could auoyde this sentence The wrath of god hath fallen vppon vs all And nowe cometh Christ and wil teache vs how we shal be delyuered from the same sentence that is by his word In the whiche is shewed vnto vs his passion and death considering this alwayes that we trewlye vnderstande and kepe this worde There is greate power and strength in this word Mine for by that he excludeth the lawe of al meÌ„ and of Moyses also and geueth iustification only to this gospell And yf we wolde well looke vppon the matter The difference betwene the doctrine of Moyses Christ we shall perceiue greate difference betwene the doctrine of Moyses and Christ Moyses doth only shew sinne in that that he commauÌ„deth and forbiddeth those thinges whiche of myne owne power and strengthe I can nother doo nor leaue vndonne And yet dothe he gyue the holy ghost wherwith I myght doo that he wolde to be doone But Christe in his worde dothe graunte the holye ghoste that I maye freelye and willynglye do those thinges that bee both good and righteous yea and by the gospell hee gyuethe me remission of synne ryghteousnes inheritaunce the kyngedome of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe that without any my merites or desertes of his onlye grace and mercye And this can no man nor Moyses â—y their lawes do Neither doth Christ aske any thinge of vs again but that we kepe his his his worde I saye And how shuld it be kepte We must in our hartes heare it What it is to kepe the worde of God Mat. 10 receyue it and kepe it The world goeth about to take it from the wheÌ„ she bringeth the to the trust in thine owne workes But thou must be stroÌ„g bold and hardy and suffre not Christ and his word to be taken from the but receyue it into thy hart kepe it which if thou do thou shalt liue for euer althoughe thou caste of this corruptible bodye Mat. 22 Abraham with all the Prophetes bee deade but yet they lyue with god bycause they beleued in Christe which was before Abraham and dyd ascribe their righteousnes to hym And yf thou do not receaue his word thou shalte dye for euer But paraduenture thou wylt say againe Yt were good for a man to heare and beleue this word sauing that so many wise and holy menne haue resisted it But what is that to the Doest thou not know that Christ is set as a token that shal be of many spoken against Thou arte not better then he If the Iewes wolde haue stoned him to death for his doctrine and holsome sermons as this gospell sheweth vs then must not thou looke to bee safe and sure frome aduarsities but muste suffre as he dyd seynge the seruaunte is not aboue or more theÌ„ hys maister And to make an end In the only worde of Christ is gyuen vnto vs remission of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting lyfe yf we beleue therein and will in no wyse be pulled from it which I pray almighty god through Iesu Christ to graunte to vs foreuer Amen The gospell on Palme sondaye is the same whiche is before on the fyrst sonday of Aduent The gospell on Easter day Math. 28. And beholde there was a great earthquake For the aungell of the Lorde descended from heauen and came and rowled backe the stone from the dore and satte vppon it His countenance was lyke lyghtenyng and hys tayment white as snow And for feare of him the keepers were astonyed and became as dead men Mar. 16 Luc. 24 The angell answered said vnto the wemen Feare yt not for I know that ye seeke Iesus whych was crucified he is not here he is risen as he sayd Come se the place wher that the lord was laid go quickely and tel his disciples that he is risen agayne from the dead And behold he goeth before you into Galilee there ye shal se him Lo I haue tolde you THE EXPOSITION THe EuaÌ„gelistes haue with great diligence written of the resurrection of Christe The resurrectioÌ„ an article of fayth and not without great and euident causes For it is an article of great grauitie in the knowledging of our faith one of the chieffest 1 Cor. 15 to beleeue that Christ rose from death and is become the first frutes of theim that sleepe And that it is an article of great weight and not easy to be vnderstand in especiall of a fleshly man so many actes and ensamples in this history declareth it that further proofe or more euident declaracion doth not neede Ys it not written in the Gospell of S. Luke Luc. 24 of the women that when they had declared to the Apostels that which they had seene their wordes were counted as wordes of no reputation or treuth Dyd not Christ himselfe shew them before Luc. 18. that all that was written by the prophetes of the sonne of man shuld be fulfilled and that he shulde bee delyuered vnto that heithen and shuld be mocked and when they had scourged him that they shulde put hym to death that vppon the thyrd day he shuld rise againe Yet this notwithstondinge they didde not beleue but through seinge touching handelynge and finally through many wordes and greate miracles at the lane were brought vnto the fayth Yea the angell here was not beleued vntyll suche tyme that Christ himselfe came and confirmed the Apostels in the faithe Therfore this article of the resurrection is not so hard to be taken and vnderstanded but it is as needefull and necessery to oure iustification and saluacion For without we do comprehend and beleue this article we shall neuer be holly iust or blessed Rom. 4 And this proueth S. Paule to the Romaynes brilfely but with wordes of greate efficacy and power saying Christ was gyuen for our synnes and raised vp for our righteousnes Thorow the resurrection of Chryste we haue obteined the iustification of God Esai 53 Wherin he sheweth two thyngs Fyrst he ascribeth to the passioÌ„ death and blode of Christ remission of sinnes which vndoubtedly by none other worke or deseruing maye be taken awaye as Esai witnesseth He is wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednes Secondarylye he assigneth vnto the resurrection of Christ our iustificacion Wherout it doth folowe â—hat the death of Christ how profitable so euer it be profiteth me nothing except that the same sauiour â—nd my Lorde Iesu Christe had risen from deathe Therefore yf I desire to bee discharged and loused â—rome those synnes that do stirre and pricke me Howe a man shal be deliuerâ—d from synne so â—s it requisite and needefull that I beleue that to be doone allonly throughe the passion and death of our Lord Iesu Christ without any worke or deseruyng of man And furthermore If I be made righteous the same righteousnes is obtained through the resurrection of Christe Now seing that our saluacion commeth and is brought to passe throughe the death and resurrection of
Christe so is it verye necessary that I with a pure faith confidence do vnderstande and beleue it For very little profyt cometh of an historicall beliefe For the dyuell knoweth and beleueth it and yet it profiteth hym nothynge at all Ye howe mannye be there amongest vs that bee named Christian men which doo confesse and knowledge that Christe rose frome deathe and yet shal be damned Wee do confesse and knowledge the resurrection but the merites thereof we doo cleane take awaye and condemne Howe so Throughe trustinge in workes to the whyche wee ascribe ryghteousnes The and me hath God serued with his resurreccion And therefore yf thou wylte goe the highe waye and pull nothinge frome the merites of Christ thou must beleue not alonly that Christ dyed and rose agayne but that hee dyed and rose for the for the I saye and all synners dyd hee pleasure and seruice therewith For through hys deathe he tooke away thy sinnes and by his resurrection he hath iustified the. Yea throughe his resurrection hee entringe in his kyngedome myghtelye hathe declared that all power in heauen and in earthe is geuen vnto hym and also that he hath ouercome synne death hell and the diuell And finally that there is nothinge which is not subiect vnto him and that he as a Lord of heauen and earth mercifully keepeth and saueth his and maketh they in partakers of his kyngdom Only requiryng of vs that we beleue in hym and dye as concernynge our synnes and walke in a newe lyfe Vnto this pertaineth the syxte chapiter to the Romaines Rom. 6 in the which Paule toucheth this article of the resurrection very highely amongst other thinges sayeng Yf we be dead with Chryst we beleue that we shall lyue also with hym and are sure that Christ raysed from death dieth no more death shal haue no more power ouer him For as touchīg that he died he dyed concerning sinne once But as touching that he lyueth he lyueth vnto god Likewyse ye also count your selues to be euen deade as concernyng sinne and to lyue vnto God throughe Iesu Christe our lorde God serueth vs by hys aungels Secondaryly we se here in this gospell that for bicause this article of the resurrection is so harde of the flesh to be receiued how mercifully and meekly God through his aungell handeleth and intreateth the wemen that brought spices and anoyntementes to the sepulchre of the lorde playnlye and manifestly shewing by wordes and signes that his only son Christ was risen Who wold now I pray you dispair of suche a gentle and mercyful father which so patiently suffering our inftrmitie and so louingely exhortinge and instructing vs Whom wolde not this greate and inestimable charity prouoke to beleue The wemen that bought this anoyntment and came to anoynt Christ surely had an honest intente And their going and hasting to the sepulchre doth plainly shewe the hartye loue that they bare vnto Christe yet not withstanding they did it after a fleshely manner and vtterly withoute any righte faith For yf they had had faithe they wold haue remēbred the words that Christ spake howe that he shulde rise the thirde day and go before theym into Galile But these wordes they forgatte and prepared them selues to anoynte Christ Mat 2◠which was not commaunded vnto them to do But so mannes reason is ofte wonte to do The curiositye of men For it doth often that which it shulde not do and that whiche it shulde do it ouerpasseth and leaueth vndone In so muche that our lorde god to oppresse this curious rashnes and curiousnes Deut. 1◠commaundeth in the lawe that we shulde not do that that seemed to vs good Yet notwithstandyng so good is our god that he doth not for this curiosity and vnfaithfulnes reiect these wemen but through the aungel entyseth and leadeth them frō this carnall and fleshly seruing of god vnto his worde Which thinge is here doone after this manner When these good women went toward the sepulchre said one to an other Who shall roule vs the stone from the graue Lookyng backe they sawe that the stone was rouled awaye And they going into the sepulchre they saw a yong man sittyng on the ryght hand whych had a longe white garment vppon him and they were abasshed But he said vnto them Be not ye afrayd Ye seke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified he is risen he is not here Beholde the place where they layde hym c. Here mayst thou hear and se that god sent not his angell alonly to roule of the stone from the graue but moste chiefly to enforme and instructe the women and to manifest and shewe vnto them the glorious brightnes of his resurrection What the shininge vesture signifieth whych the angelicall shynyng vesture dyd signifye Here marke how diligently it is written here how and in what manner a man muste be iustified and saued First there is written howe the women were sore abashed Suche troblinge and abashing the preaching of the lawe bringeth forthe Rom. 3. when my sinnes thereby be made euident and playne Yea trewelye whome shuld it not make afraid so many commaundementes in the law enioyned to vs and are impossible of vs to be brought to passe or doone and yet neuertheles that sentence remaineth immutable Cursed is he that continueth not in all the wordes of the lawe Deu. 27 to doo them Nexte nowe foloweth the aungels who represent and signifye the preachers of the gospell with their comfort and consolacion Angeles are preachers saiyng Be not afraid O ioyfull and glad tidings that we shall not discomfort vs for our sinnes But frome whence commeth these ioyfull and mery tydinges From Christ our lorde which was delyuered for our sinnes rose for our iustificaciō With such preachinge of the resurrection the Aungell comforteth these wemen bringeth them in remembraunce of the wordes that they had afortyme hard of the resurrection Moreouer he doth confirme his words with a signe A signe whē he sheweth them the place where Christ was layd Do ye think that this was not a gentle way to instruct these women patiently to bear their infirmity by that meanes to make theym to beleue the resurrection Lyke as Christe thorow his aungels and miracles did instruct these women and the apostels so wil he likewise do dayly vnto vs through his word so we as obedient children obey and beleue his worde and seeke our saluacion none other where then alonly in the merits of Christe Thirdelye it foloweth nowe that the women were enioyned by the aungell to go and declare the rysynge of Christe not to the disciples allonlye but also in especiall to Petre Women becam apostelles which for the deniynge of the Lorde was in greate feare and heauines Here oute wee maye learne howe necessarye the preachinge of the resurrection is And contrarye wyse what a miserable calamitye it is where the glory of the resurrection is
commaundeth Thou wylte saye vnto me Why then is the lawe geuen and what is her office I aunswere with S. Paule Rom. 3. By the lawe commeth the knowledge of syn c. and for this pourpose shee serueth and is necessarye Shee bringeth me to the knowledge of imbecillitie and weakenes peruerse and frowarde nature synnes which canne throughe no worke be expelled dryuen away so than that I by that meanes am made the apter redyer to hear embrace the doctrine of Christ of the diuine grace goodnes Thirdely like as we haue had in this gospell a question partaininge to the lawe so wee haue here nowe an other question partaininge to the gospell After that an answere was giuen vnto the Pharisees according to their questioÌ„ which was the fyrst and greatest commaundement in the lawe Christe asked them again sayiÌ„g What think ye of Christ whose son is he They answere The son of Dauid Then Christ said vnto them How then did Dauid in spirite Ps â—09 call him lorde saying The lord sayd vnto my lorde Syt thou on my right hande c. Here were the pharisees taken at a baye how crafty or subtyle so euer they were And while they were ignoraunt therin knew not how Christ was the son and the lorde of Dauid they shewed them selfe to haue little vnderstanding in the mistery of the gospell And although the Pharisees had no vnderstaÌ„ding therin yet al they that will be counted christen men muste both know it and beleue it For what other thinge is the gospell then a swete and comfortable preaching of Christe the sonne of Dauid that hee for vs became man and came into the worlde to redeme saue vs through his death passion And the he is called as coÌ„cerning the flesh the son of Dauid Whose sonne Christ is is for the greate excellent promise that was made of Christ vnto Dauid So likewise we knowledgiÌ„g him to be the lord of Dauid we coÌ„fesse him to be very god man sent from the father into the worlde that by him we shulde be saued This so excellent a mistery is hidden from the Pharisees all that iustifie them selues but vnto vs that know worship the father in Christ Christ in the father it is plainly opened well knowen This preaching of Christ that he is the sonne and lord of Dauid agreeth wel with the question of the law The lawe openeth sin but it forgiueth not sinne for that high power is only giuen vnto Christ our lord the son of Dauid Also the lawe teacheth what we ought to do and forbere but she giueth not the spirite which canne do that the lawe commaundeth Wherfore ther belongeth besides the preaching of the lawe which doth humiliat vs the preaching of the sonne and lord of Dauid that is the goâ—pell which may pacifye our troubled consciences may giue vs the holy ghost to teach vs willyngly and for loue to do that thing that god requiret of vs. Which knowledg god the father graunt vs through Christ our lord Amen The ninetenth sonday after trinity sonday Mat. 9. HE entred also into a ship and passed ouer came into his owne citie And behold Mat. 2. Luc. 5. b they brought to him a man sick of the palsy lying in a bed And when Iesus sawe the faith of theÌ„ he sayd vnto the sick of the palsy Son be of good chere thy sinnes be forgyuen the. And behold certain of the scribes said within them selues this maÌ„ blasphameth And when Iesus sawe their thoughts he said Wherfore think ye euell in your harts Whether is easyer to say Thy synnes be forgiueÌ„ the or to say arise walk But that ye may know that the son of maÌ„ hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then saith he vnto the sick of the palsy Actu 3. and. 9. f Mar. 2. Luc. 5. c Ioh. 5. b Arise take vp thy bed and go vnto thine house And he arose and departed to his house But the people that saw it meruailed and gloryfied God which had giuen suche power vnto men THE EXPOSITION IN this gospel is haÌ„dled one of the most principal articles of our faith that is remission of sinnes Wolde god that we might learn vnderstand this article For it is a necessary thing for vs to know how our sinnes be forgiuen vs. Sin is a terrible word briÌ„ging with him euerlastiÌ„g damnacioÌ„ if we abide perseuer therin Furthermore sinne so highly displeaseth god that he wold not be pleased with no other satisfaccioÌ„ thaÌ„ with the passion death of his onli son Iesus Christe our lorde Moreouer ther is scarce ani other word that hath more coÌ„solation comfort in it theÌ„ remissioÌ„ of syns hath in especial if we knowe froÌ„ whence it coÌ„meth and how we may apprehende it The whiche thyng we may perceiue in this gospel They offered vnto Christ a maÌ„ sicke of the Palsey that he should heale him But what did Christ He knewe full well The disease of the soule that the disease of the soule was muche more dauÌ„gerous then the disease of the body And though he intended to heale take awaye the bodily disease of this man that had the palsey yet he did and brought to passe fyrst that whiche was more nedefull necessary afterward healed the body And that is the cause why he is called a physicion in the gospel because he doth chiefly take away the diseases of the soule as he sayth of him selfe The whole nede not the Physicion Mat. 9. but they that are sicke Christ of his mere grace for geueth synne Wherfore he sayd to the maÌ„ that had the Palsey My soÌ„ne be of a good chere thy synnes bee forgeuen thee Here thou hearest the name of synne and hearest also that ioyfull name of forgeuyng And if diligently thou wylte considre who it is that speaketh these thynges thou mayst lightly perceiue and fynde what he is that wyl forgeue vs our synnes so that we knowlege and confesse theim and desire grace we may perceiue I say that it is Iesus Christe oure Lorde to whom is graunted of God the father this power to forgeue synne as the Angell wytnesseth saiyng Mat. 1. He shall saue his people from their synne And as wee necessarily may note and marke here that remission of synnes is and commeth of mere grace by Christe without any deseruyng of woorkes so lykewyse it is to bee noted howe gentely and mercyfully Christ here in this place doth shewe him selfe This man that had the palsey prayeth and desireth onely for his bodily health and Christ healeth him both in body and soule yea and maketh him the sonne and heyre of God and sayth Sonne be of a good chere O vnspeakeable charitee whiche can not bee expressed O mercyfull and louyng Lorde can there be shewed greatter grace to this maÌ„ that had the Palsey The sinnes are two maner of wayes forgeueÌ„ Esa 34 But
nor the thinge that is holy Mat. 7 may not be cast before him but only must it be communicate to those that despair of their owne workes and strengthes that knowledg that they need the help and comfort of Christ We beleue rem ssion of sins Therfore also we confesse in our Crede that ther is forgiuenes of sins which we must needs beleue Now if we obtain remission of sinnes by the sheding of the blud of Christ as the blud flowing from hys syde testifyeth where is then the bragging of our workes wher ar our merites They are shut out excluded by the deathe passion of Christ Note how workes are cōcluded not that good works ought not to be doone but that they may not be ioyned with iustification which onli cometh by faith We muste in this behalfe giue Christe his own honor wholy perfectly apprehend his merite by faith so shall it come to passe that neyther synne nor death nor dyuel nor hel shal hurte the. And those good workes the fayth doth as in deed it ought to do good woorkes take them as frutes of fayth wherby the faith and sure trust of our hearts toward god is declared In like maner the water The water that flowed frō Christs syde declareth that Christe after his resurreccion would send his holy spirit that water of life wher with it is nedeful that the heartes of all the elect be purifyed And of this water dyd all the Prophetes prophecye especially Esaias when he sayd Esa 44 I wyll power water vpō the thyrsty streames vpō the dry ground I will power my spirit vpō thy seede my blessyng vpon thy braunche and they shall spryng burgenyng among the herbes as the salowes that grewe by the syde of the ryuer Accordyng to this Christ also crieth in the gospel of S. Ihon Who so thursteth let him come to me drynke Ioh. 7. He that beleueth on me as the scripture sayth stremes of water of life shall flowe out frō his belly And the Euāgelist himself expoūdeth this shewyng that it is ment of the holy gost for he sayth This spake Iesus of the spirit which those that beleue in him should receiue Christ loueth vs. He then that hath by theffusion of his most precious bloud obtayned for vs remission of all our synnes deliuered vs frō eternal death reconciled vs into the fauor of god his father that wtout any of our merites or deseruinges also hath promised to sēd his holy ghost whiche maye leede our heartes into the knowledge fayth of God thynke you he dothe not very heartely loue vs would our welfare Nowe seyng that he thus heartely wylleth oure welfare why should we not beleue in him why should we not acknowledge this so great loue Yet are there mē foūd the more pitie it is that ascribe more to their own merites then to Christ and therfore they cannot be thākeful whō doubtles at that day Christ shal therfore punishe according to their owne deseruynges Thirdly we haue here described who they were that buried Christ with what reuerence his dead body was brought vnto the earth Some man perchance would meruaile that Ioseph Nicodemus nowe dare aske of Pylate the deade bodye of Iesu whiche yet when Iesus lyued they durst not come at him The death of Christe begynning to conquer scant by night But nowe the frutes and vtility of Christes passion somwhat openeth it self she winge what shulde ensue the passion and deathe of Christ when a litle and a litle it comech to mennes knowledg both what manner a man Christ is and also how innocently and vndeseruedly he was persecuted by the Iewes condemned vnto the crosse And these two doubtles came after the true knowledge of god and his sonne Iesu Christ which now so manifestly do this humanitie vnto Christ contemned and crucified hauinge no respect that hee was so hated of the Iewes For that they here do it cometh of an imperfecte faith for they were yet far from the perfection that Paul speaketh of Rom. 1 saying I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of god vnto saluacion to euery man that beleueth But that they exhibited to Christ such reuerence honor that thei take him doune from the crosse and enbalmed hym with Myrre and Aloe with such spice they winde vp his body laye it gloriously in the sepulture it is an humane and gentle affection done according to the custome of the Iewes The estimation of the worlde of Christes deth sepulchre Deu. 21 And here note howe the deathe and sepulture of Christe is esteemed afore the worlde bothe his death and buriall are ignominious and shamefull For it is written in the lawe He is accursed that hāgeth vpon a tree Besydes this the blynde Iewes had none other opinion of Christ neither by his life nor in his death as it is euident vnto this day But before God this death buryall is honest and precious as also it is estemed amōg al that beleue whiche know assuredly that by that dispised death the beleuers are delyuered from synne death deuil and hel Doth not S. Paule say often tyme 1. Cor. 2 I haue knowen no man but Christ and euen the same that was crucifyed And this is an vndoubted trueth Note this earnestly gentle reader take awaye this contemptible death and buryal of Christ and you shal perceyue that all men must be compelled to dispayre and to fall into the daunger of the deuil On the other part set before your eyes the passion death and buryal of Christ apprehendyng them by true fayth as most precious iewels deuine treasures done for thee and thou shalt fynd thy cōscience able to resyst against all the assaultes of Sathan and also of synne And as Ioseph and Nycodemus by fayth shewed this humanitee vnto Christ so endeuor thy selfe by fayth that vnto sinne thou may bee dead buryed with Christ Rom. 6. and after agayne ryse through fayth with him For surely this pleaseth Christ and is necessary and very profytable vnto thy saluacion Fourthly we see howe contemtuously Pylate delyuereth Christ to be buryed forsyng not for him nothyng regardyng that he should ryse agayne the thyrd day The sentence of Infidels In this mynde are al the enemyes of the gospel and truth of God When they haue slayne the ministers of the worde then they thynke all thyng very well safe and all whyst as they would haue it Exo. 1.2.3 Euen so did Pharao with intollerable burthens oppresse the chyldren of Israel thynkyng by that meanes to stoppe the ordynaunce of God that the Israelites should not so much growe and increase but the more they were oppressed so muche more they grewe and multiplyed and at the laste by his owne crueltee he was his owne destruccion Euen so chaunsed it to Pylate and
that the gospel is preached in vaine yet must we beleue that amongest so great a company of misbelieuers God hath some elect that gladly here his worde and kepe the same although as we haue saide the numbre of those be very small The sonday called Quinquagesima Luc. 18. IEsus toke vnto hym the twelue sayd vnto them Mat 18. Mar. 8.9 d 10. Luc. 9. c and. 17 Behold we go vp to Ierusalem and all shal be fulfilled that are written by the prophetes of the sonne of man For he shal be delyuered vnto the gentyls and shal be mocked and despitefully intreated and spitted on and when they haue scourged hym they wyll put hym to death and the thyrd day he shal arise again And they vnderstode none of these thinges And this saying was hyd from them so that they perceaued not the thinges which wer spokē Mat 16 17. b Mar. 9. Luc. 2. g and. 9. f Mat 20 Mar. 11 And it came to passe that as he was come nighe vnto Hierico a certain blind man sate by the way side begging And when he herd the people passe by he asked what it ment And they sayd vnto him that Iesus of Nazareth passed vi And he cried sayīg Iesu the son of Dauid haue merci on me And they which wēt before rebuked him that he shuld hold his peace But he cryed so much the more Mar 10 thou son of Dauid haue merci on me And Iesus stode stil cōmaūded hī to be brought vnto hī And whē he was cum neare he asked him saying What wilt thou that I do vnto the And he said lorde that I may receaue my syght And Iesus saide vnto hym receaue thy sighte thy fayth hath saued the. And immediatly he receaued hys syghte and folowed him and praysed God And all the people when they sawe it gaue prayse vnto God THE EXPOSITION The passion of Christe is oft rehersed IT is not without great cause that Christ so often times did shew and speake to his disci-disciples of his passion and death that was to come and that not onli in the gospel of this day but also in diuerse other places And to let passe the other euangelists I pray you how often times is it spoken of in the gospell of S. Iohn Ouerlooke the same euangelist through out from the beginning to the ende and thou shalt finde that the same faithful teacher Christ with all diligence did instruct strength his Apostels against the slaunder of the crosse Wherefore we shulde considre the same and marke wherfore Christe did it and why he made so many wordes thereof to his disciples First yt is manifest very plain that our nature flesh when it is not inlyghtened by the holy ghost cannot abide stedfast in time of persecution The fleshe hath persecution for the fleshe loueth herselfe and bitterly hateth persecution and deliteth more in long and mery dayes thē to abide trouble and vexacion with a quiet mynd As Nicodemus when he came in the night to Christ for feare of the Iewes Mat. 20 hard by and by of him these wordes That that is borne of the fleshe is fleshe And although the children of Zebedeus said Mat. 10 they coulde drinke of the cuppe that Christ shuld drink of And Peter also might well say Luc. 22. that he was readye euen to dye with Christ yet without the holye ghost it is impossible and is a highe presumption so to say And seinge that oure Lorde Iesu Christe knew very well the same frailenes of the fleshe not only in his disciples but in vs all he vseth the office of a good and faithfull maister and instructeth vs with the wholsome doctrine of the word of God againste persecution to come that when it shulde come vppon vs wee shulde be ready and not dispaire As thoughe he shulde saye I knowe verye well that yt is harde for a manne to stande styflye in persecution and to suffer all aduersities wyth a pacient minde but the prophecy muste needes bee fulfilled of me Doth not Zacharias say of me Zac. 13. I wyll stryke the shepeherde and all the flocke shal be sparsed abroad Wherfore now I shew you before bycause it muste needes bee that when so euer it shal be done you maye remember this and not bee offended therewith but rather beleue that it is my fathers wyll in heauen which will delyuer you through my death from sinne death the diuel and hell And although I shal dye the vylest death yet wyll I rise the third day and comforte you Thou seyste here how Christe comforteth his Apostelles whereby they may learne to haue respecte only to the good wyll of god in all tribulacions In necessities we muste haue respecte to the good wyl of God And this was not only done for the apostels sake but for vs also to learne and folowe the same In persecution and tribulacion we may not think that the wicked be as fierse in crueltye towarde vs as the Iewes were in persecuting Christ euen to very death but we muste looke to the good and mercyfull wyll of God the father whose will is that we for his sake shuld be dispised suffre persecution in this world The vse profite of the passion of Christe Secondaryly Christes intent is to shew in this gospel the vse profit of his passion in that that he saieth Al thinges shal be fulfilled that be writtē by the prophets of the son of man Yf then it be necessary that al these thinges must be done trewlye ther is no small profite hid vnder this passion And this profit doth S. Paul very cūningly shew vnto vs Cap. 5. in his epistle to the Romaines saiyng Lyke as by the synne of one condemnacion came on al men so also by the righteousnes of one came iustificacion of lyfe vppon all men And in this place Sainte Paule conferreth Adame and Christ together Adam Christe and sheweth what we haue obteyned at both their handes of Adam we receiue deathe and of Christe lyfe Adam by synne brought in death and Christ with his death hath chaunged death into lyfe By the fall of Adam and his disobedience we are made the children of the deuel and by Christ we ar made the children of God For Christe onlye for vs hath broken the hedde of the serpent Gen. 3. that is the diuell Well then is not this a wonderfull profite of the passion of Christ that through the same we be receyued into fauoure And is it not to be taken as a greate benefite that hereafter by the passion and death of Christe we shall no more be the children of the diuel but the children of god And hereto pertayneth all that is saide of the passion of Christe in the 53. chapter of Esaias and the 13. chapiter of Oseas It is very necessary that the ministers of the worde of God Harken well do diligently
of wordly and transitorye thinges that they sette by nothinge els nor bee mortyfied to the worlde and their concupiscence do in no wise appertain to the kyngedome of Christe but to the kingdome of the diuel For what so euer it be that I put my hole truste in besides god or do prefer and loue it more then god verely of the same I make to me an ydol And yf my harte be fully fixed vnto yt What is the worshippe of the diuel and is giuen to honour voluptuousnes riches power of the world or any such other like thing then be those thinges my ydoll and in them I worship the deuell Yea to be more plaine with you yf I outwardly shuld be good and honest and wolde accompte the same outewarde goodnes for righteousnesse before god then trewly shulde the same be myne Idoll as Esaias witnesseth sayinge Esai 2. They haue woshipped the workes of their owne handes And saynte Augustine saieth My God is my loue I praye you what is it els to loue creatures aboue god then to worship the deuell But herken here now greately this ydolatry and blasphemy displeaseth god Get the hence saieth he thou Sathan these thy suggestions can not be borne or suffered of any good hart for it is written Deut. â— Thou shalte worship thy lord god and him onlye shalte thou serue Lo in this wyse is the deuell no we thryse ouercome and driuen awaye of Christe onlye by the worde of god Nowe as it is necessary for vs throughe Christe to ouercome all temptacions the worlde synne death and the deuell so muste we also be wel instructed streÌ„gthned with the word of god wherein is promised to vs both comforte and helpe in our Lord Iesu Christe And if we bee not with this swearde of spirite which is the word of god wel armered then doughteles wil he bring vs out of the right way and lead vs about so loÌ„g vntil he bring vs into his snares and so entangle vs that we may scarsely get out agayne from the which I besech god the father of his greate goodnes and mercy to kepe and preserue vs throughe his sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ Amen The seconde sonday in Lent Math. 15. ANd Iesus went thence and departed into the coastes of Tyrie and Sydon and behold a woman of Canaan which came out of the same coastes cryed vnto hym saiyng Haue mercy on me O lorde thou sonne of Dauid My doughter is piteously vexed wyth a deuel But he answered her nothyng at all And hys disciples came and besought hym saying Send her away for she crieth after vs. But he answered and sayde I am not sente Luc. 19. but vnto the loste sheepe of the house of Israell Then came she and worshipped hym saying Lord helpe me He answered and sayd It is not meere to take the chyldrens breade and to caste it to dogges She answered and sayd Truth lorde forthe dogges eate of the crummes which fall from theyr maysters table Then Iesus answered and sayde vnto her O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto the euen as thou wylte And her doughter was made whole euen at that same tyme. THE EXPOSITION An exauÌ„ple of â—aithe the calliÌ„g of the heitheÌ„ FYrste of all this gospell layeth before vs an example of faith in the womaÌ„ of Chanane and sheweth vs also that the Gentils and Heithen shal be called to the knoweledg of faith Rom. 1. A trew and perfite faith is nothyng else but to know that Christe is the lorde and the son of Dauid For yf I knowledg him as lorde then do I also beleue that he is naturally the very sonne of God yea and god himselfe Moreouer God the father of heaueÌ„ wyl not be knowen in any other but in this Christe as S. Iohn witnesseth in the 14. chapter sayinge He that seeth me seeth my father And also in this wise to call Christe the lorde is not so small a trifle as yt semeth to the worlde but trewly it is the worke of the holy ghost as S. Paule saith 1. Co. 1â— No man canne say that Iesus is the lorde but through the holye ghoste And when I knowledg Christ to be the son of Dauyd then muste I beleue that he came into this worlde for my sake And that he was gyuen to me with all his goodnes merites passion death that by hym delyuered from sinne I may be made the sonne and heyre of al the goodnes of god Gen. 22 Psa 131 as do clearely declare the promises made to Abraham Dauyd Suche a fayth had this woman of Cananee although she had it not of her selfe but bicause she herde of Christ and of her suche hearinge she receaued faith Fyrste she knowledged Christ to be the lorde whych had power seyng he was god to delyuer his doughter from the vexacion of the deuell And therefore she put all her truste in him as one that coulde and wold help Or else I pray you why wolde she folowe him and make exclamacion yf she had not beleued that Yt must needes be that this woman had a trew and perfect fayth in Christ and loked for all manner of goodnesse of hym The property of saythe Secondarely it foloweth now what the nature and property of faith is namely in all temptacion and affliction to seeke remedy and help none other wher but at God through Christ For the faith that we haue spoken of before dyd prouoke the woman to drawe neare to Christ to open her necessitye and griefe and to call for his grace and helpe But what doth Christe here The faithe of the woman dothe not dysplease hym although shee was no woman of Israel Ioh. 10 but a Gentile for he wolde also bringe them into his flocke Yet bycause the womans faythe shoulde bee proued and made more cleare Chryste kepte scilence and gaue none aunswere to her fyrste peticion And what thinke ye that the woman thoughte in her mynde then Do ye not beleue that shee was heauye and sadde But yet she remembreth the great humanitye of Christ that she had harde so much commended And she dyd not forgette the benefites that he had gyuen to men of his great goodnes vnmocicioned or desyred And therfore she departed not at the first check nor did dispair of hir doughters helpe but stiffely sticketh to him and craueth for a gentel and meeke aunswere And in the meane tyme thappostels come and intreate for her sayinge Lorde sende her awaye for shee excedingelye crâ—eth after vs. But what doth Christ nowe Doth he graunte to the woman her desyre No but semeth to continewe still in his firste mynde that all men woulde iudge that he woulde not helpe her at all But why do wee not briefelye shewe what was hys aunswere I am not sente sayeth he but to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel By these words he seemeth in a manner to conclude as though it were not
adultery in an other man it is necessarye that I be fautles thereof my selfe And when I shal speake against surfeting and dronkennes then muste not I my selfe be a glotton And yf I shal rebuke theft then must I beware least I my selfe at any tyme be accused of thefte Or else S. Paule geueth me a check in his Epistle to the Rom. saying Rom. 2. Loke wherin thou iudgest an other man thou condemnest thy selfe in so much that thou that iudgest doest euen the same And more ouer the holy ghost shall sende suche an other lyke songe into mine eares saiyng Wherfore doest thou shew abrode my rightousnes and hast my testament in thy mouth Psal 49 thou hatest my doctrine and doest cast my saiyngs behind the When thou sawest a thefe thou rannest wyth hym and with adulterers thou haddest thy portion And very trewth it is that before god we be all sinners vncleane and must therefore continually aske forgiuenes for our dayly fautes yet must the outward conuersacion of a christian man be vnreprouable chiefly of hym that preacheth the word of god least the enemies of the word 1 Tim. 3 through our vnhonest conuersacion may take occasion not only to slaunder but also to persecute the gospell Secondarely Wee shuld not be ignorante of Christes gospell Christe dothe commende his doctrine as it which is the very trewthe and therein hee signifieth againe that the Iewes withoute annye cause or mattier dothe reiecte hys doctrine seinge he teacheth nothynge else but the playne trewth receaued of hys heauenlye father And where as before he withstode the Iewes with his most pure and vncleane lyfe nowe doth he obiecte vnto them his doctrine whiche trewlye came from his father in heauen and not as the Iewes dyd lye and faine from the diuell But and yf the preacheâ— can not do this what shall he do He must needes be assured of the doctrine that it is of God howe so euer his lyfe be For through false doctrine many be brought to the diuell My vncleane lyfe condemneth no man but my selfe Wherfore if I shuld needes chuse one of the two and might none other wise bee I had leuer haue an vnchrifte to my teacher and preacher that woulde instructe me in the right and trew doctrine then a good and deuoute man that wolde leade me frome the worde of god to mennes tradicions and hypocrisye of workes And therein Christe agreeth with me when he sayeth that we shuld heare them that syt in Moyses chayre that is Mat. 23 those that teache the worde of god as Moyses dyd but we shulde not do accordinge to theyr workes Here he dothe reiecte the euell workes of the preacher and not his doctryne whiche is of god Wherefore thinke you dyd Paule reioyse so much Gal. 1. that he had receyued his gospell and preaching by the reuelacion of Iesu Christ Dougheteles he wolde the Iewes to vnderstande that the doctrine he taughte was not his but gods Now seing we be assertained that the doctrine is not ours but goddes we muste with all diligence study and endeuour to defende and knowledg the same against all aduersaries and slaunderers thereof euen to blodde shod and death as in this place Christ defendid al that was laid against his doctrine and that he was not possessed of a dyuell nor dyd speake any thinge through the dyuell And as much as touched his personage he let passe and medled not there with Therefore we muste be assured of oure doctrine that we receyue teache or preache nothinge els but that is very trewthe As Christ also saith of his fathers doctrine Ioh. 12. Thy word is trewth Thirdely Whye the Iewes wold not hear the worde of God Christ sheweth a reason in this gospel why the Iewes can not heare the worde of god and beleue him saying He that is of God heareth the worde of God and bycause ye be not of God therefore ye hear not his word Se here what great difference in as much as concerneth iustificacion is betwene the iudgement of the flesh and the iudgement of Christ The Iewes iudged this that seing they came of the seede of Abraham and the patryarkes and that they had circumcision therfore they muste needes be goddes people and children But how doth Christ iudge he saithe They be not of Abraham nor of the Patriarkes but the children of the diuell And that he proueth on this wise Bicause thei do not hear the word of god beleue it as Abraham dyd but doth rather despise set at naught and persecute the same Wher is now the boasting pryde and arrogancy of the Iewes what preuailet now their circumcision Or what helpeth it theÌ„ to be vnder the lawe and borne of the fathers Verely all is not worth a strawe neither is there lefte any hope at al We muste hear goddes word yf the word of god be not heard and stedfastly beleued No nor Abraham himselfe shuld haue byn numbered amongest the children of god excepte he had receiued the word of god and beleued the same as it is witnessed in scripture Abraham beleued in God and that was accompted to hym for righteousnes Ioh. 17 Moreouer scripture saith There is none other way to saluacion but to beleue in hym whome God hath sente into this worlde If nowe thou wylte knowe the children of God Howe the children of God are knoweÌ„ froÌ„ the children of the dyuell frome the children of the diuell marke this The dyuels children can by no meanes abyde or heare Goddes worde howe good iuste and holly so euer they apeare or seeme to vs. They will not haue theyr workes reiected and condemned although thei deserue none other but condemnacioÌ„ The chyldren of God do willyngly heare goddes word and receiue it in theyr hartes and beleue it considering that all theyr felicity and saluacion is set therin The power of Goddes worde Fourthly this gospell declareth vnto vs the power of the worde of god in that that Christ sayeth If a man keepe my worde he shall neuer se deathe that hath he confirmed with an oth And thinkest thou that that pleased the Iewes No no bycause they ascribed his doctrine to the diuell before they coulde in no wise be pleased with such a noble commendacion of his doctrine but were thereby the more steryd to enuye and hatred And lette them be angrye as long as they wyll Christe neuerthelesse goeth forth and ceaseth not to say the treuth howe wrothe so euer they be Therefore we seâ—tynge all mennes wrothe apart shall considre of this texte what our heauenly father by the words of hys welbeloued sone Iesu Christ wyll worke in them that hear beleue the same he saith They shall neuer se death O the excelent noble power of gods word From Adame by ryght inheritaunce Deathe through Adam Rom. 5. we tooke our damnacion and death so that no man in the world by any his works
not knowen For the apostels which were in so great heuines feare of death for their synne coulde by none other means receiue comfort tranquilitie of conscience then by hearing the tidinges of the resurrection of Christ And who can deny that they yf thei had ben demaūded as he was had not al don as Peter did Did thei not forsake Christ Fled not thei frō him If they fled then dyd they sinne Ma◠26 after the sayinge of Christe This nyghte shall yee all bee offended in me For he that is offended in Christe must nedes syn Mat. 11 for it is written Blessed is he that is not offended in me Then go to If ther was syn so was there likewise feare and panges of deathe So that it is necessarye that these troubled consciences muste needes receyue comforte throughe the preachinge of the passion and resurrection of Iesus Christe As if the aungell shulde speake to the women Get you hence shortely to the troubled apostels and saye vnto them Christe is a conquerer ouer sinne hell and the diuell Moreouer byd them be of a good chear for Christ is risen frō death the prophecy of Oseas is fulfilled saying Death is swallowed vp in victory Ose 31. Deathe where is this stinge Hel wher is thy victory Tel them also that Christ himselfe wil go before them into Galilee wher they shall see him and haue these things declared of him and that they plucke vp their hartes and doubte not of his resurrection On this wise doth the aungell teache the women to preach instructing them what they shulde saye to the apostels Marke howe that at priestly officeis here inioyned to the women But who did consecrate them Priestes the byshoppe of Rome No. Who then God throughe his sonne Christ oure Bysshop For who so euer beleueth in Christe All Christian mē bee preestes 1. Pet. 2 and throughe hys worde hath receiued the holy ghoste pertayneth to those people and flocke of the which S. Peter speketh without any difference of kindes be they men or women saieng Ye are that chosen generacion that kingely preesthod that holy nacion that peculier people that ye shulde shew the vertues of him whiche hath called you oute of darkenes into hys meruailous lyght Luc. 2. Dyd not Anna the prophetisse exercise this priestely office Dydde not the foure doughters of Phylip prophecy Act. 12. And as touchinge that 2 Co. 14 S. Paule doth not permit a womā to speake in the congregacion thereout it doth not folowe that it is not laufull for women to confesse Christ but that euery thinge shulde be doone in good ordre For it is meete and conueniente for women to holde their peace when men be present that exerciseth the office of teachinge But if suche menne shulde faile who wolde forbidde women to teache For suerly the aungell that commaunded the resurrection to be declared to the apostels by the womē was no foole Finally we altogether whether we be men or women must confesse that we be regenerate into a liuinge hope through the resurrection of Christ Iesu from death For in this confession and knowledge as S. Peter saith consisteth and standeth our iustifieng and saluacion 1 Pet. 1. The fyrste sondaye after Easter Iohn 20. THe same day at nyghte Luc. 24 whyche was the fyrste day of the Sabathes when the dotes were shut wher the disciples were assēbled togyther for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the middest and sayth vnto them Peace be vnto you And when he had so sayde he sheweth vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad when they saw the lord Thē said Iesus to them againe Peace be vnto you As the father Esa 61 Mat. 11 Luc. 4. Io. 17. sent me euen so send I you also And when he had sayd those words he breathed on them and sayd vnto thē Because the holy ghost Whose so euer synnes ye remitte they are remitted vnto thē And whose soeuers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned THE EXPOSITION The weakenes of the disciples FYrste of all here we maye marke and se an exaumple of incredulitie in the apostles and howe meekely Christ suffereth their imbecility and weakenes and dothe not straight wayes caste them of The women shewed them that Christ was risen from death and that it was shewed and tolde them by the aungel Luc. 24 but as S. Luke witnesseth they toke their wordes for a iest and dyd not beleue them Yet this notwithstanding at the hearyng of it they were gathered togither But howe Very priuely and with the dores shutte Why so For fear of the Iewes The fear of the disciples Lo behold and marke here ye haue excellently set forth the power and myghte of the fleshe For the Apostles thoughe the women hadde shewed theym yet dyd not they beleue that Christ was risen from death Moreouer they were stryken with so great feare that they gathered togither priuely and ther abode with the dores shut to theim Whoe dare nowe be so bolde as to saye that the fleshe can do any thinge in thinges pertayning to our iustifiyng They that be after the flesh are fleshly minded Rom. 8. as Paule witnesseth Nowe if a fleshly man be fleshly minded he can not lyghtly beleue in Christ which rose from death was the first of the dead that rose as the same S. Paule likewise declareth in the actes of the Apostles Act. 26. And in this poynt must the holy ghost worke For when he thorough the word is giuen vs hath made vs newe creatures then shall we no more feare men as the apostles here do but we shall feare god not as a seruaūt feareth his maister but as the welbeloued son whiche diligently will take heede and beware that he doth not that thing that shal prouoke his father that is in heauen to angre Such feare doth Christ teache vs saiyng Mat. 10 Feare not theim that kylle the body but rathet feare him that hath power to kyll both body and sowle for euer Boldnes of theim that hee lightned with the holy ghost Actu 5. Surely all they that be lightened with the holy spirite ar bold do wtout any feare persist and perseuere in the knowledging of the trewth and the gospell Yea very then when they suffre and are rebuked for the truth of the gospelles sake as the Apostels did as the actes of the Apostels witnesseth They departed from the presence of the counsaile reioysing that they were worthye to suffre rebuke for his names sake Nowe bycause that the apostles had not so greate strengthe and faith Christe cometh and appeareth commending and announcynge his peace vnto them And also giueth them his holy ghoste which afterwarde vppon Witsondaye shulde be confirmed in theyr hartes that nothinge shulde be lefte behinde wher throughe theyr faythe myghte bee increased The increduliti of Thō Here wee muste needes bringe in saincte
Thomas wyth his incredulitie which wolde not beleue vnto suche tyme he saw and felte How goodly I pray you did he take heed vnto Christs wordes kepe in remembrance that Christ had said namely that he shuld be delyuered vnto the Gentiles Luc. 18. they shuld mock him put him to death that the third day he shuld rise Yet neuertheles Christ did him lyke seruice as he did the other For eight daies after he came saide vnto Thomas Ioh. 20 Reache hither thy hand and put it in my syde and be not vnfaithfull but beleue Here is the hart of Thomas opened so that he crieth out and saith My lord my god Out of all these thingê it must needs folow The corruptnes of the flesh that we concerniÌ„g our nature and kind ar euell and very mischieuous and euer prone to incredulitie and misbeliefe and that wee cannot with our owne power attaine vnto faith except through the word of god the holy ghoste be geuen vs and that he lykewise as Christe serued the Apostels maye serue and asiste vs also Frute of the resurrection Secondarily we haue in this gospel the frute commoditie of the resurrection that is to say peace and tranquility of our consciences which is heâ— thre times pronouÌ„ced to the Apostels To haue peace Peace with god is no other thing then to beleue the Christe died for vs and rose from death for our iustificacioÌ„ in so much that nowe sin can neither accuse vs nor condemne vs. But who giueth suche peace Christ oure lorde Whereby By his worde in the which the merite of his passion and resurrection is freely offred gyuen vnto vs. Likewise in the same word the holly ghoste is giuen vnto vs which worketh faith in vs whiche faith comprehendeth the mercy of god in Christ and to Christ shee casteth vp hyr eyen in hym shee putteth hyr truste and confydence and finallye shee knoweth all her synnes to be forgyuen by Christe Wherefore then shulde not the conscience haue peace If she knewe and tooke God firste for a straight iudge now she knoweth him and taketh him for a louing and mercifull father that mercifully wyll defende and saue her and that by Christ This peace doth S. Paul praise and wisheth to all christian menne when he writeth in his epistles Grace peace Grace and peace from God the father and frome oure lorde Iesu Christe By grace yf we do beleue we obteine remissioÌ„ of sines whom the peace aforesaide foloweth Where oute marke that they that intende to obteine remission with their workes haue not this peace as witnesseth scripture The wicked meÌ„ haue no peace Esa 45 saith the lorde But how maye this be Bicause they go aboute to obteine remission peace with God thorow deseruing of workes which is vnpossible So longe as no man can do so muche as he is bounde for to do so long must he needs doubte be vncertayne whether he please be acceptable vnto God or no. And in so doubtyng I pray the Where doubt is cannot be a pacefied coÌ„science Rom. 5. 2 Tes 4 The sendynge of the apostels how can thy harte and conscience be pacefied and at reste when thou arte doubtefull whether thy sinnes be forgiuen the or no Wherefore it is faithe that getteth this peace whiche cleaueth and hangeth to the resurrection of Christe and not to deseruing of workes Thirdely and last of all here we may se and coÌ„sidre in what manner of wise the apostels were sent forth to preache the gospell As the father sente me saith Christe so doo I sende you But howe was Christ sente That he shulde preach repentaunce remission of sinne That selfe same preachinge for as much as it is contrari to our reasoÌ„ and capacity which alwayes trusteth in the deseruinge of oure workes did so stirre vp against Christe all Ierusalem and Iewry that they named not him all only a false deceiuer of the people and possessed with a diuell but also after so greate benefites doone vnto theym moste dispitefully crucified him and put him to deathe Neuertheles yet muste we confesse that this poore dispised scourged and crucifyed Christe had auctoritie and power of the father to forgiue sinne Luc. 14 After this manner wise also are the apostles sent forth that in the name of Christ they shulde preach repentaunce and remission of sinnes to all people Luc. 22. beginnyng at Ierusalem c. Further more that they shulde haue lykewise power also as Christe had That is to saye power throughe the word to forgiue and retayne sinnes Also as Christ was dispised persecuted that they euen so shuld of the worlde be dispised and persecuted But thou wilte saye Can the priest torgiue sinne Doeth not that al only pertayn vnto god I aunswere Truth it is that through Christ we haue remission of sinne yet notwithstanding ther must ministers be in this busines by whome this precious treasure must be published opened and distributed The minister of the gospell as concernynge his owne power doth not forgiue sinne but through the commission and worde of Christe Who doth forgiue syn Therefore when thou heareste the gospell out of the mouthe of the preacher and beleuest the worde whether it be openly or priuately ministred thy sinnes be forgiuen the. And thou hast not here respect vnto the persone that denounseth the remission of sinnes but vnto the commaundement and word of Christ The coÌ„maundemente word of Chryste forgyueth sin And thou doest not here receyue and heare the preacher but Christ himselfe as he saith He that receiueth you receaueth me And although the precher be he the aloÌ„ly with the mouth absolueth the declareth and promiseth the remission of sinnes through the worde yet Christe is he that fulfilleth it which hath committed this thing to the minister here to be done with his word Here to pertaineth that Christe faithe Whose sinnes so euer you remitte they are remitted vnto them And whose sinnes so euer ye retaine they are retayned With the which wordes he declareth him selfe how in what maner shuld be vnderstande the promise made vnto Peter Mat. 16 Peter in the persoÌ„ steed of all the apostels saide Thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuinge God Lykewise in the persone of Peter was gyuen power to all the Apostelles to open and shutte heauen which thinge so to bee is here by this gospell manifest and playne Fynally the Apostelles are sence to preache repentaunce and to forgyue synnes and that not of theym selues but by the power of Christe and by his worde The seconde sonday after Easter Iohn 10. I Am Eze. 24 Mic. 4 the good shepehard A good shepeherd geueth his lyfe for the sheepe An hyred seruaunte and he which is not the shepeharde neyther the sheepe are hys owne seeth the wolfe commynge and leaueth the sheepe and flyeth and the wolfe catcheth and scattereth the shepe
the grace and mercy of the gospell that the church gathered of the gentyles and of the Iewes shal be made one flocke and haue one shepeharde But here marke and take hede in what manner this callyng shal be Christe alone must bringe it to passe and performe yt as he saithe I haue yet other shepe that be not of this folde and those same must I bring also c. Christe muste bringe the gentils whereout it foloweth necessarily that the gentiles of them selues without they be brought by Christe can not come And yf they can not come of them selues it is manifest and playne that we throughe grace and mercye be iustified and saued as saith S. Paule By grace are you saued throughe faythe Ephe. 2. and that not of your selues for it is the gifte of god not of workes least any man shulde boaste him selfe Now yf we are called to righteousnes and euerlasting lyfe by grace why do we then boast vs of oure workes Whervnto is now free wil become why do not you leaue Christe his honoure Wylte thou become a thefe and priuily steale awaye christes honour Is it not sufficient that the pharisies those glorifiers in workes are called theues If ye are wyse take counsayle with the scripture and beleue the same if ye will be saued which saith No man knoweth the father Ioh. 14 but the sonne and to whome the sonne wil reuele it .. Marke diligently that he saith To whō the sonne wyl reuele it And in this gospell he saith also I I I my selfe muste bringe them When Christe doth bringe vs through his word and spirite then do we heare his voyce then do we willingly obey him and mortefie the old Adame in vs. To make shorte we lyue according to goddes will and pleasure Some there be that suppose that by this sentence Ther shalhe one flocke and one shepard is promised through out all the worlde Vnity concord in the doctrine of Christs faythe is not to be loked for vnitie and concorde in the doctrine and faithe of Christe but they be deceyued For this saiyng is fulfilled when both the Iews and gentyles are called by the word of god into the communion of one churche And in th ende of the worlde finally it shal be fulfilled when the faithfull as well of the Iewes as of the gentiles shal be disseuered diuided from the kiddes that is frome the vnfaithfull and taken into the kingdome of Christe Whiche God the father graunt vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The thirde sonday after Easter Ioh. 16 AFter a whyle ye shal not se me Ioh. 7. agayne after a whyle ye shal se me for I go to the father Thē sayde some of hys dysciples betwene them selues What is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a while ye shal se me and that I go to the father◠They sayde therfore what is this that he saith after a whyle we can not tell what he saith Iesus peceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayde vnto them Ye enquyre of this betwene your selues bicause I sayde After a whyle ye shal not se me and agayne After a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I say vnto you ye shall weepe and lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyce Ye shall sorowe but Ioh. 2◠your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman when she trauayleth hath sorowe bycause he thow◠is come but as sone as she is delyuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguyshe for ioye that a man is borne into the world And ye now therefore haue sorowe but I wyll se you agayne and your hartes shall reioyse and your ioye shall no man take frome you THE EXPOSITION Chryste sheweth his passion resurrectiō to his disciples IN this gospell diligently we shall note foure thinges First how Christ shewed before vnto his disciples his passion and resurrection Furthermore in what wise through his resurrection he shuld raign in his kingdome and go to the father This sermon and teaching muste needes be verye necessary whē Christ so oftentimes and with so many wordes repeteth it and sheweth yt his disciples Yea truly it is very needful considering the infirmitie of our flesh and the hard vnderstandynge of these articles Wherefore Christe after the manner of a faithfull maister and instructours ceasseth not contynuallye to inculcate and driue into the apostles hartes suche artycles that in all poyntes he mighte trulye and iustelye execute hys office And this is the exposition and meanynge thereof After a little while I shal be delyuered vnto the Iewes and they shal condemne me scourg me and at the last crucify me And lykewise as Ionas was three dayes and three nyghtes in the belly of the whale Mat. 21 so shall I be three dayes and so manny nyghtes also in the hart of the earth And that is the same that I say vnto you After a little while yee shall not see me and yet after a litle that is the thirde daye whan I am risen frome deathe yee shall see me But that shal be no great whyle for I muste go to the father and receaue my kingdome whiche is spirituall With the whiche hee instructethe and teacheth his dysciples what maner of kyngedome hee shall haue and in what wyse he shall entre into it The kīgdom of Christ Eph. 14 The kyngedome of Chryste lyeth herein That Christe hath ouercomme sinne deathe hell and the dyuell and hathe all the auctorytye and power of the father in heauen and in earthe that hereafter he beinge ordeined the moste mighty kinge vppon the hollye hyll of Sion Psal 2. shuld strength and rule his faithfull and electe through the holy ghoste And into this kīgdom he hath entred through his passion death and sheding of his blode as the prophete Dauyd sheweth before Psa 109 He shall drynke of the brooke in the waye therefore shall he lyfte vp his heade The Apostles knewe yet but little of the spirituall kingedome and thought it shulde haue been temporall vntill suche time that they receiued the holy ghost which opened their eyes and instructed them what manner of kingedome it shulde be how we shulde come vnto it and abide in it And if we desyre to enter into this kingedome and wyl ouercome synne death the diuell and hell it is moste conuenient necessarye that we know Christe oure Lorde and sauioure oure kinge and bysshoppe and that by his bloode wee are reconcyled to the euerlastinge father And we must do also as Paule monissheth vs in the epistle to Timothe sayinge 2 Tim. 2 If wee be dead with him we shall lyue with him also If we be patient we shall also raigne with him If we deny him he shall denye vs. Secondarily here is layde before vs in the apostles an exaumple of our ignoraunce An exaūple of our ignoraunce For as the
our flesh as S. Paule saith We be buried with him by baptisme into death Rom. 6. c. and this is one part of this new natiuity Furthermore in baptysme the hollye ghoste ys geuen vs whych we beyng so mortefied dothe reuyue and regenerate vs agayne ruleth draweth pulleth and chaungeth vs and so worketh in vs that we sauoure and vnderstande now no more carnall but spirytual thynges Wee desire not wordly things but heauenly thinges lyue to righteousnes And this is the other part of thys new natyuitie Wher oute yt appeareth What it ys to bee borne agayne that to be borne agayne ys no other thing then to dye as concernyng syn and to lyne to ryghteousnes through the spiryt and fayth And wher so euer this is there is the kingdome of god sene and the entring thervnto openeth But I besech you what glory hath here the righteousnes of Nicodemus Truelye before god it is but durte dung Phil. 3. eueÌ„ as S. Paule did reckene and count all his righteousnes that came of the lawe he beynge a Iew and circumcised for dunge For not that whiche cometh of oure reason but that the spirite worketh in vs pleaseth god For that that is borne of the spirite is spirituall and of greate reputacion before god Therfore S. Paule to the Ephesians saith on this wise Ephe. 4 So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tymes paste laye frome you that olde man which marreth himselfe through deceiuable lustes and be you renewed in the spirit of your mynd How can reason do or comprehend these thinges when in earthly and bodely thinges he is so rude and ignoraunt that he cannot tell namely from whence the winde cometh or whether it will Briefelye to bringe to passe this newe natiuitie we muste needes haue the holye ghoste thoughe the papistes extoll neuer so highelye the righteousnes of the fleshe Thirdely this gospell teacheth vs Thoroughe Chryste we haue obtained the holy ghoste who hath obteyned and geuen vs this spirite by the which wee are newe regenerate and borne againe trulye Iesus Christe the sonne of man which allonly descended from heauen and ascended vp into heaueÌ„ But wherewith hathe he obtained and deserued this Euen therwith bicause that he was exalted on the crosse like as the serpent was in the wildernes But what serpente was that In times past the children of Israell murmered against the lorde in wildernes then was the lorde angry and sent fierye serpentes among the people whiche bote the people so that there dyed muche people in Israell And Moyses praiynge then for the people the lorde saide vnto him Num. 21 Make the a brasen serpent and set it vp for a token Whosoeuer is bitten and looketh on it shal lyue The serpent is the figure of Christe This figure applieth Christe vnto hymselfe as thoughe he wolde say I shall be crucified and put to deathe and with my deathe the wrathe of my heauenly father shall be pacefied for the sinnes of the worlde that whosoeuer is bitten with sinne and loketh vpon me whiche am crucified that is whosoeuer beleueth in me shall not perishe To beleue in Christe but haue euerlasting lyfe Beholde on this manner Christe is sette forthe vnto vs as hee that only forgiueth vs our sinne and giueth vs the holy ghoste maketh vs newe creatures the sonnes and heires of god so that we beleue and sette oure confidence and truste in him God graunte vnto vs that we may haue a trewe and perfect faith Amen The gospell on the firste sondaye after Trinitye sondaye Luc. 16 THe was a certaine riche man which was clothed in purple and fine white and fared deliciously euery day And there was a certayne beggar named Lazarus which lay at hys g ateful of sores desiryng to be refreshed with the cromes that fel from the rich mans bord and no man gaue vnto hiÌ„ The dogges came also and licked his sores And it fortuned that the beggar died and was caried by the angels into Abrahams bosome The rich maÌ„ also died was buried And beiÌ„g in hell in tormentes he lyft vp his eyes and saw Abraham a far of Lazarus in his bosome and he cried said Father AbrahaÌ„ haue mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the typ of hi finger in water coole my tung for I am tormeÌ„ted in this flame But Abraham sayd Son Gal. 6â— remeÌ„bre that thou in thy lyfe tyme receauedst thy plesure contrary wyse Lazarus receaued paine But now he is comforted and thou art punished Beyond al this betwene vs and you ther is a great space set so that they which wold go from hence to you cannot neither may come froÌ„ thense to vs. Then he said I pray the therfore father seÌ„d him to my fathers house for I haue fyue brethreÌ„ for to warne them lest they also come into this place of tormeÌ„t AbrahaÌ„ sayd vnto him They haue Moyses and the prophets let theÌ„ heare them And he sayde naye father Abraham but yf one come vnto them frome the dead they wyll repent He sayd vnto him If If they heare not Moyses and the prophetes neither wyll they beleue though one to se from death agayne THE EXPOSITION FYrste of all A description of the rych man 1. Ti. 6. Mat. 19 What it is to be ryche this gospell treateth of a riche man in whome was neither faithe nor charitye This worde riche is here taken as Paule tooke it when he said to Timothy Charge them that are rich in this world c. And in the gospell of Mathew Yt is easier for a camel to go thorow the eye of a nedle then for a riche man to entre into the kingdome of heauen In this place a riche man signifieth him whose hart is set vppon riches which thinketh on nothing then vpon riches reioiseth in nothing then in riches Finally whose harte deliteth in nothing then in that diuelish mammon And s Paul chiefly for this cause calleth these rich meÌ„ the riche men of this worlde for that that they be geuen to transitory and worldely thinges more then to celestiall thinges Otherwise if riches of themselfe had bene euell Abraham Salomon Naaman Sirus had beene damned which were very riche but they did not abuse their riches Therefore this rich man is dâ—scribed not as a good but as an euell tre Now yf ye will heare the frutes of an euel tree Loe He clothed himselfe with purple and costly linnen c. Doubtlesse he shuld not haue ben damned for his clothing yf he had not had so great pleasure in theim and sought wordly honour and glorye therin vtterly forgetting the poore Lazarus We reade of Ioseph when he was in Egipte Gen. 41 how excellently he was clothed in riche apparell and a chaine of golde aboute his necke and yet pleased god for bicause his hart was not set vppon pompe and riches And that this riche man had his
beholde there came a certaine ruler worshipped him saiyng My doughter is euen nowe disceased but come and lay thy hand vpō her and she shall liue And Iesus arose folowed him and so did his disciples Mar 5. Luc. 8. Leu◠15 and behold a womā which was diseased with an issue of bloud xii yeres came behynd him and touched the hemme of his vesture For she sayd within her selfe If I may touche but euen his vesture only I shal be safe But Iesus turned him about when he sawe her he sayd Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made the safe and the woman was made whole euen that same tyme. THE EXPOSITION WE haue two examples of fayth in this Gospel One in the Ruler that came to Christ to get helpe for his doughter whiche Ruler sainct Marke calleth Iayrus And another in the woman that was diseased with a bluddy fluxe and healed by Christe In this woman was a perfecte sayth but the rulers fayth as yet was not perfect but weake Fyrst it was a point of fayth in this ruler because he beleued that Christ could rayse his daughter to life though she were dead wherewith he confesseth Christ to be God and a Lorde ouer life and death Then if Christe bee a Lorde ouer death he must nedes bee a Lorde ouer synne forasmuche as Adam through his synne brought death into the worlde and suche a Lorde dothe of death and of synne is he that both death and synne by his death he hath ouercome abrogated and taken away But howe and to what purpose That they should haue no power to cōdempne vs that beleue in Christ For vndoubtedly we can not liue without synne whyle wee bee in this mortal life as it is written Pro. 24 A iust man falleth vii tymes in a day ryseth vp againe But the synne so that we beleue shal haue no power ouer vs nor condempne vs. Lykewise Rom. 6. although this naturall death is not cleane taken awaye yet is it so ouerthrowne that it is no more dampnable vnto vs but is the beginnyng of the true principal life Iho. 11 as Christ saith He that beleueth in me shal not dye euerlastyngly This must wee surely holde fast if we will be christian menne That is we must beleue that by the death and bloud of Christ wee are deliuered from synne death deuil and hell so that we perseuer in a true fayth we shall haue euerlastyng life through Christ And this beleueth Iayrus partly But in asmuche that he beleueth not that Christe by the might power of his worde could make whole his doughter except he had been personally present we must nedes confesse that his fayth was imperfect But what shall we say of the fayth of this woman She surely had so great confidence in Christ that she cōcluded by her selfe that she should bee whole if she might touche only the hemme of his vesture Not that the vesture dyd make her whole for as S. Marke sayth he felte great vertue go from him and speaketh nothyng of the vesture but only the great fayth that she had in Christ Wherfore Christ highly prayseth and cōmendeth the fayth of this woman saiyng Doughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made the safe Lo there thou hast an example both of perfect and vnperfect fayth Secondarily we see in this gospel howe frendly and familiarly Christe suffered the weakenes and imbecilitie of this Ruler and with the miracle done vnto the woman augmentyng and bryngyng him to more parfect fayth For he sheweth himselfe willyng at the desire of Iayrus foloweth him straight wayes home declaryng with his dede that whiche he had taught before saiyng Mat. 11 Come to me al ye that labour and are laden I wyll ease you But what happened in the way Beholde a woman that had been diseased xii yere with an issue of bloudde holdyng her peace by fayth gat and obtayned health She had determined also by her selfe that in holdyng her peace and in silence would haue gone home againe Mat. 5. But as a citie buylded vpon an high hyll can not be hyd so likewyse it was neither mete nor yet conuenient that suche great high and excellent fayth should be hyd And dothe not Christe say in the Gospell Mat. 10 There is nothyng hyd that shal not bee openly shewed and nothyng secrete that shall not be knowen So likewyse he wyl that the fayth of this woman should be manyfest brought to light And enquireth and sayth Who hath touched me The Apostles ignoraunt of this miracle answered him and sayd The people thruste thee But the woman feared and trembled for she knewe what was done in her came and fell doune before him and tolde him the whole truth Wherin Christ commendeth her fayth before al the people not only that this should bee an example for the people to folowe but also to strength Iayrus fayth that he should not doubte but that suche benignitee and mercy as was shewed vnto this womā should likewyse bee shewed vnto his daughter Could Christe behaue him selfe more gentely or bee indued with greatter loue mekenes pitie and mercy He declareth with the very deede that he can helpe and succour vs in all trouble necessitee yea in the point of death and is ready and willyng therto But we of our nature are so indurate deaffe and blind that we wil neither with holsome doctrin and teachyng nor yet with miracle be moued vnto fayth Truely it is to be feared lest we take and receiue like ende with the styffe necked and blynde Iewes For wee can not excuse oure selues but the same that was spoken vnto the Iewes might likewyse be spoken vnto vs Ioh. 15. where Christe sayd If I my selfe had not come and spoken vnto theim then should they haue had no sinne Is not Christ come through his gospel and hath shewed the same Do we not heare his worde dayly but when do we heare the same for any amēdement of our life I pray the take it once to heart and remembre the goodnes frendlynes myldenes of Christe howe louyngly through his worde and miracles he intyseth allureth vs vnto fayth Howe familiarly he taketh and suffereth our imbecilitee and weakenes and howe feruently he desireth vs to be iust and blessed Let these thynges so moue vs that by the meditacion hereof we may not only encrease in fayth but perseuer in the same and therby get euerlastyng saluacion Thyrdly wee see in this miracle howe the woorkes of Christe are counted and adiudged in the world for foolishenes yea and are skorned and dispised For Christ saiyng The mayd is not dead but sleapeth what did they but laught him to skorne Doest thou not thinke it a miserable thynge that the creature shuld scorne his maker creatour of all thinges That vngracious and blynde fleshe stondeth well in his owne conceite and thinkinge him selfe to haue done a highe feate when it
meate and drynke wherewith he feedeth theim that come thereto as they ought do is his owne very fleshe and bloud They that come thereto muste occupye their myndes in consideryng howe his bodye was broken for them and his bloud shed for their redempcion and so ought they to approche to this heauenly table with all humblenes of heart and godlynes of mynde as to the table wherein Christ himselfe is geuen And they that come otherwyse to this holy table they come vnworthely and do not eat drynke Christes fleshe and bloud but eate drynke their owne damnacion because they do not duely consider Christes very fleshe bloud whiche be offered there spiritually to bee eaten dronken but dispisyng Christes most holy supper do come therto as it were to other meates drynkes without regarde of the Lordes body whiche is the spiritual meate of that table Therfore let a maÌ„ as sainct Paule sayth examine himselfe and so eate of the bread and drynke of the cuppe for he that eateth and drynketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion not desernyng the Lordes body Euil persons do not eaâ—e the body of Christ Thyrdly we can not deny but that both the good and bad do eate and drynke the sacramental bread and wine but besides the sacramentes the good eateth euerlastyng life the euil and wicked membres of the deuil euerlastyng death For they do not eate and drynke the body blud of Christ but as sainct Paule sayth they are gyltie of the body bloud of the Lord and eate drynke their owne damnacion Fourthly it is necessary that we knowe wherevnto this sacrament profiteth and what vtilitee coÌ„meth to vs by it and what is the power of it And this can no maÌ„ learne better any where then of the very wordes wherewith this sacrament was instituted whiche say This is my body geuen for you vnto the remission of synnes Christe ordayned this sacrament of his body and bloud in bread and wine to preache vnto vs that as our bodies be fed norished and preserued with meate drynke so are our hungry soules fed norished and preserued by the body bloud of Christ This same spiritual eatyng and drinkyng of the sayd body and bloud of Christ is not receiued in the mouthe digested in the stomacke but it is receyued with a pure heart a syncere fayth beleuyng that Christe gaue his body to death shed his bloud vpon the crosse for vs that he doth so ioyne and incorporate himself to vs that he is our heade and we his membres hauyng him dwellyng in vs wee in him What thyng can bee more comfortable to vs than to eat this meate and drynke this drynke For he sayth himselfe Iohn 6 He that eateth me shal liue by me Wherfore in this sacrameÌ„t receiued with a true fayth we are assured that our synnes be forgeuen whiche thing when we fele in our heates at the receiuyng of the Lordes supper what thyng can be more ioyfull more pleasaunt or more comfortable vnto vs Remission of sinnes is the highest treasure that can be in the worlde Who is it that would not apply his whole study cast in his mynde day night yea go though it were neuer so long a iourney so that he might attaine this treasure Suppose you there bee any ryches in this worlde lyke vnto this Naye verely Why so For the goodes of this worlde be they neuer so excellent neuer so precious great in value neuer so pleasant beautifull yet they ebbe flowe they fall as leaues and thei passe away although in this life onely they comfort man much yea and rather vexe trouble him But this treasure of forgeuenes of synnes when by fayth it is obtained found and set hande vpon it bringeth with it no incertaine deceiuable nor transitory life but a continuall euerlasting and perpetual lyfe also it causeth peace ioye in the holy ghost which shall last for euer Wherefore yt is very necessarye that we with al diligence and studiouse mind serch for this treasure There ar some that are so minded that they thinke that when they haue the worde it is not verye necessary nor maketh no great matter whether they come vnto the sacrament or no and that it is in their liberty whether they wyll take part of the lords table or no. All men ar bouÌ„d to receiue the Sacrament But I deny that liberty lai that al meÌ„ are so sore bound to remembre this benefite receiued of God through Christ as the apostels wer and often to reuolue it in heart and to giue thanks for it For though I neither can nor will bynd meÌ„ vnto a certaine prescript or peculier time to receiue this sacrament yet it is necessarye that wee consider the commaundement of Christe and that oftentymes we accomplishe and in deede fulfyll it Furthermore it is a trewth and can not bee denied but that by the woorde there is offered vnto vs the remission of sinnes And in the same worde is this sacrament commaunded and comprehended so that the one can not bee in onye wise deuided frome the other Fiftely considre nowe who these be that vse this sacrament accordyngly The vse of the lordes supper Douteles that are such as beleue Ther is a promise in the lordes supper that Christ wold giue his owne body vnto death for vs that he wold shed his blud to wash away our sinnes And in this promise there is no douting But what profiteth this promise vnto me excepte I receiue take hold vpon it by faith But yet if I wil be partaker of these thinges it is necessary that I come in faith For euery promise of God is receiued by faith So likewise teacheth the senteÌ„ces in the gospell of Iohn Ioh. 6. He that eateth this bread shal liue eternally Item The breade which I wil giue it ys my flesh for the lyfe of the world Item He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud continueth in me and I in him c. Al these sentences ar spoken of faith Now who so cometh vnto the communion of the lordes supper not hauing this faithe then not only hee eateth it not vnto his health and eternall life but muche rather he taketh part of this sacrameÌ„t vnto eternal coÌ„demnacioÌ„ as S. Paul in the epistle to the Cor. sufficiently sheweth and teacheth 1 Co. 11. Therfore if thou feele thy sinnes knowest them woldest right gladly be delyuered from them desirest to growe increase and waxe strong in faith well make hast come to this supê‘ For in it thou shalt find not only forgiuenes of sinnes that bi the word but also thou shalt feed thy soul with the body blud of Iesu Christ a great coÌ„forting to thi faith Furthermore this sacrament shuld moue stir vs to friendship to liue quietly in peace vnitie concord to put away all hatred variance
beleuest that all this was done for thy wealth then receyuest thou that glad tidynges which preacheth vnto the that thou shalt not perishe but art deliuered from all thy synnes and shalt liue with Christ eternally Is not this a wonderous great profyte that thou hast by the passion of Christ where are I pray you nowe Note this ye sectaries that sell your merites to other those iusticiaries whiche ascribe their saluacion not vnto the passion and death of oure Lorde Iesu Christ but vnto the merites of their owne workes Surely they erre exceadyng sore that so beleue For doubtlesse our owne woorkes were neuer able to performe so great a thing but Christ Christ I say Christ only is he that by his death passion and by the effusion of his precious bloudde geueth freely and maketh vs to possesse eternal helth For he is made vnto vs wisedome from God 1. Cor. 1 and righteousnes and sanctificacion and redempcion Secondarily wee heare nowe of the Euangelist Ihon that when Christ had ended that his last supper had finished that excellent sermon made then vnto his disciples he went furth with his disciples ouer the broke called CedroÌ„ into a certain garden to pray Prayer requireth a secrete place 1. Ti. 2. Some men wyll say what meaneth this that Christ taryeth not within the house Shuld prayer be bound vnto certaine prescrybed places Nay truly For sainct Paule wylleth that in euery place we holde vp our handes vnto God Yet that notwithstanding suche is the nature of feruent and earnest prayer that it may bee farre better and deuoutlyer done Mat. 6 in some secrete place or as Christ sayth in thy chambre then in suche places where is great resort of people Ma. 14 as we also see in the gospel of Mathewe howe Iesus weÌ„t alone into the mountaine to pray But then specially is it agreable that he that prayeth be alone and farre from other when his necessitee panges of his mynd are great that he may so much the more frely shed furth his whole heart before the Lorde his God and in his lappe laye furth all his aduersitee whatsoeuer it be And now what thynke you moued Christ to departe asyde into the garden to pray Necessitee compelleth men to pray Surely that exceadyng great anguishe of his heart For nowe he knewe that the tyme was come of his passion whiche he so sore feared that he sayd My soule is sorowfull vnto the death And againe O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe froÌ„ me You heare in this place howe great feare how great anguishe how great tribulacion and pensiuenes was in the fleshe of Christ And doubtlesse the same feare inuaded him when he haÌ„gyng vpoÌ„ the crosse cryed out with the saiyng of the Psalmist Oh God Oh my God why hast thou forsaken me Psa 21. But nowe ponder what Christ doth in suche necessitee froÌ„ whence he asketh comfort helpe Christ asketh at his heaueÌ„ly father Doubtles he hath no maner of helpe comfort or hope but in his heaueÌ„ly father at whose hand also he loketh for all coÌ„solacion seyng that it was impossible for any creature to helpe in suche necessitee and trouble And although he muste needes drynke of the cuppe of his passion yet was he comforted strengthned by his heauenly father whiche sent an Angel from heauen to comfort him Luc. 22. which altogether was done for vs. For this infirmitee of Christe that wee here see was made our strength For surely we could neuer haue been able to ouercome any temptacioÌ„ but only by Christ Whensoeuer therfore in our necessitee wee aske any thyng of oure heauenly father for Christes sake we shal doubtles for Christ obtayne helpe comfort and all oure heartes desire and bee assured of most sure consolacion Thirdely when Christe hadde ended his prayer Iudas came with the seruantes of the Bishoppes and Phariseis to betraye his Maister and Lorde to delyuer him into the handes of the Bishops and Priestes Is not this an horrible thing to speake especially that an Apostle betrayed Christe Before he had preached the gospell before hee hadde done myracles yea and so behaued him selfe that he seemed nothing vnlyke the other Apostles Besydes this it was not longe before that he sate at one table with Christ and his Apostles and was partener of his Supper and hadde hearde with howe greate pacience and meekemes although in close wordes the lorde had called him vnto repentance Yet notwithstandinge he was so sore indurate and blynded that for a little vyle money he selleth hys Lord Ther is no truste in man and betrayeth him vnto the Iewes Who canne nowe haue any truste in manne seeyng this traytour dare be so bold as one that hathe none euell in his mynde or thynketh no harme to kysse Christe Who also shall boast himselfe of the gyfte that God hath gyuen him before hee come vnto a blessed and christian end Doutles it was not said for noughte Mat 24 Hee that perseuereth vnto the ende shal be saued There are manye that haue a good begynnyng when they firste beginne to beleue as we haue experience of suche in our times For ther haue been some whiche in the beginning when the gospell beganne to florysh were so feruent and excedinge herty that in manner they dyd durste oute all togither with feruent loue and seemed as they wold at ones deuour the whole gospell But a verye small numbre is there of theim that haue continued the same hartye good mind vnto a good fortunable and perfecte ende Wherefore this is euer true that our sauiour Christ saith Mat. 1â— The last shal be fyrst and the fyrst laste What nedeth mo wordes When suche men ones fall frome the gospell they runne into suche enuye and hatred against it that without doubt they would do as Iudas here doth to his lorde and maister if god woâ—d permitte vnto them occasion to do it Howe often I praye you complaineth S. Paul of such false brethren Note this O chrisâ—ian reader do it Therfore all christian men haue a greate cause without ceassyng to offre prayers vnto god by Christe that not only he wold bring vs vnto the trew and right faith but also that of his great mercy and vnspeakable goodnes he voutchsafe to conserue vs in the same vnto the ende Fourthely we see in this place Christe wyllinglye gaue him vnto the crosse howe willyngly Christe gaue himselfe vnto the crosse for so saithe the texte Then Iesus knowinge all thinges that shulde come vnto him hee wente to meete theym and sayde Whome seeke ye They answered hym Iesus of Nazareth And Iesus sayd vnto them I am he Is it not fulfilled in this place that the prophete sayd Esa 53. Hee shall bee ledde as a sheepe vnto the slaughter and as a lambe before the sherer so shal he hold his peace and he shall not open his mouth And
beleue this lette him knowe it assuredly that he shall neuer comme vnto the father neither be partaker of eternal life Lyfe And I beseche you how shal he comme vnto the father that seketh other meanes to comme to him then by Christe Besydes that he rather geueth credence vnto false liyng then to the truth euen that trueth whereof Christe here testifyeth of affirmyng him selfe to be the trueth For I pray you Treuth what are all menne all mennes doctrynes all the studyes and counsels of menne if they bee conferred to Christe and his woordes Truely all lyers and mere lyes are all those thynges that are spoken without the woorde of God as the scripture testifyeth psa 115. Psalme Cxv. Euery manne is a lyar But of the woorde of God the scripture sayth Thy woorde is trueth Nowe if the woorde of God onely bee trueth Ioh 17. psa 118. then it necessarily muste folowe that whatsoeuer menne haue inuented without the worde of God it is lyes mere deceyuable iuglyng Howe can it be but truth seyng the to those that beleue in it Rom. 1. it is the power of God vnto saluacion and eternal health For to beleue the word of God is euen thesame as to beleue Christ For Christ is the same woorde and the woorde was made fleshe Ihon. 1. And to beleue Christe is so excellente and noble a thyng that it taketh away synnes and eternal death and for them geueth righteousnes and eternal life And thus it abydeth true that Christ sayd in this place I am the waye the truth and the life Fourthly consider also what Christe-sayd vnto Philip neither would Christ refuse him because of his imbecilitee or weakenes but rather instructeth him thus Philip he that seeth me seeth my father Philip would see the father Christ is very God but Christ would graue it not only in Philippes heart but also in all other his disciples heartes that he is one thyng and substaunce with the father one God equal with the father in maiestie and glory of a like strength wysedome with him This onely excepte that Christ for our infirmitees sakes to redeme vs was made mā and therefore asmuche as pertayneth to that he is made lesse then the father as it is wrytten in the viii Psalme Psal 8. Thou hast made him a lytle lesse vnder the dignitee of angels c. Philip sayth Christe he that seeth me seeth my father And furthermore I dwel in the father and the father in me Beholde howe earnestly Christ recyteth and bet eth into his disciples his deuine nature and essence with the father also requireth that thei shuld no lesse beleue on him Verely sayth he al that I do or speak I do it not or speake it of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me he dothe those workes Therfore for the workes sake at the lest beleue me that I am in the father and the father is in me Furthermore Christ highly prayseth this fayth as he most earnestly requyreth it sayth Verely I say vnto you He that beleueth in me the woorkes that I do he also shall do them greatter thynges then these shall he do He shall do greatter thynges then these especially seyng that Christ goeth to the father to receyue his kyngdome and to sende the holy ghost Fayth askyng in the name of Christ obtayneth all thinges I beseche you nowe who date bee so impudent a beast or so styffe necked that he shall dare any thyng at all derogate or minishe the dignitee of fayth seyng that to the beleuer there are made such excellent promises Yea and furthermore here is made a comfortable and excellent promise vnto fayth that is to say that whatsoeuer she wyl aske in the name of Christ shal be geuē her Wherfore shal it be geuē Doubtles that the father may be glorifyed through the sōne And to speake briefely We must thus beleue of Christ that he is of the same essēce of the same power wysedome with the father so that he that beleueth not in Christ that man I say shal neuer come at the father nor at his knowlege For Christ is the way the truth and the life And also noman cōmeth to the father but by Christ as our sauiour Iesus Christe hath testified in many places of his gospel Wherfore that we may come to the knowlege of the father dearly beloued of the Lord let vs diligently apply oure selues to heare the worde of God whereby the true knowlege of Christ is geuē vnto vs. Who knowen and apprehended by faith we may be made parteners and obtayne eternal life Amen The gospel on the Ascencion of our Lord Iesu Christ day Marke 16. AFterwarde he appeared vnto the eleuen as they fat at meate and cast in their teth their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not theim whiche had seen that he was rysen agayne from the dead And he sayd vnto them Mat. 28 Go ye into all the worlde and preache the gospell to all creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But he that beleueth not shal be dampned And those tokens shal folow them that beleue Actu 4.11.20 In my name they shall cast out deuils they ♣ Act. 2 and 19. shall speake with newe tongues they shal Luc. 10 and 18. dryue awaye serpentes And if they drynke any deadly thyng it shal not hurt them They shall lay theyr handes on the sycke and they shal recouer So then when the Lorde had spoken vnto them ♣ Lu. 24 Actu 1. he was receiued into heauen and is on the right hande of God And they went furth and preached euery where the Lord workyng with them * Heb. 2 and confirmyng the worde with myracles folowyng THE EXPOSITION SEyng that al thynges in the deuine scriptures ought well to be considered wayed this may not be ouerpassed but must diligently be noted and considered that the Euangelist S. Marke in this place where he descrybeth the ascēcion of our Lord Iesu Christ wherein also lyke at in his passion and resurrection consysteth our whole iustificacion maketh mencion of that synne for the which our Lord Iesus Christe so often before he ascended into heauen rebuked his disciples namely of theyr incredulitee and vnbelief Surely it must needes be that this is an heauye and great synne yea it is to bee estemed and thought a verye spryng welle fountayn of all mischiefe seyng that our sauiour Christ euen nowe when he would departe go to his heauenly father rebuketh it so earnestly in his Apostles For thus sayth the Euangelist At the last as the eleuen sat at the table he shewed himselfe vnto theim and rebuked their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not them whiche had seen him rysen Here you heare what synne this was namely Incredulitee And I pray you Vnbeleife is the spryng of all sin who is so shamelesse to