Lord was bidden too dinner by a certein Pharisie vppon the Sabboth day and that a certeine man diseased of the Dropsie was brought before him he demaunded of those that séemed too themselues too bée wyser than other men whither it were lawfull too heale vppon the Sabboth day And the cause why he put foorth this question was for that as the Pharisies had with their gloses corrupted the other scriptures So also had they defaced the kéeping of the Sabboth Howbéeit forasmuche as the question is concerning the Saboth wée wil set foorth the whole doctrine coÌ„cerning the Saboth and speake of foure things in order First wherfore God ordeined the Sabboth day Secondly what is the right vse of the Iewes Sabboth Thirdly what maner of holy dayes ours ought too bée And fourthly of the true Ceremonies of the Church and of the ends of them Why then did God ordeine the Sabboth day There bée rekâ—ened chéefly fiue causes Of which the first is that it should bée a perpetuall Sacrament or remembraunce of Gods rest after the creation of the world which he made in sixe dayes with all the furniture and contentes therof This cause is alledged in the seconde of Genesis where Moyses sayth that the Lord coÌ„maunded the Saboth day too bée kept holy bicause he rested that day froÌ„ creation The same thing also is declared in the .xx. of Exodus in these woords The seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lord. For in sixe dayes the Lord God made heauen and earth The second cause of the ordeyning of the Sabboth is that it should bée a type and counterfigure of Chrystes Sabboth kéeping For it represented the Sabboth whiche Chryst the true Passeouer and creator of the new Heauen new earth should rest in his graue vpon the Sabboth day and kéep the very Sabboth arighte And therefore hée commaundes the Iewes streightly too kéepe the Sabboth day And by the vnserchable deuise of his wisdome hée ordeyned that Chryste the true Paschall Lamb should bée slaine and put too deathe vppon the very day of the Passeouer and that hée rested the Saboth day folowing in his graue The third cause also why the Saboth was ordeyned was that it should be a pledge of the promisse For God promised his people a Saboth that is too say a rest Esay â–ª the .xiiij. And in that daye when GOD shall giue thée reste from thy laboure and from thy confusion and from thy harde bondage wherein thou didst serue c. The people of GOD looke for thrée kindes of rest The first is from the laboure of the presente troubles in this life The second is from the temptations wherewith oure owne Conscience and the Deuill assaulteth vs. The thirde is from the thraldome of the Deuil so as hée may neuer more bring vs vnder his bondage and hard yoke The fourth cause of the institution of the Sabboth is too the intente there shoulde bée a time certeine for teaching and hearing the woord of GOD or that there shoulde bée a time wherein there might bée an open and common professing of the religion in which the godly might take comfort the ignoraunt bée instructed in godlinesse Esay 58. If thou call a delicate Saboth Then shalt thou delight in the Lord Iob. 22. Then shalt thou delight in the almightie and lift vp thy face vntoo GOD. For the Saboth was not ordeyned too play and drinke in but too pray and praise God in Wherevppon Austin sayeth it is lesse euill too go too plough than too play vpon one of those dayes The fifth cause is for ciuil policie which is commended too Gods people Deut. 5. in these woords Kéep the Saboth day that thy man seruant thy mayd seruant and thy selfe maye rest And afterwarde Thou shalt doo no manner of woorke therein thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and thy mayde seruant thine Oxe and thine Asse and the Straunger that is within thy gate And thus haue wée the true causes and the right vse of the Iewishe Sabboth Now although the Iewish Saboth toogither with other ceremonies of Moyses bée abolished and disanulled so farre foorth as perteyneth too the kéeping of the seuenth day of the wéeke Yet notwithstanding as touching the vse of it it is continuall as a thing ratifyed by the lawe of God and nature For like as God wil be serued and that his woord shal bée preached So nature telleth vs it is vtterlye necessary that there should bée some certeine time appoynted for holy matters Therfore there must néedes bée certaine dayes appoynted for folke too assemble and méet in openly at certein houres that the woord of God may bée taught and learned too the intente all things may bée doone orderlye and after a comely fashion in the Churche according as Paule teacheth the Corinthians Moreouer in oure holydayes twoo things are too bée obserued One is what is to be eschued Another is what is to bée doone Thrée things are too bée eschued The firste is outward labour And that too the intent the minde maye wholly intend too Gods seruice that is too say that it may wholly intend too heare Gods woord too learne it and too consider vppon it And therefore it is the Magistrates duetie too prouide that the seruice of God be not hindered at such times by bodily laboures Howbeit héere it is too bée knowne that there bée foure exceptions which excuse those that laboure at suche a time The first is necessarie For our Lord himselfe excuseth his Disciples for plucking the eares of corne vppon the seuenth day as sayth Mathew in the twelfth Chapter The seconde is the profite of the Church like as the préests did all things vpon the Saboth day which séemed néedfull in the Churche without trouble of conscience for the Saboth The third is the profit and sauegard of our neighbor wherfore our Lord also healed the man that had the dropsie vpon the Saboth day The fourth is the aucthoritie of the superiors too whom wée must bée obedient But let the superiors take héede that they offend not him which is their superior while they hold their inferiors too streight The second thing that is too bée eschued is voluptuous lyfe toogither with all the woorkes of darknesse which fight full ageinst kéeping holy the Saboth day Thirdly thou must eschue the contempt of godly ceremonies soothly least eyther by absenting thy selfe or by despising the holy Ceremonies thou giue others example too become woorse Thus haue we what things are too bée eschued in our holydayes Now let vs sée what is too bée doone in them First therefore in as much as the Iewes were occupied in killing sacrifices and in offering Let vs also slea the sacrifices of our owne bodies and offer the Calues of our lippes Let vs earnestly repent let vs glorifie God with hart mouth confession and behauiour let vs offer the incence of our hart that is too wit faith and hope let vs offer the sacrifice of well doing
is performed Phi. 2. He humbled himself and became obedieÌ„t euen vntoo the death of y e crosse The seconde is that the Deuil is ouercome For this purpose sayth Iohn appéered Chryst that he might destroy the works of the Deuil according too the first promise The womans séede shall tread down the Serpents head The thirde is that man is saued from sinne and iustified Behold sayth Iohn the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Also Rom. 4. He dyed for our sins 2. Cor. 5. Him that knew no sin he made sin that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of GOD in him that is too say he made Chryste a sacrifice for sinne that through his rightuousnesse we might be made rightuous before God The fourth is that the Iewes and Gentiles are made equall according too that saying Ephes. 2. For hée is our peace whiche made bothe one and hath broken down the wall that was a stop betwéene vs and hath also put away through his flesh the cause of hatred that is too say the law of commaundementes conteyned in the law written too make of twaine one new man in himselfe so making peace that he might reconcile both vntoo God in one body through his crosse The fifth is that death is abolished Osée 13. O Death I wil be thy death Too be bréefe Chrystes sacrifice is oure redemption For it is the price payd for vs wherewith God is pacified man redéemed the Deuil ouercome yea all thinges in heauen earth put vnder one head which is Chryste Ephes. 1. ¶ Of the third THe godly helthfull minding of our Lordes passion may bée brought intoo sixe partes whiche Christen folk ought too think vpon not only at this time but all the time of their whole life For the godly minding weying of these partes dooth not onely confute those whiche in the Papacie thinke them selues too haue discharged their dutie if they say ouer so many Pater nosters and Aue maries knéeling before Idols set vp for a supersticious seruice of God but also woonderfully strengthneth and comforteth the godly I wil therefore set out the sixe partes of this minding The first is that therby wil come too our mind how great the wrath of GOD must néedes haue bin for the sinnes of men which could not bée appeased by the woork of any creature but that of necessitie the onely begotten Sonne of God must die too pacifie Gods wrath by making this rightful satisfaction for sinne The second is that therby wil come too our remembrance how vnmeasurable and vnsercheable hath bin the mercie of God the Father who rather would that his onely begotten Sonne should suffer moste bitter death than that mankinde whome hée had created shoulde perishe Peraduenture thou 〈◊〉 â—urmise that God coulde haue deliuered mankinde by some other meanes What art thou that wilt teache God what he might haue done Think thou vpon Gods Iustice and mercy togither For as his mercy moued him too saue so his iustice moued him too looke for rightfull amends of the wrong Man sinned and for so doing he must either perish or make amends Nowe man béeing no more but man could not satisfie Gods Iustice and other than man none ought too doo it Gods wisdome therfore found through mercie a remedie in this case which was that the eternal sonne of God should become man by meanes wherof he both was able too satisfie Gods iustice bicause he was God and ought too doo it bicause he had taken mans nature vpon him Thus in Chrysts Passion appéereth mercie too bée mixte with iustice and wisedome hath tempered them both The thirde is that thereby will come too mynde the moste excellent and vnspeakable loue of the Sonne of God towards mankinde who vouchsaued too turne the wrathe of his Father too him selfe and too abyde so slaunderous a Death and that for his enimies as Paule beareth witnesse Rom. 5. The fourth is that thereby will come too minde the true meane whereby the frute of our Lordes Passion may bée applyed too thee so as it may bée for thy soule health This applying of it is brought too passe thrée wayes by the woord by fayth and by the Sacrament By the woorde as it were by the hande of GOD is the benefite of the Lordes passion offered vntoo thée where and as often as the Gospell of Iesus Chryst is preached and the ministers of the woorde do in Gods stéede shewe the frute of our Lordes Passion too all that héere the Gospell Ageyne when the benefite of the Lordes Passion is thus offered as it were by the hande of God it must bée receyued by Faith as it were a certeyn hande of man the which Fayth the holy Ghost woorketh in men that héere the Gospell and obey it Furthermore it is sealed vp with either Sacramente of Baptim and of the Lordes supper and the strength and vse therof is painted out as it were in tables like as wée heard yesterday Therfore when thou rehersest the Article of thy beléefe concerning the Passion of the Lorde persuade thy selfe firmely and beléeue most assuredly that the sonne of GOD suffered death for thée Which thing if thou doo thou art partaker of the Lords death in so muche that all the whole obedience of Chryst is thy acquitall from sinne and thy righteousnesse But there is a double obedience too bée marked in Christ his obedience of the Crosse and his obedience of the lawe which was his perfect fulfilling of the same Like as his obedience too the crosse is our clensing from sinne so his obedience of the law is imputed to vs for our righteousnesse Rom. 5. The fifth is that when wée bée thus made partakers of the Lords passion through faith it wil come too our remembrance what is the lotte of the godly in this lyfe For like as Christ hath suffered so will he haue the rest of the godly too suffer that they may bée comformable too the image of the sonne of God Whervpon Paule in the sixt too the Romans sayth For therefore doo wée suffer with him that wée may bée glorified togither with him The sixt is that we shal call too minde what thing Chryste who hath redéemed vs with his own blud requireth at our hands For now sith we are redéemed by him wée must obey him What willeth he First that wee should renounce his enimie the diuil SecoÌ„dly y t we should flée sin that we offend not God ageine wittingly and willingly with our sinnes Thirdly that we giue our selues too holinesse and godlinesse and that wée serue him in true feare all the dayes of our life Which thing if wée doo wée shall obteyne the ende of our fayth that is the euerlasting saluation of our soules Whiche God the Father graunt vntoo vs through Iesus Chryst our Lorde Amen Easter day The Storie of the Resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Chryst compiled by laying toogither with the foure Eaangelists AS soone as the Sabboth daye
is not too bée imputed vntoo God but too the malice of men which will not followe God that draweth thē by his woord Why the vngodly shall persecute the apostles the Lord sheweth plainly in the tenth of Mathew where he sayeth And yée shall bée hated of all man for my names sake Iohn the .xvj. And the houre commeth that vvhosoeuer sleaeth you shall think he doth God hye seruice And these things shall they doo too you bycause they knovv not the father nor mee Héere hée alledgeth the cause why the vngodly are so mad vppon the godly that is to say bicause they knowe not God which want of knowing God bringeth too passe that the murtherers them selues doo think they offer holy sacrifices vnto God when they put the faithfull too death Yea and they that knowe not God runne hedlong into hipocrisie and out of hipocrisie intoo murther vntill they haue filled vp the measure of their wickednesse What then dooth Christ He commeth too the sicke But they as folke out of their wittes set them selues against Christe whom they couet too dispatch out of the world He by his ministers sheweth them their disease They on the other side will be knowen of no disease and therfore they bothe dispise the Phisitian and persecute his messengers ¶ Of the seconde THat vppon you may come all the righteous blood that is shed vpon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel c. How sore the persecuters of the church doo sinne he sheweth héere For hée sayth that they shall bée giltie of all the blood of the Sainctes that euer was shed no lesse than if they wyth their owne hands had slaine all the godly men and sainctes yea and Christ him selfe For amongst all the vngodly there is a certeine alyance of vngodlynesse whiche maketh their punishementes a lyke gréeuous and their giltinesse a lyke equall ¶ Of the thirde VErely I say vntoo you all these thinges shall come vppon this generation Althoughe these things are peculiarlye spoken of the Iewes béeing persecuters yet generally they perteine to all persecuters of the Church The othe that the Lorde addeth teacheth vs two things First that the vngodly shall one day in déede bée caried too punishment how long so euer hée séeme too delay their iudgement And secondly that the godly which suffer persecution shal one day bée gloriously deliuered and their ennimies bée put too euerlasting torments Whereby the godly may learne not too grudge at the vngodly persecuters but rather too bée moued with compassion for their assured damnation and too make intercession for them that the Lord will turne them that they bée not al damned according as Stephan did as wée haue heard before ¶ Of the fourth O Hierusalem Hierusalem vvhich sleaest the Prophets c. These woordes of Christ calling vppon Hierusalem by name conteine first an vpbraiding Secondly they declare Christes affection towardes them Thirdly they doo vs too vnderstand that they perish through their owne default and lastly they threaten punishment For when he sayth how often wold I haue gathered thée toogither hée vpbraideth them with vnthankfulnesse for that they would neither receiue the benefite that was offered them nor had any regarde of their owne welfare and much lesse would acknowledge the liberalitie of their benefactor or be thankful too him for it Would God that a number of them that heare the Gospell at this day were not like them which thing verily they shew by their frutes The Lord declareth his affection towards them when he compareth himself too a hen which loueth hir chickens most entierly and doth al that shée is able too doo too the intent shée may kéepe them from the foules that are ennimies too them God forbid that it should enter intoo any godly hart too think that Christ determined otherwise with him self concerning the Iewes by some secrete wil than he pretended by his teares and by his spéech For it is a horrible thing too think that there are contrary willes in Chryst who himselfe condemneth a double heart Therefore hée willed their saluation in déede according too the saying of the Prophet I will not the death of a sinner but that hée should conuert and liue In the third place when the Lord sayth And thou vvouldest not ▪ he opēly testifieth that the Iewes peryshed through their owne default and that of their owne malice they striued against Christ who offered them saluation Hée sayeth not And God vvould not receiue thee intoo fauoure but thou vvouldest not Wherfore wée may learne twoo things héereby One is that béeing made warer by the harme of the Iewes wée giue eare too Gods woorde and yéeld our selues obediēt too Christ when he allureth vs that wée striue not against the holy Ghost who stirreth vp the witts of al men that héere the Gospell An other is that whosoeuer héere the woord obey it not doo perishe through their owne fault Whose destruction and damnation is not too bée ascribed too any destinie or secrete will of God as thoughe there were some whom hée would not haue saued Fourthly when he addeth And your house shall bee left desolate vnto you Although this threatning of punishment perteine in speciall too the Iewes that were persecuters too whom he threatneth the vtter ouerthrow of their religion common weale and priuate state yet in generall it perteyneth too al persecuters of the gospell And he thretneth them that at least wise some of them shoulde amende For all the thretnings of the prophets haue a couert condition namely vnlesse yée repent like as wée sée in the Niniuites and as wée héere Chryst witnessing in these woords Unlesse yée repent yée shall perish all toogither Luke xiij Let vs then bée warned by this threatning if wée minde too scape the wrath of God too repent vs in good earnest and too call vpon Chryst our sauiour with true gronings that he may kéepe vs in true faith and inuocation Too whom with GOD the father and the holy Ghost bée praise honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen The third holiday in Christmas commonly called S. Iohn the Euangelists day ¶ The Gospell Iohn xxj IEsus sayd vntoo Peter Folovv thou mee Peter turned about and savv the Disciple vvhom Iesus loued folovving vvhiche also leaned on his brest at Supper and sayd Lorde vvhiche is hee that betrayeth thee VVhen Peter therefore savv him hee sayde vntoo Iesus Lorde vvhat shall hee heere doo Iesus sayde vntoo him If I vvill haue him too tarrie till I come vvhat is that too thee Follovv thou mee Then vvent this saying abroade among the brethren that that Disciple should not die Yet Iesus sayed not too him hee shall not die but if I vvill that he tary til I come vvhat is that too thee The same Disciple is he vvhich testifieth of these things and vvrote of these things and vvee knovve that his testimonie is true There are also many other things vvhiche Iesus did the vvhiche if they should
bin mynded too woorshyp hym as well as they Sée howe sore the Foxe Herode sweateth héere But as for the counsell which was chéefe in this behalfe neither hée nor the Iewes followed If for honor sake he had sent some of his seruaunts with the wise men too wayt vpon them thither it had béene a very easie matter too haue founde the chylde But God sotted them in theyr owne deuises At this day yea many yeres toogither the Papists haue sought to destroy the true religion But God made them such fooles in their own deuises that they haue not béen able too destroy so much as that one man Luther Héereby wée may learne that God is the kéeper of his church and confoundeth the deuises of the vngodly according too the first Psalme The .vij. circumstance is of the offerings of the wise men who hauing found Christ offered gifts too him as king of the Iewes Gold Frankincence and Mirre which surely were such giftes as that land had great store of Hereby wée may learne twoo things The one is that wée which doo homage vntoo Chryst ought too béestow somwhat of our substance too the maintenaunce of the ministerie The other is of Gods prouidence who by this gift as it were with cōduct money prouided béefore hand for the new borne babe his parents against they should flée the Countrey whereby wée may learne that God will not forsake his Church The .viij. circumstance is that the wise men béeing warned in their sléepe returned intoo their countrey by an other way By which déede both Herode was beguiled and also God declareth that he hath care of his people euen when they bée a sléepe ¶ Of the second EUery one of the circumstances of this storie doo minister some kinde of Doctrine too the Church as wée haue séene And nowe as appertainyng too the generall vse thereof wée may learne twoo things of the wise men Whereof the first is too séeke Chryst by the guidyng of the starre The other is too offer giftes vntoo Chryst when wée haue found him Wée followe the guidance of the starre with them when wée set béefore vs the onely word of God too bée a lanterne too our féete and séeke him in his woord And when wée haue found Chryst wée offer presents too him as the wisemen did Gold Frankinsence and Myrrhe When we yéeld vnto him gold that is to say a pure faith and a chaste life Frankincense that is to say Confession Inuocation and thanksgiuyng Mirrhe that is too say pacience vnder the Crosse and in affliction Furthermore vntoo Mary that is to say the Churche of Chryste and the ministerie of the woorde and vntoo Ioseph that is too say vntoo those that bée the chéefe rulers of the Church we must offer gifts that is to wit wée must further the ministery with all our power and abilities that the church may bée in as good state as may bée in this world through Chryst Iesus our Lorde to whome bée glorie for euer So bée it The first Sunday after Epiphany ¶ The Gospell Luke ij AND vvhen Iesus vvas tvvelue yeere olde they vvent vp too Hierusalem after the custome of the feast And vvhen they had fulfilled the dayes as they returned home the chylde Iesus aboade styll in Hierusalem vnknovvyng too hys father and mother for they supposed he had bin in their companie and therfore came a days iourney and soughte hym among their kynsfolke and acquaintaunce And vvhen they founde hym not they vvent backe ageyn too Hierusalem and soughte hym And it fortuned after three dayes that they found him in the temple sitting in in the middes of the Doctours bothe heering them and posing them And all that herd him maruelled at his vnderstanding and ansvvers And vvhen they savve him they vvere astonied And his mother sayd vntoo hym Son vvhy hast thou thus delt vvith vs Behold thy father and I haue soughte thee sorovving And he sayde vntoo thē Hovv is it that yee sought mee vvist yee not that I must go about my fathers businesse And they vnderstood not that saying that he spake too them And he vvent vvith them and came too Nazareth and vvas obedient too them But his moother kept all this saying in hir hart And Iesus encreased in vvisdome and age and in fauour vvith God and men The exposition of the text THis text is part of the storie of Christes dooings it conteyneth what he did the .xij. yéere of his age that is that he gaue as it were a certein tast of his vocation by disputing reasoning with the Doctors of the law But what y e Lord did from the time that he was offered in the temple vntoo the .xij. yéere of his age what he did from the sayde .xij. yéere vntoo almost the .xxx. yéere of his age the holy scriptures make no mention at all And therefore it behoueth vs not too know it For it is ynough for vs too know these things which it was Gods will too vtter as the which doo instruct vs in the knowledge of God in true godlinesse Wherfore leauing those things which idle monkes haue written concerning the infancie and childhoode of Chryst wée will expounde this present gospell according to the grace which the Lord shall giue mée Now the summe of this storie is this Christ being twelue yéeres old goth with his parents too Hierusalē at the feast of Easter Who béeing lost in returning homward is sought for founde among the doctors and béeing blamed by his parents he defendeth himself by the commaundement of their superior namely of god that it behoued him too go about his businesse and so he went away with them was obedient too them profited in wisdome and grew in age and fauor with God and men Hereof are foure poyntes 1 The example of Mary Ioseph Chryst goyng too Hierusalem is set before vs. 2 The trial of Mary Ioseph by y e losse of the child Iesus 3 The rare and duetie of parents toward their children the obedience of children on the other side towardes their parents 4 The growing of Chryst in wisdome age and fauour ¶ Of the first ANd vvhen he vvas tvvelue yeres old they vvent vp to Hierusalem after the custome of the feast Héere first of all I must warne you of certeine things concerning the feasts of the Iewes And afterwardes the example of Ioseph Mary and the childe is to bée looked vpon God in the olde Testament ordeined many and sundry feastes too put his people in mind of his benefites bestowed vppon them too instructe the rude and too kéepe them all in the true worshipping of God Yet were not al feasts a like solemne Dayly were sacrifices made both morning and euening Euery wéeke they seuenth day was kept holy Euery moneth had his peculiar feast Moreouer thrée solemne feasts were kept euery yéere Day by day morning and euening were oblations made in remembraunce of the euerlasting woorshippe due vntoo God The godly
men damned by the iust iudgement of God They be last with them selues which in good earnest acknowledge their owne vilenesse and infirmitie as whiche féele them selues too haue no desert and these shall bée first with God that is too say accepted with God so that they leane vntoo Chryst the Mediator by stedfast fayth The meaning of this sentence Many are called and fevve chosen teacheth twoo things the one is howe great is the goodnesse mercy of God that calleth all men too the knowledge of his sonne by his gospell The other is how great is the vnthankfulnesse of men of whome so few are found that are chosen that is too say godly sincere and practising earnest repentaunce For there are fewe that renounce theyr owne woorkes yea themselues altoogither and that trust onely too God and glorifie him in minde talke confession and conuersation This sentence therefore admonisheth vs first too acknowledge the benefite of God that calleth vs by the Gospell secondely too detest the vnthankfulnesse of the world which accepteth not the benefits offred thirdly too ioine our selues too those fewe in repentance fayth and true inuocation which receiue the Gospel sincerely too the glory of God too whome bée honor for euer Amen The Sunday called Sexagesima ▪ ¶ The Gospell Luke viij WHen much people vvere gathered togyther vvere come too him out of all Cities he spake by a similitude The sovver vvent out too sovv his seede and as hee sovved some fell by the vvay side and it vvas troden dovvne and the foules of the aire deuoured it vppe And some fel on stones and assone as it vvas sprong vp it vvithered avvay bicause it lacked moystnesse And some fell among thorns and the thornes sprang vp vvith it and choaked it And some fel on good groūd and sprāg vp and bare frute an hundreth fold And as he sayd these things he cried he that hath eares to heer let him heere And his disciples asked him saying VVhat maner of similitude is this And hee sayd Vntoo you it is gyuen too knovve the secretes of the kingdom of God but too other by Parables that vvhen they see they shoulde not see and vvhen they heer they shold not vnderstand The Parable is this The seede is the vvoord of God those that are beside the vvay are they that heere then commeth the diuel and taketh avvay the vvoord out of their hartes leaste they shoulde beleeue and bee saued They on the stones are they vvhiche vvhen they heere receyue the vvoord vvith ioy and these haue no rootes vvhich for a vvhile beleeue and in time of temptation goe avvay And that vvhich fel among thorns are they vvhich vvhen they haue herd go foorth and are choaked vvith cares and riches and voluptuous liuing and bring foorth no frute That vvhich fell in the good ground are they vvhich vvith a pure and good herte heere the vvoord and keepe it and bring foorth frute through pacience The exposition of the text THys Gospel conteineth a goodlie image of the church militant in this world and springing of the incorruptible séede of Gods woorde in the visible companie wherof how many and how sundry sorts of héerers ther bée hée peinteth out by the similitude of the naturall séed For hée beareth witnesse that it happeneth alike too the heauenlie séede as is woont too happen too the naturall séede cast intoo the grounde For like as all bringeth not foorth frute that the husbandman casteth intoo the grounde no nor scarce the fourth parte of it Euen so the word of God hath sundry héerers in very fewe of whome it bringeth foorth wholsome frute Héerof are thrée places 1 The exposition of the Parable 2 The diuers sortes of the héerers of Gods woorde 3 As concerning the Lordes saying Hée that hath eares too héere let him héere ¶ Of the first THe causes why the Lord spake vntoo the people in parables are many The first may be the foretelling of the Prophets For the Prophets had foretold that when Christ came he should teache the people in parables And it was a very auncient maner of teaching too teache in parables and similitudes Secondly for that this kinde of teaching dooth wonderfully enter intoo the eyes and minds of men Thirdly bicause the things that are taught by suche kindes of images and tokens doo helpe the memorie that the doctrine by them as it were by tokens of remembrance may bée sent out too all that shall come after Fourthly also Parables doo assuage the ouer harde rebukes and as it were hide thē with a certein veyle that they may the lesse offend And yet afterward being conceyued vnderstood in the minde they teach and doo as muche as plaine doctrine and yet they touche no man openly Finally the partes of this parable are the sower the séede the frute and the ground The sower is God who although he cast his séed into the grounde by men yet notwithstanding hée is presente with them him selfe and worketh with them By reason whereof the ministers of the woord are termed Gods helpfelowes by which name both things are ment that is too wit that bothe GOD dooth woorke after his owne maner and that men as workfellowes doo bestowe their labour in Gods behalfe Here wée may learne twoo things First that the séed is precious and noble For we sée in the worlde that the excellenter the séede is so muche more cunning and skilfull persons are set too lay it intoo the grounde If the kings of the worlde toogither with the wise men of the worlde were sayde too bée the layers of this séed into the ground al men wold wonder at it all men would be very desirous too knowe this séede But now is God become the sower héere and the stewards of Gods mysteries are héere present And therefore it muste néeds bée that this sowing is both an earnest and a noble sowing aboue all others The other thing that we may learne héerby is that it is a great fault and worthy too bée punished with most gréeuous punishment eyther to receiue the séed of the sower God intoo a ground that is too say a heart not tilled before with the plough of the lawe or when it is receyued not to cherishe it with all the attendance carefulnesse diligence that may bée so as it may growe and bring forthe moste acceptable frute too the sower The séed is the very word of God and not of man whiche séed the only begotten sonne of God hath brought out of the bosome of his father This séed is liuely wherfore if it séeme at any time not too bring forth frute it is not the fault of the séed but of the ground They that eyther corrupt this séed as hereticks doo or choke it as hipocrites do or kéep it down by force as tirants doo or thrust in other in stéed of it as the papists doo shall one day féele the iust wrath of God who as he hath giuen
crummes which hée coulde scarce come by than the rich Glutton wyth his delycate fare Let euery one of vs thinke vppon these things aduisedly and wayt paciently for the Lordes promise that hée may blisse our laboures and encrease our breade For he commaunded vs too pray and say Gyue vs this day our dayly bread Ouermore Chrystes déede teacheth vs too gyue God thankes for his gifts when wée go about too vse his heauenly benefits and too desire him that he will halow his gifts with his blissing For the creature of GOD is made holy by the woord and by prayer according as Paul teacheth in the first too Timothie and the fourth Chapiter But it commeth too passe that many bycause they knowledge not Gods benefites and much lesse yéelde thankes too the gyuer are either néedie euen in great plenty of things or else are pressed with great pouertie Wherfore I exhort you to folowe this example of Chryst as often as you méene too vse Gods good gifts And let this suffise for this present miracle Now ensueth the third place ¶ Of the thirde WHen they had seene sayth the Euangelist the miracle that he had vvrought they sayde Of a truth this is that Prophet that should come intoo the vvorlde Therefore Iesus knovving that they vvould come and take hym vp too make hym kyng fledde ageyn intoo a Mountaine by himselfe alone Héere are two examples propounded one of the multitude and another of Chryst. In the multitude wée sée twoo things The one is that by the miracle they acknowledge the Messias Which thing is wel done of the people For the Prophet Esay foretold it should come to passe that when the Messias came into the world he should woorke great miracles by the which he should be known Thus far therfore the people iudged aright The other that wée sée in the people is the error of the people in iudgemēt Who perceiuing by the miracle that Iesus was the Messias would haue made him kyng But Christes kingdom is not worldly according as he himselfe sayd vnto Pylate My kingdom is not of this world The people would faine haue bin thankful to Christ but they shewed not their thankfulnesse according too knowledge Wherby we may lerne of this multitude too bée thākful too God how beit in as much as they were euershot in their dooing let vs imbrace Gods woord for a rule of thankfulnesse But when Chryste vnderstood the vnskilful zeale of the people that were minded too make him their Kyng he fled intoo a mountaine and suffred not himselfe too bée made king by the people What may we lerne héerby First that which I spake of euen nowe that Chrysts kingdom is not worldly Next that wée must couet no honor cōtrary to our vocation Let euery man content himself with that degrée of estimation that he is called vntoo not take vpon him an other mans office for desire of estimatiō But let euery one of vs in his own vocation looke vntoo these thrée things First let vs labour lustily in the feare of God Secondly let vs not séeke the praise of y e multitude if we shal haue doon any good Thirdly let this be our purpose to serue God and his church in the feare of God They that doo otherwise doo nothing aright but offend God and vtter their owne pride whome God suffreth oft to slide that their foly may be known and so may suffer punishment for their presumption That the which thing happen not vnto vs let vs pray God to gouerne vs with his spirit too whom the only and euerlasting god bée honor praise and glorie for euer and euer Sobeit The fifth Sunday in Lent commonly called Passion Sunday ¶ The Gospell Iohn viij WHiche of you can rebuke mee of sinne If I say the truth vvhy doo ye not beleue mee He that is God heereth Gods vvords yee therefore heere them not bicause ye are not of god Then aunsvvered the Ievves and saide vntoo him Say vve not vvell that thou art a Samaritane and hast the Diuel Iesus ansvvered I haue not the diuel but I honor my father yee haue dishonored me I seeke not mine ovvn praise there is one that seeketh and iudgeth Verily verely I say vnto you if a man keepe my saying he shall neuer see death Then sayde the Ievves vntoo him Novv knovve vvee that thou hast the deuyll Abraham is dead and the Prophets and thou sayest If a man kepe my saying he shall neuer tast of death Art thou greater than our father Abraham vvhiche is dead And the prophets are dead vvhom makest thou thy selfe Iesus aunsvvered If I honor my selfe myne honor is nothing it is my father that honoreth mee vvhich you say is your God and yet ye haue not knovvn him but I knovv him And if I say I knovv him not I shall bee a lyer like vntoo you But I knovv him and keepe his saying Your father Abraham vvas glad to see my day and he savv it and reioysed Then sayde the Ievves vnto him Thou art not yet fifty yeare old and hast thou seene Abraham Iesus sayd vntoo them Verely verely I saye vntoo you Ere Abraham vvas borne I am Then toke they vp stones to cast at him but Iesus hid himselfe and vvent out of the Temple The exposition of the text THys Gospell conteyneth a singular Doctrine concerning Chryste and a gaynsaying of the same doctrine by Chrysts enimies For lyke as Chryst defendeth his owne person office and doctrine and pointeth out the true fountayn of saluation so the Iewes Chrystes enimies set them selues against the person office and doctrine of Chryst and pleade against him with thrée arguments which Sathan hath vsed from the beginning of the world foorth And those thrée weapons are these Hypocrisie Sophistrie and Tyrannie This Gospell therfore conteyneth the discription of twoo Kyngdomes that is to say of Christes and of Sathans For as Christ héer mainteineth his owne kingdome So the champions of Sathan maynteyne their maysters quarel But bicause it is for our behoofe too harken what Chryst sayeth rather than what Sathan thynketh agaynst it I will propoūd twoo lessons out of this gospel grounded vpon Chrysts wordes and shew what his enimies answered and dyd ageinst eyther of them The places are twoo 1 That lyke as Chryste is the true Messias so euery one that héereth him not is not of God 2 That hée whiche kéepeth Chrystes woordes is set frée from eternal death And in these twoo chéefe lessons of this Gospell I will set forth the strife betwéene Chryst and the Iewes in declaration wherof many particular lessons doo offer themselues ¶ Of the firste OF the first lesson there bée twoo parts One that Chryst is the true Messias the other that he which héereth not Chryst is not of God Concerning the first part the texte hath thus VVhiche of you can rebuke mee of sinne If I speke the truthe vvhy doo not you beleeue mee The Iewes had found faulte with Chrystes doctrine
them too héere Chryste and too liue after a godly and vertuous maner Héerupon is that saying of Paule Bring vp your children in the lawe and feare of the Lord. The Magistrate shall likewise compell his subiectes by good lawes and ordinances by example and by taking away of idolatrie Like as Ezechias and Theodosius did who tooke away the instruments of Idolatrie But of all men it belongeth chéefly to the ministers of the woord too coÌ„pell folke by thretning and rebuking them as wée réede that Chryst the prophetes and the apostles did ¶ Of the fourth NOne of those men that vvere bidden refused too come shall taste of my Supper That is to say All despisers of the Gospell shall be shut out from euerlasting lyfe For the wrath of God abydeth vpon all that beléeue not in the Son This is the effect of the fourth place Howbéeit this dayes Gospell serueth too thrée vses The first is that weying throughly the greatnesse of Gods mercie wée shold giue him thanks by Iesus Chryst. The second is that wée should beware that we withdraw not our selues from obedience of the Gospell vnder no pretence The third is that wée bée not mysseled by the example of men of â—ower rich men and voluptuous men and so fall headlong intoo destruction but rather that wee endeuer by al meanes wée can too bée conueyed intoo this heauenly supper by our Lord Iesus Chryst too whom with the father and the holy ghost bée honor and glorie world without ende Amen Vpon the .iij. sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xv THEN came vntoo him all the publicans and sinners for to heere him And the Phariseis and Scribes murmured saying Hee receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them But hee putte foorth this parable vntoo them saying VVhat man among you hauing an hundreth sheepe if he lose one of them dooth not leaue ninetie and nine in the vvildernesse and goeth after that vvhiche is loste vntill he finde it And vvhen hee hath founde it he layeth it on his shoulders vvith ioye And assoone as he commeth home he calleth togither his louers and neighbours saying vntoo them Reioyce vvith me for I haue founde my sheepe vvhich vvas lost I say vntoo you that lykevvise ioy shall bee in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more than ouer ninetie and nine iust persons vvhiche neede no repentance Eyther vvhat vvoman hauing ten grotes if she lose one doth not light a candle and svveepe the house and seeke diligently till she fynde it And vvhen she hath founde it she calleth hir louers and hir neighbours togither saying Reioyce vvith me for I haue founde the grote vvhiche I lost Likevvise I say vntoo you shall there bee ioye in the presence of the Aungels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth The exposition of the Text. THe occasion of this dayes Gospell is this For as much the goodnesse of our lord was so great that hée disdeyned no man were he neuer so miserable or neuer so great a sinner but rather allured all men vnto him according too this saying Math. xj Come vntoo me all yée that labour and are loden and I will refresh you It came too passe that the very Publicanes â–ª knowing of this mercy and goodnesse of Chryst came too him that they might bée partakers of the grace that was offered most fréely and bountifully too all men And therfore would Chryst not only coÌ„fort them with woordes but also with déedes and with kéeping companye with them Therfore when any of them bade him too a meales meate he came and ate with them and that too this end that he might win them too God the father that is too saye might turne them from their moste naughtie wayes vntoo true and healthful repentance too the intent that being quit from the gilt of cursednesse they might bée made heires of eternall lyfe through Iesus Chryst. The Pharisies marking this dooing of Chrysts as they were a proude sect swelling in their own pharisaicall that is too say false righteousnesse murmured ageinst Chryst and priuily accused him of breaking Gods law But what sayth Chryst too this He techeth them both The Publicans if he coÌ„meth to saue sinners and the Pharisies why he kéepeth company with sinners wherby is gathered y e Chrystes kingdome sighteth ageinst the opinion of the Pharisies the kingdom of SathaÌ„ For as Christes kingdom is mercy forgiuenesse of sinnes in so muche that the angels in heauen reioyce at euery sinner that repenteth so Sathans kingdome is mercylesse crueltie and a certein ouerthrowing of sinne The places are two 1 The murmuring of the Pharisies wherfore Chryste kept company with sinners 2 It is taught by twoo parables why Chryste came intoo this worlde and what wée must doo if wée will bée saued ¶ Of the firste THe Publicans and sinners resorted too him too heare him and the Scribes and Phariseys murmured saying This man receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them Héer are set forth vntoo vs twoo kindes of men and their manners The one is of Publicanes and sinners which come vntoo Chryst too heare him that they might bée gathered intoo his shéepfolde and be saued For after that they herde how Chryst reiected no sinners but offred grace too all so they refused not too amende they douted not too come vntoo him yea and that vpon great hope of saluation The other is of Phariseys and Scribes These disalowed Chrystes dooing and his mercifulnesse towards sinners and therfore murmured saying This man receyueth sinners and eateth vvith them Now of this murmuring of the Phariseys there bée many causes whereof I wil reherse some that we may sée with what spirite they speake and beware oure selues that wée be not attached with the same disease and séeme too hinder the saluation of other men The first cause therefore is enuie or spitefulnesse whiche is proper too the Deuill and his members For this spitefulnesse sticking in their hartes makes them that they cannot abide too sée Chryste and the Publicans in company toogyther â–ª for they enuyed the Publicans so much that they could not finde in their harts that they should bée amended by kéeping company with good men Of this sorte of Pharisies there bée 〈◊〉 at this daye than wil be knowne by the name of Pharisies The seconde cause of murmuring was intollerable pryde in the Scrybes and Phariseys wherethroughe they despised the Publicanes as Dogges in so muche that they eschued too eate meate with them or too enter intoo the house where they were The thirde cause of murmuring was the ouerwéening of their owne rightuousnesse and holynesse For as they vaunted them selues too bée rightuous for kéeping the traditions of their Fathers for their sacrifices as he that sayth I am not as other sinners nor as yonder Publican I fast twice a wéek c. so they stoutlye dispised those that had not this vysour of holynesse as folke accursed and abhominable The fourth cause was their desirousnesse too haue
the maintenance of our own state Now the summe of this Gospell is that besides that Chryst by this miracle proueth himselfe too â—ée the true Messias endued with the power of the Godhead he sheweth him selfe also too haue care of those that folow him according too his promisse First séeke the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse therof and all things else shall bée cast vntoo you The places bée thrée 1 The lot of them in this life that folow Chryst. 2 The affection of Chryste towardes those that folowe him 3 The right manner of vsing Gods gift ¶ Of the firste WHen there vvas a very great companye and had not aught too eate In this company as in a Table is shewed vntoo vs what is the lotte of them that folowe Chryst in this world For wée must come too the possession of the heauenly kingdome by many tribulations This companye came intoo the wildernesse whereas is no breade but hunger daunger and death The same fortune shall all those féele that will folowe Chryst. Therefore it is not for naught that Chryst biddeth him that will bée his Disciple too deny him selfe and take vp his crosse and folowe him And Paule All that wil liue godlyly in Chryst must suffer persecution Notwithstanding God bée thanked for it our case for all that is better than theirs that séeme happy in the world For the end and knitting vp wil bée ioyful and therfore Chryst sayth Blissed are they that moorne bicause they shall receiue comfort But what is the cause why Chrystes Disciples shall bée afflicted in this world This is no woonder That which weÌ„t before in the head shall folowe in the members as long as this world standeth And that is bicause that in the wildernesse that is in the world there are among the members of Sathan that cannot away with Christ and his members Which thing was foretolde long time ago The séede of the Serpent shall byte the héele of the womans séede That is too say Sathan and his impes shall persecute Chryst and his members For when Sathan sées Chrystes kingdome encrease and his owne decay he fretteth and fumeth and like a wounded Lion steppes vp ageinst Chrystes shéepe too deuoure them And this is it that Peter sayth The Diuell goeth about like a roring Lyon séeking whom he may deuour For the Lyon hauing lost his whelpes and besides that being hungrye falleth vppon whatsoeuer things come in his way too wast deuoure and destroy them The like minde hath Sathan When he sées that he loseth his whelpes that is too say that those which erst wer vnder his power ar turned vnto Christ he armeth his champioÌ„s ageinst the church that some of them may assayle it with hypocrisie some with Sophistry some with Tyranny and other some with stumblingblocks and Scismes as he hath done at all times héertoofore and ceasseth not too do at this day And if he can do nothing else he endeuereth too sterue theÌ„ for hunger in the wildernesse But on the contrary part Chryst valiantly defendeth the kingdome which he hath gotten with the sheading of his owne blud He giueth the holy Ghost he giueth bread he rayseth vp godly teachers too féede it with heauenly foâ—de and he is at hand him selfe too succoure it in the middes of daungers according as hée declareth by this present déede So little shal furious Sathan and the madde enimies of the Churche preuaile ageinst it For hée himselfe kéepeth watch about his Church and defendeth it stoutly Neyther is there cause why any man shoulde surmise that Chryste is otherwise minded towards his Churche at this day than hée was at that time towardes that multitude For although hée doo not at all times defend his Church with visible miracles yet notwithstanding hée woorketh no lesse miracles at this daye spiritually and inuisibly in gouerning his Church For with him there is no respect of persons but of fayth and of the goodnesse of the case Is it not a great woonder that God so defended that one blissed man Luther that Sathan al the world béeing in armes ageinste him were not able too stirre one hair of his head Is it not a great miracle at this day that the bishop of Rome with the most flourishing part of the world is not able too roote out the Churche The Pope doutlesse endeuoreth too stoppe the race of the Gospell with a floud of the bloud of Martirs But the mo hée murthereth the mo spring stil out of their blud as it is too be séene at this day in Spaine and Fraunce Therfore let vs fence our selues ageinst the woodnesse of Sathan and specially ageinst the stumblingblocke of the deformitie and poorenesse of the Churche and let vs not fléete froÌ„ Chryst for any â—â—arâ—ugs of Sathan neyther let vs leaue oure profession although there were no shifte but wée muste néeds suffer famine in this wildernesse ne let vs suffer our selues too be moued by the example of those that for persecution and â—amine depart from Chryst as did the Iewes when they were pinched with famine persecution by theiâ— enimies that dwelt about theÌ„ For in this maner did they resist the Prophete Ieremie according as wée read Ierem. 44. As for the woordâ— whiche thou hast spoken vntoo vs in the name of the Lord wée wil in no wise héere them But whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth that will wée doo Wée wil 〈◊〉 sacrifice and offer oblations to the Quéen of Heauen that is too say the Sunne like as wée our forefathers oure Kings and our heads haue done in the cities of Iuda in the stréets of Hierusalem For then had wée plentie of bread then were wée in prosperitie no misfortune came vpon vs. But since wée left too offer too doo sacrifise too the Quéene of Heauen wée haue had skarcenesse of all things and perished with the swoord hunger But what dooth that holy Prophet Ieremie answer them It is not so sayth hée but for your abhominacions and for the multitude of your wicked déeds dooth God punishe you and bicause yée would not walke after the commaundements of the Lord. After the same maner a maÌ„ shall find many at this day which for hunger dearth of corne and other discommodities wil fall from Chryst his gospel For they saye when wée had Masses when wée founde Monkes when wée called vpon Saincts we had abundance of al good things But after that this new doctrine came vp â–ª many mis 〈◊〉 came vp with it Ther is not say they so much fear of God there is lesse charitie among men there are greater more often fallings oute betwéene men there is more tiranny and all things are déerer Thus doo folke excuse them selues that they should not folowe Chryst. But if thou wilte knowe the causes of these misfortunes I will tell thée The seruant sayth Chryst that knoweth the wil 〈…〉 with the blasphemous spéeche of euill men so as yée should fall from Chryst
onely Carnally only Chryste was séene of the greatest parte of the Iewish nation which neuerthelesse was damned Therfore the séeing of Chryst in the flesh onely dooth not of it selfe profit too saluation but rather furthereth too greater damnation Herode saw Chryste so did Pilate likewise so did Iudas Cayphas and many other vngodly persons whose damnation teacheth vs that too sée Chryst outwardly in the flesh auayleth not too saluation if there go not true faith in Christ with it Chryst was séen in the flesh and in the spirit at once toogither of the wise men of Marie of Simeon Zacharie Zacheus the Apostles and many others whose séeing turned too their soule helth bicause they not only beheld Chryste with their outwarde eyes but also with the eyes of their harte Whiche thing is manifestly séen in that woman whiche for washing Chrystes féete with hir teares wiping them with the hear of hir head heard Chryst say vntoo hir that hir sinnes were forgiuen hir for the faiths sake whiche shée had in him Of this séeing chéefly speaketh our Lord in this place when he sayth Many Prophets and Kinges haue longed too see that you see and haue not seene In spirite onely doo all they sée Chryste whiche beléeue in him for so dooth Chryst him self interprete it when he saith As Moyses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse So must the sonne of man bée exalted that all whiche beléeue in him may not perishe but haue life euerâ—asting After this sort did Abel sée Chryste in his sacrifice so did Abraham of whome Chryst beareth recorde saying Abraham sawe my day and was glad So sée we Chryst at this day as many of vs as beléeue in him Now that they whiche sée Chryst in this wise are blissed this saying of our Lord vntoo Thomas testifieth Blissed are they that beléeue and sée not For we sée him in the Gospel where he appéereth face too face vntoo vs that we should be transformed intoo the likenesse of him Hithertoo concerning the first maner of séeing Chryst and the partes of the same after which maner hée is séene in this world Now foloweth the other maner of séeing which is in the glory too come where we shall sée him moste perfectlie bée delighted with euerlasting gladnesse enioying the moste pleasant and comfortable beholding of him But wherfore dooth hée auouch those too bée happy that sée Chryst First for that Chryste is the woorde of life without which there is no saluation too bée looked for For this woord of life deliuereth the beléeuers from eternall death For like as he that séeth not Chryste and specially with the eyes of faith abideth in prison and vnder the power of the Diuell euen so he that séeth Chryst ouercommeth the world and all euils according too this of Iohn This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen your faith But doo we not sée many godly men too be in yl case in this life and too be put too moste gréeuous punishement I answere Yet are they blissed for the sequele of the matter For there shall be a moste ioyfull deliueraunce from all euils wherewith the godly are oppressed in this life And therefore Christe saythe in Mathew Blissed are those that mourne for they shal receiue comfort ¶ Of the second A Certeine Lavvyer stood vp tempting him and saying Master vvhat shall I doo too haue euerlasting life Iesus ansvvered Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD. And as it is written in Mathew if thou wilte enter intoo life kéepe the commaundements Too the intent we may vnderstande this answere of Chryste aright it is too bée noted that there are two kindes of men with whom Chryst hath too doo For some are Hipocrites and some repent in good earnest The Hipocrites béeing proude and swelling throughe opinion of their owne rightuousnesse think them selues too haue no néed of Chryst and therfore they persecute him one while by tempting him another while by slaundering his doctrine and sometime by open violence When suche as these bée doo séeke the way of saluation he poynteth them too the lawe and saythe If thou wilt enter intoo life kéepe the commaundementes But those that fall vntoo repentaunce and séeke the way of saluation at Chrystes hand are not sent by Chryste vntoo the law and too Moyses but he taketh them too him self and biddeth them beléeue on him Which thing wheÌ„ they do he grauÌ„teth ouer his owne rightuousnesse vntoo them that they should not be subiect too the curse of the law Wée wil make this more apparant by examples The Pharisie of whom wée heard a late séemed rightuous vntoo him self but he was pronounced vnrightuous by Chryste bicause he had not the rightuousnesse of the law whiche he made his bragges of Contrariwise the Publicane that broughte his sinnes intoo the Temple with him whiche hée there bewayled fléeing too the mercy of God went his way home iustified And in as much as he was iustified and made rightuous he was also made an heir of eternal life In Mathew the lawyer asketh Christe the question saying what shall I doo too get eternall life and Chryste answereth If thou wilt enter intoo life kéepe the commaundements Contrariwise the wretched théefe being a sinner repenteth vpon the Crosse and calleth vpon Chryste by faith too whom Chryst sayth This day shalt thou bée with mée in Paradise that is too wit in euerlasting lyfe In this Gospel coÌ„meth also a Doctor of the law too tempt the Lord sayth what shall I doo too possesse eternal life Too whom our Lord answereth Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God thy neighbor as thy self which is all one as if hée sayd if thou wilt enter intoo life kéep the commaundements But too the sinfull womaÌ„ Luk. 7. he saith Thy faith hath made thée whole And so Chryst dealeth with twoo kindes of men according too the diuersitie of whom hée sheweth the right way vntoo heauen Why sheweth he the way by y e law sith no man was euer able too come too heauen by y e way Bicause it is the straightest way too heauen according too this The man that doth these things shall liue by them This way therfore doth Chryst shew too them that hold scorn of him For whosoeuer despiseth Chryst eyther hée shall die for euer or else fulfill the lawe which is impossible for him too doo Agein there is another way to heauen which is open too those only that beléeue in Chryst who is the way intoo heauen ¶ Of the thirde THou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy vvhole hart vvith all thy vvhole soule vvith all thy vvhole povver and vvith all thy vvhole thoughte and thy neighboure as thy selfe This is a summe of Gods lawe and an abridgement of the ten commaundements In both of these commaundementes there are foure things too bée considered First the affection that is required too bée in man towardes God and his neighbour 2. The obiect namely God and
not only ageinst the sorow that wée conceiue for the deade but also ageinst all afflictions as well of minde as bodie But some man obiecteth I haue forgon the comfort of my life TheÌ„ thou bewaylest not him that is dead but thou bewaylest thine owne self and thy losse that thou hast by forgoing him It is a naturall thing too wéepe Thou sayest truthe but let grace ouercome nature Thâ—s muche is added bréeflye in the seconde circumstance concerning comfort at the death of our déere fréends The third Our Lord toucheth the coffin wherin the deadâ— men lay By which touching he declareth that his body was the instrument too get vs life and saluation The fourth He speaketh too the yoong man and sayeth I say to thee yong man arise So also raysed he the yong maâ—d as is in Marke So raysed he Lazarus that had bin buried foure dayes as is in Iohn Héere wée are taught bothe that Chryst is stronger than death and that his word is the word of life and saluation The fifth The dead man ryseth at Chrysts call and this is the miracle he riseth y t was dead he began streight wayes too speake and our Lord deliuered him too his moother The sixth Feare fel vpon them al â–ª and they glorified God saying A great prophet is risen vp among vs and God hath visited his people and this saying vvas spred abrode of him through all Ievvrie Héere is described a double frute of this miracle The one befalleth too the present héerers and the other extendeth vntoo others too whom the report of this miracle came The present beholders conceyued faith héereby and so feared God glorifying him with true woorship and acknowledged the Messias too bée come whom also they confessed Besides that the report héereof came vntoo others that were in Iewrie and the countrey bordering thervpon who in likewyse conceyued Fayth in the Messias And in these dayes the report héereof commeth vntoo vs wherby we may acknowledge Christ too bée the very Messias and too bée stroÌ„ger than death â–ª and may conceiue faith in him magnifying God with hart voyce confession and manners and so it will come too passe that one day wée shall haue by him a ioyfull resurrection too euerlasting life ¶ Of the second SAinct Ambrose sayeth that the image of the Churche is set foorthe héere and bicause it representeth our estates it is woorth the opening The widow saith he signifieth y e church the dead yong man euery sinner y t liueth without repentaÌ„ce and the 〈…〉 the body of sinne The widow bewaileth hir dead 〈◊〉 â–ª That is to say the church lâ—â—â—nenteth for the vnrepentantnesse of the wicked entreateth Chryst too moue them and draw them too him with his woord his spirit Chryst therefore biddeth them that caried the corse too stand still Foâ— the sinner is borne to hell byfoure porters which are theâ—e First 〈◊〉 of longer life Secondly looking vppon other mennes faultes Thirdly presumption vppon Gods mercy And fourthly â—â—atterie of lend company Now if thâ—u wilt ryse from the death of sinne thou must néedes héere Chryst who biddeth the porters stay First therefore then must exclude hope of long lyfe bicause life is â—ncerteyn according as the experience of many teacheth and perill is at hand as it is too bée séene in the riche glutton Ageine thou muste not set another mannes euill lâ—â—e before thée as a paterne too follow â–ª but thou must submit thy selfe too God as Abraham did thou must trust in him and thou must â—mend thy coÌ„ditions knowing thâ—t the 〈…〉 in iudgement â–ª It 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 that thou gauest mee hath giuen mée of the Apple Thirdly lâ—y away presumption of Gods mercy for this presumption is a great contempt of God Rom. 2. Fourthly put away flatterers that entice thee too euill And when thou hast done so leane vppon Chryst with liuely faith the will quicken thée too eternall lyfe the which Chryst graunt vnto vs 〈◊〉 whom bée 〈◊〉 for euermore Amen Vpon the .xvij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xiiij IT chaunced that Iesus vvent intoo the house of one of the cheefe Pharisies to eate bread on the Saboth day and they vvatched him And behold there vvas a certeine man before him vvhich had the dropsie And Iesus ansvvered and spake vntoo the Lavvyers and Pharisies saying Is it lavvfull too heale on the Sabboth day And they hild their peace And he tooke him and healed him and let him go and ansvvered them saying vvhich of you shall haue an Asse or an Oxe fallen intoo a pitte and vvyll not straight vvay pull him out on the Sabboth day And they coulde not ansvvere him ageine too these things He put foorth also a similitude too the guestes vvhen he marked hovve they preaced too bee in the highest roumes and sayde vntoo them VVhen thou art bidden too a vvedding of any man sit not dovvne in the hyest roume lest a more honourable man than thou bee bidden of him and he that bad him and thee come and saye too thee giue this man roume and thou beginne vvith shame too take the lovvest roume But rather vvhen thou art bidden goe and sit in the lovvest roume that vvhen he that bad thee commeth he may say vntoo thee frende sit vp hyer Then shalt thou haue vvoorship in the presence of them that fit at meate vvith thee For vvhosoeuer exalteth him selfe shall bee brought lovve and he that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted The exposition of the Text. THe occasion of this Gospell was this Chryst beyng bidden too dinner of a certeyne Pharisie was watched by those that sate at meate with him that either in his woordes or in his déedes they might haue found somwhat too charge him withall For the world is so wicked that like as men cloke vices vnder the visors of vertue So they are not ashamed too rayse slaunder vppon honest déedes and true vertue So great is the malice of men Notwithstanding Chryst is not feared away with their leudnesse but kéepeth his old woont and executeth his office euen in the thickest of his enimies leauing vs an example that wée should not cease too procéede in well dooing though wée should sée all the whole world hent ageinst vs. Chryst therefore healeth this wretche declaring therein the might of his Godhead his most forward will too helpe them that bée in miserie and his Office for which he came intoo the worlde Moreouer he sheweth the right maner of halowing the Saboth day and by his déede dooth as it were define the true kéeping of the Saboth By which thing like as he reproueth the pryde of the Pharisies and their ignorance in the scriptures So he exhorteth them vntoo true humilitie And thus much concerning the summe of this present Gospell The places are thrée 1 Of the Saboth and the true woorks therof 2 Of the miracle by which the true vse of the Saboth is confirmed 3 Of true Humilitie ¶ Of the firste WHen the
with which kind of sacrifice God is delighted as the Apostle sayth too the Hebrues Let vs be quicke too giue almesse Let vs cherish the weake members of the Churche and let vs heale them also as much as may bée after the example of Chryst and other holy men which exercised thēselues in the true holyday woorkes Now remayneth somewhat too bée saide of Ceremonies Ceremonies are customes and ordinances made too gouerne the body of the Churche withall These if they bée lawfull for I haue nothing to do with vngodly Ceremonies either haue their warrant of the manifest woorde of God as Baptim and the Lordes Supper or else they make in déede too the mayntenaunce of the doctrine and orderlynesse of the Churche and are ordeyned by some counsell of the spiritualtie or by the godly Magistrate These Ceremonies serue too two endes For they are ordeyned for comlynesse and orders sake Of comelynesse are two partes The first is that wée should bée stirred vp vntoo godlynesse by those helpes The latter is that modestie and grauitie might appéere in the ministration of godlynesse ▪ Order consisteth of thrée partes The first is that the chéefe dooers or heads of the congregations might haue a certeine rule too deale by The second is that the héerers accustome themselues too obedience and discipline The third is that peace and quietnesse be prouided for by mainteyning the Churche in good estate Thus much bréefly concerning godly Ceremonies and the ends of them and the partes of those endes Of the second THe second lesson which this Gospell teacheth is concerning the miracle whereby the man was healed that was diseased of the Dropsie In this miracle are foure things too bée obserued The question the healing the defence of the déede and the vse of the same The question is put foorth by Chryst himselfe whither it bée lawfull too heale vppon the Sabboth day Héerevntoo the Pharisies make none answer for if they had denyed it too bée lawfull they should haue séemed cruell ageinst the myserable soule that was diseased of the Dropsie If they had graunted it too bée lawfull they would haue bin afraide too séeme transgressoures of the Lawe If hée had not healed him they would haue said that eyther he could not or would not helpe this diseased persone And if hée had healed him they would haue thought themselues too haue had iust cause too accuse him as a breaker of the Sabboth so consequently as a despiser of the Lawe of GOD. Héere was daunger euery way But our Lorde passing not for their Sophistrie tooke this wretched man that was diseased with the Dropsie and healed him before the Pharisies faces and sent him away whole and sound In which déede as I sayd at the beginning hée shewed both his power his wil ▪ and his office Nowe foloweth in the third place the defence of this déede VVhiche of you sayeth hée hauing an Oxe or an Asse fallen intoo a Pytte dravveth hym not out by and by vppon the Sabboth day As if hée had sayde eyther it is lawfull too heale a man vppon the Sabboth daye or else vnlawfull If it bée lawfull why lay you wayt for mée as a transgressour of the Lawe if I doo it But if it bée vnlawfull why doo you saue your Asses and your Oxen vppon the Sabboth day What sayd they too this They could not answer theruntoo sayeth the Euāgelist But too what vse serueth the healing of this Dropsie by Chryste Too twoo vses The one is generall whereof I haue spoken alreadie namely that by this miracle Chryste might shewe his power his will his office and the truthe of his Doctrine and thereby confirme faith in the beholders And the other is speciall ▪ For doubtlesse this man that was diseased of the Dropsie was falne intoo it by disordered surfetting Wherfore we also may learne that Chryst despiseth not those that haue cast themselues intoo diseases throughe their owne fault so that they folow the example of this man that had the Dropsie that is too saye if they come vntoo Chryste with all their hart and if they suffer themselues too bée touched and healed by him that is if they beléeue his word fall too repentaunce acknowledge Gods iust wrathe and desire pardon and healing of their sore or at least wise assuagemēt of it for Chrystes sake ¶ Of the third ANd hee sayde too the guests that preased for too sit highest at the table vvhen thou art bidden too a feast c. As by this parable he condemneth pride so he teacheth true humilitie which is a very rare vertue Of whiche I will say these things in order Firste what humilitie is next howe manye kindes of it there bée Thirdly what causes it hath as wel of furtheraunce as of hinderaunce And fourthly what bée the frutes and rewards of true humilitie As touching the first too the intent wée may knowe what humilitie is we must see who the Scripture calleth humble or lowly Paule calleth those humble whom Chryst calleth poore in spirit such as those are which béeing vtterly voyd of all opinion of their owne strength wisdome and rightuousnesse impute vntoo God alone whatsoeuer good thing they haue Humilitie then is a vertue wherthrough we acknowledging our selues as we be in déed do wax vile in our own sight and vtterly voyding from vs all truste in oure owne strength wisdom rightuousnesse doo cast down our selues before God and in him onely séeke all good things throughe Chryst. Notable exāples héerof are in Mary Magdalene in the théefe in the Publicane in Dauid in other holy men This is the true humilitie of which Chrysts promisse is too bée vnderstood blissed bée the poore in spirit Thus haue wée what humilitie is Now let vs sée how many sorts there bée of it One is wherby we cast down our selues before God another wherby wée hūble our selues before men But wée must beware y t pride put not on y e visor of humilitie whiche if man pluck not of surely God will bring it too shame But let vs leaue that visor speake of the true humilitie y t hath respect too God man Humilitie too godward is y e true fear of God springing of y e true acknowledging of our own infirmitie and of Gods goodnesse towards vs suche as was the humilitie of Manasses in Prison who when hée coulde not bow the knées of his body bicause of the streightnesse of the prison did bow the knées of his hart So did Abraham humble himself when he confessed himself too be but dust and asshes True humilitie too menward is a true mildnesse wher through wée prefer not our selues proudly before any man but with a single meaning apply oure selues vntoo all men Of this humilitie wée haue the greatest example in y e sonne of God whose example Paule admonisheth vs too followe Phil. 2. So was the blissed virgin humble so was Anne the Prophetisse and so were many others Now must I speak of
of desolation spoken of by Daniell the Prophete standing in the holy place let hym that readeth it vnderstand it Then let them vvhich bee in Ievvry flee intoo the Mountaines And let him vvhiche is on the house top not come dovvne too fetche any thing out of his house Neyther let him vvhich is in the fielde returne back too fetch his clothes VVoe shall bee in those dayes too them that are vvith Childe and too them that giue sucke But praye that your flighte bee not in the VVinter neyther on the Sabboth day For then shall bee greate tribulation suche as vvas not from the beginning of the vvorld too this time nor shall bee Yea and except those dayes shoulde bee shortned there should no fleshe be saued but for the chosens sake those dayes shal be shortned Then if anye man shall say vntoo you Loe heere is Chryste or there is Chryst beleeue it not For there shal arise false Christes and false Prophets and shall doo great miracles and vvonders In so muche that if it vvere possible the very elect shoulde bee deceyued Beholde I haue tolde you before VVherefore if they shall say vntoo you beholde hee is in the Deserte go not foorth beholde hee is in the secrete places beleeue not For as the Lightning commeth out of the East and shyneth intoo the VVest so shal the comming of the sonne of man be For vvhersoeuer a dead carkasse is euen thither vvill the Eagles resorte The exposition of the Text. THis Sermon of our Lords conteyneth a notable admonition verie necessarie in this perillous time For séeing that Paule sayeth whatsoeuer things are written are written for our lerning there is no reason we should think that these things are spoken and written for the Iewes only But rather for vs who are now néerer the latter day than the Iewes were This Sermon is bothe moste dreadfull and also most comfortable For in respect of the vngodly and suche as repent not no Sermon can bée more terrible for it threatneth horrible punishment vntoo them But in respecte of the godly and those that repente this sermon is ful of comfort For it promiseth deliueraunce from all these miseries When yée sée these things sayth he lift vp your heads for your redemption is at hand The occasion of this sermon was a double demaund of Chrysts Disciples who taking occasion vppon his foretelling of the destruction of Hierusalem whereof the Prophesie goeth before in the self same Chapter demaunded of him first when that should come too passe and afterwarde what signe shoulde go before the Lords comming Unto these questions the Lorde answereth not according as their fleshly desire required but according as hée knewe too bée profitable for their instruction too their soule helth The summe of this Sermon is that Chryst foretelleth the time of the destruction of Hierusalem and sheweth the tokens of his comming vntoo Iudgemente The places are twoo 1 Chrystes answere and his foresaying 2 The vse of this Doctrine ¶ Of the first CHrysts answere hath .ij. parts in the first of which he answereth to the first demaund namely wherin y e disciples asked him when Hierusalē shuld bée destroyed in the latter he answereth too the seconde demaund wherin his disciples asked him of his comming to iudgement The former part conteineth the signes that go before the destruction of Hierusalem which being many are reckened vp not only in the text which you haue herd but also in the beginning of this Chapter The first signe is that there shal come false Chrysts that is too wit fond men which shall béely themselues that they are Messiases and Sauioures whiche thing hathe come too passe For there came thrée Archknaues one after another that drew a great multitude of men after thē One Teudas and a certeyne Egiptian and Simon the Sorcerer Teudas in the time that Cuspius was president of Iurie persuaded the people too take their goods and followe him too Iordan For there he bare them in hand he would with a becke diuide the waters that they might passe drishod and so recouer their libertie and set themselues frée from the bondage of the Romanes Too whom the foolishe people obeying when they looked in vayne for the miracle were al slain This Egiptian also promised saluation welfare and rest too them that followed him But they also beyng deluded suffered iust punishment for their rashnesse Simon the Sorcerer when he could not for money buy of Peter the gift of giuing the holy Ghost visibly and herd Peter say Cursed bée thou and thy money too deuised another way which he by his Diuelishe craftes vernished and ouercast with a glosse of godlynesse So he said he was the power of God and through his slightes many were deceyued Now why God suffred this thing Paule too the Thessalonians answereth bicause they had no will too beléeue the truthe God sent them strong illusions that they should beléeue lyes This punishment are they woorthy too haue that wilfully shut their eyes ageynst the cléere light of the Gospell Afterward the text conteineth an admouition For thus sayth Chryst. Sée that noman deceiue you Many shal come in my name saying I am Chryst. This horrible punishment of the Iewish people may put vs in mind to feare God and reuerence Chrysts gospell The second signe that should go before the destruction of Hierusalem Yée sayth he shal héere of warres and of the rumors of warres The stories testifie that many such warres went before the destruction of Hierusalem First were slaine two thousand through the malapertnesse of a souldiour that skoffed at the priuie members of the Iewes Ageine murtherers did set vppon men openly and carying swordes closely vnder their clokes slue all men that they met Besides this there were slayne at Caesarea two thousand At Schythopolis thirtéene thousand At Ascalon two thousand and fiue hundred At Ptolomais twentie thousand At Alexandria fiftie thousand and at Damasco ten thousand Beholde how true Chrysts foresaying was and howe sore the Iewish people was punished for their vnthankfulnesse What shall I say of the famin pestilence earthquake that happened according too Chrysts prophesie All these things do shewe the sinnes of the people and yet they were but certein florishes and fleabitings too the mischéeues that ensued The third signe was the persecution of his Disciples You shal bee hated of all men sayth he for my names sake This persecution began at the death of the most holy martir Steuen and afterward grew dayly more and more Now the affliction of Chrysts disciples was of foure sortes First in their bodies for some were whipped some crucified some put too one torture and some too another The second afflictiō rose of the stumbling block that was cast by those y t fel from the gospel For many being discouraged with the bitternesse of persecutions fel frō the gospel too the excéeding great gréef of Chrysts disciples The third affliction of Christs disciples came by false
fell out according too the Law when hée was ful sixe wéekes olde The places are thrée 1 The offering vp of Chryst in the Temple 2 Simeons description and blissing 3 Simeons song ¶ Of the firste GOd had ordeyned sundry customes of offering in the olde Testament not too the intent men should bée iustified before God by the woorke of sacrifising for if the blud of Oxen and Gotes could haue put away sinne Chryste had not come in the fleshe too purge sinne by the sacrifice of his bodie but there were other causes of which number are these The first is that by this exercise the Idolatrie of the Gentiles mighte bée hindered For in as muche as all men euen the moste barbarous are touched with a certeine reuerence of Religion they will set vp fashions of woorshipping God after their own deuice Howbéeit bicause no seruice pleaseth God saue that whiche is of his owne appointment God him selfe ordeyned by Moyses sundry seruices too the intent that by the multitude of Ceremonies whiche God had ordeyned the Iewishe people might bée withhilde from Idolatrie and serue the one God that had brought them out of the lande of Egipte and bestowed vppon them innumerable other benefites bothe ghostly and bodily The second cause is that inward godlynesse might bée exercised by these outward helps For these outward sacrifices were not of themselues Gods seruice but onely stirrings vp of the true seruice and woorshipping which thing appéereth by Esay where God abhorreth outwarde sacrifices without inward godlinesse of minde The third is that they should be open witnesses of thanksgiuing whereby this people should bothe bée stirred vp and also confirmed and testifie openly that they serued this God which had brought them intoo the land of Canaan and fedde them by miracle in the wildernesse The fourth is that by this meanes the ministerie of Gods woord might bée stablished that the ministers of Gods seruice and the Préests might haue wheron to liue He that serueth at the altar saith Paule let him liue of the altar And Chryst The labourer is woorthy of his hyre This custome did they hold in olde time in the churche when they came toogither too héere the woord and receiue the Sacraments The godly according too their abilities bestowed somewhat too the maintenance of the ministers and the reléefe of the poore whiche gathering was called a contribution From hence also issued the maner of tything The fifth is that these olde oblations bée a shadowe of the sacrifice of Chryst that was too come and as it were a place wherein they were put in remembrance of Chryst too come This did the godly wel vnderstand as Abel Noe Abraham For they did not thinke that they put away sinne and death by their sacrifices but they trusted to the sacrifice of Chryst byrthe vertue wherof their sinnes also were purged When Abel slewe his sacrifices he thought thus First when hée sawe the blud of the sacrifice he thought vppon the sinne of mankinde which had deserued eternal paynes Secondly he looked forward too the thing y t was signified for he thought that his sacrifice was a figure of the promised séede that is too wit of Chryste who shoulde purge sinne by offering himselfe in sacrifice Thirdly by thinking so Abelles fayth was confirmed and encreased wherethrough he was bothe iustified before God and accepted of God Furthly vppon this faith ensued thanksgiuing newnesse of life Suche as offred after this maner pleased God Thus much bée spoken concerning the sacrifices of the olde Testament in generall Now wil I speake of that maner of sacrifices which is mencioned in this gospell There was a double commaundement appoynted too bée obserued when any childe was borne The one was of the moother howe many wéekes shée ought too abyde out of the company of men And the other was of the childe that was borne Concerning the mother this was the order that if she were deliuered of a manchild she should kéepe hir selfe close xxxvij dayes and if it were a womanchilde she should continue close twyse as long For then shée ought too bée out of the congregation .lxxiiij. days And this thing was not doone for any vnworthynesse that was in the woman but for two other causes that is too wit néedfulnesse and further méening The néedfulnesse was that by this meanes consideration might bée had of the helth of the woman who after the throwes of hir childbed hath néede of rest that she may gather strength agein and godly husbands ought at such times too haue speciall regard of the weaknesse of their wiues and it behooued women also too kéepe this law of nature both for their own sakes and also for other womens sakes The méening of it was that this barring them out of companye should doo men too vnderstand that al which are descended of Adam are barred from God for the sinne wherin they are borne and that therfore they haue néede of Chryst◠sacrifice too purge them The other commaundement concerned the child that was borne And that also was of two sorts The one general and the other concerning the first borne The generall commaundement was that when the woman had fulfilled the time that shée was excluded from the congregation of the church there should bée sacrifices offred whither it were for a sonne or for a daughter in what order so euer they were borne This sacrifice did put them in mind first that their children were borne sinners and therefore had néede of clenzing and of forgiuenesse of sinnes Secondly that by this meanes they shold be consecrated to god Thirdly that the parents should know that they begate children to God not too themselues or too Sathan And fourthly that there was a further méening in the matter namely that their children should be a figure of Chryst that was too bée offered The speciall commaundement was concerning the first borne as well in men as in beasts that they should bée offered vntoo God First in remembrance of that great benefit that the Lord sparing the people of Israel did strike the first borne of Egipt as wel in men as beasts Secondly for y e signification therof that is too wit that the only begotten sonne of God and first begotten son of Mary should be offred vp in tyme too come for our deliuerance from the Egipt of sin Let this suffise concerning the law and the signification thereof and now let vs come too the offering vp of Chryst. The law commaundeth that euery firste borne whiche openeth the moother béeing conceyued of mans séede should bée offred vp in this wise But Chryst was not so conceyued after the manner of man but he was conceyued by the holy ghost borne of a most chast virgin Ergo he was not boūd by the law too bée offered vp in the temple after the maner of others that were first begottē I answer Chryst was also at his frée choise whither he wold haue bin conceiued born and
earnest renouncing of all wrongs wherby our neighbour may bée hurt For the punishing of the body by fasting is a token of the sorowfulnesse of the heart for sinne and a testimonie of true repentaunce The endes héereof for whiche also it is accepted of GOD are three Mortification of the fleshe quickening of the spirite and a more earnest endeuer towardes all godlinesse Such maner a one was Paules fast wherof he maketh mētion 2. Cor. 6. And surely godlie men ought oftentimes too quicken vp the spirit with holy fasting lest they should yéeld too the lustes of the flesh And this holy and Christian fast is of twoo sortes priuate and solemne Priuate fast is that which euery man enioyneth too himself of his owne accord eyther too stir himself vp vntoo godlinesse which maner of fast as I would wish euery Christian whose flesh hath néede of such chastisement too vse often at other times so woulde I wish him chéefly to vse it before he shall come to the communion or for some new office sake which he shall take vppon him that thereby a man may prepare him selfe to consider his dutie the more déepely and aduisedly and pray to God that he of his mercy wil send him a luckie entraunce into his charge Suche maner of one was the fast of Moses in olde time in the mountaine and of Helias in the wildernesse and the fast of Christe also in the wildernesse wherof mention is made héere The solemne faste godly and Christian is that which the godly Magistrate or the gouerners of the Churches enioine either too the intent that some present euil as plages sword sectes seditions and such like may by true repentaunce and calling vpon God be taken away or mitigated or else that the euils which séeme too hang ouer mennes heads for sinnes reigning ouer sore may be preuented and eschued Such kindes of fastes as this is haue oftentimes bin enioined by holy Kings and Prophetes which fastes were acceptable to God for their repentaunce faith praier charitie minding of blissed life and such other things which are woont to bée must in any wise bée in a christian faste As concerning this dooble fast of priuate and solemne this rule is too bée helde that as the priuate fast is set fréely in euery mannes choise so the solemne fast bindeth men by the commaundement of the Magistrate by the lawe of Charitie and by the necessitie of the common profit and therfore it is very great sinne to breake it wilfully The vngodly and Pharisaicall fast is an abstinence from some certeine kinde of meate which of it selfe is thought too bée a worshipping of God and a thing acceptable to God for the workes sake and therefore also meritorious As whoo would say that God passeth for outward woorkes whereas the conscience is vnpure and that fasting were of that kind of woorkes which are allowed simply and without meane by God according as those woorkes are which he apointeth in his owne lawe that is to wit in the tenne commaundementes and that it were not rather a certeine outward exercise and a certeine bodily businesse tending too another end namely seruing to repentance prayer taming of the fleshe too charitie and mindfulnesse of the blessed life Woorthely therefore doo the Prophetes condemne suche hipocriticall fastinges in which doo méete together many horrible wickednesses as an opinion of Gods seruice a trust in the woorke necessity constraint a néedfull choise of meats such a maner of fasting as euen swine might be fatted with it and a minding of deceit and wrong towards their neighbours And this Pharisaicall fast may be diuided intoo twoo kinds that the one may be called standing and the other voluntarie The standing fast is that which is ordinarie and tied too certein times of the yéere such as was the Lentfast as they terme it among the Papists and the Imberdayes at foure seasons of the yéere and the Sainctes euens whereby they would purchase the intercessions of the sainctes and many such other wherin was nothing else than mere superstition and manifest wickednesse Uoluntarie fast is that whiche any man at his owne appoyntment chooseth to himselfe too the intent he may make God his detter Of which sort was his fast that boasting his prayer to the Lord sayd I fast twise a wéeke where he vaunteth of his fast as a holy and meritorious woorke and putteth God in mind of it least he should forget it Let this suffise concerning fasting in general now will I adde a few things concerning Chrystes fast Of this the Euangelist speaketh thus Then Iesus vvas led avvay intoo the vvildernesse by the spirit that he might be tempted of the deuil And vvhen he had fasted .xl. dayes and .xl. nights hee vvas aftervvard a hungred Héere first is noted the time namely that by and by after his Baptim he fasted Secōdly is noted y e place namely the wildernesse Thirdly the maner of his fast that is too wit that he liued .xl. dayes and .xl. nights without any maner of sustenance Fourthly the woonderfulnesse that he could both liue so long a time without sustinance also was not a hungred of all that while For he felt no hunger vntill the .xl. dayes and as many nights were quite passed But why did Chryst this thing First that by this heauēly miracle he might testifie his owne diuine power Secondly to fulfil the figure For Moses being a Type of Chryst fasted on the mountain .xl. days and as many nights Thirdly to make amends for the glutony of our first parents of vs. Fourthly for vocation sake For it is the custome of GOD when he will haue any man set in his office as it were too prepare him and make him fit for it by fasting affliction as we sée in Moyses and Helias Fifthly that he might be an example to vs how we shoulde continually liue in sobernesse and in the feare of God Wée must therefore lerne too know the vse of Chrystes fast which is manifold First to thinke with our selues how much the sonne of God was abased Secondly too giue our selues soberly vntoo prayer after the example of the sonne of God And thirdly too yéeld him thanks for susteining so gret a fast in our behalfe Agein on the other side wée must shun the abuse that wée abuse not this holy fast of Chrystes Which thing cōmeth too passe if wée either make an vniuersall precept of this dooing of Chrystes or thinke our selues too béecome partakers of Chrystes fast by our counterfet fast or surmise that our fast deserueth forgiuenesse of sinnes by the woorke wrought as Thomas Aquinas like a caytife teacheth or déeme with Ambrose that this Lenton fast enioyned by the bishoppes of the Church is a matter of necessitie so as no man may be accoūted godly vnlesse hée kéepe this fast All these opinions fight full but ageinst the very foundation of our faithe whiche is that the beléeuers are saued by the merite of Christe alone But
they say euery déed of Chryst is our instruction he fasted .xl. daies Ergo we must folow the example of this déed of Christ. Surely it is true y t they say Euery déed of Chryste is our instruction but it is not true that we must counterfet euery déed of Christs which thing is manifest by the sundry differences of Christes dooings For of Christs dooings some be moral some be maruelous other some bée peculiar His moral doings do instruct our life maners For he is a most perfect paterne of vertues His maruellous dooings among which I reckē vp this fast doo informe confirm our minds of y e truth of Christes doctrine His peculiar dooings or déeds of reconciliation are those whiche perteine too the benefite of our redemption purging from sin These wil foster cherish in vs a confidence of saluatiō And so euery déed of Christes is in déed our instruction yet is not euery of them too bée counterfaited but only so many of them as perteine too life maners according too the tenor of the .x. commaundements Is it lawful then too fast the lenton fast It is lawful so that the condicions be kept in dooing it which as I haue sayd before are too be obserued in the holy and Christian fast And I openly confesse y t at this time of Lent is requisite a singuler sobernesse in minding and musing vpon the benefite of oure redemption whiche at that season is wonte too bée set foorthe daily in our churches in the rehersall of the Lordes passion but compulsion and necessitie must in any wise bée away ¶ Of the second THe tempter comming c. In these tēptations of Chryste a man may sée first how great the boldnes of Sathan is and his desire to destroy the kingdome of Christ. For he spareth not euen the sonne of God but approcheth vntoo him and as he inuaded Gods kingdom in Paradice and gate the vpper hand so practiseth he too destroy the new Paradise the kingdome of Chryst and assayleth the king therof with the dartes of temptations And secondly a man may sée héer how much the sonne of God was abased in that he was not only afflicted with fasting but also assaulted with the temptatiōs of Sathan How bée it too the intent wée may receiue wholesome instruction therby first I wil speak of Chrystes temptations Then wherefore he was tempted And last of all what doctrine comfort is for vs too pick out of Chrystes temptatiōs In euery of Christes temptations whiche in this place are thrée in nūber we may beholde foure things First what is the occasion secondly what is the maner of the temptation thirdly what is the end of it fourthly the maner of y e victory Therefore as touching the firste temptation the occasion thereof is shewed in these woordes of the Euangeliste and vvhen he had fasted .xl. dayes and .xl. nights aftervvard hee vvas a hungred Beholde what an occasion the aduersarie had gotten Chryste had fasted and prepared him self too execute his office but Sathan practiseth another thing and of Chrystes good déede hée séeketh oportunitie too destroy him This hathe béen the continuall endeuour of Sathan too wrest bothe the wel dooings and the sinnes of the Saincts too their destruction But God knoweth who bée his and is able too deliuer them out of temptation The manner of the temptation ensueth for the tempter saith If thou be the sonne of GOD commaund these stones too become bread The end of this tēptatiō was too persuade Christ to make a trial whither God wold by miracle cōfirm his Godhed or no y t if he did not then y e Lord might surmise y t God cared not for him This tēptation therfore fighteth ageinst gods prouidēce wher through he prouideth all things for his children which are necessary too saluation and this present life The maner of the victorie foloweth Too vvhom Iesus ansvvering saide It is vvritten man liueth not only by breade but by euery vvord that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Héere wée sée howe the victorie ageinst Sathan consisteth in the woord of God Sathan would perswade Chryste that he should perish if he made not bread of the stones But Chryst denieth that man liueth only with bread or bodily foode For meat nourisheth not vnlesse there come with it the blissing of God from whence bread taketh his strength For it is written they shal eate and not be suffised This scripture alledged héere by Chryst too this purpose thou hast in the xij of Deuter. In which place Moises comforteth the people in the desert wher was no bread but God gaue them Manna from heauen and water out of the rocke This promis Chryst applieth to himself and to al the godly signifying that it should come to passe that euen in the middes of famin God would succour his people and geue them things néedefull Of this promis wée haue examples in the Israelites in Helias in Helizeus in Moyses and héere in Chryste Héereunto maketh that saying of the Prophet They shall not bée confounded in the euill time and in the dayes of famin they shall bée suffised This promis when it perteyneth too vs is too bée caught hold on by fayth and too bée set ageynst Sathan that he ouerthrowe vs not with temptation of hunger And thus muche bréefly concerning Chrysts first temptation and the vse therof Nowe foloweth the seconde The occasion of the second temptation is described in these woords Then the Diuill tooke him vp intoo the holy Citie and set him vpon a pinacle of the Temple Sée the occasion sée the craft of Sathan whoo of euery thing séeketh meanes of destruction The manner of the temptation is added If thou bee the sonne of God cast thy self dovvn For it is vvritten that he hath giuen his angels charge of thee to take thee vp in their hands least perhaps thou shouldest dashe thy foote agaynst a stone The ende of this temptation is that Chryste should attempt somewhat contrary to his owne vocation and so prouoke Gods wrath ageinst himself as our first parents did For after that this malicious féend saw that Chryst stayed himself vpon the scripture he goeth about to intangle the scripture with his lyes The same Psalme which Sathan citeth entreateth of Gods prouidence that God will preserue euery godly person in his own waies that is too say in his trade of liuing lawful vocation and dooth not cōmaund vs to doo a-any thing rashly cōtrary to our vocatiō But how hath christ quenched this firy dart of Sathan by his word For he saith Ageine it is vvritten thou shalt not tempt the Lorde thy God Wée haue these woords in the .6 of Deu. wher too tempt god signifieth too enterprise any thing through distrust whither it be in prosperitie or aduersitie Wherfore such a temptatiō is cleane ageinst faith and the feare of God For he that in prosperitie liueth carelesse and laieth aside the feare of God surely
was paste Mary Maudelin and the other Mary whiche is called Iacobie and Salome and Ioanne and the other women that were with them whiche came with Iesus out of Galilee broughte and made readye sweete odours that they mighte come and anoynt Iesus For they had rested the Sabboth daye according too the commaundement At euentide of the Saboth whiche dawneth toward one of the Sabbothes that is too say very early in the morning before the breake of the day while it was yet darke the firste daye of the weeke they wente foorth and came too the Tumbe by the Sunne rising bringing with them the odours whiche they had prepared And beholde there was a greate earthquake For an Angell of the Lorde came downe from Heauen and comming too the Tumbe rolled the stone from the mouth of it and satte downe vppon it And his countenaunce was lyke lyghtening and his raymente as white as Snowe And the watchemen for feare of him were astonnied and became as deade men And the women sayde among them selues VVho shall rolle vs the stone from the mouth of the graue For it was an exceeding greate one And when they had looked backe they sawe the stone was rolled from the graue And entring intoo the graue they founde not the bodye of the Lorde Iesus Mary Magdalene therfore ran too cary tidyngs of these things And it came too passe that while the women were amazed in their minde at the matter bycause they hadde not founde the body of Iesus Beholde two men stood by them in bright rayment and when the women were afrayde and cast down their countenaunce too the ground they sayde vntoo them VVhy seek yee the lyuing among the deade Hee is not heere but is rysen Remember what he tolde you while he was yet in Galilee saying That it behoued the Sonne of man too bee betrayed intoo the handes of sinners and too bee crucifyed and too rise ageyne the thirde day And they remembred his woordes and departing backe from the Tumbe they afterwarde reported all these things too the eleuen and too all the reste And when they tolde these things too the Apostles their woords seemed too them too bee doting fooles and they beleeued them not VVhen Mary Magdalen ran away as it is sayde shee came too Simon Peter and too that other Disciple whom Iesus loued and sayde vntoo them They haue taken away our Lord out of his graue and wee knowe not where they haue bestowed him Peter therefore rose vp and that other Disciple and went too the graue And they ran bothe toogither and that other Disciple outran Peter and came firste too the graue and when hee had bowed him selfe downe hee saw the linnen clothes lapped vp yet wente hee not in Then came Simon Peter following him and entred intoo the graue and sawe the lynnen clothes lie and the napkin that was aboute his heade not lying with the lynnen clothes but wrapped toogither in a place by it selfe Then wente in also that other Disciple whiche came firste too the Sepulchre and hee sawe and beleeued For as yet they knewe not the Scripture that hee shoulde ryse ageyne from the deade The Disciples therefore went ageyne too their owne home And Peter maruayled at that which had happened Mary stoode without the Sepulchre weeping And as shee wept shee bowed hir selfe intoo the Sepulchre and sawe twoo Angelles in white sitting the one at the heade and the other at the feete where they had layde the body of Iesus And they sayde vntoo hir woman why weepest thou Shee sayde vntoo them For they haue taken awaye my Lorde and I wotte not where they haue layde him VVhen shee had thus sayde shee turned hir selfe backe and sawe Iesus standing and knew not that it was Iesus Iesus sayde vntoo hir VVoman why weepest thou whom seekest thou She supposing he had bin the Gardener sayde vntoo him Sir if thou haue borne him hence tel mee where thou hast layed him that I may fet him Iesus sayde vntoo hir Mary Shee turned hir selfe and sayde vntoo him Rabboni which is too say maister Iesus sayd vntoo hir touch mee not for I am not yet ascended too my Father But go too my brethren and say vnto them I ascend too my Father and your Father too my GOD and your God This is that Mary Magdalene out of whom Iesus had cast seauen Deuils to whō when hee was rysen hee shewed him selfe first in the morning the first day of the weeke Shee going hir way tolde the Disciples that had bin with him mourning and weeping that shee had seene the Lorde and that he had spoken suche things vntoo hir And when they heard that he was aliue was seen of hir they beleeued it not And the women entring into the Sepulcre sawe a yong man at their right hande clothed in a long white garment and they were afrayde For it was an Angel of the Lorde And hee sayde vntoo them Bee not afrayed for I knowe that yee seeke Iesus that was crucified hee is not here hee is risen as hee said come and see the place where the Lord was put and go quickely and tell his Disciples that hee is risen from death And beholde hee wil go before you intoo Galilee there yee shall see him Loe I haue tolde you And they departing quicklye from the Tumbe wente their wayes with feare and great ioy and ran to bring his Disciples woord And they trembled and were amazed and tolde no body anye whit of it for they were afrayed And as they wente too beare woorde of it too his Disciples beholde Iesus met them saying All haile And they came and hilde him by the feete and woorshipped him Then sayde Iesus vntoo them bee not afrayde Go and tell my brethren that they go intoo Galilee and ther they shall see mee VVhen they were gone beholde some of the keepers came intoo the Citie and shewed vntoo the highe Preestes all the things that were happened And they gathered them toogither with the Elders and tooke counsel and gaue large money too the Souldyours saying say yee that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while yee slept And if this come vntoo the Presidents eares wee will appease him and saue you harmelesse And they tooke the money and didde as they were taughte And this saying is noysed among the Iewes vntoo this day The exposition of the text THis feast is the highest of al feasts wherin is set foorth vntoo vs the Article of our Lords resurrection from the dead that the third day according too the Scriptures whoo by his glorious resurrection as hée was conquerour of death sinne and the Deuil so became hée the redéemer of al them that shall not refuse too beléeue in him It is a custome in this feast too entreat out of the storie of the resurrection concerning the benefit or frute of the same of the vse therof all whiche things this present Gospell conteyneth It is tolde by the