of death not restored to blesse agayne But now is he rysen agayne frō death sayth he to be the fyrst frutes of them that be aslepe to rayse them to euerlastynge lyfe agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is rysē again than were it neyther true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor that he sent downe the holy goost nor that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father hauynge the rule of heauen and earth reygnynge as the prophete sayeth from see to see psa lxxi nor that he shulde after thys worlde be a iudge of lyuynge deade to gyue rewarde to the good and iugement to the euell That these lynkes therfore of oure fayth shulde all hange together in stedfaste confirmation it pleased our sauiour not strayght way to wythdraw hymself from the corporall syght of hys disciples but chose out fourty daies wherin he wold declare vnto them by manyfolde and moost stronge argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and was truly rysen agayne to lyfe lu xxiiij He began sayeth Luke at Moses and all the prophetes and dyd expoune them the prophecies that were wrytten in al the scriptures of hym to confirme the truth of his resurrection longe before spoken of whych he verefyed in dede as it is declared manyfestly by hys ofte appearaunce to sondry persons at sondry tymes Math. xxviij Fyrst he sente hys angels to the sepulchre whych dyd shewe to certayne women that the stone of the graue was remoued from the dore therof and shewed them the empty graue sauynge that the buriall lynnen remayned therin and of these sygnes were these women fully instructed that he was rysen agayne and so dyd they testifye it opēlye Ioh. xx After thys Iesus hymselfe appeared to Mary Magdalene and after that to other certayne women strayght afterwarde he appeared to Peter than to the two disciples whych were goynge to Emaus i. cor xv lu xxiiij He appered to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Iues the dores shut Ioh. xxi At an other tyme he was sene at the see of Tyberias of Peter and Thomas and other disciples whan they were fyshynge i. cor xv He was sene of more thā fyue hundred brethren in the mount of galile where Iesus appoynted them by hys angel whan he said beholde he shal go before you into Galile there shal ye se hym as he hath said vnto you Actu i. After thys he appeared vnto Iames and last of all he was vysiblye sene of al the Apostles at such tyme as he was takē vp into heauen Thus at sondrye tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to cōfirme this artycle and in these reuelations somtyme he shewed them hys handes hys feete and hys syde and bad them touch hym that they shulde not take hym for a goost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate wyth them but euer he was talkynge wyth them of the kyngdome of God to confirme the truth of hys resurrection For then he opened theyr vnderstandyng to perceyue the scriptures sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Christ to suffer to ryse from death the thyrde daye lu xxiiij and to haue preached openly in hys name penaunce and remission of synnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good christen people howe necessarie thys artycle of oure fayth is seynge it was proued of Christ hymselfe by such euident reasons and tokens by so longe tyme space Now therfore as our sauiour was diligēt for oure cōforte and instruction to testifie it so let vs be as ready in oure beleue to receyue it to our comforte and instruction As he dyed not for himselfe no more dyd he ryse agayne for hymselfe He was dead sayth saint Paule for our synnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moost comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembraunce He dyed sayeth he to put away synne he rose agayne to endewe vs wyth ryghtuousnes Hys death toke awaye synne malediction hys death was the raunsome of them both Hys death destroyed death and ouercame the deuyll whych had the power of death in his subiectiō Hys death destroyed hell wyth all the damnation therof Thus is death swalowed vp by Christes victorye thus is hel spoyled for euer Yf any mā doubt of thys victorye i. cor xv let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thynge Yf death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion but that he arose again it is manyfest that hys power was ouercome Yf death be cōquered than must it folowe that sinne wherfore death was appoynted as the wages must be also destroyed Yf death and synne be vanished away then is the deuels tyrannye resysted whyche had the power of death and was the author of sinne and the ruler of hell Yf Christe had the victory of them all by the power of hys death and openly proued it by hys valiaūt resurrection as it was not possible for hys great myght to be subdued of them than thys true that Christe dyed for oure synnes and rose agayne for our iustification why may not we that be hys members by true fayth reioyce and boldly saye wyth the prophete Osee the Apostle Paule i. cor xv where is thy darte O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes be vnto God saye they whyche hath gyuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Thys myghtye conquest of hys resurrection was not only sygnifyed afore by dyuerse fygures of the olde testament as by Sampson whan he slewe the Lyon Iu. xiiij out of whose mouth came out swetnes and hony and as Dauid bare his fygure whan he delyuered the lambe out of the Lyons mouth and whan he ouercame i. Reg. xvij Ion. ij slewe the great gyant Goliath and as whan Ionas was swalowed vp of the whales mouth and cast vp agayne on londe to lyue but was also moost clerely prophecied by the prophetes of the olde testament in the newe also confirmed by the Apostles He hath spoyled sayeth saynt Paule rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemyes Col. ij He hath made a shewe of them openlye and hath triumphed ouer them in hys owne person Thys is the myghty power of the Lorde whome we beleue on By hys death hath he wrought thys victorye for vs and by hys resurrection hathe he purchased euerlastynge lyfe ryghtuousnes for vs. It had not ben ynough to be delyuered by hys death from synne excepte by hys resurrection we had ben endowed wyth ryghtuousnes And it shulde not auayle vs to be delyuered from death except he had rysen agayne to open for vs the gates of heuen to enter into lyfe euerlastinge And therfore saynte Peter thanketh God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ for hys abundaunt mercy i. Pet. i. bycause he hath begottē vs sayeth he vnto a lyuely hope by
the power of synne to delyuer vs from the daunger therof and to gyue vs exemple to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Iues dyd eate theyr Ester lābe kept theyr fest in remembraūce of theyr deliueraūce out of Egypt Euē so let vs kepe our Ester feast in the thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wherby we be deliuered from the captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from the bondage therof to ryse with Christ Exo. xij The Iues kept theyr feast in absteynynge from leuened breade by the space of .vij. dayes let vs christen folke kepe our holy day in a spiritual maner that is in absteining not from material leuened bread but from the olde leuen of synne the leuen of maliciousnes wyckednes Let vs cast frō vs the leuen of corrupt doctrine that wyl infect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast the hole terme of our lyfe with eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare that Christes gyftes graces haue theyr effect in vs that we haue the right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to the vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shal be suer to ryse hereafter to euerlastynge glorye by the goodnes and mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy goost c. On the fyrst sondaye after Ester The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the .v. Chapter Th argument of thys Epistle ☞ Of the excellency of fayth and how it ouercōmeth the worlde MOst dere beloued brethren al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde i. cor x. but he whyche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Thys Iesus Christe is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water bloud And it is the spirite that beareth wytnesse because the spirite is trueth for there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and holy goste And these thre are one And there are thre whyche beare record in earth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receaue the wytnes of men the wytnes of God is greater For thys is the wytnes of God that is greater whyche he testifyed of hys sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of god hath the wytnes in hymselfe An exhortation vpon thys Epistel OVre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catholyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith this ouercommyth the worlde that is to saie the concupiscences of syn̄es which be pryde couetous and lecherye Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust no man amonges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes ☞ in vnrightuousnes in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise The wordes of S. Austine Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as witnesseth thapostle But marke sayth saynte Austine this worde passed through Pertran sijt Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation he hath not yet done syn but he hath caught synne For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgressour begat synners subiecte to death Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale saue them he came to the but not the waye that thou cāmest For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female he came not of that bonde of concupiscence Bycause therfore he came to the not by that waye that thou cammest ☞ therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst mā beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yer thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by the worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth our selues that Iesus is Christe Ioh. iij. that is to saye the annoynted Kynge and Sauioure of the worlde Before we be newe borne agayn by spirite we be al Nicodemes For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomā coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whō Christ answereth Verely verely I saye vnto the onles a mā be borne agayne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God Ioh. iij. whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge i. Ioh. v. he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue that Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secōdly What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christ that he is a kynge anoynted with the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath A difference of faythes and so all hypocrites and betwene the true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borne agayne whan through the
this was not ynough Christ vpbraydeth his apostles of theyr infidefitie For it was necessary also that they shulde beleue Christes resurrection Wherfore he vpbraydeth them of theyr infidelitie sayenge that albeit they had sene altogether yet they beleued it not and that they yet wāted thys article of resurrection What it is to beleue the resurrection of Christ What is it than to beleue the resurrection of Christ whych beareth so great a stroke and is of such importaunce that the disciples were called infideles and mysbeleuynge persones for the defaute of it Certes to beleue the resurrection of Christ is nothynge els than to beleue we haue a reconciler before God whych is Christ whych maketh vs at one wyth God the father and iustifyeth vs in hys syght For what so euer is in man of hys owne nature and byrth wythout regeneratiō is but synne and death whereby he heapeth vpon hymselfe gods vengeaunce Agayne God is the eternal iustice and clerenes whych of hys nature hateth synne Hereof it commeth that betwene God and man is perpetuall enmitie neyther can they be frendes or agre together Christe therfore beynge incarnate dyd bothe translate our synnes vpon hymselfe and drowned the wrath of the father in himselfe to reconcile vs to his father Wythout thys fayth we be the chyldren of vēgeaunce we can do no good worke that maye be acceptable to God neyther wyll God heare our prayers For thus in the .xviij. psalme it is wryttē They cryed and ther was no helper to the Lorde and he answered them not Yea the moost excellente worke wherby we thought to obtayne grace helpe comforte of God was imputed vnto vs for synne as the prophete in the .cix. psalme sayth Oratio eius in peccatum fiat Be hys prayer counted for synne for surely we can not wyth al our powers of our owne nature pacifie god We neded therfore Christe to be mediatour for vs to the father and to make vs at one wyth hym and finally to obtayne what so euer is necessary for vs. By the same Christ it behoueth vs to aske of God what so euer thynge we nede Ioh. xvi as Christ hymselfe enstructeth vs sayenge What so euer ye aske the father in my name it shal be done vnto you What soeuer we demaunde of God surely by thys Christ which hath satisfied for our synnes we must obteyne and get it For Christ is he whych layeth a garison about vs ☜ he is the defēce and bukler vnder whome we be hydden euen as the chekens be nouryshed and hydde vnder the wynges of the henne By him only our prayer is allowed before God By hym onely we be herde and get the fauoure grace of the father Thys is now to beleue vpon Christes resurrection yf as it is recited we beleue that Christ hath borne vpon hym aswell our synnes as the synnes of the hole worlde hath drowned in hymselfe the one and the other and also they re of the father wherby we be reconciled to God and made ryghtuouse before hym Now ye se your selues howe fewe christian men and wemen there be whych haue thys fayth wherby all men be delyuered from theyr synnes and be made ryghtuouse All outwarde christen men beleue not in the resurrection For they beleue not in the resurrection of Christe that theyr synnes be taken awaye also by Christe but go about to be iustifyed by theyr owne workes Thys man entreth into the cloyster is made a monke or freer she a nonne some one thynge some another that they may be delyuered from theyr synnes and yet they saye they beleue in the resurrection of Christe where theyr workes do shew cleane contrary Wherfore thys article haue the holy fathers preached and inculked specially before other For thus saynt Paule in the .xv. chapter of hys fyrste epistle to the Corinthi sayeth Yf Christ hath not rysen frō death to lyfe thā vayne is our preachynge vayne also is your fayth And a lytle after Yf Christ haue not rysen vayne is youre fayth ye be yet in your sines What maner cōsequēs is thys how do thys folowe Thus truly yf Christe rose not from death to lyfe it foloweth that synne death dyd swalowe hym vp and kylled hym After that we could not ryd our selues out of our synnes Iesus Christ toke them vpon hym to treade vnder hys fete death and hell and to be made Lorde ouer them Now yf he rose not agayne than surely he ouercame not synne but was ouercome of synne And yf he rose not agayne he redemed vs not and so we be yet in our synnes Furthermore in the tēth to the Romaynes he sayeth thus Yf thou confessest wyth thy mouth Iesus to be the Lorde and beleuest in thy harte that God hath raysed hym from death ☞ thou shalt be saued Herevnto agreeth all scripture both olde and newe But it is not yet sufficient to beleue the resurrection of Christ For al wicked persones beleue thys yea Satan doubteth not but that God suffered rose agayne ☞ But we must also beleue the summe of the resurrection and also what frute and profyte we haue taken therby that is to saye pardon of our gylt and as it were a gayle delyuerey of all our synnes that Christe passed thorough death and by it ouercame synne death yea and what so euer coulde hurt vs he trode vnder his fote and is constitute and made at the ryght hande of the father in heauen the myghty Lorde ouer syn Satan death hell and what soeuer hurteth vs and that all these thynges be done for our sake whyche thynge the wycked persons beleue not Ye se than my frēdes how much is layde in thys artycle of resurrection so that we may better wante all the reste than thys one article For what were it to beleue all the artycles as that God was borne of the virgine Mary that he dyed and was buryed yf thou doest not also beleue that he rose agayne Abac. i. And thys God meaneth in Abacuc where he sayeth I shall worke a worke in you whych no man shall beleue whan it shal be tolde And thys is the cause why Paule in al hys epistles handleth no worke or myracle of Christ so diligently as he doth the resurrection of Christ Yea he letteth passe all the workes and myracles of Christ and chefly teacheth vs the frute of it so that none of thapostles hath so paynted Christ vnto vs as Paule Actu ix Wherfore not wythout cause Christ sayd to Ananias Thys is my vessell of election to beare my name before the Hethen people and kinges and the chyldren of Israell It foloweth in the texte Go ye into the hole worlde and preach the Gospell to euery creature What shall they preach none other thynge but that Christe is rysen from death and that he hathe vaynquished and takē awaye synne and all mysery What is gospel he that beleueth thys is saued For
hym a question temptynge hym and sayeng Mayster whych is the great commaūdement in the lawe Iesus sayd vnto hym Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God wyth all thy harte and wyth al thy mynde Thys is the fyrst and great cōmaundement And the seconde is lyke vnto it Thou shalte loue thyne neyghbour as thy selfe In these two cōmaūdementes hange all the lawe and the prophetes Whyle the pharisees were gathered together Iesus asked them sayenge what thynke ye of Christ Whose sonne is he They sayd vnto hym the sōne of Dauid He sayde vnto them howe then doth Dauid in spirite cal hym Lorde sayeng The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde syt thou on my ryght hande tyll I make thyne enemyes a footestoole Yf Dauid than call hym Lorde howe is he then hys sonne And no man was able to answere hym any thynge neyther durst any man from that day forth aske hym any mo questions THe Gospell red in the churche thys daye good christen audiēce doth reherse vnto vs how the pharisees Hierom hearynge that Iesus Christ had confounded the Saducees whych as saynt Hierome noteth were of contrarye opinions wythin themselues and as it were enemyes one to another yet they come ioyne together agaynst Christe to thintent as Ihon Chrysostome sayeth they myghte ouercome hym by multitude Chrysostome whome they coulde not cōuince wyth reasons And so sayeth he they confessed themselues to be naked of the trouth whych armed thēselues with multitude They come than all together And one amonge them a doctour of the lawe speakynge for all the reste to thintent yf that one ouercame they myght al seme to haue the vpperhande in tēptynge our Lorde Iesu Christ dyd put thys question vnto hym sayenge Mayster whyche is the greatest commaundement of the lawe Here you maye se what fashions these false foxes and ypocrites had Fyrste they called Iesu Christe mayster whose disciple for all that they had no desyre to be And they dyd demaunde hym of the greatest commaundement as Chrysostome sayeth which neuer had accomplished the least Chrysostome but rather by theyr cursed and auaricious constitucions had transgressed all the lawe of God And they thought that it was ynough for to dispute the one agaynst the other by pryde and vanitie for they dyd not desyre but all only to be sene and praysed of men yet for all thys the swete Sauiour desyrynge theyr saluation doth gyue them here true and sounde doctrine and healthfull correction answerynge them mekely that they ought to loue God with all theyr thought the whych they dyd not and theyr neyghbour as themselues but they dyd cleane contrarye For he whych was theyr God theyr neyghbour in as much as he was man they wold put him to death In whych he shewed them to be synners ypocrites that is to saye counterfayted holy transgressours of all the lawe and of the prophetes And accordynge vnto saynt Marke in the .xij. chapter they wyst not what to answere but theyr owne doctoure gaue sentence agaynst them sayenge Mayster in truth thou hast sayd well For there is one only god and ther is none other but he And to loue hym wyth all the harte wyth all the vnderstandyng wyth all the soule and with all the strength and the neyghbour as hymselfe is a greater thynge then al the brentofferynges and sacrifices made vnto God Here maye you se howe he hymselfe gyueth iudgement agaynst the couetousnes of the scribes pharisees whych loued so well the sacrifices for the profyte that came therof vnto them And on the contrary syde he approueth the answere of Iesu Christ the whych they thought to haue interrupted and checked Thus it appeareth that the craftye be taken in theyr craftynes and that ther is no coūsell against god And then fynally our Lorde demaunded of the pharisees beynge all there together whose sonne Christ was And forbycause they were carnall they knewe nothynge in Christ in Messias but flesh and they answered hym that he was the sonne of Dauid And then oure Lorde wolde shewe them and teache theyr saluatiō For it was not ynough for to beleue that he was a man cōmen of royall bloude but also it must be beleued that he was God vnied vnto humayne nature for to make the redemption of men And therfore he sheweth them by the wytnesse of Dauid selfe that he is God Psal xix where Dauid sayeth in spirite The Lorde god hath sayd vnto my Lorde Syt on my ryght hande vnto the tyme that I put thyne enemyes a foote stoole to thy feete Dauid calleth Christ hys Lorde syttynge on the ryghte hande of God whych is to vnderstande as the auncient doctour S. Remigius other doth expoune it not that God is corporall that he shulde haue a ryght or left syde but to syt on the ryghte hande of God Remigius is to remayne in the same honoure and dignitie egall wyth the father so that herby he cōfesseth that he is God And this the pharisees vnderstode not to be sayd of Christe but they were those whych the spirite of god calleth the enemyes of Christe for to be put vnder hys feete Than my brethren let vs not tempt Iesu Christ Let vs beleue that the greatest and the fyrst commaundement is to loue God wyth all our hart wyth all our thought and wyth all our soule that he is true God and that he is true mā And we shall be of the nombre of the chosen for to laude the heauenly father and our Lorde Iesu Christ syttyng on hys ryght hande Vnto the whyche wyth the holy goost be glorie wythout ende The Epistle on the .xix. sonday after Trinitie The .iiij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ How we ought to put of our olde Adam and put on the newe BRethren be ye renewed in the spirite of youre mynde and to put on that newe man whych after God is shapen in ryghtuousnes and true holynes Wherfore put away lienge speake euery mā trouth vnto hys neyghbour for as much as we are members one of another Be angry and synne not let not the Sonne go downe vpon your wrath neyther gyue place vnto the backbyter Let hym that stole steale no more but let hym rather labour with hys handes the thynge which is good that he may gyue vnto hym that nedeth MY welbeloued frendes in our sauiour Christ ye shall vnderstande that in the texte immediatly goynge before thys epistle of thys present daye the Apostle doth admonysh vs for to leaue the olde mā that is to say our fyrst natiuitie or byrth by the which we be borne chyldren of the yre and wrath of God we be fulfylled wyth synnes wyth euel desyres and wyth concupiscences the whych woll turne vs vnto corrupcion and eternall death After in our epistle he exhorteth vs that we shuld be renewed not accordynge vnto the body but in the spirite of our soule For it is the spirite of God that wyl inhabyte there and
holy goost we be called by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll ☞ to thintent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth Borne of God is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue that Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the same that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heuē the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than mās that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme Mat. iij. And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer the world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Vnto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen On the fyrste sondaye after Ester The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the .xx. chapter of Ihon. Th argument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr cōmission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whā they sawe the Lorde Esa lxi Mat. xi Ioh. xvii Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And whā he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whoseouers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Didimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my handes and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Thomas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my God Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence of hys disciples Ioh. xxi whyche are not wrytten in thys boke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleuynge ye myght haue lyfe thorowe hys name An exhortacion vpon thys Gospel THe Gospell of thys daye good people doth declare vnto vs the appearyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ vnto hys disciples after hys resurrection that is to wyt how he came and shewed hymselfe vnto them the dores beynge shut for feare of the Iues. And here truly he dyd shew the diuersitie of bodyes and what difference there shal be betwene the sensuall bodyes and betwene the spirituall betwene the materiall and corruptible bodyes in thys worlde betwene the spirituall bodyes and incorruptible after the resurrection Trouth it is also that we ought not to suffer any infideles as were the Iues to enter in amonges vs from whome the Apostles dyd shut theyr dores Nowe Iesus beynge in the myddes of them dydde salute them in gyuynge vnto them hys peace wyth whych gretynge or salutation he conforted and confirmed hys disciples myndes that they shulde nothynge doubt of hys resurrectiō whych as the Euangelist Luke wytnesseth they counted but for a dreame Luke xxiiij Wherfore he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde perced And by thys shewynge of hys handes and feete Christe openeth two thynges Fyrst by these sygnes he wolde be knowen For in affliction is Christ truly knowen Seconde by them he wolde assure hys disciples of hys glorious resurrection And verely thys shal be the signe of saluation vnto the faithful at the greate daye of iugement and the signe of lamentation and of sorowe vnto the infidels which thā shal se whome they haue percyd The faithfull shal be gretly cōforted in seing him as his disciples were at this tyme. To these disciples I saye he did ones gyue his peace and made them his apostles that is to saye his legates or ambassadours not onely of Iurye but of al the worlde in lyke maner as god the father had sent him and made hym apostle in the worlde And he gaue them the holy gost for to remytte synnes and to pardō in his name and whose synnes so euer they pardoned shuld be forgyuen in heauen The pardone of the apostles assuredly was but a signe of the trewe pardone
to lyfe And furthermore how and in what wyse by hys vprysyng or resurrection he shulde coÌ„mence hys raigne and haue accesse to hys father And assuredly the preachyng and fore shewynge hereof was ryght necessary to the Apostles of Christ to be often made and dryuen into theyr heades For the flesh as Christe sayeth hymselfe is weake and agayne the articles of oure religion be suche that they surmount the sklender capacitie of mans wyt neyther can they easely be perceyued Thys is the cause why Christ lyke a faythful mayster neuer ceaseth to dryue into hys disciples heades the suÌ„me coÌ„tent of our fayth to thintent he myght fully execute thoffice that he came for Now thys is hys sentence and mynde whych he declareth to hys disciples Wythin a lytle whyle O you my louynge scholers and disciples I shal be betrayed vnto the Iues as I haue often tymes heretofore shewed vnto you that I shulde be condemned Mat. xij scourged bobbed and at last nayled to the crosse And for asmuch as euen lyke as Ionas was in the whales bely thre dayes and thre nyghtes I must in lykewyse be buryed in the grounde for the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes Christes raigne Therfore for a lytle whyle in dede ye shall not se me But agayne after a lytle whyle that is to wyt the thyrde daye after whan I shall ryse agayne ye shall verely se me how be it that shall not be longe for I must awaye to my father and begyn with hym my spirituall raygne Ephe. i. and .iiij. Lo my deare frendes with such wordes Christe teacheth hys apostles what maner thyng his kyngdoÌ„ shuld be how the coÌ„myng is to the same Assuredly the kingdoÌ„ or raigne of Christ is none other thynge thaÌ„ that Christ hath coÌ„quered the world syn death sataÌ„ hell furthermore hath taken of his father all power both in heuen and in erth in such sort as hensforth he is to be the most puissaunt and mighty kinge ouer the mount Sion Psal iiij leading and gouernyng his subiectes with the holy spirite of comforte Into this his kingdom it behoued hym to entre by the crosse by sheding of his mooste precious bloude and by death euen as the prophete Dauid longe before had prophecied of him sayeng he shall drynke of the floude in the waye Psa cix and therefore he shall lyft vp his heade Now this spirituall kingdome was not moche knowne to his apostles For they thought rather that the kingdom of Christ shulde haue ben a worldly and an outwarde kyngdome whych thinge they styl loked for vntyl the spirite was gyuen them whych taught them the knowlege hereof and how they ought to come vnto it and to gette it and how to perseuer and continue in the same If we therfore good brethren and systers be lykewise mynded to entre into thys kingdome and by Christ to vanquysh synne death Satan and hel we must nedes acknowlege and take Christ for oure Lorde and sauiour for our kinge and hyghe bishop fastelye beleuing that we be reconciled and made at one agayne with the father of heuen by his bloude and in suffering and doinge the thinges that Paule speaketh where he sayth i. tim ii If we shall suffer togither with him we shall also reigne with him Seconde An exeÌ„ple of our ignorauÌ„ce we haue here good people an exemple of oure ignoraunce and blyndnesse and that in thapostles For loke how lytle they attayned the mystery of the gospell wythout the holy goost so lytle can we also attayne by oure owne powers to iustice or soule health But harkeÌ„ your selues out of the very texte the rudenes or ignoraunce of the appostles Christ had shewed them that after a litle whyle they shulde not se him agayne after a lytle whyle they shulde se him agayne for he muste go to hys father This must nedes be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spiritual kyngdome What it is to go to the father Ps lxvij For assuredly to go to his father is nothinge elles but to fulfyll all thynges as it is declared in the .v. chapi to the Ephesians and by hys holye gooste to exalte gloryfie saue mankynde or to speake the wordes of the prophete dona dare hominibus to gyue gyftes to men But I praye you how do thapostles vnderstande thys They talke and conferre with themselues what meaneth that he sayeth after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayn after a whyle ye shal se me we knowe not saye they what he speketh Lo my frendes the apostles do here confesse theyr ignoraunce and that they atteyne not to the wordes that he spake albeit he had spokeÌ„ often tymes before of hys crosse deathe and resurrection vnto them Wherfore I do not a lytle wonder what these men meane whyche fyghte so strongly for the defence of theyr owne naturall and carnall power syth they se here so manyfestly that the apostles themselues whyche had Christe so moch conuersaunt amonges them coulde not by theyr owne mere power before the holy gooste came vnto them vnderstande the spirituall kyngdome of Christe So that it manifestly appeareth that while they woll be doctours and teachers of other they be them selues full of all blyndenes and ignoraunce Thys therfore is the summe and effecte of thys place that the flesh in suche thynges as perteine to iustification can do no good onles the holy gost beyng communitate by the word be receiued and had For as the prophete Ieremy recordeth Ier. xiij they shal be taught of God and not of themselues Thyrdly Christe doth preuent his apostles when he espyed them not to atteine his wordes and that they wold aske him the meanyng of the same sayeng vnto them in thys wise Of thys ye do question amonges your selues that I sayd a litle and ye shall not see me and agayne a lytle and ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lamente but the worlde shal reioyce Ye shal sorow but your sorowe shal be turned into ioye Lo how Christ tendereth his apostles he shaketh them not of for their rudenes and ignoraunce but moste gentlye instructeth them shewinge them howe his format wordes ought to be vnderstand sayenge vnto them in thys wise Ye shall wepe and be sory but why bycause ye shall see youre Lorde and mayster apprehended and takeÌ„ nayled vpon the crosse and put to death Crosse ê‘secutioÌ„ Then shall calamitie and sorow begynne and principally this shall trouble you that the world shal reioyce at your aduersitie and your maysters aduersitie And euen as Christ had spoken so it came to passe concernyng both hys owne crosse affliction and heuines also his apostles For do ye thynke yt a lytle crosse vnto hym when that he was reuiled and vpbrayded of the Iues sayeng vnto hym let God delyuer hym if he woll haue hym I omytte and passe ouer with
the shepe to hym the porter openeth and the shepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne shepe by name and he leadeth them out And whan he hath sent forth hys owne shepe he goeth before thē and the shepe folowe hym for they knowe hys voyce A straunger wyll they not folowe but wyll flee from hym for they knowe not the voyce of straungers Thys prouerbe spake Iesus vnto them but they vnderstode not what thynges they were whych he spake vnto them Than sayd Iesus vnto them againe Verely verely I saye vnto you I am the dore of the shepe Al euen as many as came before me are theues and murtherers but the shepe dyd not heare them I am the dore by me yf any man enter in he shal be safe and shall go in and out and fynde pasture A thefe commeth not but for to steale kyll and to destroye I am come that they myght haue lyfe and that they might haue it more aboūdaūtly IN the Gospell of thys daye deare frendes our sauiour Christ declareth hys owne propertie or office and he setteth out vnto vs the excedynge loue and kyndnes whyche he beareth to mankynde by a very proper and feate parable or similitude whereby he resembleth hymselfe to a good shepeherde and the false preachers or prelates to theues and murtherers Certaynly all false doctours all false prophetes all proude pharisees that woll iustifye them selues by theyr owne workes and all hypocrites be here wonderfully touched And why Bycause they entre not into the shepefolde by the dore but clyme vp an other waye What call ye clymmynge vp an other waye Surely it is to seke forgyuenes of thy synnes ryghtuousmakynge and euerlastynge lyfe by other meanes then Christ whych is the waye Io. xiiij the trouth and the lyfe hath taught Wherfore yf thou enterest not in by the dore that is to saye by Christe but an other way I meane yf thou wylt iustifie thy selfe and promyse thy selfe soule helth bearynge thy self bold of thyn own proper workes not cleauing to the mercy of God accordynge to thexemple of the publicane nor dependynge vpon the merytes of Christes passion art thou not trowest thou by Christes owne iudgement and sentence here a thefe and a murtherer But what a greate thefe art thou yf thou also teachest other folke to thynke the same that thou doest By me sayeth Christ he that entereth in shal be saued But what is thys shepefolde that he speaketh here of surely the shepefolde is the church it is the congregacion and assemble of Christen people He that wol entre into thys congregacion into this church into the holy communion and felowship of christen persons any other wayes than by Christ he is a thefe and no christian person He that also woll teache any other doctrine in Christes churche than such as Christ hath taught is no pastoure no bysshop no true shepeherde but a thefe rather a murtherer a wolfe And it is much to be feared lest there be at thys daye many mo wolues and theues than be true herdmen feders I saye I am sore afrayed lest the prophecye of saynt Paule be yet styll veryfyed in force in christendome For whan S. Paule shulde departe from Ephesus Act. xx and knewe by the spirite of God that his death approched he called together the prestes or elders of the congregacion and amonges other wordes he sayth thus Take hede vnto your selues and to all the flocke wherin the holy goost hath made you byshops that is to saye ouerseers to fede or guyde after the maner of good shepeherdes the church of God whych he hath purchased wyth hys owne bloude For I am sure of thys that after my departynge shal greuouse wolues enter in amonges you not sparynge the flocke But who is the porter of thys shepefolde whych openeth the dore to the good faythful shepeherde of Christes flock Surely it is the holy goost ☞ for he openeth vnto hym the scriptures of God he leadeth hym into al trouth And hys shepe that is to say his paryshners heare hys voyce Prouer. xxvij and he calleth hys owne shepe by name accordynge also to the coūsayle of Salomon in his prouerbes where he sayeth Se that thou know the nombre yf thy catell thy selfe and loke well to thy flockes Moreouer thys good shepeherde this good curate thys byshop thys ouerseer goeth before hys shepe and hys shepe folowe hym What is thys to saye Truly he that is a good byshop a good pastoure and curate woll make himselfe comformable to hys doctrine he wol leade them the waye that by hys steppes and good exemple of lyuinge they may walke in Christes groundes and pastures He woll not playe the crabbe fysh whych wolde haue taught her doughter to go streyght but wold not leade her the waye her selfe and teach her by her exemple how to go as it is in Esopes fables I am afrayed we haue many crabbes Saynt Paule wold haue a byshop that is to saye an ouerseer or curate to gyue good exemple of lyuynge hymselfe and to haue a good honest reporte of straungers i. tim iij Tit. ij leste hys lyuynge be a slaunder to his doctrine So doynge hys shepe shal folowe hym and shal knowe hys voyce For assuredly they that be godly persones woll knowlege none for theyr shepeherde but such as teache gods worde True teachers of Christes Gospell be easely discerned of good christen men And agayne the good christen mē be easely discerned and knowen of true preachers Thys prouerbe or parable nakedly and vnapplyed spake Iesus to hys disciples But they vnderstode not what thynges they were whyche he spake vnto them and no maruayle For as saynt Paule sayeth the flesh perceyueth not the thynges that be goostly The disciples were as yet but carnall And therfore our Sauiour Christ lyke a good mayster declareth vnto them the meanynge of hys parable sayeth that he hymselfe is the dore of the shepe by hym who soeuer entreth in shal be saued and shal go in out and fynde pasture as who shulde saye whether so euer he turneth hym whyther so euer he casteth hys eyes he shall fynde that shal be for the behoufe and edificacion of hys flocke brefley to speake God shal be wyth hym the holy goost shall prompt hym and put hym in mynde of such thinges as he ought to teach hys paryshners and flocke that is commytted to hys charge But sayeth Christe as many as came before me are theues and murtherers and the shepe dyd not heare them Here doth our Sauioure Christ shewe vs the difference betwene the doctrine of the true preachers and the doctrine of heretikes ☜ of false prelates hypocrites Nowe they go before Christ whych beare not Christ with them and which woll seme wyser than Christ as Peter dyd when he rebuked Christ bycause he sayd that he shulde suffer death And therfore Christe called hym Satan Mat. xvi and bad hym