resurrection rysen wyth hym by our fayth to lyfe euerlastynge beynge in full suretie of oure hope that we shall haue oure bodyes lykewyse reysed agayn from death to haue them glorifyed in immortalitie and ioyned to hys gloryouse body hauynge in the meane whyle hys holye spirite wythin out hartes as a feaâ—e and pledge of our euerlasting inheritaunce by whose assistence we be replenyshed wyth all ryghteousnes by whose power we shall be able to subdue al our euel affections y t ryse againste the pleasure of God These thynges I saye well coÌ„sydered let vs nowe in the reste of oure lyfe declare our fayth y t we haue to thys moost furtefull article by conformyng vs therunto in rysynge dayly from synne to ryghtousnes and holynes of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayeth S. Peter to be escaped and delyuered from y e fylthynes of the worlde thorough the knolege of the Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christe yf we be enâ—augled agayne therwyth be ouercome agayne it had bene better sayeth he neuer to haue knowen the waye of ryghteousnes than after it is knowen and receyued to torne backewarde agayne from the holy coÌ„maundemente of God gyuen vnto vs. For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs wher it is sayd y e dogge is retorned to hys vomyte agayn and the sowe that was washed to her wallowynge in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beynge thus so clerely and frelye washed from oure synne to retorne to the fylthynes therof agayne What a foly were it thus endowed wyth ryghtousnes to loâ—e it agayne What madnes were it to lose the enherytaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transytory pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndnes shulde it be where our Sauiour Christ of hys mercy is come to vs to dwell wythin vs as our geste to dryue hym from vs and to expell hym violentlye out of our soules in stede of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receyue the vngracyouse spirite of the deuyl the autor of al naughtynes and myschefe How can we fynde in our hartes to shewe such extreme vnkyndnes to Christ which hath now so gently called vs to mercy offered hymselfe vnto vs and he now entered wythin vs. Yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of y e father the sonne and the holy goost nowe receyued in thys holy sacrament for where one is there is God al hole in maiestie together w e al his power wyldoÌ„ goodnes feare not I saye the dauÌ„ger peryl of so traytorous a defiance Good christeÌ„ brethreÌ„ systers aduyse your selfe coÌ„syder y e dignitie y t ye be now set in Let not foly lose the thynge y t grace hath so preci ously offered and purchased Let not wylfulnes and blyndnes put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Only take good hartes vnto you and put vpon you all the armoure of God that ye may staÌ„de agaynst your enemyes whych wolde agayne subdue you and brynge you into theyr thraldome RemeÌ„ber ye be bought from your bayne conuersation your fredome purchased neyther wyth golde nor syluer but wyth the price of y e precious bloud of that moost innocent lambe Iesus Christ whych was ordeyned to thys same purpose before the worlde was made but was so declared in the later tyme of grace for your sakes whych by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death hath gyuen hym glorye that you shulde haue your fayth and hope to ward god Therfore as ye haue hytherto folowed y e vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased god to the dauÌ„ger of your soules now lyke obedieÌ„t chyldren thus purifyed by faythe gyue youre selues to walke that waye whych god moueth you to that ye maye receyue the ende of your faith the saluation of your soules And as ye haue gyuen your bodyes to vnryghtuousnes to synne after synne nowe gyue youre selfe to ryghtuousnes to be sanctifyed therin Yf ye delyte in thys artycle of youre faythe that Christ is rysen agayne from death to lyfe So folow you the exemple of hys resurrection as S. Paul exhorteth vs sayng As we be buryed with Christ by our baptisme into death so let vs dayly dye to sinne mortifynge and kyllynge the euell desyres and motions therof And as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ death by the glory of the father so let vs ryse to a new lyfe walke coÌ„tinually therin that we may lykewyse as natural chyldren lyue a coÌ„uersacion to moue men to glorifie our father whych is in heuen Yf we then be rysen w t Christe by oure fayth to the hope of euerlastynge lyfe so let vs ryse also wyth Christ after hys exemple to a new lyfe leue our olde We shal then be truly rysen yf we seke for thynges that be heuenly yf we haue our affection vpoÌ„ thynges y t be aboue and not on thynges that be on erth Yf ye desyre to know what these erthly thynges be whych ye shuld put of and what be the heuenly thynges aboue that ye shulde seke and ensue S. Paule in y e epistle to the Collossians declareth whan he exhorteth vs thus Mortifie your erthly meÌ„bers and olde affections of synne as fornication vnclennes vnnaturall lust euell concupiscence and couetousnes whyche is worshippynge of ydols for whych thynges the wrath of God is wont to fal on the chyldren of vnbeleue In whyche thynges ones ye walked whan ye lyued in them but nowe put ye also awaye from you wrathe tearsenes maliciousnes cursed speakynge fylthye speakynge out of your mouthes Lye not one to an other that the olde man wyth hys workes be put of and the newe put on These be the earthly thynges whych saynt Paule moueth you to caste from you to plucke your hartes from For in folowynge these ye declare your selues earthly and worldly These be the frutes of the earthly Adam These shulde ye dayly kyll by good diligence in wythstandynge the desyres of them that ye myghte ryse to ryghtuousnes Let your affection from henceforth be set on heuenly thynges Sue and serch for mercy kyndnes mekenes paciens forbearynge one another and for gyuynge one another Yf any man haue quarell to another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so do ye Yf these and such other heuenly vertues ye ensue in the residue of your lyfe ye shall shewe playnly that ye be rysen wyth Christ and that ye be the heauenly chyldren of youre father in heauen froÌ„ whom as froÌ„ the gyuer commeth these graces gyftes Ye shall proue by thys maner that your coÌ„uersacion is in heuen where your hope is and not on earth folowing the beastly appetites of the flesh Ye must consyder that ye be therfore clensed renewed that ye shulde from henceforth serue God in holynes ryghtuous nes all the dayes of your lyues that ye may targue wyth
clxxxv POSTILLES OR HOMILIES VPON THE EPISTLES AND GOSPELS FROM ESTER vntyll TRINITIE sondaye wyth certayne other frutefull and godly SERMONS drawen forth by dyuerse lerned men for the syngular edificacion and commoditie of al good CHRISTEN parsons and in especiall of prestes and CVRATES ⧠Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ANNO. M. D. XL. THE COPY OF THE KYNGES graciouse priuilege HENRY the eight by the grace of god kynge of Englande and of FrauÌ„ce defensour of the fayth Lorde of Ireland and in earth supreme head immediatly vnder Christe of the church of EnglaÌ„d To all prynters of bokes wythin thys oure Realme and to all other our officers ministers and subiectes these our letters hearyng or seynge Gretynge We let you wit that of our grace especial we haue gyuen priuilege vnto our welbeloued subiecte Richarde Bankes that no maner person wythin thys our Realme shal prynte any maner of bokes what so euer our sayd subiecte shall prynte fyrste wythin the space of seuen yeares next ensuyng the printynge of euery suche boke so by hym prynted vpon payne of forfetynge the same Wherefore we woll and coÌ„maunde you that ye nor none of you do presume to prynte any of the sayde bokes durynge the tyme aforesayd as ye tender oure pleasure and woll auoyde the contrarye A SERMON OF THE RESVRRECTION CHRISTVS traditê° fuit ê“pter peccata nostra resurrexit propter iustificationem nostri Roma iiij ☞ Christ was delyuered for our synnes and rose agayne for the iustification of vs. Rom. iiij YF euer the greatnes or excellency of any matter hath styred vp youre myndes to gyue diligent eare at any tyme good chri sten people welbeloued in our Lorde and Sauiour Christe I doubt not but that I shall haue you now moost diligent and redy hearers of that matter whyche I haue at thys tyme to open vnto you For I am come to declare that great and moost comfortable article of our fayth the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus So great is thys article and of so great weyght and importaunce that it was thought worthy to kepe our said Sauiour styl on earth after he was rysen from death to lyfe to the confirmation therof in the hartes of hys disciples So that as Luke testifyeth in the fyrste chapter of the actes he was conuersant wyth hys disciples by the space of fourty dayes continually together to enstructe them the truth therof before he wold ascende vp to hys father in heauen to receyue the glorye of hys conquest and victory So comfortable is thys article to our coÌ„sciences that it is the locke and keye of all our fayth Yf it were not true sayeâ—h S. paule that Christe arose agayne oure preachynge were in vayne your fayth were but voyde ye were yet in the daunger of your synnes Yf Christe be not rysen agayne sayeth the Apostle than are they vtterly pery shed that be entred theey slepe in Christ than are we moost myserable of al meÌ„ yf we haue our hope fixed in Christ yf he were vnder the power of death not re stored to blesse agayne But now is he rysen agayne froÌ„ death sayth he to be y e fyrst frutes of them that be aslepe to rayse them to euerlastynge lyfe agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is ryseÌ„ again than were it neyther true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor y t he sent downe the holy goost nor that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father hauynge the rule of heauen and earth reygnynge as the prophete sayeth from see to see nor that he shulde after thys worlde be a iudge of lyuynge deade to gyue rewarde to the good and iudgement to the euell That these lynkes therfore of oure fayth shulde all hange together in stedfaste confirmation it pleased our sauiour not strayght way to wythdraw hymself from the corporall syght of hys disciples but chose out fourty daies wherin he wold declare vnto them by manyfolde and moost stronge argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and was truly rysen agayne to lyfe He began sayeth Luke at Mo ses and all the prophetes and dyd expoune them the prophecies that were wrytten in al the scriptures of hym to confirme the truth of his resurrection longe before spoken of whych he verefyed in dede as it is declared manyfestly by hys ofte appearaunce to son dry persons at sondry tymes Fyrst he sente hys angels to y t sepulchre whych dyd shewe to certayne wo men that the stone of the graue was remoued from the dore therof and shewed them the emptygraue sa uynge that the buriall lynnen remayned therin and of these sygnes were these women fully instructed y t he was rysen agayne and so dyd they testifye it opeÌ„lye After thys Iesus hymselfe appeared to Mary Magdalene and after that to other certayne women strayght afterwarde he appeared to Peter than to the two disciples whych were goynge to Emaus He appered to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Iues the dores shut At an other tyme he was sene at the see of Tyberias of Peter and Thomas and other disciples whan they were fyshynge He was sene of more thaÌ„ fyue hundred brethren in the mount of galile where Iesus appoynted them by hys angel whan he said beholde he shal go before you into Galile there shal ye se hym as he hath said vnto you After thys he ap peared vnto Iames and last of all he was vysiblye sene of al the Apostles at such tyme as he was takeÌ„ vp into heauen Thus at sondrye tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to coÌ„firme this artycle and in these reuelations somtyme he shewed them hys handes hys feete and hys syde and bad them touch hym that they shulde not take hym for a goost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate wyth them but euer he was talkynge wyth them of the kyngdome of God to confirme the truth of hys resurrection For then he opened theyr vnderstandyng to perceyue the scriptures sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Christ to suffer to ryse from death the thyrde daye and to haue prea ched openly in hys name penaunce and remission of synnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good christen people howe necessarie thys artycle of oure fayth is seynge it was proued of Christ hymselfe by such euident reasons and tokens by so longe tyme space Now therfore as our sauiour was diligeÌ„t for oure coÌ„forte and instruction to testifie it so let vs be as ready in oure beleue to receyue it to our comforte and instruction As he dyed not for himselfe nomore dyd he ryse agayne for hymselfe He was dead sayth saint Paule â—or out synnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moost comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembraunce He dyed sayeth he to put away synne he rose agayne to endewe vs
wyth ryghtuousnes Hys death toke awaye synne malediction hys death was the raunsome of them both Hys death destroyed death and ouercame the deuyll whych had the power of death in his subiectioÌ„ Hys death destroyed hell wyth all the damnation therof Thus is death swalowed vp by Christes vic torye thus is hel spoyled for euer Yf any maÌ„ doubt of thys victorye let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thynge Yf death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion but that he arose again it is manyfest that hys power was ouercome Yf death be coÌ„quered than must it folowe y t sinne wher fore death was appoynted as the wages must be al so destroyed Yf death and synne be vanished away then is the deuels tyrannye resysted whyche had the power of death and was the author of sinne and the rulet of hell Yf Christe had the victory of them all by the power of hys death and openly proued it by hys valiauÌ„t resurrection as it was not possible for hys great myght to be subdued of them than thys true that Christe dyed for oure synnes and rose agayne for our iustification why may not we that be hys members by true fayth reioyce and boldly saye wyth the prophete Osee the Apostle Paule where is thy darte O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes be vnto God saye they whyche hath gyuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Thys myghtye conquest of hys resurrection was not only sygnifyed afore by dyuerse fygures of the olde testa ment as by Sampson whan he slewe the Lyon out of whose mouth came out swetnes and hony and as Dauid bare his fygure whan he delyuered y e lambe out of the Lyons mouth and whan he ouercame slewe the great gyant Goliath and as whan Ionas was swalowed vp of the whales mouth and cast vp agayne on londe to lyue but was also moost clerely prophecied by the prophetes of the olde testament in the newe also confirmed by the Apostles He hath spoyled sayeth saynt Paule rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemyes He hath made a shewe of them openlye and hath triumphed ouer them in hys owne person Thys is the myghty power of the Lorde whome we beleue on By hys death hath he wrought thys victorye for vs and by hys resurrection hathe he purchased euerlastynge lyfe ryghtuousnes for vs. It had not ben ynough to be delyuered by hys death from synne excepte by hys resurrection we had ben endowed wyth ryghtu ousnes And it shulde not auayle vs to be delyueted from death except he had rysen agayne to open for vs the gates of heuen to enter into lyfe euerlastinge And therfore saynte Peter thanketh God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ for hys abundaunt mercy bycause he hath begotteÌ„ vs â—ayeth he vnto a lyuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christe from death to enioye an inheritaunce immortal that shal neuer perysh whych is reserued in heauen for them that be kepte by the power of God thorowe fayth Thus hath hys resurrection wrought for vs lyfe ryghtuousnes He passed thorowe death and hell to put vs in good hope that by hys strength we shall do the same He payde the raunsome of synne that it shulde not be layde to our charge He destroyed the deuell and all hys tyranny and openlye triumphed ouer hym and toke awaye from hym all hys captiues hath raysed set them wyth hymselfe amonges the heauenly cytesins aboue He dyed to destroy the rule of the deuell in vs and rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our hartâ— to endow vs wyth perfyte ryghtuousnes Thus is it true that Dauid songe Veritas de terra orta est iustitia de coelo ê‘spexit The truth of goddes promyse is in erth to man declared or from the earth is the euerla stynge veritie goddes sonne rysen to lyfe the true ryghtuousnes of the holy goost lokynge out of heauen is in moost lyberall larges dealt vpon all the worlde Thus is glorye and prayse reboundinge vp warde to god aboue for hys mercy and truth thus is peace come downe froÌ„ heueÌ„ to meÌ„ of good faithfull hartes â–ª Thus is mercye and veritie as Dauid wryteth met together thus is peace and ryghtuousnes embrasynge and kyssynge themselfe together Yf thou doutest of so great felicitie that is wrought for the O man cal to thy mynde that therfore haste thou receyued into thyne owne possession the euerla stynge veritie our Sauiour Iesus Christe in forme of breade to confirme to thy conscience the truthe of all thys matter Thou hast receyued hym yf in true fayth and repentaunce of harte thou haste receyued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receyued hym for an euerlastinge gage and pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receyued hys body which was oâ—es broken and hys bloud shed for the remission of thy synne thou hast receyued hys body to haue with in the the father the sonne the holy goost to dwell wyth the to endowe the wyth grace to strength the agaynst thy enemyes and to comforte the with theyr presence Thou hast receyued hys bodye to endowe the wyth euerlastyng ryghtuousnes to assure the of euerlastynge blysse and lyfe of thy soule For wyth Christe by true fayth arte thou quyckened agayne sayeth saynt Paule from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated froÌ„ corporall and euer lastynge death to the euerlastynge lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation shulde be and thy harte and desyre set Doubte not of the truth of thys matter how great excellent so euer these thyn ges be It becommeth god to do no lytle dedes how impossible so euer they seme to the praye to god that thou mayest haue fayth to perceyue thys greate power of Christes resurrection y t by fayth thou mayest certaynly beleue nothing to be impossible with god Only bringe thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament let thy repentanÌ„ce shewe thy faith let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy harte to gods lawe herafter declare thy true beleue Endeuoure thy selfe to saye wyth saynte Paule from henseforth our conuersation is in heuen froÌ„ whence we loke for a sauioure euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whych shall chanÌ„ge our vyle bodyes that they may be fashioned lyke to hys glorious bodye whyche he shal do by the same power wherby he rose froÌ„ death and wherby he shal be able to subdue al thynges vn to hymselfe Thus good christen people for as muche as ye haue herde these so great and excellent benefy tes of Christes myghtye and glorious resurrection howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuyll death and hell and hath victoriously obteyned the better hande of them all to make vs fre and saufe from them and knowynge that we be by thys benefyte of hys
Now as touchynge the fyrste parte of Iohels prophecie concernynge the sendynge downe of y t ho ly goost after such a plentyful sorte the scripture tea cheth vs that it was fulfylled aboute thys tyme of Pentecost as in our sermons before we haue fully at large declared vnto you And as for the rest of the prophecie concernynge the great calamitie and terrible tokens that shall come agaynste domes daye there is no doubte but it shall come to passe as oute sauiour Christ hath also certifyed vs. But my frendes let vs be nothynge dismayed nor troubled wyth the remembraunce of thys dradfull tyme whych no doubt yet approcheth nere and shall steale vpon vs or euer we be ware we knowe not how sone Onely let vs do as the prophete teacheth vs here we shal not nede to feare Let vs cal on the name of y t Lorde and we shalbe saued Let vs thaÌ„ in al our aduersitie woo and trouble yea and also in our welth prosperitic and felicitie remember God loue God prayse God call on God with fayth But let it be such faith as shall worke by charitie Let it be a lyuely fayth no deade fayth that maye brynge forth good workes Yf we thus do we shall not nede to feare these terrible tokens but we shalbe sure to be translated from thys myserye vnto immortall ioye wyth God To whome c. The Gospell on the .iiij. daye of Pentecost The. vi chapter of S. Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christ teacheth vs here y t onles we be renewed by the holy goost we can not come vnto him IEsus sayd to hys disciples and to the company of the Iewes No man can come to me excepte the father whych hath sent me drawe hym And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye It is wrytten in the prophetes and they shalbe all taught of god Euery man therfore that hath herde and hath learned of the father coÌ„meth vnto me Not that any man hath sene the father saue he whych is of god the same hath sene the father Verely verely I saye vnto you he that putteth hys trust in me hath euerlastynge lyfe I am that bread of lyfe Your fathers dyd eate Mana in the wyldernes and are dead This is that breade whych coÌ„meth downe froÌ„ heauen that a man maye eate therof and not dye I am that lyuynge breade whych came downe from heauen Yf any maÌ„ eate of thys bread he shal lyue for euer And the breade that I wyll gyue is my flesh which I wyll gyue for the lyfe of the worlde IN thys Gospell good people our sauiour Christ makynge answer to the murmourynge of y t people agaynst hym bycause he sayd he was the breade of lyfe and declarynge that theyr thoughtes coulde not be hyd from hym expouneth and also fortifyeth the worde y t he spake sayenge vnto them y t they had no cause to murmoure amonges themselues of the thynge y t he spake For therfore hys worde dyd not synke into theyr myndes bycause of theyr mysoeleue Seynge they saw not and hearyng they herde not beynge present they were absent Whosoeuer com meth to Christ shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe But there is no waye to come vnto hym but by fayth Thys fayth is not lyghtly had but coÌ„meth by the in spiracion of the father who lyke as by y t soÌ„ne he draweth mens myndes vnto hym so w t secrete inspiracions of fayth he draweth them to the sonne He bestoweth not so great a gyfte but to suche as be wyllynge gredy Whosoeuer then shall meryte by hys prompte wyl deuoute mynde to be drawen of y e father the same shall attayne by Christ to euerlasting lyfe For our sauiour Christ shall also rayse yeâ— deade to lyfe agayne in y e last daye A great thynge taketh he that beleueth Christ but without the helpe of the heueÌ„ly father he can not do it Yet neuertheles they are not excused bycause they be not drawen For the father as much as in hym is coueteth to drawe all He y t is not draweÌ„ is in fault himselfe bycause he w t draweth hymselfe froÌ„ hym y t wolde drawe hym Humane thynges be lerned w t humane studye but this heauently lernynge is not perceyued onles y e secrete inspiracion of the father maketh hym an apte teachable harte And this is it y t longe sythens was pro phecied of the prophetes to come to passe And they all shalbe taught of God But the desyre of thys worlde do make many vnapt I say it is the gyft of god but the indeuoure must be ours A maÌ„ heareth w t hys bodely eyen Christes wordes in vayne onles he heare w tin fyrst y e secrete voyce of y e father whych breatheth the mynde w t an insensible grace of fayth For god is a spirite is neyther herde nor sene but of spiritual persons Many haue sene herd Christ to theyr damnation And albeit the Iues boasted y t god was both sene herde of Moses of y t prophetes yet no mortall maÌ„ euer sawe or herde god as he is For thys is only grauÌ„ted to the sonne of maÌ„ ours sauiour Christ. Let vs then shake of the care of this lyfe and not so moch seke for the bread whereby our bodyes be fedde as thys breade whych giueth euerlastynge lyfe We counte the olde fathers happye whych dyd eate Manna yet thys Manna preserued them not from death and why Not bycause Manna was euyll sayeth saynte Austine but because of theyr euyll eatyng Christe is the breade whych descendeth from heauen whyche is signified by Manna He that eateth of thys breade shal lyue for euer But ye wol aske who thys is Saynt Austine answereth in thys wyse He that is in y e vnitie of Christes bodye that is to wytte in the felowshipe of the christen meÌ„bres the sacrameÌ„te of whych body all fayth full persones be wonte to receyue when they coÌ„municate at the altare come to gods borde doth truly eate the bodye of Christe and drynke the bloude of Christe Nowe therfore let vs by all indeuours we caÌ„ make ourselues mete and apte to receyue y e holye spirite of god wherby we maye be drawen to Christ. Let vs also take parte of hys passions and folowe the coÌ„uersation whych he had in hys fleshe Whyche thynge as S. Austine others expoune thys place is to eate hys fleshe and drynke hys bloude To whome wyth the father and holy goost be all glorye AMEN ¶ Imprinted at London by Richarde Bankes and are to be solde in Fletestrete at the sygne of the whyte Harte Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Matâ— IX Xâ—â— Luk. Matâ— xxvi i. cor xv psa lxxi Iu. xxiiij Math. xxviij Ioh. xx i. cor xv lu xxiiij Ioh. xxi i. cor xv Actu i. Iu. xxiiij i. cor xv i. cor xv Iu. xiiij i. Reg. xvij Ion. ij Col. ij i. Pet. i. Ephe. ij Psalm lxxxiiij Eph. iiij