and honour that is too maynteyne it chaste and holye and not to defyle it with lustes of concupiscence as the Heathen haue giuen themselues leaue without controllement In this place is to bée repeted the whole doctrine concerning chastitie wedlocke and in especially the eyght causes for which al the godly must with singular héede and diligence defend the honour of chast shamefastnesse Which causes are recited in the declaration of the vertues of the sixth commaundement in my rules of lyfe Now will I adde but only one saying of Tertulliā most woorthye to bée borne away Inasmuch as wée all are the temple of God by putting into vs the holy Ghoste who haloweth vs the Churchwarden and chéef Chaplein of that temple is chastitie which may suffer no vncleane or vnholy thing too bée brought in thither least GOD who dwelleth there taking displeasure too sée his abode defyled should vtterly forsake it The third part concerning interchaungeable ryghtfulnesse which shunneth deceyt in bargayning THis is the will of God that no man deceyue and beguyle his brother in chapmanship bycause the Lord is the punisher of all such things The proposition or ground is Let no man deceyue his brother in bargeyning or bée yée iust in your bargaynings The reasons are twoo THe first reason is for that it is honest This is the will of God that no man misuse or deceyue his brother The second is for that it is profitable Bycause God is the punisher of all such things Althoughe the sent of lukre by any meanes séeme swéete for a whyle and that they think it hygh pollicie that their craftinesse is not espyed yet will god fynd out the offender yet hath God a reuenging eye God the reuenger séeth all things And experience proueth the méening of Hesiodus verse too bée true By euill meanes seek not too gain such gain as rendreth losse and pain God hath by wonderfull forecast ordeyned and established lawfull bargayning among men and he hath so diuersly distributed among them the goods that perteyne too the mayntenance of this mortall lyfe that eche hath néede of others help too the intent that in exchaunging of things and in bargeyning they should put in vre ryghtfulnesse loue towardes their neyghbour and other vertues and that many being knit bound togither with these bondes should liue in companie and conuersation toogither and shewe the doctrine concerning God one too another and the examples of vertues one to another Therfore God alloweth lawfull bargenings will haue indifferencie and vpryghtnesse kept and vsed in them And in this place by expresse woords he forbiddeth defrauding which keepeth not equalitie in bargeynes but catcheth too himself a greater part than he ought of ryght too haue For the woord that Paule vseth signifyeth the same thing that it dooth in the fifth booke of Aristotles Ethicks that is too wit Pleonectein of pleon echein whiche is as much too say as too haue more thā ryght or too take of another mānes goods without recompensing as much for it or too encrease a mannes owne stock too another mannes losse The vertue that encounters it is interchaungeable vpryghtnesse which in marchandyze or bargening beguyleth not other men but maynteyneth proportionable indifferencie according too the Lawes of Nature Thou shalt not steale Loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Doo not too another which thou wouldest not haue doone too thyself Vppon the Sunday called Oculi or the third Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle Ephes v. BEe you the followers of God as deere chyldren and walke in loue euen as Chryste loued vs and gaue himself for vs an offeryng and a sacrifice of a sweet sauour too god As for fornication and all vnclennesse or couetousnesse let it not bee once mamed among you as it becommeth Sainctes or fylthynesse or foolish talkyng or iesting which are not comely but rather giuyng of thankes For this yee know that no whoremonger eyther vncleane persone or couetous persone which is a worshipper of ymages hath any inheritaunce in the kyngdome of Chryste and of god Let no man deceyue you with vayne wordes For bycause of such thyngs cōmeth the wrath of God vppon the chyldren of disobedience Be not yee therfore companions of them Yee were sometymes darknesse but nowe are yee lyght in the Lord walke as chyldren of lyght for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in all goodnesse and ryghtuousnesse and truthe Accept that whiche is pleasing vntoo the Lorde and haue no fellowship with the vnfruiteful workes of darknesse but rather rebuke them For it is a shame euen too name those things which are done of them in secrete but all things when they are brought foorth by the lyght are manifest ▪ For whatsoeuer is manifest the same is light wherfore he sayeth awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from death and Chryste shall gyue thee lyght The disposement THe state of this Epistle is an Exhortation too newe obedience or too good woorkes by name it giueth preceptes of these thrée vertues 1 Of the loue of God and a mannes neyghbour 2 Of chastitie which shunneth whordome filthynesse and all vnclennesse 3 Of frankhartednesse or liberalitie esche wing couetousnesse which is the seruice of Idols And in this exhortation ▪ Paule vseth six Argumentes of which the first is gathered 1 Of the example of God. 2 Of the dutie of children 3 Of the exāple of Chryste who hath loued vs in such wyse that he hath giuen himselfe too bée an offring and sacrifice for vs. 4 Of the comlynesse as it beséemeth the Saints 5 Of the punishements of wickednesse For these things commeth the wrath of God vppon all that bée disobedient 6 Of the finall cause Therefore are yée deliuered out of the darknesse of sinne and endued with a newe lyght and with the holy Ghost that yée should exercise gentlenesse vpryghtnesse and truthe This disposement of the principall members of this Epistle being considered there may a twoo or thrée of the notabler places bée the easlyer picked out and entreated of An exhortation too newnesse of lyfe or too good woorkes in generall MAny when they héere that a man deserueth not forgyuenesse of sinnes by his good woorkes what néede wée say they to employ any studie or care to doo well Therefore let vs giue our selues ouer to all entycements of pleasure and sinne The wicked and horrible talke of these men is playnly confuted by Paule in this Epistle Wée are not able by our vertues to deserue forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall lyfe but the only sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryste hathe obteyned these moste hygh benefites for vs by his obedience and death Neuerthelesse there are other foure ryght weightye causes for whiche wée ought too stryue ageynst the entycementes of sinne and to exercyse ryghtuousnesse truthe liberalitie chastitie and other vertues First necessitie of the commaundement and the det For this purpose were men created by God and afterward redeemed
sort of the fathers prophets that were raised with him as Mathew saith that many bodies of Sainctes which had slept rose with Chryst and came intoo the holy Citie and were séene of many And Epiphanius declareth that our first father Adam arose with Christ It is a good likelyhode therfore that these Saincts which rose age in with Chryst were the first fathers prophets too whō the promis was first made of the séed that shuld crush the serpents hed and vanquishe sin death restore ryghteousnesse and life euer lasting as Adam Abel Seth Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Eue Sara Rebecca c. With these did Christ and his Apostles and Mary the moother of Christ and other godly folke of that time talke toogither by the space of ful xl dayes concerning the kingdom of God diuine reuelations the fal of the first man the promis of the séed the wonderful gathering and defending of the Church the ministerie of the Gospel the redemption of mankynd the restoremēt of rightuousnesse euerlasting lyfe as is expresly said in this place Hee was visibly conuersant with them by the space of xl dayes talking of the kingdome of God. Also the contentes summe of these sermons of Chrystes which he made those xl dayes are noted in Luk. xxiiij where it is written that he expounded al the testimonies cōcerning Christ which are writtē in Moyses the Psalms the prophets cōmanded repentāce forgiuenesse of sinnes too bée preached in his name Iohn xx As my father sent mée so send I you Receiue yée the holy Ghost c. And in Math. xxviij and Mark. xvj the commission of preaching the gospel and of Baptim are repeted After this scholing by the space of xl dayes in which by many most cléere certein credit woorthy and vnfallible testimonies he shewed himself too bée risen in his own very body and in very déede and that the doctrine of the Gospell concerning the kingdome of God is true and from heauen He led his Disciples intoo Bethanie and from thence to Mount Oliuet where lifting vp his handes he had his Disciples farewel Luke xxiiij and in most gloryous tryumph accompanyed with an innumerable multitude of Angels and with that great train of holy fathers which were risen with him was caryed vp intoo heauen in the sight of his Disciples wher he hath set himselfe downe at the ryght hand of God reigning in equal power and maiestie with God the father almightie j. Pet. iij. Mark. xvj Act j. Luk ▪ xxiiij And too the setting foorth of this storie of Chrystes Ascension let the description of his tryumphe ascending intoo heauen hée added which is written by Dauid in the Psal lxviij The chariot of God with thousands of thousands reioysing God is among them vppon the holy hill of Sinai He is ascended intoo heauen he hath led captiuitie captiue he hathe giuen gifts too men Our God is the God of saluacion our Lord is the Lord that deliuereth out of death For like as they that tryumphed at Rome were caryed in tryumphant Charyot through the Citie too the Capitoll vppon which attended many thousandes of men and Kings and Princes were ledde before the Charyot as prisoners and rewardes were woont too bee giuen among the Souldyoures So the Psalme peynteth out Chryste the conquerour of Death and the Diuels kingdome sitting in a triumphant Charyot too bée caryed vp intoo heauen before a greate hoste of the Churche of that tyme wyth clappyng of hāds of thousand thousands of Angels and the féends and all the kingdome of hell too bée led prisoners before his charyot as it is sayd in the second too the Collossians that hée spoyled rule and power and made a shewe of them openly and tryumphed ouer them in his owne persone and most large and bountifull giftes of the holy Ghost and of euerlasting saluation bée poured out by the king Chryste who gyueth some too bée Apostles some Prophetes some Shepherdes and some Teachers too the intent wée may all come intoo the vnitie of fayth and of the acknowledgement of the sonne of God as is sayd more at large Ephes iiij The second place VVEe will recite six of the chéef benefites of our Lorde Iesu Chryst builded vppon this saying of the psalme cited by Paule Ephe. iiij He ascended vp aloft led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts too men The first and peculiar benefite of Chryste the Redéemer ascending vp aloft is too deliuer the Church from the captiuitie of sinne death the Diuell and the whole kingdome of Hell wherein all men are hild prisoners That Chryst hath brought this deliuerance too passe he sheweth euidently when by the power of his Godhead hauing vāquished death and the kingdome of the Diuell he ascendeth intoo heauen and leadeth captiuitie captiue Psal 68. Ephe. iiij Hereuntoo may bée referred the like texts out of Zachar. ix Thou hast brought the prisoners out of the pit Ose ix I will rid them from the hand of death I will redeeme them from death O death I will bée thy death O Hell I will bée thy sting Psal xiij ▪ Who shall giue saluation too Israell out of Sion when the Lord shall haue turned away the captiuitie of his people Psal lxxxiiij Thou hast turned away the captiuitie of Iacob Secondly he ascended intoo heauen too the intent that executing his peculiar office of Mediatorship and hygh Préest in his owne very temple he may make intercession for his Church too the eternall father and performe the duetie of an aduocate and Patrone as it is sayd Hebr. ix Chryste is entred intoo heauen it selfe that he may appéere in the syght of God for vs Roma viij Chryste being raysed from death sitteth at the right hand of the father too make intercession for vs j. Iohn ij If any man sin wée haue an Aduocate with God the father euen Iesus Chryst the ryghtuouse Hebr. iiij Therfore séeing wée haue a hygh Préest who hath perced the heauens euen Iesus the sonne of God c. Let vs approche with boldnesse too the throne of grace that wée may receiue mercie Thirdly he is ascēded aloft that he may giue gifts vntoo men namely that vppon such as beléeue the gospell he may poure out the holy ghost who kyndleth true knowledge and calling vppon God in all the godly and garnisheth the church with sundrie gifts néedful to the spredding abrode of the gospell and sendeth foorth Apostles Euangelistes Shepherdes and Teachers intoo the woorke of the Ministerie for the restorement of the Saints c. Ephe. iiij Fourthly by Christes ascension intoo heauen the way thither is set open for vs also And like as Chryste in his own bodye or in his humane flesh is ascended intoo heauen where his godhead was before So our bodyes being raysed out of the dust of the earth vnto immortall life shalbée caried vp into heauē and there bée garnished with euerlasting life and glorie j. Thes iiij Those
ministerie of the Gospell or other offices for whiche they fynde themselues farre vnsufficient For it is most true which Paule sayeth Wee are not able to thinke a good thought of our selues as of our selues And so is also this of Ieremies I know Lord y it is not in mannes power to direct his owne waye Ageinst this temptation whiche often times vexeth the harts of vs al let vs set Gods commandment who biddeth vs obey his calling vppon trust of his helpe and the promises of God assuring vs of his helpe and of successe to the welfare of all those that bring faithfulnesse with them to the executing of all the dueties of their vocation And this woord Faithfulnesse comprehendeth in the ministerie of teachyng the congregation or a schoole these foure vertues 1. First a conuenient good skill in the Christen doctrine and a continual endeuer to lerne and encrease his knowledge For lyke as a practitioner that is ignorant of lechcrafte is not a faythfull Physitian but a deceyuer euen so he that hath not learned the chéefe poyntes of the doctrine that concerneth God is not a faythfull stewarde or minister of Christ 2 Secondly Heedfulnesse and diligence too bée performed in al the poyntes of ministration before mencioned and chéefly in teaching after this manner First that hauing a Catechisme or summe of the christen doctrine lernedly distributed intoo certeyn places hée beate it continually and busily intoo his héerers heades requireth an account of them what they haue caryed away Secondly that in expounding the Gospels or Epistles he apply all his expositions to suche places of the Catechisme as make vp the body of the doctrine And afterward let him imploye the doctrine too the kindelyng of some effectes in the myndes of the godly as too Fayth Inuocation repentance pacience c. 3 Constantnesse in professing the true doctrine and in the mysterie 4 Fourthely continuall and earnest requesting and crauing of Gods helpe Vppon the .iiij. Sunday in Aduent ¶ The Epistle Philip. iiij REioyce in the Lord alway and agein I say reioyce Let youre softnesse be knowne too all men the Lord is euen at hand Be carefull for nothing but in all prayer and supplication let your petitions bee manifest vntoo God with giuing of thaÌ„ks And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe youre hartes and mindes through Chryst Iesu The disposement AS short as this Epistle is it conteyneth many notable places and of very large compasse 1 Of peace and ioy of conscience settled in God. 2 Of méeknesse 3 Of fayth assuring vs that God is with vs eschuing thought which ryseth vppon distrust 4 Of true Prayer and Thanksgiuing vntoo God. The first place GOd hath created mannes nature after such a sort that when the good which the hart coueteth is graunted it settleth and is glad For it was his will that mens harts should before al things settle vpon the souerayn good that is to wit God and to ioy in the same Now the Christen ioy of which Paule speaketh héere is not a rysing of the mynde vppon trust of his owne goodes as Seneca defineth it but it is a calmenesse and gladnesse of the hart rysing vpon Gods most certeyne promyses and comforts wherwith the hart béeing assured beleeueth certeinly that he is in Gods fauor for Chrystes sake and that God is with vs helpeth vs and will imparte ioy and lyfe euerlastyng vnto vs This definition wil bée the cléerlyer vnderstoode by laying toogither examples of mens ioyes whiche Virgile decketh with a speciall tytle in the sixth booke of his Aeneas For thou knowest howe wée spent the laste nyght in false ioyes Euery one of vs doo leade this lyfe as long as it is in excéedyng greate darkenesse and daunger And the vngodly are ignoraunt of the true good things and of the true comfortes bycause they doo despyse the lyghte of the Gospell One ioyeth in pleasures as the Epicures of whom there is moste nowe adays The Nigaâ—â— séeketh money as the true ioy The Ambitious man gapeth after honor The wittie sort hunt for learning and glory Other some with great trauel séeke the defence of fréends and riches And when any of these things are forgone all the ioye is gone As long as Pompey ruled the rost and was lord of all men he was mery at the harte But as soone as he was vanquithed by Cesar he found that al worldly things were but deceiueable ioyes As long as Cicero hath luckie successe and gouerneth the common weale with singular commendation he is glad and ioyfull But when Augustus is made freend with Antonie whome he would haue dispatched out of the way and that he sées he muste néedes dye he hath no more ioy but cryeth out O vnwise man that I am and nothing lesse than that which I was somtyme falsly thought to hée O the madnesse of my doting olde age But Christen folke in the very extremitie of trouble and in the middes of death are able to reioyce in the Lord with a true hart bycause they know they stand in Gods fauour they know that God is to be obeyed in tribulation they know for a certentie that a ioyfull issue shall ensue And therefore Steuen went to his death with a glad hart and eased his harmes with hope Laurence lying vppon the gréedyron laugheth at the tirant Decius and skorneth him to his head And Simeon sayth Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace according to thy word This is the true and substantiall ioy settled in the Lord and rysing vppon Gods promise which refresheth and strengthneth mens harts in all perills The second place WHeras the latine interpreter hath translated it Modestia vestra not a sit omnibus Let youre modestie or softnesse be knowne to all men the gréeke worde is Epiceia a vertue of the fifth commaundement and comprehendeth pacience méekenesse pitie myldenesse mercy treatablenesse and suche other neyghbour vertues And therfore the definitions causes effects and examples of these vertues and the vices that encounter them may bée conueyed from the exposition of the fifth Commaundement vntoo this place The third place FAyth is a perceyueraunce of all the Articles of the doctrine deliuered by God an assent to the same wherby wée embrace the whole doctrine And it is a truste certeinly assuring vs that the Lorde is at hande and that although sorowes daungers persecutions and other calamities hang ouer vs yet it persuadeth a man for a certeintie that God is with him and helpeth him and will bring them to a quiet ende Therefore it quayleth not through thought and distruste that it should eyther gad after worldly helpes or yet despayre like as Moyses staÌ„ding at the red sea although he saw no meane of deliueueraunce yet beleeueth he that God is at hand and so he is not discouraged with pensiuenesse So sayth the Psalme though thousands of men compasse mée about yet wil I not
losse of lyfe for a mannes stedfastnesse in standing too the true and vncorrupt doctrine of Chryst Cōmonly they make difference that those are confessors which haue endured hatred terrours imprisonmentes and some other hurts of the body for confessing Chryste but yet haue not bin put too death as the holy men Athanasius Paphnutius Macarius Iohn Frederick Duke of Sanonie Luther and such others And those are Martyrs that haue spent their blud their lyfe in their confession as Saint Steuen the most of the Apostles Ignatius Bishop of Antioche who was cast vntoo beasts by Traiane Attalus who was rosted vppon a spit at Lyons in the tyme of the Emperour Antonie Vere Vincent who was most cruelly rent a péeces in Spayne by Diocletian Laurence who was broyled vppon a gréedyron by the Emperour Decius Boniface Byshoppe of Mentz who was put too death by the Fryselanders the yéere of Christ 775 Iohn Hus And in our dayes many are slayne for y truthes sake and by cruell woounds doo purchace a noble death The efficient causes are FIrst the holy Ghost the conforter who reléeueth our infirmitie and kindleth in our hartes a myndfulnesse of Gods most streight commaundement too prefer our profession before lyfe and all worldly things and of the promises of lyfe and glorie that shall ensew Ageyn he addeth strength to the will and hart that they may bée both willing and able to endure bodily punishements reproche and death for our professions sake Secondly the woord of God which both enioyneth profession and threateneth the renouncers with most sore manaces of casting away for euer and offereth promises of lyfe glory and crowne euerlasting too those that constantly professe Chrysts truthe Math. x. He that denyeth mée before men him will I also denye before my Father whiche is in heauen ij Cor. iiij The lightnesse of affliction for the twincling of an eye purchaceth an euerlasting weyghtynesse of glorie Psal Cxv. Precious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saincts ij Timoth. Now is there a crowne of rightuousnesse layd vp for mée Thirdly mannes mynd thinking vppon Gods commaūdement and the promises of the Crowne of eternall glorie wherewith the constant witnesses of the true doctrine shall bée adorned And his will and hart which through the help and furtherance of the holy Ghost beléeueth the promises and conceyuing an assured hope of immortalitie and glorie euerlasting endureth death quietly and with a chéerefull mynd as is sayd of Steuen He went reioycing in his brest and through strong hope his harmes supprest Besides these thrée causes of stedfastnesse common too all Martyrs there is another also in Steuen the first Martyr namely the singular comfort by beholding the Sonne of God who shewed himself visibly vntoo him By which shewing wée also may lerne this that the sonne of God sitting at the right hand of the Father is not vtterly gone away from the Church but is in deed present with it regarding it comforting it defending it and helping it like as he is here present with Steuen at his death refreshing and strengthning him by shewing himself too him that he may with a glad chéerfull mynd suffer death for Chrysts quarell and receyue a crowne of glorie that shall neuer wither The matter wherabout martyrdoome is occupied is the true and vncorrupt doctrine set foorth in the Gospel concerning the persone and benefits of Chryst and concerning the true woorshipping of god For as sayeth Apollinaris wheras Chrystes truthe is not there is no true martyrdoome And the saying of Peter is knowen Sée that none of you suffer as a murtherer or an euill dooer c. and Austins not what any man suffereth but wherfore he suffereth is too bée considered Also Ciprians It is the cause that maketh a Martyr and not the martyrdoome Therefore are not mad-braynd felowes too bée honored with the tytle of martyrdoomme which are iustly put too death for their sedition and manifest blasphemies The forme of martyrdoome is the confession of y truth or the witnesse which is borne too the truthe both by the lyuely voyce and by the bludshed and death of the partye The ends effects of martyrdome are these First Gods glorie which is set out and spred far abrode by the witnessebearings of the Martyrs Secondly the preseruation of the true doctrine concerning god For onlesse there should from tyme too tyme bée stirred vp some Martyrs or witnesses of the true doctrine who in the persecutions of Tyrants should preferre the professiō of the truthe before their own lyfe within a whyle the true knowledge of GOD vppon earth would bée quite quenched with ▪ Idolatrie and errours Thirdly that the weaker sort are strengthened and the Churche enlarged by the example of the constancie of the Martyrs The church was founded vppon blud and by blud hath it encreaced Fourthly that the deathes of the Martyrs may bée witnesses of the certeintie of the doctrine of the Gospell lyke as Steuen by his bludshed and death sealeth vp the doctrine concerning the Messias promised too the Fathers and now performed Fifthly that they may bée witnesse of the immortalitie of the iudgment too come wherin Tyrants and Hipocrites shall bée cast intoo endlesse paynes and the holy Martyrs bée honored with euerlasting rewards Sixtly that the godly may not lose the forgiuenesse of sinnes which they haue receyued and the inheritance of euerlasting saluation Math. xxiiij He that continueth too the end shal bee saufe Rom. x. By the mouth is acknowledgement made too saluation The Alyances or neybourvertues of martyrdoome are Stedfastnesse Stoutnesse in bearing out aduersities Patience Continaunce and in especially earnest fayth hope and calling vppon God. The thing that fyghts ageinst martyrdoome is reuolting or renouncing of the true doctrine which eyther procéedeth of an epicurish skornfulnesse and malice as the reuolting of the Emperour Iulian or ryseth of fearfulnesse and infirmitie of mynde as the renyall of Peter and of many others or else is committed in fact as when those that vnderstand the true doctrine of the Gospell are present at the Idolatrous seruice of the Masse and dissemble their méening or when wée beare about the Gospell in our mouth and yet aunswer not too our profession in lyfe and behauiour Vppon the Sunday next after Christmas day ¶ The Epistle Gal. iiij AND I say that the heire as long as he is a chyld differeth not from a seruant though he bee Lord of al but is vnder tutours and gouernours vntill the tyme that the father hath appointed Euen so we also when we were children were in bondage vnder the ordinances of the world but when the tyme was full come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made bond vnto the law to redeeme them which were bond vntoo the law that we through election might receyue the inheritaunce that belongeth vntoo the naturall sonnes
our enemies the Diuell sinne and the accusatiō of the Lawe or the handwryting of our conscience and of the subduing of these dooth he make his shewe Of this most high benefite of Chrystes resurrection speaketh Paule the greatnesse whereof no tung of man is able too vtter All goods all Lordshippes all kingdomes are nothing in comparison of this benefite For whereas all men must néedes dye yet shall those that flée vntoo Christs death and Resurrection with fayth bée deliuered from death and shall bée crowned with ryghtuousnesse lyfe and glorie euerlasting The second benefite is true comfort and ioy of hart in all miseries too those that vphold themselues with assured hope of the resurrection and the euerlasting lyfe with Chryst Art thou poore despysed sick bannished c Chryste who is rysen from death will defend thée comfort thée gouerne thée and at length render thée eternall lyfe All men saeke and wonderously couet gladnesse and ioy in this lyfe and comfort in aduersitie The couetous pesone delyghteth more in his monye than in god The Marchantman ioyeth in his gayne Kings and Princes make warres too enlarge their Dominions that they may afterward take their pleasure with ease But there is but only one ioy and comfort that is stedye namely Chryst rysing from death and raysing vs vp toogither with himself and quickening vs. The third benefite is Resurrection of our bodyes wherof wée will by Gods helpe entreate too morowe Of the third place THe true kéeping of the Easter feast is all the whole time of our lyfe too acknowledge Chryst our passeouer offered for vs taking vppon him the sinnes of the world and earnestly too repent vs of our sinnes which are put ouer too this Lamb and in our anguishes whiche ryse by the féeling of Gods wrath or by beholding our own sinnes death or other calamities stedely too beléeue that Chryst our passeouer is offered vp for vs and that our sinnes are taken away by this Lamb of God And that euen after wée bée dead wée shall doutlesse bée restored too lyfe and ioy euerlasting with Chryst And too the intent wée may bée thankfull too Chryste for these his so excéeding great benefites wée must ageine on the other syde with reuerent mynd and voyce set them foorth and so frame and gouerne our whole lyfe all our intentes endeuers and dooings that they may please Christ and agrée with his will and woord In this méening Paule sayeth that too kéepe the passeouer is all one as too purge the old leuen that is too say sinne or the old man or forworne false opinions concerning God lustes vicious inclinations affections and out ward actions fyghting ageinst the Lawe of God. He boroweth his maner of spéeche of the Iewish Passenuer in which they were compelled for seuen dayes toogither too eate vnleuened or swéete bread wherevppon it was also called the feast of swéete bread And thereuppon commeth the custome the is vsed at this day too distribute vnleuened bread in the Lordes Supper Also oftentymes elsewhere in the scripture Leuen betokeneth false doctrine or faultie behauiour and sinnes which make other folks the woorse marre or make sower all the meale or lump of dowe Paule therefore willeth the old leuen too bée purged away that is too wit that false doctrine and other sinnes shuld bée cast out and taken away by repentance That yee may ▪ bee new dowe that is too say a newe lump or new men sprinkled and clenzed with the precious blud of the Lamb Chryst and hauing new lyght new ryghtuousnesse and new obedience acceptable too God. As yee are sweet bread that is too say vnleuened or without the leuen of sinne or rightuouse and holy namely by imputation of Chrystes ryghtuousnesse holynesse and by beginning new obedience but not as yet by accomplishing it And therefore there is as yet néede of continuall purging the remnaunts of sinne There remayne in al the Sainctes in this lyfe great weakenesse and much filthynesse of sinne The mynde is still steyned with the dregges of the leuen of many doutings and false imaginations concerning God ageinst whiche those that bée borne ageine by the holy Ghoste doo kéepe continuall warre by helpe of the holy Ghoste Fayth feare loue of GOD and the reste of vertues are verye faint and féeble in the will. And on the contrarie part there bée many sinfull inclinations and vehement enforcementes too carelessenesse distrust and pride many burning flames and heates of leawde lustes and many furious fyers of affections in the hart ageinst which they stryue that are regenerated by the holy Ghost These dregges and filthynesse of the old leuen dooth sainct Paule will vs too clenze out continually during our whole lyfe and in the meane whyle too assure our selues by fayth that though wée bée bothe vnworthy and vncleane yet for the sonne of GOD our Passeouer offered vp for vs who is the roof that couereth our filthynesse wée are thorough excéeding great mercye receyued and by imputation of his clennesse and holynesse vntoo vs are accepted for pure swéet bread that is too say for ryghtuouse and holy as fully as if there remayned no dregges at all of the old Leuen in vs But wée haue spoken of this principall méening of this Epistle a little before Nowe let vs go thorough with the Exhortation too the true kéeping of this Feaste of Passeouer Therfore let vs make good cheere In the Gréeke it is Heortazomen which is as much too say as let vs kéepe holy-day eyther of the woord Rhezo too doo holy things or of the woord Agora which is a congregation or assembly or else of the woord Ageiro which signifyeth too come toogither or too assemble Heortazein therefore signifyeth not too eate or too drinke and too spend the tyme in fond and slouthful ydlenesse but too celebrate a feastfull day or too allowe a Saboth or too assemble too the ministration of the Gospell too héere the doctrine concerning the persone and benefites of the Lamb Iesus Chryste who suffered for vs and is rysen ageyne too haue a féeling of Repentance too beléeue that wée are accepted of GOD for this onely Lambes sake And vppon trust of this Lamb too demaund and looke for all good things at gods hand too acknowledge him too giue him thanks too mortifie the remnantes of the leuen or of sinne sticking still in vs and with new lyght righteousnesse and obedience too glorifye God both all the tyme of this lyfe and euermore Not with old leuē that is too say not with folowing sinne ageinst conscience Nor in the leuen of maliciousnesse wickednesse that Gréek woord Kakia is a general name of al vyce signifyeth the sins of ouersyght or doone willingly which are cōmitted by negligence lyghtnesse or wantonnesse As Honorius offendeth through negligence or slouthfulnesse Yea and sometyme euen a good man may doo amisse and yet bée a good man still But the woord Poneria is
the necessary dueties of his vocation and ruleth all his sayings and behauiours by graue iudgement True glorying or boasting is as Paule defineth it the witnesse of our owne conscience too acknowledge and mainteine the rightuousnesse of a good conscience and Gods gifts and the vertues wel doings and successes giuen vs of God and too set our selues ageinst the lesings of slaunderers that God may bée glorified and other folkes may not bée withdrawne from the ministerie by our misreport dishonestie but rather may bée allured too the knowledge of the gospell and too true godlynesse by the auouchment of our good name and our good examples Paule therefore sayeth that he is vnwoorthy the name of an Apostle that is too wit as in respect of his owne desert or as perteyning too his owne infirmitie and sinnes And agein he gloryeth that he hath labored more than they all that is too wit as in respect of the giftes and good successe of his vocation giuen vntoo him by the frée fauor and ayd of God. The sixth place COncerning the frée fauor and help of God néedfull too the ryght and prosperous performance of all the woorkes of our vocation And also concerning the difference of Gods grace woorking in vs and with vs which the schooles haue taken out of this place of Paules is spoken in the .xxv. and xxvj distinctions of the second booke of sentences Vppon the twelfth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle ij Cor. iij. SVch trust haue wee thorowe Chryst too God-ward not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God which hath made vs able too minister the new Testament not of the letter but of the sprite For the letter killeth but the sprite gyueth life If the ministration of death thorowe the letters figured in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not beholde the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory is done away why shal not the ministration of the sprite be much more glorious For if the ministring of condemnation bee glorious much more doth the ministration of ryghteousnesse exceede in glory For no dout that vvhich vvas there glorifyed is not once glorifyed in respecte of thys exceedyng glorye For if that vvhich is destroyed vvas gloryous muche more shall that which remaineth bee glorious Seeing then that wee haue such trust wee vse great boldnesse and do not as Moises which put a vaile ouer his face that the children of Israell should not see for what purpose that serued which is put away But theyr mindes wer blinded For vntil this day remaineth the same couering vntaken away in the olde testament when they read it which vaile in Chrystis put away But euen vntoo this day when Moses is read that vaile hangeth before their harts Neuerthelesse when they turne to the Lord the vaile shall bee takē away The Lord no doubt is a spryte And where the sprite of the Lord is there is libertie But wee all beehold in a myrror the glory of the Lord with his face open and are changed vntoo the same similitude from glory to glory euen of the sprite of the Lord. The disposement THis Epistle is of those kynd that instruct for it is a Doctrine concerning the ministerie of the Gospell The cheefe places are three 1 Of the effectualnesse of the ministration of the gospell by which there is a new light or knowledge of God new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe kindled in the harts of the héerers 2 Of the efficient cause of conuersion or quickening and of all spirituall dooings that are stirred vp in vs by the Gospell 3 Of the letter and the spirite or the difference of the ministracion of the old testament and the new or of the law and the gospell Now forasmuche as the manner of spéeche and phrase in this whole third Chapter of the second Epistle too the Corinthians is somewhat darke and vneasie I wil toogither with the exposition of the places declare the full text of the whole chapter in a bréefe paraphrasis The first place concerning the effectualnesse of the ministration of the Gospell THe most part of the second Epistle too the Corinthians is spent in this auouchment which Paul setteth ageinst the slaunders of the false Apostles I auouch that I Paule am not a deceyuer or a huckster that corrupteth the truthe for ambition or gaines sake but a faythfull minister and that I haue faythfully deliuered too you the sincere and pure Doctrine of the Gospell vvythout corrupting it Concerning this auouchment he appealeth too the Corinthians themselues for record in the béeginning of this Chapter You are our Epistle vvritten in our hart vvhich is knowne and red of all men in that yee are manifested too bee the Epistle of Chryst ministred by vs and vvritten not vvith inke but vvith the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshly Tables of the hart As if a man should say I confirme not myne auouchment with forreine and farre fet testimonials or letters of commendation in behalfe of my ministerie But you your selues beare witnesse with mée in my harte that I haue deliuered vntoo you the vncorrupted woorde of the Gospell faithfully as long as all men know and see that you hauing forsaken vngodlynesse and heathenish Idolles are turned too the true knowledge of Chryst by my ministration and as long as you your selues shew that your harts are Chrystes Epistle or the tables wherin Chryst himself is imprinted dwelling in you and woorking in you that there is kindled in you true knowledge of God new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe by the spirit of the liuing God who is effectuall by my ministerie And so the liuely law and obedience agréeing with Gods law is not grauē in tables of stone or in the tables of Moyses wherin were grauen the letters or words of the law written with the finger of God but in your fleshly or obedient hartes with the finger or spirite of the liuing God as is said Ier. xxxj I will put my law in their mindes and in their harts will I wryte it This effectualnesse of my ministerie is an euident token that I am a faithful minister of the gospel and that the woord of the gospel sounding in the mouth of mée and of all faithfull ministers is not a fond tale or emptie woords and a fable as good as a sick mans dreame but a thing effectual that worketh saluation in déede too euery one that beléeueth as is sayd Rom. j. Let such like testimonies full of cōfort bée alwayes in sight which auouche that the church is verely gathered too God by the voyce of the gospel and that by this ministerie God woorketh in déede and imparteth the true knowledge of himself ryghtuousnesse lyfe euerlasting too those that beléeue j. thess. ij Yée haue receiued not the woord of man but as it was in déede the woord of God which
causes why it behooueth our redéemer too bée both God man are twelue which I haue gathered out of the booke of Athanasius concerning the incarnation recited them in another place First it behooued him too be man For like as the impe that is graffed into a trée is borne by the trée and taketh sap and life of it euen so our humane nature shuld haue vtterly perished bin brought to nothing like as the body perisheth that is forsaken of the soule yf the masse of our nature were not vphild and mainteyned by the sonne of God the woorde Secondly forasmuch as man had sinned the order of Iustice required that man should aby the penaltie On the other side it behooued him to bée God that he might be able to pay the full pryce and to vanquish sinne and death and to restore rightuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting The matter wherof the sonne of God our Immanuell tooke mans nature is the virgine Marie according as Esay interpreting the first promis of the séede and the prophesie of Iacob concerning Siloh that is to say the Virgins issue sayeth in this place behold a Virgin shall conceyue and bring forth a Sonne For in asmuch as of the mixture of the séede of man and woman is engendred a nature defiled with sinne according as it is sayde In sinne hath my Mother conceyued mee it was the will of Christ our Immanuell whom it behooued to be vndefiled and faultlesse to bée borne not of the séede of man but onely of the Virgins séede halowed and clenzed by the holy Ghost The manner of this wonderfull cuppling or vnion of the twoo natures is expressed with lightsome and most weyghtie wordes in the Créede of Athanasius The righte fayth therefore is that wée beléeue and confesse that our Lord Iesus Christ is very God and very man God of the substance of the Father begotten before all worldes and man of the substance of his mother borne in the world c. The endes and effectes of Christes conception are described in the two names of Immanuell and Iesus For Christ is called Immanuell that is to say God with vs not only for the taking vppon him of our nature but also bycause he is our patrone and aduocate not accusing and condēning vs any more but stāding on our side couering excusing and defending vs embracing vs with brotherly good will and receyuing vs to the felowship of al heauenly good things according as is sayd in these verses Christ is aright our Immanuell not only because he is bloud of our bloud now and flesh of our flesh alike But for that to the Father in heauen for vs al he becōming our Preest and patrone offreth a sweete sacrifise And for that with an earnest zeale of loue he receyueth all that long for his help or couet health at his hand The other name which the Angell Gabriell interpreting this place of Esay attributeth too Christe is Iesus which is as much to say as a sauiour or deliuerer And in déede the highest benefite of all that redound to vs by Christes incarnacion or conception is deliueraunce from sinne from Gods wrath and from curse of the law and the giuing of rightuousnesse saluacion life euerlasting Too the setting foorth of this benefite may all the sayings of the Gospell bée referred out of the whole scripture Of kin to this wonderfulll vnion of the twoo natures in Christ may these things bée named namely the similitudes and shadowes of that wonderfull alyance which are settled in nature That is to wit the vnion of the reasonable soule and of the body in man The coniunction of the Christall humor and the spirite of sight whiche is as it were a little fire in the apple of ones eye And also a péece of iron or stéele red whot The things that fight ageynst it are the chéef errours wherewith the doctrine concerning the conception or incarnacion of the sonne of God is corrupted by the heretikes Valentine Apelles Marcion Nestorius Eutyches Apollinarius and other The Antheme vppon the day of the Annunciation of our Lady sainct Marie THis is the day whiche the Lorde hath made This day hath the Lord looked vppon the affliction of his people and sent redemption This day hath the séede of a woman chased away the death whiche a woman first brought in This day is God become man continuing still the same thing that he was and taking vppon him that which he was not Therfore let vs deuoutly hallow the beginning of our redemption and let vs leape for ioy saying Glory bée to thée O lord This day is God become man This day is God become man c. Vppon the feastday of Iohn Baptist The song of Zacharie ¶ The Epistle Luc. j. BLessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raysed vp an horne of saluation vnto vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophetes which were since the world began That wee should be saued from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs. To fulfill the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remēber his holy couenaunt And to performe the othe whiche he sware to our Father Abraham for to geue vs. That we deliuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him without feare all the dayes of our lyfe in holynesse and rightuousnesse before him And thou childe shalt be called the Prophete of the hyest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord too prepare his wayes And too geue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of sinnes Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day spring from an hie hath visited vs. To giue light to them that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our fete into the way of peace The disposement THis song of Zacharie perteyneth too the demonstratiue kind For it is a thanks giuing wherby Zacharie setteth out this excéeding great benefite of God for that according too his promises made too Dauid and Abraham he sendeth Chryst the redéemer too deliuer men from sinne from death and from the Diuels tyrannie and too giue them lyght lyfe and soule health euerlasting The partes of this song are two In the first viij verses be setteth out the benefite of the sending of Chryst And in the last foure verses he entreateth of the office of Iohn Baptist and therwithall of Chrystes benefites also Blissed bee the Lord God of Israell who hath visited and redeemed his people The proposition I thanke the Lord the only true GOD who hath discouered himselfe among the people of Israell by his woorde and by assured witnesse of miracles that he hath exhibited Chryst the redéemer according too the promises made too the fathers The woord blisse signifieth ere whiles too wish good too one and ere whiles too praise or glorifie As in the
by the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that they should obey God and set foorth his glorie by liuing vertuously Ephe. ij Wée are his woorke created to doo good woorkes And an eyghtdayes ago wee haue herd this is y wil of God euen that you should bée holy Iohn .v. This is my coÌ„maundement that you loue one another And in this Epistle Bée yée the folowers of God walke in louingnesse as the sonnes of lyght walke yée Therfore are yee deliuered from the darknesse of not knowing God and from the darknesse of sinne and by the Gospell lyghtened with the lyght of knowyng God aryght and endued with the holy Ghoste that yee should liue in new knowledge of God in rightuousnesse in purenesse in dooing of good turnes in truthe and in all other vertues agréeing with the wil of god Nither may al precepts concerning good woorks bee referred Secondly necessitie of eschewing peynes present eternall which vnchaungeably accompanye such as are defiled with sinnes ageinst conscience as in this Epistle there bée moste gréeuous threates Knowe ye this that no whoremonger and vncleane persone or couetous persone whiche is an Idolater haue inheritauÌ„ce in the kingdome of Christ and of god Let no man deceyue yée with vayne talke that is too wit that simple fornication couetousnesse and vsurie are no sinnes for these things commeth Gods wrath that is too say horrible plages vppon the disobedient The horriblenesse of this threatning may bée amplified by expounding the weightynesse of the woords and putting too of like sayings and examples gathered out of the Historie of the whole world Thirdly the necessitie of holding fast fayth Gods grace the holy Ghoste and euerlasting lyfe For all these good things are shaken of by euill woorkes or simes ageinst conscience Fourthly the rewardes of good woorkes promised by God .j. Tim. iiij Godlynesse hath promises of the present lyfe and of the lyfe too come For although remission of sinnes eternall lyfe bée giuen fréely for Chrysts sake onely yet are good woorkes recompénsed with other most bountefull rewardes as well ghostly as bodyly both in this lyfe and in the euerlasting lyfe And Paule giueth commaundement by name concerning loue of our neyghboure which repressing bitternesse yrefulnesse backbyting and all malice honoreth wel dooing mercye and frankhartednesse towardes others For the beginning of the fifth Chapter too the Ephesians hangeth too this part of the fourth chapter Therfore all the whole summe of the doctrine concerning the loue towards a mannes neyghbour c may bée conueyed hither out of the exposition of the first fifth and seuenth commaundements Concerning Chastitie whiche escheweth whordome vnclennesse and filthynesse matter too entreate off may bée taken out of the methodicall exposition of Chastitie whiche I haue registred in the sixth commaundement Concerning Couetousnesse which fyghteth with the first and .vij. commaundements let doctrine bée sought out of the declaration of the vertues of the .vij. commaundement Concerning the sacrifice of Chryst who offered him selfe for vs too the father an oblation and sacrifyce of swéete sent wée will speake about a fortnight hence vppon the Sunday called Iudica Now will I bréefly expound the text Bee yee folowers of God therefore that is too say in loue benefiting .j. Iohn iiij Héerin is Loue not that wée haue loued God but that he hath loued vs and hath sent his sonne too bée a reconcylement for our sinnes Déerbeloued if God haue loued vs so wée also must loue one another GOD is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Walke in loue toward God and your neyghbour Too walke is too liue or to rule the will and outward dooings in suche wyse that wée may loue our neybor and doo him good And gaue himselfe for vs. That is also a witnesse of Christes feruent loue towards vs which is set out Rom. v. An offering and sacrifyce The sacrifyse intoo which was conueyed Gods wrath ageinst our sinnes whom it béehoued too bée slayne and put too death too the entent wée myght bée spared For a sent of sweete smell For a swéete sauor and acceptable It is a phrase taken out of Moyses Leuit. j. The Préest shall burne it vppon the Altare for a burnt Offering and a swéete smell vntoo the lord Genes viij The Lord smelled a swéete smell God is woonderfully delyghted in the obedyence of his sonne the sacrifyse And he sheweth that for his sake our prayers also and our thanks giuing and our almefdéedes are acceptable and swéete vntoo him in like wyse as wée are delyghted with the fresh sent of a Vyolet or a Rose And all the sacrifyses and good woorkes of the godly must bée smelles that is too say a farre spred and wel sented fame concerning God. As it becommeth Sainctes The saincts are clean Whore-hunting filthynesse ribaudry c. are vncleane Ergo they become not Sainctes A couetous man whoo is an Idolater He is an Idolater eyther which surmyseth that too bée a GOD which is not God or which yéeldeth to some other thing that is not God the honor peculyarly due vntoo God as fayth feare and loue aboue all things So is a couetous persone an Idolater bycause he bestoweth his loue aboue all things and his trust which are due only too God vppon his mony and setteth more by it than by God. Ye wer sometime darknesse that is too say without knowledge of God nouzeling your selues in all sinnes yée were without true acknowledgement of God without true ryghtuousnesse and without lyfe But now you are lyght in the Lord. Now yée are lightened with true knowledge of God yée know what woorks please God and what woorkes displease him yée are borne ageine by the holy Ghoste Vppon the Sunday called Laetare or the fourth Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle Galath iiij FOr it is wryten that Abraham had two sonnes the one by a bondmaide the other by a free-woman Yea and he which was borne of the bondwoman was borne after the flesh but he which was borne of the freewoman was borne by promys which things are spoken by an allegorie For these are twoo Testamentes the one from the mount Sinai vvhich gendreth vntoo bondage vvhich is Agar For mount Sinai is Agar in Arabia and bordreth vppon the Citie vvhich is novv called Ierusalem and is in bondage vvith hir children But Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the moother of vs all For it is vvrytten Reioyce thou barren that bearest no chyldren breake foorthe and crye thou that traueylest not For the desolate hath many mo children than shee vvhich hath an husbande Brethren vvee are after Isaac the children of promys But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh persecuted him that vvas born after the spirite Euen so is it nowe Neueâ—thelesse vvhat sayth the scripture put avvay the bondvvoman and hir sonne For the sonne of the bondvvoman shall