyght and brought of Myrre and Aloes myngeled togither about an hundreth pound wayght Then toke they the body of Iesus and wounde it with linnen clothes with the odoures as the maner of the Iewes is to bury And in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a newe sepulchre wherein was neuer manne layde There layde they Iesus therfore because of the preparyng of the Sabboth of the Iewes for the sepulchre was nye at hand THE EXPOSITION WE haue treated dearely beloued in these former sermons very plainly vpon the prisonment or bindyg scourgyng spittyng vpon derision or scornyng lastly the very death of oure Lord Iesus Christ and accordyng to these articles we haue diligently put in your memory that the very chiefe and principal cause why Christ should suffre this was our synnes Furthermore we haue declared vnto you what vtilitee and profite commeth by this passion vnto those that by fayth apprehend it acknowledgyng theyr sinnes and beyng for the same confounded for feare in their consciences that is to say they obtayne forgeuens of synnes accordyng as blessed S. Peter testifyeth saiyng 1. Pet. 3 Christ ones suffered for oure synnes the righteous for the vnrighteous and to bryng vs to God he was mortified in the fleshe but quickened in the spitite And nowe foloweth what was done after his death before he was buryed The Euangelist writeth thus Then the Iewes because it was the preparyng day besought Pylate that the legges of those that wer crucifyed might be broken and that they might be taken doune and Pylate agreed to their peticion and permitted it But was it so done in dede They broke the theues legged but not Christes And this was done that the scripture shuld be fulfylled as the Euangelist allegeth whiche sayeth You shall not breake a bone of him And again an other scripture said Zac. 12 The aduersaris cā do no more then is permitted thē Psa 21. They shall see him whom they haue pearsed But what lessons haue we in this History First we must here marke and learn that the aduersaries of Christ could procede no further in their malice and furor against him thē was permited them of God And although Christ before was come into that angwyshe and necessitye that he cryed My god My god wherfore hast thou forsaken me yet euen then the heauēly father toke the care and custodi of him so that nothīg might chaūce vnto him but that which before was cōprehended in the scriptures testified of him And as in this place he tooke the care for his son and so defēded him that his bones wer not broken euen so wil he mercifully conserue and keep al that beleue that receiue the word of his son Iesu Christ and continue in it vnto the ende so that nothynge may be able to chaunce vnto them but only that which is the good wil of god as we haue an example in Dauid Dauid whome god suffered for a time to be persecuted yea and banished of Saul yet at the laste he made hym king and brought him to honor Also take insample of Iob Iob. in whome god apointed Sathan bothe the tyme and measure how farre he shuld tempt goddes seruant Truth it is the world may take away our liues if god wil so permit them but the eternall lyfe whiche onlye is obtayned by Christ that can no man take from vs. We also learn in this place of this history that seyng the wordes spoken of the paschall lambe in the seconde booke of Moyses ar here by the euangelist applied and referred vnto Christ In this I saye we learne Christe is the true paschall lambe that Christe is therfore the true paschal lambe signified by that lambe in the old testament and now offered vppon the crosse for our sinnes by cause all that beleue in him shall not perishe nor be ashamed but shal haue lyfe euerlasting Doubtles this knewe S. Iohn when he saide Ioh. 1. Beholde the lambe of god which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde And Paule also called Christe the paschall lambe sayinge after this manner 1 Cor. 5. Our Paschall Christe is offered vp for vs. Therfore let vs kepe our feaste not in olde leuen nor in leuen of malice wickednes but in vnleuened bread that is purenes and truthe True holynes of the heart Now to cleaue to this true paschal lamb whose bones according to the scripture wer not broken and by fayth to be planted in him bringeth a farre other holynes then any the Iews had which sought it in extreme outwarde thinges that is it bringeth holynes of the hearte whiche consysteth in spirite faith and truth Secondarily the Euangelist saithe that one of the souldiers opened with a spere Christes syde by and by ther ran forth bloud and water And furthermore though he saith he himself saw it yet bringeth he againe the scripture that ther might bee a more sure testimony out of the prophete Zacharye Zach. 12 Apoc. 1. whiche saith They shall see into whom they thrust their spear Now is this a sure testimony ful of cōfort especially vnto vs taketh away al doubtes from our hartes as if infidelity shuld think Christ is not our redemer hee is not verye god c. These blasphemers I saye are put away for why we see that all thinge that is doone here in the passion of Christ is consonant agreable with the scripture And what signifieth it the there stremeth out bloud water The bloud of Christe signifieth the remissiō of sins frō the side of Christ By the blud Christ wold shew vnto vs that remission and forgiuenes of sinnes shuld euermore continue in his Church as wtout doubt it was obtained thorow the same his most precious blud But for whō was it obtained Suerly for those that come to it bi knowledgīg of their sins and by faith But to the vnbeleuer this most precious treasure may not be propounded
and shoteth beside the marke brustyng his head against this stony rocke of saint Paules wordes Rom. 11 Gala. 3. where he sayth If then righteousnes be of the woorkes of the lawe Christ is dead in vayne Of this fayth I say spryngeth loue Loue. which in this gospel Christ so earnestly cōmaundeth vnto vs. 1. Co. 13 But what doth this loue She forbeareth lōg she is gentle she enuyeth not she is not froward she is not proude she is not ambicious she seeketh not her owne she is not angry she imagyneth not euil she reioyseth not vpō iniquitee she ioyeth wholly in the truth c. 1 Tim. 1 Therfore sayth sainct Paule in an other place also The ende summe of the cōmaundement is loue that commeth of a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfayned fayth Further forasmuch as Christ knoweth that there cōsisteth a great wayghty matter in true loue that spryngeth of fayth therfore in this his last sermon he taught not many preceptes of good workes but only commaundeth this that they should loue one another As he would say If ye haue fayth and loue ye shal also right easely performe all other thynges what soeuer I haue commaunded you to do Secondarily The crosse from whence it commeth forasmuche as Christe had before shewed his disciples that the crosse shuld come vpō theim and had before tolde theim that they should suffre muche aduersitee in this worlde nowe here Christ repeteth the same and also sheweth the cause wherfore If the worlde sayd he hate you knowe you that it hated me fyrst The worlde Christe here calleth all them the worlde that haue not receyued his worde haue not obayed the gospel nor knowen the father in him nor him in the father And breifely whosoeuer they be that want fayth acknowlege not the righteousnes of fayth seme thei neuer so vertuous righteous holy wyse in their owne eyes Christ calleth them all by this one name The worlde declareth them to be his enemyes After this sort doth sainct Ihon vse this worde saiyng Iohn 1 He was in the worlde and the worlde is made by him and the worlde knewe him not Then when Christ sayth If the worlde hate you knowe you that it fyrst hated me Wherwith he semeth to say Wondre not if the wyse and righteous in the worldes estimacion and also the mightie menne in this worlde do resyst you and persecute you for suerly there is no litle cause why they so will do The worlde holdeth and defendeth with to the and nayle the righteousnes of workes but your doctrine shall be cleane repugnant contrary for if ye will purely and sincerely preach my worde ye shall maintayne and defende the righteousnes of faith And if ye wyll do so earnestly as it shall be your duety nedes must ye cast of all that is in the worlde that is all carnall wisedome vertu righteousnes strength freewill as ye knowe that I haue doone How shall ye in so doyng be at vnity with them Ioh. 12. Now is the iudgement of this worlde And furthermore the holye ghoste shal be sente for the same purpose to rebuke the worlde as I haue done Now if for this gentle rebukinge the worlde shall hate you and take all thynges to the worste and imagyne all manner of myschiefe against you knowe you that euen so did the worlde by me If I had approued and alowed their workes as I dyd reproue disalow them I had hadde the high Priestes myne especiall good friendes with the Phariseis and all the Iewes but when I would needes do myne office truly and fully accomplyshe my duty needes must I lose all their frendeshippes and also for that cause suffre so many of their false accusacyons checkes and rebukes Nowe woulde you speede better than I There is also and other cause why the worlde can not loue you For you are not of this worlde If you were of this world the world woulde loue that whiche is his owne but bicause you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the worlde therfore the worlde hateth you You heare in this place that if the world hate you it ys an euident argument that you ar not of the world And euen so saith S Paule Gala. 1. Yf I shuld please men I shuld not be Christes seruant And a lyke testimony doth Christ giue his apostels that thei ar not of this world Why so For thei shal rebuke the world reproue and damn the carnal iustice of the world earnestly affirm preach the righteousnes of faith for they ar not of this world that is thei seek not a carnall iustice as the world dothe their confidence is not in their good workes as the worlds is but thei earnestly preach the merits of Christ as the only cause of our righteousnes saluacion Now bycause the world can not bere this ther is mortall warre and contynuall hatred betwene theym and the worlde euen as Christe saithe here agayne in this gospell But all these thinges shall they doo to you for my names sake bicause they knowe not him that hath sente me Fynallye Bycause the worlde knoweth not the father therfore knoweth it not the son And because it knoweth not the son neither knoweth it them whom the sonne hath sent Wherfore seing that the world neither knoweth the father nor the son nor yet the apostels whom the sonne hath sent needes must it then persecute hate and condemn both the truth and also those that preach it Thirdly Christ in this persecutiō Our cōforte in aduersity is in the worde of God which surely is euer annexed to the gospel in this world cōmandeth vs to take sure holde of his woorde as that only comfort whereby Christians in all tribulacions solace them selues Remembre saithe hee my woorde which I haue saide vnto you This text teacheth vs as it semeth that there shal be no nother comfort vpon yearth especially in persecucions except only that worde and doubtlesse it is euen so in dede For what consolacion may bee in that mannes heart which hath refused and put frō his sight the worde of God Cōtrarily what I pray you shal hynder or hurt him that taketh holde vpō the worde and by fayth printeth it in his heart For he doubtles knoweth very well that he must nedes suffre pesecutions and tribulacions that is a very true tale but yet he knoweth also this that persecucion shall shortely haue an ende and at the tyme ordayned of God it shall be chaunged into perpetual ioy Rom. 8. as sainct Paule sayth Surely I thynke that the passions of this tyme are not worthy to bee iudged equal to the glory that shal be reueled among vs. Iho. 16 And of this speaketh Christ saiyng A woman when she trauaileth hath sorowe for her houre is come But when she hath brought furthe her manchylde she nowe remembreth not the pangues for ioy that