bare name but yt ys the thynge yt selfe the worke and executyon as sayncte Paule sayeth 1. Cor. ◠Iesus ys made the wysdome of God to vs our ryghteousnes santyfycacyon and red emptyon as yt ys wrytten He that glorieth or reioyceth let hys glorye and reioysynge be yn God And also yn the Actes yt ys wrytten Act. 4. There ys none other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men where throughe theye muste bee saued c. And ys it not wrytten also yn the 1. chapt of Math He shal redēme his people frō theyr synes The name of Christe Now thā yf we be iustyfyed by the meryte passion death of Chryst whereto cometh the glory of oure workes Here muste I not glorye of myne owne workes but all my ioy must be in Iesu Christ And hereto pertaineth all suche places as be red in the olde testament and the newe of the name and merite of Christe And althoughe it be very necessary and instantlye required of a christian man that he shulde declare and shewe forth his faith with the workes of Charitie and other godlye exercise yet by no worke can he bee iustified but allonly by the merite of Christe Forthlye this gospell teacheth vs that the word of God and his workes do striue with our reason If we go about by reason to knowe the mistery of the circumcision it wold seme a very iest that God shulde adorne with his commaundemente so vile a membre The workes of God bee contrary to reasō But what shuldest thowe thinke seyng it is so Verelye God choseth not those things that be pleasaunt or in great estimacion with vs but suche thinges as be dispised and abiecte before oure eyes And that for this cause bicause that our reason shuld be subdued to the worde of God and his workes and that we shuld commend and accept such things as he hath chosen and not those things that seeme most pleasaunte and goodly to our sight Circumcision was a thinge that was smal of estymacion The worde of God sātifieth al thinges but when the cūmaundement and promise of God came yt was made a noble helthful a godly worke And likewise it is but a trifle to be baptised and washed in water But if the commaundement promise and worde of God be ioyned therto it is surely a thinge wonderful preciouse and helthfull And althoughe to the worlde it appeare but a tryfull to be baptised yet baptisme that is brought in the steede of circumcision must be accepted of vs as an hyghe and precious work bicause it hath the commaundement and promise of Christ To whom be all honoure and praise Amen The gospell on Epiphany daye Math. 2. WHen Iesus was borne at Bethlehem in a citye of Iewrye in the time of Herode the kinge Behold there came wise men from the East to Ierusalem saiyng Where is he that is borne kinge of Iewes For wee haue sene his Nu. 24. starre in the Easte and are come to worshippe hym When Herode the king hard these thinges he was troubled and all the city of Ierusalem with hym And whan he had gathered al the chiefe prestes and scribes of the people together he demaunded of them where Christ shuld be borne And they sayde vnto hym at Bethlehem in Iewry For thus it is written by the prophet Mich. 5 Ioh. 7. And thou Bethlehem in the land of Iuda art not the least amōgst the prynces of Iuda For Mich. 5 Ioh. 7. out the of shal I there come vnto me the captaine that shall gouerne my people Israell Then Herod when he had priuely called the wise men enquired of them diligentlye what tyme the starre appeared he had them go to Bethlehem and saide Go youre way thither and search diligently for the childe And when ye haue founde hym brynge me worde agayne that I may come and worshippe him also THE EXPOSITION THe Euangelist S. Math. after that he had written of the promise made to Dauyd and the other fathers and had broughte in the Aungell Ioseph Esai the prophete as most suer witnes of the byrth and natiuitie of Christ Now in the golpel of this day while he describeth certain circūstances he proueth that this childe is Christ and the very trew Messias Christ the trewe Messias of old time promised to our forefathers now exhibited to the world that all thinges myght be brought to passe in him The cyrcumstances be the place and tyme. In Bethlehē Iuda The place saith the euangeliste Iesus is borne Here now thou hast the place And it is not vnknowē to al mē that this city was ordeined for the birth of Christ of long time before prophecied by the prophetes that so it shuld be Wherfore of this place we maye boldly conclude that thys child newly borne is the trew Messias These be the wordes of the prophet And thou Bethlehem of Iewrye Mich. 5 arte not the leste c. Out of the shall rise to me a gouenoure that shall gouerne my people of Israell Now there is two Bēthlehemes one in Galilee in the trybe of Zabulon and thother in the lande of Iewry Seyng the euangelist with expresse words doth speak of Bethlehem in the lande of Iewrye and ful well agreeth with the prophetes I pray you how durst the Iewes deny that Christ was the very Messias Now lyke as the place so doth also the tyme verye well agre The tyme. as in the 59. cha of Gen. by the patriarke Iacob it was determined by these words The scepter shall not be remoued from Iuda nor a ruler of his posterite til he come that shal come Of this prophecy yt appeareth that Christ muste needes haue then be borne when the kyngdom of the Iewes was so taken away that no kinge or ruler of the tribe of Iuda shuld reign any longer And that did chaūce at the tyme of Herod which was not of the tribe of Iuda nor yet born of the Iewes blod but was an Idumee a straūger and made kyng by the Romanes Wherefore nother yet of this place can the obstynate Iewe deny but that Christe is the son of God and the trewe Messias And it were to be highelye wished and desieed of vs that the Iewes allonlye and no christyan man dyd withstande and speake agayne thys natyuyty For althoughe we often tymes say and confesse that Christ the sonne of God was borne of the virgyne Mary yet when we will not knowe nor vnderstande wherefore yt was done I cannot see what profite wee shall gette thereby Thou muste knowe and confesse that to the to the I saye and to thyne redemption and saluacion he was borne Esa 9. And that the father in this hys sonne allonlye wil be knowen and gloryfied Yf anye chrystyan man doth putte his confidence nowe in the merites of hys owne workes and trusteth to gette euerlastynge lyfe thereby he trewlye doth as greuouslye and dispytefullye withstande this natyuytye as
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
discord to testifie a brotherly vnfained loue betwene vs. For whē we be made al partakers of this one table what ought we to thinke but that we be al mēbres of one spiritual body that we be ioyned togither in one Christe as a greate numbre of graines of corne bee ioyned togither in one lofe Wherefore they that can not bee persuaded to bee good to their christian brethren for whome Christ suffered death when in this sacrament they be put in remembraunce that the sonne of god bestowed his lyfe for his enemyes We see dayly that eating and drinking togither maketh friendes and continueth friendship Muche more then oughte the table of Christ to moue vs so to do whereby we confesse vs to be all membres of one body and acknowledge Christ to be giuen vs of God his father To whome with the sonne and holye ghoste be all honoure and glorye for euer and euer Amen The gospell on the second sermon vppon the passion of our lorde Iohn 18. WHen Iesus had spoken these woordes Mat. 19 Mar 14 Luce. 22 he went forth with his disciples ouer the brooke Cedron wher was a garden into whyche he entred and hys disciples Iudas also whiche betrayed him knew the place for Iesus ofte tymes resorted thyther with his disciples Iudas then after he had receiued a bonde of men ministers of the highe priestes and pharisees came thither with lanternes and fier brandes and weapons And Iesus knowyng all things that shulde come on him went forth and sayde vnto them Whom seeke ye They answered him Iesus of Nazareth Iesus sayth vnto them I am he Iudas also which betrayed hym stode with them As sone then as he had sayde vnto them I am he they went backeward and fell to the grounde Then asked he them againe Whom seek ye They sayde Iesus of Nazareth Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seeke me therfore let these go theyr way that the sayinges might be fulfilled whiche he spake Ioh. 17 Of them which thou gauest me haue I not loste one Then Simon Peter hauynge a sworde drewe it and smote the high priestes seruaunt and cutte of his right eare The seruantes name was Maichus Therfore sayth Iesus vnto Peter Mat. 2◠Gene. 9 putte vp thy sworde into the sheath Shall I not drynke of the cuppe whiche my father hath geuen me THE EXPOSITION FOrasmuche dearely beloued as wee haue vndertake to declare vnto you and to set out the deare death and most bytter passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ I haue thought it conuenient and nede also requireth the same that wee should first shew briefly what is the vse of the same passion and what vtilitee and fruit may come by it vnto vs. For there is no greatter folye nor more worthye laughter than to make only suche preachynges as should moue mennes myndes to fret at the Iewes because they dyd suche an horrible cryme against Christ by such wordes take an occasion to curse rebuke the traitour Iudas and to condempne him For surely here are to bee considered thynges farre greatter and higher then those And what thynges are they that we ought here to consider Fyrst wee ought to ponder what were the principal causes of that so great passion whiche the most innocent lābe of God suffered For if this be depely wayed and cōsidered in the heart it shall worke as muche in oure heartes as dothe the preachyng of the lawe whose office is commonly to set before oure eyes the huge greatnes of our synnes to feare vs and to driue vs vnto dispayre But nowe who were they that were the cause of that so paynful death and passion vnto Christ The cause of the doth of Christ Esai 53 that cōmytted that horrible cryme to sley the sōne of God No mā can shewe this more truely nor better then the prophet whiche sayth Because of the transgression of my people I haue slayn him Kepe this sentence diligently in thy mynde And if thou wylt so doo thou shalt haue as great cause to fret at thy selfe as euer thou couldest fynde to bee displeased with the Iewes and that wretched poore felowe Iudas And if that the Lord our God gaue his dearely beloued sōne vnto this passion for the trāsgression and synnes of his people surely we also do put to our workyng helpyng hādes vnto this passion ar also aswel as other authors of his death Haue not we synned also with other Or are we except out of this sentēce Al men haue synned are destitute of the glory of God Rom. 3 Doubtles no mā can here excuse himselfe neither is any mā free frō sinne so that he may lay al the blame vpō the Iewes for Christes death 1 Iho. 2 For as S. Ihō sayth He is the propiciacion obtayner of grace for our synnes not for our synnes onely but also for the synnes of all the worlde Therfore when thou hearest that this innocent Christ was bound scourged spyt vpō and skorned and besydes that beaten vpō the face crouned with thorne crucifyed thou shuldest then call to mynd and remembre Our sinnes crucifyed Christ that thou thy selfe hast done this that thy synnes were the moost iust cause and very occasion of all these thynges Neither must thou remembre thynges lightly but so meditate them in thy mynde that thou mayst knowe thy selfe a most greuous synner and confesse thy selfe suche a one as by thy synnes prouoked so great wrathe and indignacion of God Nor thynke not that thy synnes were light for the whiche it was necessary that the sonne of God shuld come doune frō heauen and suffre the most vyllayn death of the crosse Cōsider also in thy mynd that this passion What profite we haue by the death passion of Christ shedyng of that precious blud was done for thy welth profite that thy synnes and all thy trāsgressions should by effusion of this blud be washed away so thou deliuered frō al thy synnes mightest be made the sonne heyre of God Nowe if thou by fayth takest hold vpō this with all the whole fayth of thy heart trustest wholly vpō it it shal make the fre frō al sinnes recōcile the vnto the heauenly father and bryng perpetual ioy eternal felicitie vnto the. Euen as S. Paule sayth Christ Rom 5. when we were yet weake accordyng vnto the tyme died for the vngodly And scarce wyl any mā dye for the righteous Yet peraduenture some mā dare dye for a good man But in this hath God set out his loue towarde vs that when we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. Muche more now that we be iustifyed in his bloud we shal be saued frō the wrath by him c. After this maner the woundes of Christ may be vnto the a preachyng of the lawe when thou callest to mynde that he suffered them for thy synnes And agayne when thou remēbrest
come by these and many mo sectes Furthermore this slaunder is against loue as when I wyll not obey the Magistrate I will not do and paye as other men doo and paye neither beare the common charges as other beare but I wyll be cleane without lawe and haue a singuler prerogatiue afore al other Of this slaunder Christe hym selfe saithe to Peter Mat. â—7 Leaste we shoulde bee a slaunder vnto them go to the sea and cast thy hooke and that fyshe which firste commeth take him vppe open his mouthe and thou shalte fynde a grote take it oute and giue it them for the and me Nowe withoute doubt these slanders shall continue in the worlde vnto the end And especiall the slaunderers of doctrine shall bee both greuous and vehemente But what remedye againste this slaunder Spiritually are the handes and feete cut of I muste cut of that whiche woulde offende me be it either foot hande or eyes that is I must continue in the worde nothing consyderyng what shall chaunce euen thoughe father or mother brother or syster wyfe or children kinne or affinytye monye or ryches woulde plucke me frome it yet muste I sette more by the woorde then by all these For better yt is that I forsake all thynges be they neuer so deere and precious in thys worlde and to bee saued afore god then to haue all menne my friendes and be separated from god And seeynge that god wyll so extremelye punyshe theym that rayse suche slaunders what thynke yee shall come to suche as for those slaunders leaue and forsake the trueth Doubtlesse hee shall punishe theym both alyke Fourthly here is a general admonicion vnto al men that they dispyse none of these lytleones that are dead to the worlde poore in spirit and knyt together one in Christ Yea there is also assygned a cause why they shuld beware of hurtyng them The lytle ones wherfore they are not to be offended Psal 19 For their Angels sayth Christ in heauen alway see the face of my father whiche is in heauen Surely without doubt if God be so mercyful to his seruauntes that he hath appointed Angels vnto this ministery to kepe and defende them doubtles then this wyll please him but a lytle if they be dispised persecuted troubled troden vnder foote For surely the Lord is as careful for them as if these thinges were done vnto himselfe And furthermore he must nedes be discoÌ„tented to se them euil entreated for whose sake he came into this worlde and shedde his precious bloud I pray you who can thynke otherwyse in this behalfe Shall it not prouoke his anger that wee dispyse those whoÌ„ he hath redemed with his death and precious bloud shed For if that lost shepe be so deare to him and he so entyrely loued it that he left nyntye and nyne in the wyldernes and ceassed not seekyng tyll he had founde it why should wee then either persecute or trouble that sheepe Surely he may suffre it but without doubt he wyl not leaue it vnpunished Furthermore he sayth It is not his fathers wyll that one of these lytleones should peryshe Are not these strong reasons that might well refrayne vs from persecutyng of our christian brethren Theyr angels sayth Christe whiche must serue them euer see the face of my father Trueth it is that I wyll be their sauior and my fathers wyll is that they should not perishe Nowe if these wordes wyll not moue vs surely I knowe not what should moue vs to learne to loue christian men and not to despyse theim But commonly it so chaunseth that these poore lytle ones of Christ haue euermore persecucion then fauour in this worlde Wherfore I beseche God graunt vs grace to perseuer in his fayth and paciently for his names sake to suffre persecucion vnto th ende through Christ our Lord. Amen The gospel on sainct Lukes day the EuaÌ„gelist ye shall fynde after Alhalowen day The gospel on sainct Symon and Iudes day Ihon. 15. Greater loue hath no maÌ„ then this that a man bestow his life for his frendes Ye are my frendes if ye do whatsoeuer I coÌ„maunde you Hencefurth call I you not seruauntes for the seruaunt knoweth not what his lorde doth But you haue I called frendes For all thynges that I haue heard of my father haue I opened to you Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordayned you to go and bryng furth fruite and that your fruite should remayne that whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name he may geue it you THE EXPOSITION CHrist gaue his disciples this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of brotherly loue after that last supper when he now knewe the tyme of his passion at hand that immediatly he shuld be taken away froÌ„ them Surely this is an vndoubted truth that there is besydes fayth no woorke in the worlde nor none can be that shal be acceptable vnto God saue onely charitee and loue of my neighbour of the whiche Christ speaketh in this Gospel Or els why should Christ with so great seueritee and earnest admonicion in that his last sermon that euer he made Christes coÌ„maundement of charitee haue geuen and inculcate this precepte of charitee And here note two thynges Fyrst that Christ gaue this precept and not Moses For if it were Moses precept it shuld be a precept as the other preceptes were in the lawe whiche in dede taught coÌ„maunded what should be done and what should bee lefte vndone but thei gaue not the spirit wherby it might be done with free heart and courage But Christ doth not here so but as he sheweth what is necessary to be done euen so he also geueth the spirit that we may be able to do those thinges that he hath coÌ„maunded And this is the onely cause why he him selfe sayth of his preceptes My yoke is swete my burthen light And sainct Ihon in his Epistle Canonical saith His coÌ„maundementes are not heauy Wherefore these woorkes of loue are not hypocrites workes like as the workes of the lawe were whiche the Iewes did without spirit but whatsoeuer a Christian doth in this behalfe he doth it with an whole heart 1 Co. 14 euen as sainct Paule sayth Charitee seketh not the thyng that is her owne For why A christian knoweth that Christe requireth not onely true fayth that worshippeth the father in spirit and truth but also he requireth an vnfayned loue Further note that this loue spryngeth not of her selfe but it spryngeth furth of fayth so that whersoeuer there is no fayth there can neuer bee any true loue Fayth Loue. Fayth heareth the woorde of God taketh holde vpon those thynges that the same worde promyseth in the merytes of Christe and so obtayneth without any merites of workes only of mere grace and mercy remission of synnes righteousnes eternal life Nowe if any maÌ„ wyl in this cause of iustifycacion admyxt the myre of his owne workes he goth cleane out of the way
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
worde of God And therefore the grace of God cannot be in them To conclude As Christ is very God so by this gospel it appeareth he was very man and sent from his father into this world that we by him might enioye euerlasting life The Gospell on Newe yeares day Luc. 2. AND when the eihht day was come that the childe shulde be circumcised his name was called Iesus Gen 17 Mat. 1. Luc. 1. whiche was named of the Aungell before he was conceaued in the wombe THE EXPOSITION FYrste bycause saint Luke the Euangelyste hath so dilligently sette forthe the natiuitie of Christe Nowe he goeth about to declare what profite and commoditie it hathe brought vnto vs. That is to say that through Christ the burden and yoke of the lawe is taken away and a free harte and willing spirite is geuen vnto vs Gal. 4. Esa 44 which not constrained with the feare of paine shuld kepe the commaundementes af God and do that is iust For it is very euident and can by no meanes be denyed that seyng the law is spirituall it doth not only require outwarde workes but muche soner the inward affections of the hart No man by his own power can fulfil the lawe as S. Peter witnesseth in the Actes cap. 15. saying Whye tempte ye God laying the yoke vpon the disciples neckes which our forefathers Gala. 3. nor we were able to beare Now therefore it is necessarye other the lawe to be fulfilled or else vs to be damned as scripture saith Cursed bee euery man that abideth not in all thinges written in the booke of lawe Go to then here of this place I perceyue that the law requireth a perfectioÌ„ And again In my selfe I fele nothing whereby I may fulfil it Rom. 10 what shal I now here do Thou must by faith obteine Christe which hath for the satisfied the lawe and deliuered the from the curse thereof He is the ende of the lawe Gala. 4 as S. Paule saith In whome euery man that beleueth shal be saued And in an other place When the time was fully come God sent doune his sonne borne of a woman subdued to the lawe Abrogacion of the lawe that he shulde redeme suche as wer in daunger of the law and so we shuld be made the children of God And hereto it pertaineth that Christ suffered himselfe to be circuÌ„cised This thiÌ„g betokeneth that Christe came to fulfil the lawe for vs and to make vs free from the curse of the law that by the doctryne of the gospell he might communicate vnto vs the holy ghost that we so by him renewed myght hereafter not constrayned but frely and louingely do those thinges that God requireth of vs. And secondarely it is to be vnderstand and knowen that circumcision was a token and signe of the promise that God made vnto Abraham Signes cofirme faith yea and to his seede also as apeareth in the 17. chap. of Genesis Nother was this signe geuen that men thereby myght bee iustified but that they which shulde heare of the promise of God shulde be confirmed in faith and that the Iewes might be knowen froÌ„ thother Heythen and infideles For trewly euerye signe hath his promise whereunto it is meete that all men sticke and beleue As in the 6. chap. of Gen. it is promised to Noe that he shall not perishe by the floude And in token of that promise he had a ship which he was commaunded of God to builde And in the 9. chap. of the same also it is promised that the worlde after that shulde neuer be drowned or destroyed by floude And in token thereof God gaue vnto hym the rayn bow And in lyke case it is here God promised himselfe to be the God of Abraham and of his sede And therefore gaue vnto hym the token of circumcision wherewith he dothe confirme and certefie his faith that he shuld in no wise doubt but suerely beleue that God wolde kepe his promise But thou must so vnderstand these things that we shal receiue these promises The worde not through the outwarde signe but by the worde in the which the signe is conteined Faithe and oure faithe hath gotten it Alwaies the spiritual thing must be ioyned to the corporal internal thiÌ„gs must be added to the exteriors The outward circumcision Circumcision is nothing without the circumcision of the hart which is made by the spirite is signified by the outward circuÌ„cision And Deut. in the 10. chap. it is saide Circumcide the foreskin of your hartê Yf then the exterior circuÌ„cision did profyt the Iews it must nedê be that they theÌ„ shuld holy stick and abide in faith the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts promises of God seing that the same exterior sign doth but confyrme strength them as thou maist see in Gedeon in the 6. chap. Iud. And in lyke manner we say of the signes of the new testament as yf when I am baptised I haue no respecte but to the water That outward dippiÌ„g in water profiteth nothiÌ„g at al The sacrament of the newe testameÌ„t Baptime But if I regard haue respect to the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts promises of god wyth the which this water is sanctified and beleue the same so by this means am baptised wtin through the holy ghost theÌ„ trewly this baptism is very profitable vnto me Yt hath the word promise of God and is not wtout a cause called of S. Paule the fountayn of the new byrth Lykewyse when in the supper of our Lord I regard not the commaundement and promise of Christ nor come by faith to receaue yt The supper of the Lorde then the eating drinking of the sacrameÌ„t of the body blood of Christ not only profiteth me not but rather maketh to my damnacioÌ„ as S Paul speketh of such as vnworthely receiue the same And wheÌ„ I behold the coÌ„maundement word and promise of God 1 Cor 11 then doth the eatinge drinking of the sacrameÌ„t of the body blood of Christ profit me much bycause in the word I fiÌ„d remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes in the sacrament or outward signe I find the confirmacioÌ„ of my faith And it is to be noted that christian meÌ„ in the steed of circumcision haue baptisme begonne of S. Iohn confirmed by Christ as yt apeareth in the last chap. of Mark. The baptisme of children And like as circumcision was communycate to the children so must baptism be conferred to our childreÌ„ although the phantasticall anabaptistes teach otherwise Thirdly we learn by the name that was geuen vnto Christ shewed before of the angel that in matters of faith and in such as coÌ„cern our iustyficatioÌ„ our workes merytes be of no strength before God but alonly grace mercy which God in Christ hath shewed to all the world For the name of Iesus yf thou wylt interpret yt signyfyeth a sauyoure Iesus oÌ„ly iustifieth Nor thynke thowe yt to bee a poore and
abide in the word Thē by by with great violence we run into the snares gynnes of the deuell And if we stedfastly beleue in the worde of god Then neither false prophet nother the deuell himselfe shal deceiue vs. And thē wtout dout he is greater that is in vs then he that is in the world 1. Io. 4 Secondarylye Christe speaketh of the seede that fell vpon the stone which although it sprange vp yet bicause it lacked moysture it withered awaye And so he declareth that the seed that fel on the stone be thei that when they hear the word of God they receiue it with ioy To fall from the worde in tyme of persecution but thei haue no rotes bicause thei beleue but for a while in tyme of temptacion and tribulacion they fall cleane away Wherin Christe sheweth that his gospell shall neuer bee preached withoute aduersaries that shall striue againste it And lykewise that the perfect and trew faith cannot be knowen but by tribulacion and temptacious so proued and tried as gold and siluer is by fier Yf thou wylt then search know what faith I haue and whether it be a trew or a fayned faith mark wel behold my lyfe when I chaunce to fal into temptacion tribulacion And yf then it be a pure and righte fayth and by the worde of god in my harte made liuelye and effectuall then muste I needes saye with sainct Paule Rom. 8. I am sure that nother death nor lyfe nor aungell nor rule or power nother things present or thinges to come nother high nor low nor any māner of creature shal seperate me from the loue of god that is in Iesu Christ Yea and I will frely confesse commend preach the word of god though I shuld dye an hundreth tymes Mat. 10 or forsake all that euer I haue had in this world For it must needes be in such case that other I forsake all and bere the crosse of Christ or else cease to be his disciple any lenger And in contrary wise when my fayth is not pure but fayned trewly thē wyl I not so hate my selfe that for the gospels sake I shuld ronne into daunger of my bodye and lyfe But then wyll I sette moste by and loue my body be it neuer so rotten and full of wormes Wherfore I am constrayned to heare Christ in an other place Mat. 16 saying He that findeth his lyfe shall lose it Cares riches voluptuousnesse be lette hīderāce vnto fayth Thyrdely Christ speaketh of other seed that fel amongest thornes and so sprong vp was choked amongest the thornes And that he expoundeth on this wise The seed that fell amongest the thornes be they that haue herd the worde of god and then thorowgh the cares ryches and voluptuosnes of this worlde be so ouer growne and choked that they can not bryng fourth frute Thow herist here repeted that suche heare the word of god yf then thei heare the word and yet be reiected of Christ I praye the what is the cause or what lettyth whye they be not saued verely euen that be cause they receyued not the worde of god ernestly and in they re hartes and for that they be founde neglegente in fayth loue and honest conuersations and fal from god the creatour vnto creatures Marke here how finely Chryst hath paynted and set oute the mindes and harts of riche men First of all he geueth vnto them cares for we commonly se that the more they haue the more the couet as it is said in the 5. cha Ecclesiastes The couetous man is neuer satisfied of money c. And he geueth also vnto thē the loue and affection of riches and desyre of this worldly lyfe As though he shulde saye To haue greate riches doth not damne a man for there hath beene sins the beginning of the world many deuout and holy men that hath had greate riches and yet neuerthelesse haue obtayned euerlasting lyfe But to sette harte and minde in riches and through them to seeke the pleasures of this lyfe not to knowe that we be but seruauntes and stewardes of suche riches to th entent that the poore and nedye maye be holpen thereby that is the very thing that condemneth a man Wherfore seing it is so with riche men for the more parte that they with all theire diligence seeke and folow the pleasures of this lyfe and do not mortefye the fleshe by the spirite but passe ouer their lyfe in all securitie and wealthe of this world Mat. 19 Christ sayeth also in an other place Soner may a camell runne thorow the eye of a nedle then a riche man entre into heauē And to be briefe Such rich men What condemneth the rich mē and men that abuse their riches in this world haue but smal prayse in scripture and in many places we hear of their condemnacion not bicause they haue much riches or that they be men of great power and might but for that they do abuse their such giftes and take their lusts and pleasure in it and do not make frends to them of their wicked mammon Fourthly Christ speaketh of the seede that fell in the good grounde and sprang vp and brought forth fruict an hundreth fold And that he declared on this wise That that fell in the good ground be thei which with good hert mind Good grounde do hear the worde of god and kepe the same and bring forth fruict in pacience And there be two thinges to be noted in that Fewe christian men First that there be merueilous few christian mē in this earth But of them that in body soule go to the deuel ther is a great nomber how highly soeuer they pretend the name of christians or boaste of the gospell as Christ doth witnes in the 7 chapt of Mathew saiyng The gate is larg and the way is broad that leadeth to perdition and many there be that entreth into the same But the way that leadeth to lyfe is straite the gate very narrow and fewe haue found the same And the other thinge that Christ sheweth vs is this that although the more parte of menne be euell and so abyde yet the word of god shal not be preached in vaine In some corner there shal be found good ground The worde of God is not preached in vayne Esa 55. wherin the good seede of the word of god is sowen shal spring vp and bring forth frute plenteously whereof god speaketh by his prophete Esaias in this wise Lyke as the shoures of rayne and snow descendeth frō heauen and retourneth not thither againe but sinketh into the earth and norisheth the same and maketh it bring forth seede vnto the sower bread to the eater so shal the word that cometh out of my mouth it shal not retourne vnto me empti but shal do all that I wil shall prosper whersoeuer I shal send it And although it seme
God hath prouided al thinges necessary to him froÌ„ his youth to his age Psal 36 Eccle. 1. To whom doth Salomon ascribe his greate wisdome From God is all wisedome saithe he And whereby commeth his riches and greate substaunce By his laboure No. Pro. 10. But he saith the blessyng of god maketh riche men Lo now in this wise muste we knowledge that all that wee canne or maye bothe in bodely and ghostly thinges commeth only of god which through Christ wyll gyue to vs all goodnes Wherfore it is meet that al the dayes of our lyfe we geue to him thankes therfore Fourthly this gospell teacheth howe we shulde diligently keepe such giftes as we haue receyued Not to mispend the benefâ—â—es of God not misspende them whan Christ commaunded hys Apostels to gather the fragmentes that they shuld not perish If thou haue receiued more riches of God then the necessitie of thine own house requireth looke thou kepe them well Mat. 6. not to get the great riches treasure here in the earth where the moth and rust shall destroye it and theues steale it awaye But spende it not in any euell vse or waste it in voluptuousnes furfetynge dronkennes and superfluous apparrel as it is spoken of in the 15. cha of Lu. of the prodigall childe And suche as is lefte to the more then for thyne owne necessitye lyke a faithful stewarde and housholder distribute it amongst the poore at tyme conueniente Doest thou thinke that that ys gyuen to the more then for thyne owne necessity and sustentacion that thow hast it to th entent thou mayst mayntaine thy vuluptuousnes pride Thou art deceiued if thou so beleue Thow art ordained a seruaunte ouer all thinges Luc. 12. and for that cause hast thou all that thou hast that therof thou mightest help the poore and needy and make the frendes of the mammon of iniquitye that when neede shal be they maye testifie good of the wherby thou maist fynd grace and fauour with God Luc. 16. What happened to the riche man that despised the poore Lazarus spoken of in the gospell He shulde not haue beene damned bycause he was clothed in purpure and sylke and faryd so daintily yf he had had fayth and had eaten with thankes geuinge and not haue forgotten the poore miserable Lazarus the which sate at his gateful of sores desiryng to be fedde of the cromes that fell vnder his table But what happeneth He vtterly forgat the poore Lazarus and tooke no care at all for hym Besids this he doth misuse his goodes and riches And therfore well worthy to be damned And to be shorte If thou haste more then for thyne owne store helpe thy neighbour therewith and mispend it not in ryot and voluptuousnesse The fyfte sonday in Lente Ioh 8. Ioh. 10. WHyche of you rebuketh me of synne yf I say the trewth why do yee not beleue me He that is of God heareth Goddes wordes Ye therefore heare them not bycause ye are not of God Then answered the Iewes and sayd vnto hym Saye we not wel that thou arte a Samaritane Ioh. 10. and haste the diuell Iesus answered I haue not the dyuell but I honoure my father and ye haue dishonoured me I seeke not myne owne prayse ther is one that speketh iudgeth Verely verely I say vnto you yf a man keepe my sayinge he shall neuer see death Then sayd the Iewes vnto hym Now know we that thou hast the dyuell Abraham is dead and the prophetes and thou sayst Yf a man kepe my saying he shal neuer tast of death Act thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the prophetes are deade Whom makest thou thy selfe Iesus aunswered If I honoure my selfe myne honoure is nothing It is my father that honoureth me which ye say is your God and yet ye haue not knowen hym But I knowe hym And yf I saye I knowe hym not I am a lyar vnto you But I knowe hym and keepe hys saying Your father Abraham was glad to se my daye Gen. 17 and. 23. and he sawe yt and reioyseth Then sayde the Iewes vnto him Thou art not yet L. yeare olde and hast thou seene Abraham Iesus sayd vnto them Verely verely I say vnto you yete Abraham was borne Exod. 3. I am Ioh. 10 Then cooke they vp stones to caste at hym But Iesus hyd hym selfe and Luc. 4 wente out of the temple THE EXPOSITION OFtentimes haue I sayde before and it wil be sayde to the end of the worlde that the worde of god can not be preached in this cursed world without persecution and greuous aduersaries seing that christ is set for a token which shal be spoken against Luc. 2. Neyther shuld a man meruayle that suche persecution shulde chaunce to the ministers of the worde seinge that it hapened so to Christ himselfe whiche is the very trewth and did so diligently and most singulerly of all men teach the word of his father In so much that he was put to the vileste death that myghte bee And that yt so was yt appeareth very plainlye in the gospell of this daye He was not only taken and reputed for a Samaritane and a false doctor amongest the Iewes Persecution but also they take stones to stone him to death withal Wherefore seinge that suche dissention betweene good and wicked men shall continew vnto the ende of the worlde we will considre howe a Christian man and chiefly the minister of the word of god shuld behaue himselfe We must always no doute suffre aduersities yet neuertheles we muste alwaies resiste the blasphemers of goddes worde Fyrste Christe stoppeth their mouthes that persecuted his doctrine with his clean and perfect lyuing when he spake vnto theim with gentle wordes in this wise Whyche of you can rebuke me of one synne you doo reiecte my learnynge and wyll not receaue yt what reasones or causes haue you of youre suche counseyle and doynge yf I taught otherwyse then I doo or yf I did otherwyse then I teache then had ye a good cause to forsake my doctrine But now can ye shewe nothinge at all wherein my lyuinge doth dissente frome my learnyng Howebeit your obstinacy ys so great that ye will not beleue Lo here the Iewes be reprehended and know not what to saye thereto or whether to turne theÌ„ For the lyfe of Christ was without faulte as Esaias witnesseth in his 53. Esa 53. chap. Ther is no deceite found in his mouth So shuld euery christian man be specially the minister of the worde of god that a man might not in deed blame his lyfe and conuersacion and chiefly for that cause that the enemies of goddes worde do looke more to the lyfe of the preacher then to his doctrine Yea and how can I blame other when I am not blameles my selfe or when the hearer thereof shall say vnto me Physition helpe thy selfe Luc. 4. When I shall reprehende
for to send me and all his elect his holy ghost to open vs the filthines of our workes and to instructe vs in the knowledge of god Beholde thus the holy ghost shal learn vs the rightousnes of faith Furthermore Iudgement the holy ghost shal rebuke the worlde of iudgement for as much as they iudge not right in thinges pertaininge to righteousnes and saluacion Which thou shalte vnderstande on this wise The diuell sinne deathe hell are constrained to giue place vnto Christe and his worde for by hym they be ouercome But how doth the world knowe this Truly the world euer regardeth workes and euer suffereth the diuell to blinde them so that thei know not nor yet can deuide nor separate the righteousnes of faith from the worldes righteousnes And so remaineth Christ the stone that menne shall stumble at Luc. 2. 1 Pet. 2. and a signe which shal be spokeÌ„ against For the thing which we shuld adscribe vnto Christ that is to saye whereas we shulde confesse that the prince of this world is iudged through Christ and his worde we adscribe yt vnto our righteousnes For the whych cause yt is needefull that the holye ghost do rebuke vs wherby we may learne to iudg right And here hast thou nowe the righte cause why the holy ghoste shall rebuke the worlde Thirdly here is to be noted that Christ sheweth vs here the infirmitie of the apostles saying The weakenes of the apostles I haue yet muche to saye vnto you but yee can not nowe beare it awaye That is as muche to saye Yf I shuld make many words with you of incredulity of righteousnes and of iudgement and of my spirituall kingdome that after my resurrection I shall entre into you colde not vnderstande it nor comprehend it for bicause you are yet carnall and fleshly and my spirite is not as yet confirmed in you For they that shall vnderstand and geue fayth and credence vnto my doctrine the spirite must worke inwardly in theÌ„ with the outward word that shall be expressed with the mouth Mat. 3. or els that sede shall not fal vpon a fruictefull grounde or so that yt shal be other troden of men or else deuoured and eaten of the birdes of the ayer Wherfore it is needefull that the holy ghoste come and when he cometh he shall leade you into all trewthe The gospel is the truthe The gospell is a doctrine of Christe whole and sounde which doth not alloÌ„ly teache the outward honesty but sheweth also the righteousnes of the harte inwardly wherefore it is called in the scripture the trewth The doctrine of men bee lyes And contrary wise the doctrine of men teacheth hypocrisy fynallye neither vnderstandeth nor teacheth any thing of the righteousnes of the hart Wherfore this doctrine and also the doctoures and teachers thereof are called false and lyars as yt is written in the Psalme Ther is no truth in the their mouth Psal 5. that is ther is no suer and certaine thing amongst theim And againe thou shalt lose and destroye all those that speake lies Now seing that the holy ghost shall leade vs into all truth and not into lyes Let euery christian man gesse in his mynd whether the fathers and the counsels haue had the holy ghost whose ordinaunuces and lawes The couÌ„seiles did erre haue beene commauÌ„ded vnto the church in stede of the gospel For if they had had the holy ghoste they wold haue concluded nothing against the worde of god The holy ghost leadeth vs not into lyes but into all truth Howe goodlye haue they vsed this texte in the defence of mans traditions Seinge the holy ghoste teacheth none other thing then that christ taught Further he teacheth onlye the Apostles and the elect of god to perceaue and receaue the doctrine of Christ which of our selues we cannot vnderstand If they hadde eies they mighte perceaue that the plaine texte reciteth the same He saith He shal not speake of him selfe but that he hath heard he shall speake Item He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of mine and shew it you Briefely Christ speaketh here of the infirmitie and weaknes of his disciples which shuld be strengthed comforted by the holy ghost is to be vnderstand of vs euery one Mat. 7. and 21. c Luc. 11. Iacob 1. Ioh. 14 and 15. b 1 Ioh. 3 and 5. c The fyfte sonday after Easter Ioh. 16. VErely verely I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he wil geue it you Hytherto haue ye asked nothyng in my name Aske ye shall receiue that your ioye may be full These thinges haue I spoken vnto you by prouerbes The tyme wyl come when I shall no more speake to you by prouerbs but I shall shewe you plainly from my father At that day shall yee aske in my name And I saye vnto you Mat. 13 that I wyl speak vnto my father for you For the father himselfe loued you bicause ye loued me haue beleued that I came out froÌ„ god I weÌ„t out froÌ„ the father and came into the world Againe I leaue the worlde go to the father Ioh. 20 Hys disciples said vnto him Lo nowtalkest thou plainlye and speakest no prouerbe Nowe are we suer thou knowest all thinges Ioh. 21 and nedest not that any man shuld aske the any question Therfore â—eleue we that thou camest from God THE EXPOSITION IN the first part of this gospel With promyse and commaundement we ar called vnto prayer we haue a commaundement and a promise wherby we ar allured and entised to praier And truly forasmuch as in all trouble and misery wherwith a christian man is oppressed ther is no greater comfort here preseÌ„t in this world theÌ„ with continual daily praier to open shew our necessity vnto god Wherfore it is very necessary that we do note print in our harts this gospel wherby we may be the more inflamed stirred to praier Who wold reiect and despise praier as a thing not necessary seinge that it is here in this gospell so diligently and highly commended and commaunded to vs of Christe Aske saith he and you shall receaue This commaundemente of Christ bindeth vs aswell as the firste commaundement in the fyrst table of Moyses And this to be trewe wee maye more euidente and playne see in an other place where Christe sayeth Luc. 18. that wee oughte alwayes to praye and not to bee wery Here diligentely note that he saith we ought alwayes to praye Therefore as we throughe a syngular and speciall commaundement of god are egged and entysed to praye so lykewise this presente gospell allurethe vs therevnto throughe a greate and excellente promise Here is promised to vs which be Christian men that oure prayer shall not be in vayne but shal be suer to be heard Wherfore else wolde he confirme and binde this promise with an other Verely verely I saye vnto
sheweth vs so great grace and fauoure and voutchsafeth to haue his kingdome in vs and whiche doth dayly deliuer and defend vs frome all false doctrine and temptacion of the diuell and finally Mat. 17 frome all euell withoute doubte in the life to come will graunte vs also euerlastingly to lyue and raigne with him without ende So that in any wise we take hede in the mean season that we loue and beleue his worde and fulfill his will To this pertaineth the sayinge of S. Paule where he saith that we are the temple of god 1 Cor. 6. And also in an other place that god lyueth dwelleth and moueth in euerye one of vs Act. 17. as it is written in the actes of the apostels Thirdely this gospell learneth vs wherefore and for what cause the holy ghost shal be sent which Christe before with so many wordes promiseth to sende for thus he saieth That Comforter The office of the holy goâ— euen the holy ghoste whom my father shall send in my name he shall teach you al thinges and bring all to your remembraunce what so euer I haue tolde you Whereoute it is euident and playne that the holy ghost is sent into the worlde to teach Now yf wee cannot know god in Christ without the holy ghost muste be presente and learne vs so muste it needes folowe that we as of our selues can do nothing Ioh. 3. in those thinges that pertayne to godlynes and saluacion And that without we are lightned of this spirit there is nothinge in vs but darkenes The fleshe is darknes Ioh. 1. as S. Iohn the Euangelist witnesseth saying The lyght shineth in the darkenes and the darkenes comprehended it not Wher is now I besech you the glory of the flesh what can oure reason and oure wisedome bringe to passe Thinke you that the holye ghoste was promised to the apostels and all goddes electe without a cause But I wolde haue the verely beleue that Christ did well perceaue and know that no mortall man coulde haue come vnto the knowledge of god then by this spirite Wherefore else wolde he haue promised and sente it Nowe for as it is expediente playne that the office of the holy ghost is to teache not part or halfe but al. Print this in thine harte that foloweth He shall bring in to your remembraunce all that I haue spoken For I heare not in this place that he shall teache anye other thinge than Christ taughte before but onlye that he shal bring into the disciples remembraunce the â—â—ataynge whâ—ch Christe had preached The holy ghoste dothe in spite Hereto pertaineth that the foresayde spirite shal be sente in Châ—istes name Moreouer yf the holy ghost shall teache no newe thinge vnto thapostels but make them meete to take and vnderstand the preachinge of the gospell who then hath giuen such power to the Romish spiritualtie to ordaine and make in the church so many traditioÌ„s of men against this text Let a christian man learne here also that the doctrine of Christ is sufficient to our saluacion as S. Peter sayd vnto Christ Thou haste the wordes of euerlasting lyfe And in no wise forget that no mortall man can vnderstande this doctrine of Christ excepte it be written in the harte of man through the holy ghost as the prophet Ieremy clerely sheweth in the 31. chapiter The peace of Christe Fourthely Christ promiseth his peace vnto hys disciples and all his elect in this gospel And there is a notable vehemeÌ„t significaâ—â—oÌ„ in this worde My peace For Christe sheweth here a difference betwene his peace the peace of the world The peace of the worlde The peace of the world thoughe it be an excellente gyft and a gift that all only cometh of god for the which accordinge to the doctrine of S. Paule a Chrâ—stiane man is bounde to praye yet notwithstanding yt is teÌ„poral not song durable And it may oft chaunce that outwardly I shal fele peace inwardly warrâ— in the conscience But it goeth not so with theim aâ—â— peace For though that it haue outwardly resistaÌ„ce and is teÌ„pted yet nowithstanding it remaineth vnmouable not due not â—uerâ—â—â—e bicause it knoweth that with Christ the prince of the world hath no â—ight in him 〈…〉 Christe that god in heauen is a merciful father 〈◊〉 him Yâ— knoweth that nothing can chauÌ„ce vnto him against the good wil of god and that persecution shal not indure for euer Ioh. 14 Finallye Act. 14. that throughe suche lyke tribulacion he shal haue a celestial entringe into glorye This peace Christ left and did giue vs. Furthermore as Christe gaue vs this peace of his great mercy and grace without any deseruing so that it is necessary that we comprehend it in our hartes with fayth For works can do nothing in this behalfe as witnesseth S. Paul saiyng Rom. 5. Bicause therfore that we are iustified by faith we haue peace with god Fiftely this gospel teacheth vs The worde of god doth comforte vs in persecucion that in persecutioÌ„ tribulacion is nothinge so suer comfortable as to be furnished armed with the word of god And for that cause Christe shewed before vnto his disciples that he shulde suffre his passion therby entre into the glory of his father saiyng And now I haue tolde you before yt come that when it is come to passe ye maye beleue Rom. 15 And in lyke manner saieth S. Paule What so euer things are written afore tyme are written for oure learninge that we thorough pacience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope Therefore in as muche as the confession and knowledg of the worde of god and the gospel cannot be brought to passe in this worlde withoute persecution seynge that the diuel is so playne an enemye and aduersarye thereof it is meete and couenience to al trewe Christiane menne to bee so instructed and armed with the worde of god that our house buylded vpon a rock do not fal in tyme of persecution stormes of temptacion Mat. 7 and great windes Whiche God graunte to vs euerye one Amen The gospell on Trinitye sonday Iohn 3. THere was a man of the pharyseis naâ—â— Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes Ioh. 7. The same came to Iesus by nyght and sayde vnto hym Rabbi we know that tho◠〈◊〉 a teacher come from god for no man couâ—â— do suche miracles as thou doest except god were with him Iesus aunswered and lord vnto him Verely verely I say vnto the excepte a man be borne frome aboue he can not se the kyngedome of god Nicodemus sayth vnto hym how can a man be borne when he is olde can he enter into his mothers wombe and be borne again Iesus answered Ioh. 4. and. 7. Tit. 3. a Rom. 8. Verelye verely I saye vnto the Excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot entre into the kingdome of god Ioh.
his spirit so long shall that fayth whiche Christ requireth of vs with so many woordes bee no greater in vs then it was here in S. Thomas Many there be which suppose that fayth is so common a thyng that it is in euery mannes freewylle to beleue who wyll that Christe dyed rose againe the third day Whiche if it were so in deede what needed Christ to saye these words Suppose you that the sonne of man Luc. 28. when he commeth shall finde faithe vppon earthe Moreouer what was the cause that the Apostels in the tyme of the resurrection of Christ were so rude and ignoraunt in the matter of fayth and iustificacion Nor it is not to be thought that suche thinge happened only vnto S. Thomas and not to the reste of the Apostests except that wee wyll saye that all suche tokens and actes which we fynde in the story of the resurrection of Christ fyrst doon through angels and then by Christe himselfe whereby the Apostels in this article were confirmed were vanities and lyes I may suffre euery man to say herein his pleasure Yet doo I thus thinke and can approue yt by many testimonies of scripture that no mortal man how well learned or wise so euer he be how good or sharpe witted so euer he be can learne or be instructed in the faith of Christ The holy ghoste worketh faithe in vs. Esai 54 except the singular grace of the holy ghoste drawe him and instruct him therin The prophete sayth They shal be all taught of god Then if I can instructe and teache my selfe in those thinges that concerne our faythe what need hath god to teach me Vpon this reason S. Iohn the euangelyst saith Hee came into his owne Iohn 1. and his owne receyued him not If faith be such a light and an easye thinge to come by what was the cause that the Iewes were so ignoraunt in the comynge of their Messias whiche were taught and brought vp in the lawe Or for what cause dothe the lyghte shine in darkenes and the darkenes can not comprehende it Wherefore it is meete that wee learne hereout that it is not in euery mannes power to haue fayth but that it is a gyfte and a woorke of God only as we fynde in this place of sainct Thomas that in no maner of wyse he would beleue excepte he sawe with his eyen and felte with his fyngers Secondarily wee fynde in this ensample howe paciently and gently Christe suffereth suche imbecilitee and weakenes in his seruauntes Yea he turneth suche mekenesse into a strong fayth For as we reade in the history of the resurrection howe he fyrst did appeare vnto the women and the Apostles so he dothe seeme here likewyse in this place vnto the vnfaythfull Thomas because he should not styl perseuer in incredulitee but should become faythfull He came the eight daye after his resurrection vnto the disciples and besydes that he saluted theim with his peace he shewed vnto Thomas his handes and his feete saiyng Bryng thy fynger hither and see my handes and reche hether thy hande and thrust it into my syde and bee not faythlesse but beleuyng Is not this a highe and an excellent pacience and gentylnes in suche wyse to suffre the weakenes of his electe And I beseche you howe could bee done vnto Thomas a greatter pleasure For except he had sene and felt he would not haue beleued And yet was Christ so good and so full of pitie that Thomas had all his wylle and mynde For besydes that he rebuked him with most gentle and swete woordes he suffered him to put his fynger in his syde O good Lord what great affection and loue thynkest thou dothe he beare to his electe seruauntes Doth not this place approue and confirme the same saiyng that he vsed whyle he was yet in this mortal life saiyng Mat. 11 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I wyl ease you Note also here howe Christ throughly learneth and instructeth Thomas bothe with wordes and tokens The wordes wherewith he is taught driueth away and expelleth his incredulite which wordes are so layde against him that therby thou mayest perceiue no greatter synne to be vpon yearth then is incredulitee Whereout Incredulite is a great sinne as out of a fountayne and sprynge floweth all other synnes For he sayth Bee not faythlesse but beleue As though he would saye If thou fall from the fayth thou art vtterly vndone But if thou bee faythfull and beleuest hereafter do not doubt of the merites of my resurrection then trust surely that this incredulitee shall not in any wyse hynder or hurte thee but shall so and in suche maner of wyse be forgeuen thee that hereafter I wyll neuer remembre it more For I require nothyng els for this great benefite whiche I haue purchased for the whole world through my bitter passion then only a faythfull heart whiche shall not putte his confidence in no creature whether it bee in heauen or in yearth excepte onely in my merites and deseruyng Beholde howe with these wordes thapostle is reduced and brought to true fayth And likewyse as he is strengthened and comforted with wordes so also is he holpen with signes tokens Signes confirmeth fayth which for the most part is shewed to confirme our fayth And yet it is done after a most symple maner by reason he may the easyer be brought to a true fayth and beleue Who would not put and set his trust in suche a mercyfull and a gentle Lorde Who would set his hope in any other except him onely Thirdly this Gospel prayseth and commendeth tranquilitee Peace of conscience quietnes and peace of conscience and sheweth likewise howe that Christ hath communicated the same to the Apostles And of this peace Christ speaketh before his passion Iho. 14 saiyng Peace I leaue with you my peace I geue vnto you not as the worlde geueth geue I vnto you c. With the whiche wordes Christ maketh a difference betwene a ciuile a christian fayth The peace of the wolrde lyeth in ciuile and corporal thynges wherevnto if ryches and goodes chaunce plenteously it maketh menne very negligent and careles incase it bee not prouided and preuented through the word of God But a christian peace cōsisteth in spiritual thynges which maketh a man hardy strong in persecution and temptacion and suche a one as when extreme necessitee and the honour of God dothe so require they shall not onely not fear the deuil with the world and all their adherentes but also shal dispise them and set nothing by them Act. 5. as we see the Apostles did after that the holy ghost was confirmed in them Suche a fayth doth Christ worke in his seruantes and is apprehended of theim onely that with a true fayth knowledge embrace Iesus Christ their lord And this peace I haue so longe as I beleue in Christ And nowe if I do not beleeue it
all his doctrin life after suche maner that by his grauitee diligēce blamelesse irreprehensible liuyng the worde of the gospel may be set forward magnified as sainct Paule also saith 1. Co. 3. This is required of stewardes of the mysteries of God that they be found faythful And on the other part the hearer cōsidering that this ministery is instituted of God he ought not only to heare receiue worde with al humilitee reuerence but also well to esteme honorably to entertayn the minister for his names sake that instituted the administracion lest it chaunce vnto vs as it did to the Iewes to whō Christ sayd I do glorify my father you do dishonor me And sainct Paule saith Those that rule well and faithfully with the word they are worthye double honour And the same testimonies also gyueth hee to the Galathians that they receyued him as an aungell of god yea and yf it had beene possible they wolde haue digged oute theyr eyes to haue giuen to him To baptise is a work of god And in like maner ought that ministery of baptism to be estemed as a precyous godly gyfte for why we se here it is not the inuencion or imagynacion of mā but it is the instytution and cōmaundement of the lord god himself Furthermore this is wel to be noted that the mystery of the worde and baptisme ought to bee communicate vnto all men And I pray you who may here with good cōscience exclude the infantes Baptisme is permitted vnto infants whō Christ excluded not Wee must preach to al men al men must be baptyzed neither ought the infantes by any meanes to be restrained from baptisme For although as yet they are not apte to heare the outwarde worde yet is god able to teach them inwardly by hys spyrite tyll they maye growe and ware able to hear and receyue the vocall and externe outwarde woorde preached to theim The office of the woorde Thyrdely when Christe hath committed to his apostels preachers the ministery of the word hee also sheweth what māner of word it is that they muste preach teach to the people that is that most cōfortable tidīgs of holy gospel Go forth saith he preach the gospel to al creatures Gospel But what is the gospel It is a glad tidīgs wherin ys offered giuē to vs for Christes merites without any deseruing vpon our behalfe but of mere grace remission of sinnes righteousnes and eternall lyfe And this preachyng must he that is come to the knowlege of his sins by the preachyng of the law receiue with faith nether mai he doubt of this promise if it shal do him any profite In like maner saith S. Paule The gospel is the power of God vnto saluacion to euery mā that beleueth it Here you hear that the gospel is the power of God not wtstanding it must be receiued by fayth In the woorde is the power of God of this you may not doubte but beleue if any fayth be in thyne heart Christes promyse shall here in no wyse deceiue vs if our fayth be perfect like as Christ also here requireth fayth saiyng The worde of God must be preched Whoso beleueth and is baptized shal be saued But he that beleueth not shal be cōdempned We must here note two thynges Fyrst that Christ gaue commaundement to his Apostles to preache onely his worde gospel Where this is well considered pondered in the mynde there shortly vanisheth away and are abolished tradicions dreames doctrynes of men I praye you howe agreeth this that in the causes pertainyng to our iustificacion any other doctryne should be admitted but the only worde of God In ceremōies excercises because of youth ther might be obserued tradicions and cōstitucions of menne but in this matter of iustifycacion the woorde of God onely is to be admitted The second note is The sacramentes haue their power of the worde that Christe ioyneth together the ministerye of the worde and baptisme For this wyll he teache in it that baptisme and the sacramētes haue their power of the woorde and can by no meanes bee disseuered from the worde For as concernyng baptisme what authoritee could it haue if the worde were not ioyned with it Doubtles the water shuld be nothyng but styll remayne water But ioyne the worde to it and consider well the commaundement annexed to it then shall not the water be simple water but as S. Paule calleth it it is a washyng of regentracion of newe byrthe and renewyng of the holy gost And therfore is it that Christ sayth in this gospel Who so beleueth and is baptized he shal be saued Signes and miracles do confirme the worde Fourthly Christ sheweth here what tokens shal folowe vpon them that beleue In my name sayth Christe they shall cast out deuils they shall speake with newe tongues take away serpentes c. As he would say My worde is before the world a dispised worde neither haue you whiche must preache it as yet obtayned any authoritee afore men so that they may receiue your preachyng and doctryne without myracles signes wherfore this wyll I do I wyll geue you power to dryue out deuils to speake with newe tonges to heale the sycke c. And whosoeuer that after your worde and doctrine shal be by those tokens and sygnes confyrmed wyll beleue you and be baptized certaynly he shall obtayne remission of synnes and life eternal But whoso beleueth not all excuses set a part shal be damned Vpon this it necessarily foloweth that myracles sygnes were excedyng necessary at the fyrst beginnyng to preache the gospel For if any authoritee and power should be geuen to this dottryne it was necessarye to establishe it and confirme it with so excellent and noble myracles lyke as the lawe also was before confyrmed by sygnes and myracles Notwithstandyng those sygnes wherby the lawe was confirmed were farre more horrible then were the sygnes in the beginnyng of the Gospell For the sygnes that were wrought in the beginnyng of the gospel were very pleasant if you compare them to those sygnes that were shewed in the beginnyng of the lawe And the preachyng of the gospel also is farre more gladder tidynges more comfortable to the heart then is Moses with al his preceptes lawes Nowe in our tyme to requyre lyke myracles and sygnes it is vnsittyng vnreasonable and vnlawfull But if wee wyl so do Christ answereth and sayth Mat. 8. This aduouterous generacion seeketh a sygne and other shall not be geuen to it but the sygne of the prophet Ionas c. For we haue the gospel of Christ confirmed with miracles and sygnes of the Apostles and that sufficiently established surely he that wyll not beleue it can with no miracles nor sygnes be brought vnto the fayth Fyftly The ascencion of Christ we haue in this gospell an article of oure fayth of the ascencion of Christ
happen in his natiuite For and by assone as this childe was borne al the neighbours and kynsfolke did reioyce with the parentes of the child and vpon the eyght day they circumcised the chyld and at the fathers commaundement and writyng they gaue him a name of grace and mercy and this fame is spredde abrode among all theim that dwelt in the Mountaynes of Iewrye and all that did heare it layde it in their heartes cōfessyng that the hande of the Lorde that is The hād of the Lord. the power and helpe of God was with him Lo thus muste men consider Ihon to knowe howe highly he is to bee estemed Secondarily in this gospell fayth maketh Zachary to speake whiche a lytle before throughe his incredulitee was domme And lyke as in this wee see howe great a synne vnbeleife is euen so on the other part wee perceyue howe precious and godly a treasure fayth is The Angel of God sayd vnto zacharye Thy wyfe Elizabeth shall beare vnto thee a sonne To these wordes ought zacharias to haue geuen credite But what doth he Because he was aged and his wyfe well gone in age also therfore he wyll or he geue credite knowe howe these thynges shal be fulfylled therefore he is compelled to silence tyl those thinges were fulfylled that were promised vnto him by the Angel And in lyke maner vnto this day are all they stryken dumme Dumnes in this our time that wyll not beleue the Apostles of God his worde and the Gospell For where as it were their duetye to aduaunce the glory of God the meryte of Christe and to set furth the same there they extoll the righteousnes of their own works as that Pharisei did Luc. 17 God said he I thank the For I am not as the residue of menne extorcioners vnrighteous aduouterers nor yet as this Publycane Call yee this to laude and glorifie the grace of god and merite of Christ Naye truly Thus to boast is worse then to bee dumme For thoughe in this prayer are heard many wordes yet is ther not one heard that seteth vp or magnifieth the grace of god or merite of Christe Nowe thoughe I can speake and vtter many woordes yet as longe as vnbeliefe that taketh away the glory of god raigneth in my heart I remaine dombe afore god as the scripture saith Wysdome hathe opened the mouthe of the dombe that is to say The knowledge of god maketh men eloquent that they knowe how to gyue god his honoure in Christ to praise and glorifie him and fynally to confesse his worde Suche an eloquent Orator was Paul made when he compared his own iustice that he had in the lord vnto myre and dong that by it he might suffre no dammage in that righteousnes whiche Christe hath brought and giueth to the beleuers And such an eloquēt preacher was Zacharias after that the tyme apointed by the angel was fulfilled For by and by after the circumcision of his sonne Iohn he was fylled with the holy ghost and prophecyed praisyng god that had giuen that greate grace vnto him Therfore I saye where faith and the holy ghost are not there muste we needes be dum spiritually yea though we speak many vayne and voide wordes Thirdely the Euangelist heere describeth worde for worde what Zacharias sayd whē he was fylled with the holy ghost and why he so earnestly praised and glorified the Lord his God For thus he sayd Blessed be the Lord God of Israel To blesse To blesse in this place is asmuche as to laude For nowe in as muche as zacharias had receyued the child promised to him also he knewe in spirit what Christe shuld do whose waye this chylde should make ready he praiseth God for that so great and excellent a benefyte Geuyng vs an ensample that wee euermore should thanke prayse God for those his benefites geuen to vs both corporal and also spiritual Now if ye be desirous to heare the cause of this praisyng God of zachary himself For he sayth he hath visited and wrought the redempcion of his people This woorde Visite God doth visite vs ii maner of waies is in the scriptures taken two maner of wayes For sometyme God visiteth vs in his wrath furor as when he punisheth our sinnes as it chaunsed Pharao in the red sea and the Iewes in the tyme of Tytus and Vespasian the Emperor Many tymes he visiteth vs in mercy and grace as it happened to the Iewes when they were brought out of Egypt also when Christ was sent and geuē of the whiche visitacion Christ himselfe speaketh complayneth Mat. 20 because they knewe not the tyme of their visitacion And of this mercyfull visitacion dothe zacharias speake in this place saiyng that God hath visited and wrought the redempcion of his people He knowlegeth also and estemeth this redempcion so certayne sure that he proclaymeth and laudeth it as done already wher in dede it was as then yet to be done in tyme commyng And to this apertayneth the foloweth in this cāticle And he hath set vp vnto vs an horne of health in the house of Dauid his seruāt An horne in scripture An horn in scripture is taken for the power dominion As zacharias would say The corporal kyngdome nowe hath his ende nowe appointed the septer is taken frō the tribe of Iuda But be of good cōfort we shall nowe be better then euer we were For why we shall haue a newe kyng whiche in dede was promised vs long agoo whiche shal set vp a kyngdom not corporal wherin he may reigne with outward power but a kyngdome of helth and eternal lyfe accordyng to the promyse so many thousand yeres promised to the Patriarkes vnto Dauid For doubtles whosoeuer shall beleue in this kyng kepe his word he shal assuredly obtain this helth Now who could doubt in this Dyd not God in tymes past speake these wordes by the mouth of the Prophetes Dissēciō betwyxt Christ the world Dyd not he promyse the same by the Patriarches Notwithstādyng there shall ryse debate discencion betwene this kyng the world For surely he wyll geue sentēce that all suche thynges as the world estemeth right good be vnrighteous and by his worde he wyll cast away all their holynes wysedome vertues and cōdempne them And here out shal begyn this stryfe with contynuance but yet so that at the conclusion the victory shal be Christes not alonly for his owne commoditee or profite but muche rather for al those that beleue in him If thou desyrest to knowe what he shall do He shal deliuer vs from our enemyes and from the handes of all them that hated vs. Furthermore he wyll shewe vs the waye whiche when we entre into we shall not dispayre of mercye for our sinnes for he wyll remembre that faithfull othe that he sware to Abraham oure father Briefely by his owne merites of mere grace without deseruinge of
persecute you for my names sake Now how agre these two to be persecuted to bear temporal dominion power Truthe it is that the Apostels shuld raign with Christ But wher In this world Nay verely The kīgdome of Christ is spirituall For the kingdome of Christ is a far other thing thē a temporal worldly kingdome as the apostles wel proued learned after that they had receued the holi ghost But here as yet thei vnderstād not this and therfore they desire to know who is greatest in the kingdome of heauen But what dothe or saith Christ Suerly as he is wonte to do and saye For as he often bare their infirmity cast them not of for their rude and gosse affectiōs euen so doth he now at this time He taketh a child and setteth him in the middest of them and saith Except ye be tourned and become as chyldren ye shall not entre into the kingdome of heauen Here in this place Christe teacheth his disciple both by word and exāple For he setteth a child in the middest of them and by and by sheweth a cause why he so dothe that is that it was necessary for them to become as children How then do childrē They lyue as nature teacheth thē with out ani craft or malice thei know no pomp no pride or any other vices of the world only flye thei to the milke that they sucke out of their mothers brestes Euen so must a christian mā be minded After what manner we shuld become children For it is necessary that he be whole dead as concernyng to the pompe malyce guyle pride both spirituall and carnal and that he only depende vpon Christe and his worde and neither attempt nor presume none other thyng then the worde commaundement of Christ prescrybeth to him For whersoeuer they do thus there is no pryde no confidence in merytes of workes no guyle no malice but mere pouertie of spirit and innocency Nowe where as is pouertie of spirit and innocency there is fulfylled the saiyng of Christ Whoso meaketh himselfe as this chylde he is the greatest in the kyngdome of heauens And of this chyldehod speaketh S. Paule seiyng 1 Co. 14 Brethren be not chyldrē in wyttes but in malyce be chyldrē 1 Pe. 2. And S. Peter sayth Desyre you that reasonable mylke wtout guyle as chyldren newe borne that in it ye may growe vp for you haue tasted how swete the Lord is Secondarily Christ sheweth with what seueritie and constancy he wyll defend suche as come to this pouertee of spirit that is he wyll take the cure of them whatsoeuer chaunce to them be it good or euil If any good thyng be done to theim he wyll accepte it as done to himselfe as he wytnesseth saiyng Mat. 25 Whatsoeuer you dyd to one of these lytleones that beleueth in me you did it to me Zacha. 2 And in the Prophet Zachary is written Whoso toucheth you toucheth the ball of myne eye Also if any euil be done to them he wyl accompt it as done to himself For he sayth thus He that receyueth suche a childe in my name he receyueth me And he that offēdeth one of these lytleones that beleue in me it were expedient for him that an asse mylle stone were hanged at his necke and he drouned in the depth of the sea Doth not God now defend the beleuers is not he careful for that litle despised flocke that cleaueth vnto Christ I pray you who shal cōtempne the doctrin of suche a Lord that thus careth defēdeth his seruantes Whō would not this so great care moue to beleue in Christ And to vs that are already receiued vnto faith what can be more cōfort or what can we more desire Nowe loke howe comfortable this text is to the beleuers when Christ saith He that receiueth you receiuech me Euen so feareful terrible is it to those that vexe persecute this poore despised people of Christe whiche doth beleue in the worde And forasmuche as Christ shal impute the pesecucion as done to himselfe wtout doubt it shal come to passe when the tyme appointed of God is fulfylled that Christ wyl brydle the furor voluptuous mynde of the vngodly But yet notwtstādyng the vngodly wyll not nowe beleue this tyl as the cōmon prouerbe sayth they haue both their handes ful and the sentence of perpetual dampnacion be declared against them euen as you perceiue it chaunsed vnto Pharao Thyrdly Christ sheweth his disciples before that there shuld come slāder which shuld cōtinue vnto the ende of the worlde also instructeth them how to behaue themselues among suche slanders Wo to the worlde saith he for slanders Nedes must slanders come but yet wo to that man by whō slanders come Christ sheweth plainly that slanders shuld cōtinue in the world vnto the end of this world euen as Paul saith There must bee sectes among you 1. Co. 11 Why so Paule That they whiche are perfect among you might be knowē But wherof shal this offēce or slander arise or wherin cōsisteth it Two maner of slander Fyrst it shal come of false doctrine whiche did arise by by after the resurrection of Christ while the Apostels were yet aliue was by conterfaict apostels and false brethrē taught vnto the people yea and that diligently To omyt the other did it not euē so chance to S. Paul amongst and with the Galathiās He had preached the gospell of Christ to them and had fully and sufficiently instructed them in the matters of faith yea and they had receaued him with suche harty loue and so feruent a desire with such reuerēce Gal. 1. that he confesseth that thei wold haue plucked out their eies gyuen them to him if it had bene possible Yet for all this after his departure ther came false brethren which set forth and taught to the Galathiās other maner of doctrine thē Paul had taught them What slanders thinke ye arose of this Euen in lyke manner chanced it in our daies God hath giuen to vs very plenteously richely his worde and gospel that suerly we ought with whole heartes to thank him laud him for that so great noble a treasure But what chanced now When the word now did florishe and thorow the wonderful goodnes gracious fauour of god it brought forth right bewtiful frutes amōg many one euen did ther burst forth with their slanders the Byshop of Rome with all his Papisticall rablement of Monkes Friers which with the residue of their sectes and doctors dyd with all their power inuade resist so muche as laye in them the plain and true word of god to the great hinderance of the gospel By by vpon this folowed that pestiferous sect doctrin of the Anabaptists which made mē excedīg wood for a time which also hath don no lyttle hurte to the furtheraunce of Christes holye worde What slaunders thynke yee haue
a man is borne into the worlde And euen so you nowe haue sorowe but I wyll see you agayne and your heart shall ioye and no man shall take awaye your ioy from you These and suche lyke woordes doth the christian man set hand vpō in persecucion so that he may stand stedfast in them and syng with the Prophete Ps 129. My soule stayeth her in his woorde my soule hath trusted in the Lorde And therefore sayth Christe here to his disciples Mat. 10 Remembre my worde that I haue spoken to you But what worde is it The seruaunt is not greater then his Lorde Nowe if they haue persecuted the Lorde in this worlde let the seruaunt holde him cōtented though all thynges procede not accordyng to his purpose and thoughe some tyme he speade as his mayster speade afore him For doubtles it can be none other wyse If they sayth Christe haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you If they haue kept my worde they wyll also kepe yours In these wordes Christ sheweth very plainely that there should bee perpetual dissencion betwene his disciples and the worlde for his disciples wyll cleaue to his woorde the whiche in deede the worlde can not abyde And therfore Christ geueth his disciples this counsaile that they shall looke to the worde and steadfastly stand in that yea though the worlde neuer so madly and furiously rage raue against it Whiche God graunt that all wee may apprehende and persyst in it to his honour and oure soules health throughe Christ our Lord. Amen The Gospel on all Sainctes day Math. 5. Blessed are the pure in hearte for they shall se God Blessed are the peace makers for they shal be called the chyldren of god Blessed are they which suffre persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen 1 Pet. 2.3 c 4. c Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and shal falsely say all maner of euel sayinges agaynst you for my sake ♣ Actu 5. Reioyce and be glad for greate is your rewarde in heauen THE EXPOSITION WE muste verye diligently deere christians obserue and note in this gospell The office of Christe is to teache to saue that when Christe saw the people and his disciples were come vp to him he maketh vnto them a godly and fruteful sermon whiche comprehendeth in a maner all thinges that are necessary for a christian man to do spiritually before god For by this sermon we may see how diligent Christ was in administrynge his office and feeding his shepe Furthermore we muste needes confesse that as al that Christ taughte and preached was bothe good and helthsome so no sermon that euer he made is more diligenlye and perfectlye written then this in the mounte and that which he made after his last supper Surely by this his example Christ would not only teache the ministers of his worde with all diligence faithfull to attende their office but also that all that they teache they shuld teache it faithfullye driue it into the peoples eares as we se that Christ dyd here in this gospell Let vs then see what was the beginning of Christes doctrin in this his most excellent and noble sermon Fyrst Ghostly pouerte Christ promiseth the kingdome of heauen and saluacion to the poore in spirite But what signifieth it to be poore in spirite The poore in spirit are those that cleaue to no transitory thing of thys worlde that set their confidence in no creature that are deade vnto the worlde and leaue and whollye put their faith in Christ and his worde Vpon such poore shall the spiryte of the lorde reste as the prophete Esaias saith These poore receiue the gospel Esa 66 Mat. 11 as our Sauiour said to the disciples of Iohn And furthermore suche pore men are so deerely beloued of god that he promiseth peculier gyftes and synguler graces to such as do them ony benefite as ye maye reade in the 40 Psal And suche pore are not proud in the ymaginaciō of their own hartes Thei contemn no man thei dispise no man but are lowly and meeke euen frome the hearte Wherefore they shal haue as Christ promiseth here the kyngdome of heuen wher as all hypocrites that swell by their outward righteousnes for the same preferre them selues before al other shal haue perpetual fire and euerlasting damnacion Secondly Christ promiseth to those that morne comforte heere by the spirite and in the worlde to come eternal life and the kingdome of heauen But what signifieth here this word To mourn Doubtles the same that Christ speaketh on in another place Ioh. 16 saying You shal morne wepe but the worlde shal be gladde Nowe is this as cleare as mydde daye neyther can any manne denaye yt that suche as confesse Christe and beleue his woorde The crosse persecution the crosse hangeth euer vppon them and they are diuers and many wayes tempted sometyme on the one syde sometyme on the other that euer they fynde Chrystes worde trewe Ioh. 16 whiche sayd Ye shall haue tribulacion in the worlde Wherefore excepte in these so greate troubles and vexacions as christian man had some comforte and these great and excellent promises howe could he abyde all these thinges Howe coulde he contynew stedfast For suerlye the crosse is not so sweet and pleasaunte to the fleshe that it will freerely and with a glad mynde come vnder it and suffre it The holy ghost Ioh. 4. Needes must the spirite come whiche therefore is called of Christ the Comforter bicause that in tribulacion he comforteth the sorowful And also though we haue the spirite yet must the word be applied and diligently put in our myndes least we waxe slothfull sluggardes and liuers in a careles securitee And to this purpose serueth this sentence of Christe which promiseth eternall consolacion to those that mourne Here in this lyfe they shal be comforted by his worde and in the worlde to come by his blesse and eternall lyfe Nowe thys promise so ful of comforte maketh a man glad minded so that he is more ready to suffre and abide euē with a glad heart the crosse that god shal please to laye vpon him Meekenes Thirdly Christ promiseth to those that ar meke the possession of the lande and blessednes Nowe to be meke is not only when a man is not angrye but also when hee canne represse and refrayne hys wrathe hadde he neuer so iust a cause to bee discontented and angrye Of suche angre the prophete Dauid saithe Psal 4 Be yee angrye but synne not For to be neuer angry at all it is impossible for suche as lyue heere in this bodye For why wrathe is euen borne in vs as are also all other vices so that wee canne not vtterly laye it from vs. Ephe. ◠Suerlye it were our duety and very right that we shulde contynue euer in meekenes and gentlenes and neuer be angrye I speake of