may be reproued for the neglectyng of charitie But Christ doth not only defend and mainteyne his doynge agaynste them but also layeth the same crime to their charge For sanctifying of the Sabboth is to heare Gods worde to doo holy workes to loue thy neighbour to help hym at his necessitie and to shewe obedience to be mercyful to help to geue councell to conforte to breake breade to the hungrie c. This ought to be done on the Sabboth For he requirethe noo counterfaited seruice that wee should exercise all the day in syngyng in the Temple after the example of the papistes This is his will that the worde should be heard and that which is coÌ„manded therby shoulde be perfourmed in deede As there is an excellent saying in Osee For I wyll haue mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerynges For the knowledge of God is nothyng els but to heare Gods worde The reason is because that with out the worde no man can know any thyng as touchyng God But when the word is pronouÌ„ced which saieth I am the Lorde thy GOD whiche sente my sonne deliuered hym to be slayn for thee which had mercy vpon the at Baptisme c. By suche a worde is the knowledge of God communicate vnto vs that he is fauorable and mercifull whiche thynge reason can neuer perceaue and know by his owne strengthe Furâ—hermore of this it foloweth that sithe the knowledge of God commeth by the woorde that thys is Gods seruice and sanctifyeng of the Sabboth to here the worde of God and to put it in practise The peruerse and ouerthwart phariseys neglect all this they heare not the word of God they care not for his commandementes and yet they wold be counted for such as violate not the sabboth So doth al papists kyngs princes that resist gods word They hear masses euery day they neuer heare any preaching of the worde yet they would be named with the excellent name of christians that serue God But he that desireth to knowe what it is to serue god let him learn that thing in this place euen to heare his word to kepe his coÌ„mandements Wherfore euery day is sabboth day with vs christians For we must euery day heare Gods word and order our lyfe thereafter And yet for the peoples sake is the sonday ordeined to this entent that they shold chiefly hear on that day the word of God liue after it For the other six dais ar left for euery man to doo his busynes This is the first part of this gospel that this is the true keping of the sabboth worshipping of god wheÌ„ the word of god is herd his coÌ„mandements regarded Wherfore wheÌ„ thou coÌ„mest to a sermon or redest som gospel this is the worshipping of god more acceptable seruice vnto him then all other sacrifices as Osee saith The second part teacheth of humilitie For so dothe Christe expounde the parable in the ende He that exalteth hymselfe shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Which is thus to be vnderstanded that men also and not onely God do vse to hate the proude and none but lyghte persones and wicked doo hate the humble and lowely For it is geuen by nature that all men loue suche When a handmayde sheweth her selfe humble and obediente in doyng her busines in the familie her maistres canne not hate her To be shorte Nature it selfe causeth all men to fauor the humble lowly to hate the proude As sone as the parents perceue disobedience pride in the children and seruants for these two vices are always ioyned together when they answer proudly that they ar not bound to be obedient at euery word the parentes can not abide this and they seeke some meanes to restreigne thys fiercenesse Or yf that they wyll not bee ruled to caste theym oute of the house Lykewyse doo the officers and Magistrates in their callyng They that among their subiects are prowd and stubborne those they tame by punyshement Howe chanceth it then that no man can abyde pryde God and his worde is the cause whiche saieth that he will labour all that he may to represse the prowde and stubborne As thys appeareth in all kyndes afterwarde All ryche menne learned wyse beautyfull stronge myghtie as soone as they began to be proude to forget modestie they were cast downe hedlong of God For as it is written God resisteth the proude He that hath such an aduersarie can by no meanes scape from fallyng Contrarily he that is sober mynded obteyneth the fauour bothe of God and man so that God wyth his angels do highly esteme him and men hath hym in great estimation and singuler renoume as examples doo declare that oftentimes poore mens children com to high renoume so that princes are fayn to haue theÌ„ in honoure for their wysedome and councells sake Wherof commeth this felicitie Uerily herof that God can not bee lackyng to them that are sober mynded and lowly As the .113 Psalme sheweth Who is as our God which dwelleth on hygh and hathe respect vnto the lowly in heauen and in earth He raiseth vp the symple out of the duste and lifteth the poore out of the myre that he may set hym with princes euen with the princes of his people Thus dothe God deale with the humble But as for theym that are prowde and can not refrayne from excesse and ouermuche agaynst them he setteth hym selfe with all indignation and he neuer ceaseth vntill they be throweÌ„ downe This ought to admonyshe vs to behaue our selues soberly and that chyldren and seruantes should shew them selues obedient and thinke God requireth this that I shoulde be obedient and that I shold not be proude but walke lowly Thys wyl I do neither wyll I care for that I am in suche a lowe and a base state and condition For this I knowe that when I doo my duetie God will regard and care for me how he may bryng me to a better state Thus came it to passe with Saule whiche when he was obscure and a keper of mules and thoughte hym selfe the lowest of the stocke of Beniamyn hee was aduanced to suche honoure that the Prophete Samuell receaued a commaundement from God to make hym kynge ouer Israel For as long as he was humble God was presente with hym by his mercye and grace But after that he was puffed vp with pride and began to be hygh mynded and to despise God and his worde he perceaued that God had no lesse mynde to caste hym downe then before he hadde mynde to aduaunce hym vntill at last he dispeired vtterly and killed hymselfe and all his kynne was destroied The example of Dauid belongeth to this matter also It appereth that his myght and doctrine was excellent yet was he not therfore proude and high mynded He folowed the state of a shepehearde and obeyeth his fathers
lyfe And to this comforte belongeth the goodly similitude of the trees In the spryng sayth he when wynter is at an ende and all the earthe is renewed when colde departeth and heate approcheth and the bare trees begynne to bee greene wyth newe bowghes no other thynge foloweth hereof but that the trees bryng foorthe buddes and after that spreade abroade theyr leaues Then it is the common saying Wynter is gone and goodlye Sommer draweth nyghe We gladly let wynter depart and imbrace pleasant Sommer at hys commyng Therfore in his similitude of the trees may we haue euident resons declaring after what maner we ought to loke for this last day For as after leaues commeth sommer so when the earth shal be moued and the heauens shall tremble and when the sonne and Moone shall appere mourneful let these thyngs seme no more dreadfull vnto vs then when the tender leaues crepe forth of the trees when sommer begynneth to come in For these sygnes are to vs euen as the leaues and iuyce of the trees that we may ioyfully looke for that euerlastyng sommer For this presente miserable lyfe is very well compared to bareyn and euil fauored winter In the whiche all thyng dye and wyther awaye But these thynges shall then come to their ende and euerlastynge sommer shall come in theyr stede that is the kyngedome of GOD whereby the kyngdome of the deuyll shall peryshe Why are there so manye myseries geuen as a punisshement in the earthe because ye lyue amongest the couetous and wycked that blaspheme and curse the Gospell and stirre vp all mischiefe in the worlde This muste we see and here and looke daiely for worse Frome all these thynges will I deliuer you by my commyng that ye may not be constrayned to behold any longer their wickednes Wherfore this terrible state of the world doth not com for you but for your enemies They haue a good cause to be afrayde and sorowfull But reioyce ye as godly Loth dyd whiche sayth Peter dwelt in Sodoma and was constreigned with his innocent eyes and eares to heare and se the detestable synnes vntill they grew to such fulnesse and ripenesse that God coulde no lenger refrayne There came two Angels whyche ledde godly Loth out of the citie Surely this thyng was not without a terrible sighte when the element was horrible wyth clowdes when thunder was hard and the clowde wente aparte with a great wydenesse and brymstone and fyre fell downe by rayne and the gaspyng of the ground ensued and swalowed in all thinges It is not otherwise to be thought but that Loth was greatly dismayd at these thyngs But this comfort was at hande that this horrible and dredful tempest dyd not strike hym but the Sodomites whyche beleued not the word of God but gaue themselues to all kynd of most abhominable lewdnesse yea and that without al mesure These must nedes be meruailously troubled at this fyry rayne But godly Loth behelde this tempest as a pleasant tree in the spryng tyme that putteth forth his buddes and beginneth to be grene For he feeleth and receyueth helpe and mercyfull deliuerance against the wicked So shall it chaunce to vs also in the latter daye if it befall in oure lyfe tyme. It shall seeme a terrible thyng when heauen and earthe shall burne and we shal be changed in a moment and dye But a christian man must not here take his eyes for iudges but marke howe Christe doeth expound it That these flowers and boughes are moste pleasant So that albeit that the greuous syght of the worlde shall terrifie and abashe reason yet let the heart truste to the worde of God that it may not feare that outeward syght but say Mystrust not there is no hurte or damage This dothe not signifie as Christe sayth any euyll but that my redemption and redemer is at hande Hayle my redemer Christe therfore and come on as thou art wyshed for as I haue desyred oftentymes and prayed for whyle I lyued that thy kyngdome myght com vnto me He that can receyue Christ at his commyng after this maner shall in a momente be chaunged into that glory that he may shyne with the sonne for euer After this sort dooth Christ teache vs to knowledge truly the last day that we may lerne how great succour we haue therin and why also we ought to loke for and feruently to desire his comyng The Pope preacheth of Christe that he is a seuere Iudge and that we must haue healpe before hym by our good woorkes and that the Intercession of saintes are to be hadde yf any manne wyll be sure from damnation For so hath he put it foorthe in picture howe Christe commeth to iudgement and howe he holdeth a swoorde and a rodde in his mouthe whiche bothe are signes of wroth And where as Mary and Iohn standeth on bothe sydes it shewethe that the prayers and intercessions of them and of other suche good Sainctes muste be soughte for and trusted in As the good father Bernard persuaded hymself that when the mother sheweth her pappes to the Sonne that he can not denye her any thyng Whiche was an euident proofe that Christe should come lyke a seuere Iudge But in this Gospell he teacheth vs otherwyse that is that he shall not come to iudge and condemne vs but to deliuer redeme vs and that he wil graunt in dede that that we praied for and bring vs to his kingdom And as for other that beleue not in him and vexe the Christians with railyng and reuilyng he will by his sharpe sentence punishe greuouslye Thys saieth he beleue ye onely and looke for my cōmynge ioyfully for it shal be to your welthe that ye may be saued by me for euer from synne deuyll deathe hell and the worlde This is a greate comforte But in thys place one thyng remayneth wherby the fearefull consciences are troubled For Christ saieth that that daye shall come vnloked for So that it shal chance likewise to men as it chanceth to byrdes which flee in the mornyng hungry out of the woddes to fynde meat somwhere suspectyng no euyll bycause they were not deceiued of their hope in that place before and sodeinly they are wrapped in the nettes taken and killed But thei that feare God wil take hede therof And because they proue by dayly exaumples howe soone they that stande fall they are weake hearted and soone ouerthrowen For they thynke it vncertayne what shall become of them to morowe Perchance the houre wil come when thou shalt be most vnready and dydst not see it before orels thou shalt be entangled with this or that sinne Then art thou vndone and this ioyfull day shal be chaunged into mourninge In this doubt Christ leaueth vs not comfortlesse but teacheth christen men howe they shall bee rydde from this pensifenes and sayth See that your heart be not ouerladen with surfet dronkennes and with the cares of this lyfe least this daye oppresse
deuil haue snarled made vnquiet thorow some sinne or offence These men thus troubled tormeÌ„ted in their coÌ„sciences mindes come vnto me or vnto some other ChistiaÌ„ they lament their most miserable state they declare their greif paine desire instructioÌ„ coÌ„fort In this behalf may I bicause of the coÌ„maÌ„dement of Christ yea I am bouÌ„de so to do coÌ„fort streÌ„gthen my brother declare vnto him the grace fauoure mercie of god thorowe the merites of Christ to all theÌ„ that be greued heauy loden with the burden of sin And by this meanes is the deuil cast out of him not by me which also am a sinner but by the word which is leaste vnto vs of Christ here in earth Likewise when thou art troubled in thy mind disquieted in thy coÌ„science so that thou caÌ„st not sufficieÌ„tly receaue coÌ„solatioÌ„ nor stedfastly beleue that god is merciful vnto thee wil forgeue thee thy sin resorte thou vnto the lordes Supper For Iesus Christ our Lord hath instituted the sacrameÌ„t of his body blod vnto this ende that wheÌ„ thou in those holy misteries receauest his body blod thou sholdest not dout but certeÌ„ly be ê‘suaded that his bodi was betraied his blod shed for thy sins wher this faith is ther is the deuil driueÌ„ out coÌ„pelled to seke other restiÌ„g places thus is this worke of castiÌ„g out deuils coÌ„tinually iÌ„ the church of Christ thorow the worde the ministration of the Sacraments â–ª which church thorow Christe her heade euermore fighteth striueth against this serpent and with all maine impugneth his force violence no lesse then Christ himselfe did if not more as the Lorde him selfe sayth verely verely I say vnto you he that beleueth in me shal do the workes that I do yea greater then these shall he do because I go vnto the father The reason is this The church hath a larger office then Christe For he taught only amonge the Iewes in a streight place or small circuite and conuerted fewe He taught also not fullye fowre whole yeares But the church thorow the helpe of her heade which is on the right haÌ„de of god is coÌ„tinually in this office when it preacheth the gospell distributeth the Sacramentes euermore reproueth the wyckednes of the deuill and now driueth him out of this place now out of that place so that it suffreth hym to haue no reaste doinge thys thorow out the worlde wheresoeuer the worde is preached the sacraments truly ministred And yet haue we not so driuen him out neither are we in all pointes so free and set at libertie from hym but that we muste dayly fyght against him for asmuche as sainct Peter sayeth he goeth aboute lyke a rorynge Lyon sekynge whome he maye deuoure and continually beware of hym Resiste the deuil sayeth sainct Iames and he shall flee from you This greatlye greueth the deuill therfore as we cast him out thorow the doctrine of the worde Sacraments so likewise leaueth he nothing vnattempted if he cannot vtterly subdue vs yet at the leaste to take our lyues from vs thorowe persecution Thus hath it bene and shal be vnto the verye ende of the world It chaunced so vnto Christ he droue the deuill out of theÌ„ that desiered hym The deuill sought to be reuenged on him therfore moued he the Iewes to crucifie hym and at the last by death to dispatche hym out of the waye Yet had neither the deuill nor the Iewes the ouerhand For Christ ouercame them both As concernynge the Iewes they were so cast out of their countrye that there is no hope at all of their returne The deuil whiche is the prince of the worlde is iudged and condempned and shall at the last daye by the Christians accompanied with Christe their head be so caste out of both heauen earth that he shall neuer trouble them more For Christ hath not onely driuen the deuyl out of this man of whom the gospel of this present sondaye maketh mention but he hath appeared as S. Iohn sayth that he shoulde destroye the workes of the deuill so that the deuyll hath no power ouer them that beleue But they that beleue not on Christe they remayne vnder the power of the deuill and must at the last come vnto destruction with the Iewes In the Papecie the deuil thorowly stablished as ye knowe his kyngdome and set it meruelouslye with greate wealth riches and dignitie in somuche that although thorowe the singuler mercie and grace of god there remained in it the holy Sacramentes and the worde yet was there not at all any true knowledge either of the Sacramentes or of the worde as al men herof can beare witnesse And yet in the very Papecie the deuil founde not all thinges mete for his kingdom For euen in the ministration of baptisme was he cast out when the Infantes were baptised in the name of the blessed Trinitie and so brought vnto God For nothing can make voyde the promes of God Neither is the holye Ghoste therefore of the lesse power in the worde and in the Sacramentes althoughe the person be wycked and without the holy ghost whiche ministreth the worde and the Sacramentes we therfore are most indebtedly bounde to render vnto god most hartie thaÌ„ckes for this his singuler goodnes towards vs whiche hath geuen vs suche power and strengthe againste our moste cruell enemy and extreme foe the deuil though he buffeteth vs again it is no merueill For how can he abyde this that we miserable sinners should so disquiet hym beinge a proude and myghtie spirite only with the worde that he can haue no place to rest in Therfore he maketh against vs all that euer he can by raysinge vp in euerye place persecutions and other tentations against vs. But that thyng ought not to seme greuous vnto vs for the hope that wee knowe that we shall not onely dryue hym oute here but we shall also at the last daye as we toforesayde iudge and condemne hym vnto hell fyre for euermore These thinges well diligently considered we ought to haue in great estimation and honour the worde of GOD and the Sacramentes and not so vilelye to thincke or speake of them as many do commonlye nowe a dayes and speciallye the wise and prudent of this worlde The Sacraments I graunt are outwarde ceremonies as the eyes see The very worde also is an externall thynge whiche is receaued by the eare and redde with the eye As the Christians also are bodely menne But these thinges are not therefore to be despised The reason is this When a Christen man handleth the worde of GOD accordyng to the commandement of Christe then is that power present whiche the deuill can not abyde In that therefore the worde and the Sacramente do outwardlye appeare so homely and base we ought not to dispise them but rather geue thanckes vnto
receiued giftes for men yea euen for thyn enemies that the Lord God might dwel among them The sentence is short but it comprehendeth many thynges and euery one of them oughte dilygently to be weyghed pondered and consydered The first worde Paule hymself handleth lyke an Apostle when he saith That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended fyrste into the lowest partes of the earth He that descended is euen the same also that ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfyll all thynges S. Paule in these hys wordes dothe very exquisitely handle bothe the descension and ascension of Christe that by thys meanes we maye knowe from whense so many and so greate gyftes came that we haue receaued by the ascension of Christ. Let no man thinke that he with his owne woorkes rightousnesse holynes of lyfe or wyth any other thynge hathe deserued that he should receaue the noble gyftes of Christes ascension but Christ himselfe hath deserued it which geueth the gyftes in that he came downe and humbled hymselfe and for our sake became manne and for vs dyed on the crosse These gyftes dothe Paule signify by these his wordes when he as it were interpreteth the mynd of the Prophete and putteth Christes descension before his Ascension For as muche then as the Holy Ghoste by the Prophete speaketh thus of Christe Thou wentest vp on hye It foloweth herof that he came down before and was made lowe Whych altogether was doone for our sake Therfore Paules interpretation agreeth wel with the woordes of Christ whiche ye lately hearde It is expedient for you that I go For except I go my way the comfortour shall not come But when I go my waye I will sende hym vnto you If I go my way I wyl prepare you a place This sayeng Thou art gone vp on hye maketh a differēce betwene Christ and them that ascended into heauen Enoch was taken vp vnto GOD. Helias wente vp in a fyerye charette but CHRIST went not so vp into heauen but he ascended by his owne power as hee also by hys owne power rose agayne frome deathe vnto lyfe without the healpe of any thyng This is a great diuersitie for we shall not rayse vp oure selues at the laste day but Christe shall rayse vs vp Christe hymselfe rose frome deathe vnto lyfe by his owne power as he sayeth in the Gospell of S. Iohn My Father loueth me because I geue ouer my lyfe that I maye take it again No man taketh it away from me but I geue it ouer of my owne selfe I haue power to geue it ouer and I haue power to take it agayne And Peter in the Chronicle of the Apostles actes sayth It was impossible for hym to bee holden of deathe So in lyke maner is there a difference betweene his Ascension and ours We ascend vp into heauen because Christe draweth vs vnto hym But CHRIST hym self went vp into heauen by his owne power as he sayth in the Gospell of Iohn No manne goeth vp into heauen but he that came downe from heauen that is to say by his owne power This diuersitie betwene Christes Ascention and oures dyd the Holy Ghost shew long before that by thys he myghte teache vs that Christ is the almyghty and euerlastyng GOD whome we oughte as they saye wyth embracynge armes to receaue Where as the Psalme sayth moreouer Thou wentest vp on hye It is none other thing then as we sayd before Christ pronounced before Pilate My kingdome is not of this worlde Therefore althoughe we are in the worlde occupied about matters of houshold and Policie yet seynge wee are Christians and the kyngdome of CHRIST is not of this worlde we oughte to lyfte vp our myndes vnto heauen that we maye aboue all thynges embrace this spirituall kingdome and looke vnto that But the most part of vs dothe the contrary For a greate number of vs bothe in body and mynd and in all that we are able to do ar altogether drowned and swallowed vp with the present things of this world and only seketh for the goodes possessions therof as though we shold liue here for euer neuer depart We regarde litle or nothynge that Christe is gone vp on hye The Holy ghost wold haue this lewdnesse amended in vs and therefore he diligently putteth vs in mynde that Christ is gone vp on hye and hath left and forsaken these earthy thyngs so that although we be vpon the earthe with oure bodie yet with our hearte and mynde we sholde alway haue a desyre vpward and not trouble our herts with the cares of this world For a christen man should on this wise behaue hymself Let his body be occupied about necessarie thyngs for this present life but let hys mynd haue all her delight and pleasure all her meditation and study all her trauaile and exercise about heauenly supernall and euerlastinge thynges as Paule saith Seke after those thinges that are aboue where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God and not after those thynges that are on the earth But why did Christ go vp into heauen or what busines hath he there Of this matter dothe the Psalme make mencion saying Thou art gone vp on hie thou hast led captiuitie captiue This is a description of the great and glorious triumph of Christ and in a maner it appeareth that Christe hadde respect to this psalme when he putte foorthe the Parable of the stronge armed manne whyche kept his palaice and had al thinges in quiet tyll one that was stronger then he came vpon him bounde hym and toke awaye his weapon wherein he trusted and made a spoyle of it For wee wretched caytiues because of synne are vnder the tyrannye of the deuyll and death whych dothe hold vs captiue and we can not escape thys tyranny but the deuill to the vttermoste hath dominion ouer vs and deathe kylleth vs at her pleasure We of our selues are able to do nothyng agaynst them But Christ whiche farre excelleth them in strength cometh and firste thorow his greate humilitie is betrayde and crucified and so by his death he satisfieth for the sinnes of the whole worlde as an innocent lambe And all these thinges are ioyned with great humilitie and in them appeareth nothinge but moste highe infirmitie and weakenes And therfore he is hanged on the crosse that he may dye But after that synne was put awaye by his death and weake Christ is buried in his graue and there is nowe no more hop of him he cōmeth forth again with meruelous great power and glorie alyue and quick as we heard in the daye of Christes resurrection and as the holy Ghoste sayth here He ledde captiuitie captiue that is to say he hathe destroyed the kingdome of the deuil of death He hath spoiled them of all their power so that the deuill fromhensforth hath no more power ouer the Christians death can no more kill them
of suche force and might that it putteth awaye death and restoreth lyfe But for asmuche as we knowe that Christ can so soon rydde vs from death and restore vs to lyfe let vs se also how redie he is and willing to do it For there is none amongest them all that desire this of him only is he moued with the miserie of the widow and goeth vnto her without askynge and restoreth her son vnto her alyue again Wherfore let vs thinke that this example belongeth vnto vs that we should not feare death For this was done for our sake As though he shold say It is not vnknowen vnto me that you feare death but put awaye all feare For what power can it haue on you at all It maye make you feare but prouide you such sauegard against it that ye may not only iudge according to your sense which is the verie cause of your feare but haue ye respect vnto me also what I can do what I will do euen that I can as easely raise you from death as you are wont to rayse a mā that is a slepe wil do it gladly desirously so that there can lacke neither power neither will therto Wherfore it foloweth therof that they that are buried in their graues do slepe more lightly then we in our bodies For it is possible that thou be in such a deade slepe that although thou be called ten times yet thou cāst not heare But the dead awake at one word of Christ as ye see by the example of this yonge man of Lazarus Wherfore death before god is not called death before vs it is both death is so called but before god it is so quiet light a slepe that nothing can be lighter And this wold Christ haue to be wel beaten into vs that we shold not feare when the pestilence or death it selfe taketh vs but that we shold with a bold minde answere thus against it What is thy greatest might then Tou layst before me very greuous matters thou puttest me in great feare how thou wil execute punishmēt on me like a tormēter But I wil cōsider what god on the contrarie part can do wil do whē y◠hast slaine me For he feareth thee not neyther do he care for thy outragiouse furie but iesteth more rather vpon the saying O death I wil be thy death o hel I wil be thy destructiō If thou killest my Christians I will kil thee again restore them to life This is the cōfort that Christe setteth forth in this gospell that although Christiā men dye yet they be not dead but slepe a slepe yea that such a light slepe that Christ can awake thē with his litle fingar but this is but a litle praise for death that whē it doth here the worste yet it can do no more by all his rage but cast a mā into a slepe so that Christ may raise him vp with one worde As it is written The hower cōmeth when they that are dead in their graues shall heare the voice of the sonne of man and shall come forth they that haue done wel to the resurrection of lyfe but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of Iudgement This hope haue Christians but the Turkes the Iewes haue it not neyther the Papistes This they knowe that they must die and that there remaineth iudgement and hell But what do they They haue no truste in Christ But they seeke helpe of their diriges Masses trentalles pardons fastes such other thinges And they take Christe for no other but for a Iudge whiche hath onely the office to iudge and condemne This is the greatest wickednes that is that they Imagin that Christe is crueller then death Wherfore when they heare of the day of Iudgement they are afraid they tremble quake in their heartes So do not Christian men They know that Christe in that day shall iudge them that beleue not whiche will not receaue the worde or beleue it And therfore they boldly say I am baptised and do beleue in Iesu Christe my Lord that he dyed for my synnes and that by his resurrection he hath gotten me righteousnes and euerlasting lyfe Why shold I feare therfore he is not mine enemie but my frend and patrone with the father Wherfore although the laste day draweth nigh or death chanceth vnto me by anye other meanes al this shall not put me beside my state My Lord Iesus Christ holdeth himselfe stil for a time at the iniuries that death doth vnto me But when death thinketh that I am wholly opprest then am I only holden with slepe and that with such lyght slepe that Christe can scarselye speake a worde but I heare and rise vnto euerlastyng life Let this seme a necessarie lesson for vs that we may feare neither at death nor at the laste daye For Christ cōmeth not to iudge and condemne vs. He commeth as he came in this place to the widow and to her dead sonne to rayse vs from death that we may heare see speake again and do other thynges After this sorte will he come to all vs that beleue and saue vs. But they that beleue not them will he iudge Wherfore we must accustome our selues to looke for this our Sauiour to beleue in hym that by a litle a litle we may be more and more certified of this oure hope and saluation that we may feare neither death neither the laste day But he that feareth foloweth the fleshe and the olde man and not Christe his worde For the matter is playne that Christ shall come and rayse vs from death Where Christians bodies reaste in their sepulchres slepe vntil Christ come knocke at the sepulchre and saith Arise arise Then shall we rise as out of a most quiet and swete slepe we shall lyue and reioyce with Christ our Lord for euer And thus ought Christians to haue other thoughtes thā the Turkes or Iewes haue whiche are vtterly confounded with feare Yea and the Papistes mōkes all are dismayd in their heartes And this chaunceth vnto them worthily For why come they not to learne this lesson and beleue that CHRIST is the helper of them that beleue the iudge of them that beleue not If thou art a Christian and hast hope in Christ he will not take away his helpe succour and saluation from thee when deliuerance defence shal be requisite for thee against death and the deuill But if thou trustest for helpe any where els and despisest his helpe as the Pope both teacheth doth so in dede looke for no other of Christ but a very Iudge for because thou art the seruant of the deuil the minister of death and takest that on thee that is the worke of the deuill and of hell They hate Christ and care not for his kyngdome Wherfore he can be no other to them then a iudge But for the good
wrongfullye done For why diddest thou so despise the word of God which thou sholdest haue heard and taken for thy cheif salfegarde But thou settest more by thy feldes possessions then by the hearing of a mā Thinkest thou that God will not take it greuously Six dayes hath he appoīted to thee for labour and to exercise husbandrie he requireth no more for himselfe then the seuenth daye that then thou sholdest do hym seruice also and yet shall he not obtayne that of thee Wherfore learne this it is an horrible and dreadfulll sermon against the Iewes because they despised this mariage that is the preachyng of the Gospell and reuiled and killed vp his seruantes This kynge can not abide this And therfore he sendeth his warriors euen the Romains and destroyeth these murtherers and burneth vp ther citie Who can say that god doth any wronge in this If a great prince should sende his son to certain bound in prison to deliuer them they would not only receaue that deliuerer thāckfully but also woulde kyll hym and mocke the father also how wold the father take this thinkest thou He wold destroy both the prisoners and the prison also So doth our god He sendeth his sonne to deliuer vs from syn death and hel to geue vs euerlasting lyfe He oughte to be heard of vs and to be receaued by fayth But we cast hym behinde and go to our landes and possessions These thinges seme much better to vs. Wherfore if the plage and punishments of God breake out vpon vs by heapes and swarmes in pestilence in the Turke and other warres whome can we blame but our selues And if we come vnto him then with mourning and lamenting it shall not preuayle For thynke thou how muche thou hast displeased God in that so longe time thou hast denied him his true seruice Compare thy faulte with this wrath of GOD and thou shalte thynke it well that he differreth so longe the euerlastynge paynes of hell And by this temporall paynes he calleth thee to repentance that thou mayst amende and cease from sin at last This is it in this gospell that the kyng destroyed the murtherers and burned vp their citie to geue vs an example that these despisers in the feldes and cities seduce vs not to folow their maners For it wil be no otherwise in the worlde it can not be persuaded to care for the worde They alwayes set more by their feldes and merchandise But they shall greuously be punished For what Iudgement they shal abide the Iewes shewe by their example Wherfore let vs not folow it but let vs rather heare the worde diligētly and with deuotion And before all thinges let vs honorably receaue the seruantes that cal vs for the lords sake from whome they are sent Then shall we perceaue god to be our helper in all thinges of difficultie which shal be present with vs and defend vs and at length shall geue vs life euerlasting through his son our bridgrome Iesus Christ. This is the first part as cōcerning the Iewes They are now gon And now herken what he sayth to the Gentils These were wtout hauing no law nor worde of god They were not within the wales but in an open place through that which the deuil might ronne at his libertie These also commandeth this kynge to be called that they might come al without any exception men women olde yonge poore rich As we se at this daye how god hath set forth baptisme the worde the supper that all might take part that will Wherfore that calling is nothing els then that Christ is preached to all men we are baptised that we might be gestes and make mery in this mariage that is that we might haue remissiō of sinnes life euerlasting against the deuil hel gates All we are bydden to this mariage And now whan the number of the gestes is fulfilled for it is plaine here that both euell and good were called the kyng himselfe commeth in and seeth what gestes he hath and perceaueth some of thē to be with out their mariage garment For so will it alwayes be amongest Christians that all are not true Christians some are faultie vicious yet haue the name of Christians because they were baptised vse the sacrament heare sermons yet they haue no more but the name For they thinke not the matter to be earnest true This must a mā accustome to know For it wil neuer come to passe by teaching that a whole Citie or vilage yea or a hole house shold truly ensue after godlines This will not come to passe but as the maner is ther commeth both good and euill This must we abyde as touchyng the name to suffer them to be called Christians For we are al bydden but al come not with the mariage garment This will be euen so vnto the last day Thē at last ther shal be made an other difference For thus is it surely decreed that this king wil not only haue all called to the mariage of his son but also he will see this whether they that be called come wyth their mariage garment If any man should come to a mariage feaste fowle sluttishe out of their working shoppe no mā would gladly receaue such vnto thē although they wer bidē to the feaste yea specially the bridgrome wold be greued therw t if he shold perceaue that he were mocked of this or that mad or proude person For they must come to the feaste with the mariage garment So saith Christ that it shal come to passe here also like wise Although thou be Christened hearest sermons vsest the sacrement yet art without the mariage garmēt that is beleuest not carest not earnestly for the gospel and wouldest vse but only the name of a Christian as the Pope and his doe that thou mightest get commodities and prebendes therby Thou art not a Christian for gods sake neither for thy owne saluatiō for then thou wouldest take greater pleasure therof And truly thou must not thynke that thou mayst lye hyd there with thy hypocrisie The kynge at his comming in will see thee pluck the forth in the middest or els in that last common day or when thou shalt die and will say What makest thou here syth thou hast but the name not the propertie of a Christian thou beleuedst not as it behoueth a Christiā Thou diddest neuer earnestly regard religion and godlines howe thou mightest be deliuered from syn in dede obtaine righteousnes and saluation Thou diddest onlie aspire to substance thou gapedst howe thou mightest get heape vp that Wherfore now thou art come with out the mariage garment Get the hence Ther is no rome for thee amongest them that were goodly decked against the mariage When this saith Christ shal be layd to these hypocrites charge eyther in the later day or at their death they shal be dombe that is they shal be able to alleage