of the worlde He shal be a kyng saieth the Prophet but yet with pouertie miserie without al princely reputation if the matter be consydered after the custom of the world of princes This Prophete also speaketh of an other power of this kyng For he calleth hym righteous and a sauiour and not riche fortunate or a glorious kyng before the worlde but righteous and a sauior whiche bryngeth with hym iustice and saluation and destroyeth synne and death the enemie of synne and death whiche shall delyuer all from synne and death that beleue in hym and take hym for theyr kyng and are not offēded with the borowed asse They that do this haue geuen vnto them remission of synne and remedye agaynst deathe to the attainement of euerlastyng lyfe And althoughe their body dye and be buried yet is it not to be called death but rather a slepe And this it is that Zacharie wyll teache vs of Christ when he geueth him these two names that is of a righteous and Sauior whiche may be the deathe of deathe and destroy the power of the deuyll and by this meanes deliuer vs that beleue in hym from sinne and death and transpose vs into the kingdom of angels wher is life and saluation He left for the kynges of the worlde their glorie richesse towers palaces Let them lyue in glorie neuer so muche buyld they neuer so gorgeously be theyr apparell neuer so costely yet haue they not this power whiche this poore kyng had For there is no emperor kyng or pope so mighty with all hys power that can delyuer vs from the least synne that is and that can heale a small disease with all the richesse that he hath And what shall I say than that they haue muche lesse any power agaynst euerlastyng deathe and hell But this poore kyng onely helpeth therin and that not only against one synne but against al sinne and not only agaynst my synnes but agaynst the synnes of the whole worlde He came not onely to take awaye diseases but also death and not onely death but also the deathe of all the world Tell this sayth the prophet to the daughter of Syon that she be not offended for his lowe behauiour but that she shut vp her eies and open her eares and let her not consyder howe poore this kyng is in syght but what the word doth teache of this kyng The pouertie is open forasmuche as he commeth on an asse without ridyng apparell But in that he forgeueth synne deliuereth from death geueth saluation and euerlastyng life to them that are sanctified that is not sene wherfore the word therof is only to be herd and to be beleued So saith Zacharie Tel the daughter of Sion that she may knowe and not be moued nor offended that he commeth so pore vnto his people and dyeth so shamefull a deathe For all these thynges be doone for thy sake that thou by thys Sauior mightest be saued against the deuyl death his purpose is to sanctifie thee and to delyuer the frō synne All endeuours are in vayne when we regarde not the sence of the eares but loke to haue it allowed by the eies For this kyng differeth very muche from other kyngs What so euer they do they do it in great magnificence and pompe But in Christe it is not so which fyrst in Baptisme gaue vs this strength wher by we ar deliuered from sinne from death Here the eies se nothing but cōmon water ▪ which is included in the word and pronunciation therof Here the eies see nothing then the breath of a man but this we must be ware that we folowe not the iudgement of the eyes The eies ar to be shut vp and the eares to be opened and the worde to be heard Whiche teacheth that our Lord Iesu Christ shed his bloode for the remission of synnes and euerlastyng lyfe These gyftes are founde for a suretie in the holye Baptisme in the Supper of the Lorde in the preachynge of the Gospell This is true But because of the simplicitie therof they ar not thought to haue so great efficacie by the lauer of water supper of the Lorde But beware thy eies bring the not to this straite It semeth an absurde thyng in the eies of the people that he that came on a vile asse and after was crucified shoulde be thought to haue power agaynst synne death and hell No mans sight was so clere as to see that But the prophet saith it Therfore in this matter there is no nede of eies but of Faithe and eares Wherfore sayth the Euangelist Tell the daughter of Syon And the Prophete sayth Reioyce Syon be glad daunce and leape for ioye O Ierusalem beholde thy kyng commeth What maner of kyng A righteous kyng and a sauior which shall sanctifie thee and saue thee For he wyl communicate his righteousnes and saluation with thee that thou myghtest be free from synne and he wyl dye for thee that thou by his death mayst be delyuered frome eternall death Wherfore let not the great pouertie that is in hym offend thee thy lyfe and saluation lyeth hydde in hym Geue thankes for the benefyte and vse it to thy comforte For all these thynges are doone for thy saluation Wherfore this is our kyng Iesus Christ this is his kingdome and office He handleth no taxes and tributes he careth for no towers nor for worldly magnificence But when we are now come to the marke of deathe so that we can lyue here no longer Then is it the office of this kyng that we by his passion and death may walke into Paradise and say on this maner I am sanctified through my kyng Iesus Christe whiche for that cause came after a vile forme and would be crucified that he myghte sanctifie me and that in me he might slea synne and death He that beleueth this on this wise as he heareth and is preached in the Gospell shal be sure of saluation For therfore was Baptisme ordeined of Christe that by it he might put his iustice on the and that his holynes and innocencie may become thyne by right For al we are miserable synners But in Baptisme Christ doth comfort vs and saith Geue me thy synnes and take thou my rightousnes and holynes Let thy death be taken from thee and my lyfe put on thee Wherfore this doctrine ought gladly to be receiued and the godlynes therof then also it ought to be declared in our lyfe that God myght not seme to haue geuen this lyght in vayne vnto the earthe But it chanceth contrarywise and the world is made oftentimes the worse for this doctrine And here is the very diuel reigning with al his kingdom in the vnkynd worldly man for all this greate grace of God The matter is playne that there is nowe more auarice couetousnes crueltie impudent lechery aduoutrie and wickednes then was before vnder the popedome What is the cause Uerily no other thing then
Wherfore if the eie be single all the body shal be full of lyght But and if thyne eye be wicked all thy body shal be full of darknes Wherfore if the lyght that is in thee be darknes how great is that darknesse It becommeth not them that professe them selues to be guides of the blynde lyghtes of them which are in darknesse informers of them whiche lacke discretion teachers of the vnlearned c. to be ignorant and vnlearned voyde of the knowledge of Gods mysteries and vtterly estraunged frome the true and perfect vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures All suche the worde of God calleth blynde guydes dumbe dogges not able to barke horses and moyles that haue no vnderstandynge euyll woorkemenne whyte daubed walles greuous and rauenynge wolues hyrelynges theues robbers murtherers foolyshe shepeheardes Idolls c. Sainct Hierome saieth It is the office of Priestes whenne they be demanded of the lawe to answere If he be a priest let hym knowe the lawe of the Lorde If he know not the lawe of the Lorde he declareth euidently that he is no priest For it pertaineth vnto the Lordes priest to know the lawe and when he is asked to make answere of the lawe Agayne he saythe If after the mynde of the Apostle Paule Christ be the power of God and the wysedome of God it foloweth well that he that knoweth not the Scriptures knoweth not the power of God and the wysedom of hym For the ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of Christe Leo the byshoppe saythe If ignorance seemeth intollerable euen in laye men howe muche more is it worthye neyther of excuse nor of forgeuenes in them that beare rule In Concilio Toletano wee reade on this manner Ignoraunce the mother of all errours is moste of all to be eschewed in the Priestes of GOD whyche haue taken vppon theym the office of teachyng amonge the people of god Priestes are warned to reade the holye Scriptures as Paule the Apostle sayeth vnto Timothe Geue attendance vnto redynge and exhortation and to learnynge and continue alwayes in these Lette priestes therfore knowe the holy scriptures and Canons and lette all theyr worke busynesse and trauayle consyste in preachyng and doctrine And let theym edifye all men so well with the knowledge of Faith as with the good information of workes Thus see you dere brethren that it is required of you not onely that ye shold be faithfull but also wyse seruantes which wysedome ye can by no meanes obtayne excepte ye gett vnto you the knowledge of the holy Scriptures which alone make the man of God wyse as the Psalmograph saith The vndefiled lawe of the Lord turneth soules the faithfull wytnes of the Lorde geueth wysedom vnto Babes Litle can fidelitie profite where this wysedome wanteth Thyrdly it is required of you that ye geue meate to the Lordes household in due tyme or in season Thys houshold of the Lord is the congregation of God whom the Lord Christe hathe purchased and reedemed by his precious bloudde Thys householde thys Congregation thys fellowshyppe thys companye of the Lordes seruauntes muste ye feede To them muste ye geue meate This meate is the woorde of God that is to say the lawe and the Gospell With this â—ode is the Christen mans soule fedde as Christ saieth Man shall not liue with breade alone but with euery woorde that commeth out of the mouthe of God This meate is ministred vnto them by preachynge the lawe and the Gospell the lawe to this ende that they may learne to know them selues and the heauy wrathe of God agaynste synne the Gospell that they maye by the preachyng thereof receaue consolation and confort ioye and peace agaynst the accusation curse and condemnation of the lawe against the terroures of Gods iudgement agaynst the assaultes of Sathan c. and so through faith in Christ be at peace with God And this is it that the Lorde Christe speaketh in the Gospel Euery Scribe which is taught vnto the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto a man that is an housholder whiche bryngeth foorth out of his treasure thynges newe and olde After his resurrection he also sayde to hys disciples Thus is it written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer and to ryse agayne from death the thyrde day and that repentance and remission of synnes should be preached in his name amonge all nations And this trade of teachynge vsed CHRIST and his Apostles and all other godly preachers as wee maye euidently see bothe in the diuine and ecclesiasticall wryters and so frome tyme to tyme they fedde the Lordes householde not wyth the leauen of the Pharyseys but with the sweete breade of purenesse and truthe And here see ye that ye are appoynted offycers in the Lordes house vnto thys ende not that ye shoulde be loyterynge lubbers marchantlyke Mammonistes gredye gathergoodes Ethnyke Epicures voluptuous worldlynges dumbe dogges vnpreachyng prelates ydell Idols c. but that ye should geue them meate in due tyme that is preache the lawe and the Gospell and so fede them not with the fleshe pottes of Egypte but wyth Manna that celestiall foode that came downe frome heauen The office of preachyng therfore is committed vnto you Looke well vnto it and take heede that ye defraude not the Lordes familie of theyr foode and sustenance euer settynge before your eyes this saying of the wyse man when the word of God is not preached the people peryshe It is not the quarter sermon preachyng that ought to suffise the Lordes householde The worde of God oughte continually to be ministred and sette before the Lordes familie as God hym selfe saieth by the Prophet Cry cease not lyft vp thy voyce as a trompe and shew vnto the people their wickednesses and to the house of Iacob theyr synnes Agayn I haue sette watchemen vppon thy walles O Hierusalem whyche shall neyther ceasse daye nor nyght to preache The godly inspired Apostle sainct Paule saithe wrytyng vnto Byshop Timothe Preach thou the worde be feruent in season and out of season Improue rebuke exhort with all long sufferyng and doctrine For the tyme wyl come when they shall not suffer wholsome doctrine but after their owne lustes shall they whose eares itche gette them an heape of teachers and shall withdrawe theyr eares from the trueth and shall be turned vnto fables But watche thou in all thynges suffer afflictions do the worke throughly of an Euangeliste fulfyll thyne office to the vttermoste Blessed Luke in his Chronicle of the Apostles actes wytnesseth that Sainct Paule sendyng for the Elders of Gods congregation at Ephesus to come to Mileton vnto hym among other spake these woordes vnto them I take you to recorde this daye that I am pure from the bloode of all menne For I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you all the counsayle of God Take hede therefore vnto your selues and
that mē do not gladly receiue this doctrin as it behoueth them to do but all set naught by it They care more for golde and riches then this incomparable treasure which Christ the sonne of GOD brought downe to vs from heauen Wherfore this punishement is deserued wherwith God plagueth these vnkynde persons If thou sayth he thinkest thy self vnworthy to geue me thākes for that I delyuer thee from great euyls frome syn from death be it so truly And I wil make that thou shalt greuously trauaile vnder sinne and death seyng thou louest it so wel And wher as before thou were in the danger but of one diuel nowe shalt thou be vexed of seuen worse Wherfore I adhorie you to here this doctrine with a godly feare and to be thākfull for it and to pray God with all your harts that he may confirme you in this fayth that ye may kepe suche doctrine Wherby it shall come to passe that we be made daily more sobre more obedient more gentle more chast and better For this is the nature of this doctrine to make men more ful of modestie and softnes of obedience and chastitie But they that cast it from them becom seuen tymes worse then they were when they were without this doctrine as examples doo testifie euery where Wherfore take ye hede truly the tyme will come it will come without doubt when God shall reuenge this vnkyndnes and then shall it be sene what the world hath deserued by this vnkyndnes Wherfore marke wel the hystorie of this gospel For seyng that the Iewes woulde not here the voyce of the prophete this is sayd vnto vs that our kyng commeth meke and poore that we shoulde not be offended neither haue respect to the pōpe riches of the worlde But let vs consyder that this our kinge is righteous and a Sauiour whiche deliuereth vs from sinne and from deathe And when this is taught receaue it gladly and louingely and geue God thankes least after that ye be fayne to receiue the deuyll with howling wailing and gnashing of teeth To the whiche thyng we are adhorted also by the example of the Apostles and of other which were in the trayn of this kyng For seyng that Christ is a kyng he must nedes haue a kyngedome and people and this people muste shewe their due seruice to their kynge What seruice this is the hystorie declareth For here be found some that knowlege that the Lord Iesu the kyng is come and be not ashamed to be amongest the waiting men of this asse and poore kynge Amongest these are the Apostles first which knowledge the Lord Iesu Christ to be the true Messias that shall iustifie and become a sauiour agaynst synne and death Wherfore they bring vnto Christe an asse that is they councell the Iewes to go to Christ whiche hytherto haue lyued vnder the lawe haue borne the burden therof lyke asses Then with the asse they bryng a colt also vnto Christ that is the Gentiles that be not yet tamed neither wer vnder any lawe For Christ is the Sauior of all men Wherfore al true Euangelists and teachers ought to bring men vnto Christ And this is one seruice that is due to this kyng that he be knowen receyued and glorified of all men for the rightuous Sauiour The second seruice is that we sing Osanna to Christ on the Asse that is that after we haue receaued this Sauiour and knowledge hym for our kyng that men wyshe well to him and to his kyngdom and that they do all thynges that belonge to the aduancyng of thys kyngdome although it offend the Phariseis and chief priestes neuer so muche For Osanna signifieth Saue O lord blesse Lord the sonne of Dauid As we say in the Lordes prayer Thy kyngdome come For the diuell and his membres will not cease to go about to abolyshe or at the leaste corrupte this kyngdome Here haue we nede of prayer that it may please God to infringe and represse this enterprise of the diuell The third is that we do not only pray but also put of our clothes and sprede them to our Lord Christ in the way that the pompe of his comming may be more syghtfull and not so beggarly And this is then done when accordyng to our abilitie we helpe the ministery of the worde that there may be plentie of teachers good men which both by teachyng and lyuyng maye be gouerners of the congregation And also that they that nowe are ministers may so be handled that they may see to their duetie and geue them selfe to studye and not to fall away from their ministration for lack of lyuyng or to be busied with other thyngs that they can not haue leasure to doo theyr duetie To be short what soeuer thyngs or riches is bestowed to this vse that the ministrations in the cōgregation may be wel ordred and maie haue true pastors It is to be vnderstanded by the clothes which ar spread for Christ that his commyng may be somewhat more kynglike Thus must this seruice be doone to this kyng neither care thou for the Priestes and Phariseys whiche are moued for this sclender pompe and do al that they can to let it But Christ doth not suffer this For where as he is kynge he canne not be without a people and he hath nede also to be serued like a kinge And happy are they that serue this king For he is such a king that he will serue vs againe not with riches and store for that were to base a thyng for this king but with righteousnes agaynst synne with saluation against death and dampnation Wherefore it is expedient that we should be redy and glad to doo this king seruice Neither let vs be offended with the example of the Pope and bishops and suche other which bring not the asse to Christ as the Apostles did to put him theron but that thei may ride vpon the asse themselues and may kepe men vnder the danger of their doctrine as they list but thei make Christ go on foote neither can they suffer him to come through his Gospell and to turne mens eies vnto hym These false doctours haue their disciples also whyche flatter with theim and strawe boughes of Palmes and Oliues in their waye but they cast stones at Christ. For they persecute hym and his gospell and all that professe it These in that daye shall knowe with the Iewes that they haue despised the righteous kyng and Sauiour and therfore shall suffer the wrathe of God for euer Wheras contrary they that haue receaued hym and confessed hym and hath become parteners with him in all that they haue shall obteine by hym iustice and euerlasting lyfe The whiche thyng as our truste and wishe is might chance vnto vs through our Lorde Iesu Christe and Sauiour Amen The seconde Sonday of Aduent ¶ The Gospell of S. Luke xxi THere shal be signes in the Sonne and in the
tremblyng and dreade and dydde for very feare and pensiuenes despaire because they mystrusted that they wer not able to susteyn gods iudgement For the popes doctrin brought vs to this opinion that we feared Christ as an horrible iudge And many haue bē in that case that they thought there was no hope of saluatiō to be loked for of Christ for them And for that cause they prayed to the virgin Mary that she would bee theyr patronesse and make intercession for theym to suche a iudge For no man knew any other thyng but that Christ was cleane loste Wherfore there was no other thyng looked for but that we dyd tremble and quake when we thought of this Iudge Wherfore thynk this that the greatest part of this signe is past And I iudge likewise of the celestiall signes that the lest part of them remaineth And if thei be not all yet come to passe yet it may chaunce dayely that they be done But neuer the lesse we must be nothyng slacke in caryng therfore that we may be redy to mete at that day As Christ hereafter dothe exhort vs so to do In the ende Christ speaketh also of the other prodigious signe and sayth Men shal pyne away for feare and for the dreadful expectation of these thinges that shall chance to the worlde Here speaketh he of an other confusion whiche is excedyng great And thereof it chaunceth that men feare the signes of the laste day But suche are not the wycked the vngodly but the godly and timorous Wherfore they ioyne with the signes the meanyng therof whiche the wicked doo foolyshely despise and thynke themselfe wyse in so doynge because many suche sygnes hath chanced before and yet the day came not Wherefore they see these signes dayely and are not an heare the better neyther doo they thynke that the thyngs that chance on the last day are shewed to make them to be ware and circumspect Suche despisers dothe Christe caste frome hym For seynge they are so dull harted that they are nothynge moued with the signes much lesse wyll they care for the woorde and doctrine But the good whiche marke these signes and are moued with them dothe Christe take to his cure and comforteth them swetely after this sort Forasmuch as they confesse Christ and set by his worde and wyll not depart from it wyllyngly or denye it that they ought not to be afrayde or abashed at the syght of any sygnes bee they neuer so horrible and dreadefull Then shall they see sayth Christ the sonne of man commyng in a clowde with power and great glorye This magnificence passeth all the triumphes of kynges and emperours For then shall the ayre be full of angelles and Sainctes whiche shall shyne more bryghter then the sonne and Christe shall be in the myddest of them and with his elect shal geue sentence agaynst the damned whiche shall stande beneth in the earthe with the dyuell tremblyng and quakyng Wherfore sayth Christ when these thynges begyn to come to passe loke vp and lyft vp your heades be of good chere and see that ye be mery For all these thynges must be done If the worlde muste nedes fall it must fyrste geue a cracke For such a great buildyng can not fall except all thinges therof be fyrst shakē pluckt in pieces As a man that is nowe at the poynt of death he wrastleth and rolleth his eyes mouthe and all his membres his face waxeth pale and all about hym is sene great deformitie Suche shall be the facion of the worlde when it shall nowe perishe But I say vnto you be not discoraged in your myndes Lyfte vp youre heades for to you it may be a pleasure to behold these thynges And this occasion of ioy is not to be despised your redemption saith he is at hande yours I meane that beleue But the other that do not beleue shal be condempned Wherfore they ought to feare but they do not so For Christ shall bryng with him both these things that is heauen for the beleuers and godly and hell and damnation for the other This speaketh Christ to the godly whiche also shall be afrayde when the Sonne and Moon shal change their countenances and the world shall be full of signes For the Sainctes bee not so stronge yea Peter and Paule would thynke these signes fearfull if they were lyuyng But be strong saith Christe there shall be an horrible syght but it shall not hurt you it shall hurt the dyuell and the vngodly but there shall come therof saluation and moste ioyfull redemption to you whiche ye haue desyred so greately and haue prayed that my kingdom should come your synnes forgeuen and you your selues delyuered from all euill That thyng therfore that ye haue prayed for so longe and so hartily shall nowe be geuen vnto you For this is called the day of your redemption Wherfore this latter day may wel be called the day of damnation and redemption the daye of sorowe and ioye the daye of hell and of the kyngedome of heauen As Christ in the .xxiiij. of Mathew sayth Then shall all the tribes of the earth lament We shall not by Gods grace be amongest them but here wyll we leaue the Pope the fantasticall spirites the wrongfull extorcioners the wicked citizens the seditious people suche other whiche leaueth no kynde of wronge vndoone whiche persecute the Gospell and are the begynners of all these euyls then shall they smoke for this But we that are nowe oppressed with theyr myghte and dare not looke them on the face whiche wepe and are vexed shall at that tyme laugh and see before our faces howe they are dryuen with the dyuell into hell Wherfore although it shall seme dreadfull vnto you be not afrayde seeke no corners to hyde you in whenne these thynges begynne to come to passe But lyfte vp your heades meryly and stryue agaynste youre temptation Remembre that ye woulde haue me suche a one For if ye woulde haue me your redemer fyrste must I oppresse them that hold you captiue Is it not so If the robbers had taken thee and put thee in a castell and thou heardest that the castell were strongely besieged thou woldest not care so muche for the cruelnes of thy enemies but woldest rather reioyce if thou knewest that this were doone for thy sake that thou myghtest be delyuered from thy enemies So thinke ye here also that it ought not to seme terrible when the world shall plunge miserably and greuously be tormented For this punyshement is not for you but prouided for them on whome ye made complaynte Wherfore take this comynge as the comyng of youre saluation For I come not to condemne you to helle but to delyuer you out of this wycked frowarde and corrupte worlde and to separate you from the dyuell and his garde and to put you amongest the angels where ye shall suffer no euyll but haue the fruition of euerlastyng
oxe stable was his refuge What should I desier any better state seing my kinsman ye rather my brother kinge of heauen is founde so poore in all things before oure eyes Why should I refuse hardnes seing the kinge of glorie refuseth not to take on him all things for my sake Who am I a sinner not worthie to lie amonge sharpe cutting flagges and yet I lie softer than my prince which suffered to lye in hay and abhorred not the maunger And yet after this the case is so vnworthie that we stockes and blockes are so nice and delicate that we can suffer no payne and yet we se before oure eyes the example of Christe what paynes he toke for oure sake But it is not vnknowen what reward we shall haue for oure foolishnes And yet if we had any wit we wold beware Now therfore lett vs briefly reherse bothe these doctrines and lessons The firste is that we regarde our owne honoure in that that Christe is made mā This honour and renoume is so great that if a man were an angell in state he myght worthely and well wish him self a man that he might be counted amongest them which glorie and boste my fleshe and blud is placed aboue the angells so blessed is the creature of man The second is that this might be an example to vs of charitie and pacience which we might folowe and walke in the steppes of oure brother and kinsman Christe helping seruing other men gladly although it be to oure labour and payn The which thing God the Father with the holy Ghost thorough oure Lord Iesu CHRISTE graunt vs. Amen The second sermon vpon the saying of the Angel as concerning that Christ was borne WE haue rehersed vnto you the history of the feast in the which is made mentiō also of the saying of the Angel to the whiche ther were also assembled many thousand of Angels whiche did shewe and synge altogether to these two or three shepheardes This is the sermon of one Angell Feare ye not for behold I declare vnto you great ioy that shall be to all the people because ye haue a sauiour borne for you this day which is CHRIST the Lord in the Citie of Dauid ALthough this sermon of the Angell is repeted euery yeare yet may it now be conueniently renewed agayne in mynde For we shall neuer come to the perfecte knowledge of this thyng as long as we lyue here And this sermon of the Angell was very necessarie For if CHRIST hadde neuer so much bene borne yet should it haue profited vs nothing if it had bene vnknowen For to what purpose is that treasure that lyeth hyd if thou knowest not wher it is Thou shalt take no pleasure nor profite therby as the Prouerbe saith There is no pleasure in the vnknowen treasure A hyd treasure is no treasure For all men passeth ouer it as they do durt caring not for it So is it also with this moste ioyfull byrth if the Angels had not brought tydings therof and had not opened this treasure to men no man could haue taken the fruition therof The cause why is common A man setteth not his affection on that he knoweth not Neither doth this thyng delight or displease but it is as though it were not and neuer shal be Wherfore it is one of the especiallest things in this Gospell that the Angel by his sermō doth speake openly of this byrth and sheweth vs this treasure that we passe not ouer it and that we be not ignorant of the presence therof but come and take part of the confort therof Wherfore he saith I declare vnto you great ioy THESE words are weightie For the shepheards were greatly astonyed at this meruailous light and celestial shyninge as at an vnwonted thyng because there was sodeinly both in heauen and earth suche great light as though all the earth had bene on fyer To this hath the Angell respect and applieth his words therto saying Feare ye not as if he shold say ther is no cause to feare But your feare sheweth that ye knowe not what is in doing For if ye did ye wold put away feare and reioyce at your owne felicitie And I am come to bring you tydings of great ioy of a great work and miracle whiche thyng if ye wold well consyder ye wold much reioyce This is therfore the entent of this Angels tydings to make men to regard it earnestly and not to let it passe without effecte Wherfore he speaketh of no common ioye but of a great ioye and of a thing moste necessary For the diuell by synne hath brought vs to naught and disturbed all that belongeth vnto vs so that we do not only sustayne originall synne and therby eternall deth but also that al that we haue are in his danger that almoste we maye at euery moment looke for his dartes in body lyfe and goodes For all these things are in a thousande perils and casualtyes Yea the Gospell testifieth that the dyuell possesseth men and dryueth them to madnes so that it may be worthely said that such a man is the fylthy puddle and syncke of the dyuell Suche corruption is engendred in vs by synne that we haue no sure helpe in any thing in the worlde I will not speake of the greatest misery of all that they muste abyde the wrothe of GOD and eternall damnation What is if this be not the moste horrible and violent kyngdome of the diuell And when we consider well and compare both together this myserie in the kyngdome of the dyuell can not be compared with this glorie and reward with this great ioy wherof the Angell preacheth hēre that there is a sauiour borne for vs. Wherfore the Angell entendeth chiefely to remoue this myserie out of oure sight and to geue vs this chyld to behold and see ▪ And let him know that he hath done the office of a good preacher if he brynge vs to the true beholding of this sauiour and to the knowledge of oure owne flesh and bloud And doughtles if this were prynted in vs all the plague wherwith the dyuell vexeth vs should seme light be it neuer so paynfull and pernicious But now let vs come to the moste requisite and necessary knowledge of this diuine worke of God For the dyuell with all his poyson can be ouercome by no other meanes then by this godly power of the which the Angel speaketh to vs in this place when he saith A sauior is borne for you Whē mās minde attaineth to this knowledge thē is the synner oute of perill For than is the matter more depely consydered after this sorte I haue bene defiled of the dyuel and wholy opprest and ouerthrowen headlong into Gods wrathe and eternall damnation but my myschance is not so great but that I haue greater helpe geuen me from GOD agaynst it That is that God possesseth not mankynd after that sorte as the diuell doth but he him self is made
to hell This is the imperie of this chylde and for this condition and state doth the fruite redound vnto his people He wyll geue no bodyly saluation but as farre as the soules helth and his glorie requireth for he is poore and nedy Wherfore let no man come to the kyngdom of Christ to the entent that he may enlarge his goods and encrease his substance Ye may loke for this of the Pope and of men of that sorte He aduanceth his creatures to imperie he getteth them riches parteth amōg them all Prouinces as Daniell prophecied But the princely power of this childe is to be felte only in this that thy synnes may be forgyuen that he maye iustifye and saue thee that he may geue his holye spirite and transpose thee out of the kyngdome of the worlde and of death into the kyngdome of God And to this now is Faith requisite and as I sayd before that thou kepe sure the worde of God For he that letteth passe Gods woorde and foloweth his owne thoughtes shall lose Christ neither shall he knowe hym for a king but for a Iudge he shall be in hatred and feare as the dyuell is For they are wont to feare hym also when they feele them selues gyltie for their synne least he shoulde take them to be punyshed wheras Christ in the meane season confesseth hym selfe to be the lord and prince of his people to delyuer theim from synne and to transpose them into the kyngdom of grace For his people are no other but myserable synners which tremble at the felyng of theyr synne and are afrayde and would fayne be in Gods fauour So that herby may the playn description of the Prophet be perceyued Fyrst that he shal be no bodyly prince nor yet exercise spirituall punyshementes agaynst wyckednes but to geue saluation to all men that beleue in hym agaynst synne the deuyll death and hell For of suche a prince there is sure hope of Saluation And thus farre doo the Scribes recite the saying of the Prophete and no farther They feare peraduēture lest this be to muche For they perceaue well that this is Herodes entent to seeke some way howe to slea and to take this kyng of the Iewes out of the way Wherfore they reherse not the whole sentence before Herode and they do almost professe by worde that at this time they acknowledge no other kyng of the Iewes besyde Herode And yet is it in the Prophete that a Prince of the Iewes shoulde come and shoulde procede oute of Bethleem Therfore they leaue this vnperfect neither dare they to pronounce any farther But the Prophete although he was not lyuyng at that tyme yet dothe he procede and describe what maner of captayn or kynge this should be whiche belongeth also to his persone in these wordes Et egressus eius ab initio a diebus aeterni tatis And his out going hath ben from the beginning and from euerlastyng This dyd not the Scribes reherse to Herode no neither they them selues dyd vnderstand it For ther is more obscuritie therin than was in the words before And that his byrth should be in Bethleem and he him selfe be a captaine ouer all Israell it is not obscurelye spoken and there is a sure signe that he shal be a man But wheras the Prophet sayth furthermore His procedyng is from the begynnyng and from the dayes of eternitie It signifieth that he is the eternal and euerlastyng God whiche had not his beginnyng in Bethleem Of a trouth he was born in Bethleem and this is one maner of procedyng But there is an other also beside this Which is sayd to be from the beginnnyng and from the days of eternitie The wordes of the prophete are not to be changed Fyrst he sayth Out of the shall procede Here do the priestes and scribes testify that to procede to be borne signifieth all one Wherfore the same word afterward must nedes signifie the same thyng when he saith Whose procedyng is from the old dayes and from eternitie that is before that tyme that dais and houres were Wherefore if thou wilte know frō whēce this child is borne mark this prophecie He is born saith he frō Bethleē But what more hath he no other birthe then this the prophet saith furthermore yes he was rather borne before al creatures heauen earth the sonne and moone But that may be determined by no wordes and it is nothyng els then that he was borne without begynnyng eternally before there was any tyme or dais This did neither Herode neither the Iewes vnderstand neither wer they worthy to vnderstand it And this is the prince king which was born at Bethleem a very man which neuerthelesse hath this name also Procedyng from the old dayes which proceded and was born before the world that is which is a true and eternal god and also a true a naturall man And this is the cause of so great stir rynges motions in the worlde For it can not vnderstand this to be procedyngs and birthes without discention that this child also should haue his procedyng before there was sonne or moone The Iewes could not abyde this and afterward there sprang vp many heresies whiche spake agaynst it But this matter is left to be consydered of the which hast gods word put foorth vnto the. Out of whome then was he borne if he was borne before the world Uerily of no other but of God only This must reason nedes confesse if it beleue that God made heauen and earth For what other thyng could be before heauen and earth than God If this childe then proceded was borne before heauen and erth was made it must nedes folow that he was borne of God and is very God For besydes God and his creatures was there nothyng And this is surely a sentence which conteyneth the ground foundation of all things For if Christ were onely a pure man death wold haue confounded hym with all other mortall men For in that that he was born of a virgin it hath not so great strength against death But this is a greatter miracle where as God made Eue of a ribbe thā in that that a virgin brought forth a chyld For a virgin is of that sexe and kynd whiche is borne to bryng foorth children Wherfore that thing coulde not represse the dyuell nor deathe because he was borne of the Uirgin Marye But all the healpe consysteth herein that the virgin Mary is not onely great wyth chylde but also with suche a chyld which was borne before the worlde Wherefore the dyuell deathe and all the kyngdom of the dyuell is ouercom in that they proue maistrie with suche a manne whiche hadde hys procedynge or begynnynge beefore the worlde If it were not for this and if he had his procedynge out of Bethleem only he coulde haue the vpper hande ouer death no more than we all he should be in danger therof aswel as his
God vntyll at laste they yealde them selfe wholly into the kyngdom of the deuill And so shall they haue at the last a worthy reward of their foly and madnes neyther is there any other ways for them Withoute these troubles and miseries there can bee no man lyuynge although the Gospell be away There are always mutuall wronges hatreds battailes c. The imperie of Rome which neuertheles was most mightiest in power coulde not be without calamities diuers cōmotions yea before they hadde the Gospell Wherfore it ought not to be imputed to the Gospell in that they wer plagued after the receiuyng of the Gospel All the faut therof lyeth in the deuyll and in our vnkyndnes The dyuell can not abyde the Gospelle he woulde haue it wholly destroyed and for that cause he stirreth vp so great tempestes at the commyng therof and by howe muche the clerer the lyght of the Gospell goeth abrode so muche the more cruell and greuous is the deuyll agaynst it But God is moste offended with oure vnkyndnes for that that we regarde not suche a greate treasure and wyll not suffer oure selues to bee helped in a matter that bryngeth death He punisheth the vnkynde as it is mete with all calamities and plagues that men may perceaue that there is no helpe in idols against these euyls And this is the first part of the thre matters whereof wee purposed to entreate If thou lykest the state of Christianitie refuse not to abide tempests But if thou doo not thou shalte not be violently handled therfore but thou shalt perceaue what thou haste doone when thou muste suffer the agonie of deathe The seconde part is as concernyng Faith which in temptations agonies fleeth to Christ and awaketh hym This also is worthy to be printed in mynde For our aduersaries the Papistes doo all that they can to deface faith But they greatly extoll fre will But they should wyshe for this that they might be receyued into this shyppe that they myght at the lest proue what power and strengthe free will hath in temptation and daunger The apostles fele how the matter goeth For although their faith was very smalle yet if this smalle faith had not ben they would haue despaired through their free wyll and sunke downe with desperation but when there is but a lyttell fayth as Christ witnesseth sayinge O you of lytle faithe they are helped so that they doo not vtterly perishe They flee to Christ they wake hym they call to hym for helpe If a small and lytle fayth can doo so muche what can a greate and stronge fayth doo As of late the examples of the leapre and Centurion declared Wherfore freewylle when his vertue and strengthe was moste requisite was nothyng at all It vanysheth away and can not stande styffe Then man feleth no other wayes to escape peryll but by wepyng and cryinge and wysheth hymselfe afarre of That is to saye freewyll can geue no comforte in peryll but casteth vs into desperation by a lytle more and more so that at the last they tremble at the sounde of a leafe blowen by the wynde But Faith although it be litle and weake yet standeth and striueth against desperation As it is perceyued in this place by the Disciples For the waues fell so vehemently that they couered the shyppe who would not be afrayde in suche a doubtfull danger and peryll But Faithe although it be but lytle yet it standeth sure as a rocke of the sea and as lytle Dauyd holdeth vp hym selfe agaynst great Goliad comyng towarde hym that is agaynst deathe synne and all daunger It despaireth not but seketh helpe there as it should that is of CHRIST It styrreth hym out of slepe it cryeth Lorde saue vs wee peryshe So is Faithe wonte to doo Althoughe destruction and myschiefe hangeth ouer vs yet it looketh and prayeth for helpe As sayth the Psalme I beleued and therfore I haue spoken and prayde For no man can praye excepte he beleue And free wyll can not doo it For it onely beholdeth the peryll and daunger but it consyderethe not the persone of whome he must aske helpe in suche a tyme. Neyther can a man be defended against synne and deathe by any thyng that belongeth to free wyll But faythe be it neuer so lytle yet dothe it apprehend Christe and obteyneth helthe And if this faythe were strong and sure as was the fayth of Ionas the Prophete whiche endured in the whales bealy thre days they myght haue sayde to the sea and whaues We no thynge feare you neyther all your ragyng and vnrulynesse we shall haue a quiete hauen agaynste youre wronges in the myddest of youre surges for to escape all perylle This is therfore true Faith which hath not respect onely to thynges presente as hath freewyll and therfore it feareth and dispaireth but it considereth the promyse whyche is not yet presently perfourmed and in the myddest of mischiefe hopeth for saluation Wherfore although he be in the middest of the wide chaws of deathe yet he casteth not of hope of saluation but trusteth constantely that he shall come to lande As it appeareth in this place in the small faithe of the disciples Wherfore faith is a thing of no common small efficacitie neither is it without strength but it is the power of God which cōmeth not by fre will but by the word through working of the holy ghost Our aduersaries the papists know not this for if they knew it they wold not set thēselues so stoutly against this sentēce wherin we say that only faith iustifieth saueth that is only faith bringeth comfort when synne death hell and damnation falleth on vs sheweth all their poison against vs. wherfore they ar only fierce and stout when the sea is calme the wether fayre But when a dark cloude stādeth ouer the hed that maketh it to seme night and winter when the water waxeth darke There dothe their heartes fall into their heles and desperation ensueth forthwith For they haue no faythe but freewyll whiche is voyde and without helpe because it forgetteth the worde of God and fyndeth no where any place of refuge And this a very dangerous thyng that Christ sleapeth when they are in peryll of death and lyfe Which thyng perchance came hereby for that he was wearye of teachyng in the day and praying and fightynge against temptations in the nyght For this doo I surely thinke that he was muche vexed in the night season of the diuell whiche tempted hym As he complaineth in the .88 Psalme I am poore and in greate trauaile from my youth I haue dronk of thy wrath and was troubled And this was the cause that he was counted of the people a melancholike person which shewed mery countenance but seldom but went musyng and hangyng downe his heade shewyng outwardlye no pryde or stoute stomacke And although this slepe had a trewe cause yet it behoued that
it not yet properlye he toucheth the thynge that was meant by the name so that he consenteth in all points with the Angell whiche brought this diuine name from heauen causynge hym to be named Iesus because he shoulde saue his people from their synnes Simeon calleth him the saluatiō of the Lord that is whome the Lorde himselfe ordained to be a sauiour And as touching this name I haue spoken before of the childe Iesu that wheras God hath ordayned the maiestrate the parēts and such other necessary offices to be our sauiours in corporall and temporall affaires as the phisitions in sycknes lawyers in expoundynge what is euery mans right So yf this chylde had not cōme with an other kynd of saluation Simeon could neuer haue had suche great confidence in his matters as to expound that his death was but a licence to depart or a salfe conducte to go in peace he could neuer haue regarded synne and death so lyghtlye Wherfore sith Simeon confesseth that he shall depart in peace out of this life bycause he hath sene the saluation of God he defineth plainly that he is a sauiour againste sinne and death For how colde he els haue suche sure confidence of peace in a sauiour that was a man This description is not lightlye to be regarded For it cōprehendeth a great wayghtie matter in fewe wordes It is but one child whom Simeon so nameth Wherfore it is herby euidently proued that whatsoeuer is beside this childe seme it neuer so commendable through the name or outwarde shewe therof yet can it haue no power to bring to saluation or to put awaye death and synne But whosoeuer suffereth it to be applied vnto hym for saluation worketh his owne damnation Wher Simeon by this worde mindeth to abolishe and derogat all rites and ceremonies and all the obseruations of the lawe that no man shold put any hope of saluation in them and that whosoeuer trusteth in the lawe in his workes shall neuer obtayne to be saued For wheras he by a notable praise calleth this child the saluation of God it is easye to gather therby that all ayde and remedie againste death remaineth onely in hym Wherof then commeth this hope in the Iewes that put suche trust in the law and his workes What meaneth the Pope and his adherents so highly to extoll Masses Pilgrimages pardons as though saluation came by them syth this is the name of this child only neyther may it be geuen and communicat to any thyng or creature besydes The only wordes of Simeon may be taken for an argument against these wicked persuasions and opinions For mine eyes saith he hath sene thy saluation I say euen that thou almightie father hast ordayned hym to be a saluation to synners For the worlde must nedes finde out saluations againste sinne The Iewe thinketh it saluation if he obserue the law The monke and religious man thinketh it saluation if he bynde himselfe to a certaine kynd of life by a vowe and some chose certaine of the sainctes to be their patrones and defenders against synne and hell All thinke that purchasyng of saluation cōsisteth in their maner of lyuing But who can number the workes that procede of mēs traditions and Idolatrous seruice in the popedome wherin consisted their chiefe hope of saluation Yf they had well considered this verse of Simeon they shoulde haue perceaued that this ought to haue ben auoyded as a most haynous sacrilege and robbing God of his dewe honour and they wold not haue ordained any other sauiours thā was determined by the saying of Simeon They wolde haue suffered hym onlye to haue this glory whom God had appointed so to be in whome no man that trusteth can be disapointed For to this ende came this child and for this purpose was he sent of God euen to bring saluation vnto vs. Wherfore in this saluation whiche God hath prepared there is suche store of sauing helth that the conscience may therby haue perfect quiet and neuer more dreade the crueltie of death or violence of synne or the ragyng tyrannie of the deuill for as muche as he hath the sauing health of God prepared redie that is the almightie and euerlasting saluation whiche lacketh no kynde of succoure and helpe to saue vs againste synne and death and geue vs abondance of lyfe and rightuousnes Let vs only with this Simeō embrace this child that is stycke vnto hym with a true faith that we maye conceyue a sure comfort by hym For when this is surely printed in our heart that this child is that prepared saluation ordained to helpe vs againste synne and death then doth ensue therof suche peace of cōscience that syn and death skeareth vs but in vaine For our sauiour is redye to helpe vs against it And to entreat more at large of the saluation that commeth by this child let vs take the record of Iohn the Baptist discribynge hym thus Behold the lambe of god that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde In these wordes is described the sacrifice vpon the crosse for syn and the conqueringe of death by his resurrection to iustifie vs and to make vs rightuous Wherfore to the obtainment of this saluation he by his death and resurrection geueth vs helpe against sin and death And albeit that a Christian man must not omitte to do good workes yet is not saluation obtained therby neither remission of syn but this is only obedience due vnto god which god requireth And he that will not performe it is not deliuered from his sinnes for his disobedience For this is the only true way to obtayne that euen that he that seeketh howe to be deliuered from syn and death sholde whollie flee to this saluation that is prepared for vs of god that it might take our synnes vpon hym and make satisfaction for them so deliuer vs. He that doth this may say with Simeon Whatsoeuer feare or dreade by death and other perils is set before vs this is my sure comfort againste them all that thou Lorde lettest thy seruaunt departe in peace He that trusteth to anye other thynge shall in steade of peace fynde anguishe and extreme miserie in suche a tyme. For he shall not haue this sauynge health but in death and damnation shall he perishe Neither muste we make anye suche difference betwene vs and Simeon as thoughe he myght more boldlye truste in this saluation because he had power to take the childe in his armes and to beholde hym and we not so because we haue no suche power For as touchynge the effecte of the matter the bodely presence is not auaylable or hath no great importance Many other Iewes doubtlesse dyd at that very time beholde CHRIST and yet obtayned no saluation therbie Only this was effectuouse in Simeon and furthered hym to saluation for that he thorowe the inspiration of the holy Ghoste embraced this childe whiche nothynge differed from other children by reason and
wolde god as the euerlasting truth performe according to his promes sende the Sauiour suffer him to be crucifyed and slaine as witnesseth S. Peter in the Chronicle of the Apostles actes writtē by blessed Luke God saith he hath performed those thinges whiche he before declared by the mouth of all his Prophetes That Christe should suffer c. Christe also speaketh thus after his resurrection with the two Disciples that were iourneying towarde Emaus It was necessarie that all thinges shoulde be fulfilled that are written of me in the lawe of Moises in the Prophetes in the Psalmes What testimonies there are of the passion of Christ in the scriptures of the olde Testament ye may easelye see in the Euāgelicall historie of the passion death of Christe whiche I wolde wyshe you diligentlye to note for the confirmation of your faith in this behalfe The last cause is the induration or excecation and blyndnes of the Iewes which thorow their great cōtumacie stubburnes thorow their impenitēcie or vnrepētaūt heart being forsaken of god were punished blinded that they should heare and not vnderstād that they should see with their eyes and discerne nothynge as it is written in the scriptures By this meanes they flewe the sonne of God and so prouoked the fyerce vengeance and hote wrath of God against them as the Apostle sayth The wrath of God is comme on them euen to the vttermost For althoughe God from euerlastinge had determined that his sonne Christ shoulde suffer and dye and it could none otherwise be but as God had before decreed yet were not the Iewes excused For they founde no cause of death in hym And although they did not know that he was the sonne of God yet they knewe this for a certentie that he was a godly and innocent man whome they of mere enuye and malice slewe as Pilate againste hym selfe testified this saying I fynde no cause of death in hym Therfore they sought an other thyng then god did whiche appointed his Sonne to suffer and to dye that he by his sufferance and death myghte deliuer them that beleue from synne death deuill and hell and that he by his resurrection myght be glorifyed and become of moste worthie renoume But Satan with his mēbers the Scribes and Phariseyes sought an other thyng euen to slea Christe to bringe Christ to shame and vtterly to roote hym out of remembraunce both hym and his doctrine that there might be no more mention made of hym And so the wicked Iewes thorow their enuie their blinded heart and their vngracious coūcel executed contrary to theyr wyll and deuice the decree and determination of the heauenly father wherby thorowe the mercie of Christ dying for them health and saluation chaunced to so many as beleue Yea the vugodlye Iewes worthelye blynded were deceaued of their purpose and aduaunced Christ whome they determined vtterly to destroye vnto glorie as it is written The Lorde bringeth the councell of the heathen to naughte and maketh the deuices of the people to be of none effect But the councell of the Lorde shall endure for euer and the thoughtes of his hearte from generation to generation When we earnestlye consider these causes then shall we see how miserable and damnable synners we are verely euen suche as coulde none otherwise be saued but only by Christe so that for vs and for our saluation he muste neees dye yea and that the most ignominious and spitefull death of the crosse Again we shall see the moste brenninge heart and incomparable fyre of the loue of our heauēly father and of his sonne Christ which hauing no regard to our synnes nor yet that we were his enemies died for vs that we shold not perishe in our synnes Moreouer we see how faithfull and true god is and that all his wordes and promises will take place and procede against all the violence force power strength crafte and suttiltie of the deuill and the worlde and that heauen and earthe shall sonner fall perishe and cōme to naughte then one iote or title of gods worde shal be founde vntrue and false By the first we learne of the lawe howe greate and horrible a thynge synne is before the eyes of Gods maiestie for the abolishing wherof the onely and innocent sonne of God must be scourged and dye so bytter ignominious and spiteful death yea and that onely to take awaye other mennes synnes By the second we learne the Gospell and the louing gentle and mercifull hearte of GOD toward vs whiche for vs for our saluation sent his only begotten sonne that incomparable treasure into this world and suffred him to be nayled on the crosse By the third we learne assuredly to truste and beleue the promise of God and not to feare the vngodly and wicked persecutours forasmuche as we see that he hath so faithfully and so abundantly performed by his sonne all that euer he promised Again he hath confounded and brought to shame the deuill and all his children of this worlde and hath made frustrate and voyde all their deuices councels and imaginations in so muche that where as they thought with this their worke vtterly to kyl confounde and extinguish Christ they haue moste of all aduaunced Christe vnto his great honour and glorie and by this meanes brought to passe that all the faithfull shall receaue saluation by this crucified Christe For howe could Satan and the stifnecked Phariseyes thincke that Christ by death vnto life by buriall vnto resurrection by ignominie and contempt vnto glorie and honoure shoulde be brought and made king and ruler ouer all creatures both in heauen and in earth But mightie is the lorde our God to performe his promise and to confounde the worlde with his God the deuill as he both doth and shall do euen vnto the very ende of the worlde But now followeth the third thing which we ought to consider about the passion of Christ. This is howe great paine and affliction Christe suffered inwardly outwardly Of the externall passion outward suffring we haue abundantly in the Euāgelical history where we rede how he was taken be spitted whypped beaten crowned with thornes and at the last crucifyed put to death Of the inwarde passion and suffrynge that he had in his hearte and conscience when he must striue with death which was before his eyes hell and deuill Luke writeth in his gospell on this maner he was in an agonie and prayed the longer his sweat was lyke droppes of blood tricklynge downe to the grounde Of the whiche wordes the excedyng greate horror and torment whiche Christ suffered in his conscience may be estemed and iudged and how horrible the sight of death of sinne which he toke on him of hel and deuil was before hym seing that his sweate contrary to al reason of nature was bluddye and so came from hym Againe in that the cōfortour creatour of all the
for the dignitie of it selfe but for Christ of whose fulnes all we haue receued euē grace for grace Now forasmuch as we knowe the fruit and profite and also the whole worke that CHRIST hath broughte to passe by his passion and death let vs nowe at the last learne also howe we maye be made partakers of the same and fromhensforth so frame oure lyfe compose our maners agreable therunto that we maye folowe Christe oure Sauiour and be knowen to be lyke vnto hym yea and his very disciples Uerely then shall we be partakers of the benefites of Christ of the fruites and profites of his passiō whē we beleue that we all were damned synners againe that Christe euen of mery loue and fauour vnto oure profit and singuler cōmoditie without all our merite and deserte suffered all that euer he suffered Item that by none other mediatour nor worke but by Christ alone and by his merite we can be saued so that the passion death resurrection life righteousnes and innocencie of Christ with all that euer he hath is oure owne frely geuen vnto vs of oure heauenly father Wherfore sainct Iohn sayth he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God euen so many as beleue in his name It is certen and sure that none can be the sonne of God except he be holy godlye and righteous But this can we not be of our selues of oure owne strengthes and workes Therefore he sayth that Christe geueth this vnto vs. It then foloweth that by Christe we haue receaued that which we had not before neither could we deserue to haue it with oure workes Whereby then did this chaunce vnto vs verely by faith For Iohn saith That he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of god euē so many as beleue in his name This power then haue they only that beleue not in their owne workes righteousnes but in the name of Christ which is Iesus that is to saye a Sauiour euen that they shoulde beleue that he is the only alone and true sauiour without whom we can do nothinge and without whose merites all our workes although neuer so holy and good are damnable cursed Thus by faith we do all our thinges By faith yea by fayth alone we obtayne all that euer Christ hath and are partakers of the same as his innocencie holines righteousnes wysedome perfectiō the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting lyfe not that faith is our worcke and therefore so nobly recompensed but that it is the hande organ and instrument wherewith we take and laye hande on Christe oure Sauiour For all thinge is prepared geuen and purchassed for vs before and fayth doth no more but take embrace this benefite cleueth surely vnto it doubteth not but that Christ hath obtayned performed al things for her For Christ is frely geuen vnto vs to be our sauiour whō the father hath set forth vnto vs to be our mercistocke so that whosoeuer wil haue enioye euerlasting saluatiō must haue and enioye it by Christ and by none other Therfore ought we all to laye hand on him with a strōg and vnshaken faith But he that wil not laye hand on him receaue him as his one only alone omni sufficiēt Sauiour but sticke to his owne workes righteousnes he wtout faile shal be dāned for euer and euer For to this ende haue we Christ geuen vs of god the father to be oure Sauiour that by him we should haue power to be made the sonnes of God I meane al suche as beleue in his name denie and forsake them selfes and their workes only ioye reioyce and glory in the name of Christe wyshing and desieringe only by that name to be made holy and acceptable before the presence of gods maiestie When we haue thus thorow faith and confidence in Christ Challenged vnto vs Christ all his merites with all the fruites ▪ commodities and profites that he gat eyther by hys lyfe or by his death as oure owne and proper goodes then let vs also endeuour oure selfes to set CHRIST afore vs as an example whose lyfe and conuersation whose actes and dedes we in oure lyfe and conuersation in all our actes and dedes ought to folowe For although as we heard afore we deserue nothyng by oure workes yet maye we not be wythout good workes in this life Therfore let vs frame all oure lyfe and all that euer we do after the example of CHRSIT whome the scripture setteth foorth vnto vs two maner of wayes Fyrste as a Sauiour And this is the principall parte of our righteousnes Secondlye as an example that wyth hym we shoulde mortifye and slea olde Adam as sainct Paule sayth So manye of vs as are baptised in Christe are baptised into his death that is to saye that we shoulde crucifye wyth hym oure fleshe and wycked lustes suppresse them and geue no place to the lewde appetite of the fleshe So do we declare our selues to be true Christians as the Apostle sayethe They that belong vnto Christ haue crucified the fleshe with the affectes and lustes therof For he that truly knoweth synne and the wrath of God against synne and howe dearely Christ boughte vs therefore and payde oure raunsome that we might be deliuered from it wil vndoubtedlye hate synne from the verye botome of his hearte And when he shall not be able to resiste it it wil maruellously trouble him Yea he wil be inwardly sory and study all meanes possible how he maye represse that synne and be able to tame restrayne that wicked fleshe Again if he truly beleue howe louinge merciful and gētle god hath shewed hymselfe toward him thorow Christe our Sauiour and how god hath pleasured hym frely and without deseruing he shall greatly be prouoked and styrred vp to laboure and to study how he maye serue and please god againe and for his sake loue his neighbour whome god hath commended vnto hym not onely if he be his frende but also though he be his vtter ennemie For Christ receaued him by his passion and death saued hym euen then when he was his enemie Thus doth the true diligent and earnest consideratiō of the passiō of Christe worke in vs true fruites and good workes that is to saye the mortifying and crucifying of olde Adam as Paule saieth They that haue put on Christ he meaneth by faith or they that be of Christ haue crucifyed their fleshe withall her concupiscences yea if any man be in Christ he is a newe creature so that we in the passion crosse and death of the olde man should be made like to Christe to his passion and death For so hath god ordayned Thus breifly haue we declared how we ought trulye to consider the passion of Christ with the fruites and causes therof By the which passion deth we ar deliuered from Sathan from synne
from the curse of the law from desperation from death from hell from the wrathe of God and from euerlastyng damnation and are translated and remoued vnto the heauenly countrey that glorious kyngdome of the moste glorious God Last of all we opened vnto you how we ought by faith to take and chalenge vnto vs those moste singuler and inestimable benefites so forme and frame our conuersation and lyfe after the example of Christ that it may outwardly appere that we be the thankfull disciples of Christ and the faithful and louing children of the heauenly Father And for as muche as we can not doo this of our owne strengthe and power let vs moste humbly pray vnto God that he for Christ Iesus sake may geue vs his strength and spirite that we may liue before him in pure faith vnfained loue in the great day of the Lord appere fautlesse among the dere and welbeloued children of God and so heare out of his mouthe which suffered and dyed for vs this moste swete and comfortable saying Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kyngdome whych was prepared for you from the begynnyng of the worlde To this lord CHRIST our alone Sauiour and most perfect redemer with God the father the holy ghost our moste swete conforter be all honor glorie praise for euer Amen The Gospell on Easter day Iohn xx THe fyrst day of the Sabbothes came Mary Magdalen early when it was yet darke vnto the Sepulchre and saw the stone taken away from the graue Then shee ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Iesus loued and sayth vnto them They haue taken away the Lorde out of the graue and we can not tell where they haue layde hym Peter therfore went forth and that other disciple and came vnto the Sepulchre They ran bothe together and that other disciple dyd outrunne Peter and came firste to the Sepulchre And when he had stowped downe he sawe the lynnen clothes lyinge yet went he not in Then came Simon Peter folowynge hym and wente into the Sepulchre and sawe the lynnen clothes lye and the napkyn that was about his head not lying with the lynnen clothes but wrapped together in a place by it selfe Then went in also that other disciple whiche came fyrst to the Sepulchre and he sawe and beleued For as yet they knewe not the Scripture that he shoulde ryse agayne from death Then the Disciples went away againe to theyr owne home THE EXPOSITION IN as muche as thys daye accordyng to the auncient and commendable custome of Christs church we celebrate the laudable feast and worthy memorie of the moste noble and victorious resurrection of oure Sauioure Iesus Christ it is mete and conuenient that we speake and entreate of the same at this present For the true sanctifying and halowing of feastfull days consisteth in the true worshippyng of God which is none other thing praiers thankes geuing ones done then to exercise the worde bothe in preachyng and readyng We therfore at this tyme wyll make our conference according to the tyme of the glorious resurrection of our moste louyng Lorde and swete Sauiour Christe Iesu. And in this our conference we will firste of all consyder what maner of Resurrection the risyng agayn of Christ frome death vnto lyfe was After that we will declare what vtilitie and profyte what fruicte and goodnesse the moste victorious and triumphant Resurrection of Christe hathe broughte vnto vs as we haue to fore shewed of his Passion and deathe As touchynge the fyrste lette vs not thynke that the resurrection of Christ was a common resurrection frome deathe as was the Resurrection of Lazarus but besydes thys that Christe rose agayne in the fleshe and corporallye he also spiritually became the Lorde of deathe and ouercame it and broughte with hym euerlastynge lyfe so that all that beleue are risen agayne with hym and haue ouercome deathe And by this his resurrection he hath not onely obteined a temporall life but also a spirituall lyfe For as he before by the temporall deathe of the Crosse dyd slea and vtterly abolyshe the spirituall deathe of synne and hell So he lykewise by his resurrection hath not only recouered and broughte agayne the temporall lyfe and quietnesse but also euerlastynge lyfe and perpetuall ioye Wherof wee may learne that Christe is rysen agayne twoo manner of wayes Fyrste after the fleshe by the whyche Resurrection he made hys deade body quicke his despised body glorious His weake and feeble body mightie and stronge his naturall body supernaturall and spirituall Of this resurrection we reade in many places of the scripture Among all Paule hath these wordes in the chronicle of the Apostles Actes where he speaketh on this maner And we shewe vnto you that the promise whiche was made vnto the fathers God hath fulfilled to their children euen vnto vs in that he raised vp Iesus as it is written in the first Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten the. And in his firste epistle to the Corinthiās he saith that Christ after his resurrection was sene of more then of fiue hūdred brethren And moreouer that he shewed himself before to the .xii. and to many other brethren as we maye see playnly written in the Euangelistes Secondly there was in Christ also an inward spirituall resurrection in that he escaped from the horror of death hell syn and the wrath of God and came vnto euerlasting ioy life health peace gladnes Of this he glorieth and speaketh by the mouth of that prince like Prophet sayinge Thou haste made the wayes of lyfe knowen to me Thou shalt fill me ful of gladnes with thy countenance Againe Thou hast turned my heuines into ioye thou hast put of my sackclothe and girded me with gladnes All these ar gratulations reioycinges and thankes geuynges that God the heauenly Father hath deliuered his sonne Christ from the horror of hell and death and not him only but also with him and through him all faithfull christians Whereof we shall speake more largely hereafter How the resurrection of Christ was don according to the historie how he rose again on Easter day betymes in the morning before the sonne was vp howe the women found the sepulchre emptie Again howe they were conforted of the Aungell and admonished of his resurrection This with diuers other things appertaining vnto the resurrection of Christ ar diligently written of the foure Euangelistes and ye your selues haue hertofore both heard red them Therfore at this time we will speake nothinge of that matter but we will rather declare set forth vnto you the profites and fruites which Christ hath gotten for vs by his glorious and royal resurrection and opē vnto you how we ought to enter into a newe lyfe with Christ. But before we come vnto this matter let vs speake somwhat of the innocencie and Godhead of Christe by the whiche he
in conuersation we maye be new doughe and swete bread Therfore seing we by risen againe with Christe let vs seke the thinges that are aboue where Christe sytteth on the righte hande of God that is to saye let vs forsake earthye and transitorye thinges And aspire and labour forewarde vnto heauenlye and euerlastynge thynges that the resurrection of Christe and the benefites therof of the whiche ye haue now heard may be fruitefull and full of efficacie and power in vs that by our newe lyfe and Christen conuersation we maye shewe oure selues thankfeull vnto GOD and proffitable to oure neyghbours again that they which are without enemies to the Christian trueth maye thorowe oure Godly and honest behauiour be conuerted and turne from their Idolatrie vnto the worshippynge of God from their superstition vnto Gods pure religion from corrupt and wicked maners vnto holines and purenes of lyfe that by this meanes GOD oure heauenly father maye be glorified both by them and by vs whiche vnto this ende hath geuen vs his holy Spirite that in all pointes both in body and soule we being holy and righteous maye serue hym euen the Lorde oure GOD in holynes and righteousnes all the daies of our lyfe to whome with Christe our Lorde and the holy ghoste be all prayse honour and glorye worldes without end Amen The first Sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xx THe same daye at nyght whiche was the firste daye of the Sabboethes when the dores were shutte where the Disciples were assemblede together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the middes and sayde vnto them Peace be vnto you And when he had so sayde he shewede vnto them his handes and his syde Then were the Disciples glad when they sawe the Lorde Then sayde Iesus to them agayne Peace be vnto you As my father sente me euen so sende I you also And when he had sayde these wordes he breathed on them and sayde vnto them Receyue ye the holy ghoste Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them And whosoeuers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned THE EXPOSITION ALbeit in the gospell of this present Sondaye manye thinges are contained concerninge the glorious resurrection of oure Sauiour Christ Iesu worthy to be treated of and called vnto remembraunce yet forasmuch as we on Sonday laste spake abondātly of that matter sufficiently ynough to confirme stablishe oure faith in this article of Christs resurrectiō we haue thougt it good at this present to speake of some other matter specially to handle those wordes which Christe after he had wyshed peace to his disciples shewed thē his handes his side for the more confirmation of their fayth in his resurrection spake vnto them said As my Father sent me so lykewyse do I send you c. These wordes of our Sauiour Christ are very notable worthy to be remembred wherewith he gaue to his disciples committed vnto them the office of teaching preachinge that by this meanes the vse fruite of his death resurrectiō with the cause therof might also be knowen of other and so obtaine euerlasting saluation For if this matter had only ben chronicled and not published and set abrode by preaching wherfore it was done what commoditie cōmeth therof to the faithful beleuers howe coulde it haue ben greatly profitable as we see in the kingdome of the Pope In that as touchynge the historie nothinge wanteth nothing can be desired But when in the preachinge of the papistes these thinges are not handled as Christ cōmandeth here the matter is vnprofitable is in a maner none other thing then as a man should tell an historie of kyng Alexander of Iulius Cesar of the great Turke suche like Therfore the whole matter cōsisteth in this that the history of the death resurrectiō of Christ be brought vnto the righte vse This cōmeth to passe on this maner as Christ determineth when he saieth I send you as my father sent me But how the father sent Christ Esaye the Prophete declared lōg before saying The spirit of the lord is vpō me for the lord hath anointed me sent me to preache glad and ioyefull tydings vnto the pore that I might binde vp the wounded heartes that I might preach deliuerance to the captiue and open the prison to thē that are bounde that I might declare the acceptable yere of the Lorde This is the commandement wherewith Christe is sent And he sayeth here that after the same maner he sendeth his disciples as he was sent and geueth vnto them that ministerie and office that he exercised before that they shold teache after the same sorte as he had taught so that this commandement is only to be referred vnto doctrine that the disciples sholde declare the same of Christ whiche he had before declared of hymselfe Now what maner of doctrine this is Esaye describeth and setteth forth with most goodly and euident wordes that is to saye that Christ was anointed and sent vnto this end that he should conforte the feareful the contrite and broken in heart the poore in spirit c. The doctrine that is not agreable to this is not the doctrine of Christ neither hath Christ commanded it but it is the doctrine of the lawe of Moyses for the doctrine of Moyses is that suche as be troubled fearefull shold be driuen vnto more trouble and vnto more feare But the doctrine of Christe is to conforte the weake hearted and to preache glad and ioyfull tydings to them that be sorowful and brought vnto the bryncke of desperation For it behoued Christe to comme with a newe commandement and doctrine as his workes whiche he did were also new as the like were neuer before sene in the worlde I meane that the sonne of God suffered and rose again from death And as Esaye prophecied of the doctrine of Christe euen so doth Christe sett forth here also For these are the wordes of Christe as they are rehersed of the Euangelist And he breathed vpon them saying Take the holy ghost whose synnes ye shall forgeue are forgeuen them But whose synnes ye shal retaine are retayned Here haue ye the right spiritual regiment which doth no lesse differ from the Ciuile and worldly regiment then the heauen is distāt from the earth They that are in this spirituall regiment are righte kynges right princes right lordes haue also their regiment But here consyder marke and learne how farre this regiment goeth and howe wyde it stretcheth forth it selfe Uerely as the wordes sounde euē so wyde and brode as the worlde is And yet hath it nothinge to do but with sinne as touchinge golde syluer richesse worldly substaunce temporall possessions Lordshippes farmes parkes dominions and suche lyke it hath nothinge to do with them For all these thinges pertayne vnto the worldly and ciuile regiment and they are to be handled of temporal
synnes in our owne woorkes contrary to the woorde of GOD. For the Lord Christ doothe not instructe vs here of our woorkes but of the woorde whyche he putteth in the mouth of his Disciples and sendeth them euen as he was sent of his father Nowe where forgeuenesse of synne is and the heartes as Saincte Peter saythe are purifyed by Faythe There out of that good and purifyed hearte shall vndoubtedly issue and flowe foorthe abundance and plentie of all good and christen works For Faythe is not ydell and the holy Ghoste accordynge to hys nature and propretie alwaye mouethe and prycketh forwarde the faythefull vnto the obedience of Goddes holy wyll and vnto the mortification of the flesh and synne God through CHRIST gyue vs hys grace that we may beleue this and truly fele it in our heartes Amen The second sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn x. CHriste said vnto his Disciples I am the good shepheard A good shepheard geueth his life for the sheepe An hired seruaunâ— and he which is not the shephearde neyther the sheepe are his owne seeth the wolfe comming and leaueth yâ— sheepe and fleeth and the Wolfe catcheth and scattreth the sheepe The hyred seruaunt fleeth because he is an hyrede seruaunt and careth not for the sheepe I am the good shepheard and knowe my sheepe and am knowen of myne As my father knowethe me euen so knowe I also my father And I geue my life for the sheepe And other sheepe I haue whiche are not of this folde them also muste I brynge and they shal heare my voyce and there shal be one folde and one shepheard THE EXPOSITION THis Gospel as likewise the other workes of Christ may be handeled two maner of wais First coÌ„cerning faith SecoÌ„dly touching charitie It is the doctrine of Faith because it teacheth that Christ is the alone shepherd none other that dieth for his shepe For vnto this work that Christ dieth for vs no maÌ„ no saint no nor yet angâ—ll was mete that he might restore man which was slain of that deuil in Paradise thorow synne so that it shold be the very proper work of this shepherd Christ with whom none is able to compare as none of all his other workes which he dyd in this behalf I meane in making satisfaction for our sinnes can be of any creature imitated folowed and expressed Therfore no maÌ„ can speake these wordes of himselfe which Christ pronouÌ„ceth in this place I am the good Shepherd A good shepheard geueth his lyfe for his shepe so that by these his wordes he allureth vs vnto hym and teacheth vs that we shoulde beleue that none can be like vnto hym in accomplishyng the work of our redemption whyche he broughte to passe by his Passion and deathe Moyses and the Prophets were men of great authoritie and of singuler excellencie whiche taughte truly what we ought to beleue and to do yea they suffered many thynges for this their doctrine yet as concernyng this worke wherof Christ speaketh here I meane to dye for the shepe they are only mercenaries and hirelynges neither can they defende the shepe agaynst the wolfe For this is without all doubt that Moyses and the Prophetes when they had taught a longe tyme and done all thyngs aswell as they 〈◊〉 were not yet able to recouer them selues out of death What then could they be able to do for the shepe against the wolf whiche is the deuill death And verily it is euen as Christ saith The hireling which is not the shepherd to whom the shepe do not belong seeth the wolfe coÌ„ming forsaketh the shepe fleeth and the wolf catcheth scattereth the shepe But the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling the shepe do not pertaine vnto him Therfore he that in this perill desireth to be without ieoperdy not to be rent torne of the wolf must diligeÌ„tly take hede that he put not his coÌ„fideÌ„ce in the law or in good works For ther is no help in the law yea yâ— law is rather against vs accuseth condemneth vs neither can good workes helpe any thyng in this behalf Therfore all our trust concernyng our owne righteousnes and good workes must we vtterly caste awaye and lerne with true faith to resorte vnto him alone which saith I am the good shepehearde I geue my life for my shepe For he fleeth not the wolfe neither is he afraide of him yea he rather offereth himselfe o the wolfe for to be rent and torne on pieces then that one of his shepe should perishe and decay Therfore when we are in daÌ„ger we must resort and flee vnto him alone And this is one thing that we muste stedfastly beleue We our selues can do nothyng in this behalfe but Christe that good shepheard he alone doth it and worketh all good thynges for vs and commandeth vs to embrace it with a sure faith and stedfastly to beleue it The second doctrine is that this act of our shepherd is set forth vnto vs for an example as Peter witnesseth sayinge Christ hath borne our sinnes in his body vpon the tree that we being dead to sinne might lyue vnto righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed For ye were sometime as shepe that runne astray but ye are turned vnto the shepheard and curate of your soules This is the doctrine of faythe whiche he afterward applieth vnto Charitie saying Christ hath suffred for vs leauyng vnto vs an example that ye shold folow his steppes As Christe died for vs that by his worke he myght redeme vs without our worke from synne and euerlastyng deathe so are we bounde one to helpe and confort an other when soeuer any man beyng in daunger hath nede of our helpe and confort This is to folowe the example of Christe that euery christen man also shoulde be a good shepheard For although I with my death can not redeme other from death and synne for that is the only worke of thee alone and true shepheard Christe Iesu as ye haue tofore heard yet may I geue my life that other by thys example may be allured vnto the worde and brought vnto the knowledge of Christ as S. Iohn saith By this haue we knoweÌ„ the loue of God because he gaue his lyfe for vs and we are bound also to geue our lyfe for the brethren For this we right well knowe howe great the hatred of the world and the deuil is against the word of God And specially the Pope laboreth with all mayne to oppresse the word yea and so many as be the true pastors preachers therof Therfore we haue nede of faithful and good teachers whiche seyng they be redemed by the deth of Christ ought also they them selues to imitate and folow the example of Christ and also to die for the sheepe and to geue their life for the word This death redemeth not other for saluation cometh only by the death
not this voyce It is the voice not of a shepherd but of a wolfe For thus is the report of this beast that is to say of a shepe It hath this nature and propretie that amonge all beastes there is none that hath so quick an eare and so sharpe and redy sense of hearyng as the shepe hath as experience declareth For if neuer so many crye and call it regardeth them not It refuseth all excepte her owne shephearde Hys voyce shee knoweth and heareth Unto that she goeth and maketh haste In lyke maner yong lambes euen in the greatest flockes euery one knoweth the bleatyng of his owne damme and foloweth that so long tyll at the last he hath founde her Christ hath respect to this nature of the shepe and compareth his Christians wyth theym that they also after the same maner should moste diligently hearken to the voyce of the shephearde that they be not deceaued And this is his meanynge that where the voyce of Christ is not his shepe can not be allured nor moued there to geue any eare And herein he geueth vs a playne commandement that if we will be his shepe we muste haue fyne and picked eares whiche may discerne the voice of CHRIST frome all other although those voyces seme to be neuer so clere pleasant and swete Therfore in this place it is to bee learned that wee geue diligent attendance to heare the word of GOD yea and that alone and none other that thorowe it we maye be able to sette oure selues agaynste all the subtilties of the ennemie whyche he craftily gothe about to conueye into our heartes and also beware of false and corrupte doctrine For a woolfe is euer a wolfe neither can he geue ouer his nature If he hath not hys purpose by false doctrine then doothe he inwardly imagine disceit thorowe pestilent and poysonfull thoughtes Here must thou followe the shepe and saye I care not for thys voyce It is the voyce of a wolfe and not of a shepheard The voyce of my shephearde is I am the good shepheard and I gaue my lyfe for my shepe But thou woldest bryng me to that poynt that I shoulde despaire haue no hope of saluation in my shepheard and flee from hym Thus maist thou haue healpe and comforte agaynste that tentation wherwith the deuyll goeth about to dismaye thee to take away thy courage to driue thee into erroure to make thee sorowfull and to brynge thee vnto desperation We must therfore aboue all thyngs diligently heare and certainly knowe the voyce of oure shephearde by thys meanes shall there bee betweene vs mutuall knowledge and loue For howe can he hate vs when he bestoweth his lyfe for vs taketh awaye from vs death synne and all euyls and freely geueth vs euerlasting life These thynges can come to vs by none other voyce Lette vs therfore so much the more diligently embrace it and make muche of it Moreouer this is greately to oure comforte that Christe in thys Sermon calleth hym self a shepheard and tearmeth vs whyche haue and heare his voyce sheepe For by this meanes a Christian hath no cause to complayne that hee is destitute and wantethe a shepheard He may want money substance health c that it may appere that we be left confortlesse with out a shepherd among wolues as Christ also sayde to his disciples Behold I send you as shepe in the mids of wolues And we daily se none other thing then this miserable face that the church is redy to bee deuoured of Antichriste euen as a shepe of the wolfe It semeth as though we had no shepherd that careth for vs and yet he neyther sleapeth nor slombreth that kepeth Israell But thus muste it nedes be that we shold loke for none other cōfort but only at the voice of this our shepherd wherof Christ himself saith My shepe heare my voice He that heareth the voice of Christ and foloweth it He may in this behalf glory that he truly knoweth his shepheard and that his shepheard also knoweth him For he that regardeth the word foloweth that the deuill can not hurte him For what soeuer chanceth concernyng his lyfe goodes wife childrē c. He kepeth alway freshe in memorie this voyce of his shepheard Thou arte my shepe for thou hearest my voyce and knowest me and I knowe thee so that all his cogitation meditation studye and exercise is altogether in the woorde and faythe and in nothyng els at all as Christe hym selfe sayeth I knowe my sheepe euen as my father knoweth me and I know my Father For when Christ the sonne of God was in the earth he shewed none other power that he had but as though it had ben in the free choise of the deuill and of wicked men to deale with hym euen as they them selues lusted GOD seemed vtterly to forgette hym euen as thoughe he neyther cared for hym nor knewe hym But when Christ hanging on the crosse cōplained said My God my God why haste thou forsaken mee when he dyed on the Crosse when he was buryed and the deuyl in a maner persuaded that CHRIST had no GOD thenne was it euidentely declared that the Father knewe hym For hee dydde delyuer hym frome hell and deathe So sayeth Christe shall the matter goe with you But lette not thys trouble you when all thynges shall so comme to passe as though I dydde not knowe you For a Christen man in thys worlde muste be assaulted and combred with calamities crosses myseryes afflictions troubles and wyth all kynde of aduersities so that there shall appeare no difference at all betwene hym and the vngodlye For outwardly the lyfe and deathe of bothe are in a manner all one yea that more intollerable and harder is It seemeth outwardly that the condition and state of a Christian manne before GOD is worse thenne the state of any Ethnicke and infydelle For hee is more troubled and oppreste wyth many mo tentations and afflictions But let not this moue thee but holde faste with toothe and nayle that he sayth I knowe my shepe But here thou hearest the deuil and reason making this obiection howe can God haue any care of thee seyng thou arte so myserably afflicted and troubled Answer thou thus I knowe that he knoweth me Neither dothe thys make my faythe to faynt that I dye and suffer all this trouble For I know his voyce and I truste vnto that that as a shepheard vnto hys shepe he putteth forth his voyce vnto me whyche I ryght well knowe and sayth I am thy shepheard I dyed for thee I gaue my life for thee This worde I heare and beleue This is the only and sure token vnto me that he knoweth me and I know hym agayn And although I nowe feele and perceaue otherwise then Christe here speaketh yet shal not all this make me to fainte nor to plucke my fayth from his worde All thinges are full of the crosse
the edifying of the saintes to the worke and ministration euen to the edifying of the body of Christe till we all come to the vnitie of fayth knowledge of the sonne of god vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the ful perfecte age of Christ. For we se by daily experience howe cruell an enemie the deuil is to the worde and specially in these our dayes and how he calleth vnto hym for helpe the Turke the Pope and all the tyraÌ„tes of the worlde that they coming to gether hurly burly with speares and Iauelinges in their handes against the lord and his annointed may put out of the waye the worde of God and make hauocke of the Churche of Christ. But the more the Pope the Turke shewe their furie and crueltie against the churche of Christe and his holye worde the more doth it prosper and florishe and daily more and more getteth the victorie ouer the enemies whiche with out all doubte shall shortly come to confusion The gates of hell â–ª sayth Christ shall not preuaile against my church or congregation Again whosoeuer falleth on this stone shall be broken in peces but on whome soeuer it falleth it shal al to grinde him Baptisme the Lordes supper and the worde all the tyrantes of the worlde can not take awaye no nor yet destroye that congregation whiche exerciseth them faithfully and truly And this is no lytle fruite nor smal commoditie of Christes Ascention For to this ende went he vp into heauen that he might sende the holy ghost and set forwarde the ministerie of of the gospel here in the worlde Moreouer these also are called giftes that god gouerneth and defendeth his churce conforteth it in aduersitie preserueth it in persecution kepeth it in the trueth and defendeth it against errours and moueth it vnto prayer and other godlye exercises as Christe faith in the gospel In that day ye shal aske in my name For this can no man do without the helpe of the holye ghost And to be shorte whatsoeuer we haue and receaue al are the giftes of Christ and all are the fruites of his Ascention For for this purpose did Christe ascend into heauen that he shoulde stablishe suche a kingdome and make vnto hym selfe thorowe the holy ghost a Churche euen suche a churche as the gates of hell shall neuer be able to preuaile against it This doth Luke very aptly signifie in his Euangelical historie when he recordeth that Christ being redy to ascend into heauen lifted vp his handes and blessed his disciples not as the popishe byshoppes are wont to do by wagginge their fyngers ouer the people that kneleth downe before them but he praied and wished wel to their ministerie which he then enioyned them that they should preache the gospell to euery creature that is to say to all kynde of men to all nations to all people For the gospell is not commanded to be preached for plantes stones byrdes fishes c. But for men for reasonable creatures as it is said He that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But stones and trees can not beleue Therfore pertaineth vnto theÌ„ neither preaching nor baptisme But faith baptisme belong only vnto men therfore doth the preachinge of the gospell pertayne vnto theÌ„ alone but Christ vseth that figure maner of speach saying Preache the gospel to euery creature that by this he may comprehende al degrees conditions of men that no Emperour no kinge no prince is so mightie but he must heare beleue and receaue the gospel or els thinke himselfe as he is in dede damned To this commandement doth Christ lyfte vp his handes and blesseth them that is to saye he doth not only wysh that they may prosper haue good successe in the execution of their office but he signifieth also that he will helpe theÌ„ defende them be present at their ministerie geue good encrease to the same as he saith by the Prophet The worde that coÌ„meth out of my mouth shal not turne againe voide vnto me but shal accomplishe my wil prosper in the thing wherto I sent it Therfore wheresoeuer the gospel is taught Christe lyfteth vp his handes and bringeth forth his blessinge that it maye bringe forth fruite and not returne in vayne And this is without doubt a great conforte that Christ at that very tyme when he should ascend lyfteth vp his handes blesseth the disciples For by this he euideÌ„tly declareth that his AscentioÌ„ bringeth vnto vs most swete coÌ„solation coÌ„fort great helpe against syn deuil death and hel diuerse noble giftes vnto the edifyinge of gods church fynally his blessinge good wil and fauour yea and also after this transitorie life euerlasting life with immortall glorie vnoutspeakable ioye For to what ende should Christ haue geuen so louinge and gentle a token of his louing and gentle good will toward vs by lifting vp his handes and by blessyng vs if he had borne vs no good will nor wold haue suffred vs to haue place with him in his kingdoÌ„ Seing then that he lifted vp his handes wysheth well to them an to their newe enioyned ministerie it is a moste euident argument sure signe and manifest token that he beareth a singuler good will towarde vs and that his desyre is we should euer be partakers of this blessing and receaue therof greate consolation and conforte thorowe the preachinge of the Gospell whiche is the power of god vnto saluation for so manie as beleue it Thus haue I sett foorth vnto you this â—rticle of Christes Ascension wherby ye vnderstande how full of swetnes and conforte it is and what great and singuler profite cometh to vs by it ye haue hearde that forasmuche as oure owne fleshe and bloude euen the sonne of God sytteth on the right hand of God synne death and deuill are without power that they haue not so greate libertie strength that they can hurte vs. For although they be oure capital cheife enemies seke all meanes possible to destroye vs yet are they such enemies as are but prisoners bouÌ„de slaues Ye haue hearde also that thorow the Ascension of Christ the holy ghost is geueÌ„n vnto vs that he may lede vs into all truth defende vs againste errours conforte vs in our afflictions praye with vs moue vs to prayer and finally garnishe vs with all maner of spirituall and heauenly gyftes For this cause is Christe ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God that as Paule sayth he maye fulfyll all thinges that is to saye geue and graunt vs all thinges whatsoeuer we haue nede of vnto saluation and euerlasting lyfe Therfore let vs follow the example of the Apostles as Luke sayth let vs worship with them the Lord Christ Iesus yea and that with great ioye and geue most huÌ„ble entier heartie thaÌ„kes to our heaueÌ„ly father
the worlde with all his tyranny shall shortly vanishe awaye and for euer after be plagued in hel fyre But contrariwise thy affliction shall not endure long but euerlasting ioye shall come in place thereof where a momēt of an houre is better then a thousand yeres in this lyfe although the worldly ioye were not entermedled with any greife or sorowe This consolation confirmation doth so replenish Iohns hearte with ioye that he doth not only not feare death but he also geueth God thankes that by this meanes he is deliuered from this body of synne and translated and remoued vnto euerlasting lyfe But from whence hath the holy ghoste this cōfort from the father saith Christ here For the holy Ghoste procedeth from the father And this is a noble and notable sentence to confirme our article of the Trinitie For if the holy ghoste procedeth from the father then must it nedes folowe that he is euerlastinge For nothinge can procede from the father but that is of his owne nature essence and substance Therfore as god the Sonne is euerlasting because he was begotten of the euerlastinge father for god can beget nothynge but that is like to hymselfe so is this also a necessarie consequence that the holy ghost whiche procedeth frō god is euerlasting But this article we will leaue at this presēt whē time requireth we will speake more largely of it But where with doth the holy ghost cōforte Of me saith Christe shall he beare witnesse As though he shoulde saye In this worlde loke for nothinge els but for persecution emprisonment losse of goods and at the last death This is the rewarde of the true Christians in this lyfe But be not dismayde The holy ghost shall come vnto thee conforte thee He shall testifie of me He shall put thee in remēbrance of me He shall so encourage thee enflame thee with the loue of me that thou shalt feare the tyranny of the worlde nothinge at all He shal not encrease the with vaine richesse as the worlde doth but he shall beare witnes of me so that although thou shouldest loose al that euer thou hast thy wife thy children thy lande thy possessions thy houshold stuffe c. Yea thy head life This yet should be thy confort that Christ Iesus remaineth vnto thee safe sounde vntouched which for thy sake for thy health saluation for thy cōmoditie and profit came down from heauē was made man died rose again ascended into heauen according to the articles of the Christen faith If this be true as nothing is more true why thē sholdest thou feare Thus speketh the holy ghost dayly in the heartes of the afflicted Christiās vnto their great encouragemēt cōfort And verely he that died for our sake can not hate vs nor beare any euill will against vs. If he then loueth vs what shold we feare as though he loued vs not Yea what shold we not be cōtent to suffer to lose so that we may obtaine Christ his richesse as the Apostle saith I thīcke al things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesu my Lord. For whome I haue coūted all thing losse and do iudge them but vile that I may wynne Christ and be foounde in him c. And this is that which Christ here saith He shal beare witnesse of me for in this testimonie or witnes consisteth the whole confort Therfore these wordes Of me are worthie to be writen in letters of gold diligently to be obserued For these wordes are able to assure vs that the holy ghost bringeth no new doctrine neyther setteth he forth vnto vs Moises or any other thing to cōforte the conscience but Christ alone his worde For nothing can cōforte the conscience but the testimonie witnesse bearing of Christ of his death resurrection All other thinges trouble fraye the conscience by whatsoeuer name they be called lawe good workes Pilgrimages worshippinge of saints c. For god him selfe when we deale with him withoute Christ is terrible neither can we finde any fauour or conforte at his hande but anger wrath displeasure as Christ sayth I am the waye the truth and the lyfe No man cometh vnto the father but by me Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Ambrose Christ alone is our mouth whereby we speake to the father oure eye whereby we see the father our right hande whereby we offer to the father whiche Christ excepte he make intercession for vs neither we nor all the saintes haue any thing to do with god The doctrine that setteth forth Christ that bringeth true consolation maketh the heartes of men mery All other bring to the afflicted conscience not conforte but disconforte not lyfe but death not saluation but damnation Therfore all the matter cōsisteth in this one point that thou truly rightly and certeinly know this consolatiō confort so mayste thou be bolde to saye I beleue in Iesus Christe whiche died for me And I know that the holy ghost whiche is and is called a conforter wil bring none other testimonie confort then this alone that he shal testifie and beare witnesse of Christ which alone and non other will I admitte and receaue For if there were any conforte better or surer then this the holy ghost wolde also haue brought it but he doth nothing elles then testifie of Christ. But why doth Christ vse the worde of testifyinge or bearing of witnes This is don to this ende that we should the more diligently attende and marke the worde For this is certein and true that the worke of the holy ghost is inwardly in the hearte But yet will not he administer this worke otherwise then by the outwarde worde as Paule also saith that fayth cōmeth by the hearyng of the worde Therfore Christe calleth the holy ghost a witnesse nowe doth he beare wytnes by the mouth and word of the Apostles and Preachers whiche sincerelye and purely set forth the gospell of Christ. Therfore he that desireth conforte may not tarye tyl the holy ghost come personally and preache Christ vnto him or speake vnto him frō heauē He geueth forth his witnes openly in the worde ther is he to be sought and loked for tyll by the worde which thou outwardly hearest he touche thy hearte so inwardly thorowe his workyng thou felest his testimonie of Christ. But this inward witnesse cometh not except the outwarde witnesse of the worde goeth before wherin it is declared that Christ for oure sake became man was crucified died and rose again So that the summe of this gospel is that if we entende to be Christians we maye not in this lyfe loke for richesse dignities renowne glorie c. But rather thincke most certeinly that for this our profession we shall haue the world an enemy to persecute vs besydes the vexatiōs of synne deuill and death Therfore when these tormentes
ryse vp in the breaste of a Christian he is by and thynkethe on this maner with hymselfe Alas what haste thou doone Thou myghtest welle haue bene a Christian and yet neuer haue comme to this myserie and daunger Thou art come to thys poynte thoroughe thyne owne faulte c. Nowe when suche horrible examples come also to mynde as putteth vs in remembraunce howe greuously greate and vertuous menne haue in tymes paste fallen and coulde not escape tentation then sayeth Christe is it tyme for the comforter to come whyche without doubte will not longe tarye awaye but wyll spedylye come and teache you that suche greuous and fearefull imaginations and thoughtes are not of hym but of the deuyll The reason is For suche thoughtes bryng trouble and disquietenesse yea and dryue vnto desperation But the holy Ghost maketh not afrayde but comforteth encourageth and so handleth the matter that he testifieth and beareth witnesse of me that I haue ouercome the worlde with his prince and God euen the deuyll Therfore all other thoughtes that brynge with them heauynes sorowe and discomfort are not of me but of the deuyll But the holy Ghost bryngeth and geueth confortable and ioyefull thoughtes for as muche as he beareth wytnesse of me that I haue bestowed my lyfe for you dyed for your synnes and rose agayne for your Iustification Of thys testimonie or wytnesse ye maye easyly gather that I hate you not and that I doo not entende to condemne you but to saue you The whole substāce of thys matter therfore resteth in this point He shal beare witnes Of me This is principally to be obserued and diligētly noted against the Sectaries and false teachers For here it is surely determined that when the holy ghost shall bryng foorth comfort he shall doo it by the testimonie or witnesse of Christ that he may stablish and print Christ in their hertes Wher as contrarywise the deuyll goeth about to plant in the heartes of men feare the wrath of God syn death and damnation This wicked spirite dothe the holy Ghost by his testimonie resist by the word speaketh in our hearts and sayth Ah man what dost thou Canst thou doo none otherwise but alwayes thynke on death synne and damnation Turne thyne eyes from these greuous and terrible sightes and loke vpon me Doest thou not know that man whiche is called Christ Iesus Of hym it is thus written that he was conceaued of the holy Ghoste borne of Mary the virgin that he suffred vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dyed was buried that he descended vnto hell rose agayne from death the thyrd day ascended vnto heauen c. Wherfore was all this doone thynkest thou Was it not doone for this purpose that by this meanes thou shouldest comfort thy selfe againste deathe and synne Therefore leaue of and cease thus to feare to trouble thy selfe for thou haste no cause so to doo If Christ were not and if Christe had not doone these thynges for thee so shouldest thou haue had a iuste cause to feare and to be sadde But Christe is by thee and rounde about thee as he hym self saith I am with you for euer euen vnto the ende of the worlde Moreouer hee hath suffered deathe for thee and sytteth on the ryghte hande of GOD hys Father to comforte and to defend thee agaynst all thyne enemies Where this doctrine soundeth there is the voyce wytnesse and worde of the holy ghoste But what so euer soundeth not on this maner be it neuer so fyne and pleasant it may bee the witnesse of Moyses or rather of subtill Satan of hypocrites and heretikes whyche seke saluation peace and reste of conscience by workes and so trouble che consciences of menne and dryue theym to desperation but the wytnesse of Christ it is not nor yet the voyce of the holy Ghoste God for his mercies sake kepe vs and defende vs agaynste all witnesses and voyces of Sathan of the Pope of the Turk of hypocrites of sectaries of heretikes of scismatikes and of all the wycked and vnto our laste ende conserue vs in thys holy witnesse of the holy Ghoste Amen This is the fyrst part of this our gospel concerning that comforter the holy Ghoste howe hee comforteth the Christians Nowe lette vs come vnto the seconde part as touchyng the Crosse and affliction And here muste we note specially the sayenge of Christe to hys Disciples They shall excommunicate you out of their Synagoges These wordes declare euidentely that they whyche excommunicate the Christians and driue them out of theyr synagoges maintayn this title and doo greatly glory that they are the Synagoge or true churche yea and they wyll also be counted suche as are alone the true woorshyppers of God and that in handlyng the Christians on this wyse they doo God great true and faithfull seruice For ells what needed Christ to haue spoken these wordes The houre commeth that who soeuer kylleth you shall thynke that he doothe an acceptable sacrifice vnto God and an hygh greate seruice It is therfore necessarie at al tymes that we make a difference betwene the true and false churche That is the false churche whiche chalengeth this name and is so called and yet not withstandynge is not the trewe churche The true churche is that which is not suffered to bee called the churche and yet is the trewe Churche in dede But it is an harde thyng to discerne these two churches For thys hyndreth greatly that the false Churche also hath the office of mynisterie in it as it is to be seene We frankely and frely confesse that the Pope and his sect is not the trewe churche and therfore we condemne theim as the Synagoge of Satan Notwithstandynge when they baptise ordeyne pastors confirme maryages we fynde no fault wyth these thynges for the ministerie and wordes sake but we confesse theyr baptisme to be trewe and therfore doo not we baptise the chyldren agayne whiche were baptised of them Whyche thynge notwithstandyng Cyprian dyd not folowe who was of this mynde that he thought that the baptisme which was ministred of heretikes was no ryghte and true baptisme and therfore that the chyldren whiche they had baptised ought to be baptised againe as thoughe they hadde neuer ben baptised And this was his reason Heretikes saythe he are not in the vnitie of the Christen churche Therfore can they haue no Christen ministerie But this is not true For the mynisterie and the person ar to be discerned a differēce is to be put betwene them A notorious synner also is not of the vnitie of the Churche yet hys mynisterie that hee hath in the churche is not to bee despised The reason is thys For the mynisterie is not hys but Christes If he woulde go aboute to alter or breake the cōmandement of Christ if he wold otherwise baptise preache and minister the Lordes supper then Christe hymselfe hath appointed and cōmanded then is there here a sufficient
to do the same must nedes be occasion of great feare and dreade inwardely For herof it doth folow that a man thinketh that he is condemned alredy of God to death orels that he shall forthwith suffer the paynes of deathe Wherfore the Pentecost of the Iewes is a remembraunce of a great and necessarie thyng yet the consideration therof can not be pleasant and acceptable For the example of the people dothe declare what thys mysterie woorketh inwardly When they desyre Moses to be a mean betwene them and God and when they thought it necessarie in theyr heart to haue a meane yet could not fynde who might be this meane and mediatour But GOD hym selfe hathe promysed a Mediatour whyche is a Prophete lyke vnto Moyses c. And by thys he doothe declare what shoulde bee the Whytsontyde of the Newe Testamente that it is fulle of comforte swetenesse ioye and peace For thus sayeth the Euangeliste as it is rehersed that in the daye of Pentecoste whenne the Iewes dydde kepe holye the feast of theyr lawe at what tyme that the Apostles and Disciples were gathered togyther sodeynelye there camme as it were the sounde of a vehemente wynde and fylled the whole house and there appered vppon them clouen tongues as it hadde bene of fyre and so the Holy ghoste was opened there bothe to the syghte of the eyes and the hearynge of the eares For in the sounde was he hearde and seene in the fyre as Christ hadde promised before and Iohn Baptist prophecied that they shold be baptised in fyre and spirite But all these thynges haue theyr signification and meanynge The tongues doothe sygnifie the office of preachynge whiche thenne shall woorke with effecte when the holy ghost worketh therwith that therby maye be enkendled a newe lyght inwardly And forthwith after this sounde and fyry tongues he sytteth on eche of them and so dothe inflame their heartes and with such a blast and motion perceth their vnderstandyng that in a momente of an hower they knowe bothe God and his sonne Iesus Christ they vnderstand the scriptures and waxeth so bold in heart that they dare openly professe the true knowlege of God so that thei can speake with all languages where as before they knewe but their owne For out of Sion it behoued that the lawe shoulde procede and the woorde of the Lorde oute of Hierusalem and that afterwarde the Gospell shold be heard in al lāguages And forasmuch as the Gospel shuld be publyshed not only in Iury but also in all the worlde therfore the holy ghost dothe instruct his apostles with languages that it myght bee vniuersally sette foorth throughout all the earth This is our Whitsontide and Pentecost in the new Testament wherby the trewe knowledge of God is ordeyned not with feare and dreade but with ioy and peace whereby there ryseth suche a conscience at the length which turneth not from God but abydeth all things for Christs sake as the apostles by theyr examples doo shewe Not only Christ at his laste supper prophecieth of this Whitsontyde but also the Prophetes Dauid Esaias Hieremias Ioell Zacharias and other Wherfore we shall not lose our labour but rather bestowe our tyme very well yf we at a certayne appoynted tyme enstructe men of the holye Ghost teaching what he is and what is his propretie and what is nedefull for vs to doo that we also maye obteyne the same spirite And fyrst of all we muste not thynke that the holy ghoste was then firste in the congregation and neuer before For hee is God eternall and almyghtie as Christ sayth that he cometh of the father Wherfore he is of one substance and nature with the Father and there be many euident testimonies that the holy ghoste hath always bene effectuous in men and hath lightned them and broughte them into the waye For Christ hymselfe and Peter also sayth that the Holy Ghost spake by the Prophets and the Euangelistes doo testifye of Anna Zacharia Elizabeth Iohn Baptist that they had the holy ghost Wherfore we must thynke and beleue none other thyng of the holy ghoste then wee beleue of Christe which hath ben for euer and forthwith after the fyrste promyse made in Paradyse exercised his office and stode in battaile against the deuil and began to breke the head of the serpent This worke was long agone began of the sonne of man and euer diligently done and at laste fully accomplyshed at what tyme he became manne and dyed on the Crosse and the thyrde daye rose agayne from the deade Therfore the workynge of the Holy Ghoste was therewyth and the holy Ghoste was alwayes in the worlde gouernyng mens hearts and stirryng vp their faith by the word in them he kyndled a lyght and them he cōfirmed and brought into all truthe But yet he dydde at lengthe perfectly and absolutely fulfylle thys greate woorke vppon thys Whytsondaye wherein hee was not secrete and priuie as hee was before But hee declared hym selfe openlye that all that dyd see myghte perceaue and confesse that the holy ghoste was present For where as there were some amongest theym in thys place that iudged the woorkynge of the holy Ghoste to be dronkennesse it was doone of an aduysed and purposed madnesse For they are proued false by theyr owne reason wherby they may knowe that diuers languages commeth not of dronkennesse or of newe wyne It shoulde make muche with oure matter to consyder why the reuelation of the holy Ghost was deferred vnto this daye For euen as after the delyuerance of the old people there folowed immediatly the couenant betwene GOD and the people so after our delyuerance whyche commeth thorough Christe doothe this pledge of the Holy Ghoste ensue whereby we myght be made certayne and confirmed as concernyng the couenant betwene God vs. For fyrst was it mete that this deliuerance shoulde be made and confyrmed thoroughe CHRIST and that he should entreate the Father to sende vs the Holy Ghoste And by hym onely are we made parte takers of thys greate gyfte as wee sayde in the daye of the Ascension prouynge it by the thre score eight Psalme That hee ascended on hye and receaued gyftes for men For thus doothe Peter also expounde that saying in his sermon of this daye where as he saieth Wherfore Christe beynge exalted on the ryght hand of God when he had receaued the promise of the holy ghoste of his father he dyd shedde foorth this as you now see and heare And this is the fyrste worke of his but hath bene alwayes in the worlde wyth dewe administration and workynge But yet on this daye at the laste dyd he openly declare hymselfe where as he shewed foorth hymselfe with greate vertue and strengthe so that by this reuelation we maye knowe what a greate thynge CHRIST hath wrought and brought to passe for vs thorowe his death and resurrection
not haue respecte to the iustice of our workes but vnto the remission of synne if thou woldest know God truly and his kingdome And this kyngdome of God doth consyst in the reuelation of the promises and of the sonne of God As Iohn sayth also The only begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath declared vnto vs. Christ therfore setteth himself against this error which belongeth not only to Nicodeme but to al which seke any other way to the kyngdom of heauen to saluation then by remission of syn which is ordeyned in the sonne of God with the renuyng of the olde man For it is not sufficient to bring vs to the kingdom of God to behold the law of God his cōmandements after the reasoning of Nicodeme to do the workes therof and to obey God therby as muche as lyeth in our power He thynketh that this is sufficient and that god requireth no more of vs. And doubtlesse the Papistes and mounkes are not worthy with theyr trifles to be numbred with Nicodeme and amongest suche other Iusticiaries For he with suche other goeth about to get righteousnes accordyng to Gods law where as the papists folow the dreames of mans traditions euen as it were an appointed forme of worshypping set forth by God howbeit the law of God dothe nothing diffre from mans traditiō whē it is applied to forgeuing of sins before God as in dede it was applied of the pharisei Luke 18. where he glorieth of his own rightuousnes before god as thoughe he were of the kingdome of God for hys workes sake whiche he dyd according to the lawe But Christ teacheth that God requireth an other maner of thyng to the seyng of this kyngdome then that thou shouldest thynke that thou myghtest purchase it by the righteousnes of the lawe And so by this occasion he openeth vnto hym a high mysterie of the Gospell that is that God by the lawe hath concluded all vnder synne that he might haue mercy of all men and that he might bring them to the kyngdom of mercy that he hath no other kyngdom for men This newe and strange saying of Christ as touching the kingdom of God troubled Nicodemus so greatly that he could not tell whether to go But there is no better way to make playn this matter then to cōpare thē both together Nicodemus came not to Christ to bee instructed with the knowledge of the kyngdome of God but to shewe hym that he was not stubborne as his companions were and that he was not out of the kyngdom of God and he loketh for no other thynge of Christe then to bee allowed for his wisedome Hee coulde not thinke but that he should be in hygh reputation with Christ but Christ setteth nothyng by the frendshyp of Nicodeme before he had instructed hym with suche a doctrine that he myght perceaue the errour not onely of the foolyshe and ignorant phariseis but also of the wisest as touchyng the Iustice of the lawe and beginneth his disputation wherewith he endeuoureth to confute Nicodeme and all other that had no true opinion of the kyngdom of God and to enstruct them as concernyng the true iudgement of these thynges by a holy othe saying Uerily verily I say vnto thee except thou be borne a new from aboue thou canst not see the kyngdome of God This dothe Christ call into question whiche Nicodemus neuer thought to moue Wherfore by the sodeyn demandyng and contrarying in an vnknowen matter he is so abashed that he could not tell what to answere but that he muste nedes declare his own ignorance wher as he knoweth nothyng at all as concernyng how a synner must be regenerate and newe born to the kyngdom of God And now consyder here well the pithe of Christes sayinge where he pronounceth that no man can beholde and see the kyngdome of Christ except he be borne a newe For this is plainly determined that what soeuer is borne of fleshe and bloud by our parents with all their powers as farre as mans power goeth with al their reason wil doings with their laws studies disciplines exercises endeuors facts works can not escape damnation And hereby doth it appere how ouerthwart they be which shewe vtterly as though they taught of the kyngdom of God and of saluation and yet as touching the new birthe they speake nothing but as it is euident by the Pope they enioyn them workes to do and traditions to folowe that thereby they may get saluation But this is nothing agreyng with Christs doctrin which teach plainly if thou be not born again thou shalt not be saued And this thyng belongeth not only to Nicodemus but it pertaineth to all mē which can do great vertues and actes as are the examples of the Gentiles concernyng modestie and loue towarde parentes or countrey iustice and liberalitie c. For all are not aduoutrers nor fornicators theues and sluggish people but there are notable woorkes and vertues and surely the discipline therof is not to be despised for as muche as God hathe greate respect and regard thervnto in the ten cōmandements But when they come to this especiall matter to trie what is the way to the kingdome of God and what way bryngeth to saluation the saying of Christ is playne that all other thinges worke death and damnation that are without the new byrth and regeneration Only the new birth can chalenge the inheritance of rightousnes saluation in the kyngdom of God as Paule sheweth with euidēt words saying In Christ Iesu is neither circumcision nor vncircumcision but onely a newe creature The gathering and conclusion of reason is diligently to be marked in this least we be deceaued For it resoneth on this wise If stealing ▪ murder and aduoutry doth displease God than must it nedes folow that it is pleasyng to God to absteyne from such thynges It is not to be denied but it pleaseth God to auoyd syn accordyng to the law and therby to do good workes And he doth promise and geue rewards for such workes and merits But yet they can not se the kyngdom of God which do such workes of the lawe but onely they that are regenerate and newe borne God dothe not hate the Phariseye Luke 18. because he was no robber aduouterer vnrighteous as other wer and in that he fasteth and payeth his tithes but God would allowe these things if they wer not done with a trust to obteyn rightuousnes saluation before god therby Wherfore these thinges are diligently to be distincted in teachyng We must not disproue reason will vertuous sayinges nor the law neither preceptes maners nor honest liuing for all these things are to be taken for the gifts of God But when we entreat of this matter how we must come to the kyngdom of God there doth none of these thinges preuaile neyther reason nor will nor lawe nor good woorkes But thys thing only
thing They wold more sooner beleue that the poison might sooner be expelled by medicines What doth it profite saith reason to saue the life if a man beleue in Christ The commandementes of the lawe must be fulfilled also and synne must be auoyded and than ther is hope of saluation Therfore few men perceaue this that all the meanes to come to saluatioÌ„ doth depende hereof that we beleue in Christ. But som be made Monkes they fast they pray c. And euery man seeketh saluation and lyfe by an other meanes then by the syght and faith in Christ But in this place marke this perfect sentence The corruption an contagion the which is ingendred in thee by the deuill is greater then that thou mayst be deliuered from euerlastynge death by thy owne power and might Neiher mayst thou be deliuered from this greate euill by any other meanes then by this syght that thou beholde Christ lyfted vp on the crosse how that he died for thee and offred his owne lyfe for thee and by his death satisfied for thy sinnes and so reconciled thee to God If thou beleuest this and be baptised then no doubt art thou newe borne by the holy ghost to the kyngdome of god For I â—â—yd before that this new byrth is of this sorte that there is nothynge open beside the sounde that is to saye we must sticke sure to the worde and beleue that most constantly And this is the plaine doctrine of this gospell that first we are al sinners damned to eternal death TheÌ„ that by this we are deliuered from eternal death wheÌ„ we behold the man Iesus Christ on the crosse that he made satisfaction for vs and vanquished death â–ª and brought vs at one with god and made vs partakers of euerlastinge lyfe This is the doctrine that forgeth new men and new heartes so that we may say in sin death Although I am deadly stoÌ„g of the old serpeÌ„t and can not deme it yet this thing maketh me haue sure hope of saluation that in the man Christe Iesu there is so great vertue that if I loke vpon him being crucified I get therby sure deliuerance from sin death and the deuill Wherfore there is nothing that can feare me be the bytting of the deuil neuer so great defileth he all thinges neuer somuche with matter and blacke poyson Christe on his Crosse doth confort me with his righteousnes For his blacke wan woundes are there set for my health And looke wher this confort is in the hearte againste this continuall poyson forthwith will ther ensue an other maner of lyfe that euen as we obtaine saluation be Christ So lykewyse we are redie to seke the sauing of other men by geuing helpe succour councel confort defence c. And although a Christian man be hurte of other yet he goeth not about to reueÌ„ge but more rather he hath pitie For he seeth the cause that all those things come by the bytinge and poyson of the deuill in all whiche thinges we could not but perishe if it were not for the remedie prouided by Christ. Wherfore he leaueth nothynge vndone but seketh alwayes possible to bringe men to this felowship and companie of saluatioÌ„ that they may be deliuered from this poison as he was deliuered So that this doctrine is the spring and fountaine wherout floweth al vertues confort ioy tranquillitie The almightie god and our most mercifull father preserue vs thorough Iesus Christ his sonne in this doctrine and graunt vs therin daylye to encrease that this syghte may neuer fall out of our syght and that by true fayth in Christ we maye be deliuered from eternall death Amen Here endeth the fyrste part of the Postille ¶ The seconde parte of this Appostell beginnyng at the firste Sondaie after Trinitie Sondaie vpon the Gospell of Luke xvj THere was a certain riche man whiche was clothed in purple and fine white and fared deliciously euery daie And there was a certain begger named Lazarus whiche laie at his gate full of sores desiryng to bee refreshed with the crummes whiche fell from the riche mannes borde and no man gaue vnto him The dogges came also and licked his sores And it fortuned that the begger died and was caried by the Aungelles into Abrahams bosome The riche man also died and was buried And beyng in hell in tormentes he lift vp his eyes and sawe abrahaÌ„ a farre of and Lazarus in his bosome and he cried and said Father Abraham haue mercy on me and sende Lazarus that he maie dippe the tippe of his finger in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame But Abraham saied Sonne remember that thou in thy life tyme receiuedst thy pleasure and contrariwise Lazarus receiued paine But now he is comforted and thou art punished Beyonde all this betwene vs and you there is a greate space set so that thei whiche would go from hense to you can not neither maie come from thense to vs. Then he saied I praie thee therefore father sende hym to my fathers house for I haue fiue brethren for to warne them least thei come also into this place of tormente Abraham saied vnto hym Thei haue Moises and the Prophetes let them heare them And he saied Naie father Abraham but if one come vnto theim from the deade thei will repente He saied vnto hym If thei heare not Moises and the Prophetes neither will thei beleue though one arose from death againe THE EXPOSITION THere is in this historie a singuler example the like wherof is not founde in al the scripture as touchyng the iudgement that after this life shall come Neither is it necessarie for vs to dispute whether it bee an historie or a parable For seyng that Christ doâ—th name the persones and describeth the life of theÌ„ bothe and also what is bothe their endes that the riche is tormented in fier and Lazarus is comforted it semeth requisite to beleue that it chaunced so in deede Yea and this we maie be bolde also to saie after the councell of Christ with a sure faithe that it shall likewise befall and chaunce to all suche as are like in condicioÌ„s to this riche man and to this Lazarus As Christ declareth wheras he putteth forthe this example to terrifie and to feare the couetous Phariseis There are put forthe here generally twoo examples for the whole worlde The one of hym that is riche in this worlde and after that poore without ende The other of him that is poore in this world and after that blessed and salfe for euer that euery manne might folowe that state that he thynketh beste For pouertie and other discommodities ioyned with godlines are not to bee refused so that thou maiest thereby come to saluacion As contrarie wise prosperitie putteth not a man in suche safetie as though he neede not feare vngodlinesse but rather for riches and wealthes sake should a man suspecte the more the perill of Idolatrie and of vngodlinesse
tyme of youre visitation I come not vnto you with swearde or armour but meke gentyll and lyke a Sauiour I teache and cry Repent repent Amend amend Heare and be obediente vnto God before his anger waxe whote and there be no manne that can quenche it Thus I visite you but I profite nothing ye heape synne vppon synne yea and that extremely because ye haue no regarde to the tyme of your visitation neyther can ye abyde it Therefore for as muche as ye refuse all good counsell all good help shal forsake you For who wyll be the surgion of that wounded man whiche would go aboute to destroye the body of that surgion whiche seketh his health After this sort are ye Iewes God procureth that remission of synnes shoulde be declared to you by me and that he wil be a mercifull God vnto you Agayne that he pardoneth and forgeueth you al things so clerely as though ye had neuer offended onely this is his desyre that nowe at the last ye should ceasse frome synne and receaue his word But ye blaspheme me ye say I haue a deuyll ye condemne my doctrine as heresie and are fully determined to put me to death yea the most vile ignominious and spitefull death of the crosse This is to muche a beastlynesse where God dothe determine not onely to forgeue you your synnes but also to geue you great abundaunce of bothe heauenly and worldly benefites to turne your backes and most churlishlye to refuse yea to blaspheme his grace and to sette naughte by hys mercye But forasmuche as the matter is come to that poynt there nowe remayneth nothyng that may appease the wrathe of God the pain plague and punyshement must nedes procede suffer it ye muste They that refuse peace muste nedes haue warre ye woulde not haue the blessynge of God his curse therfore muste nedes fall vppon you For where men can not abyde remission of synnes and the fauor of God there is no more hope of saluation And this is the principall cause why the anger of god is so fierce and great For as the Iewes coulde not abyde eyther to see or to heare the worde of GOD so lykewise God afterwarde vtterly refused theyr crienges prayers sacrifices and all other thynges neither coulde his anger be pacified tyll this citie was vtterly destroyed pulckt vp by the rootes so that neither man neither beast nor yet any the lest part of the citie remayned whereby the place or situation of the citie might be discerned For the souldiors laboured to the vttermost of their power that nothing at all myght remayn neither of the citie nor yet of the thyngs appertainyng vnto the Citie And this is that most horrible and terrible example whiche the Euangelist setteth foorthe in this Gospell of this present sonday to admonyshe and warne vs that wee despise not the worde of God nor let passe the tyme of our visitation But this is moste of all woorthy to be consydered that Christ saieth here But nowe thys thynge is hyd frome thyne eyes For so for the mooste parte it commeth to passe that men do neuer remember the plague and punyshement that is at hande but because God for his long suffryng sake deferreth the payn loketh for amendmeÌ„t the world thynketh that he wyl wink at the matter and regardethe not theyr synnes But Christ sayth Although ye doo not thynke of the pain because ye see it not yet knowe ye that it shall moste certainly come God hath prepared so many plagues peines punyshementes snares fetters manicles lockes boltes stockes cheynes c. for the wicked that ye can by no meanes escape For first of all he hathe appoynted parentes and gouernours of housholdes and to them hath he committed the care and charge of vnruly youth and of families He that will not be gouerned and ruled by this power he muste be delyuered to the maiestrate to correct and punyshe hym After these the deuyll remayneth whiche if thou canste not yet be tamed hath so muche power thorough the sufferance of God that he will punyshe thee with pestilence famyne drownynge burnyng c. so that no man ought to thynk that he can preuayl agaynst god or that he shall escape vnpunyshed If thou regardest not thyne office nor wilt not heare obey the word of God thou shalt haue the hangman and the deuill to be thy maisters and gouernors whiche shall discipline thee to the vttermoste bryng thee so low that thou shalt neuer be able to rise againe or ones to lift vp thy heade Therfore receaue ye this doctrine in tyme that ye maie discerne and iudge betweene the hidde and the open payne For the peyn of sinne is euer certaine and yet it is hydde and in that it is hydde it dothe deceaue menne as Salomon also sayeth It is not good nor profitable that men be not punyshed out of hand that god doth so long wink at matters For by this meanes all kynd of mischief encreaseth in the wicked so that they waxe daiely worse and worse The thiefe whiche hath this daye good lucke in hys theft goeth foreward in the same to morowe neither thynketh he then to haue worse chance then he hadde tofore whiche notwithstandyng at the laste bringeth hym to the gallowes Whyche thynge if he had before considered and so geuen ouer his stealyng in tyme he myght haue escaped that vile and shameful death So lykewise goeth it with whoremongeâ—s adulterers vsurers and all other synners the better successe they haue at the beginnyng in doyng theyr wyckednes the bolder they are and the more desyrous to proceede in theyr euyl dede For they coÌ„syder not this sentence Although the payne be hid for a tyme and differred yet it is certayne and will surely at the laste come accordyng to our englishe prouerbe So long goeth the pot to the water tyll at the laste it commeth home broken Therfore take hede diligently and euer remember this sayenge Though the payn be hyd for a tyme and deferred yet it is certain and wyll surely at the last come as the Heathen by experience taught sayd When God commeth to punyshe he goeth in shoes of wolle that he may be vpon the wycked with his plagues before they be aware Lerne thou thys and cease to be careles And although God cometh not streight waies with his thunderbolte â–ª vtterly to destroye thee for thy wickednes and sinne yet beware and aforesee the mischiefe that is to come stande in feare of Gods vengeance and repent betymes For he is garded and waited on with so many ministers and angels he hath in his power so many plagues warres famyne pestilence c. that thou canst neuer escape vnpunyshed He able to sende downe fire frome heauen and with the flames therof vtterly to consume thee vnto ashes He is able with the tempestuous showers of rayne or otherwise with water to suffocate and smother thee vp He is able with
nothynge for their defence For what can they bringe God made all thinges he gaue vnto them the moste holy baptisme He put the gospell yea all most in thy mouth he gaue his supper communion euerie wher and absolution He ordayned cōmon ministers thou haddest at home both parentes and maisters which should teach the what thou sholdest beleue and what godlines thou sholdest shewe in thy liuing Wherfore thou canst not lay for thy excuse that thou were ignorant of the articles of thy beleife but thou shalt nedes be constrained to confesse I was baptised The gospell was sufficiently preached vnto me But I cared not for it I did sett more by wordlye thinges This doth that signifie in this place wher as he that lacked the mariage garment is done For what could he answere to this wherto we must beare record that he gaue vnto vs his sonne and shewed all maner of grace in baptisme and in the gospel so that this only remained that we shoulde receaue with embracing armes that which he offereth so willingly vnto vs. Wherfore an horrible iudgement shall be geuen to these hypocrites euen that they may be caste bound hand and foote into the vtter darkenes that is that they may be damned with the deuil in hell vnto euerlasting chaines For their handes and feete are bounde so that they can not deliuer thē selues by theyr workes and they shall abyde their damnation in darkenes They shall lacke the light of god that is his confort for euer being alwaye in perpetuall miserie anguishe and tormentes so that they shall neuer come vnto thē so muche as a sparke of light This is an horrible miserie Oh that we could be moued therby and consider what a dolful paine it is to lyue miserablye in hel in chaynes with weping and gnashinge of teeth The gnashinge of teeth shal be through frost and colde the wepinge and waylinge for heate as the doctours haue expounded it Albeit Christ wolde signifie hereby all maner of torments that may be inuented This shal be their punishement because the time of their visitatiō is not knowen receaued wheras we were called had the sacrament baptisme the gospel and absolution yet we beleued not we vsed thē not And Christ would teach vs and bringe vs to this that we might know how great felicitie hath chaunced to vs in that we are called to such a magnificent noble glorious mariage where at we may be sure to find a recouerīg frō sin deuil death hell euerlasting wayling But he that will not knowlege so great grace but counteth these things of no estimatiō hath worthely for his reward eternal death For one of these two must nedes be that a man either receaue the gospell beleue get euerlasting saluatiō or not beleue so get euerlasting dānatiō So that the gospel may iustly say the same that Paule sayd to the Iewes which spake against him blasphemed your blud be vpō your owne head I frō this time forth go giltlesse to the gētils For whē the Iewes wold not come god subdued thē to destruction sent his gospel to vs gētiles And for as much as it is come to vs this only remaineth as it is describe here that god wil cast out all thē that haue not their mariage garment And the lord will partly by alluring partly by fearing bring vs to that point that we shold take the gospel for our cheife safgard studiouslye heare it beleue it He allureth vs by his promise great grace through his great punishmēts he feareth vs. But whan he preuayleth by none of these two an extreme destruction is sure to come If god wold raine downe gold perchance ther wold som begin to loke vp to heauen But wheras he putteth forth vnto vs the punishment of eternal death no mā careth for it or hath respecte to life This therfore is the some of the whole sermō Christ wold gladly both allure feare vs that we might earnestly embrace beleue his word loke wayte certeinly for the most ioyful cōming in the last day whē he shall retourne deliuer vs frō all euil both bodely gostly The whych thīg that almighty god and merciful father graunt vs through Christ his son and the holy ghost Amen The .xxi Sonday after Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell of Iohn iiii THere was a certayne ruler whose sonne was sicke at Capernaum As sone as the same heard that Iesus was come out of Iurye into Galile he wente vnto hym and besoughte hym that he woulde come downe and heale his sonne for he was euen at the poynt of deathe Then sayde Iesus vnto hym Excepte ye see signes and wonders ye wyll not beleue The ruler sayd vnto hym Sir come down or euer that my sonne dye Iesus saithe vnto him Go thy way thy sonne lyuethe The man beleued the worde that Iesus had spoken vnto hym and he went his way And as he was going downe the seruauntes mett him and tolde hym saying thy sonne lyuethe Then enquired he of them the houre when he began to amende And they sayde vnto hym Yester day at the seuenthe houre the feuer left him So the father knewe that it was the same houre in the which Iesus sayde vnto hym they sonne liueth and he beleued and all his householde This is agayne the seconde miracle that Iesus dyd when he was come out of Iury into Galile THE EXPOSITION THere are two thinges in this gospell whiche are very profitable and therfore moste worthie to be had in memorie The first is the miracle that Christ sheweth to the child that was in perill wheras he healeth him and yet commeth not at hym onely he saith to the father Go thy waye thy son lyueth and forthwith by this worde the childe is recouered whiche was many a mile from thence and knew nothinge of this worde This is a great miracle which declareth vnto vs how mightie the word of our lord Iesus Christ is and that whatsoeuer it setteth vpon it bringeth it to passe although the deuill be neuer so muche against it For this disease is no otherwise to be estemed of vs than the other workes wherwith the deuill vexe vs moste miserable men To the destroying of this worke of the deuill is nothing els requisite but the worde of Christ and then is health gotten For the deuil muste geue place whether he will or no as soone as the worde of this man Christ soundeth As we see here Wherfore this miracle pertayneth specially to this ende that we maye well knowe Christ which is not only a man as other be that lyue a bodilye lyfe but he is also almightie god for as much as he is the Lorde ouer death and the deuill yea such a Lord which with a worde can helpe againste all euill Therfore we also in our peril and necessitie must seeke helpe at hym As this prince doth And speciallye we oughte to make muche
fruite therof Or who fedeth a flocke and eateth not of the mylke of the flocke saye I these thinges after the maner of men Saith not the lawe the same also For it is written in the lawe of Moyses Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Doth not God take thought for oxen Saith he it not altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt is this written that he which eareth should eare in hope that he which thresseth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we sowe vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great thinge if we reape your bodely thynges c. Do ye not know howe that they which minister about holy thinges lyue of the scripture They which wayte of the temple are pertakers of the temple Euen so also did the Lord ordaine that they whiche preache the gospell shoulde lyue of the gospell Againe he saith Let him that is taught in the word minister vnto him that teacheth him in all good thinges Be not deceaued God is not mocked Also in an other place The elders that rule well are worthy of double honour most specially they which laboure in the word and teaching For the scripture sayth Thou shalte not mosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And the labourer is worthie of his rewarde But if the maiestrate be negligent will not loke to this matter as he ought as he is bouÌ„d by his office so that by this meanes the vngodly parishioners are encouraged to go forth in their wickednes to wthold froÌ„ the pastours that is their due is it to be thought that those vngracious people shal escape vnpunished Nay verely What shal be the end theÌ„ verely if the pastour be not able to folow his right god wtout doubt both is able also wil do it He wil seÌ„de to those caterpillers plagues pestileÌ„ces to destroy both maÌ„ beast He wil seÌ„de theues to robbe spoile those cormoraÌ„ts goods he wil seÌ„de also tempestes to destroy those things that are necessary for their liuing as their corne their wine their herbes â—heir fruites c. Yea he will sende those vnrighteous persons short fewe dayes vpon the earth geue their goods which they vniustly gotte to other which shall as wastefully spend theÌ„ as they warely niggardlye kept them Nowe what then haue these leude people gotteÌ„ by this their deceipt to their pastours in defrauding theÌ„ of their duties verely the anger of god a wicked coÌ„science a giltie minde losse of their goods corne cattel short life an vtter dissipation of all that they haue as I may speake nothing more greuously WheÌ„ men are thus iustly plagued for their sinnes thoughe they coÌ„plaine yet shal they receaue this answere Why ye haue no nede to coÌ„plaine There hath nothiÌ„g chauÌ„ced vnto you whiche ye haue not worthely deserued loke vpoÌ„ your couetousnes pride gluttony druÌ„ckeÌ„nes whoredoÌ„ adulterie enuye malice coÌ„tempt of the worde disobedience to the maiestrats dishonour to their Pastours carnall securitie carelesse life c. haue all these your euils deserued no plagues It is the great mercy of god that ye all yours are not coÌ„sumed with fire and brimstone froÌ„ heauen as Sodome Gomor was Your sinnes are the occasion that ye are thus afflicted So doth Christ in this place admonish the Iewes also that seing they haue lost their kingdoÌ„ be now brought into the power of the Romains they shold not so greatly coÌ„plaine of loosing their right but rather consyder their sinnes which are the occasion of all their plagues miseries punishments which they nowe worthely suffer again seing that they haue not performed that vnto god which they ought him that god is no more bouÌ„de to performe that he promised theÌ„ But this could the Iewes by no meanes be persuaded that they were dispossessed of their kyngdome for their synnes sake that therfore they ought to take it pacieÌ„tly quietly They obiected alwayes their right title that they had greatly wrong done vnto theÌ„ But all this profited nothing at all seing the God was otherwise determined for the punishemeÌ„t of their sins yea that worthely not without desert Therfore he sendeth the Emperour of Rome vnto them which coÌ„pelleth them to obey will they nil they For the kyngdom was not otherwise promised to the Iewes then vnder a coÌ„dition that is to say if they serued god according to his word lyued vprightly did no maÌ„ wroÌ„g c. If they did not this it was told them plainly that they shold loose their kingdom they become subiectes to a straÌ„ger And thus must we also thincke in all our miseries calamities and wofull chaunces Our sinnes are the occasion of them all The Turke is a more fearce and cruell enemie to the Christen religion then any Prince in the worlde although neuer so sauage and barbarous and daylye getteth victories of vs Christen men so that by this meanes his empire is maruelouslye enlarged and he become a most mightie and stronge Prince Nowe in the consideration of this matter where shall we beginne of the Turke or rather of our selues verely of our selues We thorow our sinnes haue geuen hym entraunce into the Christen borders we haue weakened our selues and fortified him We haue geuen him prosperous successe in his warres many noble notable victories against our selues Our sinnes against God and our wickednes one against an other hath brought this thing to passe so that whatsoeuer we suffer at the Turckes hande we suffer it worthely according to our desertes The Papistes also go forth to defende their Idolatries and supersticions and most cruelly persecute and put to death the true professours of gods trueth We wold gladly haue their Idolatrie and tyranny taken awaye that we might haue the gospell of our Sauiour Christ quietly and freely preached and taught among vs. But why then do not we that know the gospell and professe the same with our lyppes repent vs of our former wicked life and so lyue as it becometh them that professe Christ Howe can God otherwise do then suffer suche Idolatrous tyrantes tirannical Idolaters to lyue and raigne among vs to persecute and plague vs to beprickes and thornes in our eyes seing that with our mouth we professe that we know God but with our workes we vtterly deny hym as the Apostle saith Thus muche haue I spoken concerning the first part of our gospell In the seconde parte we learne that there is a difference betwene the kyngdome of the world and the kyngdome of Christe and that Christe in thys oure Gospell dothe not condemne the ciuile regimente but rather confirmeth the same with all the thinges that pertaine vnto it as landes possessions tribute families and whatsoeuer other thynge maketh vnto the confyrmation and ornamente of the politique state For where as Christe sayeth Geue those thynges