was not arayed like one of them Séeing then that God dooth so much for the Lilies which wither away within a while and shalbée burned why should hée not clothe vs whom hée hath created too eternall life The fifth After all these things doo the Heathen seeke As if hée should say You in times past after the maner of Heathen folke were ignorant of Gods prouidence and voyde of Faith But now yée knowe that GOD hathe a care of you Why then séek yée things néedful for your life with heathenish carefulnesse The sixth Your Father knovveth that you haue neede of all these things Mark these things aduisedly Hée sayeth not the dreadful GOD the iealous God the maker of Heauen and earth hée that visiteth the sins of the fathers vpon their children knoweth but hée sayth your father knoweth whose father your father What maner a father your heauenly father Bicause he is heauenly he is also most good most mightie and moste wise Bicause hée is moste good hée wil giue those things that bée good Bicause hée is moste mightie hée can giue what he wil. And bicause hée is most wise he knoweth how what and when it is méet too giue ¶ Of the third SEeke yee firste the kingdome of God his rightuousnesse all things else shal bee cast vntoo you In this shorte saying of Christ are two things cōmaūdement promise The commaundement is Seek first the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse of God And the promise is And all things else shall bee cast vntoo you First and formost therefore let vs sée the commaundement and then the promise The commaundement is that wée should séeke the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse of God Héere it is demaunded what maner of things Gods kingdome and rightuousnesse are And ageine after what meanes they are too bée sought The kingdom of God is of three sorts in the scripture that is too wit of power of grace and of glorie He biddeth vs not séeke the kingdom of his power but of his grace from whence is the passage too the kingdom of glory What is the kingdome of grace It is that kingdom wherinto wée are receiued of méere grace whyle wée beléeue the Gospell For the Gospell is as it were the voyce of a cryer whereby they are called too this Kyngdome Of this speaketh Chryst in an other place The kingdom of God is among you Then is this kingdome the grace of God which Christes Gospell offereth The promise is the gate The bringer in is the holy Ghoste which sanctifyeth and regenerateth vs a newe in the Laue of Baptime by the woorde Bréefly this kingdome of grace is mercy forgyuenesse of synnes ioyfulnesse of conscience and deliueraunce from the kingdome of Sathan What is that rightuousnesse of God whiche he biddeth vs séeke Out of all doute it is the newe life and obedience which God requireth of his children And it is called the rightuousnesse of God bicause it pleaseth god that is too wit for the faithes sake wherby wée are reconciled too God in the blud of Chryst. The promise is And all things else shal bee cast vnto you That is too say the things that perteine too the sustenaunce of this life shall bée giuen you But Paule wherof no man doubteth did busily séeke the kingdom of God and yet notwithstanding in the .xj. chapter of the seconde Epistle too the Corinthians he cōplaineth that he was distressed with hunger and thirst Agein holy Iacob suffered scarcenesse of corne and other victuals in so muche that he was constreyned too go with his housholde intoo Egypt least he and his shoulde haue perished for hunger Therfore this promise of Chrysts séemeth vayne I answer Chrysts promise fayleth not for the truthe can not lye For Chryst who is our Phisitian is not ignorant when remedies are too bée ministred and when they are too bée withdrawne He regardeth not so muche our vnskilfulnesse as his owne wisedome Therfore let vs take this for a certeintie that he forsaketh not those that are his As for that wée now and then want things necessarie there bée many causes Firste that wée may bée exercise in pacience 2. That nowe and then our sinnes may bée punished with these plagues 3. Forasmuch as wée oftentimes séeke things superfluous wée iustly and rightfully want things necessarie 4. Bicause wée abuse things when wée haue thē 5. Bicause wée yéeld not thanks vntoo God 6. Bicause wée distrust God 7. Bicause wée dyuers times ascribe the good things y t wée receiue rather too our owne endeuer peinfulnesse than too God the giuer of them Wherfore if wée couet Gods blissing let vs confesse and doo as the Prophete dooth which sayth All things are thyne Lorde and wée render vntoo thée the things y e wée haue receyued at thy hand Héer◠as the prophet confesseth al things too bée Gods giftes so he turneth all things too Gods prayse Whiche thing that wée also may do our heauenly father graunt vs through Iesus Chryst too whom bée glory world without end Amen Vpon the .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke vij AND it fortuned that Iesus vvent intoo a Citie called Naim and many of his disciples vvent vvith him and much people VVhen he came nygh too the gates of the Citie Behold there vvas a dead man caried out vvhich vvas the onlie Sonne of his Moother and shee vvas a vvidovve and muche people of the Citie vvas vvith hir And vvhen the Lord savv hir hee had compassion on hir and sayd vntoo hir vveep not And hee came nighe and touched the Coffin and they that bare him stood stil. And hee sayd Yong man I say vntoo thee arise and hee that vvas dead sate vp and began too speake And hee deliuered him too his Moother And there came a fear on them all And they gaue the glory vntoo God saying A great Prophet is rysen vp among vs and God hath visited his people And this rumour of him vvent foorth through out all levvry through out all the regions vvhiche lie rounde about The exposition of the text PAule the Apostle wryting too the Romaynes sayth What things so euer are written they are written for our instruction that through pacience and comforte of the Scriptures wée might haue hope Wherefore when wée read the moste swéete Gospell of this daye let vs knowe that it perteyneth not only too that widow of Naim but also too all mankinde For Chryste in this Gospell beareth witnesse of the power of his owne Godhead of his pitifulnesse towardes them that bée in distresse and of his office For first the Lord proueth himselfe too bée almightie in that hée ouermaistereth Death which is the sting of sinne Agein hée vttreth his pitifulnesse towards vs in hauing compassion vppon this womans miseries And hée sheweth that it is his office too destroy the woorkes of the Deuill for vntoo that purpose came hée intoo the world as Moyses the Prophetes hée himselfe and the
glorie is then rightly yéelded vntoo him first as soone as wée acknowledge this woonderful benefit of God Secondly when we imbrace his sonne by fayth Thirdly whē we praise God with minde with voyce with confession and with behauiour And fourthly when wée allure as many as wée can too the knowledging of him Afterwarde when the Angels say Peace on earth there is noted the chéefe benefite of Chryst for which hée came intoo the worlde namely that peace might bée made betwéene GOD and man Thys peace is the mutuall consent of God and men Of GOD receyuing men intoo his fauoure for hys sonnes sake And of men receyuing through fayth the benefite offered wyth rendryng of thankes and continuall thankfulnesse of minde Most swéete are the frutes of this peace that is to say accesse vnto God ioyfulnesse of spirite a good conscience and gladsome passage out of this lyfe The things that breake this peace are sinnes doone against conscience carelessenesse and neglecting of the woorde And therfore they are too bée shunned no lesse than plagues In the last place they adde And too men good vvill That is too wéet As soone as God is reconciled vntoo men through Christ hée fauoreth and embraceth them with a true and fatherly affection as moste déerely beloued children whom hée holdeth right déere as adopted in Christe Of this good will speaketh Dauid also in his fifth Psalme Bicause thou shalt blisse the righteous O Lorde thou defendest him with thy good wil as with a shéelde When as Dauid in this place compareth Gods good will too a shéeld he sheweth the true vse and frute thereof For hée meaneth that Gods fauoure is too vs in stéede of a buckler wherewith wée are defended against the weapons of them that assault vs. The deuil brandisheth his fiery dartes at vs but this shéeld kéepeth vs safe And so of all others ¶ Of the seconde THe vse of it is double Generall which is deriued of the whole historie and Speciall which is deriued of the seuerall parts The generall vse therefore is that wée should learne to receiue and embrace our true Sauiour God man borne of the virgin by setting him against all our miseries sinne death curse Gods wrath and hell assuring our selues that this sonne of God and Mary is according vnto the prophecie of Esay borne too vs and giuen too vs yea and that too the intent hée shoulde bée righteousnesse and saluation too all that beléeue in him The speciall vse of it is manifolde First that wée should learne of Christs parents too bée obedient too magistrates Secondly that wée should lerne of the shepherds to giue credite to y e testimonies cōcerning Christ too séek Christ and too return too the woorks of our vocation Thirdly that we should learn of the Angels first too preache Christe too them that are vnknowen wherby all the godly ministers of Gods woord may comforte them selues in their ministerie for that they teache the same thing that was deliuered béefore by so princely spirites Moreouer wée may learn of the Angels and shepherds togither too confesse this Christ. Finally wée may learne too glorifie God and too sing with the angels Glory be to God on high too whom bée honour and praise world without end Amen The second holyday in Christmas called S. Stephens day ¶ The Gospell Math. xxiij BEholde I sende vntoo you Prophets and vvise men and Scribes and some of them yee shal kil and crucifie and some of them shal ye scourge in your Synagoges and persecute them from citie too citie that vpon you may come all the rightuous blood vvhich hath been shed vppon the earth from the blood of righteous Abell vntoo the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias vvhome yee slevv betvveene the Temple and the aultare Verely I say vntoo you all these things shall come vppon this generation O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the prophets and stonest them vvhich are sent vntoo thee hovve often vvoulde I haue gathered thy children toogither euen as the henne gathereth hir chickens vnder hir vvings and ye vvould not Behold your house is left vnto you desolate For I say vntoo you Yee shall not see mee hencefoorth til that yee say Blissed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. The exposition of the Text. BEFORE wée goe in hande with the Exposition of the Text bicause this day is dedicated to Saint Steuen I will declare why the feastes of saincts are woont too bée halowed in the church of God and what wée ought too marke in the example of Saint Stephen Dayes are kept holy in the Churche of GOD not after the maner of the heathen as is woont too bee among the Papists that wée should cal vpon the saints as patrons intercessors which thing cannot be doon w tout horrible sacriledge cōtempt of y e son of god but there are many right weighty causes why it is profitable that the feasts of certeine saints should bée reteyned in our Churches they bée chéefly sixe The first cause is y t the continual historie of y e church may bée alwayes before our eyes which must bée vnto vs both a rule to liue by a mean to put vs in mind of gods prouidēce For if it bée a pleasure too reade the histories of heathē men in whō apéered a visor of some vertue vndoutedly it wil bée much more pleasure to read y e histories of those in whō shoon bright y e liuely images of true vertues as in Paule Péeter Mary Stephen Magdalen the théefe and many others The second is that the testimonies of the doctrine of the ministerie of teaching and of the Church might bée considered For there were miracles doone there were woonderfull callings too the ministerie of the Churche and the doctrine was set open throughe the whole Churche In these testimonies it is a moste beautifull sight too behold the continuall consent of the true Churche in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and in the groundes or chéefe articles of the faith and too discerne the true doctrine of the Churche from the corruptions lies and deceits of all ages The third is that GOD should bée glorified and thanks yéelded vntoo him for opening him selfe vntoo vs for delyuering vs his doctrine for shewing his presence in the churche for making vs frée Denizens of that company whiche is witnessed too bée his true Churche and true woorshippers of him The fourth is that the examples may strengthē our faith when wée reade that their prayers were hearde and that they were helped from heauen as it is sayde in the .xxxiij. psalme This poore man cried vntoo the Lord and the Lorde heard him we conceiue assured hope that hée will likewise helpe vs when wée call vpon him Let euery one of vs therfore determine and reason with him selfe in this wise God receiued Magdalene the Théefe and Paule intoo fauor vppon repentance notwithstanding their excéeding great sinnes wherwith they had
his disciples forsooke him What suffered he in the house of Cayphas He was mocked with false witnesses he was rayled vpon beyond measure and he catched a blowe of the preests seruaunt What suffered he in the consistorie of the Préests He was charged with false witnesses he was scoffed at he was spit in the face he was buffetted he was striken blindféeld and bidden gesse who strake him What suffred he in Herods house He was scorned by the tyrant and all his whole court and in token of vtter contempt Herod clothed Iesus in a faire garment and sent him backe agein vntoo Pylate What suffered hée in the common hall There is he accused false witnesses are brought in ageinst him he is demaunded too bée crucified for more despite Pylates men of warre put a purple garment vpon him A crown of thorne is set vpon his head a réede is giuen him in his right hand and in crouching knéeling vntoo him he is scoffed at with this taunt Hayle king of Iewes they spit in his face they buffetted him his most holy head was strikē with cudgels and in y e end at the request of the préest the whole people he was condemned too the crosse a most vile kind of death What suffered he after his condemnation There is laide vpon his shoulders the tymber of the crosse wherevpon he should bée nayled hée is crucified betwéene two théeues too the intent he should bée déenied the wickeddest of them al as he hangeth on the crosse there is giuen him vineger and gall too drink and at length in these most gréeuous torments he dieth Héereby it appereth how bitter punishment the sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Chryst endured But of what things shall the gréeuousnesse of his punishment put vs in minde Sure of many things and specially of foure For first is séene the greatnesse of Gods wrath ageynst sinne For our sinne had so prouoked the wrath of God that it would not bée pacified but by the sonne of god who taking mans nature vppon him supplyeth our roome and satisfieth Gods iustice Secondly héere is séene the filthinesse of sinne For according too the qualitie of the misdéede doo the punishments also varie A traytour is punished vpon the whéele a théef on the galowes a murtherer with the swoorde and a childe offending with a rod. But the sonne of God suffered a moste shamefull death and a death that was accursed in Gods law By which thing is signified howe abhominable sinne is in the sight of God Thirdly is séene the humbling of Gods sonne who was abased beneath all creatures by whiche humbling of himselfe he testifieth his loue towards mankinde for the redéeming of whom he abode so great things Fourthly is séene the horrible and vnappeasable hatred of the Iewes ageinst the Sauior that was sent vntoo them And although nothing is héere doone more than God had determined should bée doone For Chrysts Passion was long time before prefigured and foretold by the holy Prophets of God as Peter sayth in y e first Chapter of the first Epistle yet notwithstanding the Iewes did not this thing too the intent too obey or accomplyshe the purpose of God but too satisfie their owne hatred For the nature of the woorld is such that if any man rebuke the wickednesse thereof any thing sharply it séekes too rid them out of the way too the intent it may sinne the more licentiously Let this bréefe saying suffize for the first part ¶ Of the second WE haue séene of what sort Chrysts passion was now concerning that which I haue promised in the seconde place I will shew what estimation Chrysts passion is of before God and what frute groweth therof What estimation then is it of before God The passion of our Lord Iesus Christ is the sacrifice propiciatorie wherin the euerlasting sonne of God becomming man and being appoynted by God too bée the euerlasting préest offered himselfe by the euerlasting spirite too the euerlasting father that by this his oblation he might pacifie Gods wrath and make amends for the fault and punishment of mankind too the intent that all which beléeue or shall beléeue in him might by him bée sanctified vntoo eternal life according too that saying of Iohn in his .xvij. chapter for these doo I sanctifie my self Héerby is manifested how great is the estimatiō of our Lordes passion and what frute redoundeth thereof too vs men vpon condition that we rest vpon Chryst by lyuely Fayth Chryst béeing ordeined mediator betwéene vs and God doth by his sacrifice that is too say by his death and passion pacifie Gods wrath he himself being the préest offreth himself vp too God and that is too the intent too deliuer vs from deserued damnation ▪ Wée sée therfore that ther be fiue things in this sacrifice First the préest is Chryste himselfe 2. The sacrifice or thing that is offered vp is the Prest himselfe 3. God is he to whom this sacrifice is offred vp 4. The world is it for which this oblation is made 5. The bargain couenant is that this oblatiō turneth too the welfare of the faithfull only But howe can it come too passe that the death of Chryste alone shoulde make sufficient and full amends for the sinnes of the whole worlde Beholde the Lambe of God sayth Iohn which taketh away the sinnes of the world For of the vndiuidable and vnspeakable vnion of the Godhead and māhood in one person groweth the woorthinesse estimation and endlesse merite of all the woorkes and passions of Chryste Therfore when it is sayd The sonne of man hath redéemed vs by the desert of his passion a woork of inestimable price and incomparable value is named bycause the same sonne of man that hath suffered is also God Also the death of the Sonne of man is a satisfaction bicause it is the death of such a man as is God The obedience of the Sonne of man is our rightuousnesse bicause it is the obedience of a man that is GOD. So the sonne of man forgiueth sinnes bicause hée is God The fleshe of Chryst is the foode of life bicause it is the flesh of a man that is God And although the Godhead in Chryst suffred not but his manhood only as sayth Peter Chryst suffred in the fleshe yet his passion extendeth too his whole person In so muche that what so euer reproche is doone too Chrystes manhod the same redoundeth too the reproche of his whole person according too this sentence they haue crucifyed the Lord of glorie In consideration wherof the Churche confesseth the sonne of God too haue suffred bicause hée suffred in the manhod which he had taken vpon him Of what estimation our Lordes passion is before God it is already sayd and also what is the frute therof in general Howbéeit now to the intent the frute of oure Lordes passion may bée séene the better I wil deuide it intoo partes These therfore are the frutes The first is y t obedience
good his owne promises For he promised his Disciples that after hée had bin deliuered too the Gentiles and mocked of them he should be put too death and rise ageine the third day And he preuented not the third day bicause all men might certeinly know that hée was dead in déed Therfore by lying fortie houres in his graue he shewed himselfe too haue bin dead in very déede And why he delayed not his resurrection til the last day there are right weightie causes ready too be shewed The first is bicause it was written Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one too sée corruption For Chrystes body might not rot in the graue First for that it was made of the bloud of the moste chaste virgin by the woorking of the holy ghost Secondly for that as long as hée liued in this world he kept it pure and vndefiled Therfore had it bin vnméet that suche a body should haue become woormes meat The seconde cause why hée delayed not his resurrection is our hope For thus sayeth Peter Blissed bée God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryste for begetting vs ageine too a liuely hope throughe the resurrection of Chryste from the dead The third cause is that hée should be the first of them that rise ageine For like as Adam was the firste that appéered in mortall body by reason of sinne so ought Chryste too bée the first that should appéer in immortall body iustifying vs and healing our bodies from eternall death And although wée shal all rise ageine and that others besides Chryst haue risen ageine Yet is there excéeding great difference betwéene the resurrection of Chryste and of other men For first Chryst rose ageine by his owne power whiche thing no man coulde euer doo saue onely hée Secondly the other that were raysed as the widowes sonne the ruler of the Sinagogs daughter and Lazarus and others rose too die ageine But Chryste rose too liue for euermore Besides this Chrysts Resurrection differeth from the Resurrection of other men in frute and efficacie For Chryste by his owne power rayseth vp others which thing was shewed in the Garden where he was buried and rose ageine at the rising of the Sunne Lastly Chrysts rising ageine differeth from oures in time also For as it is already shewed and as we knowledge in our Créede Chryst rose ageyne the third day but our Resurrection shall bée delayed till the last day For then shall appéere the euerlasting life and endlesse righteousnesse which he shall giue too all his that is too say too all them that beléeue in him Thus much concerning the second place why Christ rose ageine the third day and how his resurrection differeth from oures that by the Resurrection of Chryst wée may conceiue liuely hope of the euerlasting and incorruptible heritage in heauen ¶ Of the thirde NOw remayneth the thirde place concerning the frute of Chrysts Resurrection which is more plentifull and abundaunt than that it may bée expressed by mannes tung Paule saythe that by Chryste all things are restored in heauen and in earth For first Chryste by comming out of his graue sheweth himselfe conquerour and triumpher ouer Death Hell and Sathan and so maketh good the promisse vttered concerning him in times past The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpents head whiche Prophecie Iohn expounding sayth Chryst appéered too destroy the woorkes of the Deuill How bée it as too vs warde that are men for whose saluation he came downe from heauen was made manne dyed and rose ageyne there are foure sundrye kindes of frutes of Chrystes Resurrection too bée considered For Chrysts Resurrection is first our Iustification Secondly the power whereby sinne is subdued in vs thirdly an example of newnesse of lyfe the cause therof and fourthly the cause of our resurrection and a most assured warrant of the same Of these foure maner of frutes I will speake in order Therfore the first frute of our Lordes resurrection is the iustification of vs of which frute Paule speaketh in y e fourth too the Romanes Hée died for our sinnes and rose ageine for our iustification And Daniell in his .ix. Chapter Iniquitie shal bée taken away and euerlasting righteousnesse shal bée brought in To the intent this frute may bée the swéeter wée must consider of how great value it is Wée are borne in sin and subiect too Gods wrath Ephes. 1. Wée are all by nature the children of wrath The reward of sinne is death Ro. 6. frō this death are wée deliuered by the resurrection of Christ. For by Christ wée are quit from the gilt of sinne and so consequently from eternall death Héervpon commeth that saying in the Apocalips Blissed and holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for vpon them hath the second death no power but they shal bée préests of God of Chryst and they shall reigne with him For as the first death is by Adam so the first Resurrection is by Chryst. Héervntoo also perteineth this saying Blissed are they that wash their garmentes in the Lambes blud that they may haue power in the trée of life and may enter in at the gates of the Citie The second frute of our Lords Resurrection is that it is the power whiche is shed intoo the beléeuers which maketh them able too ryse from vices vntoo vertue This power is bestowed vppon vs in Baptim and confirmed in the Lordes Supper so that wée bée not behinde hande with our partes And yet this power is felt in those only that are borne agein of immortall séede 1. Peter 1. The thirde frute is the example For as Paule sayeth Chryste rose ageine too the intent wée might walke in newnesse of lyfe Those therefore that folowe their owne vices liuing wickedly vnclenly doo testifie by their own doing y t they despise Chryste whose Resurrection is set before vs as a glasse to sée how we ought too leade our life For they think that Chryst was scourged crowned with thornes and shed his blud vppon the altar of the crosse too the intent that they may giue ouer themselues too all outragiousnesse tyranny pryde and lusts and after this maner as much as in them lieth they crucifie the sonne God of new agein We therfore who couet not only to be called but also to be the same that we are called that is to say Christians must think vppon the mater as it is in déede namely that Chryst dyed for the clensing of suche mennes sinnes as receiue Faith with him and liue in true repentance by mortifying the old man and quickening the new man There bée foure euils wherewith men are burthened ignorance giltinesse of sinne vices and feare of endlesse damnation Ageinst ignorance Chryste is vntoo vs wisdome whyle he by his Gospel instructeth vs of his will towards vs. For if we were not instructed concerning his will by the woord of god our mind should be wrapped in continual darknesse which darknesse is put away by the
the world is signified the triumph of the Iewes kylling Chryst. For when they had put him too death they thought theÌ„selues and their common weale too bée out of all hazard And when he addeth Your sorovv shall be turned intoo ioy Hée signifieth that he will rise ageyne from death wherby his disciples shall conceiue ioy This selfe same thing declareth he by the similitude of the woman trauaylyng with chylde whoo as long as she is in hir labor féeleth gréeuous throwes but as soone as shée séeeth the child borne she taketh so great ioye that she vtterly forgetteth the paine that shée felt a little before After the same maner the disciples of the Lord felt gret sorow of mynde when the Lord was dead and buried but anon after when the Lord was raised ageyne from death for ioy they forgate the sorow past And this is it that he sayth And I will sée you agein and your hart shal reioyce bicause you shal sée mée raised from death and no man shal take your ioye from you that is to saye I shall die no more that yée should be cast into heauinesse for my death but I shall liue for euer so instruct you by my spirit concerning the knowledge of God that you shall haue no more néed too aske mée any moe questions Thus haue wée playnly séene the méenyng of the Text. And nowe are all these things too bée applyed too the church of all times whiche in this world shall bée vnder the crosse whyle the vngodly reioyce Howebéeit at length when Chryst appéereth it shall obteyne full perfect ioy wherof shal be none end For these thréedays wherin our Lord suffered and rose ageyn are an image of y e crosse of the church and of the ioy of the world that is to say of the vngodly persecuting Chryste and killing him in his membres of the glorious deliueraÌ„ce of the church which shal at y t time be full wheÌ„ our Lord shalle â—ome in the cloudâ— with glorie and great power and shall take vp those that bée his intoo euerlasting ioy and deliuer the vngodly too the diuell too bée tormented with eternall paines For as muche then as this place admonisheth vs of the Crosse of the Churche and of the glorious deliuerance of the same I will first shew what the Crosse is and how diuers next what are the causes of the Crosse Then the difference betwéene the crosse of the Godly and the punishments of the vngodly Also with what minde the Godly may beare the crosse and lastly from whence comfort is too bée sought vnder the Crosse. What is the Crosse It is any affliction whereunto the meÌ„bers of Chrysts Church are subiect in this world wherof there seme to be foure differences For the crosse of a godly person is first either a gréefe of mynd and affliction of body and that for sundry causes as for the receiuing of some losse for the sorowfull mischaunce of some fréend for thirst nakednesse imprisonment or torture as holy Iacob had exceding gréefe of mynde for the losse of his sonne Ioseph Ioseph suffred affliction of body in y e prisoÌ„ Lazarus felt hunger and the peyne of his byles at the richmans gate and many are exercised at this day with sundry troubles and gréefes both of mind and body 2 Or iâ— is a most sharpe fight betwene the fleshe and spirite in the Godly For the fleshe lusteth alwayes ageynst the spirit and now and then getteth the vpper hand séeming to giue the spirit an vtter ouerthrowe as wée sée in Dauid who being ouercome with the concupiscences of the fleshe felt intoo the most heynous offences of murther and aduoutrie and had perished for euer had he not bin called back too repentance and the flesh subdued agein vnder obedience of the spirit Heervpon Paule cryeth out whoo shal deliuer mée from the body of this death The grace of God through Iesus Chryst. 3 Or it is a hardnesse and distresse of vocation in household state ciuil state or ecclesiasticall state that is too say of priuate publik ecclesiastical state How great a crosse euen the godly husbands wiues féele in bringing vp their children and in séeking néedefull things whereby too liue they know that haue had the triall of it Such as beare office as kings noble men counsellors and presidents are not frée from the crosse at least wise if they bée godly So also godly bishops parish préests and the other ministers of the Churches doo oftentimes féele a crosse by reason of the difficultie of their office 4 Or else the crosse is a punishment for some certayne fault Like as there bée many causes of the troubles of the Church of which causes I will now intreate What then are the causes of the crosse of the church Certein causes of the crosse are within vs and certein without vs. Within vs are thrée causes of the crosse whereof the first is sinne inhabiting in vs that is too say originall sinne If this sinne were not brydled it woulde bring foorth damnable frutes The seconde is Concupiscence shooting out of the same as a flame out of fire which flame vnlesse it were quenched with the water of the Crosse woulde kindle the fire of hell The thirde cause is that there bée in vs daylye backslydings which originall sinne procureth by his concupiscences Seuen times in a day sayth Salomon dooth the righteous man fall and riseth ageine These dayly fallings dooth the crosse stay that is layd vpoÌ„ vs by God too the intent wée should not bée damned with the world in our sinnes Besides these there are also causes of the crosse without vs but of an other nature For God of his fatherly goodnesse visiteth vs with his rod. For whomsoeuer hée receyueth him hée chastiseth with none other affection than the good father Agein the diuil lies in wait for the church as wée sée in Iob but God appointeth him bounds beyond which he is not able too raunge Moreouer the limmes of the diuell that is too say tyrants and euill men in this world which trouble the Church in this life Also there bée other causes of the crosse which I will let passe and speake of the difference betwéene the crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly What is the difference then betwéene the Crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly sith wée sée as wel the godly as vngodly striken with gréeuous miseries in this world surely there bée many differences The first difference is taken of the efficient causes For as the affection of the godly procéedeth of the fatherly loue of the heuenly father towards his children so the punishments of the wicked procéede of the wrath and sore displeasure of the iust iudge god who punisheth the wicked as his enemies and aduersaries The second difference is taken of the finall causes for the godly are exercised with the crosse too their good but the vngodly are striken with punishementes too
their vndooing vnlesse they amende The thirde difference is taken of the effects For the godly doo blisse God and call vpon him in their crosse as Iob dyd But the vngodly freat at God and are angry with him The godly are nurtured the vngodly are confounded The godly are tried the vngodly are distroubled The godly vnder the crosse doo hope the vngodly do despaire The fourth difference is taken of the time The godly are afflicted for a shorte time that afterwarde they may bée glorified with Christ their head but the vngodly are wrapped in mischéefe for euer Whose present affliction is as it were a handfull of their endlesse paines in hell The fifth difference is taken of the place The godly are chastized in this world only but the fire of the vngodly shal neuer bée quenched For héere they are tormented with an euill conscience and in the woorld too come they shal bée ouerwhelmed with Gods euerlasting wrath and suffer punishement that neuer shall haue ende So haue wée the differences of the crosses of the godly and the punishments of the vngodly Now wil I adde a few things concerning the comforte wherewith the godly muste raise vp them selues vnder the Crosse. From whence then is comforte too bée sought First the godly that is pressed vnder the crosse shall consider two thinges in his affliction namely iudgement and mercie Iudgemente that hée is punished for his sinnes Therefore sayeth Chryste Sinne not leaste some woorser thing happen vntoo thée And mercie that hée is punished too the intent hée shoulde turne and repent according too this text 1. Cor. 11. When wée are iudged of the Lorde wée are chastized that wée bée not damned with this worlde Therfore when the faythful is exercised with the crosse let him séeke comforte at the fatherly mercy of God Secondly the godly in his crosse shall take comforte by examples whereof many are recited in the .xj. too the Hebrues And Paule dooth oftentimes lay before vs the example of Chryst too which it behoueth vs too become conformable vnder the Crosse that wée may be gloryfied with him in time too come For the godly suffereth with Chryste as it were a meÌ„ber of his For like as Chryst suffered first that hée might obey the Father and secondly that hée mighte vanquishe and condemne our sinne so must wée also obey GOD vnder the crosse bothe too vanquishe and too condemn our owne sinne not by making satisfaction for it as hée didde but by mortifying it Thirdly the godly shall fetche comfort at the endes of the Crosse. For the godly is not chastized with the Crosse too the end hée should perrish but too the end hée may bée holden in and as it were reyned with a certeine brydle from falling away from God Fourthly the godly shal coÌ„fort him self with the presence of God for thus saith God I am with thée in tribulation For if God defeÌ„ded vs not with his presence in our crosse our harts would vtterly faile and wée should renounce our profession Fiftly the godly shall take comforte at the promise of deliuerance asuagement of paines and at Gods helpe Our fathers cryed vntoo thée sayeth the Psalme and thou heardest them Sixtly the godly shall séeke comfort by comparing the present affliction with the glory too come The one lasteth but a moment the other is eternall Let this suffise concerning the crosse of the godly GOD graunt vs grace too glorifie him with true patience vnder the Crosse through our Lord Iesus Chryste too whom bée honour and glorie world without end Amen The iiij Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xvj IEsus â—ayed vntoo his Disciples Novv I go my vvaye vntoo him that sent mee and none of you asketh mee vvhyther I go But bycause I haue sayed suche things vntoo you your harts are ful of sorovv Neuerthelesse I tel you the trueth it is expedient for you that I go avvay For if I go not avvay that comforter vvill not come vntoo you But if I depart I vvil send him vntoo you And vvhen he is come he vvill rebuke the vvorld of sinne and of ryghtuousnesse and of iudgement Of sinne bycause they beleeue not on mee Of rightuousnesse bicause I go too my Father and yee shall see me no more Of iudgement bicause the Prince of this vvorld is iudged alreadie I haue yet manye things too say vntoo you but yee cannot beare them avvay novv hovv be it vvhen he is come vvhiche is the spirite of truthe he vvil lead you intoo all trueth Hee shall not speake of him selfe but vvhatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speak and he vvil shevv you things too come He shall glorifie mee for hee shall receiue of mine and shall shevv vntoo you All things that the Father hathe are mine therefore sayde I vntoo you that he shall take of mine and shevv vntoo you The exposition of the text THis gospel is a péece of that sermon that Christ made after Supper the night before he suffred wherin as I tolde you this day seuennight he warned his Disciples aforehande of his Passion Death and Resurrection and disputed of the persecution and comfort of the Churche and the state of his kingdome of what sorte it shoulde bée vntoo the ende of the world and that too this end that his Disciples should be confirmed in the faith and not renounce their profession for the crosse and stumbling blockes thervpon risen among many This also was the cause of this Sermon that I haue rehearsed the effect wherof is that Chryst promiseth to his church an aduocate teacher and gouerner the holy Ghost Wherby is shewed the difference betwéene the administration of the ciuill gouernement and the kingdome of Chryst. For that hath néede of outwarde sinues as lawes decrées of magistrates open punishmentes c. But this is gouerned by the woord by the spirite by fatherly discipline and by sacraments The places are thrée 1 The profite and néedefulnesse of Chrysts departure too the Father wherein the kingdome of Chryste is described 2 What the holy Ghost dooth in the world 3 Of the saying I haue many things too say vntoo you but you are not able too beare them away at this time ¶ Of the first I Go too him that sente mee and none of you asketh mee vvhither goest thou that is too say Nowe is my death at hande and my victorie ouer death which when I haue obteyned I will ascende too my father That the Lorde speaketh so darklye hée dooth it too this purpose too stirre vp his Disciples too make more diligent enquirie of his Death and resurrection But they for all that thought nothing lesse than that he whom they had acknowledged too bée the Messias should bée deliuered too so reprochful a death so blinde is reason in matters perteyning to God It créepeth héer vpon ground it can not déeme aright of heauenly things and of Chrysts kingdome Bicause sayth he I haue tolde you these things your hartes are filled
vvith sorovv that is too say bicause yée haue herd me make mention of my death crucifying yée are striken with sorow For yée vnderstand not what good my death and Resurrection shall bring you But I tell you truth it is expedient for you that I go as if he had saide Yée shal not thinke of my death as of the death of an other man but know yée this that my death my resurrection and my gooing too the father shall bring singuler profite vnto you The profite in effect is this Like as Chryste was borne circumcised offered in sacrifice and a teacher vntoo vs so also was he put too death and raised agein from death for our saluation conditionally that wée leane vpon him by stedfast faith Whervpon is that saying the .x. too the Romans If thou beléeue in thy hart that God hath raysed vp Iesus Chryste from death thou shalt bée safe This profite of Chrysts gooing away his disciples vnderstoode not but onely dreamed of a worldly kingdome wherein Chryst as the highest Monarche shoulde holde the souerayntie For if I go not avvay that comforter shall not come vntoo you as if he had saide I shall suffer for your sakes I shall rise agein for your sakes I shall go too the father for your sakes that from thence I may sende you a sanctifier a comforter and an aduocate In these woords he giueth vs too vnderstande two things the one is that the Church shall haue enemies in this world and that it shal be exercised with the crosse The other is that in the crosse and in persecution it shall haue the holy Ghost a comforter and aduocate whom he shall giue vntoo it For thus he sayth And vvhē I am gone I vvil send him vntoo you All these things tend too this purpose that when the Disciples shoulde sée Chryste betrayed by Iudas caught too be punished and condemned to most shameful death they should by some meanes take hart too them vpon trust of these promises of Chryste From hence also let vs séek comforte as often as we bée afflicted in the kingdome of the worlde and let vs thinke vppon the difference betwéene Chrystes kingdome and the kingdome of the world In that is the holy Ghost an aduocate and comforter whome the Father shall giue too them that aske according too Chrystes promise and hée shall giue the holy Ghoste too them that aske but in this there is affliction and miserie ¶ Of the second IN the seconde parte the texte telleth what the holy Ghoste shall doo in the world VVhen he commeth sayth hée he shal reprooue the vvorlde of sinne of rightuousnesse and of iudgement Of sinne bycause they haue not beleeued in me of rightuousnesse bycause I go too my Father and novv yee shall not see mee and of iudgement bycause the Prince of this vvorld is iudged already These woordes of Chryste are too bée referred vntoo twoo times namely vntoo that time that followed immediately after the Lordes Ascension and too the reste of the whole time vntoo the end of the worlde First therefore wil I shew how these woords are too bée vnderstoode in respecte of the time that followed immediatly after the Ascension of the Lorde when the holy Ghoste was giuen visibly too the Apostles vpon Whitson Sunday First he sayth the holy Ghoste shall reproue the vvorld of sinne that is too say The holy ghost shall manifestly conuince that too bée sinne whiche the world thinketh too bée no sinne For the worlde that is too say mine enimies of whome I am reiected despised and nayled too the crosse béeing conuicted by the manifeste witnesse of the holy Ghoste and their owne conscience shall confesse it selfe too haue doone amisse and also too haue synned very gréeuously in that it hath not beléeued on mée whiche thing héertofore it took too bée no sinne at all How true this is they beare witnesse whome Peter reproueth of murther in the seconde of the Actes For they béeing conuicted of their sinne say Men and brethren what shal we doo Thus are these men compelled too confesse their murther and too acknowledge them selues too haue sinned gréeuously in killing him on whome they ought rather too haue beléeued Secondly hée shall reproue the worlde of rightuousnesse that is too saye the Holye Ghoste shall cléerely conuince that that is rightuousnesse whiche the worlde thinketh too bée no rightuousnesse For the holy Ghoste shall proue openly béefore the worlde that Chryste was rightuous in déede whiche thing the proude Pharisies and the worlde thoughte not but Chryste confirmed his rightuousnesse by his deede That it is so it appéereth by the reason added For sayeth hée I go vntoo my Father and you shall see mee no more that is too say When the worlde shall sée openly in the Church that I haue sheaded the holye Ghoste intoo you it shall bée compelled too confesse that I was rightuous in very déede and not an vngodly blasphemous person in that I sayd I was the sonne of GOD for the holy Ghoste shall beare witnesse of mine innocencie Furthermore the holy Ghoste shall reproue the worlde of iudgemente that is too say the holy Ghoste shall cléerely conuince that that iudgement is already giuen whiche the worlde thinketh not for hée shall beare witnesie that the Prince of this worlde is iudged What is that The worlde whiche called me Chryste in mockage and did bid me come downe from the Crosse shal bée conuinced by the holy Ghoste whome I shall poure out vppon you on Whitsonday that it hath iudged amisse For the holy Ghost shal bring too passe that they shall in very déed vnderstand and knowe how that I hauing vanquished the Deuil by my resurrection doo beare the whole swaye in the worlde when no man shall bée able too withstande you This is the meaning of these woordes if wée referre them vntoo the woorking of the holy Ghoste vpon Whitson Sunday whiche thing wée must néedes doo And yet they belong not so precisely too that time but that they bothe may and must also bée referred too the whole time folowing euen vntoo the ende of the worlde according as I will shew by and by First therefore the holy Ghoste shall reproue the worlde of sinne that is too say shall shewe it too bée giltie of sinne Of what sinne For that sayth hée they beléeued not in mée And are there none other sinnes that the holy Ghost shal reproue than vnbeléefe or not too beléeue on Chryst Yes surely there are infinite and horrible sinnes ageinst the firste and seconde table Why then did hée put this alone Bicause as long as this remayneth the rest also are reteyned with it and when this goeth away the reste are released Therefore like as all other sinnes are where vnbeléefe is so where as is fayth in Chryste all sinnes are forgiuen For euerlasting life is promised too him that beleeueth which should not be done vnlesse the sinnes were forgiuen Héere then wée sée how
too him that suffreth violence or wrong or is accused by the wicked world Secondly that he take vppon him the case of eche man yea and of the whole Churche as his owne case Thirdly that he teach and admonishe him that erreth and instruct him that hée bée not ouerthrowne in his case Fourthly that he comfort him in his trouble Therfore when the holy ghost is called an aduocate it is ment therby that he is the defender of the Church that he taketh the case therof vpon himselfe and that he teacheth and comforteth the church Agein the text saith that the holy Ghost shal bée the teacher of truth By which name is shewed first that men can not obteyn healthful truth of their owne disposition and nature Secondly y t the doctrine of truth is not of the lawe but of the Gospell For reason of his owne inclination dooth after a sort vnderstande the doctrine of the law And thirdly y t the holy ghost woorketh mightily both in the teachers and in the learners For he maketh the teachers too vnderstande the truth and the learners too receiue it And therefore wée are admonished too call vppon the teacher of truth that hée may giue vs the key of knowledge and too beware that wée driue not away from vs that same most pure spirite through our vnclennesse For in asmuch as he is holy that is cleane chast and a maker of others holy hée dwelleth not in an vnpure harte that is too wit in suche a hart as tumbleth it selfe in his owne filthines and defileth it selfe as a swine by wallowing in the myre Besides this hée sayth This holy Ghoste shall beare witnesse of mée Of whiche office the ministers of Gods woorde also shalbée partakers But what dooth the holy Ghoste witnesse of Chryste and what shall the ministers of the woord witnesse of him First the holy Ghost and the ministers of Gods woorde beare witnesse of Chryst that he is very God according too the Scripture one in Godhead with the father and the holy Ghoste as wée professe in our Créed Secondly the holy Ghoste witnesseth that Chryst is very man according too oure Créede who was conceyued by the holye Ghoste and borne of the virgin Mary Thirdly y e holy Ghost witnesseth that Christe though hée be bothe God and man yet is but one Lord one Chryste one person according as our Créed beareth record Chryst also of himself when he sayth No man goeth vp intoo heauē but he that came downe from heauen the sonne of man that is in heauen Fourthly the holy Ghoste beareth witnesse of Chrystes office that he is a bishop and a king A bishop verely whiche with his owne sacrifice pacifieth the wrath of the father and by his intercession bringeth vs vntoo GOD. And a King in that he hath vanquished our enimies death sinne the Deuil and hel and shall come too iudge the quicke and the dead These foure things dooth the spirit witnesse of Chryst. These foure things are deliuered vs cōcerning Christ in our Créede These foure things shall all godly ministers of Gods woord witnesse of Chryst til hée come too iudgement Of the second THese things haue I spoken to you that yee shold not be offēded Christ dooth thē to vnderstād to what end he spake so much of the church of the holy ghost of his death resurrectiō y t is to wit y t being cōfirmed by these things they shold not bée offended with the rest of the world This admonishment is necessarie at all times for the world is full of stumbling blocks Woe sayth Chryst bée vntoo the world for offence méening that they are like too buy it déer that fal from the Gospel bycause of offences Now too the intent euery one of vs may iudge a right concerning an offence I wil set forth a ful doctrine concerning offences An offence in general is whatsoeuer kéepeth a man backe from the righte course of the Gospell that is too saye eyther woorde déede or outwarde appéerance if I may so terme it whiche is too any man a cause or occasion of stumbling or of béeing offended so as eyther he bée hindred or else step aside from the right course of saluation Of this stumbling blocke there are moe kindes than one For there is one offence or stumbling block whiche is called giuen and another that is called taken Which what maner of ones they bée I wil declare by definitions and examples An offence giuen is that which riseth eyther of som woord or déede that is euill in it selfe or else of some woorde or déed that is indifferent that is too wit neyther good nor euill but cast foorth out of season Both of these is streightly forbidden by Gods woord and Chryste him self auoucheth it too bée better for a man too bée drowned in the middes of the Sea than too giue occasion of offence too any bodye The examples are these Arrius denyed Chryst too bée God whereby he caused manye too stumble and was a cause of endlesse damnation bothe too him selfe and too many others Dauid by his aduoutrie was a stumbling blocke too all the inhabiters of his Realme and had pearished for euer if hée had not repented Ageinst this stūbling block prayeth Salomon when he sayth Kéep me frō the snare that they haue layd for me from the stūbling block of thē that work wickednesse The most part of the world stūbling at this block stick in damnation dayly many fall headlong intoo destruction by dasshing ageynste this stūbling block bothe priuately publikly Priuatly are offended children seruants and maryed couples Children sée their parents absteyne from Gods seruice and they absteine likewise They héere their parentes sweare and they sweare as well as they They héere them talke of ribaudry and by and by they folow their example For wicked things sticke fastest in minde They sée them bibbing deceyuing and dealing vniustly with their neibours and they like good scholers lerne the same trades But wo bée too them by whō such stumbling blockes are made For they with the whirle winde and tempest of their stumbling blockes doo throwe downe and beate out the crop of Chrysts church This houshold stumbling block is the séede of all euils in the world For such things as childrē lerne of their fathers moothers they kéepe stil when they bée old and also teach the same too their children Wherfore the parents that fear god must take excéeding great héede that they bée not stumbling blocks too their owne children Therfore let them talk godlily let them doo all things rightly Let them serue God and stirre vp their children too do the like and let them bring thē vp in correction and nurture of the Lord according as Paul admonisheth and let them always bear in mind this saying of Chryst which is written in the ninth of Mark whoosoeuer offendeth one of these little ones that beléeueth in mée it were better for him that he had a milstone hanged
only that wée should learne by the example of this multitude first too séeke the kingdome of God but also that we should bée confirmed concerning the power of Chryst. For Chryst sheweth that he hath a care of those that hée his and he declareth that no man is able too performe any thing in his vocation vnlesse â—e be present with him in his businesse and as it were put to his hand too the dooing of it according as he sayeth Without me yée can doo nothing And the Psalme sayeth Unlesse the Lord build the house in vayne doo they watche that kéepe it The places are foure 1 The néedfulnesse in héering Gods woord is commended by the example of this multitude which was so gréedy too héere Chryst. 2 An Image of the Church and of the teachers hearers of the woord 3 The present miracle and the vse of the same 4 The example of Peter bothe in catching the Fishes and also in the acknowledging of Chryst méete too bée folowed ¶ Of the firste ANd it came too passe vvhen the people preased vpon him too heere him The example of this multitude teacheth vs that the gospell is too bée herâ— desirously For this people would neuer haue folowed Chryst so earnestly if they had not vnderstoode that his doctrine had bin very néedfull This multitude then folowed Christ not too lye in the wynde for him not too take aduauntage of his woords not too laugh him too scorne as the Scribes Pharisies and Hypocrites did but too héer Gods woord too déefed with the bread of saluation For the woord of God is heauenly bread farre swéeter than the Hony and the Hony combe as is said in the Psalm This multitude therefore like a sorte of hungry soules come flocking about him as one that were dealing of some large almesse and not without cause For as the body is susteyned with materiall bâ—â—â—d bicause it is materiall it selfe so is the soule nourished with spirituall bread â–ª which is the woorde of God bicause it selfe is spirituall Ageyne like as the appetite too meat betokeneth health and the lothing of it is a â—oken that the body is faint and ill at ease So the longing after Gods woord 〈◊〉 a sigâ—â— that the soul is in good plight and contrarywise the lothing of Gods woord bewrayeth the disease of a crased soule Therfore if wée lothe Gods woord wée must doo as they doo that are diseased in their body For like as they take counsell of Phisitians that by receyuing a medicine they may recouer health and haue a good stomacke too their meate So wée when Gods woord goeth ageinst oure stomacke and that our soule lotheth it must by Prayer séek too Chryste the Phisitian that hée may make oure soules too like of Gods woorde whiche is the breade of saluation least wée starue for want of Gods woorde For Gods woord is the heauenlye foode That is too say the breade of life and the drinke whereof who so euer drinketh shall not thirst for euer Ihon. 4. How bée it too the intent we may hunger after this bread of life and thirste after this heauenly drinke as this multitude did Wée muste thinke vppon the néedfulnesse of thys foode whiche béeing perceyued there is no man but wil haue an appetite too it vnlesse it bée suche a one as is so blinded bereft of his wits by the Deuil that hée hath no care at all of his soule helth The first néedfulnesse is this that euery soule must néeds die whiche is destitute of this heauenly foode vntoo the ende For firste wée obteine life when wée conceiue fayth by the woord Ageine the woorde is the foode of fayth wherewith it is fed and nourished This néedfulnesse is confirmed by oure Lords saying Hée that beléeueth not shall die for faith coÌ„meth not from else where than by héering the woord of God Rom. 10. Ageine without this food maÌ„ abideth vnder Gods wrath Hée that beléeueth not sayth Chryst the wrath of God abideth vpon him Besides that this is the food that strengthneth too eternall life Héeruppon sayeth Paule The Gospel is the power of God too saluation too euery one that beléeueth Lastly to coÌ„clude all in one woord Gods word is y e vncorruptible séed as the Apostle Peter teacheth wherwith wée who before were the children of wrath by reason of y e sinne of our first Parentes and of our selues are begotten a new borne a new through the grace of the sonne of God Therfore as by nature wée are born the children of wrath that is of damnation vntâ— euerlasting death So by grace through the séed of Gods woorde wée are borne the children of grace that is to say of blissing to eternal life They that beléeue are the children of Abraham and heires of the promisse Wherfore if the helth of our soules if the escaping of death Gods wrath and damnation if the dignitie that wée are called too by being adopted the sonnes of God doo moue vs Let vs bée desirous of Gods woorde let vs héere it and kéepe it and that not onely after the example of this multitude but also of the whole Churche whiche coueteth nothing more than too bée throughly fed with this woord of God ¶ Of the second IEsus vvent intoo a Shippe in vvhiche he sate him dovvne and taught the people standing on the shore In these woordes is the state of the Church militant and floting in the waues of this world very trimly peinted out In which picture thrée things are too bée obserued The ship it self Chryst sitting in the ship and the people standing on the shore The shippe it self is a shadowe of the Churche Chryst betokeneth all true Preachers and teachers The people standing on the shore represent the héerers of the woorde Now like as a shippe is horribly shaken when a tempest riseth on the Sea euen so nothing is more shaken and tossed in the worlde than the church which thing the story of the whole world auoucheth How sorowful was the shaking of this shippe when Cayne slue his owne brother And afterwarde when Lothe was in Sodome and Abraham in his wayfarings Ageine howe sore was Gods Churche shaken firste in Egipte and after that by the space of fortye yéeares toogyther too passe ouer in silence the persecutions whiche the Churche endured at all times vnder the Iudges vnder the kings and in the captiuitie of Babilon And too omit other things and too speake of our time Howe sore is the Churche shaken by them that wil séeme too bée Citizens of the Churche Some assaile it with heresies as with horrible tempests sent out by the Diuell him selfe What is it that the Sacramentaries doo not What is it that the other Sectaries Anabaptistes and Libertines doo not too ouerturne this little ship of Peters The Byshops condemne it of heresie The Iewes iest at it The Turke despiseth it The ciuill Magistrate in many places appeacheth it of sedition as wée reade in the storie of
Pharisie who thought himself godly and rightuous and was not so maketh vs a Prayer too knowe an Hypocrite by Contrariwise the silie Publicane casting himselfe flat before God and acknowledging his own vnclennesse and yet neuerthelesse fléeing vntoo mercy dooth by his exāple set foorth a forme of true and healthful prayer The places are thrée 1 Of the rightuousnesse of the Law and of the fondnesse of the Pharisie 2 Of Christen rightuousnesse and of true repentance 3 Chrystes iudgement concerning the Pharisie and the Publicane ¶ Of the firste HE sayde too certeine vvhiche had an opinion of themselues that they vvere ryghtuous Héere I must néedes speake of the rightuousnesse of the Lawe what is it and what is the vse end and prerogatiue of it For thereby wée shall vnderstand how farre the Pharisies are wide from the true rightuousnesse What is the rightuousnesse of the Lawe It is a perfecte obedience of all our members inwarde and outwarde vntoo Gods lawe of the harte the affections the will the mouth and ▪ bréeflye of all the powers and abilities as well of the bodie as the minde whiche obedience it behoueth too be not at startes but continuall not vayne but perfecte and full not stayned but pure and chaste suche as mighte haue bin performed by Adam before his fall and suche as is performed by the holye Angelles in Heauen That the rightuousnesse of the Law ought too bée suche a one bothe Moyses and Chryst doo teache in these woords Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy harte with all thy soule with all thy strengthe and with all thy power and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Moreouer forasmuche as hée is pure holy chaste nothing can please him but that whiche is pure holye and chaste And they that fulfill this rightuousnesse they onely haue the promisse of the Law For thus sayeth Moyses The man that dooth these things shall liue in thē No man Chryst onely excepted didde euer performe this perfecte and continuall obedience suche as the Lawe requireth Wherefore all they ▪ that thynke them selues ryghtuous wyth thys rightuousnesse of the law are not only blinde and arrogant but also blasphemous ageinst the law of GOD which they measure by their owne slender skill and not by the voyce of GOD. That none is able too fulfil the law of GOD I haue declared a late and will now bréefly bring the same too oure remembrance ageine Firste oure members bothe inwarde and outward wherwith wée should execute obedience to the Lawe are mangled and corrupted with a certeine horrible outrage so as they are able too doo nothing aryght Agein the Law of sinne as a moste stoute Gyant grypeth our limmes euen after that wée bée borne a newe that wée cannot performe what we woulde Héereuppon S. Paule cryeth oute O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer mée from this bodye subiecte too Death And in another place Too will is present with mée but too performe I finde not in my selfe Also I doo not the good that I would doo but the euill whiche I would not doo that doo I. Thus the regenerate haue a forewarde will but they are destitute of ablenesse too performe that which they would so importunate is our houshold enimie withdrawing vs from that whiche is good What shall wée saye then of them whose will is not yet reformed suche as all they bée that are not regenerate Too the furtherance héereof also maketh it that the Law of God is spirituall but wée are carnall For thus hathe Paule béeing at that time a faythfull Chrystian sayd The Law is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne Héereby it is easie too sée that wée are not able to performe due obedience too the law For how is it possible that flesh should performe spirituall rightuousnesse I alledged many and sundry other reasons not long agoe whereby I shewed that no man in this life is able too yéeld perfect and ful obedience too the Law What is too bée doone then Héere thou shalt firste heare the voyce of the Lawe What sayeth hée Curssed is hée that continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the Lawe Héere thou hearest the sentence of the Lawe Let this saying of the lawe humble thée before God and vtterly cast thée downe that thou maist acknowledge both the filthinesse of thy sinne and thy iust damnation What is too bée doone héer Are we able too eschue the cursse of the lawe Thou art not able of thine owne power Wherefore thou must eyther perish or else séeke a remedie ageinst this damnation of the lawe but other remedie surely there is none than only Iesus Chryst who purposely came into the world too take vppon himselfe the curse of the lawe and too delyuer all that beléeue on him from the power of the lawe that is from damnation which the law threatneth too those y t transgresse it Therefore this cursse extendeth it selfe too all men that héere not Chryst nor are clothed with his rightuousnesses that they may appéere apparelled therewith in the sight of God For Chryst is the end of the law too iustifie all that beléeue Rom. 10. These things haue I spoken concerning the rightuousnesse of the lawe too this intent that I might shewe how fond these Pharisies were which thought themselues rightuous and hilde scorne of others as vnholy and vnrightuous But what is the cause that this Pharisie and the rest of his rable thought themselues rightuous The cause was blindnesse For he was so blinde that he saw not the méening of the lawe yea rather he saw only the couering of the lawe and neuer looked into the brest of the lawe according as the text of this gospel sufficiently declareth For he sayth I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publicane He had séene the letter of the law then but not the spirit that is he stacke only in the outward woorks but he considered not the spirituall méening which the law requireth How bée it too the intent these things may be set the playner before our eyes let vs sée first what maner of woorkes this Pharisies were Secondly Let vs lay them too the law of God Thirdly let vs gather therby what wanted in him And fourthly let vs sée of how many sinnes he was founde giltie and cast by the lawe though he vaunted himselfe rightuous before men The woorkes of this Pharisie were faithlesse procéeding of méere misbeléefe and pryde Now in as much as the scripture saieth plainely without faith it is impossible too please God who is so madde as too call this outwarde visor rightuousnesse Let vs lay his woorkes that he bosteth of too the woord of God The lawe requireth pure obedience This man out of his most vncleane hart draweth slaunders ageinst God and his neighboure The lawe commaundeth him too loue his neighboure He accuseth him yea and that before the iudgement seate of God
his posteritie from GOD by the space of nyne hundred yeres Howe great was the gréefe of Dauids mynde when he sawe the rauishmente of his daughters and the slaughter of his sonnes What should I speake of a few All men féele the byting of the Serpent which byting serueth too none other purpose than that wée should thereby acknowledge Gods moste iust iudgement and flée vntoo him for pardone by true repentance Manasses like a mad man rose vp ageinst the Churche of GOD by the space of .xxv. yéeres toogither and defiled himselfe in horrible wyse neyther hadde it come intoo his thought too repent him if hée had not bin led awaye prisoner intoo Babilon where the streightnesse of imprisonmēt gaue him vnderstanding For béeing nurtured there in the schoolehouse of miserie he bowed the knées of his hart and in humble wise desired pardon of his sinnes whiche thing hée also obteyned The thirde God setteth before vs the examples of other men tragicall factes and horrible punishementes of others that taking warning by them wée may fall too amendment For all the falles of men that are set out in stories eyther of the Scripture or of worldly wryters tende too this ende too make vs héedefull Caine by falling intoo sinne was ouerwhelmed with euerlasting paines Saule fel from God and returned not by repentaunce but was ouerwhelmed with Gods wrath Many in these dayes falling from the Gospell light intoo the Deuilles snares out of whiche they are neuer able too wynde themselues ageine Wherefore taking warning at these mens horrible falles and most dreadful punishment let vs fall too amendment betimes least God cast vs of in his anger and then wée too late remember the saying of the Poet For happy folke we may them take whō others harmes the warer make The fourth Somtime God preacheth by tempests earthquakes and dreadfull sights in Heauen suche as were séene before the destruction of Ierusalem as blasing starres in the likenesse of swoords of which sorte our age hath séene many wherat if wée take not warning too repent and amende wée shall fall intoo moste sore punishmentes The yéere .1561 since Chrysts birth there was séene in the Skie a man nayled vpon a Crosse hauing a Crowne of Thorne vpon his head Of this sight I haue many witnesses whereof diuers are noble men and godly persons right woorthye of credite The same day it rayned bloud and many other things are séene dayly As often then as suche maner of sightes are shewed vs from Heauen let vs knowe that God allureth vs too repentaunce by these tokens of his wrath And wheras the Lorde sayeth Bée not afrayd of the signes of Heauen hée meaneth that we should fall too repentaunce least the euilles which the signe◠threaten should light vppon vs. For all things woorke toogither too the welfare of them that repent The fifth The death of the Sonne of God is set foorth too vs wherin God sheweth that hée is excéeding sore displeased with sin and therwithal prouoketh vs too repētance For hée vpon the crosse stretcheth out his armes bathed in his owne blud and allureth all the whole worlde too repentance and offreth grace too all that repent Therfore whosoeuer maketh delayes too repent hée despiseth Gods sonne and shall suffer dreadful punishement when his time commeth The sixth The end of this life is vncerteine For our life is like a bubble or a floure in the field whiche flourisheth too day and too morow is cast intoo the fire Saint Iames also openeth vntoo vs the frayltie of this life Wée haue séene many that liued without repentance taken away with sodeine death so as they coulde haue no leasure too repente The Axe sayth Iohn is set too the root of the trée And Salomon saith Whither the trée fall too the South or too the North looke in what place the trée falleth there shall it lie That is too saye looke in what case the rightuous Iudge shall finde thée at the houre of thy death suche shalt thou bée iudged too bée Sée howe many wayes the Lorde prouoketh vs too repentance Himself sayth I wil not the death of a sinner but that hée should turne and liue This good-will of his hée declareth vntoo vs in y t he prouoketh vs so fatherly by so many means too repentance which prouocation too repentance doubtlesse perteyneth too all men But Paule sayeth that God hath not chosen many wise men after the flesh nor many mē of power nor many noble men borne and yet the same man sayth God will haue all men saued How then dooth he not choose God is sayde not too haue chosen them not bycause he would not haue them saued but for the sequele of it That is too say bicaus◠the wisdome of this world and power and nobilitie of birth doo like baytes entice and withdrawe many from obedience of the Gospell Dauid was rich and puisant and Nero also was rich and puissant Of which two the first was not enticed by his riches and power too fall from the Gospell but the other by making more account of his present prosperitie than of the glorie of the lyfe too come made his riches an occasion of his owne damnation Isaac was borne of a noble stocke and Ismaell was a noble man borne too But yet both of them were not of like inclination For Ismaell holding himselfe content with the noblenesse of his birth despised the promises wheras contrarywise Isaac by beléeuing the promise was iustified saued By these examples it appéereth euidently that the Lord reiecteth no mā for the gifts that himself hath heaped vpō thē For power riches noble birth are Gods good gifts And happy is he y t vseth them wel But he y t vseth them amisse he by his owne default turneth Gods gifts into instruments of his owne damnation Let vs therfore imbrace Paules counsel if we haue any care of our saluation For thus saith he 1. Cor. 7. Let thē y t vse this world bée as though they vsed it not He would not haue a christen mans mind abused about erthly things so as they shold lead vs away frō the right way of this life He will haue vs so to liue as if we should passe out of this life at euery minute of an hour Therfore in al y e affaires of this present lyfe let vs haue our hartes lifted vp too the consideration and mynding of the heauenly lyfe Héerevnto perteyneth this saying of Paule Séeke the things that are aboue where Chryste sitteth at the right hand of the father ¶ Of the second IEsus sayd vntoo him Vnlesse yee see signes and vvonders yee vvill not beleue Héer Christ findeth fault with the courtier who was in great fauour and one of the chéef about Herod which thing Chryst seldome didde specially for as muche as men came too him in heauinesse too séeke his help Héerby wée must lerne not too bée clawbacks of the Court too speake things that may please but too
things I thought good too touche bréeflye concerning the Godhead of Chryst. The fifth is of the Cradle of Chryst whiche signifieth nothing else than contempt of the worlde and vtter pouertie whiche pouertie it was Christes will too taste of too the intent hée might make vs riche Let proude folkes looke intoo this Cradle and lay downe their loftinesse Let poore men looke into it and cease to despaire as though they were despised for their pouertie Héere is too bée noted the abuse of all things created by God Bethléem serueth for lucre the Inne for guests Christe the King and Lorde of all things is thrust out intoo a stable So also at this day the Church is despised while the vngodly flowe in riches honor and power The sixth is of the appéering of the angels whoo first testifie that the Lord is come and secondly shewe by their very brightnesse what maner of king the new born Christ shuld bée and thirdly they declare by their himne what maner of benefits he shall bestow and what maner of glory is yéelded therby vntoo God The seuenth is of the preaching of the Angels vntoo the shepeherds Feare not for beholde I bring you glad tidings of greate ioye that shal bee among all people bycause there is borne vntoo you this day a Sauiour vvhich is Christ the Lord in the Citie of Dauid And this shal bee a signe vntoo you you shall finde the childe vvrapped in svvadling clothes and layd in a maunger This Sermon is the excellentest of all Sermons that euer were made in the worlde before wherof there are many partes First the Angels forbid the shepherds too bée afraid wherby they shew that Christ came too take away the curse of the law and sinne for which the curse came vpon men The second is the preaching of glad tidings I bring you tidings of great gladnesse When hée saith greate hée putteth a difference betwéen it and the ioy of the world which laâ—teth but a shorte time and is grounded vppon a weake foundation But this ioy whiche the Angels bring tidings of is called greate for foure causes First for the matter or substaunce of it whiche is great namely the reconciling of vs vntoo GOD. Secondly for the continuance and stedfastnesse of it for it endureth for euer and it abideth constant Thirdly for that it dooth not perteine too a few only but vntoo all men that by faith receiue this tidings of the gladnesse Fourthly for that it is spirituall perteyning too the saluation of the whole man The third point is the cause and ground of this gladnesse Bicause saith hée this day is borne vntoo you a Sauioure whiche is Christe the Lord. The fourth he sheweth the place In the Citie of Dauid saith hée that is too wéete Bethléem The fifth a signe is added too the woord For hée sayeth this shall bée a signe vntoo you Yée shall finde the childe lapped vp in clothes and layed in a maunger This signe dooth twoo things First it leadeth them the right way vntoo the Childe least in séeking him they should mistake him For albéeit that all moothers doo wrappe their children in swadling cloutes yet they lay them not in maungers Secondly it putteth a difference betwéene the kingdome of this childe and the kingdoms of this world For the worldly kingdoms haue outward gloriousnesse And these are the partes of the Angels sermon The eyght is of Christes birth First hée is reuealed vntoo the Shepeheardes Whereby twoo things are too bée learned One that Christes kingdome is not worldely Another that Christes kingdome belongeth too the poore according too this saying the poore receiue the glad tidinges of the Gospell The ninthe is of the song of the Angelles whiche is Glorye vntoo God on high in earth peace and too men good vvill This song dooth in a meruelous bréefnesse comprehend the frute of the Lords birth which consisteth in thrée things For first glorie is attributed vntoo God Secondly peace is made vntoo men And thirdly is shewed the good will of God towardes men First therefore when the Angelles say Glorye vntoo God on high Their meaning is that no man can yéelde true glorie vntoo GOD without the true knoweledge of Chryste Uerely man was created vntoo this ende that hée should glorifie his creator But through the fall of our first parentes it came too passe that neyther hee knew GOD aryght nor glorified him aright If thou demaund what it is too giue glorie vntoo God too giue glorie vntoo any bodye is nothing else but too attribute true vertue vntoo him As when some king dealeth iustly wisely valiantly and mercifully his subiectes yéelde him glorie that is too say his subiectes like well of his doings and wyth singular good will doo blaze them abrode And in like wise is glorie giuen vntoo God when his vertues are rightly acknowledged and felt as his wisdome his rightuousnesse his puissance his mercifulnesse his truth and suche others The wisdome of God is séene in this that he repaireth ageine man whom he had created too his glory so as he might by his sonne borne of a virgin recouer ageine the Image of God which he had lost through sinne and so giue glorie too the wisdome of God His rightuousenesse is séene by this that hée would not receiue intoo fauour man that had sinned without amendes made for the wrong that hée had done For whereas it was of necessitie that eyther man muste haue perished euerlastingly for his sinne or else that some one of mankynd must haue made satisfaction vntoo God by abyding punishment for all mankind God gaue his owne sonne whoo taking manhood vppon him hath in the same satisfied the rightuousenesse of God and therefore is the praise of rightuousnesse worthily too bée attributed too God for the birthe of Chryst our Lord. His puissance is commended in that hée hathe through Chryst ouercome the Serpent and his séede yea and rooted out his kingdome so farre foorthe as pertayneth vntoo all them that take holde by fayth vppon thys Iesus that is borne His mercyfulnesse shineth in this that by his sonne and for his Sonnes sake hée taketh ageyne intoo fauoure Mankinde forlorne and oppressed by the tyrannie of the Deuyll and ouerwhelmed wyth excéedyng great myseries calamities death hell and damnation Thys mercyfulnesse of God excéedeth all the woorkes of God whych both the good Angels and the elect men shall set out euerlastingly yea and the verye Deuyls shall acknowledge though against theyr willes His truth is made manifest in this that bearing in minde his promises of olde time hée performeth that which hée had promised long agoe For at such time as our first parents fell intoo sinne hée promysed them the séede of the woman which should treade downe the head of the Serpent and this promise hée fulfilleth now in giuing vs his sonne For these vertues therfore glorie is too bée giuen too God and that specially by those that féele his benefites This
offended God before Therfore wil I flée vntoo the same Lorde God that hée may take mée intoo fauour also Hée vouchsafed to pardon Péeter after his horrible fall and therfore though I bée falne I wil not dispair for hée is alwayes stable in him self and euermore like him selfe and there is no respect of persons with him The fifth is that euery one of vs should follow the example of the Saincts in our vocation Paule was not quayled with the hugenesse of persecutions but taught the Gospell constantly His example let the ministers of Gods woord folow Iohn feared not the threats of Herod therefore let the godlye preacher learne by his example too set lighte hy the woodnesse of the world Abraham through faith trayned vp his house holylie in the true feare of God and in calling vpon him Therfore let all godly housholders lern at his hād and so let all other examples bée applyed The sixt is that the memoriall of Saincts may bée pleasant vntoo vs and their vertue bée commended for that they vsed well the gifts of GOD for that they are Gods houses and witnesses of him for that they are garnished with great vertues and for that they are vntoo vs liuely examples of conuersion faith repentaunce stedfastnesse pacience and other vertues These sixe causes are the weightiest for whiche bothe the memoriall of the Sainctes according too the example of the auncient Churche is reteyned and their feasts halowed which points béeing rightly obserued all things turn too the glory of God and too the welfare of our selues Now must I speak a litle concerning Stephen in whose storie let vs consider these circumstances his religion his office in the Church the defence of his religion his constancie in confessing it his calling vppon Chryste his comforte and the ende of his life The religion of Stephen Stephen was a christian a man full of faith and the holy ghoste full of grace and manlinesse For where as is true faithe there is the holye Ghoste The greater encreasment that faith taketh so muche the more dooth the holy Ghoste witnesse him self too bée present kindling motions in mens heartes agréeable with the lawe of God Contrarywise where the holy Ghoste is not felt effectuall there also it is manifest that true faith is away Wée haue héere therfore that which we may followe in Stephen that is too wéete an effectuall faith whervntoo the holy ghost beareth witnesse Those men followe not Stephens faith which haue it in their mouth and yet therewithall wallowe in wicked lustes and runne headlong whither soeuer their blinde affections leade them Stephens office in the church was too minister too y e poore and too kéepe the treasure of the church too the vse of the poore sainctes in whiche office no dout but hée was diligent For he had the holy ghoste his gouerner and true faith and charitie as a rule too woorke by Let maisters of Hospitalles and Deacons then set thys man before their faces Firste let them bring faith with them without whiche no charge nor office can be executed as it ought for to bée Secondly in the execution let them shew them selues too bée gouerned by the holy ghoste that they doo not eyther deale too hardly with the poore or laye out the goodes at other mennes pleasure or bée slacke in their dutie or purloyne it away them selues or els bestowe that vppon others whiche of right belongeth vntoo the poore but let them performe all faithfulnesse in their office bearing in minde that God is a looker vppon their dealing assuring them selues that those of whom they haue the chardge are the membres of Christe and beléeuing verily that they ouer whome they are set are the temples of God how muche soeuer they bée brought vnder foote with pouertie diseases and store of biles and botches How Stephen defended the religion that hée professed hée sheweth in the sixt and seuenth chapters of the Acts. He dooth not in daunger forsake his profession hée cloketh it not as many doo But hée is a constant and manfull defender of his religion The multitude of sects whiche at that time swarmed hindred him not at all Hée was not abashed at the authoritie of the Phariseys and great men in Iewry But setting him self manfully against sects he susteyneth the brunt of the people alone and defendeth his religion with a long oration whiche example let vs followe also His constancie in his confession appéereth héereby that he is not feared from his confession neyther by threatnings nor by excommunication nor by stoning but as an inuincible Souldiour holdeth faste his Confession euen in the myddes of peryls This also is set foorth as an example too vs. His calling vpon Christe at suche tyme as hée lay ouerwhelmed with stones bothe sheweth hys fayth and also beareth recorde of the charitie of this man For hée made intercession for them that put him too death and he made not intercession for them in vain For Paule whoo was the kéeper of their garmentes that stoned Stephen was afterward conuerted Comfort is founde in thys inuocation For he sawe the sonne of God for whose sake he suffred these things standing at the right hand of GOD and making intercession for him through which consolation the bitternesse of his punishment was not a little asswaged If wée therfore followe the example of this man in our Crosse or persecution wée shall assuredly féele the present help of GOD comforting vs with his holy spirite The end of his life was moste ioyfull For in this prayer Lorde Iesu receyue my soule he yéelded vp his ghoste and fell a sléepe in the Lorde And so hée bothe finished his race and kept his faith and also as a stout conqueror obteined a garland with glory Let vs therfore at the time of our death also set him for an example before our eyes Now let vs looke vpon the text of the Gospel the summe wherof is this Christ foretelleth the daungers of the ministers of Gods woord and threatneth punishment too their persecuters Wée for instruction sake will entreat of foure places which are these 1 The foretelling of the persecutions of the ministers of Gods woord 2 The aggrauating of the sinne of the persecuters 3 The threatning of punishment 4 The vpbraiding of the vnthankfulnesse of them that refuse Christ when hée allureth them too repentaunce ¶ Of the first BEhold I send vntoo you prophets and vvise men and scribes and of them some yee shall kill and crucifie and some of them you shall vvhip in your synagoges and yee shall persecute them from Citie too Citie Thys speaketh Christ too the Iewes who séemed at that time too bée the very churche of GOD and dooth them too vnderstand with howe greate outrage they shoulde in time too come persecute his Ambassadors the Prophets and Apostles Uerily God sendeth his woord too the intent that such as receiue his woorde and beléeue it might bée saued Nowe that some by meanes therof become worser it
for that it was the lowest parte of the aire for otherwise it coulde not haue shewed the directe way too them that trauailed by it In mouyng for that it moued not circlewise but went right forwarde as a guide of the way none otherwyse than the cloude and piller of fire went béefore the people of Israell at their goyng out of Egypt The brightnesse of it maketh a difference also bycause other starres shine onely by night but this gaue light euen in the broade day It was not therefore a naturall and continuyng starre suche as are in the skye What then Was it a Comet or blazing starre It appéereth that it was like a comet but out of dout it was an Angel of God as Epiphanius testifieth For he appéered in the shape of a starre both too shewe that Chrystes kingdome is heauenly and too open Chryste the true starre and cresset who alonly bringeth man out of the kingdome of darknesse intoo his owne glorious kingdom by holding out before hym the cresset of his woorde and by lightning meÌ„s harts w t his spirit In coÌ„sideratioÌ„ wherof Zacharie calleth christ y e riser froÌ„ on high the lightner of such as sit in the shadow of death And Iohn He was y e true light that lightneth euery man whiche commeth intoo this world The fourth circumstance is of Herode and all the citie of Hierusalem Herode vvas troubled and all Hierusalem vvith him Herode feared lest the kingdome should bée transferred from him vntoo the new borne king For hée vnderstoode not that Christes kingdome should bée heauenly and not of this worlde in whiche respect the churche singeth O enemy Herode wherefore fearest thou the King that giueth power too reigne in heauen of worldly kingdome doothe not men béeréeue The vnthanklesnesse and sluggishnesse of the people of Hierusalem is noted who béeing broken with werinesse of euils had cast of the hope of the redemption and saluation that was promised them They had leuer too liue in bondage with wicked Herode than too receiue their new King that brought them euerlasting fréedome But suche is the corrupted nature of men that they iudge it better for to kéep still some quietnesse of the fleshe than with any perill too receiue Christe the authour of saluation The fifth conteineth the counsel of Herode the Préests togither with the prophecy of Micheas the prophet Herode béeing otherwise a despiser of religion and of the prophecies is new troubled maketh inquisition where Christe should bée borne For as soone as hée heard the demaund of the wise men by and by he coniectureth that that king of whom they enquire was the Messias promised in old time by God But what doo the Préestes Although they answere sincerely out of the scripture bringing abrode the testimonie of Micheas yet notwithstanding they â—fterward like madde men bend themselues with might and maine ageinst the Scripture For the vngodly make muche of the Scripture as long as it séemeth not too bée against their affections But when it accuseth them of sinne when it cutteth their combes when it setteth death and dampnation before their eyes and finally when it attempteth any thing ageinst enured manners doctrine and traditions then by and by the vngodly fret at it then is Christe no more acknowledged then is hée called a rayler Our Papists now a dayes doo with vs confesse that Christe the onely begotten sonne of GOD tooke vpon him the nature of manne and that hée is one entier person consisting of twoo distinct natures But if wée come once too Christes office and auouch him too bée the only Iesus and the only Christ the only Sauiour the only high Préest intercessor that no man can be saued but he y t is iustified throughe only faith in him Then they chafe bicause their manners doctrine and traditions can not stande with this office of Christ. And therfore they partly corrupt the scriptures and partly reiect them and persecute with fire and swoord suche as teach Christ sincerely purely like the Scribes Préestes whoo héere at the firste with Simeon and Anne haue answered sincerely and afterwards like mad folkes haue cast of the faith of Christe and persecuted him by their ministers And so it is not inough that the Papists agrée with the pure Doctours in the first principles but they ought too haue a constant agréement with them in the whole foundation and in all the articles of the Faith Let vs not then serche the Scripture too our destruction like as Herode did neyther let vs looke vpon it negligently as the Scribes and Phariseys did whoo doo in déed shew a way howbéeit suche a way as they them selues walke not in wherein they are like too the shipwrightes that made the Arke of Noe and yet perished them selues when they had doone But Noe and his housholde was saued as the wise men are saued héer where as the Scribes and Préests doo perishe But let vs searche the Scripture with Simeon and Anne Mary and others whoo therby atteyned saluation Now let vs in few woords peruse the prophecie of Micheas For thus hée sayeth And thou Bethleem of the lande of Iuda art not the least among the princes of Iuda For out of thee shall come the captayne that shall feede my people Israel and the foorth commyngs of hym are from the beginning from the dayes of euerlastyngnesse This testimonie of Micheas teacheth many thyngs concernyng Chryste Firste it poynteth out the place of his birth Secondly it sheweth his office which is too play the gouerner in Israell too féede his people Thirdly it sheweth his incarnation wherby hée was borne a very man For when he sayth from the beginnyng he sheweth Christes incarnation who was promised from the beginning of the worlde that in hys time hée should bée borne after the fleshe Fourthly when he sayeth from the dayes of Euerlastingnesse he signifieth the nature of hys Godhead wherby he was before the creation of the worlde Fifthly he sheweth that he is one person consisting of twoo natures For when he sayth his foorthcommings this woord of the plurall number perteineth too the natures both of his Godhead and of his manhood And the woord him béeing of the singular numbre dooth couertly declare the vnitie of the person And so wée sée how the prophet hath ioyned togither the chéefe Articles of our faith which are vttered by others more at large The sixthe circumstaunce is of Herodes wylynesse who when hée thought hée had dealt moste wysely played most the foole For ther is no wisedom there is no wilinesse there is no counsel ageinst the lord He calleth the wise men vntoo him priuily as though he hadde loued the newe borne kyng as they dyd hée enquireth the tyme of the appéering of the starre as thoughe he had went too bée more assured of the Messias thereby hée wylteth them that when they had founde the chylde they shoulde bryng hym woordé as thoughe hée hadde
saide before yet will I repete certeine poyntes héere First therfore let vs knowe that our Baptim is héere halowed and that the water of Baptim is made holy by Christ who vouchsaued too bée baptized with water Agein the whole sight of the thing that was don peinteth out Christes church before our eyes as it were in a table Héere is to bée séene Iohn a teacher in the Churche For whereas is not the word of God and wheras the voyce of the teacher is not herde there the Church cannot be shewed Moreouer Christ is baptized For the Church that is well ordered cannot be without the vse of Sacramentes Thirdly Christ being baptized prayeth whose example his members folowe and exhibite true worship vnto God through faith Fourthly the sonne standes in the middes the fathers voice soundeth from heauen and the holy ghost resteth vpon him that was baptized The same thing is doone in very déede at this day in our churche For the father the sonne and the holy ghost is present with his churche and by the voyce of the preachers witnesseth his good will towards Christes churche By the presence of his sonne he testifieth that he hath adopted vs too bée his children and by the holy ghost he witnesseth that he gouerneth his church Whervpon we may conceiue this assured confidence that hel gates shall not preuaile ageinst it ¶ Of the thirde THe more part of those thinges that perteine to our Baptim are declared in the places aboue mentioned Wherfore I will bréefly touche certeine things whiche it is excéeding néedefull to knowe The things that I wil tel are two What maner of signe baptim is and whiche is the true consideration of the same What maner a signe then is Baptisme First it is a testimonie of grace as wel exhibited as also applyed too the party that is baptized Namely that God is pacified towards him through Chryste which testimonie verely requireth too bée apprehended by faith Agein this Sacrament is a signe that teacheth by a certein comparison For it is a sign of Christes spirituall vertue namely that Chryst by his owne death buriall and resurrection is the deliuerance of vs from death buriall and the giuer of euerlasting life Moreouer it is a representation of our newe life before God as Paule teacheth Rom. 6. by these woords As many of vs as are baptized in Iesus Chryst are baptized intoo his death We are therfore buryed together with him vntoo death that like as Chryst is raised frō the dead so we also shuld walk in newnesse of life Furthermore before men it is a certein badge of our profession wherby wée testifie our selues too bée Christes members and the Diuels enimies The godly consideration of baptisme consisteth in these things First wée must bée fully resolued that our baptisme is a certeine moste sure ensealement and Sacrament of our attonement with God Secondly baptism must bée a certein continuall warning vntoo vs that this attonement is made by the bloud deathe buriall and resurrection of Chryst. Thirdly it must put vs in minde of the mortifying of the flesh of the quickning of the spirit and so consequently of a continuall repentance in this worlde and of the glorifying that shall bée héerafter by Chryst. Fourthly it must put vs in minde that the benefite of regeneration is the gifte and woorke of the whole Trinitie in whose name wée are baptized too the intent we should stick thereuntoo and woorship it all our life long too whom be honor and glory for euermore So bée it The first Sunday in Lent ¶ The Gospel Math. iiij THen vvas Iesus led avvay of the spirit into vvildernesse too be tempted of the Deuill And vvhē he had fasted fortie dayes fortie nights he vvas at the last an hungred And vvhen the tempter came too him he sayde if thou be the sonne of God commaund that these stones bee made bread But he ansvvered and said it is vvritten man shall not liue by bread only but by euery vvoord that procedeth out of the mouth of God Then the Deuil taketh him vp intoo the holy Citie and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple and saith vntoo him if thou be the sonne of GOD cast thy selfe dovvne hedlong For it is vvritten he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and vvith their hands they shall holde thee vp least at any time thou dashe thy foote against a stone And Iesus said vntoo him it is vvritten again Thou shalt not tēpt the Lord thy God Ageine the Deuil taketh him vp intoo an exceding high moūtain shevved him all the kingdomes of the vvorld the glory of them and sayth vntoo him all these vvil I giue thee if thou vvilt fal dovvn and vvorship me Then saith Iesus vntoo him Auoyd Sathan for it is vvrittē Thou shalt vvorship the Lord thy GOD and him only shalt thou serue Then the Deuil leaueth him and beholde the Angels came and ministred vntoo him The exposition of the text LIke as the last Sunday we héerd the story of Chrystes baptim wherein very great things are cōteyned So this Gospel also conteyneth parte of Christes dooings that is too wit his fasting and temrtation by which things God of his singular wisdome wold his sonne should be humbled and also would shew how true it was that he had forespokē long ago namely that like as the serpent should lie in waite for the héele of the womans séede that is too say that Sathan should practize mischéefe ageinst the person and kingdome of Chryst which thing this story sheweth too bée most true so also would the same séede crush the head of the serpent with his héele wherof wée sée a certeine proof in this story Al these things are to be applied in suche wise that wée may bothe lerne Christes obedience vnder the crosse and knowe what shéeld it béehoueth vs to set before vs ageinst the temptatiōs and dartes of the diuel The places are two 1 Of Fasting 2 Of Temptation ¶ Of the firste IN this place are two things to bée considered First what is the maner of fasting in generall and secondly what is too bée thought of Christes fast in speciall Fasting is an vtter forbearing of meate and drinke for a time wherby the body is kept low and as it were mortified And it is of three sortes Indifferent Godly and vngodly Indifferent fast is whē a man absteineth from meate and drinke either for pouertie or for healthes sake or for some great sorowe of minde This of it selfe neither pleaseth nor displeaseth God but is too bée thought to please or displease according as fayth and pacience go with it The fast that is godly Christian and acceptable too God is an abstinence not only from meate and drinke whereby the body is pinched and mortified but also from all other things that may in any wise delight the flesh tending too this purpose that the spirite may haue full souereintie through true pacience godly prayer and
who haste promised repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes too them that haue sinned against thée Fifthly foloweth entreatance of forgiuenesse Wherefore I pray and beséeche thée forgiue mée Lorde forgiue mée and destroye mée not toogither with my sinnes neyther bée thou angry with mée for euer for my euil dooings For thou arte GOD I say the God of the repentant shewe all thy goodnesse vpon mée Sixthly hauing prayed in this wise he firmely beléeueth him selfe too bée heard and iustified Wherefore hée addeth For thou shalt saue mée vnworthy person according too thy great mercy Héere Manasses béeing iustified by fayth becōmeth a new creature Seuenthly after this frée iustification ensueth amendmēt in his whole life Whervpon it foloweth in his prayer And I will euermore praise thée all the dayes of my life bicause all the powers of heauen praise thée and vntoo thée bée glory for euer and euer Amen This maner of repenting haue al the saints euer folowed ▪ Dauid acknowledgeth God he acknowledgeth gods iudgement he acknowledgeth his mercy he examineth his owne dooing he is afrayd for sinne he lifteth vp him selfe with confidence of mercie he prayeth forgiuenesse he is iustified by faith and béeing iustified he prayseth God These things are too be séene in the .51 Psalme We haue herd what repentance is how it is doon Now is too be lerned which are the chéef parts of it They are coūted thrée which are sorinesse faith and newnesse of life Untoo sorinesse are required the first thrée things whiche are the knowledging of God the examining of the déede and the terrour of conscience for sinne Untoo faith are required the thrée nexte that is thinking vpon mercy desiring of forgiuenesse and iustification Untoo newnesse of life is required the last thing whiche consisteth in framing the hart the tung and the life according too the law of God ¶ Of the second IT is written in this gospel that Christ put back this woman Why did he so Why sayde hée that hée was not sent but too the lost shéep of the house of Israel Is not he the same Lord that saith Come vnto me all yée that labour are heauy loden c. I answer The Lord did not this without great causes First hée did it that the womans faith might by this delay bée exercised and increased Secondly that shée mighte bée an example of godlinesse againste the stiffnecked Iewes which despised Christe Thirdly that the Lord might shewe how hée would bée ouercome of vs by the importunatenesse of our prayers Fourthly that by this example hée might teach the present beholders a true experiment of godlinesse But the Lord assigneth an other cause why he put back this woman For he sayth I am not sent but too the lost sheepe of the house of Israel I aunswere Chryst sayth not this as though he denyed the Gentiles accesse vntoo his grace For that same woman was an Ethnicke But there are other causes First hée méeneth héere too note the obstinate malice and vnthankfulnesse of the Iewes who acknowledged not Chryst that was sent peculiarly too them The seconde is for that the selfe same Chryst should preache Gods woord to the Iewes before his death who after his death should giue commaundement to preach it too the Gentils For the Lorde had forbidden his Gospell too bée preached too the Gentils before his death But afterward when he was risen from death hée gaue this commaundement too the apostles Go yée intoo the whole world and preache the gospell to all creatures This commaundement dooth manifestlye declare that Chrysts benefites béelong both to the Iewes and Gentiles ▪ that is too say that all as well of the Iewes as of the Gentiles that receyue Chryst and truly repent are partakers of Chrysts benefites so that by his blood all their sinnes are washed away and finally at the last day all shal rise ageine too blissed immortalitie and euerlasting life But they that refuse too receiue christ liuing without repentance they without mercie shall bée punished in euerlasting paines with the diuell For as the Lord hath bin is and wil bée mercifull too al that repent without any respect of persons So hath he bin is and will bée an vntreatable iudge too them that repent not not passing whither wée bée Kings noble men Citizens or countrey folke ¶ Of the thirde A Moste goodly image of Chrysts Churche and of euery member of the same is described in this woman of Cananie For first as this woman of Cananie is ouerwhelmed with misery so also is the Churche and euery member therof Héerevpon Paule sayeth All that will liue godlyly in Chryst must suffer this persecution This doothe Chryste teache when he biddeth vs take his yoke vpon vs. For God will haue vs nowe become lyke vntoo his sonne in afflictions and miseries as well as we shall become like vnto him in time to come in glorie Rom. 8. Secondly the churche in these calamities prayeth for helpe For the church hath none other refuge than prayer vntoo God wherby helpe is obteined Thirdly chryst séemeth too turne away his eare when we doo not out of hand obteine that we would haue Fourthly the church after the example of this woman ceasseth not too pray but continueth in prayer vntil it haue obteined that which it desireth Moreouer euery seuerall member of the churche hath héere too learne by First let euery one of vs acknowledge himselfe too bée a Cananite that is to say vngodly and vnwoorthy of Gods grace Secondly let him crie out with this woman Haue mercy vppon mée haue mercie vppon mée Thirdly if thou bée tried yet continue thou after the example of this woman If he héere thée not to day or to morow yet shall not thy prayers be in vayne but they shall bée herd in déede for chrysts sake if thou pray with fayth as this woman did Fourthly acknowledge thy selfe with this woman too bée a Dog but yet such a dog as is fed with the crummes that fall from his maisters table and therefore continue in prayer Fifthly it will befall too thée as it did too this woman whiche erewhile was called Dog and anone was acknowledged for a daughter So great is the mercie of God to whom bée honour and glory world without ende Amen The thirde Sunday in Lent ¶ The Gospell Luke xj ANd he vvas casting out a diuil and the same vvas dūme And vvhen he had cast out the diuil the dumme spake and the people vvondered But some of them sayd he casteth out diuels through Beelzebub the cheefe of the diuels And other tempted him and required of him a signe from heauen But he knovving their thoughtes sayde vnto them Euery kingdome diuided against it selfe is desolate and one house doth fall vpon another If Sathan also bee diuided against him selfe hovve shall his kingdome endure Because yee say I cast out diuels through Beelzebub If I by the helpe of Beelzebub cast out diuels by vvhose helpe doo your children cast them
world euen your fayth Fifthly that béeing deliuered from the tirannie of Sathā by Christs presence we may both acknowledge y e Christ dwelleth in vs according too that whiche is written in the 2. Reg. 17. that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel that is too say in the Churche and also that wée may magnifie God which deliuereth vs. Of the Diuell wée haue heard who he is what he dooth why he laboureth the destruction of the Church and wherefore God permitteth him so too doo Nowe let vs héere of our king Chryste of whom I will speake who he is what he dooth and why he dooth Who is Chryst God and man borne of the father before all worldes euerlasting God with the euerlasting Father and the holy ghost according as we confesse in our Créede who came downe from heauen for our saluation and tooke mans nature vpon him too the intent he might by his death delyuer vs from endlesse death and punishment What dooth hée That dooth this present Gospell teache vs. First he openeth this deaf mans eares Secondly hée casteth the diuell out of him Besides that he loozeth his toong that he may speake And also he openeth his eares The self same thing dooth he dayly in his church First he openeth our eares that wée may héere Goods word Therfore who soeuer heareth Gods woord willingly let him know that his eares are opened and contrarywise he that héereth not the woord willingly let him knowe that his eares are stopped still by Sathan Wherefore who so hath not yet eares to héere let him flée to Chryst who only can open them Secondly he deliuereth the harte from the diuel that wée may beléeue For in the sixth of Iohn Chryst teacheth that fayth is the woorke of God for thus he sayth This is the woorke of God that we beléeue in him whom he hath sent Then if thou beléeue not the diuell stil possesseth thy hart Wherfore thou must go too Chryst who only can ouercome him Thirdly he loozeth thy toong that now from henceforth thou mayst with thy mouth confesse him magnifie him and call vpon him And wherfore dooth Chryst so First bicause he is a louer of men whose nature he tooke vpon him at suche time as he was conceyued man and borne of the virgin Mary Secondly bicause he is the enemie of the Diuell Thirdly bicause it is his office or charge too inuade the kingdome of his enemie the diuel too put his sayd enemie to the spoyle too rewarde all that beléeue in him with euerlasting life Now by these things it appéereth howe great difference there is betwéene the kingdom of the diuel and the kingdom of Chryst. In the diuels kingdome is sinne and death In Chrysts kingdome is righteousnesse and lyfe In Sathans kingdome is damnation in Chrysts kingdome is saluation and acquitall from damnation In Sathans kingdome is darknesse In Chrysts kingdom is perpetuall light In Sathans kingdome is torment In Chrysts kingdome is ioy In Sathans kingdom is too bée séene the diuell with al damned soules In Chrysts kingdome the sainctes enioy the syght of God and the glorie of immortalitie through Iesus Chryst. Héerby therfore we may be admonished both with how great héede the kingdome of Sathan is too bée shunned and with how great diligence we must indeuer too bée made citizens of the blissed kingdome of Chryst. ¶ Of the second THe Iewes séeing this déede of Christ as the ministers of Sathan do set themselues with might and main against Christ and say he casteth out diuels by Beelzebub prince of the diuels Sée how great the malice of the world is Too the intent it may die in his owne sinnes it ascribeth the woorke of God too the diuell What liuing creature woulde ryse vp with so great madnesse agaynst Chryste if hée were not styrred theretoo by the spirite of Sathan Howebeit Chryste in no wise beareth that reproche of GOD at their hande but with moste strong argumentes confuteth this diuelishe blasphemie The first Argument is No man can by one diuell driue out an other Ergo you doo lewdely too affirme that I caste out diuels in the name of Beelzebub For if one Diuell should woork agaynst an other and cast out one another the Diuels kingdome should not bée stedfast But now wée sée the kingdome of Sathan too bée moste stable and strong For euery kingdome deuided within it selfe shall bée made desolate For whersoeuer is discorde there is assured destruction too bée looked for The second argument is If I cast out diuels in the name of Belzebub your sonnes doo also cast out diuels in the same name But this by your owne iudgement is false For you affirme them too cast out Diuels by the power of God wherfore you doo wickedly too say that I cast out Diuelles in the name of Belzebub The thirde argument is I cast out Diuels by the finger of God that is too say by the power of God Ergo you doo falsly ascribe my worke too the Deuil The fourth argument is A strong person is not ouercome but of his stronger The Deuil is ouercome by mée for I cast him out spoil him Ergo I am strōger than hée VVhen a strong persō armed kepeth his house the things that he possesseth are in peace Who is that same strong armed person the olde serpent Hée kéepeth his house as long as he dwelleth in the vnbéeleuers and while hée blindeth mennes senses that they acknoweledge not Chryste And then are all things in peace whiche hée possesseth when the woord of God is put to silence and mens traditions sounde abrode But as soone as the swoord is drawne whiche is the woord of God by and by the Deuil is compelled too giue place For Chryst who is in the woord is stronger than Sathan The fifth argument is He that is not vvith mee is against me and he that gathereth not vvith mee scattereth That is too say The Deuil scattereth the church I gather the churche toogither Ergo there is no agreement betwéene mée and the Deuil And that the Deuil scattereth the churche he proueth by a moste goodly similitude ¶ Of the third WHen an vncleane spirite is gone oute of a man that is when the Deuil who of him self is vnclean woont by many meanes too defile the mindes of men is gone out of a man like as hée is now by my power cast out of this wretched man that was possessed What dooth hée then He vvalketh by drie places seeking rest and finding none hee sayeth I vvill returne intoo my house from vvhence I came Hée walketh by drie places that is too say by hartes that are not watered with the riuer of the holy Ghoste What is ment by his séeking rest and finding none By this phrase of speaking is signified his endeuer for it is not inough for him too haue doone harme vnlesse hée may doo more harme So great a desire hath hée too destroy men He is not
kéepeth Chrystes sayings shall not sée death for euer Howebéeit too the intent wée may the better vnderstand these thinges I will shew forth in order what they conteyn For the first thing too be obserued héere is Chrysts othe The second what maner a ones wee bée without Christ. The third what wée obteyn by him The fourth how we may be able too béecome partakers of Chrystes benefits His othe is to this end too assure vs of Gods truth ageinst all the doctrines of men and deuils against the reason of the flesh yea against the whole kingdome of the Deuil which consisteth of Sophistrie Hipocrisie and Tyrannie For it is not possible that the sonne of God should deceyue whoo hath warranted his doctrine by so great an othe What maner a folke bée wée without Christ By Christ it cōmeth too passe that wée sée not euerlasting death Wherfore without Chryst wée are giltie of euerlasting Death Now as there are foure kindes of Lyfe so are there foure kindes of death also The first is the lyfe of nature wherby wée naturally liue in this world This life simply in respect of it self is good bycause it is the gift of God which hée promiseth in the fourth commaundemente but it varieth according too the state of men Untoo Abraham it was good bicause hée vsed it too Gods glorie But vntoo Nero it was euil bicause hée abused it both too the reproch of God that gaue it also to his owne damnation Ageinst this natural life is set naturall death which of it self is euil bicause it is the punishment of sinne Notw tstanding it varieth according to the states of men For lyke as vntoo Abraham this death was a passage vntoo a better life and therefore was good vntoo him so vntoo Nero it was the gate of Hel and therfore too him it was euil The second life is of sinne namely wherby sinne liueth in man and reigneth through his lusts as it dooth in all the vngodly This is alwayes euil bicause it tendeth too dānation Ageinst this is set the death of sinne wherby sinne is mortified in vs which thing cōmeth then too passe whē wée liue in true repentance the feare of God This death of sinne is euermore good bicause it is the passage too eternal life The thirde life is of grace whereby Christe lyueth in vs through grace This is euermore good bicause it is Gods gift and the way too glorie Ageinst this is set the death of grace that is too say the priuation of grace whiche thing commeth too passe when wée slide backe ageyne intoo sinne and cast away fayth This is alwayes euill bicause it is the way intoo hell The fourth life is the euerlasting lyfe by which the godly shall liue with God and his Angels in endlesse blisse This life is most excellent good Ageinst this is set euerlasting death which is endlesse damnation Unto this endlesse death are all men subiect without Christ. For vnlesse wée bée deliuered from this death by the benefite of Chryste it shall bée our perpetual reward for sinne as Paule sayth too the Romanes the .6 chapter Such are wée without Chryst that is wretched damned and giltie of eternall death But what doo wée become through Chryst That doothe Chryst assure vs of by his othe namely that being deliuered from euerlasting death wée are rewarded with eternal life in which shal be ioy without end Howe are wée made partakers of Chrystes benefites This Gospell aunswereth Verely verely I say vntoo if any man kepe my saying he shal not see death for euer Then is this great treasure in Chrystes woordes which who so kéepeth hath Chryst whoo only is the way too life What is too kéepe the woord of Chryste It is too héer it too lerne it and to beléeue it according to this saying He that beléeueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting Why so bicause hée that beléeueth is iustified by his owne faithe that is to say is set frée from sinne endued with the rightuousnesse of Chryste and accepted too eternall life for Chrystes sake He therfore that coueteth eternall life let him marke well the things aforesayd let him liue in continual repentance let him héer Christes word let him beléeue it and let him cōtinue in the faith euen vnto death So shal it fall out that this naturall death shall be vnto him a passage vntoo eternall life But what say the Iewes too this healthfull Doctrine of Christes Chryst saith He that kepeth my vvord shall not se death The Iewes answere now wée know wel thou hast a Deuil Abraham and the Prophets are dead and thou sayest if a man kéepe my woord he shall not tast of death for euer Art thou greater than our father Abraham who is dead c. Whom makest thou thy self As if they had said If thy woord bée of such power that they which héer thée shall not taste of euerlasting death surely thou art greater than the prophets and our patriark Abraham which are dead but this is false for thou art not greater than Abraham Ergo it is false that thou sayest he that kéepeth my saying shall not tast of death for euer Therfore thou art a blasphemer of God and hast a Deuil Christ answereth and sayeth If I glorifie my selfe my glory is nothing that is too vvit by your iudgement It is the father that glorifyeth mee The méening of these words is this The only begotten sonne of God is greater than the seruāts of God or than the adopted sonne of God I am the only begotten sonne of God according as the father himself witnesseth by his own voyce and woorks But the Prophets and Abraham are Gods seruants and Gods children by adoption wherfore I am greater than Abraham and the Prophets Ergo it is no maruel though my woord bée of greater power than theirs Then vsed they a poynt of Sophistrie For that which Chryst spake of the euerlasting death they construed of the naturall death howbeit maliciously Wherfore Chryste procéedeth too reproue them saying If I say I knovve him not I shall be a lyar as you are For you say you know him whom you know not But what is it to knowe god First it is to know whoo he is that is to wit the father the sonne the holy Ghost Secondly to beléeue in him And thirdly too order a mans life according to his wil. Howbeit bicause the Iewes gloried of their father Abraham Chryst procéedeth too shew how vaine this boasting is and sayth Your father Abraham vvas glad to see my day and reioyced In these woords Chryst teacheth thrée things The one that he was before he tooke mās nature vpon him that is to say from euerlasting God euerlasting The other that Abrahā beléeued in him For too beléeue in Chryst is spiritually too sée him And Chryst is séene thrée ways in body only as the Iewes saw him that talked héer with him in spirite only as Abrahā wée y t beléeue in him
Hierusalem and haste not knovvne vvhat hath bin done in these dayes Cleophas maruelleth that he alone knew not that which was knowen too the whole citie and to all the straungers that were resorted thither to the feast of Passeouer To whom he sayd vvhat things as concerning Iesus of Nazareth c. The answere of Cleophas hath .iiij. things in it First it is an acknowledging of Christ a witnessebearing of his innocencie vvho sayth he vvas a Prophet myghty in deede and in vvoord before God and all the people This discription conteines thrée things touching Chryst. First and formoste that Chryst is a Prophete that is too say a teacher of Gods will sente from God Secondely that he is not a Prophet of the baser sorte but mighty in woork woord that is to say excellent in holynesse of life and ablenesse of teaching Thirdly is added before GOD and men wherby is ment that Chryste in suche wise executed the office of a Prophete that hée behaued himselfe holyly in all things as in the eyesight of God This acknowledgyng of Chryst was great although it were not ful and perfect The Phariseys the high Préestes Pilate and Herode did put Chryst to death as a blasphemer These disciples beare witnesse that he was sent of God Wherevpon we may deriue thys doctrine that in religion not the iudgemēt of the great men but the rule of Gods word is to be folowed They wer offended at the outward appéerance of Chryst and these following the truth of God did as much as they could set thēselues against these blasphemers The second thing that is the in answer of Cleophas is the publishing of the Lords passion wherin he declareth both by whom he was condemned and of what kynd of death hée suffred Our high Preestes and Elders sayeth he condemned him and deliuered him to death He openly auoucheth that the high préests and elders are the enimies of Christ. Wherby wée also are admonished to accuse them openly that persecute the Gospell as the Pope doth and many tyrantes in the world Also he sheweth what kind of death he was put vntoo when he sayth And they crucifyed him Thā the which kind of death although there was none more reprochefull in the world yet was not Cleophas therfore afrayd to count him a holy man The third thing that is in the aunswer of Cleophas is the confession of his beléefe in Chryst VVe hoped sayth he that he should haue redeemed Israel Cleophas confesseth openly that he beléeueth vppon Chryst whom the hygh Préests had put to death And this is the nature of true Fayth ▪ For hée that beléeueth vntoo rightuousnesse cōfesseth with his mouth too saluation The fourth thing that is in the aunswere of Cleophas is the strengthning of his weak fayth by the promise of Christ and the witnesse of the women by the vision of the Angels and the recorde bearing of certein of the Apostles For when Cleophas nameth the third day he dooth it for that the Lorde had promised too rise ageyn the thirde day This promise beléeueth hée too bée fulfilled notwithstanding that hée bée tossed betwéene hope and feare But against feare hée taketh vntoo him the nourishment of Faith lest it should bée vtterly quenched And where as he telleth that the body was not founde by the women and that there appéered vntoo them a vision of Angels and that the report which the women had made of the emptie Tumbe was auouched by the witnesse of men these things tende all too this ende too persuade hym selfe fully that Chryst was risen againe So the godly man being doutfull betwéene faith and feare vnderproppeth his faith and to the vttermost of his power wrestleth ageynst feare But what sayth the Lord too thys geare O fooles sayth hée and slovve of harte too beleeue the things that are spoken by the Prophetes Héere first hath our Faith somewhat too learne at Chrystes hande Chryste verely findeth faulte wyth those disciples for their slownesse as well in lerning as in beléeuing yet doth he not cast them off for theyr weakenesse But rather according too his owne custome hée chastiseth them after a fatherly sort and helpeth their weaknesse least being ouercome wyth feare they should quench y e litle fyre of theyr fayth For hée came too bée a physitian of the weake and not to fordoo the weake with feare Héerby wee may lerne that Chryste will not cast off any man that hath a small and weake fayth so he suffer it too bée strengthned and encreased by the woord of God But what thing findeth he fault with in these twoo Disciples with twoo things Ignoraunce or dulnesse in lerning and slownesse in beléeuyng the Prophetes Dulnesse hyndered their vnerstanding and slownesse hyndred their Faith For although they had a very little Fayth yet ought they too haue made greater furtherance in it for that they had not onely herd from their childhod the foresayings of the Prophetes concernyng Chryste but also Chryste hymselfe foretellyng them what kinde of death hée should bée put too and that he shoulde the thirde day after come out of his graue ageyne alyue Héere is our dulnesse also reproued who haue herd the Gospell so many yéeres togither and yet many are too bée found amongest vs that haue not yet learned the Apostles Créede of whom I am sore afrayd vnlesse they amend betimes After that Chryste hath founde faulte with them hée béeginneth to teach Whyche is the poynt of a good schoolemaster And therfore he sayth Ought not Chryst too haue suffered these thyngs and so too enter intoo his glorie Thys is the ground that the Lord teacheth vpon the méenyng wherof is this Chryst according too the foresaying of the prophetes ought too suffer death vpon the Crosse and afterwarde too rise from death and to enter intoo his glorie He oughte to suffer veryly for our sinnes and to rise ageyne for oure iustification Rom. 4. Then séeing yée confesse mée too bée Chryst yée must also know out of the Prophets that it béehooued mée too dye and ryse ageyne from the dead This thing sheweth he also out of Moyses and the Prophetes but the Euangelist telleth not by what places of Scripture he did it Notwithstanding it is not too be douted but that he first of all expounded the promis concerning Chryst set foorth vntoo Adam which is this The séede of the womā shal tread down the serpents head and many such other as you haue herd yesterday Moyses by the commandement of God did set vp a brazen serpent in y e wildernesse as many as looked theron were healed of theyr woundes Whiche figure Chryste expounding in the third of Iohn sayeth Like as Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse so it behoueth the sonne of man to be lift vp to the intent that all that beléeue in hym should not perish but haue life euerlasting Howbeit as hée was recityng these things out of Moyses and the prophets they drew néere
Chrystes shéepfold For what minister of the woord so euer for any cause forbeareth to set himself against Sophistrie tirannie wickednesse and hipocrisie the same is a hireling and not a true shepherd For the good shepherd first setteth himselfe against Sophistrie by defending the true doctrine and by rebuking and confuting the false But the hireling at this inuasion of the wolf is afraid dares not defend y e true doctrine least he shuld lose some of his earthly coÌ„modities Therfore either he winketh at y e false doctrin or at least wise he reproueth it not as he ought to doo and in so doing he is said to flée not in bodie but in mind bycause he forsloweth his duetie secondly the good shepherd will set himself ageinst tiranny Howbéeit bycause there be two kinds of shepherds the one Ciuil the other Ecclesiasticall as the Ciuil shepherd must set himself ageinst Tirannie of woolues by the sword so the Eclesiasticall shepherd must set himselfe ageinst it by prayer He that doth not this is a hireling not a shepherd Thirdly y e good shepherd shal set himself ageinst wickednesse by rebuking excommunication them that giue offence too the church with their misbehauior like as Iohn rebuked Herod Christ the pharisies all the Prophets did set theÌ„selues ageinst the vices of their times The deuil hath egged a faithful persoÌ„ too aduoutry too incest too couetousnesse too vnlawful lusts or to bibbing In this case the good shepherd stands not in feare of meÌ„ but â—f God and rebuketh mens vices according to his duetie CoÌ„trariwise the hireling being careful of his own ease dareth not open his mouth If he rebuke hée doth it in general termes but he dareth not charge y e offeÌ„ders to their face as did y e Prophets other true shepherds But some such hireling might obiect behold I am heer I fled not Augustin answereth him bicause y u hast hild thy peace thou hast fâ—ed and thou hildest thy peace bicause thou art afraid Fourthly the good shepherd setteth himself ageinst hipocrisy when he plucketh of the visor of outward hypocrites and bewrayeth how foule the face of sinne is But the hireling runneth away from this wolfe and dareth not displease any man least men should hate him Now remaineth a question too bée discussed whither bodily fléeing bée lawful at all times or no Wherevnto I answere Any shepherd that gaddeth from place to place either too encrease his liuing or for werynesse or for the vnkynde dealing of men is surely an hireling and no shepherd Notwithstanding if tyrants persecute a man or lay wayte for his life it is lawfull for a godly shepherde too flée the handes of the Tyrant that afterwarde if it may bée returning agein he may do more good by his life than he could haue doon by his death How bée it in this case Godlynesse muste bée their rule ¶ Of the third THe third place is of Chrystes shéepe and of their mark and that there is but one shéepfold and one shepherd The shéepe of Chryst are all they that héer Chryst and like shéepe doo folowe him in true simplicitie innocencie méekenesse and obedience Neither are there any other marks too know Chrystes shéepe by than deuotion toward God charitie towards our neighbour purenesse of conuersation and a certeyne holy carefulnesse and forwardnesse in our vocation And where as he sayeth he hath other shéepe that muste bée brought in too the same fold he méeneth that there is one holy catholike Churche of the Iewes and Gentyles toogyther And therwithal he expresseth the maner how the shéepe shal bée brought togither when he sayeth And they shall heere my voyce The preaching of the gospell therfore and the beléeuing of the Gospel when it is preached causeth vs too bée gathered into Chrystes shéepfold They that vpon this place doo gather that before Doomesday there shall bée so greate agréement in true Religion that there shall bée no héeresies nor schismes are farre wyde For all the foresayings of the prophets teach the contrary And Chryste when he sayde Thinke yée that when the sonne of man commeth hée shall fynde Faith vppon the earth ment it shoulde come to passe through persecution that the most part should fall from the fayth And the néerer that the day of the Lord approcheth so much the féercer is the diuell too trouble the litle flocke of Chryst with his sophistrie tyrannie wickednesse and hypocrisie Wherefore let vs praye too Chryste the Shepherd of our soules that he will defende vs in so great perils too the glorie of his name Too whom with the father and the holy ghost bée honour praise and glorie for euer Amen The third Sunday after Easter The Gospell Iohn xâ—j IESVS sayde vntoo his Disciples After a vvhile ye shal not see me and agayn after a vvhyle ye shall see mee for I goe too the father Then sayd some of his disciples betvvene themselues vvhat is this that hee sayeth vntoo vs after a vvhyle yee shall not see mee and agayne after a vvhyle ye shall see me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore vvhat is this that he sayth after a vvhile vvee cannot tell vvhat he sayth Iesus perceiued that they vvould aske him and sayd vnto them ye enquire of this betvveene your selues bycause I sayd after a vvhyle ye shall not see mee and ageyne after a vvhyle ye shall see mee Verely verely I say vntoo you ye shall vveepe and lament but contraryvvise the vvorld shall reioyce Yee shall sorovv but your sorovv shall bee turned too ioy A vvoman vvhen she trauaileth hath sorovve bycause hir houre is come But assone as shee is deliuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguishe for Ioye that a man is borne intoo the vvorld And yee novv therfore haue sorovve but I vvill see you ageyne and youre heartes shall reioyce and your ioy shal no man take from you The exposition of the text A His gospel is part of that sermon that Christ made too his disciples at his Supper the day before he suffred in which sermon he taught them many things For he made mention of his owne office death torments resurrection and glorification Moreouer he reasoned concerning the Church what it is and what should bée the state of it in this world as that it shoulde haue aduersaries which should assault it and that it should at length by Faith ouercome all hir troubles and vntoo this parte perteineth also this present Gospell For hée comforteth his Disciples whome he perceyueth too bée sadde for his foretelling them of his Crosse. Hée sheweth them before that hée would visit them ageinâ— assoone as he were risen from death And he addeth a very goodly similitude of a woman trauelling of chyld with whom the church shall tast the like fortune For like as the sorowful great belyed woman taketh excéedyng great comfort of the birth of hir chyld Euen so the Church hauing wrestled out of the miseries of
this present life shall in the end enioy ful glory with Christ so shée continue stedfast in his faith vntoo the end The places are thrée 1 Chrysts forewarning concerning his owne death and Resurrection 2 The weaknesse of the apostles and so consequently of all mortall men 3 The Crosse of the Church in this world and the glorious and ioyfull deliuerance of the same ¶ Of the firste COncerning the death and resurrection of Chryst I will speake somwhat bréefly bicause wée haue herd all thinges alate more plenteously After a vvhyle yee shall not see mee and ageine after a vvhile yee shall see mee for I goe too the father Héere doth Chryst somwhat darkly foreshew them his death and resurrection But his méening is this After a vvhile sayth he yee shall not see mee that is too say I shall lye dead a thrée days in my graue so that you shall not sée mée And againe after a vvhile yee shall see mee that is too say I shall be raised ageine from death and you shall sée mée fortie days before I ascende visibly into heauen and be taken away out of your sight by a cloude And this is it that he sayeth bicause I go to the Father that is too say after my death I shall passe from persecution to the glorie of heauen What is he not present with his churche after his ascension Yes he is present according too his promise euen vntoo the end of the worlde Howbéeit not after a bodyly maner but after a diuine and spiritual maner For Gods woord and the holy Ghost are the glasse â–ª wherin Chryst will be holden and this beholding is sufficient wherwith wée must be contented vntill he himselfe come to iudgement for afterward wée shall enioy the sight of him for euermore But why did hée put his Disciples in minde of his death and resurrection Surely there be many causes of which the chéefe is this which he alleageth in these woords I haue told you of these things before hand that vvhen they bee come to passe you may beleeue For mens minds are gretly strengthned when they sée things fall out â–ª according too that whiche was tolde them before Neither dyd any thing more raise the Apostles than that they saw all things aunswerable too Chrystes foresayings wherby they might bothe vnderstand his Godhead and throughly perceiue his office Moreouer the Lordes will was by the often forewarnings too prouide for the infirmitie of his disciples For this is the poynt of a faythfull maister to haue a consideration of their capacitie whome he taketh vppon him to teache and too remedie theyr rawnesse by often beating the selfe same things intoo their heads Besides this also he therfore foretold his death and resurrection too the intent his disciples shoulde knowe that he knew before of his owne death and resurrection and that he willingly obeyed the father euen vntoo death too the intent he might deliuer vs froÌ„ death This sermon of Chrystes is too bée applyed vnto vs also for not muche vnlike happeneth vntoo vs. Hée sêemeth too bée a whyle from vs when he leaueth vs comfortlesse wrestling vnder the crosse And afterwarde ageyne hée is séene of vs when hée comforteth vs by the Gospell and manifesteth the presence of his spirite in our prayers ¶ Of the second THe rawnesse of Christes disciples in matters of saluation is described in these woords VVhat is it say they that he sayth After a vvhile yee shall not see mee and ageyne after a vvhile yee shall see mee and that I go to the father vve knovv not vvhat he speaketh It is a greater wonder that they being so often warned of the Lordes death and Resurrection not only by types figures and riddles but also by expresse woordes coulde neuer the more vnderstande him What is the cause héerof Surely there are twoo causes One is for that an opinion once conceiued in the mynde is not easly pulled out specially if it haue taken déepe roote The Iewes yea and the Lords Disciples themselues dreamed that Chrysts gouernement should haue bin ciuill so as Chryste himselfe béeing made chéefe Emperor should subdue the whole world and reign ouer it and that his disciples should haue bin next about him whiche thing the moother of Zebedies children declared sufficiently when she made request that the one of hir sonnes might sit at Chrystes right hande and the other at his left An other cause is the dimnesse that is in all mankynd wherby it commeth to passe that no man is able too perceiue the things that pertein too God vnlesse he haue the holy Ghost too bée his teacher Héerby we may leene first too bewaile this our blindnesse Secondly too héere Gods woord more often wherby we may bée deliuered fâ—rom this dimnesse of ignorance and thirdly to craue of God that he him selfe will teache vs according too that place of the .xxv. Psalme Leade me foorth in thy truth and teach mée bycause thou art the God of my saluation Good and rightfull is the Lord therfore shall he teach sinners in the way But wée must take héede that when the Lorde teacheth we shut not the eares of our hert against his voyce lyke as all they doo that héere Gods woorde without frute As for those that so stop their eares against Gods voyce they may at length deserue too be left vp in their blindnesse and ignoraunce for euer God preserue vs that we incurre not this penaltie of vnthankefulnesse wherewith wée sée many to be horribly punished For there are many too bée found that if a man aske them after the héering of a Sermon what they haue brought away haue not a woord to aunswer But if yée question with them of talke had at a feast or in game they can reherse you euery thing so as they will not misse ye a woord What is the reason In some folke the cause of it is mannes naturall dulnesse in matters of Saluation In other some the cause of it is the punishment of sinne also that héering they héere not and vnderstanding they vnderstande not Wherfore right déere beloued let vs fall too amendement of lyfe let vs call vpon God for help and when wée féele in our selues a wéerinesse of héering and learning the woord of God Let vs by and by think that the diuel layeth a snare for vs and let vs forthwith flée vntoo Praier beséeching GOD that he will both teach vs and also by his spirit make roome for his woord in vs. ¶ Of the third VErely verely I say vntoo you that you shall moorne and vveepe but the vvorld shall reioyce And you shall be sadde but your sadnesse shall bee turned intoo ioy He repeteth the same thing that he had spoken a litle before concerning his death and Resurrection For by thrée signes which were set foorth he gaue an inklyng what should come after although somwhat darkly By the moorning of his Disciples is signified the death and buriall of Chryste By the gladnesse of
the name of the onely begotten sonne of GOD. These woords conteine a thirde place that is too wit comforte and terrour For it bothe comforteth the godly acknowledging their sinnes and putteth the stubborne in feare that wil not beléeue in Chryste Nowe for as muche as GOD easly sawe what the weaknesse of men was and chéefly of those that earnestly think vppon the sentence of the lawe and saw the wilfulnesse of no small number hée applyed his woord vntoo them bothe For the first sorte when they héere how all that yéelde not ful obedience too the lawe are subiecte too the sentence of death can not but be dismayed at the threatnings of the law Those therefore dooth Chryste comforte and sayeth GOD hath not sent his Sonne too condemne the vvorlde but that the vvorld might be saued by him Hée speaketh of his first comming intoo the worlde whiche was too saue sinners that fall too amendment For hée vsed this swéete allurement Come vntoo mée all yée that labor and are laden and I wil refreshe you Also I came not too call the rightuous but the sinners too repentaunce As many then as obey Chrystes voyce and repente are frée from the iudgement of damnation For thus sayeth the trueth Hee that beleeueth in him is not iudged That is too say with the iudgement of damnation This promisse wil comfort vs ageinst the sentence of the lawe and of our owne conscience For hée that shall bée iudge of the quick and the dead sayeth openly Hée that beléeueth in him is not iudged The trust vntoo this promise shal be néedful for vs in y e houre of death ageinst the thretnings of the law y e dredfulnes of death y e flames of hel the tirannie of the deuil For it cannot come too passe y t the euerlasting trueth should lie Hithertoo concerning the coÌ„fort of them y t beleue CoÌ„cerning the terror of them y t wil not beléeue y e gospel it foloweth but he that beleueth not is iudged alredy bicause he beleeueth not in the name of the only begotteÌ„ son of God what Shal ther theÌ„ bée none other iudgement Yes the son of man shal come too iugement in his time according as he hath promised What méeneth he then by saying He is alredy iudged y t is too say condemned By this saying he sheweth what maner of ones al the childreÌ„ of Adam be without faith y t is without Christ our mediatour namely that they be iudged y t is too say condemned y t is to wit as in respect of y e cause the matter For the cause matter of their daÌ„nation is in themselues which is the transgression of gods law wilfully rebelling ageinst God Besides this the sentence of the lawe spoken long ago when he had first created man afterward repeÌ„ted in mouÌ„t Sinai is that al they are cursed that obey not God according too his commaundement Untoo this curse are all they tyed that bèléeue not in the Sonne of God who alone hath taken vppon him the curse of them that beléeue in him That this is so wee are doone too vnderstande by the things that folowe And this is the iudgement that light is come intoo the vvorlde and men haue loued darkenesse more than light That is too say therfore shall men bée damned bicause they haue not receiued the light of the son of God by faith but rather would abide still in their owne ignoraunce and that by reason their woorks were euill ¶ Of the fourth FOr euery one that dooth euill haâ—eth the light and vvill not come too the light least his vvoorks should bee reproued When théeues will steale they loue the darke so men that are not yet borne agein by faith in Christ too doo wel are caried with might and mayne vntoo naughtinesse and therfore doo hate the light of the Gospell where contrarywise he that dealeth vprightly with a good conscience coÌ„meth to the light that is to say dooth his woorks openly and is not afrayd that men shuld sée theÌ„ That is too wit he that coÌ„meth too the light of Chryst and hath lerned of his spirit too doo wel he abideth no longer in the darkenesse of ignoraunce but endeuereth too walke like the childe of Light Héereby then wée may learne first the difference betwéene them that beléeue and them that beléeue not For the difference is too bée found out by their works as the Lord sayth in an other place A good trée bringeth foorth good frute and an euil trée bringeth foorth euill frute Ageine wée may learne that the light of the Gospell cannot abide that wée shoulde bée wrapped in our olde darknesse Too this purpose make so many exhortations of Chryst and his Apostles In Mathew the Lorde sayth Let your light so shine before men that they may glorifie your heauenly father And Paule sayeth Ye are the children of light walke as in the light After the same maner also speketh Peter Untoo whiche liuely stone reiected of men but chosen and honored of God come you and as liuely stones bée builded vppon it a spirituall house and a holy préesthood too offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable too god through Iesus Chryst. Let no man thinke therfore that the Gospell giueth libertie too sinne The Gospel deliuereth from sinne Wherfore it will not that we should any more yéeld our selues vnder the yoke of sinne when wée are once rid of it If sayeth our Sauiour the sonne haue set you frée yée shall bée frée in déede He that committeth sinne is the flaue of sinne Then sith wée are set frée by Iesus Chryste let vs vse our fréedome in suche wise as wée may bée the seruaunts not of sinne but of God through Iesus Chryst our Lorde Too whom bée honour for euer So be it The third holy day in Whitson weeke ¶ The Gospell Iohn x. VErely verely I say vntoo you he that entreth not in by the doore intoo the shepefolde but clymbeth vp some other vvaye the same is a theefe and a murtherer But he that entreth in by the doore is the shepeheard of the sheepe To him the porter openeth and the shepe heer his voice and hee calleth his ovvne sheep by name and leadeth them out And vvhen hee hath sent foorth his ovvne sheepe hee goeth before them and the sheepe folovv him for they knovv his voyce A straunger vvil they not folovve but vvil flee from him for they knovve not the voyce of straungers This Prouerbe spake Iesus vntoo them but they vnderstoode not vvhat things they vvere vvhiche he spake vntoo them Then sayde Iesus vntoo them ageine Verely verely I say vnto you I am the door of the sheepe All euen as many as come before mee are theeues and murtherers but the sheep did not heare them I am the doore by mee if any enter in he shal be safe and shall go in and oute and finde pasture A theefe commeth not but for too steale kil and destroy I am come that they
the godly mennes soules after this lyfe Lazarus is caryed intoo Abrahams bosom What is Abrahams bosom Like as Abraham was therfore called the father of the faithful bycause that with him was layd vp the couenant of eternall lyfe the which he kéeping in faythful custodie deliuered as it were from hand too hand first vntoo his owne children and afterward too all nations that they are called his children as many as are heires of the same promisse So after death they are sayd too bée gathered intoo his bosom bycause thy receyue the frute of the same fayth with him For like as a mannes sonnes whē they come home toogither at nyght from their dayly labor are cherished as it were in their Fathers bosom So the godly after their trauels taken in this life are after death gathered togither intoo blisful rest where they are wel at ease and in happy case vntil the rysing agein of the dead This bosom of Abraham is called also Paradyse as in that saying of Christ to the théefe this day shalt thou be with mée in Paradyse where according too the Psalme is abundance of ioy by beholding of God and euerlasting pleasures in his right hand Too be bréef Blissed are they that die in the Lord bycause they shal bée euermore with God shal enioy endlesse ioy And as concerning the communication of Abraham the Glutton it is to bée known that these things happened spiritually For so thought the Glutton wyth himselfe in his torments and such answer receyued he in his owne conscience Seuenthly behold in Lazarus the image of the Church in this lyfe For it is afflicted and it is despysed of the mighty rich men of this world ¶ Of the third THey haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heere them ▪ This is a very weighty admonishment and excéeding behoofeful for by this saying many are damned First euery one is damned that receiueth not Moyses and the Prophets For these are giuen of God too lead vntoo God and to shew the way of saluation He therfore that receiueth them not abydeth in his damnation Secondly they are damned that receyue them but yet set more by mennes traditions and rather frame their life after mennes commaundements than after Gods commaundements notwithstanding Gods charge giuen openly too the contrary For thus sayth he in Ieremy Cap. 20. Walk yée in my statutes and not in the cōmaundements of your fathers Thirdly are dāned héer Pope Gregorie the Anabaptists and other Euthusiasts which looke for new Reuelations frō heauen and giue more credit too the fumes of a frantike and melancholicke brayne than too the heauenly voyce or rather forsake and vtterly cast away the woord of God Fourthly wée learne héerby too make much of the doctrine of Moyses the Prophets and Apostles which wil be a lanterne for vs too eternall saluation so wée folow the lyght therof For the world hath not a more precious treasure than Gods woord Dauid did make more account of this than of y e finest golde Through this Lazarus who was poore in the world was rich before God By this did Iob rayse vp himself in the middes of his miseries Wherfore ryght déere brethren let vs also loue Gods woord Let vs assure our selues that that is the instrument wherby is offered vntoo vs the preciousest of all treasures Iesus Chryst and by him euerlasting lyfe which our heauenly father graunt vntoo vs by the same Iesus Chryste too whom bée honor and glory for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .ij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xiiij A Certain man ordeined a great supper and bad many and sent his seruant at supper tyme too say too them that vvere bidden come for all things are novv ready And they al at once began too make excuse The first sayd vnto him I haue bought a farme and I must nedes goe and see it I pray thee haue me excused And an other sayd I haue bought fyue yoke of Oxen and I go too proue them I pray thee haue mee excused And another sayd I haue maryed a vvyfe and therfore I cannot come And the seruaunt returned and brought his master vvord againe therof Then vvas the good man of the house displeased and sayd too his seruaunt go out quickely intoo the streetes and quarters of the citie bring in hither the poore feble the halt blind And the seruaunt sayd Lord it is done as thou hast cōmaunded yet ther is roum And the Lord sayd vnto the seruant go out into the hie vvayes hedges cōpell them too come in that my house may bee filled For I say vntoo you that none of these men vvhich vvere bidden shall taste of my supper The exposition of the Text. LIke as the last Sunday it was shewed in the Glutton y t the contempt of a mannes neighboure is hinderance too saluation so in thys Gospel we are taught another let which is too bée shunned that is too wit that wée set not more by our owne possessions and affaires by the care of worldly matters thā by the Gospel of Chryst or that we suffer not our selues to be letted and busied w t the commodities and pleasures of this world that wée come not too the supper vnto which wée are bidden by the preaching of the Gospel Now the occasion of this Parable was a certein Pharisies talke at a feast too which Chryst was bidden For when Chryste had declared that suche as are liberall too the poore shal bee rewarded in the resurrection of the rightuous the Pharisie intending too sooth Chryst in his woordes sayd Blissed is he that eateth bread in the kingdome of God Notwithstanding for as much as Christ saw the ouerthwart cōditions and froward inclination of this Pharisie and of the rest of the Iewish nation he put foorth this Parable wherin he peinteth out bothe the iust reiecting of the Iewes and the frée receyuing of the Gentiles The dryft end of which Parable is that wée should not suffer the transitorie things of this life too bée a hinderance vntoo vs for cōming too the heauenly supper whervntoo wée are bidden by the gospell The places are foure 1 The greatnesse of Gods mercy is poynted out in thys Supper 2 The vnthankfulnesse of the world is noted in those that refuse too come when they are called 3 Of his compulsion how he compelleth and by whom 4 A thretning of punishmente too them that receyue not the Gospell ¶ Of the firste HOw great Gods mercy is towards mankinde it is euident by many proues For not only Gods woord but also Gods excéeding great benefites towards the whole world and specially towardes Chrystes churche beare witnesse of Gods inspeakable mercie The earth sayth Dauid is full of the Lordes mercye The greatest proofe of this mercy is the giuing of his Sonne too redéeme the worlde drowned in vtter miserie and that by his death and passion too the intēt that men béeing deliuered from this
miserie shuld be rewarded with euerlasting lyfe which is called héer the great supper and in Mathew the mariage of the kyng vntoo whiche great Supper men are called of Gods méere mercie too the intent they may bée filled at it with spiritual daynties euerlastingly Howbéeit too the intent the delicates of this Supper may bée the plesanter vntoo vs I will set out seuerally one by one the circumstaunces that are noted in the text and shew what instruction and admonishment is too bée learned by eche of them The first circumstance therfore too bée considered in this supper is concerning him that biddeth vs vntoo it For thervpon hangeth the estimation of it Who is it then that prepareth this Supper Is it some worldly kyng No. Yet wer that King woorthy too bée muche made of for his liberalitie too bée praysed for his mercie that would prepare a princely feast royally furnished for miserable and poore soules Who is it then It is God our heauenly father the Lord of Lords and king of kings who only is riche and well stored with delicates This circumstaunce is a most euident testimonie of Gods goodnesse and mercy The second circumstance is that God héere the master of the house biddeth guestes too Supper c And what is ment by the name of supper The very Gospel and all those things that are ioyned with the Gospell as is saluation and eternall lyfe Sée how great mercy shyneth foorth héere What is the reason of the terming of it so Why are these so great good thinges called a supper Surely it is not doone without great causes of which number there bée thrée chéef The first is bycause the Gospell promiseth euerlasting ioye and endlesse good things For as the Supper is set before men in the latter end of the day so the good things which the Gospell offereth shall of the méere mercy of God bée giuen in rewarde too the beléeuers after that they in dystresse haue outworne the manyfolde labours of this lyfe The second cause is for that lyke as the euening whiche is the tyme that men are woonte too prepare for supper is the ende of the daye so the age in which all men by the ministerie of preaching are bidden too repaste of the heauenly Supper is of the laste age The third cause is for that the Gospell is the last voyce of GOD in the worlde after whiche there is none other too bée looked for in lykewyse as the Supper is the last meate that is set béefore men in the day For ther shall neuer sound any other voyce of God from heauen but thys selfe same voyce of the Gospell shall sounde vntoo the laste daye of iudgement The third circūstance is in this woord Great by whiche is commended vntoo vs the richnesse of Gods mercy For God biddeth not a kyng or twoo or a wiseman or twoo vntoo this supper but he biddeth the whole world He ouerskippeth not the poore he neglecteth not the riche men he shutteth not out the gentlemen he kéepeth not the country folke nor the townesmen from his feast he holdeth no skorne of the little ones disdeyneth not y e great ones al men without exception that are dispersed through the whole worlde biddeth he too that great supper For the text witnesseth both that it is a greate supper and that many are bidden The fourth circumstance is of the manner of his bidding The manner is expressed in these wordes And he sente his seruaunt at the houre of Supper too saye too them that vvere bidden Héer by the name of seruant is ment the Prophetes Apostles and all godly teachers whom God hath sent from the beginning of the worlde too bid guestes too the Supper Too this supper dyd God himselfe bidde the patriarke Noe. He being bidden bad the rest of the world in Gods sted Afterward when the world throughe it owne vnthankfulnesse was perished in the flud Abrahā was by Gods owne mouth bidden too this supper After which time when the malice of the world was encreased vpon the earth God chose one peculiar people among whome he often times raysed vp Prophets that bad guests too this supper And the master of the house continued in so dooing vntill he sent his owne Sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst whome those that were bidden hanged vpon the Crosse. And he being raised ageyn from death sent out his Apostels intoo the whole world too byd all nations too this most delicate supper The fifth circumstance is of the hour of the supper What is this houre It is the time of grace and the time of glory The time of grace is the time wherin is preached vnto men the liberality mercyfulnesse of y e master of the house which tyme is deuided intoo thrée parts Intoo promise performāce and the tyme that hath folowed the performance The time of promis was from Adam vntoo the birth of Chryst almost foure thousand yéere Then was the tyme of performance during all the while that Chryst was conuersant héere vpon earth in the flesh and preached and offered himselfe the price of redemption for them that wer bidden too this supper The tyme that followed the performance is thencefoorth from the sending of the Apostles intoo the whole worlde vntill the daye of Iudgement in whiche tyme wée also bée and are bidden too this Supper by the voyce of the Ministers of Gods woorde The tyme of glory in eternitie When wée shall sit downe in the heauenly glorie not onely wyth Abraham and Isaac but also with God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy ghoste and shal enioy euerlasting mirth and gladnesse in Chryst Iesu our Lord. The sixth circumstance is the manner of the biddyng Come sayth he for all things are ready That is too saye as wée sée in the bidding of Iohn Baptist and Chryst Repent and beléeue the Gospell for the kyngdome of heauen is at hand This bidding requireth repentance that is too wit an alteration of the former life that wée shuld depart from euil and doo good and it requireth fayth that is too wit that wée should beléeue that this Supper is set on the Table for vs not in respect of our deseruyng but of méere mercy for the Sons sake whom God hath giuen vntoo vs too bée our wysedome ryghtuousnesse sanctification and redemption For with these gyftes and as it were garments of the Sonne of God muste wée enter intoo the Supper of euerlasting lyfe For Chryst by his wysedome reformeth our myndes wyth his ryghtuousnesse he decketh vs when wée beléeue on him with his sanctification or halowyng hée clenseth vs and at length he receyueth vs intoo his parlor where shall bée perpetuall redemption glorie and happinesse And thus muche concerning the firste place wherin is set oute vnto vs the mercyfulnesse of GOD which is from generation too generation vppon all that feare hym as the virgin our Lordes moother singeth ¶ Of the second BVt all began vvith one consent to excuse them selues
It may bée gathered by the Scripture that it was ordeined too fiue endes First that it was done of purpose too blisse and pray as in Mat. 19. and Mark 7. is declared Secondely for offering for the Préests were woont too lay their handes vpon the heads of the beasts that were slaine for sacrifice 3. For healing lyke as Chryste did oftentimes lay on his hands when he went about too heale suche as were brought vntoo him 4. That by praying the holy ghost might be bestowed vpon them as wée réede in the Acts of the Apostles Fiftly in giuing orders too the ministers of the woord handes were woont too bée layde vppon those that were receiued intoo the ministerie Nowe will wée adde somwhat concerning the mysticall méening of handes They that blissed folke by laying on of their hands dyd supplie the roome of God The hands signified Gods helpe and fauoure The laying on of hands signified that he on whom the handes were layd was vnder the fauor and protection of God and that hée was blissed of god In their blissings Gods fauour and help were wished for and in sacrifices the hosts were dedicated vntoo God In healyngs Gods hand stretched out it selfe whyle by his power he restored the sicke vntoo helth Likewise in the giuing of the holy ghost the handes signified Gods presence In consecrating the Préests this was ment by laying on of handes that those whiche tooke orders were dedicated vntoo God as sacrifices and wer allowed and appoynted too the seruice of God Thus muche concerning the firste place namely concerning the laying on of handes Now let vs bréefly consider what this place confirmeth what it confuteth and whereof it admonisheth vs. It confirmeth that the children of God are led by the spirite of God and should exercise themselues in godlinesse and charitie It confuteth those that boaste of their emptie fayth voyde of the true feare of God and charitie too their neighbour And it admonisheth vs too performe the woorkes of faith as well inward as outward if wée will bée accounted among the children of God ¶ Of the second THe seconde doctrine that I purposed is concerning the déede and miracle of Chryst. Now too the intent wée may vnderstand this déede certein things are too be noted concerning Chrystes miracles The Prophets Chryst and the Apostles wroughte miracles too assure men that the doctrine which they taught was of God and too the intent that men béeing conuicted of Gods truth by miracles mighte beléeue and by beleeuing bée saued That these are the chéef endes of miracles Iohn the Euangelist beareth witnesse in his seconde chapter where he sayth thus This beginning of miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilée and manifested his own glorie and his Disciples beléeued on him Héere are twoo endes signified Chrystes glorie and the fayth of the Apostles The glorie of Chryst comprehendeth the power of his Godhead his affection towardes mankinde and his office and the certeintie of his doctrine Howbéeit there is a difference too bée made betwene the Prophets and Apostles and Chryst. The Prophets and Apostles wrought not miracles by their owne power but by the diuine power of Chryste whose spirite spake by the mouth of them But Chryste wrought miracles by his owne power Wherefore lyke as the Prophets and Apostles by their miracles declared them selues too bée the seruantes of Chryst so Chryst by his miracles shewed himself too bée the Lord and God of them And if any man demaund why miracles are not wrought now a dayes by the ministers of Gods woord Thou shalt vnderstand that assoon as miracles had confirmed Christes glory the truthe of God they had discharged their dutie And therefore we must no more looke for miracles but we must holde our selues content with the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which God hath confirmed with many miracles lōg ago Thus much cōcerning miracles in generall Now let vs come too the miracle of this day in whiche are many circumstances too be obserued wherof eche one conteyneth a singuler doctrine and admonishement The first Chryst took him aside from the people And why did he so For twoo considerations that is too wit for y e time for the meaning For the time bicause he wold not as yet haue his kingdome published vntoo the whole world For he had not yet accomplished his sacrifice he had not yet broken downe the wall that was betwéene the Iewes and the Gentiles whiche thing was doone afterwarde when hée armed his disciples with this cōmission Go intoo the whole world and preache the Gospel too all nations And for the meaning bicause he that desireth too haue Chryste too bée his Phisitian must departe out of the preace of the malicious persons and repiners For there is no agréement betwéene Chryste and Beliall The second He thrust his fingers intoo his eares Surely this was not doon but for some purpose For by that signe he bothe shewed the preciousnesse of his fleshe which he had taken vpon him that by offring it in sacrifice mankinde might be restored too his former helthfulnesse whiche he had lost by sinne and also giueth vs too vnderstand that his woorde can neither be heard nor vnderstood vnlesse our eares be opened by Chrystes finger that is too say vnlesse the holy Ghoste doo open the eares of our hart The thirde And hee spit and touched his toong By this mysticall maner of dealing hée dooth vs too wit that the abilitie too speake procéedeth of him and that hée will woorke effectually in his churche by meanes The fourth He looked vp intoo Heauen By this gesture hée signifieth that his minde is lifted vp too his heauenly father whom hée prayed vntoo not onely for this man but for all others that are afflicted For prayer is not so muche the sound of the mouth as the humble lifting vp of the hart vnto God which lifting vp of the hart is signified by the outward sign of the eyes looking vp too heauenward Whervpon Dauid sayth I haue lift vp mine eyes vntoo thée that dwellest in the Heauens Of which thing wée also are put in minde when wée say Our father which art in heauen The fifth Hee sighed Surely it must néedes bée a great matter that caused so great a personage too sighe Therefore had he not an eye al only too this dumb man whom he could haue deliuered from his disease with one becke but hée had an eye too these fiue things First too sin which is the cause of all miseries in mankinde 2. Too the tirannie of the Deuil who had so sore oppressed mankinde with whiche tirannie he knew he had too encounter 3. Too the curse of the lawe whiche he should take vpon him self too the intent we might bée cléered of oure giltinesse 4. Too his owne moste bitter death which he should suffer for all mankinde 5. Too the vnthankfulnesse of the greatest part of the world For hée foresaw that many should vtterly holde skorn of his
onely Carnally only Chryste was séene of the greatest parte of the Iewish nation which neuerthelesse was damned Therfore the séeing of Chryst in the flesh onely dooth not of it selfe profit too saluation but rather furthereth too greater damnation Herode saw Chryste so did Pilate likewise so did Iudas Cayphas and many other vngodly persons whose damnation teacheth vs that too sée Chryst outwardly in the flesh auayleth not too saluation if there go not true faith in Christ with it Chryst was séen in the flesh and in the spirit at once toogither of the wise men of Marie of Simeon Zacharie Zacheus the Apostles and many others whose séeing turned too their soule helth bicause they not only beheld Chryste with their outwarde eyes but also with the eyes of their harte Whiche thing is manifestly séen in that woman whiche for washing Chrystes féete with hir teares wiping them with the hear of hir head heard Chryst say vntoo hir that hir sinnes were forgiuen hir for the faiths sake whiche shée had in him Of this séeing chéefly speaketh our Lord in this place when he sayth Many Prophets and Kinges haue longed too see that you see and haue not seene In spirite onely doo all they sée Chryste whiche beléeue in him for so dooth Chryst him self interprete it when he saith As Moyses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse So must the sonne of man bée exalted that all whiche beléeue in him may not perishe but haue life euerâ—asting After this sort did Abel sée Chryste in his sacrifice so did Abraham of whome Chryst beareth recorde saying Abraham sawe my day and was glad So sée we Chryst at this day as many of vs as beléeue in him Now that they whiche sée Chryst in this wise are blissed this saying of our Lord vntoo Thomas testifieth Blissed are they that beléeue and sée not For we sée him in the Gospel where he appéereth face too face vntoo vs that we should be transformed intoo the likenesse of him Hithertoo concerning the first maner of séeing Chryst and the partes of the same after which maner hée is séene in this world Now foloweth the other maner of séeing which is in the glory too come where we shall sée him moste perfectlie bée delighted with euerlasting gladnesse enioying the moste pleasant and comfortable beholding of him But wherfore dooth hée auouch those too bée happy that sée Chryst First for that Chryste is the woorde of life without which there is no saluation too bée looked for For this woord of life deliuereth the beléeuers from eternall death For like as he that séeth not Chryste and specially with the eyes of faith abideth in prison and vnder the power of the Diuell euen so he that séeth Chryst ouercommeth the world and all euils according too this of Iohn This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen your faith But doo we not sée many godly men too be in yl case in this life and too be put too moste gréeuous punishement I answere Yet are they blissed for the sequele of the matter For there shall be a moste ioyfull deliueraunce from all euils wherewith the godly are oppressed in this life And therefore Christe saythe in Mathew Blissed are those that mourne for they shal receiue comfort ¶ Of the second A Certeine Lavvyer stood vp tempting him and saying Master vvhat shall I doo too haue euerlasting life Iesus ansvvered Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD. And as it is written in Mathew if thou wilte enter intoo life kéepe the commaundements Too the intent we may vnderstande this answere of Chryste aright it is too bée noted that there are two kindes of men with whom Chryst hath too doo For some are Hipocrites and some repent in good earnest The Hipocrites béeing proude and swelling throughe opinion of their owne rightuousnesse think them selues too haue no néed of Chryst and therfore they persecute him one while by tempting him another while by slaundering his doctrine and sometime by open violence When suche as these bée doo séeke the way of saluation he poynteth them too the lawe and saythe If thou wilt enter intoo life kéepe the commaundementes But those that fall vntoo repentaunce and séeke the way of saluation at Chrystes hand are not sent by Chryste vntoo the law and too Moyses but he taketh them too him self and biddeth them beléeue on him Which thing wheÌ„ they do he grauÌ„teth ouer his owne rightuousnesse vntoo them that they should not be subiect too the curse of the law Wée wil make this more apparant by examples The Pharisie of whom wée heard a late séemed rightuous vntoo him self but he was pronounced vnrightuous by Chryste bicause he had not the rightuousnesse of the law whiche he made his bragges of Contrariwise the Publicane that broughte his sinnes intoo the Temple with him whiche hée there bewayled fléeing too the mercy of God went his way home iustified And in as much as he was iustified and made rightuous he was also made an heir of eternal life In Mathew the lawyer asketh Christe the question saying what shall I doo too get eternall life and Chryste answereth If thou wilt enter intoo life kéepe the commaundements Contrariwise the wretched théefe being a sinner repenteth vpon the Crosse and calleth vpon Chryste by faith too whom Chryst sayth This day shalt thou bée with mée in Paradise that is too wit in euerlasting lyfe In this Gospel coÌ„meth also a Doctor of the law too tempt the Lord sayth what shall I doo too possesse eternal life Too whom our Lord answereth Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God thy neighbor as thy self which is all one as if hée sayd if thou wilt enter intoo life kéep the commaundements But too the sinfull womaÌ„ Luk. 7. he saith Thy faith hath made thée whole And so Chryst dealeth with twoo kindes of men according too the diuersitie of whom hée sheweth the right way vntoo heauen Why sheweth he the way by y e law sith no man was euer able too come too heauen by y e way Bicause it is the straightest way too heauen according too this The man that doth these things shall liue by them This way therfore doth Chryst shew too them that hold scorn of him For whosoeuer despiseth Chryst eyther hée shall die for euer or else fulfill the lawe which is impossible for him too doo Agein there is another way to heauen which is open too those only that beléeue in Chryst who is the way intoo heauen ¶ Of the thirde THou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy vvhole hart vvith all thy vvhole soule vvith all thy vvhole povver and vvith all thy vvhole thoughte and thy neighboure as thy selfe This is a summe of Gods lawe and an abridgement of the ten commaundements In both of these commaundementes there are foure things too bée considered First the affection that is required too bée in man towardes God and his neighbour 2. The obiect namely God and
accusing vs let vs set Chryst acquiting vs from sinne If the sonne set you frée sayth he you are frée in déede Ageinst the miseries of this present life let vs set Chryst and the purpose of God whose wil it is y t we should become like vntoo y e image of his sonne To be bréef let vs in true repentance faith flée to the throne of grace our Lord Iesus Christ. In him only shal we find help at time conuenient For he sayth too all that beléeue in him Bée not afraid my little flocke for it hath pleased my father too giue you a kingdome And so let vs not suffer any thing in heauen in earth or hel too persuade vs that Christ is otherwise affectioned towards vs thaÌ„ he was towards this widow Therfore let vs lern héerby y t god iudgeth far otherwise than dooth y e world Our God mediator Iesus Chryst dooth not after the maner of the world reiect them that be in misery and distresse but he receiueth al that come vnto him according too his promise Come vntoo me all yée that labor are loden I wil refresh you ye shal find rest vnto your soules Furthermore godly widowes may lern héerby what a patronâ— aduocate comforter they haue Let gouerners of churches lerne heereby not to shun such as be in misery distresse And let the magistrate lerne by the exaÌ„ple of Chryst not too despise not too shake of not too condemne men bicause they bée in miserie and distresse but rather too cherish comfort them Ageine let vs all lerne too embrace one another with mutuall affection of charitie too comfort one another after a godly maner And thus much coÌ„cerning the first part of this Gospell Now foloweth the second ¶ Of the second IN the declaration of this present miracle there bée many circumstances Of which eche one hath his seuerall lesson and therfore I wil reherse them in order with their lessons and admonishmentes The first VVhen the corse vvas caryed foorth the vvidovv his mother folovved after and a great coÌ„pany of the citie vvith hir Héer wée sée two things of which the first is the solemne bearing out of the Corse which the sorowfull moother foloweth and the other is the honour solemnitie of the buriall They cary the dead Corse after an honest sort too the place of buriall so also did the holy Fathers Abraham buryed his wife honourably Ioseph conueyed the Corse of the Patriarke Iacob too buriall with a great trayne of people Iacob and Esau buried their father Isaac honourably Too bée short among all the Godly there was great solemnitie vsed in burials And that was doone in hope of the resurrection of their bodies and of the immortalitie that is too come The Church at this day foloweth the example of the holy fathers though many bée too bée found which cast out their dead Corses as if they were the carkasses of swine In our burials is vsed suche a solemnitie as this is The godly béeing present folowe the Béere and there is singing ringing and sometime preaching They that folowe the Béere doo first vtter their good will towards him that is departed 2. By this déede they shewe an example of their fayth concerning the rising agein of the dead 3. They are warned that they themselues in their time when the Lord shall thinks good must folow and by death take their leaue of these miseries of the world Then is there singing and that is too the intent the liuing may comforte themselues wyth godlye Psalmes and gyue GOD thankes for him that is dead if hée departe in the true profession The ringing is not onely too call the people toogither too bring the Corse too church but also that the liuing may therby bée put in minde of Gods trumpet by whiche all the dead shall bée waked vp in the last day Lastly there is preaching too the intent that those whiche wayt vppon the Corse too Churche may cary home some instruction comfort with them ageinst death And thus much bréefly concerning the firste circumstance and the solemnitie of buriall whiche is obserued among vs. The second Our Lord sayth too the vvidovve vveepe not Héer some demaund whither it bée lawful too moorne for the dead The examples of holye men and the scriptures admitte mourning for the deade In Deuter. the last Chapter all the peoplâ— mourned in the desert for Moyses when he was dead Abraham bewayled his wife Sara Ioseph a holy maÌ„ mourned many dayes for his Father Iacob Dauid mourned for Ammon his sonne Israell for Samuell Martha for Lazarus and den Lord himselfe also wept for Lazarus Iesus the sonne of Syrach in his â–ª â—8 chapter sayth My sonne shed thy teares ouer the dead and begin too sorowe as if thou haddeâ—â— suffered harme But Ieremie in his â–ª 22. Chapter sayeth Bewaile not the dead And Chryst sayeth héere too the woman wéep not These countersayings Paule reconcileth Th. 4. where hée sayth â–ª Brethren I would not haue you ignorant concerning them that are falne a sléep that yée sorow not as others doo which haue no hope Then is it heathenish sorowing that is forbidden whiche hathe no hope of comfort by the resurrection of the dead But measurable mourning is grauÌ„ted such as they vse which haue coÌ„fort set present before theÌ„ But in as muche as wée fall intoo mention of comfort let vs bréefly say from whence Christians may fetch comfort in the death of their fréends First let them thinke vppon Gods wil which they are bound too obey 2. Let them thinke vppon the vniuersal case of al men For we must all die once 3. Let them thinke vppon Gods ryghtuousnesse For what is more rightful than that hée whiche hath giuen life shoulde take it too himself ageine and kéepe it when he sées it good so too doo 4. Let him thinke vpon Gods wisdome who only knoweth whither it is more for our behoof too liue or die For he taketh many away eyther bicause they should not bée made woorse or else that they should not endure any moe troubles in this mortall life 5. Let them thynke wyth themselues that the deade are set frée from all miseries of thys lyfe 6. Let them thinke it is vaine too take long sorowe for them fith sorowe cannot call them ageine For so did Dauid comfort himselfe in the. 12. Chapter of the seconde booke of Kings Hée moorned as long as his Child lay sick but when he was dead he arose washed and ate meat 7. Let them think that hée whiche soroweth ouermuche dooth hurte his owne body in so dooing sinneth ageinst God 8. Let them thinke that the blisse of immortalitie is not too bée enuyed too the partie deceased For blissed are they sayth the Scripture that die in the Lorde 9. Let them think vpon the resurrection of Chryst and of oure selues also which shalbée at the latter day For this thought must bée a common remedie
not only ageinst the sorow that wée conceiue for the deade but also ageinst all afflictions as well of minde as bodie But some man obiecteth I haue forgon the comfort of my life TheÌ„ thou bewaylest not him that is dead but thou bewaylest thine owne self and thy losse that thou hast by forgoing him It is a naturall thing too wéepe Thou sayest truthe but let grace ouercome nature Thâ—s muche is added bréeflye in the seconde circumstance concerning comfort at the death of our déere fréends The third Our Lord toucheth the coffin wherin the deadâ— men lay By which touching he declareth that his body was the instrument too get vs life and saluation The fourth He speaketh too the yoong man and sayeth I say to thee yong man arise So also raysed he the yong maâ—d as is in Marke So raysed he Lazarus that had bin buried foure dayes as is in Iohn Héere wée are taught bothe that Chryst is stronger than death and that his word is the word of life and saluation The fifth The dead man ryseth at Chrysts call and this is the miracle he riseth y t was dead he began streight wayes too speake and our Lord deliuered him too his moother The sixth Feare fel vpon them al â–ª and they glorified God saying A great prophet is risen vp among vs and God hath visited his people and this saying vvas spred abrode of him through all Ievvrie Héere is described a double frute of this miracle The one befalleth too the present héerers and the other extendeth vntoo others too whom the report of this miracle came The present beholders conceyued faith héereby and so feared God glorifying him with true woorship and acknowledged the Messias too bée come whom also they confessed Besides that the report héereof came vntoo others that were in Iewrie and the countrey bordering thervpon who in likewyse conceyued Fayth in the Messias And in these dayes the report héereof commeth vntoo vs wherby we may acknowledge Christ too bée the very Messias and too bée stroÌ„ger than death â–ª and may conceiue faith in him magnifying God with hart voyce confession and manners and so it will come too passe that one day wée shall haue by him a ioyfull resurrection too euerlasting life ¶ Of the second SAinct Ambrose sayeth that the image of the Churche is set foorthe héere and bicause it representeth our estates it is woorth the opening The widow saith he signifieth y e church the dead yong man euery sinner y t liueth without repentaÌ„ce and the 〈…〉 the body of sinne The widow bewaileth hir dead 〈◊〉 â–ª That is to say the church lâ—â—â—nenteth for the vnrepentantnesse of the wicked entreateth Chryst too moue them and draw them too him with his woord his spirit Chryst therefore biddeth them that caried the corse too stand still Foâ— the sinner is borne to hell byfoure porters which are theâ—e First 〈◊〉 of longer life Secondly looking vppon other mennes faultes Thirdly presumption vppon Gods mercy And fourthly â—â—atterie of lend company Now if thâ—u wilt ryse from the death of sinne thou must néedes héere Chryst who biddeth the porters stay First therefore then must exclude hope of long lyfe bicause life is â—ncerteyn according as the experience of many teacheth and perill is at hand as it is too bée séene in the riche glutton Ageine thou muste not set another mannes euill lâ—â—e before thée as a paterne too follow â–ª but thou must submit thy selfe too God as Abraham did thou must trust in him and thou must â—mend thy coÌ„ditions knowing thâ—t the 〈…〉 in iudgement â–ª It 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 that thou gauest mee hath giuen mée of the Apple Thirdly lâ—y away presumption of Gods mercy for this presumption is a great contempt of God Rom. 2. Fourthly put away flatterers that entice thee too euill And when thou hast done so leane vppon Chryst with liuely faith the will quicken thée too eternall lyfe the which Chryst graunt vnto vs 〈◊〉 whom bée 〈◊〉 for euermore Amen Vpon the .xvij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xiiij IT chaunced that Iesus vvent intoo the house of one of the cheefe Pharisies to eate bread on the Saboth day and they vvatched him And behold there vvas a certeine man before him vvhich had the dropsie And Iesus ansvvered and spake vntoo the Lavvyers and Pharisies saying Is it lavvfull too heale on the Sabboth day And they hild their peace And he tooke him and healed him and let him go and ansvvered them saying vvhich of you shall haue an Asse or an Oxe fallen intoo a pitte and vvyll not straight vvay pull him out on the Sabboth day And they coulde not ansvvere him ageine too these things He put foorth also a similitude too the guestes vvhen he marked hovve they preaced too bee in the highest roumes and sayde vntoo them VVhen thou art bidden too a vvedding of any man sit not dovvne in the hyest roume lest a more honourable man than thou bee bidden of him and he that bad him and thee come and saye too thee giue this man roume and thou beginne vvith shame too take the lovvest roume But rather vvhen thou art bidden goe and sit in the lovvest roume that vvhen he that bad thee commeth he may say vntoo thee frende sit vp hyer Then shalt thou haue vvoorship in the presence of them that fit at meate vvith thee For vvhosoeuer exalteth him selfe shall bee brought lovve and he that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted The exposition of the Text. THe occasion of this Gospell was this Chryst beyng bidden too dinner of a certeyne Pharisie was watched by those that sate at meate with him that either in his woordes or in his déedes they might haue found somwhat too charge him withall For the world is so wicked that like as men cloke vices vnder the visors of vertue So they are not ashamed too rayse slaunder vppon honest déedes and true vertue So great is the malice of men Notwithstanding Chryst is not feared away with their leudnesse but kéepeth his old woont and executeth his office euen in the thickest of his enimies leauing vs an example that wée should not cease too procéede in well dooing though wée should sée all the whole world hent ageinst vs. Chryst therefore healeth this wretche declaring therein the might of his Godhead his most forward will too helpe them that bée in miserie and his Office for which he came intoo the worlde Moreouer he sheweth the right maner of halowing the Saboth day and by his déede dooth as it were define the true kéeping of the Saboth By which thing like as he reproueth the pryde of the Pharisies and their ignorance in the scriptures So he exhorteth them vntoo true humilitie And thus much concerning the summe of this present Gospell The places are thrée 1 Of the Saboth and the true woorks therof 2 Of the miracle by which the true vse of the Saboth is confirmed 3 Of true Humilitie ¶ Of the firste WHen the
Hierusalem testifie Thirdly he punisheth spiritually in this life with darknesse and ignorance and after death with euerlasting paynes Greece Turkie and Italie and the greatest most flourishing parte of the whole world are examples of this punishment This dooth the riche glutton testifie who repenting too late and in vayne in Hell is tormented there with endlesse paynes The ninthe Dooth the king for mens vnthankfulnesse breake of the mariage which he had determined vpon No But he sayth too the seruants The vvedding is redy but those that vvere bidden are not vvorthy Although this may bée vnderstood of the vnthankfulnesse of the whole world yet doth Chryst in this place entreat chéefly of the vnthankfulnesse of the Iewes whom in these woords he threatneth too shut out from the mariage of the kings sonne Go yee therefore out intoo the high vvayes and as many as yee finde bid them to the mariage Behold the bountifulnesse of this king He willeth all men too bée bidden too his sonnes mariage without respect of nation or persons For he speaketh of the calling of the Gentiles too the gospel And it is too bée marked aduisedly that he sayth whom so euer you find bid them too the mariage But when was this spoken too the Bridegroomes seruaunts Euen then when Chryst said Go yée intoo the whole world and preach the gospell too all creatures He that beléeueth and is baptised shal be saued and he that beléeueth not is condemned already The tenth And the seruaunts vvent foorth intoo the high vvayes and gathered togither all as many as they could finde both good and hadde and the vvedding vvas furnished vvith guests This came too passe after Whitsonday after that the Apostles were armed with the holy Ghost and from thencefoorth vntoo this day by the ministers of the gospell ¶ Of the second ANd the king came too see his guests and vvhen he spyed a man there vvhich had not on a vvedding garment he said vntoo him Freend hovve camest thou hyther hauing not a vvedding garment This place teacheth first that in the visible congregation of the Churche the euill are mingled with the good vntill the last day which thing the Parable of the Darnell declareth also Neither is any such Church to bée hoped for in this lyfe as the Anabaptistes dreame of For the Church is in all poynts like a féeld wherin wheat and Darnell grewe both toogither For like as wheat abideth wheat still although neuer so much Darnel spring vp from time to time So the Church continueth holy though it haue diuers rotten members As many as professe christen religion are members of the Church howbéeit some be quicke and some dead Those bée quicke that haue a liuely fayth and those bée dead which professe the religion without liuely confidence in Chryst. As for those that are out of the visible congregation of the Churche they are enimies of the doctrine and neyther quicke nor dead members of the Churche It foloweth that the King comming in saw a man without his wedding garment What is this wedding garment This is néedful too be known that we may enioy the swéetnesse of Chrystes mariage perpetually At the last day there shall stand in this kings sight twoo kindes of men of whom the one refused too come too this wedding as the Turks and the vngodly Iewes many heathen nations at this daye It is manifest that none of these hath a wedding garment Of whom notwithstāding many doo loue ciuil honestie Wherfore this outwarde ciuilnesse of Aristides Fabritius Fabius Maximus and Cato is not that wedding garment whiche hée requireth And the other sort came too the mariage that is too say they conueyed themselues intoo the outward congregetion of the Churche at the preaching of the Gospell Howbéeit these are not all of one hewe For some trust too their owne woorks and thinke their shamefulnesse too bée couered with the garment of their woorkes Is this the wedding garment No in good sooth For they are thrust out from the mariage but none are thrust out from the mariage that bring a wedding garment with them Others some haue no woorkes but euil woorks howbéeit they bragge of fayth and boast themselues too bée faithfull and they suppose that this their fonde craking is the wedding garment but they are deceyued For of such hipocrits the Lord saith Not euery one that saith vntoo me Lord Lord shal enter intoo the kingdome of Heauen but he that dooth the wil of my father which is in heauē And other some beléeue a right and these mortifie the fleshe and liue in the spirit repent set their mind too liue blamelesse These only haue y e wedding garment Therfore whither yée call liuely faith or holinesse of life the wedding garment yée shall not take your marke amisse For as the calling too this mariage requireth faith so requireth it also true holynesse And that this is the true wedding garmente it appéereth in Abel Abraham Maudelin and many other Sainctes And it is no maruaile that suche a liuely fayth shoulde bée the wedding garmente For whosoeuer beléeueth his sinnes are released Gods wrath is taken from him and hée becommeth the sonne of God For it is written hée gaue them power too become the sonnes of God as many as beleued in his name Hée that beléeueth on him hathe euerlasting life Moreouer Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too the beléeuer wherewith the man béeing apparayled appéereth rightuous in the sight of God But héere thou must beware that thou put not on a visor in stede of the true garment that is too say y t thou boste not of vaine presumption in stede of true liuely faith If thou couet too know the marks of it these they bée Whersoeuer is true fayth there is also repentance with it there is hate of sinne there is true feare and ageine there is comfortablenesse of hart kindled by the holy Ghoste a desire too further Gods glory among men the duties of charitie or too cōprehend all in one woord true holinesse which is none other thing than a sequestring of our selues from the wickednesse of the world by mortifying the fleshe a clinging vntoo God by quickening of the spirit Wheresoeuer this holynesse is it is at continuall strife For the fleshe fighteth ageinst the spirite This holynesse is not made perfect at an instante but groweth all the time of a mannes life which thing the liues of the sainctes may easly teache vs. And thus muche concerning the wedding garment But I pray you what shal be doone too them that haue not this wedding garmente That dooth the Texte tell in these woords Binde him hand fote and cast him intoo vtter darknesse there shall bee vveeping and gnashing of teeth The outer darknesse betokeneth punishment and sorow which are out of the kingdome of God namely in Hel. Intoo this darknesse was the rich glutton cast and so shall all those bée caste that are not found clothed
bothe eternal and present punishment Héer had hée bin forâ—â—â— for sorowe if hée had not herd the comforte of the Prophete in Gods roume Thou shalt not die the Lorde hath taken away thy sinne At the hearing of this comforte fayth kindled in him wherby taking holde vpon the releasement began too beholde the mercie of God and rested vpon the mediatour Wée haue hearde a late a moste goodlye example in the Publicane whoo in suche wise acknowledged the greatnesse of his det that hée durst not so muche as lift vp his eyes And yet hauing bearde of the greatnesse of Gods mercie hée rayseth himselfe by faith and prayeth O God bée mercifull too mée a sinner And so hée obteyned a frée discharge of y e whole dette Let vs set before vs these exaÌ„ples which playnly shew vs the doctrine of repentance and fogiuenesse of sinnes That forgiuenesse of sinnes is the frée releasement of the dette which happeneth too him that repenteth and fléeth too Gods mercie for Chrysts sake And although this release bée vtterly frée as in respect of our selues yeâ— if wée looke vppon Chryst who for our sinnes suffered dreadfull punishment there is made satisfaction too God for our det Let vs therfore marke wel this woord releasement which of itselfe alone conteyneth in it right manyfolde Doctrine First it ouerthroweth the Moonkish doctrine of satisfaction For if saluation befall men through releasement of the dette according too the Gospell what a madnesse is it too say that saluation happeneth for satisfaction of the det for releasemeÌ„t and payment doo so fight one ageynst an other that they can innâ— wise stand both in one respecte Secondly it ouerthroweth all merites of men For howe 〈◊〉 that bée of merite which is of frée gift Paul sayth openly Unto him that woorketh rewards is giuen not of fauour but of duetie but vntoo him that woorketh not but beléeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is imputed too him for rightuousnesse â–ª According wherewitâ— Dauid also sayth Blissed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Thirdly the woord of releasment ouerthroweth satisfaction which the Papists teach â–ª whiche satisfaction muste bée made as they beare men in hand by pilgrimages fastings almes déedes Also it quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For if the det bée released why is the detter punished Lastly this woord releasement openeth vntoo wretched sinners the gate of grace in the conflict of death it is the hauen of saluation and it is the welspring of al comfort And thus much concerning the first place ¶ Of the second BIcause this text coÌ„cerning the parable of the creditor sheweth how gret gods loue mercy are toward mankind â–ª I will speake somewhat therof The mercy of God is of twoo sortes The one is vniuersall wherthrough he suffereth the sunne too rise vppon the good and bad and the other is particuler wherewith as a most déere father he embraceth the Churche of his sonne Of which Christ speaketh in the third of Iohn So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Our heauenly father could not by any greater recorde haue declared his mercy towards vs than in giuing his sonne who might by his death redéeme â—â— from deserued damnation and giue vs euerlasting life Therefore as ofte as wée héere Gods mercy named let vs thinke thâ—â—â— things First let vs thinke how great the miserie of mankinde is before he bée receyued intoo fauoure Mankinde lieth vnder foote and wounded by the Diuell with whose venime being moreouer poysâ—â—ed he breatheth nothing but sin for which he is subiect too eternall paines 2. The causes of this miserie are too bée thought vppon which are partly the sinnes of our first parents and also our owne filthinesse For although that by the fall of them wée hée bound vntoo the sentence of damnation yet notwithstanding by our owne 〈…〉 from day too day we are bouÌ„d too sorer punishments 3 The louingnesse of God and his gentlenesse toowards mankinde is too bée thought vpon For the louing kindnesse sayth Paule and the gentlenesse of God our Sauiour appéered vntoo all men What greater louing kindnesse could there 〈◊〉 than that he hath not cast vs away for so great shamefulnesse and filth 4. Is too bée thought vppon the raunsome that is too wit the Sacrifice of the sonne whereby mannes misery is reléeued and sinne abolished Him that knewe no sinne he made 〈◊〉 that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 5 Is too bée thought vpon the way by which wée may come too the possession of Gods mercy That way is shewed in the first place and is none other than true repentance 6 Is too bée thought how far foorth Gods mercy stretcheth that it is not belonging too a fewe or too the men of one age but indifferently too all that feare him For the holie virgin béeing taught by the spirit of Chryst whom shée had conceyued by the holy Ghost singeth in this wise Gods mercie is from generation too generation too them that feare him that is too all that repent 7 Is too bée thought vppon continuall thankfulnesse in all the whole life that wée may glorifie GOD for his so greate mercie with hart mouth profession and behauiour 8 Wée must thinke howe wée may bée héedfull in framing our whole life that wée lose not so greate a benefite through our owne fault as this detter did ¶ Of the thirde THe third thing that I purposed vpon is of mutuall forgiuing eche others skapes that are woonte too happen For this goeth iointly with beléefe of forgiuenesse of sins Nowe there are twoo things y t go ioyntlye with beléefe of remission of sinnes Namely Grace Gifte Grace is the very Iustification it selfe whereby Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too them that beléeue and their sinnes cléerely are forgyuen Of this wée haue spoken in the firste place Gifte is the very bestowing of the holy Ghost wherthrough a man that is iustified by faith only is toogither therwithal regenerated and sanctified that is too say is mortified in the fleshe and quickened in the spirit The flesh is mortified when the custome of sinning is abolished and the spirite is quickened when wée begin to performe new obedience vnto God A certeine parcell of this quickening is mutuall forgiuing wherby eche of vs forgiue other their misdéedes and displeasures Howe necessarie this forgiuenesse is this dayes Gospel sheweth most euidently as I sayd at the entrance intoo it Chryst hath commaunded vs too pray forgiue vs our dets as wée forgiue our detters For Christ wil haue vs too folow his fathers exaÌ„ple How bée it there are twoo kindes of men that offende vs. Some as soone as they perceiue themselues too haue offended doo by and by in humble wise desire forgiuenesse But as touching those that procéed too offend
afterward whither he would haue bin circumcised and suffred death or no. But he y t was frée becam the seruaÌ„t of al to the intent he might make al free or as Austin sayth God became man to y e intent to make men gods Paule saith he was bound vnder the law too the intent he might redéeme those that were vnder the lawe And therefore he béeing the first borne would also bée offered vp in the Temple But how was he the first borne There was neuer any such borne First he was first borne in his Godhead for he was the eternall Sonne of God This day sayth he haue I begotten thée Secondly he was the first born son of Mary in his manhood For she neuer bare any before him nor yet after him Thirdly he was first borne in grace For he was the first man that euer was borne which being offered vp vntoo God was accepted of himselfe Fourthly in power For he was the firste borne of the deade And fifthly that wée might bée borne new men through him Furthermore it is too bée marked that mary offred a paire of yong pigeons wherby is shewed that she was poore For the richer sort did offer a Lamb. Héereby wée may lerne not too bée abashed of our pouertie It was Chrysts will too bée borne poore that he might make vs riche so that wée wyll accept his riches with a thankfull minde ¶ Of the second AND beholde there vvas a man in Hierusalem vvhose name vvas Simeon Héere we haue first a description of Simeon and afterward his blissing First he is commended for his rightuousnesse For he liued so among his people that he was counted of all men for a good and iust man The Euangelist méeneth not by this that he was so rightuous that he had no néede of any other rightuousnesse for in his owne song he confesseth Christ too bée his sauior but that he liued vnblamable among men and honestly so as he did no man harme but good too all men according too his power Suche a one is called of Cicero or rather of al men a iust or rightuous man Secondly he is commended for his godlinesse For he feared God Under the name of fear is comprehended the whole seruice of God For he that feareth God as he eschueth al things wherewith he knowes he shall offend him so also dooth he whatsoeuer he perceiueth too bée acceptable too him This feare hath his beginning of faith There is an other feare of God without faith which is no seruice of God and such a one there is in all the vngodly For they alwayes dread Gods iudgement agaynst them and wold rather that there were no God than too bée punished for their wickednesse The feare that is commended in Symeon was none such For it foloweth that he wayted for the comforte of Israel By which saying is shewed that he longed very ernestly for the comming of Chryst. For he knew that the prophesies of Iacob and Daniel pointed too this time of his Wherfore hée longed for it the more earnestly and wished that his life might bée prolonged vntil hée might sée Chryste present And it is no maruaile that hée wayted so earnestly for Chrystes comming For hée was sayth the Euangelist ful of the holy Ghost Suche was this holy man But what was the reward of this godlinesse Hée receyueth an answer of the holy ghost that he should not sée death before hée had séene the Lordes Chryst and by the motion of the same holy Ghoste hée came intoo the Temple And what did hée there When the Parentes Ioseph and Mary hadde brought in the Childe hée took him intoo his armes and praysed God Nowe hath this holy olde man that whiche hée desired so earnestlye and hée giueth witnesse too Chryste openly protesting this childe too bée the same anoynted Sauiour that was promised too the fathers Wée haue the godlinesse of Simeon what it was now let vs set him before vs. Let old men first and afterward al men learne of him too feare God Let them learne too liue holilye and vprightly among men Let them learne too take Chryste intoo their armes that is too say intoo their hartes Let them set him out praise him and professe him Which thing if thei doo they shall one day with Simeon receiue a plentuous reward in Heauen ¶ Of the third NOw foloweth Simeons song Lord novv lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy vvord This song hath customably bin soong in the church many huÌ„dred yéeres wée are wont to sing the same when corpses are layde intoo their graues For it coÌ„teyneth a doctrine concerning Chryste it techeth froÌ„ whence chéefe coÌ„fort is too bée sought specially at what time we must depart out of this life Now too the inteÌ„t we may vnderstaÌ„d this song the better I will deuide it intoo two parts In y e first wherof the old man Simeon reioyceth in his own behalf and in the latter part comprehendeth very bréefly the benefits of Chryst towards y e whole world The first part is Lorde novv lettest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace according too thy vvoorde For myne eyes haue seene thy saluation Héere the olde man Simeon reioyseth in his owne behalfe that hée had séene Chryste with his bodily eyes according too the answere that hée had receyued of the holy Ghost For albéeit hée had séene him before with the eye of his faith like as our Lorde saith of AbrahaÌ„ Abraham saw my day was glad yet notwithstaÌ„ding bicause he had receiued a promise of y e holy ghost y t hée should sée Chryst present w t his bodily eyes before he dyed he was gretly delited with his sight with great strength of faith desired streight too be deliuered froÌ„ his body y t he might be gathered to his fathers in peace But sée he receiued a promise that he should sée the Lords anoynted Héer is brought him a poore babe there appéereth héere none other outwarde countenance than of contempte Is hée offended at this outwarde countenaunce No. Whom hée saw too bée leaâ—â— with his bodily eyes him sawe hée too bée greatest with the sight of his faith Whom hée behild base in the shape of a seruant with his bodily eyes him knew he too be King of Kings Lord of Lords And he was not ignoraunt what Zacharie had prophesied of him who sayth Behold thy King cometh poore He knew he came not too take intoo his haÌ„d the kingdoms of the world but too giue the kingdom of God too beléeuers Héerby also wée may lern too beléeue the scriptures and too looke vpon Chryste and his church not only with our bodily eyes but much rather with the eyes of oure fayth And séeing hée desireth too bée let go by and by and to change this miserable life for death hée declareth sufficiently that Chrysts kingdom is not of this world but an euerlasting kingdome whiche consisteth in peace of conscience As if he should
say Graunt mée now that I may die in peace and happily Héereof may wée gather bothe instruction and comfort Instruction that the spirituall beholding of Chryst whiche is by Faith maketh a man too depart ioyfullye oute of this life bicause hée that before his death séeth Chryst in this wise hath a light too guyde â—â—m vntoo lyfe He that foloweth me sayth the Lorde walketh not in darknesse Contrarywise he that séeth not Chryste passeth from the death of this present lyfe vntoo euerlasting darknesse And wée may gather comforte bycause they that sée Chryst at the instant of death haue wherewith too comforte themselues They know they are at the point too bée dismissed in peace They know they shall not goo too darknesse but too euerlasting ioy Bicause the théefe vppon the Crosse not only saw Chryst with his bodily eyes piteously tormented but also saw him conqueror of death with eyes of his faith he herd the Lord say This day shalt thou bée with me in Paradyse So Steuen at his death saw Chryst and with excéeding pleasure and ioyfulnesse of mynde sayde vntoo him Intoo thy hands O Lorde I commit my spirit After this maner thou also when sickenesse brings thée too the pittes brinke looke too Chryst thy Sauiour by Faith and desire of him that he will let thée departe in peace that is too say that he will giue thée leaue too depart out of this lyfe and too enter intoo the rest that is promised too al the faithfull This thought will make vs manfully despise this world and the miseries of this present lyfe and comfort our minde with hope of saluation the whiche he that can not lye hath promised vs. Now ensueth the other part of this song VVhich thou hast prepared before the face of all people to bee a light to lighten the Gentyles and to bee the glory of thy people Israel Héere are bréefly shewed two things The one what are Chrysts benefites the other to whoÌ„ these benefits are appoynted The benefits are saluation light and glorie Without Chryst then the world sticketh stil in damnation darkenesse and shame and that is for sin For Christ taketh away damnation and restoreth saluation he driueth away darknesse sheadeth foorth light he remoueth shame and giueth glorie How great things are these I pray you Surely no man is able too value them sufficiently But 〈◊〉 whom are these benefites appoynted Too all people Iewes and Gentiles howbéeit they must bée receyued by faith For they are offered vniuersally too all suche is the vnserchable goodnesse of God Howbéeit with condition he that beléeueth shal bée saued and he that beléeueth not shall bée damned Wherfore if wée couet these good things let vs with Simeon receiue this our Lord and Sauior Iesus intoo the armes of our hart leane vntoo him with stedy faith To this our sauior be honor glory for euer euer So be it Vpon the Annuntiation of our Lady Sainct Mary the Virgin The Gospel Luke j. AND in the sixth moneth the Angell Gabriell vvas sent from God intoo a citie of Galilee named Nazareth too a virgin spoused too a man vvhose name vvas Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgins name vvas Mary And the Angell vvent in vntoo hir and sayde Hayle full of grace the Lorde is vvith thee Blissed art thou among vvomen VVhen she savv him she vvas abashed at his saying and cast in hir minde vvhat manner of Salutation that shoulde bee And the Angell saide vntoo hir feare not Mary for thou hast founde grace vvith God Beholde thou shalt conceyue in thy vvombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall bee greate and shall bee called the sonne of the hyghest And the Lord God shal giue vntoo him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall bee none ende Then sayde Mary too the Angell hovv shall this bee seeing I knovv not a man And the Angell aunsvvered and saide vntoo hir the holy Ghost shal come vppon thee and the povver of the highest shall ouershadovv thee Therfore also that holy thing vvhiche shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God And beholde thy cousin Elizabeth shee hathe also conceyued a Sonne in hir age and this is the sixth Moneth vvhiche vvas called barrein for vvith God nothing shall bee vnpossible And Mary sayde Beholde the handmayde of the Lord be it vntoo mee according too thy vvoord And the Angel departed from hir The exposition of the text THis feaste conteyneth the story of the conception of Iesu Chryst which is told vntoo the virgin by the Angel of God For long agoe the thrée thousande nine hundred sixtith yéere before his conception God promised the séede of the woman that shoulde tread downe the Serpents head that is too say which shuld destroy the Deuils woorks sin and death God béeing mindful of this promise sends his Angel too the most chast virgin too whome hée bringeth tidings that shée shoulde conceiue by the holy Ghoste without the séede of man and bring foorth a Sonne that should bée the sauiour of the worlde This is the summe of the story whereof there be fiue principall points and these are they 1 A description of the message 2 The Salutation of the Angel 3 The comforting of the troubled Uirgin 4 An exposition of the Message 5 The maner of the conception ¶ Of the firste IN the description of this Message many circumstances are too bée obserued of whiche wée wil consider euery one seuerally by it selfe too the intente wée may drawe out of it some doctrine too confirme our selues The first is time In the sixth moneth sayeth hée that is too wit after the conception of Iohn Baptist who according too the sayings of the Prophets should bée the forerunner of the Lorde that men myghte prepare the waye ageinste the comming of their King And it was the twentith yéere since the Scepter was taken from Iuda For thus was it Prophecied before by the Patriarke Iacob The scepter shall not bée taken from Iuda â–ª vntill Silo come that is till the séede of the woman come whiche was promised too our firste Parentes Therfore this circumstance of time conuinceth that this son of the virgin is the true Messias For hée was borne the selfe same time that y e holy Ghost had spoken of before by the prophets And as concerning y e day this is woorthy too bée remeÌ„bred that the killing of the paschal Lambe the conception of Chryst the passion of him fel all vpoÌ„ one day of the yéer on which day the holy Fathers supposed that AdaÌ„ was created These things set oute vntoo vs the truthe of Gods promises God delayed too sende his Sonne a great while after the promise was made but yet hée continued true in his promises The Sonne hath promised that hée wil come too iudgement but he maketh delay yet wil hée come when he
conscience and cursse Of the second BEhold thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus This is the declaration of the message the sense whereof is this I by Gods commaundement doo bring thée woord that shortly thou shalt be a moother beare a sonne whom thou shalt name Iesus Undoutedly héere the most chast virgin thought vppon the promised séede She héere 's it told hir on Gods behalfe that she shal bear a sonne whom she is willed too name Iesus this name Iesus which signifieth a Sauiour she tooke too bée set ageinst the cursse and death intoo which our first parents were falne for their transgression This name is woont too bée expounded more at large vpon the day of the Circumcision wherfore as now I passe on too the rest He shall bee great sayth the Angel Great in déede as who is the son of the highest Great in déede as who should ouercome Sathan Great in déede as who should giue the greatest things Great in déede as whose kingdome is euerlasting The Lord God saith he shall giue him the seat of Dauid his father and he shal reigne in Iacobs house for euer and of his kingdome there shall bee none end If wée marke this description wée shall finde foure things too bée spoken héere concerning Chryst. For first he sheweth his true manhoode when he sayth that he shall bée borne of the virgin Ageine he suppresseth not his Godhead for he saith he shall bée called the sonne of the highest The sonne of the highest is of al one nature with the highest Thirdly whē he addeth he shall bee great he signifieth the vnion in person For although he bée God and man yet is he one person and not two In the fourth place is noted his office that he is a Sauioure and a king that shal reign for euer How could it be said of Christ that he should haue the seat of Dauid his father when as he himselfe sayth My kingdome is not of this world according also as the sequele hath declared and that Dauids kingdome was a ciuill gouernement in Iewrie Dauid hild but the shadowe of the kingdome but this his sonne possesseth the very kingdome it selfe Dauids kingdome was a figure and shadowe of Chrystes kingdome and therefore both are called one kingdome bicause Dauid was the shadowe and Chrystes was the very kingdome it selfe Besides this it is the manner of the Scripture too peint out heauenly things by outward images too the intent the comparison may help our weaknesse ¶ Of the fifth ANd Mary sayd too the Angel hovv shal this come to passe seeing I knovve no man As if shée should say how can I bée made with childe bodily as thou sayst séeing I haue not as yet companyed with man The most chaste virgin knew it was an order established by God that men should bée conceyued of the séed of man and woman Neither had shée séene or herd of any example too the contrary since the creation of our first parents And therfore folowing the iudgement and experience of hir reasō in the order that God had stablished shée demaunded How may this bée séeing I know no man shall this conception come by some straunge maner And the Angell ansvvering sayde vntoo hir The holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the povver of the highest shall ouershadovve thee And therfore that vvhich shall bee borne of thee shall be called holie the sonne of God Héere the Angell sheweth the manner of the Conception and remoueth the cause of the Conception from nature vntoo GOD the maker of nature As if hée had sayd Thou shalt not conceiue of mannes séed but of thy séede alone shalt thou beare a Sonne and that by the operation not of nature but of grace For the holy ghost by his heauenly power shall cause a very manchilde too bée conceyued of thy séed alone Héerupon sayth Austin By the grace of God or the power of God and the woorking of the holy Ghost was that thing which is vnited too the woord taken of the virgins flesh and that for this cause that if it had bin conceyued of the seede of man it had bin vncleane as all the rest are that come of Adam And that which is of y e fleshe is flesh vntruthe and vanitie Iohn 2. Nowe it behoued that by Chryst should bée brought in grace and truthe Therfore hée could not bée begotten by man but it behoued that thing too be done by some secrete power of God too the intent that béeing cléere from all sinne and holy he might also make vs pure and holie by becomming an holie vnspotted sacrifise too his Father Ageine hée was conceyued of the holy Ghost too the intente wée might knowe that whatsoeuer the sonne speaketh is the moste assured wil of the father For the holy Ghost is the substātial loue of the father and the sonne Furthermore bicause the holy Ghoste is the spirit of sanctification and purging For he of that blud which he had made pure framed the body of Chryste that it might bée cleane and frée from all sinne as is sayd afore also These were and are the causes why it was not séemely for Chryst too bée begotten of the séed of man but by the operation of the holy Ghost alone And thereof dooth the Angel giue an incling when he sayth and therfore that holy thing that is borne of thée shalbée called the sonne of God Now although y e blissed virgin gaue credit too these words of the Angel yet notw tstanding too the intent hir faith might bée the better confirmed hée addeth a signe wherby shée is assured And beholde sayth hée thy cousin Elisabeth also hathe conceyued a Sonne in hir olde age and this is the sixth moneth too hir that is called barein As if he had said thou reasonest w t thy selfe that it is ageinst the law of nature the order established by God that thou shouldest cōceiue and bée stil a virgin bear a child and continue stil a virgin But I wil shew thée another thing which is also ageinst the order of nature Thy cousin Elizabeth is barrein both by nature by reason of yéeres By nature surely bicause shée hath liued so many yéeres with a husband and neuer had child in so muche that too hir reproche shée is called barreine By reason of yéeres for that shée is now past the yéeres of childbearing although shée had bin neuer so frutefull in times paste notwithstanding this is the sixth month since shée cōceyued such is Gods ordinance and will Wherefore confirme thy selfe with this signe and assure thy selfe it shall come too passe in déede that thou shalt beare a Childe also Sée héere the custome of God who neuer dealeth with mā by his bare woord but alwayes addeth some outward signe too the intent he may apply him selfe the more too our weaknesse while he offereth his will too our mind by his woord as it were visibly too
our senses by outward signs which are the seales of his woord So in these dayes he had disclosed his wil vntoo vs by his Gospel the which he sealeth vp with the outward signes of Baptim and the Lordes supper Howbéeit in this coÌ„munication of the Angel with the virgin this spéech is too be noted wher he saith â—or vvith God no vvord shal be impossible This woord this saying of the Angel conteineth two things First it sealeth vp the truth and certentie of Gods promises And secondly it admonisheth vs to set gods power ageinst al sense iudgement of the flesh to assure our selues y t God is true although the whole frame of things shuld go about to persuade vs otherwise and to say with the virgin do according to thy woord thou reuelest thy wil by thy woord fulfil thy wil by thy power that thou alone may be glorified Thou art a sinner bewailest thy misery But herken what Gods woord saith of his wil. I wil not the death of a sinner Also all that cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued Include thou within this woord both Gods wil his power ageinst which nothing is able too staÌ„d When y u art sorowful bicause thou art at deaths doore flée vnto Christ héer his woord Blissed are they that die in the Lord. In this word ioyne togither Gods wil his power then assure thy self y t death shal be vntoo thée the way to blisfulnesse through Chryst Iesus our Lord too whom with the father the holy Ghost be honor praise glory world without end Amen Vpon the Natiuitie of Iohn Baptist. The Gospel Luke j. ELizabeths time came that she should be deliuered and she brought forth a son And hir neibors and hir cousins herde hovv the lord had shevved gret mercy vpon hir reioiced And it fortuned that in the eight day they came too Circumcise the childe and called his name Zacharie after the name of his father And his mother ansvvered and said not so but his name shal be called Iohn And they said vnto hir There is none in thy kinred that is named vvith this name And they made signes to his father hovv he vvould haue him called And he asked for vvriting tables and vvrote saying his name is Iohn And they marueiled al. And his mouth vvas opened immediatly and his toung also and he spake and praysed God And feare came on all them that dvvelt nie vntoo him And all these sayings vver noised abrode throughout al the hie countrie of Ievvrie and they that herd them laid them vp in their harts saying â–ª vvhat maner of childe shal this bee And the hand of the Lorde vvas vvith him And his father Zacharias vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and prophecied saying Praysed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raysed vp an horne of saluation vntoo vs in the house of his seruant Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophets vvhich vvere since the vvorld began That vve should bee saued from our enimies and from the hand of all that hate vs. That he vvould deale mercifully vvith our fathers and remember his holy couenaunt And he vvould performe the othe vvhich he svvare too our father Abraham for too forgiue vs. That vvee being deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him vvithout feare all the dayes of our life in such holynesse and rightuousnesse as are acceptable for him And thou childe shalt bee called the Prophet of the hyest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord too prepare his vvays Too giue knovvledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of sinnes Through the tender mercy of our God vvherby the day spring from an hye hath visited vs. To giue light too them that sate in darknesse and in the shadovv of death and to guide our feete into the vvay of peace And the child grevv vvexed strong in spirit and vvay in vvildernesse til the day came vvhen he should shevv himselfe vntoo the Israelites The exposition of the Text. ALthough it bée a heathenish Idolatrie too call vppon Sainctes which thing is doone by the Papistes in the feastes of Sainctes yet it is very behoofefull and that for many causes too kéepe still the feasts of some Saincts The first cause is for that it is very profitable that the storie of the Church should bée known For from thence wée may fetche instruction confirmation and comfort The second is for that it is a swéete thing too thinke vppon Gods benefites towards his Church whereby commeth singuler frute too the godly hartes The third is that thanks may bée giuen to God for his benefites towards the members of his Churche The fourth is that by weying throughly the variable chaunces of the Sainctes wée may arme and strengthen our minds ageinst chaunces present and too come which we must needes taste of The fifth is that the Sainctes maye bée as it were samplers vntoo vs of repentance conuersatioÌ„ woorshipping confession constancie patience and other vertues according to which wée may frame our liues The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the felowship of the Saincts These and other weightie causes there bée why wée reteine feastes of Sainctes in the Church Would God that many men abused not the feasts of Saincts and other things too their owne pleasures and madde deuises like as many in the papacie abused chéefly this feast when they halowed it with dauÌ„cing and reueling with méetings of louers with bibbing and tippling al night long and with other more shamfull things which I will not speake of wherin they pleased not God nor the Angels and Saincts but they serued Sathan too the reproch of God and of the Angels and Saincts Thus much bréefly concerning the feasts of Saincts and the right vse of them In this feast I wil entreat of one point only that is too wit the story of Iohn out of which I will build certeine admonishments ¶ Of the Storie of Iohn Baptist. IN the Storie of Iohn Baptist let these circumstances bée weyed His parents his conception his birth his bringing vp his calling his office Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn his death and the things that hapned about his death and after his death Iohn Baptists parents wer Zacharie a préest a holy maÌ„ and of blamelesse life and his moother was Elizabeth a woman far striken in yéeres and of singuler godlinesse Of both these Luke the Euangelist beareth this witnesse in his first chapter They were both perfect before God and walked in al the lawes and ordinances of the Lord that no man could find fault with theÌ„ And they had no child bicause Elizabeth was barren both were well striken in age This description sheweth of what yéeres the parents of Iohn were with what innocentnesse they liued that being now growne in yéeres they were destitute of
or of God by meanes that is too wit by men that haue aucthoritie too call too any seruice in the common weale or in the Church Ageinst this example of modestie doo curious folkes offend who without calling climb vp into offices by the windowes or the roofe of the house rather than by the dore Such are they which by fréends or by large giftes hunt for spirituall promotions and that not too serue God and edifie his Church but too féede their bellies which thing commeth commonly too an ill end The sixth circumstance is of his office wherof Luke speaketh in this manner And he came intoo all the coasts about Iordan preaching the Baptim of repentance for the remission of sinnes as it is written in the booke of Esay The voice of a cryer in wildernesse prepare the way of the Lord make streight his pathes c. Wée haue Iohns office namely that he baptizeth and preacheth repentance that he may prepare the way of the Lord and poynt out Christ our Lord. And bicause he was the first minister of God that baptized by Gods commaundement he was called Baptist. And bicause he preached repentance he was called a Prophet And bicause he poynted out Chryst he was called Elias that he might come in the spirit of Elias and prepare the way of the Lord. In this mannes office doo shine many vertues as constancy stoutnesse confession tribulation defence of the truthe earnestnesse and endeuoure too enlarge Chrysts kingdome He feared not Herode he regarded not the Pharisies But he mainteined his office stoutly euen too the death The seuenth circumstance is of Chrystes record concerning Iohn Of this circumstance wryteth Mathewe in his eleuenth chapter where Iohn being cast into prison sendes two of his Disciples too Iesus too know of him whither he were the same that was too come or whither some other were too bée looked for And after Chrysts answere is immediatly put Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn What went yée out sayth he intoo the wildernesse too sée A réede How bée it for as much as this commendation of Chrysts giuen vntoo Iohn is declared in the thirde Sunday in Aduent I will say no more of it héere The eight circumstāce is of Iohns death of those things that happened about his death after his death In his death are these things the occasion of it the cause of it the kind of the death Iohns example The occasion was this Herod tooke away his brothers wife and vsed hir as his owne Bicause Iohn saw this thing too bée ageinst the law of God and the honestie of nature he sayd too Herod It is not lawful for thée too haue thy brothers wife Wherwith Herod taking displeasure did cast Iohn in prison Before Iohn had doon so Herod loued him hée estéemed him as a Prophet and now and then vsed him as a counseller But assoon as Iohn began too reproue him for his incest and vncleane life Herod of his fréend became his enimie cast Iohn intoo prison as an euill dooer This example of Herodes is folowed of many nowe a dayes They make muche of Gods seruants as long as they displease them not and as long as they blame not their vyces But assoone as they bewray their disease by and by like mad men they lay hands vpon their Phisicians The cause of his death was Herods othe For when Herod at a feaste had behild the daughter of Herodias daunsing shée lyked him so well with hir daunsing that hée sware hée would giue hir whatsoeuer shée would aske euen too the one halfe of his kingdome As soone as the Damsel her◠this shée runnes too hir moother and asketh counsell of hir what shée shoulde requeste Hir moother who hated Iohn for finding fault with hir whoredom bad hir aske Iohn Baptists head whiche thing shée obteyned For out of hand a hangman was sente for too cut of Iohns head and so it was deliuered too the Damsell Thus haue wée the cause of Iohns death and the kinde of his death Behold héere at the request of a yong wenche was put too death that noble personage than the which there was not a greater among them that are borne of women according vntoo Chrystes testimonie This verely is the lot of the churche Héere wée see that Chrystes churche is gotten with blud and kept with blud This example of Iohns is too be folowed of all sincere ministers of Chryst Namely rather too choose death than too winke at mennes sinnes assuring them selues y t he which accepted Iohns blud as a moste acceptable sacrifise will also haue regard of them in the mids of the fire Too him therefore bée honor praise thanksgiuing and glory for euer and euer So bée it The Visitation of Mary ¶ The Gospel Luke j. ANd Mary arose in those dayes and vvent intoo the Mountaynes vvith haste into a Citie of Ievvrie and entred intoo the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth And it fortuned as Elizabeth heard the Salutation of Mary the babe sprong in hir belly And Elizabeth vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and cryed vvith a loud voyce and sayd Blissed art thou among vvomen and blissed is the frute of thy vvombe And vvhence happeneth this vntoo mee that the Mother of my Lorde shoulde come too mee For loe assoone as the voyce of thy salutation sounded in mine eares the babe sprang in my belly for ioy And blissed arte thou that beleeuest for those things shall bee perfourmed vvhiche vvere tolde thee from the Lorde And Mary sayde My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirite reioyseth in God my sauioure For hee hath looked on the poore degree of his handmayden For beholde from hencefoorth shall all generations call mee blissed Bicause he that is mightie hath done too mee great things and holye is his name And his mercie is on them that feare him throughout all generations Hee shevveth strength vvith his arme hee scattereth them that are proud in the imagination of their harts He putteth dovvne the mightie from their seats and exalteth them of lovve degree Hee filleth the hungry vvith good things and sendeth avvay the riche emptie Hee remembreth mercie and helpeth his seruaunt Israell Euen as hee promised vntoo our Fathers Abraham and his séede for euer And Mary abode vvith hir aboute three Moneths and returned ageine too hir ovvne house The exposition of the Text. WHerfore feasts of Sainctes were appoynted in the Church is already shewed bothe at other tymes and also vppon the very daye of Iohn Baptist. The effect of the matter commeth vntoo this ende that wée may haue examples of repentaunce and of Gods mercy or too speake more at large firste that when wée are falne with them wee shoulde not dispaire of forgiuenesse but looke vp for grace repenting vs earnestly of oure sinnes after the example of the Sainctes Secondly that wée shoulde folowe their fayth according as Paule warneth commending Abrahams fayth vntoo vs. Rom. 4. And thirdly that we should endeuer
too our purpose Particularitie is the restrayning of the largenesse of Chrysts benefites which are offered generally too all men vntoo a feawe And it is properly the occasion of falling which as well the wilfull as the weake do take by miswresting or by misvnderstanding the doctrine of Election and predestination Pastort Shepherds a name aptly applyed too the Ministers and Curates of Chrysts church wherby they are put in minde too féede their flockes with Gods woorde and Sacraments and good example of life Perplexitie anguish distresses according too our English prouerbe a pecke of troubles When men bée so snarled and entangled that they wote not which waye too winde them selues out or what way too turne them Pomp the countenancing of things in furniture and setting foorth too the outward showe Prefigurate couertly darkly or slightly too foretoken foreshew import shadow or represent a thing too come Preposterously aukly frowardly ouerthwartly vntowardly vndaftly setting the cart before the horses arsiuersie topsiteruie Priuation the vtter taking away voydance or beréeuing of a thing so as it haue no more being Prohibition a forbidding a forwarning a forfending a commaundement or lawe restrayning a man from dooing a thing Propiciation procurement of mercy forgiuenesse attonement and fauour Propiciatorie that whiche reconcileth or whiche purchaseth mercy forgiuenesse attonement and fauour Also it is put for the mercy seate Proposition a ground or foundation in a sentence or oration whervpon too builde dilate argue gather and conclude the matter Also it is sometime put for the full effect conteint purport and méening of a sentence or matter Purifie too purge too clense too make cleane too make pure too skowre R REgeneration or new birth is when by being washed outwardly by Baptim and clenzed inwardly from sinne by the woorking of the holy Ghoste wée are graffed intoo Chryste and made the children of God and heires of his heauenly kingdome Renegate is he that renounceth or forsaketh his profession as when a Protestant becommeth a Papist A Turncote Reprobate a castaway a forlorne person Also a frowarde peruerse wilfull and obstinate person such a one as is giuen vp too his own wickednesse and hardned in his wilfulnesse and so consequently past grace S SAcriledge is properly the stealing of Holy things or of things dedicated and appoynted too a holye vse or the stealing of things out of a holy or halowed place And so by a maner of spéech it is any spitefull or contemptuous fact doone too the derogation of Gods glorie or the breach of Religon and is as it were high treason too God Sanctifie too halow too make holy too kéepe holy whereof commeth Sanctification which is halowing making holy or holynesse As Chryst is our Sanctification that is to say Chryst is our holynesse or the thing that maketh vs holy Saluation soulehealth or rather perfect blisse heauenly ioy euerlasting welfare bothe of bodye and soule Or it is the cléere deliuerance and frée sauing of vs from sinne death hel the Diuel and damnation by Iesus Chryst. Satisfaction is a making of amends for misdéeds displesures or wrongs doone too the ful contentation of the partie that was gréeued Secular worldly of the world Societie felowship companie Solemnize too doo a thing with great pompe reuerence or deuotion Sincere pure cleane vncorrupt vnmingled vndefiled vnfeyned vnstayned voyde of guile voyde of craft swéet sound vpright T TAbernacle a Tent Hall or Pauilion such as men of war pitch in the fields too lie in Testimonies witnessings witnesse bearings recordes depositions Throne a Kings seate or chaire of estate a séege Royall Tumult vprore hurlyburly commotion insurrection Type a figure shadow signe tokē representation or Image of a thing too come V Vnite too make one thing of twoo or mo too cupple to knit too ioyne toogither Vocation or calling is that estate degrée or trade of life too which any man is allotted eyther by birth by commaundement of God by appoyntmente of the Magistrate by oportunitie of time or by necessitie FINIS It is too bée noted that the twoo miles mencioned in the .131 leafe of the first side and .22 line are dutch miles which make of our Englishe miles seauen miles and a halfe Also it is too bée noted that the authour of this woork deuideth the Table of the ten commaundements in suche wise as that hée putteth the fifth commaundement intoo the first Table vnder the name of the fourth and beginneth the seconde Table with the sixth commaundement whiche is of prohibiting murther which he accounteth as fifth in order procéeding after the same manner vntoo the last commaundement whiche hée deuideth intoo two commaundementes contrary too the vsuall order and accompt of our Church ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman dwelling in Knightrider streete at the signe of the Marmayde for Lucas Harrison and George Byshop Anno Domini 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO
in hope of this redemption by making hir a promisse of the blissed séede At length when the fulnesse of time was come the father sent out his sonne borne of the virgin Mary bouÌ„d vnder the law too redéeme his spouse y t was vnder the cursse of the law which thing came then too passe when he made himself the raunsome wherwith she was redéemed and recouered out of the hands of the adulterer Sathan And as in respect of eche man seuerally the Churche is handfasted and betrouthed too Chryst hir Bridegroome by faith and Baptim according as the Bridegroome himselfe saythâ— I wil betrouth thée too my selfe for euer I will marry thée too me in rightuousnesse and iudgement in mercy and compassion and I will marry thée too me in fayth and thou shalt know the Lord. In this betrouthing there are two things in generall too bée considered The one is the contract and promisse of the Bridegroome and the other is the couenanting of the Bride wherby she is bound vntoo hir husbande In the couenaunt of the Bridegroome there are thrée things First the good will and frâ—e loue of the Bridegroome whereby he fauoureth the Bride without any desert of hirs Secondly the méening of the continuance of the wedlocke betwéene the bridegroome Chryst and the Churche his spouse I will betrouthe thée too me sayth he for euer Therfore he continueth the Churches husband for euer Thirdly the reckening vp of the Iewels which Chryst the Bridegroome bestoweth vppon his wyfe and they are numbered héere too bée foure Rightuousnesse iudgement pitie and mercy With his owne rightuousnesse decketh he his wyfe when forgiuing hir sinnes he ascribeth his owne obedience vntoo hir where through she appéereth a comelie and beautifull Bride in the sight of the Bridegroomes father With his iudgement he reuengeth hir of them that did hir wrong mainteyning hir and pulling hir back intoo the way when shée steppeth awry Hée embraceth hir with pitie that is too saye with husbandly affection For this pitie is a kindly louingnesse issuing from the innermost closets of the minde And hée embraceth hir with mercie in that he pardoneth hir dayly misdéeds and rueth hir miseries These foure things are in the couenant of the Bridegroome And in the couenaunte on the behalfe of the Bride there bée twoo things The acknoweledging of the benefite with the praysing of GOD and fayth wherby the spouse leaneth vpon hir husbands breaste and without any distrust looketh for all the good things that hée hathe promised By this mutuall contract let vs conceiue Doctrine comfort and fayth that no discouragement of any aduersitie cause vs too fléete from this Bridegroome who neuer forsaketh his spouse vnlesse shée like a forsworne woman doo first break the fayth and trouth that shée hathe plighted Ageine wée learne héereby also that whosoeuer hath not the faith of Chryst is none of Chrystes but is defiled with shameful aduoutrie Héereby it appéereth how truely Iohn hathe sayed in his Apocalips Blissed are they that are called too the Lambes supper The fifth It is too bée obserued what they be that bid the guests too this royall mariage First the eternall GOD the Bridegroomes Father by his voyce biddeth guestes too this wedding Nexte many holy Fathers before the flud Then after the flud Noe and Melchisedech Ioseph and Moyses in Egipt The holie Prophets and Kings in the land of Canaan Daniel in Iury. After these commeth the Bridegrooms own maister of houshold Iohn Baptist poynted out the Bridegroome with his finger whoo also himself with his Apostles made Proclamation and bad guests too the wedding saying Come all things are ready The sixth The prouision for the Maryage feaste is too bée considered For euen lyke as at the Mariages of men are killed Bulles Shéepe Oxen and wilde beasts so also ageinst this mariage there is made moste excellent prouision and large alowance of al things First there is set before vs not corruptible bread but liuely bread from heauen wherof whoosoeuer eateth shall neuer after hunger Nexte is set before vs water of life For thus sayeth the Bridegroome himselfe If a man drinke of the water that I shall giue him hée shall not die Thirdly the Bridegroome refresheth our werye soules with his owne body and blud Fourthly he furnisheth vs with his owne apparell whilest wée put him on by Baptim For thus saith the holy Ghost by the mouth of Paul As many as are Baptised haue put on Chryst. And fifthly oure iunkets are the frutes of the trée of life whereby the Bryde shall haue hir strength that shée may neuer die The seuenth But they sayth the texte refused too come Did they so What a churlishnesse is that Were they bidden and woulde not come What letted them Firste their housholde guest sinne that â—â—â—elleth in theÌ„ This guest holds them backe with his pretie conceites that they cannot come too the wedding when they are bidden Secondlye the Bridegroomes enimie that is too wit the Deuill besetteth and forlayeth all the wayes and by diuers meanes stoppeth vp the passage too the wedding Thirdly sundry affaires kéepe them away For one hathe a Farme another hath Oxen another hathe a wife and another some other thing to busie himselfe aboute And the reste caughte his seruauntes and slue them The Storie of the worlde sheweth this too bée moste true Untoo this wedding did hée bid Abell But the Deuill sente out his champion Caine and killed him Untoo this wedding did Noe bidde guestes by the space of a hundred and twentie yéeres but those that were hidden mockte him and laughed him too skorne for his laboure Untoo this did Ioseph also bid guests in Egipt but a filthy strumpet accused him and made him too bée cast intoo prison Too this did Moyses bid guestes but hée suffered many things at their handes whom hée bad Too this wedding did the most holy Kings and Patriarkes bid guests but their talk was hild skorne of At length came the Bridegroomes owne maister of housholde Iohn but he was murthered by Herod To this wedding doth the Bridegroome himselfe the very sonne of God bid guestes but he is hanged vppon the galowes of the crosse Too this wedding do the Apostles bid guestes and after them all godly ministers of God worde Whom the Diuill assayling partly with his Sophistrie partly with his Tirannie and partly with his Hipocrisie striueth too kill So the greatest part of the world being vnkinde refuseth too come too this wedding of the sonne of God The eyght What sayth the king too this First he is angry which surely is no maruell For he sawe both himselfe and his mariage despised of those which will they nill they are compelled too confesse that what so euer good thing they haue they may thanke him for it Secondly he punisheth them bodily whereof the thanklesse world which the Lord destroyed in the flud had experience This dooth the burning of Sodom beare witnesse of This dooth the destruction of
fell out according too the Law when hée was ful sixe wéekes olde The places are thrée 1 The offering vp of Chryst in the Temple 2 Simeons description and blissing 3 Simeons song ¶ Of the firste GOd had ordeyned sundry customes of offering in the olde Testament not too the intent men should bée iustified before God by the woorke of sacrifising for if the blud of Oxen and Gotes could haue put away sinne Chryste had not come in the fleshe too purge sinne by the sacrifice of his bodie but there were other causes of which number are these The first is that by this exercise the Idolatrie of the Gentiles mighte bée hindered For in as muche as all men euen the moste barbarous are touched with a certeine reuerence of Religion they will set vp fashions of woorshipping God after their own deuice Howbéeit bicause no seruice pleaseth God saue that whiche is of his owne appointment God him selfe ordeyned by Moyses sundry seruices too the intent that by the multitude of Ceremonies whiche God had ordeyned the Iewishe people might bée withhilde from Idolatrie and serue the one God that had brought them out of the lande of Egipte and bestowed vppon them innumerable other benefites bothe ghostly and bodily The second cause is that inward godlynesse might bée exercised by these outward helps For these outward sacrifices were not of themselues Gods seruice but onely stirrings vp of the true seruice and woorshipping which thing appéereth by Esay where God abhorreth outwarde sacrifices without inward godlinesse of minde The third is that they should be open witnesses of thanksgiuing whereby this people should bothe bée stirred vp and also confirmed and testifie openly that they serued this God which had brought them intoo the land of Canaan and fedde them by miracle in the wildernesse The fourth is that by this meanes the ministerie of Gods woord might bée stablished that the ministers of Gods seruice and the Préests might haue wheron to liue He that serueth at the altar saith Paule let him liue of the altar And Chryst The labourer is woorthy of his hyre This custome did they hold in olde time in the churche when they came toogither too héere the woord and receiue the Sacraments The godly according too their abilities bestowed somewhat too the maintenance of the ministers and the reléefe of the poore whiche gathering was called a contribution From hence also issued the maner of tything The fifth is that these olde oblations bée a shadowe of the sacrifice of Chryst that was too come and as it were a place wherein they were put in remembrance of Chryst too come This did the godly wel vnderstand as Abel Noe Abraham For they did not thinke that they put away sinne and death by their sacrifices but they trusted to the sacrifice of Chryst byrthe vertue wherof their sinnes also were purged When Abel slewe his sacrifices he thought thus First when hée sawe the blud of the sacrifice he thought vppon the sinne of mankinde which had deserued eternal paynes Secondly he looked forward too the thing y t was signified for he thought that his sacrifice was a figure of the promised séede that is too wit of Chryste who shoulde purge sinne by offering himselfe in sacrifice Thirdly by thinking so Abelles fayth was confirmed and encreased wherethrough he was bothe iustified before God and accepted of God Furthly vppon this faith ensued thanksgiuing newnesse of life Suche as offred after this maner pleased God Thus much bée spoken concerning the sacrifices of the olde Testament in generall Now wil I speake of that maner of sacrifices which is mencioned in this gospell There was a double commaundement appoynted too bée obserued when any childe was borne The one was of the moother howe many wéekes shée ought too abyde out of the company of men And the other was of the childe that was borne Concerning the mother this was the order that if she were deliuered of a manchild she should kéepe hir selfe close xxxvij dayes and if it were a womanchilde she should continue close twyse as long For then shée ought too bée out of the congregation .lxxiiij. days And this thing was not doone for any vnworthynesse that was in the woman but for two other causes that is too wit néedfulnesse and further méening The néedfulnesse was that by this meanes consideration might bée had of the helth of the woman who after the throwes of hir childbed hath néede of rest that she may gather strength agein and godly husbands ought at such times too haue speciall regard of the weaknesse of their wiues and it behooued women also too kéepe this law of nature both for their own sakes and also for other womens sakes The méening of it was that this barring them out of companye should doo men too vnderstand that al which are descended of Adam are barred from God for the sinne wherin they are borne and that therfore they haue néede of Chryst◠sacrifice too purge them The other commaundement concerned the child that was borne And that also was of two sorts The one general and the other concerning the first borne The generall commaundement was that when the woman had fulfilled the time that shée was excluded from the congregation of the church there should bée sacrifices offred whither it were for a sonne or for a daughter in what order so euer they were borne This sacrifice did put them in mind first that their children were borne sinners and therefore had néede of clenzing and of forgiuenesse of sinnes Secondly that by this meanes they shold be consecrated to god Thirdly that the parents should know that they begate children to God not too themselues or too Sathan And fourthly that there was a further méening in the matter namely that their children should be a figure of Chryst that was too bée offered The speciall commaundement was concerning the first borne as well in men as in beasts that they should bée offered vntoo God First in remembrance of that great benefit that the Lord sparing the people of Israel did strike the first borne of Egipt as wel in men as beasts Secondly for y e signification therof that is too wit that the only begotten sonne of God and first begotten son of Mary should be offred vp in tyme too come for our deliuerance from the Egipt of sin Let this suffise concerning the law and the signification thereof and now let vs come too the offering vp of Chryst. The law commaundeth that euery firste borne whiche openeth the moother béeing conceyued of mans séede should bée offred vp in this wise But Chryst was not so conceyued after the manner of man but he was conceyued by the holy ghost borne of a most chast virgin Ergo he was not boūd by the law too bée offered vp in the temple after the maner of others that were first begottē I answer Chryst was also at his frée choise whither he wold haue bin conceiued born and