them yet must you not set your herte vpon theym as the Psalme sayeth but set all youre herte vpon thys studye to get true and heauenly good nes in Messias Thys thynge doth Christe playnely declare where he sayeth my father gyueth you the true brèade from heauen For it is the breade of GOD that commeth downe from heauen and gyueth lyfe vnto the worlde But the Iewes yet dreame of bodilye good thynges Therefore they sayed vnto hym Gyue to vs thys breade alwayes That whyche before the woman of Samaria answered vnto Christe speakynge of the fountayne of water that sprange vp into euerlast ynge lyfe sayinge Lorde gyue vs thys water that I maye not be drie nor come hyther to drawe the same do nowe the Iewes answere vnto Christe speakyng of the bread whiche gyueth lyfe to the worlde and folyshelye axe of hym that he bring to passe that the same lyfegyuynge bread may raygne downe from hea uen plentuously for they wold take it wyth both their handes and hold vp theyr lappes Furthermore they playnely signifye that they so vnderstode the wordes of Christ that he taughte hym to be onelye but a minister of thys lyfegyuyng bread as Moses was of Manna and not the bread it selfe Giue vs say they thys breade alwayes We se thou art a man whych dyffereth nothing â—…roÌ„ vs in weakenes we se that thou haste all thynges as a man hath And if thou be some greate manne certes thou canst be nothynge more than the minister of God as were the Patriarkes â—…rophetes wherfore if thou haue receyued thys ministerie of god to giue vnto vs new Manna whereby we may be saued alwaies in this life go to on felowship giue vs that y u hast receyued y t thorow the we may enioy this hea ueÌ„ly benifite Here consider me how diuers the iudgemeÌ„tes of Christes larnyng be One vnderstaÌ„deth hys promisses fleshely an other iudgeth them triflinges or vayne and lyes thynckynge that they cannot be ful fylled an other that semeth to haue a good opinion of Christe thinketh that they differ nothynge from the sermons of the prophets because he thyncketh hym to be a docter or a promiser not to be a sauiour but onelye a minister of saluacion aâ—… were the prophetes But Christ accordinge to his goodnes correcteth these errours of the Iewes verye gentely And sayd vnto theym I am the bread of lyfe He that commeth to me shal not honger and he that beleueth in me shal neuer thyrst You do so axe of me thys breade of lyfe that you plainely declare that you iudge me to be but a minister of thys breade But I asmuche as lyeth in me wyll not suffer you to erre I am not as you trowe suche a minister of thys breade of lyfe as were youre Prophetes whyche dyd preache also euen theÌ„ selues of gettinge true saluacion But I am the bread of life it selfe I offer to him y t earth of this bread not such good thinges as happened to y e Israelits by Moses MaÌ„na in the desert but I bring vnto you heauenly euerlastynge good thynges yea I my selfe am that heauenly and eternall good thynge the whiche whosoeuer can get he shall lacke no ioye Loke vpon al other good thinges y t caÌ„ be spoken of in this worlde yet shal ye find none of theÌ„ y t is the bread whiche wil take away al honger that is drincke y t wyll quench al thyrste The deliueraunce oute of the bondage of Egipt was a great benifit but it was not y t breade whych fylled the Israelites hongar For they lacked yet many thinges both bodi lye and spiritual Manna that rained downe in the desert and the water that flowed oute of y e stone were maruelous giftes of god but of theÌ„ selfe they put not awaye the honger and thurst of the Israelites For be syde other corporall thynges whyche they had nede of howe many I praie you of them died in the desert not onelye wyth outwarde death but with eternal death Howe manye I praye you for theyâ—… wyckednes were cast into the perpe tuall prisons of hell And what shal I saye of the common profites here in the world that is of bodily helth of landes of monye of ciuile honor and office I wyll rather speake of the kyngdome it selfe and empyre of thys worlde whyche seyng it can not put awaye the hongar thyrst of man I praye you what is it that amonge these earthely good thynges is able to do it Alexaunder sur named the great whan he had herd say that the Philosopher Anaxagoras had disputed that there were innumerable worldes for this was the wycked opinion of-some Philosophers it is sayed that he wepte And when men axed hym what he mente by hys wepyng May I not worthely wepe sayeth he that syth the worldes be innumerable we be not yet made Lordes of one A won derfull mater The empyre almoste of the whole worlde whych Alexan der had nowe in possession was not able to fyll hys mynde And yet to saye the trueth it is nothynge to be maruaylled at at all For the Empyre of thys world is not that bread that wyll healpe a mannes houngar But Iesus Chrsti onely is the breade of lyfe whyche who so eateteth shall neuer hongar Thou wilt saye than howe eate we thys bread It foloweth he that commeth to me shall not hongar To come therfore vnto Christ is to eat of this bread And we muste not thyncke that we speake now of that coÌ„myng whiche is w t our bodily feet For although that at that tyme whyche Christe preched his Gospel in this worlde men muste nedes come to Christe wyth their bodilye fete to heare hys Sermons yet now he speaketh not of bodily commynge but of spirituall whyche is by fayeth For so Christe hym selfe expoundeth whan he sayeth He that beleueth in me shal neuer thrist Therfore to come to Christe is to beleue in hym that he is by God oure wysdom iustice sanctificacion and redempcion For he that so commeth vnto Christe I praye you howe shall he hongar howe shal he thyrst or what shal he lacke If pouerty be greuous vnto him Christ is rich which hath geueÌ„ him selfe wholy w t al hys ryches to hym that wyll beleue If synnes threaten vnto vs the anger of God and damnacion Christ hath clensed our sinnes hath pleased god and redemed vs from damnacion If death threaten eternall destruccion Christe hath ouercome death and to theym that wyll come to hym by fayeth hath he prepared heauenly and euerlastynge lyfe I saye can bodilye health can money bearing of offyce ciuyle honor king domes and empyres can they gyue vs so greate benifites What do these auayle wythoute Christe What do these contrarye thynges pouertye and death hurte wyth Christe Let vs come therefore vn to Christe let vs come to hym by fayeth that by thys breade and dryncke we maye so contente oure hongar and thrist that we may lyue euerlastyngly
the ship dyd worshyp hym and that worthely as Mathew doth wryghte and confessed him to be the verye sonne of God And nowe we maye not thynke that these thynges were done put in wrytyng for the Dysciples sake onely but they partaine to the whole cōgregacion and set before vs an Image of thynges which be done in al ages in y ◠church of God For althoughe there be not here in the shyp verye manye Disciples yet are they the church of god they are the chosen people of God In thys place is also Christe hym selfe head of the church Wherefore y ◠y ◠here is done is an image of those thynges whych are alwayes wount to be done betwixt the churche and Christ the heade thereof The sea is thys worlde And in thys worlde is the church of God I praye not sayeth Christe that thou wouldest take them out of the world but that thou wouldest saue theym from euyll In thys worlde you shall haue trouble and affliccion And againe you shall wepe and Lamente but the worlde shall be gladde and reioyce And Paule sayeth we must enter in to the kyngedome of God by manye affliccions Further Christe was awaye in the mountayne and yet he sawe hys Dysciples that were in greate ieopardye For althoughe Christ be ascended into heauen is now inuisible to oure corporal eies yet the churche that is in ieopardye is wel seen to of him he is ready to healpe hys church he taketh care for it and loketh vpon all the paynes and trobles of it to help and saue it For he sitteth at the ryght hand of GOD and is thee almyghtye gouernour of al thinges Wherfore neyther heyth nor length nor depth can lette hym that he shoulde not healpe hys churche beynge in paine and sorowe But lyke as he came to hys Dysciples in the myddle of the tempest and was thoughte to haue bene a spirite of the dyuell that woulde haue drouned theym in the watters so he came in dede accompanied in thysworlde wyth a crosse and couered wyth diuers affliccions Wherefore in verye greate aduersitye men that be of a weake fayeth thyncke not that Christe the sauioure is there but a legion of dyuylles that woulde destroye theym euen oute of hande For they gyue not suere confydence to thys promise of GOD whych is in the ▪ lxxxx Psalme I am wyth hym in tribulacion I wil take him out and glorify hym But by cause y t thē they se nothing but aduersitie thei thinke much rather that the deuyll is there to oppresse them than Christe to delyuer But Christe opened him selfe to hys Dysciples by hys voyce and by speakynge vnto theym sayinge It is I be not aferde so also he sheweth hym selfe to hys church by his Gospel For the Gospel is the voice of Christe whereby he declared that he hym selfe to was sente into the worlde for thys purpose that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shuld not perishe but haue lyfe euerlastynge He sayeth also in another place I am the resurreccion and lyfe he that beleueth in me althoughe he be deade he shall lyue and euery one that lyueth and beleueth shal not dye euer lastyngely Wherefore when greate troubles aryse we must giue care to the voice of Christe and to his gospell that thereby we maye take cōforte and be saued But as Christe walked vpon the sea and yet dyd he it not alone but he called also Peter to do y ◠same And althoughe he whan the wynde blewe sore vpon hym began to doute and syncke doune yet whan he called vpon the helpe of Christ he is saued beynge caught by the hande of Christe so Christ preached not hys owne gospel alone and confirmed it with mi racles but he chose vnto hym Apostles to be hys felowes and vnto the also he gaue the gift to do mira cles Then after theym folowe the ministers of the church to shew out the gospell that they haue receyued of the Apostels What hath happened then That that was spoken to the Apostels Beholde I sende you into the myddes of wolues That sayinge stretcheth out not onelye to the ministers but also to the self office of preachynge of the Gospell For in thys worlde so greuous calamities are wont to ryse agaynste the ministers of the churche that it lacketh but a litell to be vtterly destroyed Therfore they that be a litle to weake are diuerslye mynded and almoste fall in dispayre But it is happy Christe is redy at hande and beyng called vpon putteth out his hande and preserueth the ministerye of the churche whych semeth to other to be destroyed The gates of hell sayeth he shall not preuayle agaynste it And agayne Lo I am wyth you al the dayes euen to the ende of the worlde Finallye Christe beynge receyued into the shyppe ther is made a great calme and the shyp is in y e heauen For he that by the Gospell wyll knoweledge Christe and receyue hym by fayeth how can not he be in safty as the prouerbe is haue his shyp in the hauen in dede For wher Christ is ther must the streme nedes be a calme and death lyfe He that beleueth sayeth he in me although he be deade shal liue Let vs take Christe therefore into our shyppe wyth obediente fayeth that we maye safelye come by the stormes of al afflicciō and death in to the hauen of euerlastynge lyfe thorow the grace and helpe of Iesu Christ oure Lord whiche together with the father and holye gooste is god blessed for euer Amen ☞ The thirde Homilie THey be greate and excellent miracles whych hitherto the Euan gelist hath reher sed and we haue metely expounded but much greater and more excellente is the sermō whyche Christ made takinge occasion of the corporall breade for the whyche the multitude of men folowed more than for the spirituall breade Of the Sermon before we nowe speake we wyll a lytell touch these thynges whych happened after that Christe and hys Apostels had passed the sea The nexte daie sayeth the Euangelist the multitude whych stode on the other syde the lea after they sawe that ther was none other vessell there but that onelye whereunto hys Dyscipels were entred and that Iesus was not gone into that barge wyth hys Dysciples but that hys dysciples only wher gone And ther came other boates from the sea of Tibirias nye vnto the place where they had eaten bread after the Lord had gyuen thākes So whan the people had seen that Iesus was not ther nether hys dysciples they also went into boats and came vnto Caparnaū sekyng for Iesus And when they had founde him on the other syde the sea they sayde vnto hym Maister when camest thou hither The miracles that were done in the sea none knowe but hys Dysciples But nowe the whole multitude of men knoweth also that Iesus was not come on y t other side of the banke without miracles Wher fore whan they axe of Iesus whan or howe he
not I receyue theym not that in thys worlde they shoulde haue none affliccion or that they shoulde not be ouerthrowen wyth death but that althoughe they be troubled and seeme to dye yet they shoulde not peryshe but be saued wyth euerlastynge lyfe For I wyll rayse theym vp agayne in the laste daye that they may liue eternallye wyth me in ioye in my heauenlye kyngdome This is the meaning of the sermon of Christe Nowe wyll we touche a lytel the partes therof And fyrste Chryste teacheth that he hathe not come into this world to take and en crease hys kyngedome wyth outewarde corporall and violente power For the Iewes looked for suche a Messyas or Chryste whyche ioynynge vnto hym an armye of the Iewes shuld beare about harnesse thorowe all contreyes and subdue vnto hym all nacyons whyther they woulde or not as eyther Cyrus or Alexander Magnus or some other greate kyng was Men that haue no knowledge mar uayle also howe it happeneth that when Christ is endued with diuine maiesty he bryngeth not to passe by hys omnipotent power y t al his ad uersaryes blasphemers agaynst hys name either be not slayne wyth lyghtenynge or be maruelouslye drawen to beleue and obey Christ. But Christe in thys place doeth refute the vayne expectacion of the Iewes and a reason why he wyll compel no man violently to submit hymself vnto hym telleth he saying Al y t my father giueth me shal come vnto me and hym y ◠shal come vnto me I wil not cast out that is I am not come into this worlde to make men vnder me by violente power but I loke vpon the hande of God my father and I hange vpon hys wyll Whom soeuer he shall gyue vnto me and whom that he shall raise vp by his spirite thorowe my Gospell to confesse acknoweledge me he receyueth me and I wyll receiue and kepe hym agayne And what is the cause that thou doest not cōpell men by thy kyngly power to knowledge the and submit thē selues vnto the Because I am come downe sayeth he not to do my wyll but the wyl of hym that hath sente me I am come downe from heauen not as a master but as a seruaunt And it is the dutye of a seruaunte to applye hym selfe not after hys owne wyll but after the wyl and becke of his master I am come downe from heauen not as a cheyfe Lorde and Emperoure but as a messanger or one that is sente And it is his office that is sente to do and perfourme not hys owne opynyons but the commaundements of him that hath sente hym Wherefore in thys myne Embassye it is not lawefull for me to do anye thynge besyde the wyll of my father whose Messengare I am Tell vs than I praye the what is the wil of thy father Thys saythe he is the wyll of my father that hath sente me that I lose not annye of those menne whyche he hath gyuen me but rayse them vp in the later daye It is not my fathers wyll that I shoulde take vpon me the rule of a kynge in thys world and by stronge hande to subdue men vnto me but that I should saue theym whyche he by hys holye spirite hath broughte vnto me and that I shoulde kepe them that they perish not but although they shuld seme to dye yet that they be raysed vp agayne and lyue a ioyfull lyfe for euer To thys pertayneth also that Christe sayeth in another place of hys owne offyce The sonne of man is come not that he shoulde be serued but to serue hym selfe and to gyue hys lyfe a redempcion for manie that is Christ came not that horsemen and soldiars should fight for him shuld get for him by their lyfe and their bloude victorie that he after the maner of a kyng should beare rule in y ◠world as an Emperours armie shedeth theyr bloud y ◠Emperour may be defended may haue the victorye of hys enemyes hym selfe beynge safe but he came that he hym selfe shoulde gyue hys soule and his lyfe and shed out his owne bloud that they that acknow ledge hym myghte be redemed and saued from theyr enemies And in an other place when the Dysciples exhorted Christe to be reuenged vp on theim that set lyght by him with fire from heauen he answered You can not tel of whose spirite you are The sonne of manne is not come to destroye the soules of men but to saue theim Wherefore it is an obedience of goddes vocacion that he wyl not subdue men by kyngly and stronge power But thou wylt say Christ is ascended nowe into heauē hath layed awaye the fourme of a seruaunte and sytteth in the glory of God hys father why than doeth he nowe suffer blasphemers why now that he is in such maiesty doth he not compel violentlye or by hys almyghty power the inobediente to the obedience of his gospel Of this thing Peter preacheth thus Iesus Christe muste nedes take heauen euen vntyll the tyme of restitucion of al thynges whiche God spake by the mouth of al sayntes euen frō the tyme of the Prophetes For although that Chryst sit at the right hande of God and hathe hys omnipotent maiestie yet wyl he not shew that maiesti openli before the world before y ◠last day but he will gather together hys churche by hys Gospell thorowe oute all the worlde vntyll the laste daye do come in the whyche he wyll come openlye wyl so in dede caste vnder hys ennemies y ◠they shall be thruste downe into perpetuall prysones and neuer be let oute but hys fryndes and those that beleue in hym he wyll axate vnto perpetual kingdom and ioye He muste sayeth Paulle raigne vntyll he hath put al his ennemies vnder hys fete And then shall all be put vnder his fete whan death which is the last enemie shal be put awaye Wherfore as longe as thys worlde shal stande and that Christ shall not apere manifestlye for he shal not appere so til the last day he doeth not compell menne vnto the obedience of ◅ayeth by worldelye power but he calleth theym by preachynge hys Gospell that as manye as beynge moued vppe by the holye Gooste do receyue hym maye be saued What shall wee saye than of the offycer and master of an howseholde Bycause Christe doeth not by violente hand subdue men vnto hym is it not therfore the offyce of a good magistrat to cōpel hys subiectes to lyue an honest ly◅e and to heare the Gospell of God Is it not also the duetye of a good housekeper to enstruct wyth threatnynges and roddes his seruauntes whither they wyll or no in the instrucciō of Christen learning God forbyd for as touchinge this purpose y e vocaciō of christ is noe thing and an offycer or housekeper is an other For Christe came not into thys worlde to vse an outewarde offyce So he sent not hys Apostels also into the worlde to take vpon them externall gouernaunce
For to eate Christe or the breade 〈◊〉 Christe in thys place is to beleue in Christe as it foloweth afterwardes Therfore when he sayth This 〈◊〉 the breade descendynge from hea â—…n because that no man shoulde â—…rstande thys sayinge neyther of that breade wherewyth Iesus a lytell before had fedde fyue thouâ—…â—…en or of anye other earthely and corporall breade anone he sayeth further I am the liuynge bread whych am come downe 〈◊〉 heauen that we maye playnely vnderstande hym that he speaketh of hym selfe And when he sayeth after wardes y â— a man may eate of it and dye not straight waies he doeth expounde what to dye meaneth and sayeth if any maÌ„ eate of thys bread he shall lyue euerlastyngly For not to dye is to liue euerlastigly What shall we saye then to these thinges If in thys comparynge together of Manna wyth Christe the communicacioÌ„ is of a spiritual and heauen lye lyfe how shal thys that is sayd your fathers haue eaten Manna in deserte and be deade be true of Mo ses Aaron Phinees Iosue Calib and manye other good Israelites which theym selues also haue eaten MaÌ„na w t the rest yet be not dead spiritually but as AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob lyue before god so do those liue also And if this speaking be of corporall and earthely death Howe can thys sayinge if a man eate of thys breade he shall not dye but lyue for euer be true of Iohn Baptist and afterwardes of Peter and of the other Apostles and Dysciples of Christe Dyd not all these eate â–ª of Christe that is beleue in Christe and yet be deade not onely â–ª corporallye but also were cruellye kylled of theyr aduersaryes What â—…eth it than that is sayed the fathers that haue eaten Manna be deade but he that eateth this bread dyeth not but shall lyue for euer Fyrste here in the begynnynge we wyll speake of Moyses and other good men that eate Manna in deserte For these in dede were preserued in death and lyue before God but they were not saued nor lyue not for Manna whyche they eate but for Iesus Christ in whom they did beleue whan they eate Manna by the promises that were spoken of Christe For excepte they had eaten hym together wyth Manna vnder Manna truly they also them selues had died by death euen wyth the vngodly of whome Paule spea keth All dyd eate that spirituall meate and al did drincke that spiritual drynke for they dranke of that spiritual rocke that folowed them and the rocke was Christe But God dyd not allowe many of them For they were ouerthrowen in the wyldernes And nowe because Mo ses and other good men in eatynge of Manna beleued also in Christe that was promised therefore thorowe Christe they were saued in death and got euerlastynge lyfe That that we haue spokeÌ„ of Manna the same muste we thyncke oâ—… the Supper of the Lorde For the bread and wyne of the Lordes supper are heauenly meat and dryncke because they be halowed and sanctified by the lordes institucion thâ—… they maye be hys bodye and bloud And althoughe al eate of the Supper of the Lord yet are not al saued in death nor haue euerlasting ioye For some in dede eate the supper of the Lorde and yet beleue not verelye in Christe they truste not in the bodye and bloude of Christe which they receyue in the sacramente Wherefore as to the wycked the ea tynge of Manna nothynge profited so to the vnbeleuynge and vnâ—…epentaunt the eatyng of y â— supper of the Lorde nothyng profiteth Other not onelye eate of the Lordes supper but beleue verely y â— Christe hath gyuen his bodye for their sinnes and hath shed hys bloude that they myghte be made cleane from theyr sinnes before god These ther fore be saued in the houre of death and lyue for euer not in dede for y â— selfe eatynge of the supper but thorow Christ in whom they verely beleue in whose â—…ayeth they be streÌ„g thened by y â— sacrameÌ„t of the supper For Christ only by â—…ayeth thorowe the gospel taken eyther with the sacramentes or w tout the sacraments is he thorowe whom men get true euerlasting helth The sacramentes haue in dede theyr vse in confirmynge the faieth of him y â— receiueth theÌ„ and must diligently be taken obediently but our health is not set in y â— self taking of the sacramentes but in Iesus Christe only receiued thorowe â—…ayeth For thys is the lyuing bred coÌ„ming downe froÌ„ heaueÌ„ y â— who so euer shal eate of him or beleue in him should not dye but liue euerlastinglye Furthermore wher it is saied of the death of Iohn bap tist and y â— Apostles of other good mâ—… that beleued in Christe we must thinke y â— althoughe they be killed 〈◊〉 to men to be dead yet are they dead before god for before hym thei lyue yet styll For theyr soule is not loste because Christe Keapeth it neither perisheth theyr bodye For althoughe it turne agayne to duste yet shall it be raysed agayne in the laste daye into lyfe euerlastynge Therefore when Christ sayeth that the fathers be dead althoughe they haue eaten Manna but those that beleue in hym not to dye he sygnifieth and teacheth that the carynge of Manna did not bryng of it selfe lyfe and healthe no not to Moses and other good men for if they had eaten Manna only they also theym selues euen wyth the other vngodlye shoulde haue bene deade for euer but that onely he hym selfe that is true Mâ—…ssias receyued in fayeth to be the author and gyuer of lyfe and health But because Christ calleth hym selfe the breade of lyfe he sheweth the manoure also howe he is made breade that is our lyfe and health and sayeth The breade whyche I wyll gyue you is my flesh whych I wyl gyue for the lyfe of the worlde Hytherto I haue made mencion of my breade and haue promised lyfe vnto him that eateth of this bread Wherefore because you should not care and looke for of me for suche breade as Moyses hath geuen vnto you in deserte or suche as you hadde a litell before when wyth that and two fyshes I fedde more than fyue thousande men Go to I wyll declare vnto you playnelye what I vnderstande by bread For the breade whych I speake of now is my fleshe whyche I wyl gyue to get lyfe vnto the worlde I came in to thys worlde I toke man vpon me and I toke also all the infyrmi ties of man not to synne as manne dyd but y â— thorowe my passion and death I woulde put awaye the synnes of men and reconcile men wyth God the father that they might get not onelye pardon of theyr synnes but also lyfe euerlastyng Therfore my passion whyche I shall take in fleshe or after my humanitye is the deliueraunce of the worlde and my death whyche I shall suffer is the lyfe of the worlde that as manye as beleue in me maye be saued and lyue
last for euer What shall I speake of the Ethnikes They honored not only as men but as Goddes all those whyche dyd brynge vnto theym anye thynge profitable for the bodye They halowed Bacchus for a GOD because he hadde shewed vnto theym the makynge and vse of wyne They worshypped Ceres as a Goddesse because she did teach how to order corne and wherefore it serued wher before thei eat Okecorns Hercules was set amonge the Goddes because he saued the citisens that were ouercome of theyr enemies because he restored banished mē agayne to theyr Cityes because he made the lande saufe from theues and the sea from pirates These vertues althoughe they be greate and mete for a Prince yet because the heathen dyd consecrate Hercules into a God for these vertues they dyd playnelye declare that theyr mynde was onelye in yearthely commodities and profites I wyll shewe you that that scarselye maye be honestlye spoken openlye in the congregacion and yet it oughte to be spoken of that you maye se that menne haue no regarde saue onelye that they maye haue ioye in yearthely pleasures Flora when by harlotes craft she had gotten greate riches she made the people of Rome her heire and leaft a certayne money by whose yerely increase thereof the daye of her byrth myghte be kepte solemly and plaies be made whych they call Floralia what came to passe than Dyd the Romaynes knoweledge so fowle and fylthy thynges Not onelye dyd they gladlye receyue them but made Flora a goddes that should be goddes of f◅owers O stynckyng beastes O detestable men which gaue also to harlottes Godlye honoures because they had receyued of theym a bodily benefite when for all that ryght honest men eyther theyr oratoures or Philosophers that taughte vertue they greatelye dyspised theym yea and somtyme also kylled some of theym And in thys thynge not onely the heathen but the Christen men theim selues also haue done amysse For in the worshyppynge of saynctes whyche Hypocrites haue folowed very hertely and much vn godly they haue worshypped those saynctes specially by whose healpe they haue hoped to haue had eyther some corporall benefites or escaped hurtes To those they haue appoin ted holy dayes temples offeringes pylgrymages feloshyppes and as they call them brether heades To be shorte A great sorte of those that be called christians haue so burned wyth desier of yearthly temporall profites that they would haue worshipped Satā him selfe for a saint or for a God so that he would send theym money and gyue theym corporall benefites Whych thyng verely euen by thys is playne that althoughe nothynge is better knowen thā that deceites trifles lyes and periuries be mischeuous thynges worckes of the diuyl yet men to ge◅ ryches and bodilye profites wyth so greate redines of mynde they folowe theyr mischieffes that neyther by anye respecte of honestye neither by any warnynge of goddes word no nor by other crueltye of punyshmente they maye be wythdrawen frō that What is blindnes if thys be not blyndnes and vngodlines For mē be so blind that they thinke these corporall and temporall good thynges to be true felicitye Let vs heare therefore what Iesus answereth to y ◠Iewes disirynge only corporal meate and an yearthly deliueraunce So Iesus sayed vnto theym Amen amen I saye vnto you Not Moses hath gyuen vnto you breade from heauen that is to say the true bread but my father gyueth vnto you the true bread frō heauen For the bread of god is that which is descended from heauen doeth gyue life to the worlde Thys is the comparynge together of Moyses and hys benifites wyth Messias and hys benifites whyche Messyas gyueth to theym that beleue in hym You sayth he glorye verye muche of Moyses and for the benefites whyche be gyuen to you for hym and fyrste althoughe Moyses hath bene a greate Prophete and fayethfull minister of GOD yet was he not that person for the which menne do get trewe health But Mellias whome the Prophetes haue promised and ofwhom Moyses hym selfe hath preached and whome GOD nowe hath sente into the yearthe is that person for the whyche true health commyth to menne Furthermore the good thynges which God hath done by Moses in dede htey are greate and verye excellent and yet not euerlastyng neither sufficiente Moses ministred to you by goddes liberalitye Manna from heauen yet that Manna was not the verye meate whyche of it selfe hath saued the eatars into euerlastynge lyfe Al the Israelites haue eaten Manna in the deserte yet neuerthelesse all they also be deade and many of them God hath not alowed whyche also haue dyed for euer But Messias whyche is the naturall sonne of God whom hys father hath sente from heauen into the yearth whych now at thys tyme liueth amongeste men is the true meate which so conserueth al y ◠eate him that is beleue in him y t thei shall neuer dye but althoughe they seme to die yet may be saued into euerlastynge lyfe Moyses deliuered the Israleites from the Egipcians bondage and led them by y ◠deserte euen vnto the lande of Canaan Thys was in dede an excellente benefite and very acceptable to the Iewes that were afflicted but yet was it not a verie deliueraunce for although they were deliuered from the tirauntes of Egypte yet were they not deliuered from there spiritual tyrauntes that is from synne the diuyll death and hel But Messias bryngeth true deliueraunce For to theym that beleue in him he forgeueth synnes and causeth that they whyche receyue hym thorowe fayth are counted iust before God He ouercommeth the deuyll and so deliuereth the seruauntes of the diuyl that they be chosen into the sonnes if god He ouer commeth death and bryngeth to passe that they whych were in the daunger of death neuer dye but lyue for euer He ouercommeth hell that they whych were in daunger of hell shoulde go into heauen and enioye euerlastynge felicitye These in dede are the true benefits whych as they are in no wyse to be compared to those corporall profites so do they brynge euerlastynge health It commeth doune saith he from heauen It bryngeth therefore heauenlye and euerlastynge good thynges not earthly and those that shall vade awaye And it geueth lyfe it gyueth not money whych couetous menne seke for not corne whyche vsuras heape together not wyne whyche bybbers seke after not earthely Empyres wyth whose desiar men of thys worlde be on fier But it geueth lyfe that is blessed for euer And it gyueth it vnto the worlde it offereth it by hys gospell not to the Iewes onelye nor to the gentiles onelye but to all creatures that is aswel to the Iewes as to the gentiles aswell to honeste as vnhoneste to the poore aswell as to the ryche to the princes and to the subiectes to be shorte to al the worlde Wherfore althoughe these corporall and yearthely good thynges haue theyr vse and God if they happen is to be thancked for
for euer Thys verelye is that that Christ sayth The breade whiche I wyll gyue is my fleshe whych I wyll gyue for y â— lyfe of the world They be very fewe wordes in dede but in theym is comprehended the suÌ„me of al the gospell and the greatest benefites of Christe are set before oure eyes For fyrste whan he sayth I wyl gyue my fleshe for life he signifieth that hys death shal be our lyfe And playnly diuydeth his deathe from the deathe of all other men whither they were patriarckes or Prophetes Apostles or Marâ—…rs For althoughe they were cruellye slayne of the wycked and dyd not deserue before menne eyther for their naughtines or for their myscheuous dedes to be so cruelly kyl led yet is not their death oure lyfe Iuste and holye Abell was kylled of hys brother Esaias is sayed to haue bene cut in two peces by king Manasses Hieremye was stoned to death of his people These mens death was precious in dede in the syghte of God and bryngeth much fruite to the churche of GOD. For it teacheth that good men be sore troubled in this world it teacheth y t the kingdom of christ is not of thys world it teacheth that there is another life after this life for els good men had bene happye in thys lyfe it exhorteth also by examples that we take pacientelye the affliccyons of thys worlde but it is not 〈◊〉 puttynge awaye of oure synnes it is not oure lyfe and redemcion yea the death of saynctes hathe not put awaye no not their owne synnes nor hath not broughte lyfe vnto theym so far forth in dede as apertayneth to the nature of that death but onely the death of Christ putteth awaye the synnes of men bryngeth lyfe vnto theÌ„ Wherfore when we be cast into peril of death as we oughte not to thyncke that we by oure death should satisfie for oure synnes so that death must not be loked vpon and considered after hys owne nature whych he hath by synne but accordynge to the deathe of Christe into the whyche we be Baptised and buried For so it shal â–ª come to passe that lykewyse as we be made graffed into the death of Christe so also we be made pertakers of hys resurreccion Furthermore Christe sayeth not simplye I wyll gyue my fleshe for the lyfe but he sayeth more of the worlde By the whyche word he signifieth that he shoulde suffer death not onelye for the Iewes but also for the Gen tils and for al men in thys worlde what tyme so euer in what place so euer and of what nacions so euer in all the worlde they haue bene He saieth in an other place y t he should die for the nacion y t is of the Iewes and not onelye for that nacion but that the chyldren of God whyche were dispersed shoulde be gathered together in one And agayne He is the propiciacion for oure synnes and not onelye for oures but of all the worlde What is the cause then that all the worlde is not saued but a verye greate forte of men whyche are sygnified by the name of the worlde is loste Thys death is not to be ascribed to the passion death of Criste but vnto the wyckednes of men For as touchyng y â— death of Christ it is a sufficient expiacioÌ„ for al y â— sinnes of al men set out by the gospel to be receiued of al meÌ„ but al ineÌ„ wil not acknowledge receiue it thorow fayth but had rather dye in their wickednes than be saued by y â— death of Christe And what is more folish what is more mad than whaÌ„ you haue helth before you to folow distruccion when lyfe is offered to chose death when heauen is opened to go into hell What is more furious also thaÌ„ if thou thorow thâ—… doutynge or vnbeliefe seperate thy selfe froÌ„ Christ y t is thy hiest felicitie seynge that he doth not seperat him selfe from the nor cast the awaye I wil giue sayeth he my fleshe for the life of y â— worlde Art not thou a part of the world Nay thou art y â— world it selfe For the olde men dyd verye wel cala man a litel worlde And if thou be parte of the worlde or the world it selfe verely Christ gaue his fleshe also for the and that thou shouldest haue life For not onelye Kynges not Prynces not wyse menne onelye be the worlde but the moste abiectes of all whyche in thys worlde also are so muche the more seen of God the hyar that he dwelleth The Lorde is hye sayeth the Psalme and loketh vpon lowe thynges And he raiseth from the ground the nedie and lifteth vp the poore from lowe estate Seynge therefore that Christe neuer fayteth vs wyth his benefites we must not â—…ure selues set naught by our helth but receyue thys presente lyfe obedientlyâ—… thorowe fayeth in Iesu Christe oure saueouâ—…e whicht wyth the father â–ª and the holye Gost is blessed for euer â–ª Amen ☞ The nynthe Homilye MAny are the eares of men many are theyr dedes and occupacions but there are none more noble and more profitable I saye also more necessarye than those that he taken to teache the worde of God Blessed is the manne sayeth the Psalme whose wyll is in the lawe of the Lorde and that doeth â—…dye in hys lawe daye and nyghte Seynge therefore we are nowe come together to learne those thynges whyche the holy gâ—…st hath taughte vs by Iohn the Euangelist goto good fryndes let vs now hearke those thynges whych folow after the serâ—…oÌ„ â–ª of Christ y â— we haue here before declared as oure lytell power serueth For Christe sayed The breade whyche I wyll gyue is my fleshe whych I wyl gyue for the lyfe of the world Howe dyd the Iewes than take thys sayinge The Iewes sayeth he stroue among theim selues sayinge Howe can thys man gyue vs hys fleshe to eate Ryght wyl sayde Salomon if thou beate a foole wyth a pestel as weate in a morter yet wyll not hys folishnes depart from him Iesus in this sermon whyche he made in the citye of Capernaum so often warned the Iewes of the fayth in him playnly declared vnto theym that vnder the name of eatynge of breade he spake of fayth whych oughte to be had in hym as a true gyuer of lyfe yet for al that be they neuer the wiser but continue stil and hold on in their folishnes in the whyche they dreame a carnal tearing of Christes fleshe What say they Seyng we thought that this was Messias we promised our selues that we should get libertye by him that we shoulde haue aboundaunce of al thinges in this world worldly kingdoms and all the pleasure of this world Now in all this gapynge for he offereth vs hys fleshe to be eaten What an absurditye is thys If we shuld nedes eate fleshe we had rather haue calues fleshe than mans fleshe I pray you what is ignoraunce what is folyshenes if thys be not folyshnes The